Reading Comprehension

In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure (1)________ diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are (2)________ for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty – it is not only a poverty of (3)________ but also of (4)________. There's a hunger for affection as there is a hunger for God.

1) Question

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank 1.

masculine

radical

physical

stubborn

Solution

Correct option is C

The word that can be filled in the blank is ‘physical’ to make the sentence grammatically and contextually correct.
• ‘ Physical’ refers to the body or material things, especially as opposed to the mind or spirit. (शारीरिक)
• As per the context, the sentence is referring to curing bodily diseases like TB or leprosy, which are physical diseases, hence, "physical" fits in very well & is the correct option.
Meanings of other given words and why they are incorrect:
• Masculine – (relating to men or male characteristics) – irrelevant to the context. (पौरुष संबंधित)
• Radical – (fundamental or extreme change or belief) – does not refer to diseases. (मूलभूत/कट्टर)
• Stubborn – (unwilling to change one’s attitude) – a personality trait, not a disease. (हठी)

2) Question

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank 2.

neglecting

dying

ignoring

disregarding

Solution

Correct option is B

The word that can be filled in the blank is ‘dying’ to make the sentence grammatically and contextually correct.
• ‘ Dying’ here is used metaphorically to describe a desperate need, like starving. (मर रहे हैं, अत्यधिक ज़रूरत होना)
• The sentence contrasts people starving for food with those emotionally starved for love, so "dying" expresses the intensity correctly and fits the tone of the passage.
Meanings of other given words and why they are incorrect:
• Neglecting – means failing to care for something (उपेक्षा करना), doesn't express desperation.
• Ignoring – means deliberately not paying attention (नज़रअंदाज़ करना), not suitable in this emotional context.
• Disregarding – means showing lack of consideration (उपेक्षा करना), doesn't express suffering.

3) Question

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank 3.

profusion

abundance

loneliness

lavishness

Solution

Correct option is C

The word that can be filled in the blank is ‘loneliness’ to make the sentence grammatically and contextually correct.
• ‘ Loneliness’ means the state of being alone and feeling sad about it. (अकेलापन)
• The passage contrasts physical hunger with emotional deprivation. Hence, “poverty of loneliness” refers to emotional suffering and fits the idea well.
Meanings of other given words and why they are incorrect:
• Profusion – large quantity of something (प्रचुरता) – opposite of "poverty".
• Abundance – an excess of something (भरपूर मात्रा) – opposite in meaning.
• Lavishness – richness or luxury (ऐश्वर्य/भव्यता) – unrelated to emotional poverty.

4) Question

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank 4.

spirituality

materialistic

educate

covetous

Solution

Correct option is A

The word that can be filled in the blank is ‘spirituality’ to make the sentence grammatically and contextually correct.
• ‘ Spirituality’ refers to the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things. (आध्यात्मिकता)
• The sentence says that poverty in the West is not just physical but also emotional or spiritual. Hence, “spirituality” fits the contrast perfectly.
Meanings of other given words and why they are incorrect:
• Materialistic – concerned with material possessions (भौतिकवादी) – incorrect as it’s an adjective and the sentence needs a noun.
• Educate – a verb meaning to teach (शिक्षा देना), doesn't fit grammatically.
• Covetous – greedy or wanting something belonging to others (लालची), doesn’t suit the tone of emotional emptiness.