LIC AAO 22 Mar 2015 Paper

Directions (126 - 135): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given. Certain words/phrases have been given in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions. Inland waterways, as quiet as a mouse , keep the nation’s economy flowing as they transport $\backslash$$180 billion of coal, steel, chemicals, and other goods each year across 38 states. Yet, an antiquated system of locks and dams threatens the timely delivery of those goods daily < br> Locks anddams raise or lower ships from one water level to the next, but break down of these carriers are frequent. The outage, which began last July, and is expected to end this August, will cost the power generation company and its customers$\$$low to cut the$$ 1.3 trillion deficit and State and Local Governmentsface their own budget shortfalls. Government investment in highways, bridges, water systems, schools, and other projects has fallen each year since 2008. IHS Global Insight expects such outlays to drop by 4.4% this year and 3% in the next year. Accordingto experts, the country is spending about half of the $\$$ 2.2 trillion that it should over a five-year period to repair and expand overburdened infrastructure.