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Reading Comprehension is an important topic in the English section. This topic has the highest weightage in prelims and mains exams. Candidates preparing for the prelims examination, can practice this Reading Comprehension for bank clerk prelims practice set provided here. Around 08-10 questions are based on this topic. To ace this section, candidates should have good reading skills as the questions may be asked from some general as well as economic oriented topics. Candidates can attain good comprehensive skills by practicing more questions in Reading Comprehension for bank clerk prelims. Candidates must read the passage given carefully with good speed. Candidates must learn to eliminate options by practicing more questions in these Reading Comprehension For Bank Clerk Prelims Exam. Wisely choose the questions as per the answers known carefully. This topic needs a good understanding of the concepts given. With good practice, candidates can score good marks in this topic by answering most of the questions asked easily.

Here we have added the questions of Reading Comprehension for Bank Clerk Prelims exam with answers. For the reference of the candidates, answers are provided with detailed explanations. Eliminate the wrong options easily, by analysing whether the answer given is mentioned in the passage or not. Scoring good marks in the english section requires good scores in the Reading Comprehension topic, as this topic has the majority of topics asked. Reading Comprehension for bank clerk prelims exam pdf is provided here to boost your scores in the English section with good accuracy. In the English section, accuracy is very important. Utilize these Reading Comprehension for Bank Clerk Prelims exam PDFs and quizzes provided here and ace the english section.

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Direction (1-10): Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words/ phrases have been given in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

At a time when globalisation has lost its lustre and much of the world is looking inwards, 15 countries came together and signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) on the sidelines of an online ASEAN summit hosted by Vietnam on Sunday. India had been a part of negotiations for almost nine years till it pulled out in November 2019, stating that inadequate safeguards and lowering of customs duties will adversely impact its manufacturing, agriculture and dairy sectors. By staying out, India has blocked itself from a trade bloc that represents 30 percent of the global economy and world population, touching over 2.2 billion people.

There are strong economic and strategic reasons to not let the RCEP door remain shut permanently for India. The economic reasons first. Clearly, India’s decision is influenced by China dominating the RCEP trade bloc since New Delhi already has a Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN, separate deals with South Korea and Japan, and discussions are on with Australia and New Zealand. Trade data suggests that India’s deficit with China, with which it does not have a trade pact, is higher than that of the remaining RCEP constituents put together. So why blame trade deals? Moreover, trade deficits are not all bad, and definitely not for consumers. Even otherwise, import of cheaper intermediate goods only help add value to final products. Yes, some fears are not unfounded. Trade policy reform always exerts pressure on the domestic industry in the transition period. Firms that do not rise to the occasion run the risk of falling by the wayside. So they did after the 1991 reforms when India started lowering tariffs. But providing stability in export-import policy and a favourable exchange rate did help the industry shape up, and match global quality and pricing. This is borne out of the experience of over two decades since 1991. India was much better off, both in terms of its share in global trade, FDI inflows, growth of the domestic industry, and rising income levels of its people.

Strategically, India does need to prepare itself for China’s maritime challenge and the aggression it has displayed along the borders. Alliances such as the informal strategic forum, the Quad, which includes the US, Australia and Japan, will help New Delhi check Beijing’s dominance in the South China seas and the Indo-Pacific region. Despite all the differences with China, at the end of the day, Australia and Japan have not stayed out of RCEP. Being an emerging power, New Delhi must send the right messages. Instead of sitting out and building tariff walls across sectors, it must prod and incentivise the industry to be competitive, and get inside the RCEP tent at the earliest opportune moment.

1) What is the economic reason behind India’s exit from RCEP?

A.both B and C

B.Indiaalready has a Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN, separate deals with South Korea and Japan, and discussions are on with Australia and New Zealand

C.India’s deficit with China, with which it does not have a trade pact, is higher than that of the remaining RCEP constituents put together

D.India is a service driven economy while others are manufacture driven

E.both C and D

2) Why did India pull out from RCEP?

A.involvement of Pakistan

B.opaque process of negotiations

C.inadequate safeguards and lowering of customs duties will adversely impact its manufacturing

D.pressure from USA

E.RCEP countries must have some defence agreement

3) Which are the three countries in Quad other than India?

