Task reminder: Read the passage then select all correct answers. Negative marking applies — do not guess randomly. Each correct answer scores +1, each incorrect answer scores −1.

1. Sample Text 1

The pharmaceutical industry faces a significant “pipeline problem”: the number of genuinely new drug classes reaching market has declined despite rising research and development expenditure. Several factors explain this trend. The easiest disease targets have already been addressed by existing drugs, leaving only more complex and less well-understood conditions. Regulatory requirements for safety and efficacy have become more stringent. The industry’s focus on incremental improvements to existing drugs — delivering modest clinical benefits but offering lower development risk — has crowded out the higher-risk investment in truly novel therapies. Some economists argue that the patent system, which rewards companies for proprietary drugs rather than public health outcomes, creates misaligned incentives.

Q. Which of the following are mentioned as reasons for the decline in new drug development?

A. Easier disease targets have been exhausted
B. Governments have reduced funding for pharmaceutical research
C. Regulatory requirements have become more stringent
D. Industry focus has shifted towards incremental improvements over novel therapies
E. Misaligned incentives created by the patent system

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2. Sample Text 2

Deforestation contributes to climate change through multiple mechanisms. When trees are cleared and burned, the carbon stored in their biomass is released into the atmosphere. Forests also act as carbon sinks — absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. Their removal eliminates this sink capacity. Furthermore, deforestation affects regional and global rainfall patterns: trees recycle water through transpiration, and large forests generate their own rainfall through a process known as biotic pumping. The Amazon is particularly significant: it produces approximately fifty percent of its own rainfall, meaning large-scale deforestation could trigger a self-reinforcing collapse of the forest ecosystem.

Q. According to the passage, which of the following are ways deforestation contributes to climate change?

A. Release of stored carbon through burning
B. Increased solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface
C. Loss of carbon sink capacity
D. Disruption of regional and global rainfall patterns
E. Reduction in biodiversity that reduces atmospheric oxygen

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3. Sample Text 3

The gig economy — characterised by short-term, flexible, platform-mediated work — has created new opportunities for workers to supplement income, build diverse portfolios of work, and exercise greater control over their schedules. For platforms and the companies that use them, gig arrangements reduce labour costs by classifying workers as independent contractors rather than employees. This classification means workers typically receive no sick pay, annual leave, pension contributions, or employer superannuation. Economists debate whether the net effect of the gig economy on worker welfare is positive or negative, and legal battles over worker classification continue in jurisdictions worldwide.

Q. Which of the following are mentioned as disadvantages of gig economy work for workers?

A. No sick pay entitlement
B. Inflexible working schedules
C. No annual leave entitlement
D. No employer pension contributions
E. Requirement to pay platform subscription fees

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