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RC Passage
Direction for the questions 6 to 9: The passage below is accompanied by a set of four questions. Choose the best answer to each question.
174 incidents of piracy were reported to the International Maritime Bureau last year, with Somali pirates responsible for only three. The rest ranged from the discreet theft of coils of rope in the Yellow Sea to the notoriously ferocious Nigerian gunmen attacking and hijacking oil tankers in the Gulf of Guinea, as well as armed robbery off Singapore and the Venezuelan coast and kidnapping in the Sundarbans in the Bay of Bengal. For [Dr. Peter] Lehr, an expert on modern-day piracy, the phenomenonâs history should be a source of instruction rather than entertainment, piracy past offering lessons for piracy present
But . . . where does piracy begin or end? According to St Augustine, a corsair captain once told Alexander the Great that in the forceful acquisition of power and wealth at sea, the difference between an emperor and a pirate was simply one of scale. By this logic, European empire-builders were the most successful pirates of all time. A more eclectic history might have included the conquistadors, Vasco da Gama and the East India Company. But Lehr sticks to the disorganized small fry, making comparisons with the renegades of today possible
The main motive for piracy has always been a combination of need and greed. Why toil away as a starving peasant in the 16th century when a successful pirate made up to ÂŁ4,000 on each raid? Anyone could turn to freebooting if the rewards were worth the risk
Increased globalisation has done more to encourage piracy than suppress it. European colonialism weakened delicate balances of power, leading to an influx of opportunists on the high seas. A rise in global shipping has meant rich pickings for freebooters. Lehr writes: âIt quickly becomes clear that in those parts of the world that have not profited from globalisation and modernisation, and where abject poverty and the daily struggle for survival are still a reality, the root causes of piracy are still the same as they were a couple of hundred years ago.â
Modern pirate prevention has failed. After the French yacht Le Gonant was ransomed for $2 million in 2008, opportunists from all over Somalia flocked to the coast for a piece of the action. . . . A consistent rule, even today, is there are never enough warships to patrol pirate-infested waters. Such ships are costly and only solve the problem temporarily; Somali piracy is bound to return as soon as the warships are withdrawn. Robot shipping, eliminating hostages, has been proposed as a possible solution; but as Lehr points out, this will only make pirates switch their targets to smaller carriers unable to afford the technology.
His advice isnât new. Proposals to end illegal fishing are often advanced but they are difficult to enforce. Investment in local welfare put a halt to Malaysian piracy in the 1970s, but was dependent on money somehow filtering through a corrupt bureaucracy to the poor on the periphery. Diplomatic initiatives against piracy are plagued by mutual distrust: the Russians execute pirates, while the EU and US are reluctant to capture them for fear theyâll claim asylum.
RC Line-wise Explanation
Paragraph 1
"174 incidents of piracy were reported to the International Maritime Bureau last year, with Somali pirates responsible for only three."
Explanation: There were 174 piracy cases last year, but only three involved Somali pirates.
"The rest ranged from the discreet theft of coils of rope in the Yellow Sea to the notoriously ferocious Nigerian gunmen attacking and hijacking oil tankers in the Gulf of Guinea, as well as armed robbery off Singapore and the Venezuelan coast and kidnapping in the Sundarbans in the Bay of Bengal."
Explanation: Other incidents included a wide rangeâfrom minor thefts to violent attacksâhappening in regions like the Yellow Sea, Gulf of Guinea, Singapore, Venezuela, and the Bay of Bengal.
"For [Dr. Peter] Lehr, an expert on modern-day piracy, the phenomenonâs history should be a source of instruction rather than entertainment, piracy past offering lessons for piracy present."
Explanation: Dr. Lehr believes piracyâs history should be studied seriously for the insights it offers into current piracy, not just for entertainment.
Paragraph 2
"But . . . where does piracy begin or end?"
Explanation: The text raises the philosophical question about what defines piracy.
"According to St Augustine, a corsair captain once told Alexander the Great that in the forceful acquisition of power and wealth at sea, the difference between an emperor and a pirate was simply one of scale."
Explanation: St. Augustine recounts that a pirate claimed the only real difference between a ruler and a pirate is how large their operations are.
"By this logic, European empire-builders were the most successful pirates of all time."
Explanation: Following that reasoning, European colonizers could be seen as pirates on a grand scale.
"A more eclectic history might have included the conquistadors, Vasco da Gama and the East India Company."
Explanation: A broader historical view might consider Spanish conquerors, Portuguese explorers, and British trading powers as part of piracy's story.
"But Lehr sticks to the disorganized small fry, making comparisons with the renegades of today possible."
Explanation: However, Lehr chooses to focus on small-time pirates, which allows comparisons with modern piracy.
Paragraph 3
"The main motive for piracy has always been a combination of need and greed."
Explanation: Pirates are usually driven by both poverty and the desire for wealth.
"Why toil away as a starving peasant in the 16th century when a successful pirate made up to ÂŁ4,000 on each raid?"
Explanation: In the past, piracy was a tempting alternative to poverty, offering the potential for large rewards.
