Question

Read the following passage. The fire which broke out in a Colaba guest-house recently shows that elementary precautions against fire hazards are not being taken in the city. Rooms are built on mezzanine floors without providing either ventilation or windows. Often, there is no separate exit in these structures which are added onto buildings situated in narrow lanes in highly congested areas. Fortunately, the fire at Colaba broke out in the afternoon when most of the guests were out. Otherwise, the poisonous fumes from the synthetic material within would have suffocated and killed scores of people. The fire could also have spread to the entire building which is full of old wooden beams and staircases. Such scandalous firetraps invariably endanger the lives of the fire-fighting staff as well. What is worse, even newly constructed buildings in Mumbai ignore fire-safety norms. Clearly, the municipal staff is not doing its duty. Ironically the building which caught fire in Colaba houses an architect's office. Had it gone up in flames, the tragedy would have been doubly compounded because society looks up to these professionals for guidance and norms. Unfortunately, with the municipal corporation also proving increasingly incapable of protecting citizen's interests, it is now up to the people to come together and oppose illegal constructions in their areas.

1. The recent fire in a Colaba guest house highlights the fact that elementary

A) Measures against fire hazards are being taken.
B) Protections against fire hazards are being ignored.
C) Measures against fire hazards are not being taken.
D) Precautions against fire hazards are being taken in the city.

2. The fire could not prove as destructive as it could have been because the fire?

A) Broke out in the afternoon and most of the guests were out.
B) Did not spread to the entire building and the staircases.
C) Broke out in the afternoon and the wooden beams and staircases did not catch fire.
D) Broke out in the afternoon but did not reach the architect's office.

3. The author says, clearly the municipal staff is not doing its duty because they

A) Are constantly on leave.
B) Are negligent and not particular about safety measures.
C) Do not have enough fire-fighters.
D) Are endangering the life of the fire-fighting staff.

4. Society looks up to these professionals for guidance and norms. These professionals refers to

A) Fire-fighters
B) Municipal Corporation
C) Residents of Mumbai
D) Architects

5. The word/phrase closest to the meaning of 'scandalous' is

A) Embarrassment
B) Ashamed
C) Causing scandals
D) Disgraceful

Answer 1

The recent fire in a Colaba guest house highlights the lack of elementary precautions against fire hazards in the city. The fire was not as destructive because it broke out when most guests were out. The author criticizes the municipal staff for not doing their duty and highlights architects as professionals society looks up to for guidance and norms.

Step-by-step explanation:

The recent fire in a Colaba guest house highlights the fact that elementary precautions against fire hazards are not being taken in the city. The passage describes how the rooms in the guest house are poorly constructed without proper ventilation, windows, and separate exits.

Fortunately, the fire broke out in the afternoon when most guests were out, preventing a greater tragedy.

The fire could not prove as destructive as it could have been because it broke out in the afternoon and most of the guests were out. If it had happened when people were inside, the poisonous fumes from the synthetic material within could have suffocated and killed many.

The fire could have also spread to the entire building with its old wooden beams and staircases.

The author states that clearly the municipal staff is not doing its duty because they are negligent and not particular about safety measures. The author also mentions that such firetraps endanger the lives of the firefighting staff. This points to a lack of proper oversight and enforcement of fire-safety norms by the municipal staff.

In the passage, the author mentions that society looks up to architects for guidance and norms. This implies that architects are considered professionals to be followed for their expertise in building design and safety.

The word closest in meaning to 'scandalous' in the passage is disgraceful. The passage describes the firetraps as endangering lives and suggests that the lack of fire safety measures is a cause for concern and disgrace.