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English Questions – Reading Comprehension Set 46

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Hello Aspirants.

Welcome to Online English Section with explanation in AffairsCloud.com. Here we are creating question sample in Reading comprehension, which is BASED ON SBI/IBPS PO/CLERK/LIC AAO/RRB & SSC CGL EXAM and other competitive exams.

By asking five prominent private hospitals in the national capital to deposit nearly Rs.600 crore to compensate for their failure to treat poor patients, the Delhi government has drawn attention to the social obligation of healthcare providers in the corporate sector as well as the need for timely enforcement of applicable regulations. According to the Kejriwal government, trusts and registered societies to which public land was allotted to establish hospitals were required to earmark a percentage of their medical facilities and services for indigent patients. The administration is now moving against institutions that failed to comply with the provision. As early as in 2007, the Delhi High Court had acted on a public interest litigation to lay down that 10 per cent of inpatient facilities and 25 per cent of outpatient services be provided free of cost to the poor. The effect of non-compliance was the repayment of the allegedly “unwarranted profits” the hospitals had made. The hospitals that have now been fined dispute any failure to treat the required number of indigent patients and plan to challenge the order. While the courts will have the final say on the dispute, the principle of opposing profiteering in the health sector cannot be faulted.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that government accounts for only one-third of India’s healthcare spend — well below what is desirable. As a result, we have a situation in which the private sector accounts for a significant part of healthcare services. Given the low penetration of health insurance, about 86 per cent of expenditure on health comes out of people’s pockets. This strengthens the case for private hospitals to dedicate a part of their services to those who cannot afford treatment. However, there is no national legislation that makes this mandatory. In the case of Delhi, it is enforced as a condition on which land is allotted to private hospitals. Wherever such regulations can be legally enforced, it is best that they are monitored on a real-time basis and rigorously enforced. In the present case, it has taken years to assess the audited accounts of the hospitals and initiate action to recover their profits. Enforcing social obligations of private service providers must go hand in hand with other measures to achieve the real goals of health policy: universal health coverage and protection for all sections against excessive out-of-pocket medical expenditure.

  1. What is The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) estimation regarding government’s expenditure on India’s healthcare?
    1) only one-fourth of India’s healthcare spend
    2)only one-third of India’s healthcare spend
    3) only one-fifth of India’s healthcare spend
    4) only half of India’s healthcare spend
    5) Not mentioned in the passage
    Answer –  2)
    Explanation: It is clearly stated in the first line of the second paragraph.

  2. Which among the following is TRUE according to the passage given above?
    1) it has taken years to assess the audited accounts of the hospitals and revert their profits.
    2) social obligations of private service providers must go hand in hand with other measures to achieve the real goals of state politics
    3) The Board of directors will be the final decision making authority in the current situation.
    4) Both 1 and 2
    5) None of the above
    Answer – 5) 
    Explanation:This question calls for careful reading. Courts will have the final say in the current situation. In option 2, it should be health policy and both state politics. For option 1, refer to the statement, ‘It has taken years to assess the audited accounts of the hospitals and initiate action to recover their profits.’

  3. What per cent of expenditure on health is borne by the people themselves?
    1)25 to 75 per cent expenditure
    2) 10 per cent expenditure
    3) About 86 per cent of expenditure
    4) About 90 per cent of expenditure
    5) Not mentioned in the passage
    Answer – 3)
    Explanation: It can be easily picked up from the passage, ‘Given the low penetration of health insurance, about 86 per cent of expenditure on health comes out of people’s pockets.’

  4. According to the passage, against whom is the administration now moving?
    1) Against the institutions that failed to comply with the provision
    2) Against the private hospitals
    3) Against the government Hospitals
    4) Both 1 & 3
    5) None of these
    Answer – 1)
    Explanation: It is stated in the first paragraph of the passage, ‘The administration is now moving against institutions that failed to comply with the provision.’

  5. Why have hospitals planned to challenge the Delhi High Court’s order?
    1) Private hospitals to dedicate a part of their services to those who cannot afford treatment
    2) Hospitals were required to earmark a percentage of their medical facilities and services for indigent patients
    3) The hospitals were fined due to failure to treat the required number of indigent patients
    4) All of the above
    5) None of these
    Answer – 3)
    Explanation:It can be inferred from the following statement of the passage, ‘The hospitals that have now been fined dispute any failure to treat the required number of indigent patients and plan to challenge the order.’

  6. Which of the following is the most suitable title for the given passage?
    1) prominent private hospitals in the national capital
    2) The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) estimations
    3) Public land and private treatment
    4) universal health coverage and protection for all sections
    5) None of these
    Answer – 3) 
    Explanation: Public land and private treatment

  7. Which of the following is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning to litigation?
    1) inmate
    2) illegality
    3) contention
    4) lawsuit
    5) None of these
    Answer – 2)
    Explanation: illegality – the state of being contrary to or forbidden by law, especially criminal law.

  8. Which of the following is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning to outpatient?
    1) prosecution
    2) dispute
    3) doctor
    4) convalescent
    5) None of these
    Answer – 2)
    Explanation: doctor

  9. Which of the following is MOST SIMILAR in meaning to penetration?
    1) illusion
    2) sufferer
    3) diffusion
    4) conscience
    5) None of these
    Answer – 3)
    Explanation: diffusion – the spreading of something more widely.

  10. Which of the following is MOST SIMILAR in meaning to obligations?
    1) punching
    2) osmosis
    3) ingress
    4) constraint
    5) None of these
    Answer – 4) 
    Explanation: constraint – a limitation or restriction.