SSC CGL Tier 1 2013 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The error lies in the use of the Present Perfect tense "have played" with a definite past time expression "last week". Grammatically, the Present Perfect tense is used for actions occurring at an indefinite time or actions that have a connection to the present. When a specific time marker for a completed past period is mentioned, the Simple Past tense is required. Since "last week" indicates a finished time frame, the auxiliary verb "have" must be omitted to change the verb to the Simple Past form "played".

Explanation

The causative verb make, when used in the active voice, requires a bare infinitive rather than a full infinitive. A bare infinitive is the base form of a verb used without the word to. In the sentence provided, the teacher acts as the subject in an active construction, forcing the boys to perform an action. Therefore, the verb make should be followed by the object the boys and the bare infinitive do. The inclusion of to before the verb do is grammatically incorrect in this structure. The sentence should properly read as The teacher made the boys do the sum all over again.

Explanation

The definite article the is omitted before the names of most countries and geographical territories unless the name contains a common noun like Kingdom, Republic, or States, or refers to a group of islands. Great Britain is a proper noun used to refer to the largest island in the British Isles and does not require a definite article. While it is correct to say the United Kingdom, the use of the before Great Britain is grammatically incorrect. Therefore, the phrase should simply be in Great Britain.

Explanation

The sentence structure uses a semicolon to link two closely related independent clauses where the second clause provides a specific explanation for the first. The phrase students should not be charged to buy parking stickers directly defines the financial status of the parking. In English, when a service or item is provided without any requirement for payment or fees, it is described as free. This makes free the only logically consistent choice to fill the blank.

Explanation

The word bouquet refers to an attractively arranged bunch of flowers, typically given as a gift or used for decoration. It is a loanword from French, which explains its unique spelling and the silent t at the end. In the context of the sentence, bouquet is the correct noun used to describe the floral arrangement made from the roses grown in the garden.

Explanation

The word Principal refers to a person who holds a leading position or is the head of an educational institution, such as a middle school. In contrast, Principle refers to a fundamental truth, a moral rule, or a code of conduct that guides an individual's behavior. In the given sentence, the first blank requires a noun for the school's leader, while the second blank requires a noun describing the woman's character or moral standards. Using these definitions, the sentence correctly identifies the head of the school as a woman of high moral values.

Explanation

The term pragmatic refers to a practical and matter-of-fact approach to situations, focusing on what is achievable and useful rather than on theories or ideals. In the context of the sentence, students are described as business-like because they evaluate their educational choices based on the tangible rewards and career benefits those courses offer. This focus on utility and success aligns with a pragmatic mindset, where decisions are driven by the expected return on investment of their time and effort.

Explanation

The first sentence requires an because institute begins with a vowel sound. The second sentence uses a because school starts with a consonant sound and refers to a non-specific entity being mentioned for the first time. The third sentence requires the because the United Kingdom is a proper noun representing a collective political entity or a country name that includes a common noun like kingdom, republic, or union.

Explanation

Parsimony refers to the quality of being extremely frugal or unwilling to spend money or use resources. It describes a state of extreme economy or stinginess where an individual avoids expenditure to an excessive degree. Miserliness specifically denotes the trait of being a miser, which involves hoarding wealth and a pathological reluctance to part with money even for necessary purposes. Both terms are synonymous as they characterize a person who is exceptionally tight-fisted or penurious.

Explanation

The word tribulation refers to a state of great trouble, distress, or severe trial. Etymologically derived from the Latin term tribulatio, it historically denoted the act of threshing or pressing, which metaphorically evolved to represent the heavy pressure of life's hardships. In contemporary usage, it signifies deep misery or the endurance of significant adversity. Suffering is the direct synonym as it encompasses the physical or mental pain and the state of undergoing hardship that defines a tribulation.

Explanation

Ramparts are the thick defensive walls or embankments surrounding a fort or castle, typically featuring a broad top with a walkway. A parapet is a low protective wall or barrier along the edge of a balcony, roof, or the top of a fortification like a rampart. In the context of the Red Fort, the Prime Minister stands on these elevated fortified structures, specifically the protective upper sections, to address the nation and hoist the flag. Therefore, parapet is the most suitable synonym for the defensive architectural features described as ramparts.

Explanation

Lunacy refers to a state of being mentally ill or exhibiting extreme foolishness and irrational behavior. It historically denoted intermittent periods of insanity believed to be influenced by the phases of the moon. Sanity represents the state of having a healthy, sound mind and the ability to think and behave rationally. Consequently, sanity serves as the direct antonym by describing the presence of mental health as opposed to its absence.

Explanation

The word obtuse refers to someone who is slow to understand, insensitive, or lacking in intellectual sharpness and perception. In contrast, sharp-witted describes an individual who possesses a quick, keen intelligence and the ability to grasp ideas or situations rapidly and cleverly. Since one term denotes dullness of mind and the other denotes mental agility and alertness, they are direct opposites in meaning.

