SSC CGL Tier 1 2013 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The subject of the sentence is Each one, which is a distributive pronoun and is grammatically singular. According to the rules of pronoun-antecedent agreement, a singular subject must be followed by a singular possessive pronoun. The use of the plural possessive pronoun their in part (b) is incorrect. Since the phrase Each one of you addresses the second person, the possessive pronoun should be changed to your to match the pronoun you. In formal grammar, distributive pronouns like each, either, and neither always take singular verbs and singular pronouns.

Explanation

The sentence is grammatically sound and contains no errors in syntax, tense, or article usage. The subject Sudoku is correctly followed by the singular passive verb construction was first designed, which appropriately describes an event in the past. The temporal phrase in the 1970s is the standard way to refer to a decade. In the phrase a retired architect and freelance puzzle constructor, the use of a single indefinite article a before the first noun correctly indicates that both descriptions refer to the same individual. Since the subject-verb agreement is accurate and the descriptive phrases are correctly structured, there is no error in the sentence.

Explanation

The phrase during the last few years indicates a duration of time that started in the past and continues up to the present moment. In English grammar, when a sentence refers to an action that began in the past and has continued throughout a period leading up to the present, the Present Perfect or Present Perfect Continuous tense must be used. The simple present tense works is incorrect here because it is typically reserved for habitual actions or general truths. To accurately reflect the ongoing nature of the effort over the specified period, the verb should be changed to has worked or has been working.

Explanation

The grammatical structure one of the must always be followed by a plural noun because the phrase implies selecting a single unit from a larger group. In this sentence, the singular noun design in part b is used incorrectly after the phrase one of the. To achieve grammatical correctness, the noun must be changed to the plural form designs. This modification correctly indicates that the specific stamp is one individual example belonging to a set of multiple designs that were printed.

Explanation

The error lies in the use of the simple past form broke instead of the past participle broken. In English grammar, the perfect participle is formed using having followed by the past participle (V3) of the verb. The principal parts of the verb in question are break (present), broke (past), and broken (past participle). Therefore, the correct construction for the perfect participle is having broken.

Explanation

The first part of the sentence requires the present continuous interrogative form are you cooking to ask about an action currently in progress. The second part uses the verb smell as a stative verb to describe a sensory quality. Stative verbs of perception are typically used in the simple present tense rather than the continuous tense when describing a state. Because the subject It is third-person singular, the verb must be smells to maintain correct subject-verb agreement.

Explanation

The noun money is an uncountable noun, which necessitates the use of the modifiers little or a little. In the first sentence, the action of going out for a meal implies that there was a small but sufficient amount of money available; the phrase a little carries this positive meaning of some. In the second sentence, the decision to abandon the trip indicates that there was an insufficient amount of money remaining; the word little used without an article carries a negative meaning, signifying hardly any or not enough.

Explanation

The preposition at is used to indicate a specific point or location, which includes physical addresses. When providing a destination for correspondence or directing someone to send mail, at is the standard preposition to precede a street address or a specific place. This usage identifies the precise location where the communication is to be received.

Explanation

An egotist is a person who is excessively conceited or self-absorbed and has a habit of constantly talking about themselves and their own accomplishments, which fits the description of someone singing their own praises. An egoist is a person who is motivated by self-interest and personal gain, often acting selfishly and expecting a reward or benefit for every action they perform, corresponding to the description of a selfish person who expects something in return.

Explanation

The first blank follows a reference to a specific time and event, Tuesday and the carnival. The relative adverb when is used to introduce a clause that describes what happens during that particular time. The second blank refers to John's house. The relative pronoun which is used to introduce a non-defining relative clause that provides further information about the house, specifically its distance from the current location. Unlike where, which would denote a location where an action takes place, which correctly serves as the subject of the verb is in the description of the house's properties.

