UGC NET Paper 1 Reading Comprehension Practice Set 1

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Read the passage carefully and answer question numbers from 1 to 5.
In noting the nature of human lives, we have reason to be interested not only in the various things we succeed in doing, but also in the freedoms that we actually have to choose between different kind of lives. The freedom to choose our lives can make a significant contribution to our well-being but going beyond the perspective of well-being, the freedom itself may be seen as important. Being able to reason and choose is a significant aspect of human life. In fact, we are under no obligation to seek only our own well-being. It is for us to decide what we have good reason to pursue. We need not have to be a great leader to recognise that we can have aims or priorities that differ from the single minded pursuit of our own well being only. The freedoms and capabilities we enjoy can also be valuable to us. It is ultimately for us to decide how to use the freedom we have. It is important to emphasise that if social realizations are assessed in terms of human, lives are then seen inclusively, taking note of the substantive freedoms that people enjoy, rather than ignoring everything other than pleasures or utilities they end up having. There is also a second significant aspect of freedom : it makes us accountable for what we do. Freedom to choose gives us the opportunity to decide what we should do, but with that opportunity comes the power to do something, the accountability that emanates from that ability- that power-is a part of the capability perspective, and this can make room for demands of duty-what can be broadly called deontological demands. There is an overlap here between agency-centered concerns and the implications of a capability based approach. The perspective of social realizations will take us to further issues central to the analysis of justice in the world.

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1. Why freedom is seen as important?
To have different life styles
To succeed in doing things.
To go beyond the perspective of one’s own well-being.
To understand the perspective of one’s well-being

2. What is of no value for assessing social realizations?
Ignoring the values of freedom
Capabilities of people
Inability to use the freedom given
Utilities

3. What is the inherent aspect of freedom?
Accountability
Pleasures of freedom
Absence of actions
Well-being of the self

4. Why should we go beyond considerations of our own well-being?
To appreciate that our aims can differ from self-interest.
To think of freedoms of others
To follow in the footsteps of great leaders
To be able to enjoy our freedoms.

5. The central idea of the passage is:
Use of power for freedom
Emphasis on variety of personal issues
Need for securing justice to all
Responsibility for individual happiness