Comprehension – UGC NET Paper I – Practice Questions

Practice Passage 1

Read the following passage and answer the questions.

Saving energy means saving money. Homeowners and renters know this basic fact but they often don’t know what kinds of adjustments they can make in their homes and apartments that will result in savings.

For those willing to spend some time and money to reap long-term energy savings, an energy audit is the way to go. An energy auditor will come into your home and assess its energy efficiency. The auditor will pinpoint areas of your home that use the most energy and offer solutions to lower your energy use and costs. Trained energy auditors know what to look for and can locate a variety of flaws that may be resulting in energy inef-ficiency, including inadequate insulation, construction flaws, and uneven heat distribution.

There are quicker and less costly measures that can be taken as well. One way to save money is to replace incan-descent lights with fluorescents. This can result in a sav-ings of more than 50% on your monthly lighting costs When it’s time to replace old appliances, it’s wise to spend a bit more for an energy-efficient model, and be sure that you are taking advantage of energy saving settings already on your current refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine, or dryer.

Windows provide another opportunity to cut your energy costs. Caulk old windows that might be leaky to prevent drafts, and choose double-paned windows if you’re building an addition or replacing old windows.

Most areas of your home or apartment offer opportuni-ties to save energy and money. The results are significant and are well worth the effort. [December 2023]

1. Which of the following ideas is not included in the passage?

(a) You can reduce your monthly lighting costs by more than 50% by using fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent
(b) Double-paned windows can cut energy costs
(c) Energy audit for every home and apartment should be mandatory in India
(d) Some appliances have energy-saving settings.

2. According to the passage, double-paned windows

(a) should never be used as replacement windows or in new additions to homes.
(b) can’t be repaired
(c) will lower your heating costs by 50%
(d) are energy efficient

3. The passage indicates that old appliances

(a) Consume more energy.
(b) Consume less energy.
(c) Work well.
(d) Have long life.

4. According to the passage, which of the following would an energy auditor do?

(A) Locate a variety of flaws that may result in energy inefficiency and fix them.
(B) Check for construction flaws
(C) Look for problems with heat distribution
(D) Offer solutions to lower your energy costs

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

(a) A only.
(b) B and C only.
(c) C and D only.
(d) B, C and D only.

5. With reference to the fourth paragraph of the passage, the meaning of the word Caulk is

(a) to shut
(b) to make more attractive
(c) to fill the holes
(d) to find the cause of a problem