SSC CGL Tier 1 2021 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The word stance refers to the formal or public position, attitude, or policy that an organization or individual adopts toward a particular situation or group. In political and administrative contexts, the phrase to harden one's stance is a standard idiomatic expression used to describe the act of becoming more resolute, uncompromising, or severe in one's approach. In this sentence, the government's decision to impose a curfew directly reflects a shift toward a more rigid and forceful policy against the agitators.

Explanation

The sentence requires the use of the base form of the verb after the particle to to form a standard infinitive construction. The original phrase to proved is grammatically incorrect because a past tense verb form cannot follow to in this context. The correct form is to prove, which indicates the purpose of the examples. Furthermore, the verb gave is correctly maintained in the simple past tense to align with the past orientation of the question established by the auxiliary verb were. Therefore, gave to prove his point satisfies both the tense requirement and the rules of infinitive usage.

Explanation

The sentence uses a conditional structure where the first clause is in the present tense. The second part of the sentence is an imperative clause intended to give an instruction or advice. Negative imperatives in English are formed using the auxiliary verb do followed by not and the base form of the verb. Since the condition is set in the present, the imperative must also be in the present tense to ensure grammatical agreement and logical flow, making do not worry the appropriate choice for providing a command or suggestion.

Explanation

When converting a direct question into indirect speech, the reporting verb asked is maintained to denote an inquiry. The interrogative structure shifts to a declarative one, and the possessive pronoun your changes to his to correspond with the visitor. The direct question what is your name can be succinctly reported as asked the visitor his name, which correctly reflects the past tense of the reporting verb and the appropriate change in perspective from the second person to the third person.

Explanation

The paragraph follows a logical dialogue structure between an Inspector and a Guard during an investigation. Sentence A initiates the conversation with the Inspector's primary question regarding the Guard's state during the robbery. Sentence D is the direct response to this question, where the Guard denies being asleep and explains his brief absence from the post. Sentence C follows logically as the Inspector asks for specific details about what the Guard witnessed upon his return to the premises. Finally, sentence B concludes the sequence with the Guard's description of the broken lock and the ransacked bank, providing a complete account of the event.

Explanation

The phrase on behalf of is used incorrectly in this sentence. This prepositional phrase means as a representative of or in the interest of a person, group, or entity. Awareness is an abstract concept or a goal, not an individual or organization that can be represented. The intended meaning of the sentence is that the film stars appeared to promote or spread knowledge about a subject. Therefore, the phrase should be replaced with an expression like to create awareness or for the purpose of awareness to correctly link the actors' appearance to the objective of improving hand hygiene.

Explanation

The sentence conveys a sense of overwhelming responsibility and the sobering effect of human limitations. To be humbled means to be made aware of one's own weaknesses or lack of importance, often in the face of something vast or powerful. In this context, the realization that humanity is unprepared to handle the crises resulting from the sudden power of science serves to lower human pride and create a sense of modesty. This aligns with the word bewildered used in the first part of the sentence, as both terms describe emotional and intellectual responses to the daunting scale of scientific advancement and its consequences.

Explanation

Harmony refers to a state of agreement, concord, or peaceful coexistence between individuals or groups. It signifies a pleasing arrangement of parts or a sense of unity and mutual understanding. Hatred represents an intense feeling of deep-seated dislike, ill will, or animosity. While harmony involves positive social cohesion and the absence of conflict, hatred fosters division and hostility, making it the direct opposite in the context of interpersonal and social relations.

Explanation

The word banner refers to a long strip of cloth or paper bearing a slogan, advertisement, or design that is hung in a public place or carried in a demonstration. Similarly, a poster is a large printed notice, picture, or advertisement displayed in a public space to convey information. Both terms serve as synonyms in the context of physical mediums used for visual communication and public display.

Explanation

A medley is a musical arrangement consisting of a series of different songs or short musical excerpts performed one after another, often transitioning seamlessly from one piece to the next. This format is commonly used to create a single cohesive composition from various distinct melodies, such as a collection of hits from a particular artist or themes from a musical production, allowing for a diverse range of musical material to be presented in a continuous sequence.

Explanation

The idiom draw the line at something refers to setting a definitive limit on what one is willing to do or accept. It implies that while a person may tolerate certain behaviors or participate in specific activities, there is a clear boundary they refuse to cross because they find it unacceptable, unethical, or extreme. This metaphorical line serves as a threshold that marks the end of one's consent or participation.

Explanation

The word Esscalator is misspelled because it contains an unnecessary double s. The correct spelling is Escalator, which refers to a power-driven set of stairs arranged like an endless belt that ascend or descend to carry people between floors of a building. The word originates from a combination of the word elevator and the Latin word scala, which means ladder.

