Comprehension For SBI PO Set

Comprehension For SBI PO Set – 33

Hiero, King of Syracuse, had commissioned a goldsmith of the town to make a crown of pure gold, but, having taken delivery of the finished article, he was suspicious. There was reason to believe that the craftsman had mixed with the gold a certain amount of other metal of inferior value. But how to find out? There was no direct evidence, and it was, therefore, obviously a case for the learned men of the city. And who was more learned than Archimedes? The mathematician was, therefore, charged with the task which would nowadays be considered a simple one, but was then a matter for serious thought. Nothing, known to science, could be brought forward to prove fraud or otherwise on the part of the goldsmith.

It is more than probable that the human side of the problem interested Archimedes not at all, but the scientific puzzle worried him intensely. This worry pursued him everywhere he went for days, and persisted through the routine acts of his daily round.

In the normal course of that routine, he went to the public baths. We can imagine him standing at the edge of the bath tub as he prepares to enter it, absently allowing the water to flow until he cannot help noticing it. Suddenly, he splashed out of his tub, shouting at the top of his voice: “Eureka! Eureka! (I have found it! I have found it!) Without waiting, or even thinking of such a detail as clothes, he tore out of the building and rushed through the streets of Syracuse, still shouting: “Eureka! Eureka!”

Arriving at his house, the mathematician put his newly found discovery to a practical test, and found indeed that a body plunged in a fluid loses an amount of its weight which is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by it. With this as a starting point — as it was to prove the starting point of many subsequent discoveries of importance —Archimedes was able to tell his king how much pure gold was in his crown. Thus was the first fundamental law in hydrostatics enunciated.

Archimedes was by this time well known to his fellow townsmen, and his sometimes strange appearance and unusual actions probably met with indulgent smiles. He came from a good family; his father Phidias was an astronomer; he was on intimate terms with, and — according to some — was even a kinsman of King Hiero himself.

1. Why could the king not punish the fraudulent goldsmith?

(a) By that time Archimedes had not discovered the law of hydrostatics.

(b) The king did not have concrete evidence to prove the fraud.

(d) The king had lot of faith in the goldsmith.

(e) None of these

2. Why was Archimedes charged with the task of finding out if there was any impurity in the crown?

(a) Archimedes was famous as the most learned man and mathematician.

(b) The king was worried that the goldsmith will tell the truth to Archimedes.

(d) Archimedes was famous for interrogating the criminals and exploring the truth.

(e) None of these

3. What was the king’s suspicion?

(a) The goldsmith had made a crown with some inferior metal instead of gold.

(b) The craftsman had replaced gold with a cheaper metal.

(d) The finishing of the crown was not up to the mark.

(e) None of these

4. Which of the following statements is definitely TRUE in the context of the passage?

(a) Archimedes’ action of running nude through public places was not taken lightly by the onlookers.

(b) Archimedes’ eccentric actions used to create anguish among the public.

(d) Archimedes could prove that there was no impurity in the gold used by the goldsmith in the crown.

(e) Archimedes was not a mathematician.

5. When Archimedes was entrusted with the task, he was curious because

(a) he was thrilled by the human side of the problem.

(b) he used to forget all his routine matters and concentrate on the problem.

(d) it was a challenge to unearth scientific fact.

(e) None of these

6. “Eureka! Eureka!” as spelt out by Archimedes was

(a) an outburst of unreasonable pride of inventing a novel principle

(b) a spontaneous reaction of excitement due to a discovery

(d) an exhibition of encouragement for a useful discovery

(e) None of these

7. What was the impact of Archimedes’ tremendous mental involvement in solving the king’s riddle?

(a) He was worried but able to take care of his daily routine.

(b) The involvement ultimately led to a failure in completing the assignment.

(d) Because of his involvement he forgot to put the discovery to a practical test.

(e) None of these

8. A body submerged in a liquid loses its weight equal to

(a) the weight of the liquid in which it is submerged

(b) the volume of the liquid in which it is submerged

(d) the weight of the liquid displaced by it

(e) None of these

9. Which of the following is FALSE in the context of the passage?

(A) Archimedes’ father was a relative of King Hiero.

(B) Before Archimedes’ discovery, science had limitation to detect the goldsmith’s fraud.

(a) A and B

(b) B and C

(d) A only

(e) B only

Directions (10-12): Choose the word which is most nearly the SAME in meaning as the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

11. ENUNCIATED

(a) framed

(b) lost

(c)implemented

(d) concocted

(e) applied

12. CHARGED

(a) suspected

(b) accused

(d) encourage

(e) entrusted

13. TORE OUT

(a) came out gently

(b) pushed out

(d) rushed out forcefully

(e) destroyed angrily

Directions (14-15): Choose the word which is most OPPOSITE in meaning of the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

13. SUBSEQUENT

(a) successive

(b) preceding

(d) consequent

(e) prerequisite

14. UNUSUAL

(a) ordinary

(b) remarkable

(d) curious

(e) odd

15. INTENSELY

(a) powerfully

(b) deeply

(d) hugely

(e) extremely

Answer key:

1. (b) 2. (a) 3. (c) 4. (c) 5. (d) 6. (b) 7. (a) 8. (d) 9. (d) 10. (a) 11. (e) 12. (d) 13. (b) 14. (a) 15. (c)

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Comprehension For SBI PO Set – 33