Strong Roots

1. APJ Abdul Kalam was born into a-

1. Bengali family
2. Gujarati family
3. rich Tamil family
4. middle-class Tamil family

2. The author was born in the island town of-

1. Dhanushkodi
2. Madurai
3. Rameswaram
4. Chennai

3. Kalam’s father, Jainulabdeen, possessed-

1. great wealth and formal education
2. great innate wisdom and true generosity of spirit
3. a high social position
4. political power

4. Kalam’s father avoided all-

1. spiritual activities
2. hard work
3. inessential comforts and luxuries
4. company of others

5. Kalam’s mother, Ashiamma, was known for her-

1. strict discipline
2. generosity in feeding people
3. storytelling ability
4. wealth

6. The author lived in their ancestral house which was built in-

1. the early nineteenth century
2. the middle of the nineteenth century
3. the late nineteenth century
4. the twentieth century

7. The ancestral house was a large ‘pucca’ house made of-

1. brick and wood
2. mud and straw
3. limestone and brick
4. cement and steel

8. Kalam’s father would start his day at-

1. 6 a.m.
2. 5 a.m.
3. 4 a.m.
4. 3 a.m.

9. After reading the namaz, Kalam’s father would walk down to a small-

1. mango grove
2. coconut grove
3. banana grove
4. guava grove

10. Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry was the high priest of the-

1. local church
2. Rameswaram temple
3. local mosque
4. a Buddhist monastery

11. Kalam’s father believed that prayer helped one to-

1. become rich
2. achieve worldly success
3. transcend one’s body and become a part of the cosmos
4. defeat one’s enemies

12. Kalam’s father believed that for people in trouble, he was merely a-

1. guide
2. healer
3. mediator
4. teacher

13. According to Kalam’s father, adversity always presents opportunities for-

1. escape
2. introspection
3. making money
4. blaming others

14. The Shiva temple in Rameswaram made the town-

1. a tourist spot
2. a business hub
3. famous to pilgrims
4. a historical site

15. Kalam’s father and Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry used to discuss-

1. politics
2. business matters
3. family issues
4. spiritual matters

16. Kalam’s childhood was-

1. full of luxury
2. very unhappy
3. materially and emotionally secure
4. full of anxiety

17. Kalam’s father conveyed complex spiritual concepts in very simple, down-to-earth-

1. English
2. Hindi
3. Sanskrit
4. Tamil

18. Kalam tried to understand the fundamental truths revealed to him by his-

1. mother
2. teacher
3. father
4. friends

19. What did Kalam’s father offer to the Almighty?

1. Money
2. Flowers
3. Bowls of water
4. Sweets

20. The locality where Kalam lived was predominantly-

1. Hindu
2. Christian
3. Muslim
4. Sikh

21. The relationship between Kalam’s father and the high priest shows-

1. religious rivalry
2. communal harmony
3. social distance
4. political alliance

22. The title ‘Strong Roots’ refers to the-

1. strong trees in Rameswaram
2. strong foundation of values Kalam received from his parents
3. strong ancestral house
4. strong religious beliefs

23. Kalam’s father believed that there exists a-

1. divine power that can lift one up from confusion and misery
2. force that punishes people
3. destiny that cannot be changed
4. world full of suffering

24. The author describes his mother as an ideal-

1. teacher
2. leader
3. help-mate to his father
4. housewife

25. What did Kalam’s father bring back from the coconut grove?

1. Coconuts
2. About a dozen coconuts tied together
3. Coconut water
4. Leaves

26. ‘Wings of Fire’ is a/an-

1. novel
2. autobiography
3. biography
4. collection of poems

27. Jainulabdeen’s routine after returning from the grove was to have his-

1. lunch
2. tea
3. dinner
4. breakfast

28. Kalam’s mother’s lineage was more distinguished because-

1. they were richer
2. one of her forebears was given the title of ‘Bahadur’
3. they were more educated
4. they were landlords

