Provided by www.YuvaJobs.com - Andhra Bank Clerk Question Paper


Directions-(Q. 1-15) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words are printed in bold to help you to locate them while answering some of  the questions. 

In the city of Manmathapura, there lived a young man named Veeravara. He was brave and intelligent. He longed for adventure and when he was eighteen years old, he took up a job on a ship so that he could travel and see other countries. He travelled to many places on the ship and had many adventures. One day, a storm hit the sea, the ship tossed about and everyone was thrown overboard, including Veeravara. He managed to clutch on to a piece of wood and save his life. As he was floating in the sea, he lost consciousness. When at last he woke up, he found himself lying on the sandy shore of an unknown island, under the piercing rays of the sun. 

Glad to be alive, he got up. He was on a large island, and some miles inland he could see a city. Veeravara started walking in that direction. When he reached the city, to his surprise, he was greeted by a great crowd that cheered him. He did not  know what was happening. An elephant was brought forward and he was made to sit on his back. A sad-looking man was also sitting there silently. The elephant marched towards a palatial building. Veeravara asked the old man, "Why do the people welcome a stranger like me in this grand fashion? What are they celebrating, and where are they taking me ?" 

The old man now looked sadder. ,,This is an unusual island," he explained. "The people here are very intelligent but they have some funny rules. They are prosperous but they don,t have a king. They feel that if they choose a king from within themselves, he will be partial. So they wait for an unknown person to come to this island. When someone like you, a shipwrecked traveller, gets washed to the shore, they make him their king. They are taking us to the palace. You are our new king now." "What happens to the previous king ? And who are you ?" Veeravara asked. "I was the king till you came along. The old king is given a day to teach the new one the ropes. Then he is sent off to the next deserted island, where he has to look after himself. That,s the rule." Saying this, the old man pointed to an island. Veeravara could see it was covered with dense forest. Now he realised why the old man was sad. 

Veeravara was crowned king with great pomp. He quickly learnt his new job and became a good and fair king. But deep inside, a little part of him remained unhappy. When would the next shipwrecked person show up and he be sent off to the other island to live till the end of his days with wild animals and other retired kings? 

As he thought about this, he came up with an idea. As long as he was the king, he had absolute power. He ordered his men to go to the island and clear a part of the forest. Then he ordered roads and houses to be built. Soon there were roads, shops and pretty little houses on the island. People would go to the forest and see the wild animals; they gathered honey and fruits from the trees there, and in a few years, the island was no longer deserted but a cheerful little town. 

Now Veeravara was not worried at all. When the next king appeared, he would not have to fend for himself in the forest. Instead, he would live in a little cottage and grow vegetables. Years passed and he got older. The people loved him and were sad whenever they thought he would no longer be their king. Then one day Veeravara called his people and said, "It is good when you make a person from outside the island a king. He is fresh and unbiased. But this may not always be a good idea. What if the next person who comes here is a crook ? You will make him king without knowing anything about him. Instead, let,s have a system where the cleverest people of this island are chosen and rule the place together. Then no one person will have absolute power, and if one of them turns out dishonest, you can always remove him from the council." The islanders liked the idea, and in a few days, chose their new rulers. Veeravara handed over the kingdom to them and retired happily to his cottage, where he stayed till the end of his days. 

1. Why did Veeravara take up a job on the ship?  

(A) He enjoyed the sea 

(B) It was the only job available 

(C) He wanted to visit an island 

(D) Jobs on the ship paid well and Veeravara needed the money 

(E) Life on the ship was filled with adventure 

Ans: (E)

2. How did Veeravara land on an unknown island? 

(1) He swam across to the nearest island after the shipwreck. 

(2) The ship lost its way and docked on the island. 

(3) He was unconscious while he floated across to the island. 

(A) Only (1) 

(B) Only (2) 

(C) Only (3) 

(D) Only (1) and (2) 

(E) None of these 

Ans: (C)

3. Why did the crowd cheer when they saw Veeravara approaching them? 

(A) They were happy he was saved 

(B) They were expecting his visit 

(C) They were going to make him their king 

(D) They were happy Veeravara accepted their invitation to visit their island 

(E) They wanted their present king to retire as soon as possible 

Ans: (C)

4. Why was the old man who was accompanying Veeravara sad? 

(1) He was going to be sent off to a deserted island. 

(2) He had no sons who were adventurous like Veeravara. 

(3) He had no heir who could take over the kingdom after him. 

(A) Only (1) 

(B) Only (2) 

(C) Only (3) 

(D) Only (1) and (3) 

(E) All (1), (2) and (3) 

Ans: (A)

5. What was the rule put forth by the people of the island? 

(A) Every stranger would get a warm welcome 

(B) No one was allowed to clear the forest area 

(C) The retired king would be sent off to a deserted island to look after himself 

(D) The island would be ruled by a council of rulers 

(E) The king had absolute power and could do as he wished 

Ans: (D)