Directions : Read the following passage to answer the given questions based on it. Some words/phrases are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
The advent of technology has fundamentally changed our lives, but one thing is for sure : The velocity of technological change will accelerate in an exponential manner with significant ramifications for all of us. Just imaging : over half of the scientists and engineers who have ever lived are alive today. China adds about 6.5 million graduates every year, half of them engineers and scientists. It is not only the sheer number of "innovators" who will push the boundaries of science, technology and ultimately life-change, but also the greater degree of interconnectivity which accelerates the generation of knowledge and creates a much more entrepreneurial environment for innovation and change.
What is particularly striking is this dimension of change. Today's technological evolution no longer solely affects what we are doing, but also who we are. Of course, the Internet is in many ways still a tool, but it has also become part of our DNA. This is true for governments (just think of Wiki leaks), for businesses and for individuals. In some way, we are "outsourcing" parts of ourselves - and this raises the question : Who owns our "inner most" self - our desires or our mobile phone records, capturing where we are going and with whom we are meeting. It is technology companies, our local phone providers, or is it still us ?
It is not only the velocity and nature of change, but also the increasing multiplicity of actors which characterizes the world of today and tomorrow. Ten years ago, the Group of Eight (G-8) countries represented more than 60% of the world's economic power. Today, much more than half of the world's economic growth is produced by so-called emerging countries. This multiplicity of actors not only highlights the geographic expansion and the extension of multi-stakeholder impact, but it also underscors the fact that power is shifting from the top down and from the centre to the periphery - leaving almost seven billion people who want to have their say and the capability to do so.
The geoeconomic and geopolitical power shifts taking place will fundamentally change our lifestyles- equally, so too will the cultural seismic shifts that are occurring. going forward, prevailing Western values will have to increasingly accommodate Asian values, and vice versa. By 2025, four of the five largest economies in the world will be non-Western and close to half of the Fortune 500 companies will orginate in emerging countries. This will have a direct impact on all of us in terms of new brands, new lifestyles and new industrial ownership structures.
All of there accelerated trends - velocity, multiplicity, interconnectivity - are creating a completely new world in which the mastering of complexities will be the key challenge. Of course, the more complex the system is, the greater the risk of systemic breakdowns.
1. which of the following is predicted about world's largest economies by 2025 ?
- Three out of the five largest economies will be Asian
- Four out of the five largest economies will be western
- Three out of the five largest economies will be non-western
- The Top five largest economies will be non-western
- None of there
2. Which of the following is indicated about technology ?
- Technology changes will be more rapid now
- Technology will not bring about major societal changes now
- Number of innovations has gone down now
- Technologically advanced countries will represent 60% of world's economic power
- Telecommunication will see more advancement as compared to other areas
3. Which of the following would, in future, be true about cultural changes ?
- Western culture will affect Asian culture
- Asian culture will effect western culture
- Both western and Asian culture and values will adjust and mingle with each other
- No culture will be able to influence the other culture
- Inspire of other rapid change, cultural changes will be slow
4. Which of the following is predicted about the Fortune 500 Companies ?
- Many of these companies will shift their base to the emerging countries
- Fortune 500 will be replaced by Fortune 2025
- Many new companies initiated in emerging countries will find place in Fortune 500
- None of the presently included countries will remain in Fortune 500 group by 2025
- The share of western countries will be less than 20% in Fortune 500
5. Which of the following may be the best title for the passage ?
- Technology
- New world complexities
- Convergence of Asian Values
- Inner-most vs outer self
- Changing lifestyle by 2025
6. Which of the following is true about world economy ?
- The share of G-8 countries in the economic growth is just 10%
- More countries from western world now contribute to the world's economy
- There are five countries which contribute about 60% of world's economic growth
- More than 50% of world's economic growth now comes from developing countries
- The growth rate of GDP of most of the western countries is much more than what is was 10 years ago.
7. Which of the following best desxribes the meaning of "push the boundaries" as used in the passage ?
- accept the challenge
- creating more competition
- prove to the world
- achieve the unimaginable
- take technology from one area to the other
8. Which of the following has now become a part of our DNA ?
- Global cooperation
- Internet
- Western values
- Complex life style
- None of there
9. Which of the following would be the key challenge in the new world ?
- Controlling geopolitical power shifts
- Mastering the emerging complexities
- Pushing the boundaries of science
- Overcoming the power of internet
- The power shift from the centre to the periphery
ANSWERS
1. (5), 2. (1), 3. (3), 4. (3), 5. (1), 6. (4), 7. (5), 8. (2), 9. (4)