"Anyone could turn to freebooting if the rewards were worth the risk . . . ."
Explanation: People would consider piracy if they believed the potential profits justified the danger.
Paragraph 4
"Increased globalisation has done more to encourage piracy than suppress it."
Explanation: Globalization has, ironically, created more opportunities for piracy than it has reduced.
"European colonialism weakened delicate balances of power, leading to an influx of opportunists on the high seas."
Explanation: Colonial powers disrupted local political stability, inviting more piracy.
"A rise in global shipping has meant rich pickings for freebooters."
Explanation: More international shipping means more targets for pirates.
"Lehr writes: 'It quickly becomes clear that in those parts of the world that have not profited from globalisation and modernisation, and where abject poverty and the daily struggle for survival are still a reality, the root causes of piracy are still the same as they were a couple of hundred years ago.'"
Explanation: Lehr points out that in areas left behind by global progress, poverty remains the main driver of piracyâjust like in the past.
Paragraph 5
"Modern pirate prevention has failed."
Explanation: Efforts to stop modern piracy have not worked well.
"After the French yacht Le Gonant was ransomed for $2 million in 2008, opportunists from all over Somalia flocked to the coast for a piece of the action."
Explanation: Following a lucrative ransom in 2008, many Somalis saw piracy as a profitable option and joined in.
"A consistent rule, even today, is there are never enough warships to patrol pirate-infested waters."
Explanation: There are always too few naval ships to cover areas prone to piracy.
"Such ships are costly and only solve the problem temporarily; Somali piracy is bound to return as soon as the warships are withdrawn."
Explanation: Warships are expensive and offer only short-term reliefâpiracy resurges once they leave.
"Robot shipping, eliminating hostages, has been proposed as a possible solution; but as Lehr points out, this will only make pirates switch their targets to smaller carriers unable to afford the technology."
Explanation: Using unmanned ships could reduce hostage-taking, but pirates would just target less protected ships instead.
Paragraph 6
"His advice isnât new."
Explanation: Dr. Lehr's suggestions for solving piracy arenât novel.
"Proposals to end illegal fishing are often advanced but they are difficult to enforce."
Explanation: Ending illegal fishing could help, but enforcing such measures is tough.
"Investment in local welfare put a halt to Malaysian piracy in the 1970s, but was dependent on money somehow filtering through a corrupt bureaucracy to the poor on the periphery."
Explanation: Malaysia reduced piracy in the 1970s through local development, but it was hard to ensure aid reached those in need due to corruption.
"Diplomatic initiatives against piracy are plagued by mutual distrust: the Russians execute pirates, while the EU and US are reluctant to capture them for fear theyâll claim asylum."
Explanation: International efforts are hampered by differing approachesâsome countries are harsh, while others avoid action due to legal complications.
RC Paragraph Explanation
Paragraph 1 Summary
The author lists recent piracy incidents, showing their global spread and diverse nature, and highlights Dr. Lehrâs view that historical piracy offers valuable insights for understanding modern piracy.
Paragraph 2 Summary
The paragraph explores the blurred moral boundaries of piracy by contrasting small pirates with imperial powers, while noting that Lehr focuses only on small-time pirates to better compare with todayâs renegades.
Paragraph 3 Summary
This section explains that piracy has historically been driven by poverty and the lure of wealth, making it an appealing alternative for desperate individuals.
Paragraph 4 Summary
The passage explains how globalization has inadvertently promoted piracy by disrupting local power structures and increasing shipping traffic, leaving some regions impoverished and vulnerable to piracy.
Paragraph 5 Summary
Modern anti-piracy strategies, such as warships or unmanned ships, are ineffective or temporary. Pirates quickly adapt by targeting less-protected vessels.
Paragraph 6 Summary
Efforts like ending illegal fishing, improving welfare, and diplomacy are suggested solutions, but all face challenges like enforcement difficulties, corruption, or international disagreement.
RC Quick Table Summary
| Paragraph Number | Main Idea |
|---|---|
| Paragraph 1 | Global piracy today is widespread and diverse; past piracy holds lessons. |
| Paragraph 2 | Piracy's definition is subjective; Lehr focuses on small-scale pirates. |
| Paragraph 3 | Piracy has always been motivated by poverty and the chance for quick wealth. |
| Paragraph 4 | Globalization and colonialism have deepened the roots of modern piracy. |
| Paragraph 5 | Current counter-piracy methods are costly, temporary, and often ineffective. |
| Paragraph 6 | Solutions like welfare, fishing controls, and diplomacy are flawed or hard to enforce. |
RC Questions
Ques 6. âWhy toil away as a starving peasant in the 16th century when a successful pirate made up to ÂŁ4,000 on each raid?â In this sentence, the authorâs tone can best be described as being:
Ques 7. âA more eclectic history might have included the conquistadors, Vasco da Gama and the East India Company. But Lehr sticks to the disorganised small fry . . .â From this statement we can infer that the author believes that:
Ques 8. We can deduce that the author believes that piracy can best be controlled in the long run:
Ques 9. The author ascribes the rise in piracy today to all of the following factors EXCEPT:
