Reading Comprehension

The best graduates of Saint-Cyr were given the choice of their first appointment. Charles de Gaulle had also won that right, and he now faced the question: where should he begin his service? Traditionally, the most prestigious service was cavalry, and last on this scale, as everywhere, was long-suffering infantry. However strange that may seem at first glance, our junior lieutenant chose precisely the thankless lot of an infantryman. Moreover, he decided to serve in that very 33rd Infantry Regiment at Arras where he had gone through his service in the ranks. Charles de Gaulle would always surprise everyone by his unexpected decisions, but this one was not as rash as it might seem. Picturesque cavalry inevitably lost its former glory in the epoch of mass use of machine-guns while artillery was regarded as a kind of auxiliary service in France; but infantry remained the main striking force called upon to perform those really great deeds of which de Gaulle dreamed. True, there were also the particularly fashionable Navy and aviation, which was then coming in to being. But these services required highly specialized training.

Born at Lille and linked with the north through his mother's and grandmother's origin, he had a longing for the parts where he intended to serve. In character and temperament he was close to the traditions and spirit of the inhabitants of the northern provinces sharply differing from those of the south. Charles de Gaulle was fascinated by the history of France, chiefly by military history, and it was mostly in the north that the great battles had taken place which he knew as if he had fought in them himself. He was convinced that the north would also inevitably be the scene of the battles to come.

Finally, Charles de Gaulle knew, of course, that the newly appointed commander of 33rd Infantry was Philippe Petain, well known in the army not only for his obstreperousness and frictions with his superiors, which adversely affected his career, but also for his critical attitude to the official military doctrine. Petain was extremely conservative. Ignoring the new law segregating the church from the state, he openly encouraged officers to attend Mass regularly. In any case he had the reputation of an intelligent, energetic, and exacting officer who could be a good teacher of the military craft.

The moment came when the raw young officer, his fresh epaulets glittering, reported to his colonel. The 22-year-old junior lieutenant, black eyed, very tall, stood for the first time face to face with the 56-year-old colonel ironically looking at him with his pale blue eyes. De Gaulle's destiny would for a long time be linked with Petain...

The Young officer who would serve for many years under Colonel (later Marshall) Petain would feel great respect for his patron. It is interesting that even after Petain's disgrace at the end, when he became France's traitor, de Gaulle would retain something of that feeling. He would write in his memoir : "My first colonel, Petain, showed me the meaning of the gift and art of command."

Thus De Gaulle began his career. One cannot say, however, that his education was ended. His Service as an officer strengthened and deepened some of his character traits. Professional soldiers were a world in itself not only with regard to the nation but also to the variable elements in the army, the men called up for the service in the ranks and reserve officers. The caste spirit was at that time extremely strong in the French army, which largely retained the structure and traditions of the monarchist army despite the numerous attempts of the Republic to democratize it. While it has proved possible to impose heavy restriction on the church, this other institution of the old regime was unshakable. Officially, the army functioned according to 1832 law adopted under Louis Philippe. Even after the exposure of the Dreyfus affair nothing had changed; the army remained a state within state. Officers were encouraged in their feelings of disdain towards civilians in general and towards the deputies, parliament, and the government in particular. Strange as it may seem, the fact that the army had no franchise and was formally outside politics only served to foster that contempt and to strengthen the officer's opposition to everything civilian. It is easy to see that this tendency coincided with young de Gaulle's anti-parliamentarism.

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Q1)"The army remained a state within a state". By this the author implies that


(1)The government had no control over the functioning of the army.
(2)The army was non political by nature and refrained from siding any political masters.
(3)The army functioned independent of the government and in fact despised both government and civilians.
(4)The army was anti parliamentarians and promoted revolutionary ideology amongst its classes.
(5)None of the above.


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Q2)According to the passage,


(1)the French army during Gaulle service was hierarchical and new recruits had little chance to prove themselves.
(2)Gaulle admired and supported Petain even when the latter was accused of being a traitor.
(3)the French army enacted laws to discourage its officer from attending church service.
(4)Charles de Gaulle was unconventional in his thinking and rash in his decisions.
(5)Gaulle had already served in the 33rd Infantry and was familiar with its operation.

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Q3)In the context of the passage, according to the author, a life in the military develops arrogance in man and deforms him because


(1)He is trained to think independently and under extreme pressure.
(2)The subordinates cannot question the decision of superiors, irrespective of the outcome of such decisions.
(3)Devoid of contact with civilians, the army is actually encouraged to despise them.
(4)The caste system in the French army was so strong those who defied the establishment could survive at the top.
(5)None of the above.

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Seeking advice for improving speed!!
(I actually took 12 minutes to solve this RC;problem with identifying the correct answer and re-reading the passage again and again)