Comprehension
Read the following passage carefully and answer the question that follows.
For generations, companies have been selling fair skin to young Indian women, promising better marriage and employment prospects. However, over the last few years, men have became a favoured target audience. This followed the realisation that the Indian alpha male, denied a choice in malespecific grooming products, had been using women's fairness creams all along. Until the mid-2000s, deodorants and shaving creams were the only grooming products advertised for men. But India's largest consumer goods companies sensed an opportunity, and launched a slew of fairness products for male consumers. In India, as in other parts of the world, light skin is the culturally accepted and endorsed form of beauty, and children absorb this message at a young age. According to a 2015 research report by Nielsen, urban Indian men believe that fair skin can improve professional prospects. The cultural pressure to look fair, argues Kiran Khalap, branding expert and founder at communications consultancy Chlorophyll, is something inherent in our society, not manufactured by companies. "And it is certainly not restricted to India: China and Japan have had skin-whitening products for centuries, well before they met Western 'white' people," he said. However, there is a growing awareness among consumers that companies are exploiting their insecurities, and critics have taken some of the biggest fairness brands, and the celebrities who endorse them, to task for their casual discrimination. Earlier this month, Bollywood actor Abhay Deol took to Facebook to trounce his fellow actors who earn millions from endorsing fairness creams. This comes a few years after actress Nandita Das launched the "Dark is Beautiful" campaign to encourage Indians to embrace a wider definition of beauty. These efforts are slowly making a difference, increasing awareness and encouraging consumers to take pride in their natural skin tones. That means Indian companies will eventually have to change their approach. "My sense is that brands will wake up to the new reality, and you will see propositions reworked around clearer skin (and) glow, rather than pure fairness," Leo Burnett's Sinha said. Rajesh Krishnamurthy, business head for the consumer product division at The Himalaya Drug Company, believes that over time the men's grooming category will evolve to include a wider range of products, including those for normal skin, just like in the women's skin care category. "Companies are increasingly realising that you cannot continue to bullshit consumers anymore; these are educated young men who will question what you sell to them," said Shantanu Deshpande, co-founder and CEO of the male-grooming startup Bombay Shaving Company.
For generations, companies have been selling fair skin to young Indian women, promising better marriage and employment prospects. However, over the last few years, men have became a favoured target audience. This followed the realisation that the Indian alpha male, denied a choice in malespecific grooming products, had been using women's fairness creams all along. Until the mid-2000s, deodorants and shaving creams were the only grooming products advertised for men. But India's largest consumer goods companies sensed an opportunity, and launched a slew of fairness products for male consumers. In India, as in other parts of the world, light skin is the culturally accepted and endorsed form of beauty, and children absorb this message at a young age. According to a 2015 research report by Nielsen, urban Indian men believe that fair skin can improve professional prospects. The cultural pressure to look fair, argues Kiran Khalap, branding expert and founder at communications consultancy Chlorophyll, is something inherent in our society, not manufactured by companies. "And it is certainly not restricted to India: China and Japan have had skin-whitening products for centuries, well before they met Western 'white' people," he said. However, there is a growing awareness among consumers that companies are exploiting their insecurities, and critics have taken some of the biggest fairness brands, and the celebrities who endorse them, to task for their casual discrimination. Earlier this month, Bollywood actor Abhay Deol took to Facebook to trounce his fellow actors who earn millions from endorsing fairness creams. This comes a few years after actress Nandita Das launched the "Dark is Beautiful" campaign to encourage Indians to embrace a wider definition of beauty. These efforts are slowly making a difference, increasing awareness and encouraging consumers to take pride in their natural skin tones. That means Indian companies will eventually have to change their approach. "My sense is that brands will wake up to the new reality, and you will see propositions reworked around clearer skin (and) glow, rather than pure fairness," Leo Burnett's Sinha said. Rajesh Krishnamurthy, business head for the consumer product division at The Himalaya Drug Company, believes that over time the men's grooming category will evolve to include a wider range of products, including those for normal skin, just like in the women's skin care category. "Companies are increasingly realising that you cannot continue to bullshit consumers anymore; these are educated young men who will question what you sell to them," said Shantanu Deshpande, co-founder and CEO of the male-grooming startup Bombay Shaving Company.