29. The author normally ate with his-

1. father
2. mother
3. brothers
4. sisters

30. Kalam’s father would place his hands on the shoulders of his sons and-

1. give them advice
2. scold them
3. pray
4. ask them about their day

31. The text “Strong Roots” is taken from the chapter titled-

1. Creation
2. My Childhood
3. Orientation
4. Propulsion

32. Kalam inherited honesty and self-discipline from his-

1. mother
2. father
3. both parents
4. grandfather

33. Kalam inherited faith in goodness and deep kindness from his-

1. father
2. mother
3. teacher
4. Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry

34. Kalam’s parents were widely regarded as-

1. a rich couple
2. a political couple
3. an ideal couple
4. a modern couple

35. The fundamental truth that Kalam’s father revealed to him was about the existence of-

1. a single divine power
2. many gods
3. good and evil
4. heaven and hell

36. The text emphasizes the importance of-

1. wealth
2. formal education
3. spiritual values
4. social status

37. The phrase “austerity” used to describe Kalam’s father means-

1. strictness
2. simple and severe manner of living
3. poverty
4. unkindness

38. The food served to Kalam at home was on a-

1. steel plate
2. glass plate
3. banana leaf
4. silver plate

39. Kalam’s father’s answer to his question about the relevance of prayer filled Kalam with-

1. doubt
2. confusion
3. a strange energy and enthusiasm
4. sadness

40. The text suggests that one should understand the difference between-

1. a fear-ridden vision of destiny and a vision that enables us to seek the enemy of fulfillment
2. right and wrong
3. Hinduism and Islam
4. rich and poor

41. Kalam’s father believed that there is nothing mysterious about-

1. life
2. death
3. prayer
4. destiny

42. According to Jainulabdeen, when we pray, we-

1. ask for miracles
2. transcend our body
3. complain to God
4. perform a ritual

43. Jainulabdeen had a very old mosque in their locality where he would take Kalam for-

1. morning prayers
2. afternoon prayers
3. evening prayers
4. Friday prayers

44. The people who came to Kalam’s father with problems were mostly-

1. rich merchants
2. political leaders
3. distressed common people
4. young students

45. The text teaches us that true spirituality-

1. belongs to one religion
2. requires great wealth
3. is found in books
4. transcends all religious barriers

46. The author’s appearance in his childhood was-

1. tall and handsome
2. short with undistinguished looks
3. tall with distinguished looks
4. short and handsome

47. The “demonic forces” mentioned in the text can be understood as-

1. evil spirits
2. negative thoughts and inner conflicts
3. political enemies
4. natural disasters

48. Jainulabdeen’s life was an example of-

1. simple living and high thinking
2. ambition and success
3. wealth and power
4. modern lifestyle

49. Kalam’s father would only eat his breakfast after-

1. reading the newspaper
2. returning from the coconut grove
3. taking a bath
4. praying for an hour

50. The core message of “Strong Roots” is about the-

1. importance of science and technology
2. path to becoming the President
3. foundational role of parental values and spirituality in shaping a life
4. history of Rameswaram

1. My father had neither much formal education nor much wealth. (Make it a complex sentence)

1. My father was a man who had neither much formal education nor much wealth.
2. My father was not formally educated and not wealthy.
3. Although my father was not formally educated, he was not wealthy.
4. My father lacked formal education and wealth.

2. He possessed great innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit. (Make it a complex sentence)

1. He possessed great innate wisdom which was combined with a true generosity of spirit.
2. He was a man who possessed great innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit.
3. Possessing great innate wisdom, he had a true generosity of spirit.
4. Both a and b are correct.

3. I normally ate with my mother. I would sit on the floor of the kitchen. (Join into a complex sentence)

1. I normally ate with my mother while I sat on the floor of the kitchen.
2. I normally ate with my mother and sat on the floor of the kitchen.
3. Sitting on the floor of the kitchen, I ate with my mother.
4. I normally ate with my mother on the kitchen floor.

