Cloze Test Quiz From The Hindu: Part 5

On April 22, 2017, “Earth Day,” almost a million people (1)______ 600 cities in the US, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and even the Antarctic, marched for science. It was a non-partisan celebration of science that called for the use of evidence-based (2)_____ by the governments and in the public’s best interest. Scientists and “commoners” asked for increased governmental belief in, and funding for, science, and for transparency in action.


When American scientists first held a “Rally to Stand up for Science” in February, it was criticising the Trump government’s (3)______ of climate change and policies that go straight against scientific (4)_______. But it soon took on a non-partisan, beyond- the-US rally that highlighted our belief in science and the value of science in human development. When it was announced that this March for Science will be held on Earth Day, our colleague Subbaiah Arunachalam asked several of us in the Indian science academies whether we too would March for Science. I believe we should.

We in independent India have used science and technology for our national development. Former Prime Minister Nehru gave the clarion call: “let us make friends with science.” And we did so in several forms, in the form of technology and the application of science for human development. A country (5)______ by the wounds of partition, poverty and (6)__________, rallied together through the application of science and technology. We (7)______ ourselves of smallpox and polio, jumped our food grain output from 50 million tons to 270 million in a matter of 60 years. Today, India contributes almost a third of the world’s supply of childhood vaccines. We supply (8)______ drugs to the rest of the world. We provide midday meals to school children. We undertake to launch satellites for several “developed” nations. We have gone beyond aiming for the Moon and Mars.

The Aadhar card movement for personal identification and supply of benefits is one of a kind in the world. Recall that soon after the WWII, over 80 countries became free of colonial (9)_______ and began to rule themselves. Among theses, India alone declared that it will make friends with science and built “modern temples” for human development, and this policy has (10)______ fruits. It has been policy and not prayers. Prayers are for personal fulfilment, policies are for the population.

Fill in the blank (1).
(a) over
(b) across
(c) covering
(d) beyond

Fill in the blank (2).
(a) policies
(b) attitude
(c) blueprint
(d) approach

Fill in the blank (3).
(a) disclaimer
(b) retraction
(c) contradiction
(d) denial

Fill in the blank (4).
(a) evidence
(b) verification
(c) corroboration
(d) authentication

Fill in the blank (5).
(a) demolish
(b) ravage
(c) devastated
(d) ransack

Fill in the blank (6).
(a) disease
(b) pestilence
(c) injury
(d) emergency

Fill in the blank (7).
(a) clear
(b) void
(c) rid
(d) purge

Fill in the blank (8).
(a) dear
(b) expensive
(c) budget
(d) affordable

Fill in the blank (9).
(a) domination
(b) bondage
(c) servitude
(d) subjugation

Fill in the blank (10).
(a) lug
(b) fetch
(c) borne
(d) take

EXPLANATION:

(1). Answer Key: (b)
Across- from one side to the other of (a place, area, etc.).
"I ran across the street"

(2). Answer Key: (a)
policy- a course or principle of action adopted or proposed by an organisation or individual.
"the government's controversial economic policies"

(3). Answer Key: (d)
Denial- the refusal of something requested or desired.
"the denial of insurance to people with certain medical conditions"

(4). Answer Key: (a)
Evidence- the available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid.
"the study finds little evidence of overt discrimination"

(5). Answer Key: (c)
Devastate- cause (someone) severe and overwhelming shock or grief.
"she was devastated by the loss of Damian"

(6). Answer Key: (b)
Pestilence- any very serious infectious disease that spreads quickly and kills large numbers of people
"neither prayers nor demonstrations halted the advance of the pestilence"

(7). Answer Key: (c)
Rid- make someone or something free of (an unwanted person or thing).
"boil the peel to rid it of bitterness"

(8). Answer Key: (d)
Affordable- inexpensive; reasonably priced.
"affordable homes"

(9). Answer Key: (b) 

Bondage- the state of being a slave.
"the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt's bondage"

(10). Answer Key: (c)
Borne- carried or transported by the thing specified.
"waterborne bacteria"