English Grammar & Comprehension
Practice Exercises Multiple Choice
Passage 2
At Burdwan, we were told, “Third class tickets are not booked
so early.” I went to the station master. He also made the same reply. As soon as
the booking window opened, might was right and passengers, who were forward and
indifferent to others, coming one after another continued to pushme out. I was
therefore about the last of the first crowd to get a ticket. The train arrived
and getting into it was another trial. I went to the guard.He said, “You must
try to get in where you can, or take the next train.” Much against my mind, I
got into an inter class compartment with my wife. The guard saw us getting in.
At Asansol Station he came to charge excess fares. I said to him, “It was your
duty to find us room. We could not get any, and so arc sitting here.” “Youmay
not argue with me”, said the guard, “I cannot accommodate you. You must pay the
excess fare or get out.” I wanted to reach Pune somehow, so I paid the excess
fare demanded, but I resented the injustice.
The woes of third class passengers are undoubtedly due to the
highhandedness of railway authorities. But the rudeness, dirty habits,
selfishness and ignorance of the passengers themselves are no less to blame. The
pity is that they often do not realise that they are behaving ill, dirtily or
selfishly. They believe that everything they do is in the natural way. All this
may be traced to the indifference towards them of us ‘educated people’.
1. According to the passage, the author could have
easily purchased tickets if
(a) he had decided to travel by interclass.
(b) he had met the station master immediately after he reached the station.
(c) there were two booking windows.
(d) there were fewer passengers.
(e) there was a proper queue system at the booking window.
2. The author had to pay excess fare because
(a) the guard had seen him entering the inter class compartment.
(b) lie was traveling by a class higher than the one he was entitled to.
(c) he intended to travel up to Pune.
(d) the third class compartments were crowded.
(e) he had purchased tickets up to Asansol.
3. The passage is mainly concerned with the
(a) woes of third class passengers
(b) rudeness of railway servants
(c) crowded trains
(d) indifference of educated people
(e) indiscipline of passengers
4. According to the author, the hardships of
third class passengers will be minimised if
(a) there was provision of more third class compartments.
(b) passengers were allowed to travel inter class in case third class
compartments were overcrowded.
(c) trains stopped at the station for a long time to enable passengers enter
third class compartments.
(d) railway authorities show genuine concern for the passengers.
(e) railway authorities maintain cleanliness in the trains.
5. How many stations arc mentioned in the
passage?
(a) One
(b) Two
(c) Three
(d) Four
(e) Five
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