Explanation

The word fecund refers to something that is highly productive, fertile, or capable of producing an abundance of offspring, new growth, or vegetation. It is often used to describe soil that is rich or a mind that is creatively active. The word barren is its direct antonym because it describes land that is too poor to produce any vegetation or a living being that is unable to produce offspring. While fecundity implies richness and generative power, barrenness denotes sterility and a total lack of productivity.

Explanation

The verb refers is the most appropriate choice here because it is idiomatic and grammatically followed by the preposition to when providing a definition or description of a term. In the context of the sentence, the author is explaining what Global Warming signifies. The construction refers to is a standard way to introduce the meaning of a concept, indicating that the term Global Warming points toward the phenomenon of a gradual rise in the Earth's atmospheric temperature.

Explanation

The preposition of is used to indicate a relationship of belonging, association, or origin between two nouns. In the context of the sentence, it connects the noun atmosphere with the noun phrase the planet Earth to show that the atmosphere being discussed is the one that surrounds and belongs to Earth. This possessive construction is the standard grammatical way to specify the layers or components associated with a celestial body.

Explanation

The word several is used as a quantifier to indicate a number that is more than two but not extremely many. In the context of the sentence, it correctly modifies the plural noun activities to convey that there are multiple, various actions—such as industrial processes, deforestation, and the burning of fossil fuels—contributing to the rise in the Earth's temperature. It provides a logical transition by acknowledging the diversity of causes behind global warming.

Explanation

The passage defines global warming in the second sentence as a gradual rise in the overall temperature of the Earth's atmosphere. To maintain contextual consistency within the paragraph, the adverb used to describe how human activities are increasing the temperature must align with this definition. The word gradually correctly reflects the slow and steady nature of the temperature increase that characterizes the phenomenon of global warming as described in the introductory sentences.

Explanation

Global warming refers to the long-term increase in the average temperature of Earth's climate system. One of the most direct and well-documented physical consequences of this temperature rise is the accelerated melting of glaciers and polar ice sheets. As the atmospheric and oceanic temperatures increase, the heat causes large bodies of perennial ice to liquefy at a rate faster than they can be replenished by snowfall. This process is a primary indicator of climate change and leads to further environmental issues such as rising sea levels and the loss of critical freshwater reserves.

Explanation

The idiom to be light years away is derived from the astronomical measure of distance that light travels in a single year. Because this distance is so incomprehensibly large—nearly six trillion miles—the phrase is used figuratively to describe something that is extremely remote or far removed from the current reality. It signifies a vast gap in space, progress, or capability, implying that the subject is so far off that it is practically beyond the reach or attainment of human beings at the present time.

Explanation

The word bang refers to a sudden loud noise or the act of striking something with force to create such a sound. Similarly, beat means to strike a surface or an object repeatedly or forcibly, typically resulting in a rhythmic or loud sound. In the context of physical impact or percussive noise, both words describe the action of hitting or striking something vigorously.

Explanation

The original sentence is in the simple past tense, following the active voice structure: Subject (The spider on the wall) + V₂ (frightened) + Object (Jiya). To convert this into passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence, and the verb changes to the form was/were + V₃. Since the new subject Jiya is singular, the auxiliary verb was is used along with the past participle frightened. The original subject then becomes the agent of the action, introduced by the preposition by. Applying the formula New Subject + was/were + V₃ + by + Agent, the correct passive construction is Jiya was frightened by the spider on the wall.

Explanation

The paragraph follows a clear chronological and narrative sequence starting with sentence C, which introduces the two main characters, the dog and the cock, and establishes the premise of their journey. Sentence D provides the logical next step by describing where they settled for the night, with the cock in the branches and the dog at the foot of a tree. Sentence B continues the timeline from night to dawn, explaining that the cock crowed as per its custom. Finally, sentence A introduces the fox, whose arrival is a direct reaction to hearing the cock crowing mentioned in the preceding sentence.

Explanation

The verb distinguish means to recognize or point out a difference between two or more things. In the context of the sentence, it refers to the ability to perceive the subtle variations between two similar colors. It is a standard linguistic collocation to use distinguish followed by the preposition between when identifying the contrast or disparity between specific items.

Explanation

The idiom a fish out of water refers to a person who is in a situation that is unsuited to them or where they feel awkward and out of place. Just as a fish is physically distressed and unable to function when removed from its natural aquatic habitat, a person described by this phrase feels uneasy or incompetent because they are in an environment, social circle, or professional setting that is unfamiliar or different from what they are used to.