Explanation

The word ingenuous is derived from the Latin ingenuus, meaning free-born or native. In English, it describes a person who is frank, candid, and sincere, often characterized by a childlike simplicity and a lack of guile. An ingenuous individual does not harbor hidden motives or use deceitful tactics, reflecting a state of being naive or unsuspecting. Consequently, it is synonymous with being innocent, as both terms signify a lack of worldly cunning or sophistication.

Explanation

The word innocuous is derived from the Latin root innocuus, where the prefix in- means not and the verb nocere means to harm. As a result, the term is defined as something that is not harmful or offensive. It is used to describe substances, actions, or remarks that are safe, benign, and unlikely to cause any injury, damage, or ill effects. Since harmless refers to anything that lacks the capacity or intent to cause harm, it serves as the precise synonym for the given word.

Explanation

The word insolent is used to describe a person or behavior that is boldly rude, arrogant, and lackadaisical in showing proper deference. It originates from the Latin insolens, meaning unusual or excessive, and has evolved in English to specifically denote a contemptuous disregard for others, especially those in positions of authority. Therefore, it is synonymous with being intentionally rude or showing a lack of respect.

Explanation

The word overt refers to something that is done or shown openly, plainly apparent, and not secret or hidden. Its direct antonym is hidden, which describes something that is kept out of sight, concealed, or secret. Since overt implies being manifest and observable, hidden represents the opposite state of being obscured or kept from view.

Explanation

Diffidence refers to a lack of self-confidence or a state of being hesitant and shy due to a lack of trust in one's own abilities or worth. It characterizes someone who is modest or reserved to the point of being unsure of themselves. Self-assurance is the direct antonym, as it denotes a firm confidence in one's own powers, judgment, or value. While a diffident person shrinks from asserting themselves, a person with self-assurance acts with poise and certainty.

Explanation

The word amateur refers to a person who engages in a pursuit, such as a sport or a craft, primarily for pleasure or as a hobby rather than for financial gain. A professional is the direct opposite, as it describes an individual who follows an occupation or activity as a means of livelihood or for gainful employment. Professionals typically possess specialized knowledge and adhere to technical or ethical standards associated with their career, distinguishing their work from the unpaid or recreational activities of an amateur.

Explanation

The idiom blowing one's own trumpet originates from the medieval practice of using heralds to blow trumpets to announce the arrival of important figures or to celebrate their achievements. When a person blows their own trumpet, they are performing that announcement for themselves, which signifies the act of talking loudly or proudly about their own successes and talents. In modern usage, it is a metaphorical way of describing someone who is boasting or bragging about their accomplishments to gain attention or praise.

Explanation

The idiom to cut the Gordian knot means to solve a difficult or complex problem by taking direct and decisive action. Removing the difficulty is a more accurate description of this complete resolution than simply lessening it.

Explanation

The idiom a leap in the dark refers to an action or step taken without any certainty of the outcome or without having full knowledge of the consequences. It signifies performing a task where the results are unpredictable and there is a high chance of failure or unexpected difficulty. In the context of financial investments, choosing to put money into stocks without knowing how they will perform is an act of taking a risk, which aligns with the meaning of the phrase.

Explanation

The idiom Achilles' heel refers to a specific weakness or vulnerable point in an otherwise strong or powerful entity. Its origin lies in Greek mythology, where the hero Achilles was dipped into the River Styx by his mother to make him invulnerable, but because she held him by his heel, that spot remained untouched by the magic water and stayed vulnerable. In the context of job aspirants, the phrase signifies that although they may have the technical expertise or qualifications required for a role, their lack of proficiency in communicative English acts as a critical weak spot that could lead to failure.

Explanation

The idiom for good is a standard English expression used to indicate that a situation or action is final and intended to last forever. When someone leaves a place for good, it signifies a definitive departure with no intention of returning to live or stay there again, making it synonymous with permanently.

Explanation

The relative clause where they had been staying should be placed immediately after the noun it modifies, which is hotel, to avoid ambiguity and improve the logical flow of the sentence. Option A correctly positions the modifier next to the hotel rather than after the means of transport.

