SSC CGL Tier 1 2017 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Yearning is defined as a strong, persistent, and often deep-seated desire or craving for something or someone. It signifies an emotional state characterized by an intense sense of missing something that is absent or difficult to obtain, capturing the exact essence of a profound longing. This term is frequently used to describe a powerful internal pull toward a specific goal, person, or past experience that an individual wishes to reach or recapture.

Explanation

The word perverted is the past participle form of the verb pervert, which originates from the Latin pervertere, meaning to turn away, subvert, or corrupt. It is correctly spelled using the prefix per-, meaning thoroughly or away, followed by the root -vert, which comes from the Latin vertere meaning to turn. The addition of the suffix -ed identifies it as an adjective or past-tense verb describing something that has been distorted from its original or natural state.

Explanation

Blandness is the correctly spelled noun derived from the adjective bland, which means lacking strong features or characteristics. The word is formed by adding the standard suffix -ness, used to denote a state or quality, to the root word bland. In English orthography, when this suffix is appended to an adjective ending in a consonant, the spelling of the base word remains unchanged, resulting in the double n in the middle of the word.

Explanation

The sentence follows a logical structure by first identifying the object of the auditory perception and then the simultaneous visual observation. The phrase of the blow in segment Y naturally completes the opening stem I hear the sound, establishing what is being heard. The latter part of segment Y, while I see, acts as a conjunction to introduce the visual action occurring at the same time. Segment X, his tool raised, provides the direct object and its condition for the verb see. Finally, segment Z, above his head, is a prepositional phrase that modifies the state of the tool, indicating where it is raised. Arranged as Y-X-Z, the sentence reads: I hear the sound of the blow while I see his tool raised above his head.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the Active Voice and follows the Simple Present Tense structure: Subject (The tutor) + Verb (answers) + Object (the students' questions). When converting to Passive Voice, the object becomes the new subject. Since the students' questions is a plural subject, the auxiliary verb are is used, followed by the past participle of the main verb, answered. The adverb of frequency always is placed between the auxiliary verb and the past participle. The formula used for this transformation is: New Subject + am/is/are + always + Past Participle (V3) + by + Agent.

Explanation

When converting an interrogative sentence from direct to indirect speech, the reporting verb said is changed to asked. The name Pritam, used in the vocative case in the direct speech, becomes the object of the reporting verb. For yes/no questions beginning with an auxiliary verb like will, the conjunction if or whether is used to connect the reporting part with the reported speech. The sentence structure changes from interrogative to assertive, and the tenses are backshifted to the past: will becomes would and the simple present means changes to the simple past meant. Additionally, pronouns are adjusted according to the speaker and the listener; thus, you refers to Pritam (he) and me refers to Mother (her).

Explanation

Prebiotics are specifically defined in the text as dietary fibres that occur naturally in various plant-based foods. They function as a non-digestible food source for beneficial gut bacteria, allowing these microbes to multiply and improve overall digestive health. Unlike live bacteria themselves, prebiotics are the carbohydrate structures that survive digestion in the upper gastrointestinal tract to reach the colon, where they are fermented by the gut microbiota. This fermentation process results in the release of metabolic by-products that contribute to various physiological benefits, including the promotion of restorative non-REM sleep and improved stress recovery as observed in the study.

Explanation

According to the provided text, non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep is identified as being restful and restorative. The study conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder found that rats on a prebiotic diet spent more time in this specific sleep phase. NREM sleep is essential for physical recovery and health maintenance, and the findings suggest that the metabolic by-products released when gut bacteria digest prebiotic fiber help promote this restorative state, especially after the body has experienced a stressful event.

Explanation

According to the provided text, metabolic by-products are released during the process of digestion by beneficial bacteria in the gut. When these good bacteria consume prebiotic fibres—which are natural dietary fibres found in specific foods like artichokes, leeks, and onions—they use the fibre as a food source. As the bacteria break down and digest these prebiotic fibres, they multiply and simultaneously release various metabolic by-products into the body, which the study links to improved sleep quality and stress recovery.

Explanation

According to the passage, researchers monitored the rats' sleep-wake cycles using an electroencephalogram (EEG), which is described as brain activity testing over time. An EEG functions by recording the electrical activity produced by the brain, allowing for the identification of specific patterns associated with different states of consciousness. By analyzing these brain waves, scientists can accurately track the duration and transitions between restful non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep and restorative rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep.

Explanation

In the context of laboratory studies and animal husbandry, the term chow refers to the standardized, commercially prepared food pellets provided to animals. The passage describes researchers feeding three-week-old male rats a diet of either standard chow or chow enriched with prebiotics to monitor their physiological responses. Here, chow specifically identifies the dietary substance used as the primary food source for the rats during the experiment.

