Reading Comprehension- 3

Read the text below and answer Questions 1-6.

1. Read the following passage carefully.

1. A leader should make his men want him. He should make his people accept him freely, willingly and eagerly. He should influence their thinking, shape their ideas and direct their actions to achieve the required objective.

2. An aspiring leader should, as a rule, avoid finding faults with others. He should never categorically and dogmatically declare that another individual is wrong. No doubt, one delights in finding faults with others, blaming others and catching others in the wrong. But don’t forget that right and wrong are in most cases a relative concept. When you are out to prove another person wrong, you start with a serious handicap, you can let in all the evidence, quote all the books, produce witnesses and establish your point all right. But in spite of all that you would not have convinced the other individual that he or she was on the wrong or did the wrong thing. Since you have failed to convince the individual, you cannot influence the party.

3. On the other hand, in your eagerness to prove him wrong, you will only earn his enmity and hatred. His ego will be aroused. He will defend himself at any cost. Since you are striking a deadly blow at his self respect, pride, intelligence and judgment, he will protest and oppose you tooth and nail. Although you are right, never try to prove it to him. Never challenge him. Never hurt his self esteem and pride. If we aspire for leadership and recognition, we should follow the advise that Lord Chesterfield gave to his son ”Be wiser than other people if you can, but do not tell them so.”

4. This does not mean that we should never point out the mistakes of others to them. You must put a stop when an individual is doing the wrong but make sure that you motivate him to change on his own voluntarily and willingly. Don’t attempt to convince him of his errors and mistakes. Instead be tactful, judicious and help him to make the discovery himself. Instead of declaring that the other party is in the wrong, start by saying that you might be in the wrong and therefore you would like to examine the facts with his help. Be practical and sensible because logic and reasoning will have no appeal where one’s ego is involved. Basically all of us are averse to change. Our ideas, beliefs, customs and values are very sacred to us and we cling to them with surprising zeal and fanaticism. Changes have to be brought about gradually and naturally. Instead of forcing one to change we must change to voluntarily and gradually. In this context, the observations of Prof. Robinson, an eminent psychologist, merit serious consideration. He says, ”We sometimes find ourselves changing our minds without any resistance or heavy emotion but if we are told we are wrong, we resent the imputation and harden our hearts. We are incredibly heedless in the formation of our beliefs, but find ourselves filled with an illicit passion for them when anyone proposes to rob us of their companionship.”

5. Let us therefore avoid finding faults and let us not rush to prove others wrong. If we have to do it, then let us do it in a diplomatic, gentle, tactful and indirect manner. The leader has only one aim-to win over others to his way of thinking. He should see that all his words and deeds invariably contribute to this primary objective. If they do, he is bound to WIN.

1. Choose the most appropriate option from the ones given below.

1. According to the author, a true leader is one who

1. influences people to achieve his own goals
2. believes in being popular
3. is freely accepted by his people
4. makes sure that people follow his ways

 

2. What should a true leader totally avoid doing?

1. finding faults with other people
2. helping people to overcome their shortcomings
3. telling others about the mistake they have made
4. quote books and produce witnesses to establish his point

 

3. What methods does the author suggest when dealing with people?

1. arouse the other person’s self respect
2. attack the other person’s intelligence and pride
3. tell the person that he/she is wrong
4. act more wisely than others without boasting about it

 

4. What does the author suggest to the readers, that shows he believes in Lord

Chesterfield’s advise?

1. highlight others’ fault loud and clear
2. insist that all follow the path we think is right
3. never strike a deadly blow at the self esteem of the other person
4. behave in a firm and inflexible manner

 

5. Why do we cling to our ideas with zeal and fanaticism?

1. we have very strong egos
2. everyone is right in his/her own way
3. change is often not good
4. accepting change is difficult

 

6. Which of the following best illustrates the meaning of the expression ‘tooth and

nail’?

1. with proper tools and implements
2. with every available means
3. with help from others
4. by using teeth and nails as weapons