Explanation

Inadvertently is an adverb used to describe an action that is done unintentionally, accidentally, or without conscious thought. It typically implies that the result occurred due to an oversight or a lack of attention rather than a specific plan. In contrast, deliberately refers to an action performed with full intention, awareness, and purpose. Since inadvertently signifies the absence of intent and deliberately signifies the presence of a conscious choice or plan, the two words are direct opposites in meaning. When a person acts deliberately, they have a clear objective and have decided to proceed in a specific way, which is the reverse of doing something by mistake or without meaning to.

Explanation

The idiom egged on means to encourage, incite, or strongly urge someone to do something, particularly an action that requires courage or initiative. In the context of the sentence, it refers to the motivation or external pressure that prompted the individual to pursue the profession of social welfare. Since to urge someone involves pushing them toward a specific course of action, it accurately captures the meaning of the phrase.

Explanation

The idiom not fit to hold a candle to means to be significantly lower in quality, skill, or importance than someone or something else. It implies that the person or thing being compared is so much worse that they are not even worthy of performing a menial task, such as holding a light, for the superior person. In the given sentence, it expresses that many politicians are far inferior to Mahatma Gandhi in terms of character or stature.

Explanation

The idiom paying through the nose means to pay an exorbitant, excessive, or unreasonably high price for something. It is typically used when the cost of a service or product is much higher than its actual value or what is considered a fair price. In the given sentence, it indicates that the individual is spending a very large and perhaps unnecessary amount of money on the cosmetic procedure.

Explanation

The idiom to put the cart before the horse describes the act of reversing the natural or logical order of events. In a practical sense, a horse must be placed in front of a cart to pull it forward; placing the cart first is counterproductive and illogical. In the given context, buying furniture before securing a house represents a reversal of the appropriate sequence of actions, as the furniture is a secondary requirement that depends on the primary acquisition of the house. Therefore, the phrase characterizes the act of doing things in a backwards or incorrect manner.

Explanation

The idiom casting pearls before swine originates from the biblical Gospel of Matthew, where it serves as a metaphor for offering something valuable, sophisticated, or precious to individuals who lack the capacity to appreciate or understand its true worth. Just as swine cannot recognize the value of pearls and would likely trample them, this phrase is used to describe the act of wasting high-quality efforts, refined ideas, or valuable gifts on people who are unrefined or undeserving and therefore will not treat the offering with the respect it deserves.

Explanation

The verb heading is idiomatic when paired with the preposition towards to indicate movement in a specific direction or a progression toward a particular state or result. In this context, towards accurately describes the trajectory or path of the strangers as they approach an impending negative outcome like a disaster. This prepositional choice effectively establishes the relationship between the action of moving and the intended or likely destination.

Explanation

When a plural noun represents a specific quantity, distance, time, or amount of money and is considered a single collective unit, it takes a singular verb. In this sentence, Twenty kms refers to a single unified distance rather than individual kilometers, which is confirmed by the use of the singular noun phrase a great distance. Therefore, the singular verb is is required to maintain proper subject-verb agreement.

Explanation

The verb adopt means to take up or start to use a specific method, idea, or policy. In the context of solving a problem, one chooses to implement a new technique, making adopted the correct word choice. Conversely, adapt means to change or modify something to make it suitable for a different use or situation. Since the sentence describes taking on a new method rather than modifying an existing one for a new purpose, the term adopted is the most appropriate fit for the intended meaning.

Explanation

The sentence describes two distinct actions that occurred in the past: sitting down to read and winning a book. When two events in the past are related, the Past Perfect tense is required for the action that took place first to establish a clear chronological sequence. Since the narrator won the book before the moment they sat down to read it, the use of had won is necessary. This tense structure ensures that the earlier event is correctly positioned in time relative to the subsequent action expressed in the simple past.

Explanation

The phrasal verb bear with means to tolerate, endure, or be patient with a person or a difficult situation. In the context of the sentence, the noise and disruption caused by traffic in a marketplace represent an ongoing nuisance that a resident must be prepared to tolerate. Using bear with emphasizes the need for patience and endurance when facing such specific disturbances or inconveniences.

Explanation

This sentence follows the rule of parallel comparative structures, often referred to as correlative comparatives. When two comparative clauses are used together to express a proportional increase or decrease, both clauses must begin with the definite article the followed by a comparative adjective or adverb. The standard construction is the + comparative ..., the + comparative .... Since the first clause begins with The more they earn, the second clause must mirror this structure with the more they spend to maintain grammatical symmetry and correctly indicate that one action depends on the other.

