Comprehension Set -24

For years now, George W Bush has told Americans that he would increase the number of troops in Iraq only if the commanders on the ground asked him to do so. It was not a throwaway line: Bush said it from the very first days of the war, when he and Pentagon boss Donald Rumsfeld were criticized for going to war with too few troops. He said it right up until last summer, stressing at a news conference in Chicago that Iraq commander Generall George Casey “will make the decisions as to how many troops we have there.” Seasoned military people suspected that the line was a dodge-that the civilians who ran the Pentagon were testing their personal theory that war can be fought on the cheap and the brass simply knew better than the generals on the ground? Now, as the war nears the end of its fourth year and the number of Americans killed has surpassed 3,000, Bush has dropped the generals-know-best line. Sometime next week the President is expected to propose a surge in the number of US forces in Iraq for a period of up to two years. A senior official said reinforcements numbering “About 20,000 troops,” and may be more, could be in place within months. The surge would be achieved by extending the stay of some forces already in Iraq and accelerating the deployment of others. The irony is that while the generals would have liked more troops in the past, they are cool to the idea of sending more now. That’s in part because the politicians and commanders have had trouble agreeing on what the goal of a surge would be. But it is also because they are worried that a surge would further erode the readiness of the US’s already stressed ground forces. And even those who back a surge are under no illusions about what it would mean to the casualty rate. “If you put more American troops on the front line,” said a White House official, “You’re going to have more casualties.” Coming from Bush, a man known for bold strokes, the surge is a strange half-measure-too large for the political climate at home, too small to crush the insurgency in Iraq and surely three years too late. Bush has waved off a bipartisan rescue mission out of pride, stubbornness or ideology, or some combination of the three. Rather than reversing course, as all the wise elders of the Iraq Study Group advised, the Commander-in-Chief is betting that more troops will lead the way to what one White House official calls “Victory.”

1. Bush and Rumsfeld has received brickbats for

(a) waging a war against Iraq

(b) testing their personal theories

(c) their assertion in the news conference in Chicago

(d) turning down the demands of General George Casey

(e) None of these

2. George Bush gave an impression to his subjects that his army commanders were given the autonomy to decide

(a) when to start or stop the war in Iraq

(b) the reasonable requirement of American troops to fight the war in Iraq

(c) how many troops should Iraq use to fight against the Americans

(d) the Pentagon policies regarding war in Iraq

(e) None of these

3. From the content of the passage, which of the following can be definitely inferred?

(A) The US troops in Iraq are happy with their victory.

(B) The troops already fighting the war in Iraq are sufficient enough to combat the situation effectively

(C) The generals who were earlier not in favour of increasing troops in Iraq are now insisting on surge.

(a) A and B only

(b) B and C only

(c) A and C only

(d) None

(e) All the three

4. Which of the following best describes Bush’s persistent reaction to the observations that the Iraq war strategy was not effective due to inadequate American forces?

(a) Such strategies are better left to Army Commanders to decide on the ground.

(b) Civilians are the best assessors of such strategies

(c) Wars can be fought on the cheap.

(d) The brass knew better of war but not of politics.

(e) None of these

5. The author of the passage appears to be

(a) in favour of enhancement of American troops in Iraq.

(b) critical about Bush’s strategy of handling situation in Iraq

(c) an impartial assessor of the US strategy related to the situation in Iraq.

(d) an indifferent onlooker of what is happening in Iraq.

(e) inclined to the idea of withdrawal of American troops to save casualty.

6. Which of the following is the assessment of the Commander-in-Chief of US forces in Iraq on the present situation there?

(a) America’s desired goal will be achieved if more troops are deployed in Iraq.

(b) Withdrawal of troops from Iraq is essential to raise the morale of the US Army.

(c) Further strengthening of the US Army in Iraq will be suicidal as it means more destruction of US forces.

(d) Pentagon’s civilians should not have been allowed to interfere with the army commanders’ strategies.

(e) None of these

7. Which of the following strategies would achieve the desired increase in American forces in Iraq?

(A) Continuation of stay of troops for a further period.

(B) Expeditious deployment of additional troops.

(C) Seeking additional input from politicians and commanders of neighbouring friendly countries.

(a) A and C only

(b) C only

(c) B only

(d) A and B only

(e) None of these

8. Why do the army commanders disfavor enhancement of troops now?

(A) More force means more casualties.

(B) Difference of opinion between politicians and commanders about the aim of the troop enhancement.

(C) Probable adverse psychological impact on ground forces.

(a) Only A and B

(b) Only B and C

(c) All the three

(d) Only A and C

(e) None of these

9. Which of the following made Bush change his thinking about the requirement of forces in Iraq?

(A) The unreasonably long period for which the war continued

(B) The large number of American soldiers killed in the war

(C) Demand from the Army Commanders

(a) Only A and C

(b) Only A and B

(c) Only B and C

(d) All the three

(e) Only C

Directions (Q. 13-15): Which of the following is most OPPOSITE in meaning as the word given in bold as used in the passage?

10. COOL

(a) Warm

(b) Enthusiastic

(c) Unwelcome

(d) Intemperate

(e) Indifferent


(a) Enhancement

(b) Trivializing

(c) Reduction

(d) Strengthening

(e) Upgradation


(a) Uncertainty

(b) Weakness

(c) Acceptability

(d) Infirmity

(e) Flexibility

Directions (Q. 13-15): Which of the following is most nearly SAME in meaning as the word given in bold as used in the passage?


(a) Reality

(b) Reflection

(c) Fantastic

(d) Delusion

(e) Deviation


(a) Rebellion

(b) Ingredient

(c) Combat

(d) Debacle

(e) Violation


(a) Levelling

(b) Precaution

(c) Controversy

(d) Mockery

(e) Perception

Answer key:

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