SSC CGL Tier 1 2014 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The grammatical rule for the construction one of the dictates that it must be followed by a plural noun. This is because the phrase implies selecting one individual unit out of a larger group or category. In the given sentence, the phrase one of the most widely spread precedes the noun habit, which is currently in its singular form. To be grammatically correct, habit must be changed to the plural form habits. The singular verb is that follows remains correct because the true subject of the sentence is the pronoun one, not the plural noun that follows it.

Explanation

The sentence uses two comparative structures: "as...as" and "more than". When these are used together, both must be complete. The first part is missing the second "as" to complete the "as much as" construction. The correct sentence should be: "He feels his troubles as much as or even more than they." Therefore, the error is in the second part of the sentence.

Explanation

The sentence fails to maintain parallel structure in its comparison. Parallelism is a grammatical rule requiring that elements joined by coordinating conjunctions or used in comparisons share the same grammatical form. Here, the verb like is followed by the gerund reading. Since the sentence uses the comparative phrase more than, the second item being compared must also be a gerund to match the first. Therefore, the infinitive to play is incorrect and should be replaced with the gerund playing to ensure the sentence is balanced and grammatically consistent.

Explanation

The error lies in the prepositional usage in the third part of the sentence. The verb restore, when used to describe returning someone to a specific state or condition such as consciousness, requires the preposition to rather than at. Additionally, the phrase is an idiomatic expression where a person is restored to their senses. Therefore, the phrase should correctly read restored to her senses to indicate that the old lady regained consciousness after fainting. The preposition at is grammatically incorrect in this context because it fails to convey the transition back to a state of awareness.

Explanation

The sentence is grammatically correct in all its parts. The phrase shall have to appropriately expresses a future necessity or obligation when used with the first-person subject I. In part two, the phrasal verb withdraw from is the correct idiomatic usage for taking money out of an account, and savings is the correct plural noun form used to denote accumulated money. Part three correctly utilizes an infinitive of purpose, to buy, followed by the noun phrase a new car. Since every component follows standard English grammar and usage rules, there is no error in the sentence.

Explanation

The subject of the sentence is the whole block, which is a singular noun phrase. Phrases introduced by including, as well as, along with, or together with are parenthetical and do not change the number of the subject. According to the rule of subject-verb agreement, a singular subject requires a singular verb. Therefore, the plural verb were must be replaced by the singular was to correctly agree with the singular head noun block.

Explanation

The word uncertain denotes a state of being unsure or having doubt about a particular decision or course of action. In the given sentence, it describes the subject's lack of conviction or definite knowledge regarding whether to proceed with a specific task. The phrase about whether to do it or not specifies the nature of this doubt, indicating a situation where a choice has not yet been finalized. Uncertain is the standard term used to express this lack of certainty or the presence of indecision in a direct and clear manner.

Explanation

In a sentence describing two related actions that occurred in the past, the Past Perfect tense is used to denote the action that took place first, while the Simple Past tense is used for the action that followed. The use of the conjunction before indicates a sequence of events. Since the signing of the petition happened prior to the discussion (expressed by the simple past passive was taken up), the earlier action must be in the past perfect form, had signed.

Explanation

The subject of the sentence is the foolish crows, which is a plural noun. In English grammar, specifically within the simple present tense, a plural subject requires the base form of the verb to maintain subject-verb agreement. The verb try is the base form and correctly matches the plural subject crows to describe a general action or characteristic.

Explanation

The word truculent means aggressively defiant or quick to argue, which aligns with the word squabbled, meaning to engage in petty quarrels. Historically, states under the Articles of Confederation were often in conflict over their individual rights and sovereignty.

Explanation

The phrase beyond suspicion is an idiomatic expression used to describe a person or their character as being so clearly honest and trustworthy that it is impossible to suspect them of any wrongdoing. In the context of the sentence, the first part establishes that the person's conduct is bad, which implies they are not trustworthy. By stating that his honesty is not beyond suspicion, the sentence indicates that his integrity is indeed open to doubt and he can be suspected of being dishonest. The preposition beyond functions here to mean outside the scope or reach of a particular quality or state.

Explanation

The word porous describes a substance or material that is full of tiny holes or openings, known as pores, which allow fluids or air to pass through. Similarly, the term permeable refers to the quality of a material that permits the passage of liquids or gases through its interstices. Both words are synonymous in describing the physical property of being penetrable by external substances, often used in contexts such as geology, biology, and material science to characterize surfaces like soil, rock, or cellular membranes.

