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Part D : English ComrehensionDirections (151-165)Read the following passage carefully andanswer the questions given below it.There is a story told of a king who lived longago in a country across the sea. He was a verywise king, and spared no efforts to teach hispeople good habits. Often he did things whichseemed to them strange and useless; buteverything he did, he did to teach his people tobe industrious and careful. “Nothing good cancome to a nation, whose people complain andexpect others to fix their problems for them” hesaid. “Good things from life come to those whotake matters into their hands.” One night, whileeveryone was asleep, he placed a large stonein the middle of the road that led past the place.Then he hid behind a bush, and waited to seewhat would happen.First came a farmer with his wagon heavilyloaded with grain, which he was taking to themill to be ground. “Well, whoever saw suchcarelessness?” he said crossly, as he turnedhis wagon and drove around the stone. “Whydon’t these lazy people have that stone takenoff from the road? “ And so he went on complainingabout the uselessness of others, butnot touching the stone himself.Soon afterwards, a young soldier came singingalong the road. The long trail of his cap wavedin the breeze, and a bright sword hung at hisside. He was thinking of the wonderful braveryhe would show in the war. The soldier did notsee the stone, but struck his foot against it andwent tossing in the dust. He rose to his feet,shook the dust from his clothes, picked up hissword, and complained angrily about the lazypeople who had no more sense than to leavesuch a huge stone in the middle of the road.Then he, too, walked away, not once thinkingthat he might move it himself. And so the daypassed. Everyone who came by complainedand whined because the stone lay on the road,but no one touched it.At last, just before nightfall, the miller’s daughtercame past. She was a hard-working girl andwas very tired because she had been busysince early morning at the mill. But she said toherself, “It is almost dark, somebody may tripover this stone in the night, and perhaps hecould be badly hurt. I will move it out of theSSC Mock Test Series 2012 (Test Paper -1)www.developindiagroup.co.inway.” So she tugged at the heavy stone. It washard to move, but she pulled and pushed, andlifted until at last she moved it from its place. Toher surprise, she found a box underneath. Shelifted the box .It was heavy, for it was filled withsomething. Upon it was written: This box belongto the one who moved the stone. She openedthe lid, and found that it was filled with gold!The miller’s daughter went home with a happyheart.When the farmer, the soldier and all the othersheard what had happened, they gatheredaround the spot on the road where the stonehad been. They scratched at the dust with theirfeet, hoping to turn up a piece of gold.“My friends,” said the king, “We often comeacross obstacles and burdens our way. We maycomplain out loud about them or we maychoose to walk around them. Alternatively, wecan analyse them and find out what they mean.Disappointment is usually the price of laziness.”Then the wise king mounted his horse and rodeaway.(151) Why was the miler’s daughter happy?(1) She finished all her work at the mill.(2) She won the bet placed by the king.(3) The king declared her the most industriouspersons in his kingdom.(4) She was rewarded with a box full of goldthat lay beneath the stone.(5) The king offered her a hundred gold coins.(152) Why did the king place a stone in themiddle of the road?(1) He enjoyed troubling others.(2) He wanted to watch people trip and fall.(3) He wanted to cover a manhole in the road.(4) He wanted to teach his people to takematters into their own hands.(153)The people completed while passing theroad that led past the palace because(A) there was a huge stone lying on the road.(B) there was a manhole in the road.(c) nobody was allowed to shift the stone on theroad.(1) Only (A)(2) Only (C)(3) Only (A) and (c)(4) Only (B)(5) None of thesewww.developindiagroup.co.in16