Explanation

The verb drip requires a preposition that indicates the source or the surface from which a liquid falls in drops. In English grammar, the standard prepositions used with drip to show origin are from or off. The use of of in the phrase dripping of the trees is incorrect because of usually denotes possession, origin in a non-physical sense, or composition. To accurately describe water falling from the branches or leaves, the sentence must use dripping from the trees or dripping off the trees to show the physical movement of the water away from its source.

Explanation

The error is located in the third part of the sentence due to the incorrect use of the preposition down. When describing a sitting posture where the legs are folded or pulled in close to the body, the standard idiomatic expression is tucked under him or tucked beneath him. The preposition down indicates movement toward a lower point or along a path, which does not logically describe the relationship between the legs and the body in this context. Therefore, the phrase should be corrected to tucked under him to accurately reflect the physical arrangement of Pravin sitting on the sofa.

Explanation

The verb pilfer means to steal things of relatively little value or in small quantities, often repeatedly. In the context of the sentence, the hungry orphan is sneaking into the kitchen to take tiny amounts of food without being noticed, which perfectly matches the definition of pilfering. The act of sneaking implies a secretive or illicit action, and the specific mention of tiny amounts aligns with the specific nuance of this word.

Explanation

The term sane refers to a person who is of sound mind, rational, and shows good judgment. In the context of the sentence, it serves as a synonym for the word sensible used to describe the girl later in the clause. The sentence establishes a clear contrast between the girl's grounded nature and her wacky or eccentric family. Since the girl is characterized as the only rational individual among unusual relatives, sane is the most logically consistent word to complete the description.

Explanation

Piquancy refers to a pleasantly sharp, spicy, or stimulating quality that appeals to the senses or the mind. It often describes the zest, tang, or pungency of food that makes it appetizing and interesting. In a broader sense, it can refer to anything that is provocative, lively, or charmingly exciting. Because piquancy represents a specific type of intense or distinctive taste and character, it is synonymous with flavour, which denotes the particular quality or essence that gives something its unique appeal.

Explanation

To confront means to face or approach someone or something directly, especially in a challenging or defiant manner. The word accost means to approach and address someone boldly or aggressively. Both verbs describe the act of initiating a direct encounter or meeting someone face-to-face in a way that is assertive or confrontational. In the context of synonyms, both words convey the idea of proactive engagement or meeting someone head-on.

Explanation

The word savant refers to a person of profound learning or a distinguished scholar who possesses specialized knowledge in a particular field. In contrast, an amateur is an individual who engages in a pursuit or study without professional skill or specialized expertise, often doing so as a hobby or at a beginner level. This lack of professional mastery or deep intellectual authority makes amateur the opposite of a learned expert or savant.

Explanation

To indict means to formally charge or accuse someone of a serious crime or wrongdoing, typically through a legal process. It signifies the commencement of a formal criminal prosecution. To exonerate, on the other hand, means to officially absolve someone from blame or to release them from a charge or imputation of guilt. While an indictment establishes a formal accusation, exoneration represents the definitive clearing of that accusation, making it the semantic and legal opposite of to indict.

Explanation

The idiom to bite off more than one can chew describes a situation where an individual takes on a task or responsibility that is too large or complex for them to handle. Historically, the phrase likely originated from the practice of chewing tobacco, where taking a piece too large would make it impossible to chew or swallow comfortably. In a figurative sense, it is used to denote over-commitment or the overestimation of one's own abilities, resulting in being overwhelmed by the difficulty or scale of a project.

Explanation

The phrase out of print is a specific publishing industry term used to describe a book that is no longer available for purchase from the publisher. This occurs when the stock of a particular edition has been completely sold out and the publisher has decided not to reprint any further copies. In this state, the book cannot be ordered through standard retail or wholesale channels as a new item.

Explanation

The sentence requires the present continuous form of the verb have to describe a current experience or state of enjoyment. In the expression I am having too much fun, the verb having acts as the main verb indicating the act of experiencing something. The original phrase having to is used to express necessity or obligation and would require a following base verb, which is absent here. Replacing the bracketed part with having creates a grammatically correct construction where the auxiliary verb am is followed by the present participle to indicate an ongoing action.

Explanation

The modal verb would must be followed by a verb in its base form. To express an ongoing action or a state, the construction requires the auxiliary verb be followed by the present participle form of the main verb. Therefore, the phrase would be doing is the grammatically correct structure for indicating a continuous action in this context.

Explanation

Verbatim is an adverb and adjective derived from the Medieval Latin word verbum, meaning word. It signifies the reproduction of a speech or text using exactly the same words as were used originally, word-for-word, without any changes, omissions, or paraphrasing. This term is commonly used in legal, academic, and journalistic contexts to indicate that a quote or transcript is a precise and literal representation of the source material.