Explanation

The main verb punished is in the simple past tense, indicating that the action occurred in the past. To maintain tense consistency throughout the sentence, the relative clause describing the behavior of the students must also reflect a past action. The verb violated is the simple past form, which correctly aligns with the timeline established by the principal verb. Using the past tense ensures that the cause for punishment is logically linked to the time when the warden took action.

Explanation

An acrobat is a skilled entertainer who performs spectacular gymnastic feats involving balance, agility, and motor coordination. These performances typically include difficult physical maneuvers such as tumbling, tightrope walking, and trapeze acts, which are designed to showcase exceptional bodily control and strength to an audience.

Explanation

When converting an exclamatory sentence into indirect speech, the interjection Alas and the reporting verb said are replaced by the phrase exclaimed with sorrow. The conjunction that is required to link the reporting clause with the reported speech. In terms of pronoun changes, the first-person pronoun I changes to he to match the subject of the reporting verb, and the possessive adjective my changes to his. Furthermore, because the reporting verb is in the past tense, the Present Perfect tense have broken shifts to the Past Perfect tense had broken to maintain correct tense sequence.

Explanation

The word expunge means to erase, delete, or remove something completely, often referring to information in a document or a criminal record. Its direct opposite is the act of putting something in or increasing the content. The word add means to join or put something with another thing so as to increase the overall size, number, or amount. Since expunging involves the total removal of an entry, adding involves the inclusion or insertion of an entry, making it the most appropriate antonym.

Explanation

The term subscribe is specifically used in the context of digital communications to denote the action of signing up for a service, mailing list, or newsgroup to receive content or updates. By subscribing to a newsgroup, a user joins the distribution list of that group, which leads to the receipt of numerous messages as participants post and interact within the forum. The sentence follows a zero conditional structure, expressing a general fact where the action of joining the group results in the consequence of receiving a high volume of messages.

Explanation

Cypher refers to a secret or disguised way of writing that uses a code or a set of rules to transform information into a hidden format. This method ensures that the contents of a message are protected and can only be understood by those who possess the specific key or knowledge required to decode and revert the text to its original state. Historically, cyphers have been essential in cryptography for secure military, diplomatic, and personal communication.

Explanation

The error lies in the phrase too much clear to me. In English grammar, too much is used as an adjective with uncountable nouns or as an adverb to modify verbs. It cannot be used to modify a positive degree adjective like clear. Adjectives in their base form are modified by adverbs such as very, quite, or so. If the intention is to use a comparative intensifier, one could use much clearer. Since clear is a simple adjective here, it should be preceded by very to indicate a high degree of clarity. Therefore, the construction too much clear is grammatically incorrect.

Explanation

The word obese is used to describe a person who is excessively overweight or fat, often to a point that is unhealthy. An antonym is a word that expresses the opposite meaning. Slim refers to someone who is thin or slender in a graceful or healthy manner, making it the direct physical opposite of being obese.

Explanation

The paragraph follows a logical progression starting with sentence C, which introduces the primary subject, Subha, and her unique circle of friends, the cows Sarbasi and Panguli. Sentence A follows by describing the physical nature of their bond, noting that while the cows never heard her speak, they could identify her by the sound of her footsteps. Sentence D builds on this non-verbal connection, explaining that the animals possessed an intuitive ability to understand Subha’s silent expressions and melancholy moods more effectively than humans understand spoken words. Finally, sentence B concludes the sequence by detailing the specific emotional depth of their relationship, highlighting how the cows understood and responded to her various gestures of affection, discipline, and entreaty.

Explanation

In English grammar, when a subject is composed of two nouns joined by additive phrases such as along with, together with, as well as, or accompanied by, the verb must agree with the first noun mentioned. In this sentence, the primary subject is The minister, which is singular. The phrase along with his team members is a parenthetical addition that does not change the number of the subject. Therefore, the singular verb is expected is the grammatically correct form to match the singular head noun.

Explanation

The sentence is written in indirect speech, and the reporting verb asked is in the past tense. According to the rules of sequence of tenses, the verbs in the subordinate clause must also be in the past tense. The use of the future modal will is incorrect here and should be replaced by would. Additionally, the phrase if he will minded is grammatically incorrect because modal verbs must be followed by the base form of the verb mind rather than the past form minded. The correct construction should be if he minded or if he would mind to maintain grammatical consistency with the rest of the sentence.

Explanation

The word is misspelled because the correct spelling is precious. It is derived from the Latin word pretiosus, meaning of great value or high price. In English orthography, the sh sound in this specific word is represented by the letters ci followed by the suffix ous, resulting in the spelling precious.

