Para Summary Quiz Question - 7

Throughout history, political leaders have supported existing communication technologies in order to defend the system in which they rule. Today, too, governments may be tempted to protect newspapers and public TV on the pretext of “saving democracy as we know it.” But efforts to block technological change have been futile in the past, and they would be unwise today. Instead, the political system and the media must adapt to the new reality – the internet.

(a)  Instead of trying to protect newspapers and public TV by blocking the internet, political leaders, and governments must adapt to the new reality.

(b)    As they have failed in the past, political leaders and government would fail to block the internet by promoting the newspapers and public TV.

(c)      Political leaders and governments have consistently failed in their efforts to block new technologies by supporting the existing ones.

(d) By supporting the newspapers and public TV politicians and governments are trying to protect the existing media under the pretext of saving democracy.

(e) The efforts by governments and politicians to save the existing communication technologies have always proved futile; instead, they must adapt to the new reality, today, the internet.

Answer & Explaination

Ans.(e)

Sol. Option (A) and (D) do not mention the failure in the past. Options (B) and (D) leave out the “adapt” idea. Option (E), on the other hand, leaves out the specifics, captures the essential attitude of politicians and governments towards new technologies, and mentions the “adapt” factor too. Option (E), hence, is the best available précis.