A.US, South Korea and Japan

B.US, Australia and Japan

C.New Zealand, Australia and Japan

D.US, Australia and Myanmar

E.US, Maldives and New Zealand

4) In which country the RCEP was signed?

A.Laos

B.China

C.Vietnam

D.Philippines

E.Thailand

5) Which of the following country/ countries has joined RCEP?

A.Australia

B.Japan

C.Vietnam

D.both A and B

E.both A and C

6) Which of the following is not true?

A.by staying out, India has blocked itself from a trade bloc that represents 40 percent of the global economy and world population, touching over 2.2 billion people.

B.India has separate deals with South Korea and Japan, and discussions are on with Australia and New Zealand.

C.Australia and Japan have joined out of RCEP

D.both A and B

E.both A and C

7) According to the author, what must be India’s policy regarding RCEP?

A.India must pressurize on including service sector in free trade

B.India must increase the tariff barrier with China

C.India must prod and incentivise the industry to be competitive, and get inside the RCEP tent at the earliest opportune moment

D.India should focus on agriculture where it is best qualified

E.none of these

8) Which of the following is synonymous with ‘impact’?

A.etiquette

B.modicum

C.didactic

D.perfidy

E.influence

9) Which of the following is antonymous with ‘blame’?

A.penance

B.forgive

C.assay

D.shoddy

E.choleric

10) Which of the following is synonymous with ‘strategic’?

A.caveat

B.lassitude

C.tactical

D.propitious

E.nihilism

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Answers :

1) Answer: A

The question can be answered by reading the following paragraph- The economic reasons first. Clearly, India’s decision is influenced by China dominating the RCEP trade bloc since New Delhi already has a Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN, separate deals with South Korea and Japan, and discussions are on with Australia and New Zealand. Trade data suggests that India’s deficit with China, with which it does not have a trade pact, is higher than that of the remaining RCEP constituents put together.

So option A will be the correct choice here.

2) Answer: C

The question can be answered by reading the following paragraph- India had been a part of negotiations for almost nine years till it pulled out in November 2019, stating that inadequate safeguards and lowering of customs duties will adversely impact its manufacturing, agriculture and dairy sectors.

So option C will be the correct choice here.

3) Answer: B

The question can be answered by reading the following paragraph- Alliances such as the informal strategic forum, the Quad, which includes the US, Australia and Japan, will help New Delhi check Beijing’s dominance in the South China seas and the Indo-Pacific region.

So option B will be the correct choice here.

4) Answer: C

The question can be answered by reading the following paragraph- At a time when globalisation has lost its lustre and much of the world is looking inwards, 15 countries came together and signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) on the sidelines of an online ASEAN summit hosted by Vietnam on Sunday.

So option C will be the correct choice here.

5) Answer: D

The question can be answered by reading the following paragraph- Despite all the differences with China, at the end of the day, Australia and Japan have not stayed out of RCEP. Being an emerging power, New Delhi must send the right messages.

So option D will be the correct choice here.

6) Answer: A

The question can be answered by reading the following paragraph- By staying out, India has blocked itself from a trade bloc that represents 30 percent of the global economy and world population, touching over 2.2 billion people.

So option A will be the correct choice here.

7) Answer: C

The question can be answered by reading the following paragraph- Instead of sitting out and building tariff walls across sectors, it must prod and incentivise the industry to be competitive, and get inside the RCEP tent at the earliest opportune moment.

So option C will be the correct choice here.

8) Answer: E

‘Impact’ means a marked effect or influence. So it is synonymous with ‘influence’. ‘etiquette’ means the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group. ‘perfidy’ means the state of being deceitful and untrustworthy. So option E will be the correct choice here.

9) Answer: B

‘Blame’ means feel or declare that (someone or something) is responsible for a fault or wrong. So it is antonymous with ‘forgive’. ‘penance’ means punishment inflicted on oneself as an outward expression of repentance for wrongdoing. ‘shoddy’ means badly made or done. So option B will be the correct choice here.

10) Answer: C

‘Strategic’ means relating to the identification of long-term or overall aims and interests and the means of achieving them. So it is synonymous with ‘tactical’. ‘caveat’ means a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations. ‘propitious’ means giving or indicating a good chance of success; favourable. So option C will be the correct choice here.