Explanation

The word insipid originates from the Latin word insipidus, where the prefix in- denotes negation and sapidus means savory or flavorful. It is used to describe things that are lacking in taste, vigor, or interest. When applied to food or drink, it signifies a lack of flavor or a watery, unappetizing quality. The term bland serves as a direct synonym because it refers to something that is mild, unexciting, or devoid of strong characteristics and flavor. Both terms characterize a deficiency in stimulation, whether to the palate or the mind, denoting a quality that is flat or dull.

Explanation

The word convalesce is derived from the Latin roots com- (expressing intensive force) and valescere (to grow strong). It specifically refers to the period or process of gradually regaining health and strength after an illness, injury, or medical operation. In this context, to recover is the most accurate synonym as it denotes the return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength.

Explanation

The word suppress means to keep something from being known, seen, or expressed, often by concealing or restraining it. It is frequently used in the context of hiding information, evidence, or emotions. To reveal means to make something known or visible that was previously hidden or secret. Since suppression involves the act of concealment and revealing involves the act of disclosure, the two words are direct opposites in meaning.

Explanation

The word vocal describes an individual who is outspoken and expresses their opinions or feelings freely and loudly through speech. It pertains to the use of the human voice to communicate. The opposite of this is silent, which refers to the complete absence of sound or a state where a person refrains from speaking altogether. While vocal implies verbal activity and expression, silent implies a total lack of auditory communication or noise.

Explanation

The word indict means to formally accuse or charge someone with a serious crime or offense through a legal process. Exonerate is the direct antonym as it means to officially release someone from blame, guilt, or a previous charge, typically after a review of the evidence confirms their innocence. While the former initiates a legal burden of guilt, the latter removes it, making them opposite in meaning.

Explanation

The idiom cut and dried refers to something that is prepared, settled, or decided in advance according to a fixed plan or standard procedure. It suggests that a solution or method is already available in a finished state, requiring no further thought, adjustment, or creative input. This figurative expression originates from the historical trade of herbs or timber that were already cut and dried before being sold, making them ready-made for immediate use by the consumer without any additional processing.

Explanation

The idiom blacked out refers to a sudden and temporary loss of consciousness or vision. It is most frequently used to describe a situation where a person faints or passes out due to factors such as physical exhaustion, heat, or medical issues. In the context of a parade, which often involves standing for long periods or physical exertion, the man losing consciousness explains why he required assistance and needed to be moved to a quiet place for recovery.

Explanation

The idiom hold your horses is an informal expression used to tell someone to stop, slow down, or wait before taking further action. It likely originated from the literal instruction given to drivers of horse-drawn carriages or riders to pull back on the reins to control or halt their animals. In contemporary usage, it serves as a figurative command to pause or delay one's activities for a short period, which matches the requirement of waiting while another person completes a task such as making a phone call.

Explanation

The idiom a cut above describes someone or something that is noticeably superior to others or of a higher quality and standard. When used in the context of Sachin Tendulkar's batting skills, it signifies that his abilities are at a significantly higher level than those of his contemporaries, placing him in a position of excellence compared to the rest.

Explanation

The idiom in the loop refers to being part of a group that is kept informed about a specific situation, plan, or set of developments. When someone asks to be kept in the loop, they are requesting to be included in the regular flow of information and updated on any new progress or decisions as they occur. In the context of the debate, it signifies a desire for continuous updates rather than being excluded from the communication cycle.

Explanation

The word opportune is the most appropriate adjective to describe a moment that is well-timed, favorable, or suitable for a particular purpose. While lucky suggests mere chance or good fortune, opportune specifically refers to the appropriateness and convenience of the timing relative to the circumstances. In formal English, an opportune moment is the standard expression used to indicate that an event occurred at a particularly advantageous or suitable time.

Explanation

In English grammar, adverbs of degree or frequency such as scarcely, hardly, and rarely are typically placed between the auxiliary or modal verb and the main verb. In the phrase can scarcely see, can functions as the modal verb while see serves as the main verb. Positioning the adverb directly before the main verb it modifies ensures correct syntactic order and clear expression of the intended meaning. This follows the standard adverbial placement rule for sentences containing a modal or helping verb, where the adverb sits after the first auxiliary and before the principal action.

