NAT-IA Arts & Humanities Verbal Hard Test

Recent advances in science and technology have made it possible for geneticists to find out abnormalities in the unborn foetus and take remedial action to rectify some defects which would otherwise prove to be fatal to the child. Though genetic engineering is still at tis infancy, scientists can now predict with greater accuracy, a genetic disorder. It is not yet an exact science since they are not in a position to predict when exactly a genetic disorder will set in. While they have not yet been able to change the genetic order of the gene in germs, they are optimistic and are holding about that in the near future they might be successful in achieving this feat. They have, however, acquired the ability to manipulate tissue cells. However, genetic mis-information can sometimes be damaging for it may adversely affect people psychologically. Genetic information may lead to a tendency to brand some people as inferiors. Genetic information can therefore be abused and its application in deciding the sex of the foetus and its subsequent abortion is now hotly debated on ethical lines. But on this issue geneticists cannot be squarely blamed though this charge has often been leveled at them. It is mainly a societal problem. At present genetic engineering is a costly process of detecting disorders but scientists hope to reduce the costs when technology becomes more advanced. This why much progress in this area has been possible in scientifically advanced and rich countries like the U.S.A., U.K., and Japan. It remains to be seen if in the future this science will lead to the development of a race of supermen or will be able to obliterate illness from this world.

Q: In the passage, "abused" means

Through the U.S. prides itself on behing a leader in the world community, a recent report shows that it lags far behind other industrialized countries in meeting the needs of its youngest and most vulnerable citizens. The U.S. has a higher infant mortality rate, a higher proportion of low birth weight babies, a smaller proportion of babies immunized against childhood diseases and a much higher rate adolescent pregnancies. These findings, described as a quiet crisis requiring immediate and far-reaching action, appeared in a report prepared by a task force of educators, doctors, politicians and business people. According to the report, a fourth of the nation’s 12 infants and toddlers live in poverty. As many as half confront risk factors that could harm their ability to develop intellectually, physically and socially. Child immunizations are too low, more children are born into poverty, more are in substandard care while their parents work and more are being raised by single parents When taken together, these and other risk factor can lead to educational and health problems that are much harder and more costly to reverse.

The crisis beings in the womb with unplanned parenthood. Women with unplanned pregnancies are less likely to seek pre-natal care. In the U.S. 80% of teenage pregnancies and 56% of all pregnancies are unplanned. The problems continue after birth where unplanned pregnancies and unstable partnerships often go hand in hand. Since 1950, the number of single parent families had nearly tripled. More than 25 percent of all births today are to unmarried mothers. As the number of single parent families grows and more women enter the work force, infants and toddlers are increasingly in the care of people other than their parents.

Most disturbingly, recent statistics show that American parents are increasingly neglecting or abusing their children. In only four years from 1987-1991, the number of children in foster care increased by over 50 percent. Babies under the age of one are the fastest growing category of children entering foster care. The crisis affects children under the age of three most severely the report says. Yet, it is this period-from infancy through preschool years- that sets the stage for a child’s future.

The main focus of the passage is on the plight of

Recent advances in science and technology have made it possible for geneticists to find out abnormalities in the unborn foetus and take remedial action to rectify some defects which would otherwise prove to be fatal to the child. Though genetic engineering is still at tis infancy, scientists can now predict with greater accuracy, a genetic disorder. It is not yet an exact science since they are not in a position to predict when exactly a genetic disorder will set in. While they have not yet been able to change the genetic order of the gene in germs, they are optimistic and are holding about that in the near future they might be successful in achieving this feat. They have, however, acquired the ability to manipulate tissue cells. However, genetic mis-information can sometimes be damaging for it may adversely affect people psychologically. Genetic information may lead to a tendency to brand some people as inferiors. Genetic information can therefore be abused and its application in deciding the sex of the foetus and its subsequent abortion is now hotly debated on ethical lines. But on this issue geneticists cannot be squarely blamed though this charge has often been leveled at them. It is mainly a societal problem. At present genetic engineering is a costly process of detecting disorders but scientists hope to reduce the costs when technology becomes more advanced. This why much progress in this area has been possible in scientifically advanced and rich countries like the U.S.A., U.K., and Japan. It remains to be seen if in the future this science will lead to the development of a race of supermen or will be able to obliterate illness from this world.

Q: Which of the following is the same in meaning as he phrase "holding out" as used in the passage?

Through the U.S. prides itself on behing a leader in the world community, a recent report shows that it lags far behind other industrialized countries in meeting the needs of its youngest and most vulnerable citizens. The U.S. has a higher infant mortality rate, a higher proportion of low birth weight babies, a smaller proportion of babies immunized against childhood diseases and a much higher rate adolescent pregnancies. These findings, described as a quiet crisis requiring immediate and far-reaching action, appeared in a report prepared by a task force of educators, doctors, politicians and business people. According to the report, a fourth of the nation’s 12 infants and toddlers live in poverty. As many as half confront risk factors that could harm their ability to develop intellectually, physically and socially. Child immunizations are too low, more children are born into poverty, more are in substandard care while their parents work and more are being raised by single parents When taken together, these and other risk factor can lead to educational and health problems that are much harder and more costly to reverse.

The crisis beings in the womb with unplanned parenthood. Women with unplanned pregnancies are less likely to seek pre-natal care. In the U.S. 80% of teenage pregnancies and 56% of all pregnancies are unplanned. The problems continue after birth where unplanned pregnancies and unstable partnerships often go hand in hand. Since 1950, the number of single parent families had nearly tripled. More than 25 percent of all births today are to unmarried mothers. As the number of single parent families grows and more women enter the work force, infants and toddlers are increasingly in the care of people other than their parents.

Most disturbingly, recent statistics show that American parents are increasingly neglecting or abusing their children. In only four years from 1987-1991, the number of children in foster care increased by over 50 percent. Babies under the age of one are the fastest growing category of children entering foster care. The crisis affects children under the age of three most severely the report says. Yet, it is this period-from infancy through preschool years- that sets the stage for a child’s future.

Children born out of unplanned pregnancies are highly vulnerable because

The history of literature can be traced to the earliest forms of the arts. Man danced for joy round his primitive camp fire after the defeat and slaughter of his enemy. He yelled and shouted as he danced and gradually the yells and shouts became coherent and caught the measure of the dance and thus the first war song was sung. As the idea of God developed, prayers were framed. The songs and prayers became traditional and wee repeated from one generation to another, each generation adding something of its own.

As man slowly grew more civilized, he was compelled to invent some method of writing due to three urgent necessities. There were certain things that it was dangerous to forget and which, therefore, had to be recorded. It was often necessary to communicate with persons who were some distance away and it was necessary to safeguard one’s property by making appropriate tools and taking protective measure in a distinctive manner. So man taught himself to write and having learned to write, purely for utilitarian reasons, he used this new method for preserving his was songs and his prayers. Of course, among these ancient peoples, there were only a very few individuals who learned to write, and only few could read what was written.

Q: The word "measure" in the context of the passage means