Explanation

The phrase ever since indicates a state that began at a specific point in the past and continues into the present moment. This requires the use of the Present Perfect tense. The subject of the clause is this spot, which is a singular noun phrase, and therefore requires the singular auxiliary verb has followed by the past participle been to complete the construction.

Explanation

The preposition for is used to indicate a duration or a specific period of time during which an action or state continues. In the given passage, the word centuries represents a long span of time. Therefore, for is the grammatically correct choice to show that the harbour town maintained its status as an important trading post throughout those many centuries.

Explanation

The sentence requires the preposition as to describe the function or role of the harbour town. The grammatical structure follows a parallel construction using the correlative conjunction both... and... to link two descriptive phrases. Since the second part of the comparison is written as as the north-western terminus, the first part must match this format to maintain parallelism. Thus, the town served as both a seaport and as a terminus.

Explanation

The term route is the standard colocation used to describe an established path or course taken for travel or trade, especially across vast or difficult terrain. In a historical and geographical context, a caravan route refers to the specific network of tracks and stops followed by traders across the desert. Since the passage discusses the connection between the port of Essaouira and Timbuktu for commerce, route accurately identifies this formal trade link through the interior of Africa.

Explanation

The preposition in is used to indicate a location or position within the boundaries of a specific area, region, or space. In this context, Timbuktu is a geographical location situated within the heart or the inner part of the continent. The phrase in Africa's interior correctly identifies the city's position as being inside that specific territory. It establishes the spatial relationship where the destination of the caravan route exists within the larger geographic entity of the African continent.

Explanation

The verb supported is the most contextually appropriate choice because it means to provide assistance, encouragement, or financial backing to someone, especially during a period of hardship. In the sentence, help from relatives is described as the means by which the individual was able to endure or navigate through difficult times. This usage aligns with the standard English convention where support refers to the act of sustaining someone or helping them remain firm under the pressure of challenging circumstances.

Explanation

The word dedicated refers to being devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty and integrity. It describes someone who gives a lot of time and effort to something because they believe it is important. Committed is a direct synonym as it signifies being pledged or bound to a certain course of action or cause, demonstrating a strong sense of dedication and steadfastness in fulfilling a responsibility. Both terms characterize a person who is wholeheartedly involved and persistent in their endeavors.

Explanation

The word information is an uncountable noun and requires a quantifier suited for non-count entities. In a standard descriptive sentence where no comparison is being made, the positive degree adjective little is used to signify a small amount. The intensifier very correctly modifies little to emphasize the scarcity of the information provided. Using the past tense verb gave alongside the quantifier little and the singular uncountable noun information results in a grammatically sound construction that fits the context of the sentence.

Explanation

The word tamed is the most appropriate choice as it refers to the process of domesticating wild animals or bringing them under human control. In the context of human history and the development of civilization, the transition from primitive living to a civilized state involved the systematic domestication of various animal species for food, labor, and companionship. The sentence conveys that throughout history, humans have successfully integrated about twenty major species of wild animals into domestic life, making them manageable and useful for the advancement of society.

Explanation

In the context of a professional interview, the speaker is inquiring about the candidate's long-term goals and ambitions. The term aspirations refers to a strong desire, longing, or aim to achieve something great or high, such as success, a specific career path, or personal growth. It is the most suitable word to describe the future-oriented objectives an individual sets for their life.

Explanation

The idiom on edge describes a state of being tense, anxious, or highly irritable. It characterizes a person who is mentally or emotionally strained, often due to stress, anticipation, or fatigue, making them feel restless and unable to relax. In common usage, it signifies that an individual is in a state of nervous agitation where even minor occurrences might cause them to react sharply or feel overwhelmed by their surroundings.

Explanation

The original sentence is grammatically correct and idiomatic, with the adverb almost properly modifying the prepositional phrase without any work. The other options result in nonsensical word order.

Explanation

The word ramify is derived from the Latin root ramus, meaning branch. It refers to the process of spreading out, branching, or dividing into various subdivisions or complex parts. Since ramifying involves the separation of a single entity into multiple branches, its most appropriate antonym is unite, which signifies the act of joining together or combining different parts to form a single, cohesive whole.

Explanation

Sentence A serves as the introductory statement, establishing the core theme that studying consumer behavior is essential for making strategic marketing decisions. Sentence D builds on this by explaining how such knowledge allows a marketer to predict customer responses to specific offerings. Sentence C follows with the transitional word Thus to show the practical application of this knowledge in various business functions like pricing, positioning, and advertising. Sentence B completes the logic by expanding the relevance of the topic beyond commercial marketers to include non-profit and governmental organizations.