4. Adversity always presents opportunities for introspection. My father told me this. (Join with a noun clause)

1. My father told me that adversity always presents opportunities for introspection.
2. My father told me about the opportunities in adversity.
3. What my father told me was that adversity presents opportunities.
4. Both a and c are correct.

5. Our locality was predominantly Muslim. Many Hindu families lived there amicably. (Join with ‘Although’)

1. Although our locality was predominantly Muslim, many Hindu families lived there amicably.
2. Our locality was predominantly Muslim but many Hindu families lived there.
3. In spite of our locality being predominantly Muslim, many Hindu families lived there.
4. Many Hindu families lived in our predominantly Muslim locality.

6. He avoided all inessential comforts and luxuries. (Change the voice)

1. All inessential comforts and luxuries are avoided by him.
2. All inessential comforts and luxuries were avoided by him.
3. Let all inessential comforts and luxuries be avoided by him.
4. All inessential comforts and luxuries had been avoided by him.

7. My mother would serve me rice and sambar. (Change the voice)

1. Rice and sambar were served to me by my mother.
2. I would be served rice and sambar by my mother.
3. Rice and sambar would be served to me by my mother.
4. Both b and c are correct.

8. His answer filled me with a strange energy. (Change the voice)

1. I was filled with a strange energy by his answer.
2. I had been filled with a strange energy by his answer.
3. A strange energy was filled in me by his answer.
4. I was filled by a strange energy from his answer.

9. I have tried to understand the fundamental truths. (Change the voice)

1. The fundamental truths were tried to be understood by me.
2. The fundamental truths have been tried to be understood by me.
3. To understand the fundamental truths have been my try.
4. Understanding the fundamental truths have been tried by me.

10. He conveyed complex spiritual concepts. (Change the voice)

1. Complex spiritual concepts are conveyed by him.
2. Complex spiritual concepts were being conveyed by him.
3. Complex spiritual concepts were conveyed by him.
4. Complex spiritual concepts have been conveyed by him.

11. I was born ___ a middle-class Tamil family.

1. in
2. into
3. of
4. from

12. He possessed great innate wisdom and a true generosity ___ spirit.

1. of
2. in
3. with
4. for

13. My father would take me ___ evening prayers.

1. to
2. at
3. in
4. for

14. Adversity always presents opportunities ___ introspection.

1. to
2. with
3. of
4. for

15. I inherited faith ___ goodness from my mother.

1. of
2. in
3. on
4. to

16. Jainulabdeen was one of the wisest men I knew. (Change to Positive Degree)

1. No other man I knew was as wise as Jainulabdeen.
2. Jainulabdeen was wiser than most other men I knew.
3. Very few men I knew were as wise as Jainulabdeen.
4. Jainulabdeen was a very wise man.

17. My childhood was more secure than many others. (Change to Positive Degree)

1. Many other childhoods were not so secure as mine.
2. My childhood was the most secure.
3. My childhood was very secure.
4. Few other childhoods were as secure as mine.

18. No other concept was as complex as this. (Change to Superlative Degree)

1. This was more complex than any other concept.
2. This was the most complex concept.
3. This concept was very complex.
4. This was one of the most complex concepts.

19. My mother was the most generous woman in the family. (Change to Comparative Degree)

1. My mother was more generous than any other woman in the family.
2. No other woman in the family was as generous as my mother.
3. My mother was a very generous woman.
4. My mother was more generous than most other women.

20. His answer was simpler than I expected. (Change to Positive Degree)

1. I did not expect his answer to be so simple.
2. His answer was the simplest.
3. His answer was not very complex.
4. No other answer was as simple as his.

21. He possessed great innate wisdom. (Use the adjective form of ‘wisdom’)

1. He was a greatly wise man.
2. He wisely possessed things.
3. He was greatly and innately wise.
4. He had a wise nature.

