Important Reading Comprehension

Expected Reading Comprehension for SBI Clerk. Welcome to the www.letsstudytogether.co online English section. If you are preparing for SBI Clerk 2018 exam, you will come across a section on the English language. Here we are providing you Expected Reading Comprehension for SBI Clerk, IDBI Executive and Syndicate PO based on the latest pattern of your daily practice.

Important Reading Comprehension for SBI Clerk will help you learn concepts on important topics in English Section.This “Expected Reading Comprehension for SBI Clerk” is also important for other banking exams such as SBI Clerk, IDBI Executive and Syndicate PO, IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, SBI Clerk, IBPS RRB Officer, IBPS RRB Office Assistant, IBPS SO, SBI SO and other competitive exams.

Expected Reading Comprehension for SBI Clerk: Set – 55


Directions:(1-10) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions. Certain words are in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
An excellent way to become more self-aware regarding our own degree of proactivity is to look at where we focus our time and energy. We each have a wide range of concerns — our health, our children, problems at work, the national debt, nuclear war. We could separate those from things in which we have no particular mental or emotional involvement by creating a “Circle of Concern”. As we look at those things within our Circle of Concern, it becomes apparent that there are some things over which we have no real control and others that we can do something about. We could identify those concerns in the latter group by circumscribing them within a smaller Circle of Influence. By determining which of these two circles is the focus of most of our time and energy, we can discover much about the degree of our proactivity. Proactive people focus their efforts in the Circle of Influence. They work on the things they can do something about. The nature of their energy is positive, enlarging and magnifying, causing their Circle of Influence to increase. Reactive people, on the other hand, focus their efforts in the Circle of Concern. They focus on the weakness of other people, the problems in the environment, and circumstances over which they have no control. Their focus results in blaming and accusing attitudes,reactive language, and increased feelings of victimization. The negative energy generated by that focus, combined with neglect in areas they could do something about, causes their Circle of Influence to shrink. As long as we are working in our Circle of Concern, we empower the things within it to control us.

We aren’t taking the proactive initiative necessary to effect positive change.By working on ourselves instead of worrying about conditions, we are able to influence the conditions. I worked with one organization for several years that was headed by a very dynamicperson. He could read trends. He was creative, talented, capable, and brilliant — and everyone knew it. But he had a very dictatorial style of management. He tended to treat people like “gofers,” as if they didn’t have any judgment. His manner of speaking to those. who worked in the organization was, “Go for this; go for that; now do this; now do that –I’ll make the decisions.The net effect was that he alienated almost the entire executive team surrounding him.They would gather in the corridors and complain to each other about him.

Their discussion was all very sophisticated, very articulate, as if they were trying to help the situation. But they did it endlessly, absolving themselves of responsibility in the name of the president’s weaknesses. But one of the executives was proactive. He was driven by values, not feelings. He took initiative — he anticipated, he empathized, he read the situation. He was not blind to the president’s weaknesses; but instead of criticizing them, he would compensate for them.Where the president was weak in his style, he’d try to buffer his own people and make such weaknesses irrelevant. And he’d work with the president’s strengths — his vision,talent, creativity. This man focused on his Circle of Influence. He was treated like a gofer, also. But he would do more than what was expected.

1. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. One must try to encourage others in work, getting out of the Circle of Concern.

B. One must keep the expectations low and continue working without complaining.

C. One must be proactive and try to focus more on how to influence situations positively than complain about it.

D. One must try to treat the things which fall in the Circle of concern before thinking about the Circle of Influence.

E. One cannot effectively work on the Circle of Influence if the company of the person is not good.

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C. One must be proactive and try to focus more on how to influence situations positively than complain about it.

The author clearly tells us to expand our Circle of Influence and reduce the Circle of concern. The things which are under our control fall in the Circle of Influence. People who are the proactive focus on them more rather than on the things which are not in our control. Thus option C is the correct answer.

2.Which of the following is the trait of a more proactive person?

A. A more proactive person always judges the degree of proactivity in himself.

B. A more proactive person focuses his time and effort on the Circle of Influence.

C. A more proactive person focuses on the Circle of Concern and tries to make it better.

D. A more proactive person finds every situation the same and gives his best to solve it.

E. A more proactive person focuses one’s time and energy only on the professional work and not on the people.

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B. A more proactive person focuses his time and effort on the Circle of Influence.

