Class 10 | Englsh Grammar | READING COMPREHENSION | SEBA QUESTION BANK 2019

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Page No. 60

7. Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below:

          Edmund Burke called the press, the Fourth Estate of the realm. I think he did not use this title for the Press thoughtlessly as a social ruling group of class. The three Estates or Realms (in England) are the Lords Spiritual i.e. the Bishop in the house of Lords, the Temporal i.e. other Lords, and Commons i.e the common people. The press has been rightly called the Fourth Estate as it also constitutes a ruling group or class like the Lords and Commons. It cannot be denied in a free country that the Press exercise a good deal of influence in shaping public opinion and pointing out the weakness or defects of society or of Government and, in general, bringing to light all those good or bad things in society which would have otherwise remained unnoticed. The power is not limited or put under any checks. The Press, instead of being controlled by any one, controls life and thought of a nation. Hence the Press constitutes an Estate by itself.

          Obviously, the power which the Press is any country wields, depends upon the number of newspapers readers.
The opinions and comments of newspapers can influence the life of a nation only when they are read by people. Reading, in turn, requires that the general mass of people should be educated. Thus, the spread of education determines the extent of the newspapers. Where readers are few, newspapers must necessarily be few. Their influence, in the case, can extend to a small minority of population. In a country like India the percentage of literacy is very low and the standard of Journalism is not very high. So, the Press has to play the role of teacher here.

(a) What title was given by Edmund Burke to the Press?

Ans : The title given by Edmund Burke to the Press was the Fourth Estate of the realm.

(b) Name the other three Estates as mentioned in the passage.

Ans : The other three Estates as mentioned in the passage are the Lords Spiritual, the Temporal and Commons.

(c) What does the term Fourth Estate stand for?

          (i) landed property.
          (ii) social ruling group.
          (iii) an area of land.
          (iv) instrument of power.

    Ans : (ii) social ruling group.

(d) What functions do the press play in a free Country?

Ans : The press primarily play two functions in a free Country. Firstly, it takes significant role in shaping public opinion. And secondly, it points out the 

weakness or defects of society or of Government.

(e) What is the secret of power of the press?

          (i) the money which the

          newspaper

          owner can invest.

          (ii) the number of 

            newspaper  readers.

          (iii) the extent to which it

           supports the official policy.

          (iv) the patronage of the

           Government.

Ans : (ii) the number of newspaper readers.

(f) What determines the extent of newspaper readers?

Ans : The spread of education

determines the extent of newspaper readers.

(g) Find a word in the passage which means "newspaper and periodicals"?

Ans : newspapers.