Explanation

The phrase "taking someone for tea" is a standard idiomatic expression in English where the preposition "for" indicates the purpose or the specific occasion of the outing. This construction is grammatically correct and follows the same pattern as "taking someone for lunch," "taking someone for a drink," or "taking someone for a walk." It implies that the subject is hosting or accompanying the person to partake in that specific activity or meal. Because the original sentence uses this idiom correctly, it is stylistically and grammatically acceptable.

Explanation

The idiomatic expression work miracles is the standard collocation used in English to describe something that produces remarkably effective or surprisingly good results. In the context of medical treatment, it signifies that the medicines were exceptionally successful in curing the illness quickly. The verb work is the specific lexical choice that pairs with miracles to form this fixed phrase.

Explanation

In English grammar, the distributive pronoun either is used when referring to one of two persons or things. The pronoun any is typically used when referring to one out of a group of three or more. Since the sentence explicitly mentions two books, the word any is grammatically incorrect and must be replaced by either to maintain proper numerical agreement. The demonstrative adjective these correctly modifies the plural noun books.

Explanation

The sentence requires proper subject-verb agreement and the correct usage of the quantifier phrase a number of. The subject The report is singular, which necessitates the singular verb form highlights. Furthermore, the expression a number of functions as a quantifier that must always be followed by a plural countable noun. In this context, the noun instance must be in its plural form, instances, to be grammatically consistent with the preceding quantifier. Therefore, the correct construction is highlights a number of instances of injustice.

Explanation

The word once serves as an adverb meaning at some time in the past or formerly. In the context of the sentence, it effectively indicates that the individual held the position of captain at a previous point in time. It is a more concise and idiomatic way to describe a past status or role than the phrase for a time.

Explanation

The phrase an all-out effort is a highly idiomatic and common expression used to describe an attempt that is made with maximum energy, resources, and determination. It implies a total and comprehensive struggle where nothing is held back. In the context of saving someone, it provides a more emphatic and descriptive quality to the action than the original phrasing, aligning with standard English usage for intense endeavors.

Explanation

The term well-to-do is a more idiomatic and formal adjective used to describe a person or family possessing significant wealth and financial security. While the word rich is grammatically acceptable, it is often considered too blunt or informal in standard English literature and professional writing. Well-to-do is the preferred expression to indicate that a family has a high socio-economic status and lives in comfortable circumstances. Using this phrase enhances the tone and sophistication of the sentence.

Explanation

The adverb questioningly means in a way that shows you are looking for an answer or explanation, which directly improves the phrase with a question. Questionably means in a doubtful or suspicious manner, which does not fit the intended meaning of the sentence.

Explanation

Expurgate is the specific term used to describe the process of purging a book, manuscript, or other piece of writing by deleting or modifying parts that are considered offensive, vulgar, or morally objectionable. This process aims to make the text suitable for a wider or more sensitive audience without destroying the work entirely.

Explanation

The term ovine is an adjective derived from the Latin word ovis, which translates to sheep. It is the standard scientific and formal term used to describe anything related to, resembling, or characteristic of sheep. This follows the common linguistic pattern in English where the suffix -ine is added to Latin roots to create adjectives for various animal species, specifically referring to the subfamily Ovinae within the Bovidae family.

Explanation

The term burrow refers to a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal, such as a rabbit, mole, or marmot, to serve as a dwelling, sanctuary, or place of shelter. This excavation provides the animal with protection from predators and environmental extremes, functioning as its primary home or a temporary refuge. In zoology and ecology, a burrow is specifically defined as a residential cavity created through the process of excavation by a living organism.

Explanation

In philosophy, a libertarian is a person who adheres to the doctrine of free will, maintaining that human beings possess the power of spontaneous choice and that their actions are not determined by preceding causes or fate. This metaphysical stance asserts that individuals have agency and are morally responsible for their choices because they could have acted otherwise in any given situation.

Explanation

Shrapnel is the precise military and technical term for fragments of a bomb or shell thrown out by an explosion. While splinters can refer to small broken pieces of various materials, it most commonly describes wood or glass rather than explosive metal fragments.

Explanation

Culture is defined as the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations. It encompasses the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group. This includes the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought characteristic of a community or population. Therefore, the collective arts, beliefs, and social institutions of a race are encapsulated by this term.

Explanation

A soliloquy is a literary and dramatic device where a character speaks their inner thoughts aloud, typically while alone or regardless of any listeners. The term is derived from the Latin roots solus, meaning alone, and loqui, meaning to speak. It serves as a method for a person or character to express their private reflections and feelings to themselves, providing the audience or reader with direct access to their internal state and motivations.

