Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given at the
end of it:
Wikipedia is a multilingual, web based free content encyclopedia project. Wikipedia is
written corroboratively by volunteers; the vast majority of its articles can be edited by anyone
with access to the internet. Wikipedias name is a portmanteau of the words wiki(a type of
collaborative website)and encyclopedia. Its main servers are in Tampa, with additional servers in
Amsterdam and Seoul.
Wikipedias English edition was launched on January 15, 2001 as a complement to
Nupedia, written and now defunct encyclopedia. The project is currently operated by the
Wikimedia Foundation, a non profit organization created by Jimmy Wales, the co-founder of
Wikipedia. Wikipedia has approximately 7.5 million articles in 253 languages, 1.8 million of
which are in English edition. It has steadily risen unpopularity since its inception, and currently
rank sum of the top ten most-visited websites worldwide. Traffic to Wikipedias 72 servers on
any given exceeds 80 million hits.
Wikipedia was co-founded by Jimmy Wales, who believed in creating an open
encyclopedia that anyone can contribute to. The project also adapted a rule: Every time someone
edits an article, new version is created and stored. All contributions are kept for posterity and
identified as such.
Due to its open nature, critics have questioned Wikipedias reliability and accuracy. The
site has also been criticized for its susceptibility to vandalism and the addition of false or
unverified information, uneven quality, systematic bias and inconsistencies, and for favoring
consensus over credentials in its editorial process. Wikipedias content policies and subprojects
set up by contributors seek to address these concerns. Two scholarly studies have concluded that
vandalism is generally short-lived and that Wikipedia is generally as accurate as other
encyclopedias.
Some studies suggest that Wikipedia provides a good starting point for research,but
sometimes suffers from omissions and inaccuracies. On the other hand, an investigation by
Nature comparing Wikipedia to the Encyclopedia Britannica suggested a near similar level of
accuracy in terms of its natural sciences articles. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc.disagreed and
described this study as fatally flawed, to which Nature later responded, stating that its study
was perfectly neutral. Other studies have concluded that Wikipedias coverage of history is
significantly broader and deeper then that of Encarta, while being just as accurate and that
obvious vandalism is usually reverted quickly.
(A) Choose the best answer :
1. Wikipedia is
1. Expert written defunct encyclopedia
2. A research based web project
3. Multilingual web based encyclopedia
4. Mulitilingual web based limited users encyclopedia project
2. The speciality of the articles in Wikipedia is
1. It is modified every time it is edited
2. Its old version is destroyed and replaced by new edition
3. All articles are stored for posterity
4. It cannot be modified at all
3. Wikipedia is written by
1. A non-profit organization named Wikimedia
2. Experts of the subject
3. Collaborative service of volunteers
4. Expert panel headed by Jimmy Wales
4. Despite the accusation of vandalism, Wikipedia is praised for
1. Its accuracy of the subject
2. Favouring consensus of users
3. Broader and deeper coverage of the subject
4. Maintaining all contributions for posterity
5.Traffic as used in the passage refers to
1. Congestion in the road traffic
2. Large number of users who visit the website
3. The congestion in the service of Wikipedia servers
4. Increasing number of hits that reach the servers daily
6. Encyclopedia Britannica disagreed with the study of Nature because
1. It acclaimed Wikipedia as superior to Britannica
2. It praised Wikipedia for its broader and deeper coverage of the subject
3. It suggested that Wikipedia had a similar level of accuracy in the subject
4. It disclaimed the charge of vandalism by the critics on Wikipedia.
(B) Mention Whether the following statements are True or False:
1. Wikipedia is a collaborative encyclopedia project.
2. Wikipedia was an instant hit right from the time of inception.
3. There are no rules to be followed while contributing to the project.
4. The Project has been questioned by critics regarding its reliability and accuracy.
5. Natures comparison of Encyclopedia Britannica and Wikipedia is accepted by
Britannica.
6. Encartas coverage of history is broader and deeper along with accuracy.
(c) Give one word from the text for the following statements:
1. A website which functions in many languages.
2. Something which does not exist anymore.
3. Something which is a group effort.
4. Being prone to something/someone.
2. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate forms of words:
Verb
1. Navigate
2.________
3. Expand
4.________
Noun
_______
________
________
Deregulation
Adjective
_________
disagreeable
__________
__________
3. Fill in the blanks with suitable tense forms of the verbs given in
brackets:
Accident always ____________________(happen) at appoint of time and space. Given the
facilities, it____________________(work out) to 0.00328 per cent of the total road user
kilometers every day along these stretches of highways. A small number really, but a
massive loss if you___________ (think) of the life time earning potential of those
who____(die) in these mishaps.
4. Make the opposite words from the following words, using appropriate
prefixes:
1. Possible
2. Intelligible
3. Definite
4. Courage
5. (A) Write a coherent paragraph of 200 words describing your
difficulties in adjusting to the new situation when you joined the college.
(OR)
(B)Write a paragraph and discuss the importance of communication
skills in the present day world and ways to improve these skills.
6. Write an autobiography of yourself as an engineer in 50 words.
7. Rewrite the following sentences as questions:
1. They have been working here for over ten years.
2. They are interested in cricket.
3. He can climb trees easily.
4. The girls swept the floor.