Question: 1
What is the central idea of the passage?
(A) Though people endorsed skin fairness products, they are now realising that they are being taken for a ride by such products.
(B) Only men ardently use whitening creams to boost their personality.
(C) The brand marketing of fairness product companies are evolving to appease the target audience of India.
(D) Brands are frivolous when it comes to campaigning of their beauty products.
(E) Not any of the above
What is the central idea of the passage?
(A) Though people endorsed skin fairness products, they are now realising that they are being taken for a ride by such products.
(B) Only men ardently use whitening creams to boost their personality.
(C) The brand marketing of fairness product companies are evolving to appease the target audience of India.
(D) Brands are frivolous when it comes to campaigning of their beauty products.
(E) Not any of the above
(A) Though people endorsed skin fairness products, they are now realising that they are being taken for a ride by such products.
(B) Only men ardently use whitening creams to boost their personality.
(C) The brand marketing of fairness product companies are evolving to appease the target audience of India.
(D) Brands are frivolous when it comes to campaigning of their beauty products.
(E) Not any of the above
Show Hint
To identify the Central Idea, ask yourself: "If I had to give this passage a title, what would it be?" Eliminate options that are too narrow (focusing on just one paragraph) or too broad (generalizing beyond the text provided).
Updated On: Apr 1, 2026
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Show Solution
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Was this answer helpful?
0
Question: 2
What were the findings of the 2015 research report by Nielsen?
(A) Indian urban men presumed that being fair enhanced their professional opportunities.
(B) Indian urban men believed that being fair would give them better marriage and employment contracts.
(C) Indian urban men would eventually question the logic behind male-grooming product advertisements.
(D) Indian urban men do not endorse the concept of fairness helping them in their personal and professional life.
(E) Not any of the above
What were the findings of the 2015 research report by Nielsen?
(A) Indian urban men presumed that being fair enhanced their professional opportunities.
(B) Indian urban men believed that being fair would give them better marriage and employment contracts.
(C) Indian urban men would eventually question the logic behind male-grooming product advertisements.
(D) Indian urban men do not endorse the concept of fairness helping them in their personal and professional life.
(E) Not any of the above
(A) Indian urban men presumed that being fair enhanced their professional opportunities.
(B) Indian urban men believed that being fair would give them better marriage and employment contracts.
(C) Indian urban men would eventually question the logic behind male-grooming product advertisements.
(D) Indian urban men do not endorse the concept of fairness helping them in their personal and professional life.
(E) Not any of the above
Show Hint
When a question mentions a specific year or entity (e.g., 2015, Nielsen), treat it as a "keyword search." Scan the passage specifically for those terms to find the exact sentence containing the answer.
Updated On: Apr 1, 2026
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Show Solution
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Was this answer helpful?
0
Question: 3
With reference to the passage, why exactly was "Dark is beautiful" campaign initiated?
(A) To motivate Indians to ditch their liking for the fair skin and accept their inherent beauty.
(B) To throw light on the sinister intentions of fairness brands.
(C) To make sure that Indians do not fall prey to misleading beauty product advertisements.
(D) To encourage Indians to be sympathetic towards people with other skin tones.
(E) Not any of the above
With reference to the passage, why exactly was "Dark is beautiful" campaign initiated?
(A) To motivate Indians to ditch their liking for the fair skin and accept their inherent beauty.
(B) To throw light on the sinister intentions of fairness brands.
(C) To make sure that Indians do not fall prey to misleading beauty product advertisements.
(D) To encourage Indians to be sympathetic towards people with other skin tones.
(E) Not any of the above
(B) To throw light on the sinister intentions of fairness brands.
(C) To make sure that Indians do not fall prey to misleading beauty product advertisements.
(D) To encourage Indians to be sympathetic towards people with other skin tones.