Explanation

The word Correlative is correctly spelled with a double r and a single l. It originates from the Latin correlativus, which combines the prefix cor- (a variant of com-, meaning together) with the word relativus (relative). In English, it is used as both an adjective and a noun to describe things that have a mutual or reciprocal relationship, or specifically in grammar to refer to pairs of words that function together, such as neither and nor. The double r occurs because the prefix com- assimilates to cor- when joined to a root word beginning with r.

Explanation

Psychological is the correct spelling of the word referring to the mental and emotional state of a person. It is derived from the Greek word psyche, meaning soul or mind, and the suffix logical, which comes from logos, meaning study or science. In English words of Greek origin, the ps combination is a common prefix where the p remains silent in pronunciation.

Explanation

The author defines poverty in the very first sentence as a social phenomenon where a section of society is unable to fulfill even its basic necessities of life. The text explains that this condition manifests as mass poverty when a substantial segment of the population is deprived of a minimum level of living and exists at a bare subsistence level. According to the writer, while the specific threshold of poverty varies between developed and developing nations based on their average standards of living, the fundamental concept remains rooted in the inability to secure the essential requirements for survival. The passage highlights that in countries like India, the focus is specifically on a minimum level of living because the social and economic framework struggles to provide even the most basic quantum of needs for its citizens.

Explanation

The passage explicitly states that while attempts have been made in all societies to define poverty, all of them are conditioned by the vision of minimum or good life obtaining in society. This means that the criteria for what constitutes poverty are relative and depend on the specific standards of living that a society considers to be the baseline for a decent or acceptable existence. Because these visions vary significantly between nations—such as the difference between a subsistence level in India and a much higher average level in the United States—the resulting definitions of poverty are shaped by these underlying social expectations.

Explanation

According to the passage, there is a consistent effort across all definitions of poverty to align with the average level of living within a specific society. Consequently, these definitions serve as a reflection of the coexistence of inequalities. Because poverty is relative to the social and economic standards of a country—such as the difference between definitions in the U.S.A. and India—the criteria chosen to identify the poor necessarily highlight the disparities between those who meet the minimum standard and those who enjoy a higher quality of life. Thus, the way a society defines poverty directly indicates the presence and nature of its internal inequalities.

Explanation

The passage states that the definition of poverty in India focuses on a minimum level of living rather than a reasonable level because of the realization that providing even the most basic needs for the entire population will not be possible for several decades. At the current stage of economic development, aiming for a reasonable level of living is viewed as wishful thinking, as the resources required to support such a standard for the masses are not yet available. Therefore, the definition is constrained by the practical impossibility of ensuring more than a bare subsistence level in the immediate future.

Explanation

The passage defines mass poverty as a condition where a substantial segment of the society is deprived of the minimum level of living and continues to exist at a bare subsistence level. It explicitly states that countries of the third world invariably exhibit the existence of mass poverty. Therefore, these societies are characterized as being plagued by mass poverty because their populations live at a bare subsistence level, unable to fulfill even the most basic necessities of life.

Explanation

According to the provided text, teachers of home economics traditionally integrated home sewing into their curriculum as a core component. The primary objective of this instruction was to foster specific practical traits in young women, explicitly identified in the passage as self-sufficiency and resourcefulness. By mastering these skills, students were expected to manage household requirements independently and utilize available materials effectively to create or maintain clothing.

Explanation

The provided text states that as mass-produced clothing became more accessible and consumer preferences shifted toward purchasing rather than making garments, home economists adapted their curriculum. By pivoting toward consumer education and conducting extensive field study analysis and research, these home economics professionals developed specialized expertise in the purchase and preservation of ready-to-wear clothing. This enabled them to provide families with essential guidance on budgeting and the maintenance of standardized apparel in an increasingly commercialized fashion market.

Explanation

The passage indicates that as the availability of mass-produced clothing increased, home economists transitioned their focus from teaching sewing to providing consumer education. As part of this new curriculum, they conducted research on the purchase and preservation of ready-to-wear garments and offered specific budgeting instruction targeted at adolescent girls.

Explanation

The passage states that modern home sewing allowed American women to transcend their economic differences and geographic locations through the use of standardized clothing. By utilizing mass-produced paper patterns and home sewing machines, women could create fashionable garments that mirrored those found in department stores, regardless of their financial status or where they lived. This democratization of fashion enabled women to overcome social stratification based on appearance, effectively allowing them to go beyond traditional economic boundaries.