Explanation

The phrase with a view to is a fixed idiomatic expression where to functions as a preposition rather than as part of an infinitive. In English grammar, prepositions must be followed by a noun or a gerund. Therefore, the verb following this specific phrase must take the -ing form to function as a gerund. Using the gerund insulting completes the prepositional phrase correctly to express the purpose or intention of the action.

Explanation

The preposition at is more appropriate than by because it correctly specifies the location where the rail-road engine performed its duties. A station yard represents a physical site or area, and in English grammar, at is used to denote a specific place or point of activity. While the verb employed is contextually appropriate to signify that the engine was utilized for a particular function, the change to the preposition at accurately identifies the station yard as the environment of the work rather than an agent. This correction ensures the sentence accurately describes where the engine was put to use.

Explanation

The original sentence is grammatically correct and stylistically sound. The phrase from an aesthetic point of view is a standard idiomatic construction used to establish the specific perspective or context of a judgment. It functions as an introductory adverbial phrase that correctly modifies the main clause the painting did not appeal to me. The sentence clearly and concisely communicates that the speaker is evaluating the artwork based on its visual or artistic merits. Since the syntax is natural and the meaning is unambiguous, the sentence requires no improvement.

Explanation

The participial phrase burning with fever functions as an adjective modifying the noun child. According to the grammatical principle of proximity, modifiers should be placed as close as possible to the words they are intended to describe to ensure clarity and avoid ambiguity. By positioning this phrase immediately after the subject child, the sentence clearly establishes the condition of the person before describing the resulting action of tossing in bed. This structure provides a more logical sequence of information and ensures that the descriptive state is directly and unmistakably linked to the subject it qualifies.

Explanation

A condominium is a type of living space or residential complex where individual units are privately owned by the residents, while the common areas and facilities are owned collectively by all the unit owners. This ownership structure allows individuals to hold the title to their specific apartment or townhouse, but they share the responsibility and ownership of communal elements such as the land, building exterior, hallways, elevators, and recreational amenities through a homeowners' association.

Explanation

The term triumvirate refers to a group of three powerful people who share control or authority over a specific area, organization, or government. This word is derived from the Latin roots trium, meaning three, and vir, meaning man. Historically, it was used to describe a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals, such as the famous First and Second Triumvirates of ancient Rome. In modern English, it continues to define a coalition of three influential figures working together in a position of leadership.

Explanation

The term post-mortem is derived from Latin, where post means after and mortem means death. In a medical and legal context, it refers to the surgical examination and dissection of a corpse to determine the cause of death, the extent of disease, or for anatomical study. This procedure is also commonly referred to as an autopsy. Since it involves a physical operation performed on the body after life has ceased, it is the appropriate substitute for the given phrase.

Explanation

The term opaque refers to any substance or material that is impenetrable by light rays. When light hits an opaque object, the material either absorbs or reflects the light rather than allowing it to pass through to the other side. This physical property prevents any vision or light transmission through the object, which is the standard definition used in optics and general English vocabulary.

Explanation

Taxonomy is the branch of science that deals with the laws and principles of classification. It involves the systematic naming, defining, and grouping of organisms or objects based on shared characteristics and hierarchical relationships. The term is derived from the Greek words taxis, meaning arrangement, and nomia, meaning method or law. In a scientific context, it provides the standardized framework used to organize complex systems of data or biological diversity into distinct, identifiable categories.

Explanation

A demagogue is a political leader who seeks support by appealing to the desires, prejudices, and emotions of the common people rather than by using rational argument or sound policy. The word is derived from the Greek terms demos meaning people and agogos meaning leader. Such individuals often use inflammatory rhetoric and manipulate public opinion by exploiting popular fears or grievances to gain power. In political science, the term specifically identifies those who use these populist techniques to bypass traditional political processes or to undermine established institutions.

Explanation

The word connivance is derived from the Latin verb connivere, which means to close the eyes or to wink at a fault. It refers to the act of secretly consenting to or overlooking a wrongdoing or illegal act. The correct spelling requires a double n after the initial vowel, an i in the second syllable, and the suffix -ance to form the noun.

Explanation

The word maintenance is a noun that describes the process of preserving or upholding a particular state or condition. It is formed from the root verb maintain, but it follows a specific orthographic rule where the ai in the second syllable of the verb is replaced by an e in the noun form. The word follows the pattern of the suffix ance being added to the stem ten. Consequently, the correct spelling is m-a-i-n-t-e-n-a-n-c-e, which is the standard form used in modern English for this common noun.

Explanation

The passage explicitly states in its opening sentence that the cyber-world is ultimately ungovernable. The author uses this specific characteristic to explain why political leaders find the digital realm both alarming and convenient. Because it is ungovernable, it serves as a tool for politicians to deflect attention from their own governance failures during crises. By characterizing the cyber-world as a space beyond control, the narrative highlights how the state justifies actions like blocking websites and seeking censorship, framing the inherent lack of governability as a source of national instability rather than addressing underlying administrative incompetence.