22. All necessities were provided for, in terms of food, medicine or clothing. (Use the verb form of ‘necessities’)

1. They provided whatever was necessary.
2. They did not need anything.
3. Things that were needed were provided.
4. All necessary things were provided.

23. My childhood was emotionally secure. (Use the noun form of ‘secure’)

1. My childhood had emotional security.
2. My childhood was secured with emotion.
3. My childhood secured emotions.
4. I felt security and emotion in my childhood.

24. He conveyed spiritual concepts simply. (Use the adjective form of ‘simply’)

1. His conveyance of spiritual concepts was simple.
2. He conveyed simple spiritual concepts.
3. The concepts were simple and spiritual.
4. Both a and b are plausible.

25. His answer filled me with enthusiasm. (Use the verb form of ‘enthusiasm’)

1. His answer made me enthusiastic.
2. His answer enthused me.
3. His answer was enthusiastic.
4. I was enthused by his answer.

26. (Complex) He was a tall man. He was a handsome man.

1. He was a tall and handsome man. (Simple)
2. He was a man who was tall and handsome.
3. Being tall, he was a handsome man.
4. He was tall as well as handsome. (Compound)

27. (Voice) My mother served me food on a banana leaf.

1. Food was served to me by my mother on a banana leaf.
2. I was served food by my mother on a banana leaf.
3. A banana leaf was used to serve me food.
4. Both a and b are correct.

28. (Preposition) There was a lot of demand ___ coconuts.

1. of
2. for
3. with
4. in

29. (Degree) His generosity of spirit was as true as his wisdom. (Change to Comparative)

1. His wisdom was not truer than his generosity of spirit.
2. His wisdom was truer than his generosity.
3. His generosity was the truest.
4. Both were equally true.

30. (Parts of Speech) His life was austere. (Use the noun form of ‘austere’)

1. He lived with austerity.
2. His life had austerity.
3. Austerity was the principle of his life.
4. All of the above.

31. (Complex) He would walk four miles. He wanted to reach the coconut grove.

1. He would walk four miles so that he could reach the coconut grove.
2. He would walk four miles to reach the coconut grove. (Simple)
3. He would walk four miles and reach the coconut grove.
4. Walking four miles, he would reach the grove.

32. (Voice) Why don’t you say this to the people?

1. Why is this not said to the people by you?
2. Why this is not said to the people?
3. Let this be said to the people.
4. Why the people are not said this by you?

33. (Preposition) I was one ___ many children.

1. of
2. in
3. among
4. with

34. (Degree) The Rameswaram temple was very famous. (Change to Comparative)

1. The Rameswaram temple was more famous than many other temples.
2. No other temple was as famous as it.
3. It was the most famous temple.
4. Cannot be changed without a clear object of comparison.

35. (Parts of Speech) He had a generous spirit. (Use the adverb form of ‘generous’)

1. He acted generously.
2. His spirit was full of generosity.
3. He was a man of generosity.
4. He was generous in spirit.

36. (Complex) He was a simple man. I am saying this.

1. I am saying that he was a simple man.
2. I am saying this because he was a simple man.
3. He was a simple man, which I am saying.
4. I am saying about his simplicity.

37. (Voice) Understand this concept.

1. This concept should be understood.
2. Let this concept be understood.
3. You are advised to understand this concept.
4. All of the above.

38. (Preposition) He would place the bowl of water ___ his patient.

1. on
2. before
3. in front
4. with

39. (Degree) His logic was the simplest. (Change to Positive)

1. No other logic was as simple as his.
2. His logic was simpler than any other.
3. His logic was very simple.
4. Very few logics were as simple as his.

40. (Parts of Speech) He had no formal education. (Use the adverb form of ‘formal’)

1. He was not formally educated.
2. He lacked education formally.
3. His education was not formal.
4. Formality was not in his education.