Explanation

A sceptic is an individual who habitually maintains a questioning attitude or doubt toward claims, beliefs, or facts that are generally accepted by others. This mindset is rooted in the intellectual tradition of skepticism, which emphasizes the importance of evidence, critical thinking, and logical scrutiny over blind faith or conformity. Such a person requires rigorous proof before accepting any proposition as truth and often challenges conventional wisdom to ensure that beliefs are supported by verifiable reality.

Explanation

The word dithering is correctly spelled with an i after the d and a single e before the r, meaning to be indecisive or hesitant. All other options contain spelling errors such as incorrect vowels or double letters.

Explanation

The correct spelling is Throttled, which is the past tense of the verb throttle, meaning to choke or restrict the flow of something. It requires a double t and ends with the suffix ed.

Explanation

The sentence construction relies on specific grammatical dependencies between the segments. The opening phrase Children are sensitive requires the preposition to to indicate the object of their sensitivity, which is provided by segment X in the phrase to what happens around them. Segment X ends with the auxiliary verb are, which necessitates a predicate adjective to describe the children further. Segment Y provides this with enthusiastic about working on. The prepositional phrase working on in segment Y then requires a direct object to complete the thought, which is supplied by the noun plays in segment Z. This arrangement creates a coherent statement about children's perception of their environment and their subsequent motivation to engage in creative works that represent their reality.

Explanation

The sentence structure follows a logical grammatical progression starting with the introductory clause But this does not mean. The verb mean is followed by the subordinate conjunction that in segment Z to introduce the object clause. Within this clause, the adjective mental at the end of segment Z directly modifies the noun phenomena in segment X, creating the phrase mental phenomena to the body. This entire noun phrase acts as the subject for the predicate is a meaningless expression found in segment Y. The complete coherent sentence is: But this does not mean that the reference of mental phenomena to the body is a meaningless expression.

Explanation

The sentence is in the Present Continuous tense, which follows the structure: Subject + is/am/are + verb-ing + Object. To convert this into Passive Voice, the structure becomes: Object + is/am/are + being + past participle of the verb (V3) + by + Subject. Here, the object all the reservations is plural, so it takes the auxiliary verb are, followed by being and the past participle made. Thus, the passive form is correctly expressed as All the reservations are being made by the travel agent.

Explanation

In the conversion of direct speech to indirect speech, the reporting verb said to is changed to told followed by the object. The conjunction that is used to connect the reporting clause with the reported clause, replacing the quotation marks. The first-person pronoun I in the reported speech is changed to the third-person pronoun he to match the subject of the reporting verb. Additionally, because the reporting verb is in the past tense, the present simple verb have is backshifted to the past simple form had. Applying these transformations results in the sentence: He told the dentist that he had a toothache.

Explanation

The sentence describes the general characteristics and benefits of the Trikonasana yoga pose, which requires the use of the simple present tense. The subject of the sentence, The Trikonasana, is a singular noun. In the first part of the clause, the verb stimulates is used in the third-person singular form. To maintain grammatical parallelism across the conjunction and, the second verb must also be in the third-person singular present form. The verb gives correctly matches the tense and number of stimulates, completing the parallel structure of the sentence.

Explanation

The sentence uses the contraction you'll, which stands for you will. In English grammar, the modal auxiliary verb will is followed by the base form of the main verb to express the simple future tense. Therefore, the verb gain is required to complete the phrase you will gain strength. This construction correctly indicates the result of practicing the asana regularly.

Explanation

The sentence requires a finite verb in the simple present tense to express a general fact or a characteristic benefit of yoga poses. The subject of the sentence is All standing poses, which is a plural noun phrase. In English grammar, plural subjects in the simple present tense require the base form of the verb for correct subject-verb agreement. The word build acts as the principal verb that describes the action performed by the subject on the cardiovascular system, completing the grammatical structure of the statement while maintaining the consistent tense used throughout the instructional passage.

Explanation

The sentence employs the correlative comparative structure, which follows the pattern The + comparative degree... the + comparative degree. This grammatical construction is used to show that two things change in parallel or that one thing depends on the other. In the phrase the more you do it, the word more is the comparative form of much. Therefore, the subsequent blank requires the comparative form of the adjective describing stamina. Since better is the comparative degree of good, it correctly completes the proportional relationship, indicating that an increase in practice leads to a corresponding increase in stamina.

Explanation

The conjunction so is used in this context as part of the subordinating phrase so that to express purpose or result. It connects the primary action of engaging in the exercise regularly with the intended objective or consequence, which is becoming stronger and more stable over time. In English grammar, this construction is standard for indicating that the second clause is the goal or effect of the first clause.

Explanation

In this sentence, the use of the preposition to after near is redundant. The word near itself can function as a preposition meaning close to. Therefore, the correct idiomatic expression is either near achieving her goal or close to achieving her goal. In formal English and competitive examinations, using to after near is considered grammatically incorrect or unnecessary when indicating proximity to a state or action.

