The old woman walked carefully with her heavy load____ she should fall.

Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way, but it is generally assumed that we cannot by conscious action do anything about it. Our civilization is decadent and our language-so the argument runs-must inevitably share in the general collapse. It follows that any struggle against the abuse of language is a sentimental archaism, like preferring candles to electric light or hansom cabs to aeroplanes. Underneath this lies the half-conscious belief that language is natural growth and not an instrument which we shape for our own purposes. 
Now it is clear that the decline of a language must ultimately have political and economic causes it is not due simply to the bad influence of this or that individual writer. But an effect can become a cause, reinforcing the original cause and producing the same effect in an intensified form, and so on indefinitely. A man may take to drink because he feels himself to be a failure, and then fail all the more completely because he drinks. It is rather the same thing that is happening to the English language. It becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts. The point is that the process is reversible. Modern English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble. If one gets rid of these habits, one can think more clearly, and to think clearly is a necessary first step towards political regeneration: so that the fight against bad English is not frivolous and is not the exclusive concern of professional writers. 

Many people believe that nothing can be done about the English language because –

Directions: Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :
With Lok Sabha speaker Purno Sangma abolishing the discretionary quota for gas and telephone connections enjoyed by members of parliament last week, demands are being made for doing away with the same privilege for Union ministers.
Imposing a fine of Rs. 50 lakh on former petroleum minister Satish Sharma for arbitrarily allotting petrol pumps, the Supreme Court had said last year that absolute discretion was an anathema to the Constitution and advised the ‘judicious’ use of discretionary powers.
Citing the use of the so-called privileges as “prejudicial to public interest and a breach of trust”, HD Shourie of Common Cause has sought the prime minister’s intervention to “stop this practice of discretionary quota for ministers to present to the public an image of clean functioning of the government.”
In a letter written to the Cabinet Secretary, he has drawn the PM’s attention to the misuse of this privilege by more than a dozen ministers. In the railways, discretionary quota covers platform stalls, passes, tickets and berths on trains. In civil aviation and tourism, the largesse includes free international air tickets, out-of-turn seats and stalls in ITDC hotels.

“___he has drawn the PM’s attention ____” In this line ‘He’ refers to

Directions : In these questions , a part of the sentence is given in bold . Below are given alternatives to the bold part at (A) , (B) and (C) which may improve the sentence . Choose the correct alternative . In case no improvement is needed you answer is (D ) .

By this time tomorrow, I will reach my home. 

Directions: Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow :
With Lok Sabha speaker Purno Sangma abolishing the discretionary quota for gas and telephone connections enjoyed by members of parliament last week, demands are being made for doing away with the same privilege for Union ministers.
Imposing a fine of Rs. 50 lakh on former petroleum minister Satish Sharma for arbitrarily allotting petrol pumps, the Supreme Court had said last year that absolute discretion was an anathema to the Constitution and advised the ‘judicious’ use of discretionary powers.
Citing the use of the so-called privileges as “prejudicial to public interest and a breach of trust”, HD Shourie of Common Cause has sought the prime minister’s intervention to “stop this practice of discretionary quota for ministers to present to the public an image of clean functioning of the government.”
In a letter written to the Cabinet Secretary, he has drawn the PM’s attention to the misuse of this privilege by more than a dozen ministers. In the railways, discretionary quota covers platform stalls, passes, tickets and berths on trains. In civil aviation and tourism, the largesse includes free international air tickets, out-of-turn seats and stalls in ITDC hotels.

“Prejudicial to public interest and a breach of trust” — in this quote prejudicial means

In each of the following sentences, an idiomatic expression or a proverb. Select the  alternatives which best describes its use in the sentence.
When the girl wanted to stay out past midnight, her father put his foot down.

Directions (67): In the following questions, change the Statements given in Direct Speech form into Indirect Speech or vice versa, with the help of given four options (A),(B),(C),(D).
Mohan Said to her, “You have completed your work.