Read the paragraph and answer the questions following it.
If popularity is the benchmark of capability, the ‘dirty’ fuel is now measuring up to it. Diesel had been a loser for long, trying to catch up with gasoline in terms of efficiency and performance. It was much-maligned by ratting technology and noisy operations. Now, after decades, diesel cars have taken over the Indian market leaving petrol-fired cars far behind. For the first half of 2010, the Indian auto mart witnessed a spurt in the sales of diesel propelled cars. So much so that in India’s premium car segment –from Maruti Swift to the BMW7 series category-59 per cent of the 6.88 lakh units sold in the first half of 2010 were diesel powered . The percentage is even higher than Europe, where the market is evenly divided between both the fuels. Auto companies in India attribute this change to technology advancements that have given diesel higher fuel efficiency and better pick-up. Historically, the sales of diesel-driven cars had plummeted due to high maintenance costs and premium pricing. The gradual change has now become a major determining factor for the success and failure of new cars. “The verdict is clearly in favour of diesel-driven cars’, says Mercedes-Benz MD and CEO, Wilfried Aulbur. He further said, ‘Customers are pleasantly surprised by the clear advantage of instant acceleration and higher torque offered by modern diesel engines, even as petrol is trying to catch up on the technological changes’. For Merc, the country most acclaimed luxe marque, diesel dominates its portfolio of E Class and C Class, its largest selling models. For Indian with deep pocket, it is the luxury car segment running on diesel that is most popular. Consider this: Of the 446 cars in the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8 and Merc S Class models sold in the first six months of 2010, 79 per cent had diesel engines. ‘There has been a strong inclination towards diesel in the past few years’, says Toyota Kirloskar Deputy Managing Director (Marketing) Sandeep Singh. ‘Indian customers prefer cheaper diesel models which provide better acceleration and return on investment. The times are not far away when diesel will be the strongest portfolio across all segments. ‘The diesel strategy has paid Toyota rich dividends. In the premium sports utility vehicle (SUV) segment. Its diesel Fortuner, launched last year, has ended the domination of competitive models like the erstwhile segment leaders, Honda’s CRV and Mitsubishi Outlander that are only available in petrol versions. The preference for diesel is particularly noticeable in premium cars priced above ₹ 4 lakh and luxury sedans and SUV in the ₹1 crore bracket. The affinity for diesel also follows the introduction of the much-acclaimed common rail diesel injection (CRDi) technology that was first launched in 2002 by Hyundai in its Ascent sedan. Sharp injector-based fuel technology allowed diesel to burn much faster with learner operations, leading to higher fuel efficiency and faster acceleration. Over the years, several modifications in diesel technology have been taken up by auto companies. Even entry-level cars made by Indian companies like Mahindra’s Scorpio and Tata Motors’ Indica now come loaded with modern diesel engines based on the CRDi technology that was once the domain of high-priced cars.
16. The author in this passage attempts to establish which of the following?
(a) The diesel cars these days are not only attractive but also costly.
(b) Modern day diesel cars are economic as well as attractive
(c) In future, diesel cars are likely to become a dominant force in the Indian market.
(d) Indians are pleasantly surprised by the clear advantage of having a diesel car.
17. With which of the following is the author most likely to disagree? *
(a) Though diesel cars are becoming attractive, they are not as efficient as petrol cars.
(b) Indian customers prefer diesel models which provide better acceleration.
(c) Now diesel cars are more popular than petrol cars in India.
(d) The companies that produce only petrol versions are losing their domination in the market
18. In the author’s view, the preference for diesel cars in the Indian auto market is due to which of the following?
(a) Recession has made Indian customers wary of expensive petrol-driven cars.
(b) Technological advancements have helped diesel cars become more efficient and economical.
(c) Diesel cars have rich dividends to offer to the customers.
(d) Today, the number of diesel cars produced far exceeds the number of petrol cars produced.
19. The phrase ‘Indian with deep pockets… ’ suggests which of the following:
(a) Indians who are rich
(b) Indians who are more inclined towards buying petrol cars.
(c) Indians who are more inclined towards buying diesel cars.
(d) Indians who prefer utility to luxury while purchasing a car.
20. The above passage is written in which of the following styles?
a) Narrative
(b) Analytical (d) Informative
(c) Descriptive
(d) Informative
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can't read the passage too big............
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