Question : Comprehension:
Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
If you pay close attention to soap advertisements, you may hear of its pH value being claimed perfect for human skin. But is there really such a thing? Let's start at the beginning. pH (potential Hydrogen) is defined as the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. pH value ranges between 0 and 14.7 is the neutral point, 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. More importantly, your skin isn't exactly pH 5.5; it falls in a range between 4.0 and 7.0, depending on diverse factors like the body part, age, genetics, ethnicity, and environment conditions.

So, are products formulated at pH 5.5 perfect for skin? The short answer: not really! First, parameters like texture and other ingredients indicate a cleanser's quality, much better than pH alone. Second, though the skin pH rises slightly immediately after cleaning even with plain water, it reverts to its mild acidic pH in an hour. Healthy skin quickly rebalances the 'acid mantle' - a protective layer over the skin - and is unaffected in the long term by the cleanser's pH. Skin modulates pH, making skin products function optimally. So, why market pH 5.5 products as "perfect"? Well, for certain skin types (e.g., oily skin) and certain skin conditions (like acne), an increase in pH can aggravate these skin situations. This might lead to an interpretation that a skin care product needs to be at a 5.5 pH for optimum cleansing. Hence, skincare experts have expressed reservations about pH being the sole criterion of product safety and 'acid mantle' preservation when factors including plain water may contribute to the same. Thus, an ideal product is almost impossible to define. So, look well beyond pH alone.

Question:
"Let's start at the beginning." By this, the author means that:

Option 1: we should start discussing soap advertisements

Option 2: we should first answer the question "Is there such a thing?"

Option 3: we should look at the characteristics of a good soap

Option 4: we should start with the basic facts before going into the issue

Question : Comprehension:
Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
If you pay close attention to soap advertisements, you may hear of its pH value being claimed perfect for human skin. But is there such a thing? Let's start at the beginning. pH (potential Hydrogen) is defined as the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. pH value ranges between 0 and 14.7 is the neutral point, 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. More importantly, your skin isn't exactly pH 5.5; it falls in a range between 4.0 and 7.0, depending on diverse factors like the body part, age, genetics, ethnicity, and environmental conditions.

So, are products formulated at pH 5.5 perfect for the skin? The short answer: not really! First, parameters like texture and other ingredients indicate a cleanser's quality, which is much better than pH alone. Second, though the skin pH rises slightly immediately after cleaning even with plain water, it reverts to its mild acidic pH in an hour. Healthy skin quickly rebalances the 'acid mantle' - a protective layer over the skin - and is unaffected in the long term by the cleanser's pH. Skin modulates pH, making skin products function optimally. So, why market pH 5.5 products as "perfect"? Well, for certain skin types (e.g., oily skin) and certain skin conditions (like acne), an increase in pH can aggravate these skin situations. This might lead to an interpretation that a skin care product needs to be at a 5.5 pH for optimum cleansing. Hence, skincare experts have expressed reservations about pH being the sole criterion of product safety and 'acid mantle' preservation when factors including plain water may contribute to the same. Thus, an ideal product is almost impossible to define. So, look well beyond pH alone.

Question:
According to the passage, the 'acid mantle' refers to

Option 1: a layer over the skin that is balanced by healthy skin in terms of its pH

Option 2: an acidic skin product with the right pH

Option 3: a layer over the skin that keeps the skin pH at 5.5

Option 4: an acidic cleansing agent with a pH of 5.5

Question : Comprehension:
Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
If you pay close attention to soap advertisements, you may hear of its pH value being claimed perfect for human skin. But is there really such a thing? Let's start at the beginning. pH (potential Hydrogen) is defined as the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. pH value ranges between 0 and 14.7 is the neutral point, 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. More importantly, your skin isn't exactly pH 5.5; it falls in a range between 4.0 and 7.0, depending on diverse factors like the body part, age, genetics, ethnicity, and environment conditions.

So, are products formulated at pH 5.5 perfect for skin? The short answer: not really! First, parameters like texture and other ingredients indicate a cleanser's quality, much better than pH alone. Second, though the skin pH rises slightly immediately after cleaning even with plain water, it reverts to its mild acidic pH in an hour. Healthy skin quickly rebalances the 'acid mantle' - a protective layer over the skin - and is unaffected in the long term by the cleanser's pH. Skin modulates pH, making skin products function optimally. So, why market pH 5.5 products as "perfect"? Well, for certain skin types (e.g., oily skin) and certain skin conditions (like acne), an increase in pH can aggravate these skin situations. This might lead to an interpretation that a skin care product needs to be at a 5.5 pH for optimum cleansing. Hence, skincare experts have expressed reservations about pH being the sole criterion of product safety and 'acid mantle' preservation when factors including plain water may contribute to the same. Thus, an ideal product is almost impossible to define. So, look well beyond pH alone.