Explanation

The error lies in the use of the preposition along in part 3. The word along is used to describe movement or position in a line following a path, such as along a road, a river, or a corridor. A city is a two-dimensional area or a defined spatial territory rather than a linear route. To describe events occurring in various parts of a city, the preposition throughout, across, or in must be used instead. Using throughout the city correctly indicates that the fights were happening in multiple locations within the boundaries of the urban area.

Explanation

In the context of performing arts and film, the verb reprise means to repeat a performance or to play a specific role again, typically in a sequel or a subsequent production. The sentence indicates that the actor is returning to play the character of the captivating pirate once more, making reprise the most semantically appropriate choice to describe this action. It functions as the base form of the verb following the modal auxiliary would.

Explanation

The adverb far is used as an intensifier before the adverb too to emphasize the degree of an adjective. In this context, far too is a common idiomatic construction meaning much more than is reasonable or necessary. It serves to highlight the extreme contrast between the luxurious nature of the diamond necklace and the modest setting of a simple dinner party, reinforcing the sense of inappropriateness or excess.

Explanation

A fallacy is defined as a mistaken belief, a flaw in reasoning, or an unsound argument that leads to an incorrect conclusion. In linguistic and psychological contexts, it describes a departure from objective truth or logical validity. Bias refers to a prejudice or a systematic distortion in perspective that prevents objective consideration of an issue. Both terms are closely related as they describe cognitive or logical deviations that result in erroneous judgments or a lack of impartiality. In the study of human reasoning, fallacies and biases are often grouped together as they both represent the internal mechanisms that produce flawed or inaccurate thinking.

Explanation

The word reproach means to express disapproval or disappointment in someone, typically for a fault or mistake. To admonish similarly means to warn or reprimand someone firmly, or to advise them earnestly regarding their conduct. Both terms share the core meaning of criticizing or censuring an individual for their actions, which makes them synonyms in the context of expressing verbal disapproval.

Explanation

Veneration refers to a feeling of profound respect, honor, or deep reverence directed toward someone or something considered sacred or high in status. Contempt represents the polar opposite, signifying a feeling of disdain, scorn, or the belief that something is worthless and beneath consideration. Because it describes the absence or rejection of respect, it serves as the antonym for veneration.

Explanation

The word impugnable is derived from the verb impugn, which means to call into question or challenge the validity and integrity of something. Consequently, something described as impugnable is open to doubt, dispute, or attack. The word indubious is the antonym of dubious, formed by the prefix in- meaning not. It describes something that is certain, evident, and not to be doubted or questioned. Therefore, indubious represents the opposite quality of being beyond challenge or skepticism.

Explanation

The idiom to hit the nail on the head refers to the act of being precisely accurate in one's words or actions. Just as a carpenter must strike the exact center of a nail's head to drive it successfully into wood without bending it or damaging the surface, this phrase describes the ability to identify the exact cause of a situation or to provide a perfectly correct answer or assessment. it signifies pinpointing the truth or the core of a matter with total precision.

Explanation

The idiom on thin ice is a metaphorical expression derived from the literal danger of walking on a frozen body of water where the ice layer is not thick enough to support a person's weight. In a figurative sense, it describes being in a precarious or risky situation where one is likely to encounter trouble or failure if any further mistakes are made. It signifies that a person is in a vulnerable position, often due to their own actions, and must proceed with extreme caution to avoid immediate negative consequences or disaster.

Explanation

In this sentence, the pronoun All refers to a group of individuals who experienced an emotion, making it a countable plural subject. When All is used to denote people, it must be followed by a plural verb to ensure proper subject-verb agreement. The context of the sentence is established in the past tense by the phrase was not with them, necessitating the use of the plural past tense verb were. The past participle surprised serves as an adjective to describe the state of the people upon their discovery.

Explanation

The sentence uses the phrase in order to express purpose or intention. In English grammar, the construction in order is followed by an infinitive phrase, which consists of the preposition to and the base form of a verb. This structure indicates the goal of the action described in the main clause. Therefore, the base verb become must be preceded by to to form the infinitive to become, correctly showing that the purpose of reading is to achieve the state of being wise.

Explanation

The term vehement is defined as showing strong feeling, or being forceful, passionate, or intense in expression. It is derived from the Latin word vehemens, which signifies being eager, violent, or vigorous. When someone is described as vehement, they are displaying a high degree of emotional intensity and conviction, often in their speech or actions, which aligns perfectly with the requirement of showing strong feeling.

Explanation

A scabbard is the specific term for a protective case or sheath designed to hold the blade of a sword, dagger, or bayonet when it is not in use. It is typically made from materials such as leather, wood, or metal and serves to protect both the blade from damage and the wearer from the sharp edge. Historically, scabbards were often attached to a belt or shoulder strap to allow the weapon to be carried conveniently and drawn quickly during combat.