SSC CGL Tier 1 2022 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The word forseeable is spelled incorrectly. The correct spelling is foreseeable, which is derived from the prefix fore- (meaning before or in advance) and the verb see, followed by the suffix -able. The prefix fore- is used in various words related to the future, such as forecast or foretell, and requires the inclusion of the letter e after the r to be orthographically correct.

Explanation

The word appropriate signifies something that is suitable, proper, or fitting for a particular person, condition, or occasion. Its antonym must denote something that is unsuitable or causes difficulty. Problematic describes a situation or thing that presents a problem, is difficult to deal with, or is full of complications, thereby acting as a contextual opposite to something that is fitting or appropriate for a desired outcome.

Explanation

The word bookmarking is a gerund that correctly completes the phrase worth bookmarking, meaning the collection is valuable enough to be noted or saved. Options B, C, and D are unrelated sentences that do not fit the grammatical structure or context of the statement about Kajol.

Explanation

When changing a sentence containing a wish from direct to indirect speech, the reporting verb said dictates that the verb wish must change to the past tense wished. The first-person pronouns I and my are replaced by the third-person pronouns she and her to match the speaker, Ramita. For wishes regarding present or future situations that use the simple past (didn't have to), the tense within the subordinate clause remains in the past form to maintain the hypothetical or unreal meaning of the original statement. Consequently, the construction she wished she didn't have to meet her step-mother accurately reflects the rules of reported speech for expressing regrets or desires.

Explanation

In academic and scientific writing, research suggests is a standard collocation used to indicate that evidence or data-driven findings point toward a particular conclusion. In this context, it signifies that scientific studies provide evidence for the positive impact of music on physical and mental health. The term is appropriate here because it describes the relationship between empirical investigation and the resulting insights into human well-being.

Explanation

The context of the passage focuses on the positive physiological and psychological effects of music on the human body. In biological and medical contexts, when a stimulus increases the level, rate, or efficiency of a process such as hormone production, the term boost is the most appropriate choice. It signifies an enhancement or increase in the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, which directly supports the subsequent sentence regarding the reduction of anxiety and depression.

Explanation

The context of the passage establishes that music has a beneficial impact on mental health by stimulating the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. In the sentence provided, the increased levels of dopamine serve a therapeutic function against negative emotional states. To relieve means to alleviate or remove a distressing feeling, making it the most logically and linguistically appropriate choice for describing the reduction of anxiety and depression.

Explanation

The word involved is the most appropriate fit for the blank because it correctly describes the functional relationship between a brain structure and its roles. In biological and psychological contexts, specific regions of the brain like the amygdala are said to be involved in particular processes, such as mood regulation and emotional response. The choice is also grammatically supported by the preposition in that follows the blank, as the phrase involved in is a standard idiomatic expression used to indicate participation or connection to an activity or function.

Explanation

The sentence requires the superlative degree of the adjective because it describes the Circus Maximus as having the greatest capacity among all Roman racing venues. The context mentions a massive spectator count of 3,85,000, indicating an extreme level of size. In English grammar, the definite article the typically precedes a superlative adjective like largest to identify a specific item that possesses a quality to the highest degree compared to others in its group.

Explanation

The context of the passage relates to the biological and neurological processes of the brain in response to music and pain. In medical and physiological terms, sensations of pain are transmitted from the body to the brain through electrical impulses known as nerve signals. The phrase pain signals accurately describes the information that enter the brain to be processed as a sensation of discomfort. In the field of pain management and music therapy, the theory of gate control suggests that providing a competing stimulus can interfere with these neurological signals, thereby reducing the perception of pain.

Explanation

The word feud refers to a prolonged and bitter quarrel or state of hostility between two parties, often characterized by ongoing conflict and mutual resentment. Harmony signifies a state of peaceful agreement, concord, and cooperation where entities coexist without friction. Because harmony represents the presence of peace and the absence of the discord inherent in a feud, it serves as the most appropriate antonym.

Explanation

The idiom eat humble pie means to admit a mistake and offer a sincere or submissive apology, especially after having been proven wrong or having behaved in an arrogant manner. It implies a situation where an individual must accept humiliation or a lower position than they previously claimed. The expression originated from umble pie, a dish made from the heart, liver, and entrails of a deer, which was traditionally served to those of lower social standing. The phonetic similarity between umble and humble eventually solidified the phrase as a metaphor for being forced into a state of humility and expressing regret for one's actions.