Question:
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

Option 1: Human skin adjusts the pH so that a cleansing agent functions optimally.

Option 2: An increase in pH can aggravate certain skin conditions.

Option 3: The best way to judge the safety of a skin care product is by its pH.

Option 4: There is no perfect pH for the human skin.

Question : Comprehension:
Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
If you pay close attention to soap advertisements, you may hear of its pH value being claimed to be perfect for human skin. But is there really such a thing? Let's start at the beginning. pH (potential hydrogen) is defined as the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. pH values range between 0 and 14.7 is the neutral point, 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. More importantly, your skin isn't exactly pH 5.5; it falls in a range between 4.0 and 7.0, depending on diverse factors like the body part, age, genetics, ethnicity, and environmental conditions.

So, are products formulated at pH 5.5 perfect for skin? The short answer: not really! First, parameters like texture and other ingredients indicate a cleanser's quality, much better than pH alone. Second, though the skin pH rises slightly immediately after cleaning even with plain water, it reverts to its mild acidic pH in an hour. Healthy skin quickly rebalances the 'acid mantle' - a protective layer over the skin—and is unaffected in the long term by the cleanser's pH. Skin modulates pH, making skin products function optimally. So, why market pH 5.5 products as "perfect"? Well, for certain skin types (e.g., oily skin) and certain skin conditions (like acne), an increase in pH can aggravate these skin situations. This might lead to an interpretation that a skin care product needs to be at a pH for optimum cleansing. Hence, skincare experts have expressed reservations about pH being the sole criterion of product safety and 'acid mantle' preservation when factors including plain water may contribute to the same. Thus, an ideal product is almost impossible to define. So, look well beyond pH alone.

Question:
According to the passage, the pH value of human skin is generally:

Option 1: between 7 and 14

Option 2: 5.5

Option 3: between 0 and 7

Option 4: between 4 and 7

Question : Comprehension:
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
Before the advent of soap, the primary cleansing agent in ancient India was taken from soap nuts (reetha) from the plant Sapindus saponaria. The literal translation of Sapindus is sap = soap and indus = India. In other words, soap from India!

The nut was used in ancient China as well and its usage spread from India to Middle Asia and then Europe. Soap nuts are boiled to soften them up, and then crushed to filter out the essence which contains the all-important cleansing chemicals. It lathers but in small quantities. Ancient India also used shikai or shikakai (a variant of the acacia plant) as a hair and body cleanser.

The skincare routines of ancient Indians involved the addition of a variety of herbs such as turmeric, tulsi (holy basil), neem (bark and leaves), lotus petals and sandalwood paste amongst others which were common ingredients in their skincare creams.

Another worth mentioning soap in skin care is the Aleppo soap, which originated from the Syrian city of Aleppo. This is considered one of the purest soaps as it is made with all natural ingredients. Aleppo soap does not dry out the skin. It also moisturises and nourishes the skin and is purported to benefit a host of skin problems such as eczema, skin breakouts, inflammatory skin conditions, insect bites, and skin infections. However, the exact origin of the soap is lost in time with the earliest written record dating as far back as the 8th Century AD. After the Crusades, European nations adopted Aleppo soap and started producing their own variations. However, the ancient city of Aleppo thrived on trade for thousands of years, famous for being the endpoint of the illustrious Silk Road trade route that bridged the East and the West.

Generations of merchant families and manufacturers made the unique soap for thousands of years and the formulation has remained surprisingly unchanged in all this time retaining its original form. Olive oil, sweet bay (laurel) oil, sodium hydroxide and water are the main ingredients of this soap. Bay (Laurus nobilis) has remarkable antibacterial and antifungal properties, and could explain some of the benefits of this soap in conditions such as acne, insect bites and skin infections.

Question:
The main theme of the passage is:

Option 1: natural soaps for skin care in ancient times

Option 2: origin of the Aleppo soap

Option 3: history of soap in India

Option 4: kinds of ingredients in soap making