Explanation

In English grammar, the word few without an article has a negative connotation meaning hardly any or almost none. Conversely, a few carries a positive meaning and signifies some or a small quantity. Since the sentence expresses a request for assistance in an hour of need, the speaker is asking for some amount of money, necessitating the use of a few. Furthermore, rupees is a countable noun, so the quantifier few is correct, and the verb lend is appropriate because the speaker is asking the other person to provide the money temporarily.

Explanation

The adverbial phrase Five years ago today specifies a distinct moment in the past. When describing an action that was already in progress at a particular point in time in the past, the Past Continuous tense is required. The grammatical construction for this tense is subject + was/were + present participle (Vᵢₙ_g). Given that the subject is the first-person singular pronoun I, the auxiliary verb was must be used to indicate the continuous nature of the action at that specific historical juncture.

Explanation

The verb see is the most appropriate choice here because it refers to the physical faculty of perceiving with the eyes. In the context of a dark room, the sentence describes the subject's inability to notice or distinguish any objects due to the absence of light. Unlike certain other verbs of vision, see is a transitive verb that can directly take an object like anything to indicate the result of visual perception. Using see correctly conveys that the subject's vision was ineffective in the darkness.

Explanation

The verb perpetrate means to carry out or commit a harmful, illegal, or immoral action. In the context of the sentence, it correctly describes the performance of a mindless act against others. The term is specifically used when referring to the execution of a crime, a blunder, or a negative deed, making it the linguistically appropriate choice to describe someone committing an unexpected and harmful action against their friends.

Explanation

The sentence uses the modal verb would to express volition, intention, or a conditional desire. In formal English, the construction anyone who would speak effectively conveys the meaning of anyone who wishes to speak or anyone who intends to speak. This modal usage establishes a hypothetical condition that is appropriately followed by the requirement must have in the main clause. The phrasing is grammatically sound and maintains a formal tone suitable for the subject matter of literary and historical analysis.

Explanation

In English grammar, when multiple adjectives are used to describe a noun, they must follow a specific conventional order known as the royal order of adjectives. This sequence generally follows the pattern of Opinion/Quality, Size, Age, Shape, Color, Origin, Material, and Purpose. In this sentence, broken describes the condition or quality of the chair, while wooden describes the material it is made of. According to the hierarchy, adjectives denoting quality or condition must precede adjectives denoting material. Placing the quality broken before the material wooden creates the grammatically correct sequence required for the noun phrase.

Explanation

The verb resembled is the most appropriate choice here as it means to exhibit a physical likeness or to be similar in appearance to something else. While looked like is grammatically acceptable, resembled is a more formal and precise transitive verb used to describe the similarity between the subjects and the beasts. In the context of a descriptive observation from a television programme, it provides a more direct and polished way to express that the appearance of the starving people was characteristic of animals.

Explanation

The sentence involves two actions that took place in the past: the act of taking the cycle and the act of buying the cycle. In English grammar, when two past events are related in a way that one occurred before the other, the earlier action is expressed using the Past Perfect tense (had + V₃), while the more recent action uses the Simple Past tense. Since the purchase of the cycle happened before it was taken, the use of "had bought" is necessary to correctly indicate the sequence of events and provide grammatical clarity regarding the timeline.

Explanation

The verb wondered expresses doubt or uncertainty and is typically followed by conjunctions like whether or if to introduce a subordinate clause. Option C is the most grammatically correct choice to complete the sentence.

Explanation

The term credulous refers to a person who has a great readiness to believe things, often showing a lack of judgement or suspicion. It describes an individual who is overly trusting or gullible, frequently accepting the claims of others as true without requiring sufficient proof or critical evaluation. This word is derived from the Latin root credere, which means to believe or to trust.