(E) Not any of the above
Show Hint
When answering questions about "Purpose" or "Initiative," look for the most positive and inclusive goal. Campaigns like "Dark is Beautiful" are designed to build confidence in the target demographic rather than just attacking a third party.
Updated On: Apr 1, 2026
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Show Solution
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Was this answer helpful?
0
Question: 4
Which of the following statements is not true with respect to the passage?
(A) Since the inception of beauty products, men have been its most targeted audience.
(B) Light skin is a culturally endorsed notion worldwide.
(C) Skin whitening products existed for centuries in China and Japan.
(D) Deodorants and shaving creams were the only grooming products advertised for men till the mid-2000s.
(E) Not any of the above
Which of the following statements is not true with respect to the passage?
(A) Since the inception of beauty products, men have been its most targeted audience.
(B) Light skin is a culturally endorsed notion worldwide.
(C) Skin whitening products existed for centuries in China and Japan.
(D) Deodorants and shaving creams were the only grooming products advertised for men till the mid-2000s.
(E) Not any of the above
(A) Since the inception of beauty products, men have been its most targeted audience.
(B) Light skin is a culturally endorsed notion worldwide.
(C) Skin whitening products existed for centuries in China and Japan.
(D) Deodorants and shaving creams were the only grooming products advertised for men till the mid-2000s.
(E) Not any of the above
Show Hint
When looking for a "not true" statement, watch out for words like "always," "only," or "since inception." These absolute terms often signal the incorrect statement if the passage describes a shift or change over time.
Updated On: Apr 1, 2026
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Show Solution
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Was this answer helpful?
0
Question: 5
Choose a similar word in meaning to the word "trounce"
(A) Vacillation
(B) Temerity
(C) Lambaste
(D) Nefarious
(E) Not any of the above
Choose a similar word in meaning to the word "trounce"
(A) Vacillation
(B) Temerity
(C) Lambaste
(D) Nefarious
(E) Not any of the above
(A) Vacillation
(B) Temerity
(C) Lambaste
(D) Nefarious
(E) Not any of the above
Show Hint
To remember trounce and lambaste, associate them with physical or verbal "beating." If a team wins 50-0, they trounced the opponent; if a critic hates a movie, they \textitlambasted it. Both imply a one-sided, powerful force.
Updated On: Apr 1, 2026
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
Show Solution
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Was this answer helpful?
0
Top Questions on Reading Comprehension
- State whether the following statements are true or false: (i) Global warming is creating a lot of problems
True or False (ii) Many species have not become extinct
True or False (iii) Air and sound pollution are the main causes of animal extinction
True or False (iv) Animals live in forests and oceans
True or False- Maharashtra Class X Board - 2026
- English
- Reading Comprehension
Write any four problems faced by the animals that thrive in forests and oceans:
- Maharashtra Class X Board - 2026
- English
- Reading Comprehension
Verbal to Non-Verbal:
A stain is an unwanted mark of discolouration on a fabric caused due to contact with another substance which cannot be removed by the normal washing process. Stains can be grouped on the basis of their origin, e.g. tea, coffee and fruits come from vegetable source. Stains from shoe polish, tar, oil paints come under grease stains. Animal stains comprise of stains formed by milk, blood and eggs, whereas marks on your clothes after sitting on an iron bench are those of rust and come under mineral stains. Then there are stains that are formed due to dye, into perspiration which can be categorised under miscellaneous stains. Read the given passage and complete the table. Suggest a suitable title.
- Maharashtra Class X Board - 2026
- English
- Reading Comprehension
- Each of these questions has a text portion followed by four alternative summaries. best captures the essence of the text.
Some decisions will be fairly obvious "no brainers". Your bank account is low, but you have a two-week vacation coming up and you want to get away to someplace warm to relax with your family. Will you accept your in-laws' offer of free use of their Florida beachfront condo? Sure. You like your employer and feel ready to move forward in your career. Will you step in for your boss for three weeks while she attends a professional development course? Of course.- MAT - 2026
- English Language Comprehension
- Reading Comprehension
- Want to practice more? Try solving extra ecology questions todayView All Questions