Explanation

The author views the government's decision to block websites and social networking sites as a wrongheaded display of censorship that serves to deflect attention from actual failures in governance. According to the passage, such actions are an automatic and absurd reaction to crises, which the author characterizes as wasting time on inessentials rather than addressing the core issues of safety and stability. By describing the blocking of websites and parody accounts as a distraction that makes the authorities look ridiculous, the author argues that the state should focus on its essential duties of protection and governance instead of resorting to the suppression of information and digital dissent.

Explanation

The word nebulous is derived from the Latin term nebula, which means mist or cloud. In both literal and figurative contexts, it describes something that is hazy, indistinct, or ill-defined. Within the passage, the author refers to nebulous mischief-makers of the cyber-world to characterize these actors as vague and lacking a definite form or identity. This usage emphasizes that the perceived threats are imprecise and difficult to pinpoint, contrasting them with the concrete and observable failures in governance and protection mentioned by the author. By calling them nebulous, the text suggests that the identity and nature of these individuals are unclear and shrouded in uncertainty, making the government's focus on them appear misplaced.

Explanation

The passage is a critique of the Indian government's reactive and heavy-handed approach to cyber-governance during crises. The author explicitly describes the government's use of censorship as a "wrongheaded display of their powers" and characterizes the banning of social media accounts as "absurd." By stating that leaders are "flexing the wrong muscles" and should focus on governance rather than censorship, the author makes it clear that they do not support the idea that leaders should display powers of censorship. Therefore, a statement suggesting that leaders should display such powers contradicts the author's central argument and stands as the odd one out among the viewpoints presented.

Explanation

In the context of the passage, the word spurious is used to describe texts that, along with morphed images, are used to spread rumors and create panic. The term refers to something that is false, counterfeit, or not proceeding from the claimed or proper source. It signifies that the information being circulated is fabricated rather than being based on reality or truth, thereby identifying it as fake.

Explanation

The passage highlights that during crises, political leaders often deflect attention from their own administrative failures and incompetence by blaming the ungovernable nature of the cyber-world. Instead of fulfilling their essential duty of protecting citizens, these leaders engage in a wrongheaded display of censorship and blame-shifting, which the author describes as being busy with inessentials. By using the internet as a scapegoat for the fleeing of nervous citizens or for communal tensions, the government is being evasive and dishonest about the actual breakdown in governance. The author suggests that this official reaction is a way of misleading the public, implying that the primary danger is the state's failure to be honest and accountable, effectively playing false with the citizens it is supposed to safeguard.

Explanation

A parody is a literary or artistic work that mimics the characteristic style of an author or a work for comic effect or ridicule. In the context of the passage, the term describes Twitter accounts that replicate the format and tone of official dispatches from the Prime Minister's Office. The passage emphasizes that these accounts are forms of humor and dissent that might be mistaken for genuine dispatches by some users, which underscores that the fundamental nature of a parody is to imitate the original source material. While the intent of such an imitation is often to mock or make the subject look ridiculous, the word itself identifies the act of stylistic imitation.

Explanation

The term wrongheaded describes a person or action that is misguided, irrational, or stubborn in adhering to incorrect ideas or a foolish course of action. It implies a lack of sound judgment and a failure to reason effectively. Sane is the appropriate opposite because it refers to being rational, sensible, and mentally sound. While a wrongheaded approach is driven by flawed logic or a distorted perspective, a sane approach is characterized by reasonableness, logic, and a clear, healthy grasp of reality. Thus, sane represents the state of balanced and sensible judgment that stands in direct contrast to the misguided nature of being wrongheaded.

Explanation

The passage identifies the violence in Assam and the safety of the people from the Northeast as the essential issues and the difficult situation that the government failed to address effectively. According to the text, the government keeps itself busy with inessentials like blocking websites, hurling accusations across the border, and worrying about bilateral relations specifically to deflect attention from its incompetence in handling these core governance failures. Since the violence in Assam is the fundamental problem being ignored rather than a trivial distraction used to divert the public, it does not fall under the category of inessentials mentioned in the passage.

Explanation

The author uses the phrase "as if Twitterers would take these parodies for genuine dispatches from the PMO" to highlight the absurdity of the government's stance. The use of "as if" indicates a counterfactual or hypothetical scenario that the author believes is not true in reality. While the author explicitly asserts that banning parody accounts is absurd, that the PMO looks ridiculous by taking such actions, and that a precedent was set in West Bengal, the statement that Twitter users actually mistake parodies for official communications is a view the author attributes to the government to mock their lack of perspective. Therefore, this statement contradicts the author's actual position that such parodies are clearly recognizable as humor and dissent.