Read the passage and answer the questions | Reading activity for class 9

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow it.

Corruption is rampant in our social and political life. Like cancer it is eating into the vitals of the society. Self-serving politicians and their agents and power brokers can stoop to any extent to feather their own nest. Nobody is free from the needle of suspicion. Corruption seems to rule the roost everywhere. In government offices, it percolates from the top to the bottom. ‘You pay the piper and call the tune’ or ‘Money makes the mare go’ are the unwritten tenets of our administrative-cum-political-set-up.

It seems that the older generation has abandoned all that was good in India. It is the youth and specially students who have to take up cudgels against the demon of corruption and crush it altogether. A beginning in this direction can be made by holding anti-corruption drives. The ill-effects of corruption in public life should be publicized through inter school declamations and essay writing contests. Students should take a pledge to resist the temptation to use unfair means to score well in examinations. They can also go a step further and persuade their friends, relatives, and parents to curb this evil at all costs. The dedicated efforts of honest youth are bound to succeed in the long run in demolishing and vanquishing this social evil which has earned us a bad name.

Answer the following questions by choosing the correct option.

1. Corruption is compared to a disease like

a) AIDS; b) Cancer; c) T.B; d) None of these

2. To rule the roost is to ………………….

a) influence everyone; b) be in total control c) become more noticeable; d) become more important

3. To take up the cudgels is to ………………..

a) fight corruption

b) to defend someone or something

c) discourage bribery

d) establish morality

4. The phrase ‘Money makes the mare go’ means ………………..

a) the mare follows its master

b) money can get all work done

c) money has lots of benefit

d) all of the above

5. Which of the following words in the passage means ‘spread in an uncontrollable way’?

a) vitals

b) rampant

c) suspicion

d) persuade

6. According to the passage, ……………… have an important role in fighting corruption.

a) political leaders

b) students

c) older generation

d) media

7. What does the word ‘vanquish’ mean?

a) win

b) lose

c) defeat

d) discourage

Answers

1. cancer

2. to be in total control

3. to defend someone or something

4. all of the above

5. rampant

6. students

7. defeat