Explanation

The word notorious specifically means being famous or well-known for some bad quality or deed, which directly matches having an evil reputation. While dubious means suspect or untrustworthy, it does not necessarily imply a widespread reputation for evil in the same way notorious does.

Explanation

A Samaritan is a compassionate person who provides help and support to those in need, especially strangers encountered by chance in difficult or distressing situations. The term originates from the biblical Parable of the Good Samaritan, which illustrates the virtue of showing mercy and practical assistance to a fellow human being regardless of their background or lack of personal connection. It specifically characterizes someone who acts unselfishly to relieve the suffering of another person they do not know.

Explanation

Nepotism is the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs or professional advantages. The term originates from the Italian word nepotismo, which is based on the Latin root nepos, meaning nephew. Historically, this referred to the practice of popes and other church officials appointing their nephews to influential positions, but in modern usage, it specifically characterizes the unfair preferential treatment given by politicians or executives to their family members regardless of merit.

Explanation

Sericulture refers to the commercial rearing of silkworms, specifically the species Bombyx mori, for the purpose of producing raw silk. The process involves the cultivation of mulberry leaves to feed the larvae, which then spin cocoons made of silk fibers. These cocoons are harvested and processed to extract the long, continuous threads of raw silk used in the textile industry. The term is derived from the Latin word sericum, meaning silk, combined with culture, referring to the practice of cultivation and rearing.

Explanation

Rhetoric refers to the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, but it is often used in a pejorative sense to describe language that is elaborate, pretentious, or insincere. In this context, it signifies a style of communication that employs inflated figures of speech and an exaggerated delivery to impress or influence an audience, often while lacking significant substance or meaningful content.

Explanation

Perjury is the standard English spelling for the criminal offense of knowingly making a false statement under oath. Derived from the Latin word perjurium, the term uses the prefix per- meaning through or away, often implying a deviation or violation, and jurare meaning to swear. The spelling follows the phonetic and etymological pattern of similar legal terms where the e is used in the first syllable and the u is used in the second syllable. This term is specifically used in legal contexts to describe the act of lying or omitting significant information during a judicial proceeding or while under a legal obligation to tell the truth.

Explanation

The word heterogeneous is derived from the Greek components heteros, meaning other or different, and genos, meaning kind or type. Its correct spelling is h-e-t-e-r-o-g-e-n-e-o-u-s. It is an adjective used to describe a subject or object consisting of diverse or dissimilar constituents, such as a mixture of substances in different phases or a population with varied characteristics. The suffix -geneous is the standard orthographic form in English used to denote the nature of being composed of specific kinds, maintaining the vowel sequence e-e-o-u-s.

Explanation

The term alien in the context of the passage refers to something foreign, external, or originating from a different place, specifically describing the British colonial influence that was not native to India. The word indigenous serves as its direct antonym because it describes something that is native, originating naturally in a particular region, or belonging to the original inhabitants of a land. While alien denotes an outside or non-native presence, indigenous characterizes that which is local and homegrown, making it the opposite in meaning.

Explanation

The provided passage highlights that while the Bengal Renaissance shared similarities with the 16th-century European Renaissance in terms of intellectual awakening and the transition from medieval to modern thought, a fundamental historical difference existed between the two. The European Renaissance occurred in a context where the societies involved were sovereign and not subject to external political domination. In contrast, the Bengal Renaissance took place during the 19th and early 20th centuries while the region was under British rule. The intellectuals and social reformers of Bengal had to contend with the unique challenges, cultural influences, and systemic pressures of alien colonialism, a factor that was entirely absent for the Europeans of the 16th century.

Explanation

The spirit of the Bengal Renaissance is characterized by a fundamental transition from medieval thought patterns to modern sensibilities, driven by an intellectual awakening. This movement sought to challenge and dismantle entrenched social orthodoxies, such as the caste system, the dowry system, and restrictive religious dogmas. By questioning these traditional constraints and advocating for social reforms, the movement focused on liberating the human intellect and society from the constraints of backwardness and narrow-mindedness. The diverse contributions of reformers, scholars, and scientists during this period collectively aimed at fostering a rational and progressive outlook, which defines the core essence of this cultural and social rebirth.