It is mentioned in the passage, ‘By determining which of these two circles is the focus of most of our time and energy, we can discover much about the degree of our proactivity. Proactive people focus their efforts in the Circle of Influence. They work on the things they can do something about.’ Thus option B is the correct answer.

3.What is the major problem that happens when people focus on Circle of Concern?

A. People let the problems get the upper hand of themselves and the Circle of Influence shrinks.

B. People focus on the weaknesses of others and they make the situations worse.

C. People become negative and they start thinking of solutions without focusing on the problems.

D. People let ignore the problems and they magnify with time without the awareness of the individual.

E. The Circle of Influence increases and people try to focus on that the maximum time.

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A. People let the problems get the upper hand of themselves and the Circle of Influence shrinks.

It is mentioned in the passage, ‘Reactive people, on the other hand, focus their efforts in the Circle of Concern. They focus on the weakness of other people, the problems in the environment, and circumstances over which they have no control. Their focus results in blaming and accusing attitudes,reactive language, and increased feelings of victimization. The negative energy generated by that focus, combined with neglect in areas they could do something about, causes their Circle of Influence to shrink.’ Thus option A is the correct answer.

4. Which of the following made the people in the company alienated from the manager?

A. The manager did not take anyone’s suggestions and always blamed others for the loss.

B. The manager made everyone work very hard and never gave them any free time.

C. The manager was dominating and did not treat the co-workers well.

D. The manager was not punctual and always worked without the consent of others

E. The manager was too good at his work and no one could think like him.

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C. The manager was dominating and did not treat the co-workers well.

It is mentioned in the passage that the manager was very good at his work but was arrogant and treated everyone really bad. He was dominating and did not ever consult with anyone what was needed to be done. This made everyone get away from him. Thus option C is the correct answer.

5. What was the ultimate result in the organization because of the behaviour of the manager?

A. The people did not want to work in the organization and the performance was getting downgraded.

B. The people developed a very negative feeling about the organization and it started to get defamed.

C. The people used to complain without doing their tasks and they used to blame the manager.

D. The people working there were dissatisfied and wanted to get rid of the organization.

E. None of these.

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C. The people used to complain without doing their tasks and they used to blame the manager.

It is mentioned in the passage, ‘Their discussion was all very sophisticated, very articulate, as if they were trying to help the situation. But they did it endlessly, absolving themselves of responsibility in the name of the president’s weaknesses.’  Thus option C is the correct answer.

6.Which of the following can be inferred about the proactivity of the person in the organization?

A. He wanted to influence the people on his side and replace the manager.

B. He wanted to work better and take the place of the manager.

C. He tried to think of profits and implemented the practical ways.

D. He tried to work in the places where the manager lacked.

E. He was never a part of the gossips and the discussions which took part in the office.

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 The person did not have any evil intention and wanted to produce productive work. He did not complain but worked efficiently filling up the place where the manager lacked. It is mentioned in the passage, ‘He took initiative — he anticipated, he empathized, he read the situation. He was not blind to the president’s weaknesses; but instead of criticizing them, he would compensate for them.Where the president was weak in his style, he’d try to buffer his own people and make such weaknesses irrelevant.’ Thus option 2 is the correct answer.

7.Choose the word/group of words which is most opposite in meaning to the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage. Irrelevant

A. Bolster

B. Material

C. Perplexed

D. Tangential

E. Peripheral

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B. Material

Irrelevant means ‘immaterial and unrelated’

8. Choose the word/group of words which is most similar in meaning to the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage. Dynamic

A. Energetic

B. Focused

C. Talented

D. Brave

E. Smart

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A. Energetic

The word ‘dynamic’ means ‘positive in attitude and full of energy and new ideas.’ 

9. Choose the word/group of words which is most similar in meaning to the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage. Articulate

A. Delicate

B. Express

C. Fluent

D. Provocative

E. Easy

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C. Fluent

The word ‘articulate’ means ‘having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently.’ 

10. Choose the word/group of words which is most opposite in meaning to the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage. Alienate

A. Support

B. Give in

C. Disagree

D. Draw

E. Unite

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E. Unite

The word ‘alienate’ means ‘make (someone) feel isolated or estranged.’ Thus the word having the opposite meaning is ‘unite.’