Explanation

The Bengal Renaissance was primarily a socio-religious reform movement that sought to transition society from medieval traditionalism to modern rationalism. By challenging established orthodoxies concerning the caste system, the dowry system, and the rights of women, the movement aimed to eliminate social injustices that marginalized the vulnerable. Leaders like Raja Ram Mohan Roy worked extensively to abolish oppressive practices like Sati and advocate for the education and empowerment of those suppressed by traditional hierarchies. This intellectual awakening focused on humanism and social equity, striving to improve the lives of the weak and downtrodden through institutional and cultural reform.

Explanation

The Bengal Renaissance gathered momentum due to the unprecedented surge of intellectual and creative output across various sectors of society. During the nineteenth century, Bengal experienced a unique convergence of diverse talents, including social and religious reformers, literary figures, scientists, and scholars. This collective awakening was characterized by a fundamental shift toward rationalism and a critical questioning of traditional orthodoxies regarding caste, religion, and the status of women. The synergy of these varied intellectual pursuits—ranging from the philosophical inquiries of the Brahmo Samaj to the radical skepticism of the Young Bengal movement—created a robust environment for cultural and social transformation, facilitating the transition from medieval traditionalism to modern thought.

Explanation

The passage depicts Rehmat Ali in a state of flight, being chased by pursuers and desperately seeking a hiding place to avoid being caught. His possession of a box of jewellery, which he hurriedly throws over a garden wall before scaling the wall himself to hide, is a clear indicator of criminal behavior. These actions—evading pursuit, carrying stolen valuables, and trespassing into a private garden to escape detection—are characteristic of a burglar who has just committed a theft and is attempting to hide both himself and the evidence of his crime.

Explanation

The passage describes Rehmat Ali's sudden burst of speed and decision as a transformation brought about by desperate circumstances. It notes that this was an occasion where the least energetic of mankind learn to act with speed and decision, and further mentions that those who knew him best would have been astonished at his boldness. This implies that his usual character was the opposite of bold and quick-acting, characterizing him as originally a lazy and indecisive person.

Explanation

The idiomatic expression to stop dead signifies an abrupt and total cessation of movement. In the context of the passage, Rehmat Ali is in a high-pressure situation fleeing from pursuers and must act with immediate decision. When he stops dead, he brings his physical motion to a complete and sudden halt so that he can instantly transition to throwing the box and scaling the garden wall. The use of the word dead in this phrase acts as an intensifier to emphasize the absolute and instantaneous nature of the standstill.

Explanation

The passage explicitly states that the lane took a sudden turning, which resulted in Rehmat Ali finding himself hidden from his pursuers. This sudden change in the direction of the path created a physical barrier between him and those chasing him, providing the immediate cover necessary for him to act further. The text links the act of the lane turning directly to the consequence of being hidden.

Explanation

The passage highlights Rehmat Ali's sudden transformation from a generally unenergetic individual to someone capable of bold, decisive action when faced with imminent danger. This change is most vividly demonstrated through his physical feat of leaping upwards with incredible lightness, seizing the top of the garden wall, and tumbling headlong into the garden to hide from his pursuers. This sequence of rapid physical movements serves as the primary evidence of his newfound speed and decision-making in a crisis.

Explanation

The verb know is a stative verb, which refers to a state of mind or a condition rather than a physical action. Stative verbs, such as know, believe, understand, and own, are generally not used in the continuous or progressive form, even when describing a situation that has lasted over a period of time. When expressing a state that started in the past and continues to the present, the Present Perfect tense must be used instead of the Present Perfect Continuous. Consequently, the construction have been knowing is grammatically incorrect and should be replaced with the Present Perfect form have known to properly convey that the state of knowing has existed since childhood.