Explanation

The word beware functions as a verb meaning to be on one's guard or to be cautious. In English grammar, modal verbs such as must must be followed by the base form of a main verb. While aware is an adjective that would require the addition of a linking verb to be grammatically sound (e.g., must be aware of), beware is a standalone verb that fits perfectly after the modal. Substituting the underlined segment with beware of correctly completes the imperative-style advice, indicating that one should exercise caution regarding specific people.

Explanation

The term fugitive specifically refers to an individual who flees from custody, avoids arrest, or runs away from the jurisdiction of the law to escape prosecution or punishment. It characterizes someone who is actively evading legal consequences or seeking refuge from authorities.

Explanation

The phrase have a nice time is a standard idiomatic collocation in English used to indicate that someone enjoyed themselves during a particular event or period. In this context, it describes the pleasant social experience and enjoyment the speaker felt while celebrating their birthday with friends and relatives. While other words might seem plausible, have a time is the most natural and frequently used pairing to convey the idea of enjoying an occasion.

Explanation

The adjective interested is conventionally paired with the preposition in to indicate a state of curiosity, concern, or involvement in a particular subject or activity. This is a fixed prepositional collocation in English grammar used to connect the feeling of interest to the object that inspires it, such as modern art.

Explanation

The idiom by leaps and bounds is used to describe a process or progress that happens very rapidly or at a very fast pace. It implies significant and quick advancement rather than slow or steady change. In the given context, it signifies that the government interventions led to a rapid and substantial increase in the enrolment and retention of female students over a short duration. Therefore, swiftly is the most accurate meaning as it captures the essence of quick and large-scale progress.

Explanation

The sentence is free of spelling errors as it correctly uses the word couture, which is the standard spelling for the French-origin term referring to high-fashion clothing design and manufacture. Furthermore, the word catalogue is spelled correctly according to British English standards, and pieces, collection, and the possessive Asha's follow proper orthographic and grammatical rules.

Explanation

The word abominable refers to something that is extremely unpleasant, causing intense disgust, or morally loathsome. Its antonym must denote something that is worthy of respect, approval, or high esteem. Admirable is the most appropriate opposite because it describes qualities or actions that deserve praise and positive recognition, directly contrasting with the repulsive nature of something that is abominable.

Explanation

A cartographer is a professional who specializes in the science and art of making maps. The term is derived from the French word carte, meaning map, and the Greek word graphein, meaning to write or draw. Cartographers utilize geographical data and artistic techniques to represent physical features and spatial relationships on a flat surface or in a digital format.

Explanation

Sentence C serves as the introductory statement by establishing the origin and formal name of the subject, International Tiger Day, at the 2010 Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit. Sentence D logically follows as the phrase This annual event acts as a pronoun reference to the day mentioned in C, while providing the specific date of observance and the general goal of awareness. Sentence B continues this flow by detailing the primary objective of the conservation efforts mentioned in D. Finally, sentence A concludes the paragraph by introducing the alternative name Global Tiger Day and providing geographical context regarding tiger populations and celebrations in India, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

Explanation

The word ignoble is used to describe character traits or origins that are not honorable, base, or mean-spirited. It serves as a direct antonym to noble. In the given context, it refers to Edward's lack of moral excellence or dignity, which renders him unfit for the throne. The term unworthy is a precise synonym as it characterizes someone who lacks the necessary merit, value, or qualities required for a position of honor or responsibility.

Explanation

The verb send functions as a verb of motion or transfer that requires the preposition to when indicating the destination or the recipient of the object being sent. In this context, the consolidated scores are being directed toward a specific location, which is the head office. The preposition to is used to denote the movement toward a goal or a terminal point, whereas in suggests being located within a space. Therefore, to the head office correctly identifies the intended destination of the scores.

Explanation

The noun foyer refers to an entrance hall or a large open area in a public building used by the public for sitting or waiting. A hotel foyer is a common collocation used to describe the lobby area where people, including journalists, typically gather while waiting for an event, a press conference, or the arrival of a notable person.

Explanation

The original sentence uses a passive gerund construction being seen in tears by people. To convert this to the active voice, the passive gerund being + past participle is changed to the active gerund form -ing. The agent of the action, people, which follows the preposition by in the passive voice, becomes the subject of the gerund phrase in the active voice. Consequently, the recipient of the action, I, shifts to the object form me after the active verb. Following this rule, being seen by people is correctly transformed into people seeing me, preserving both the tense and the semantic relationship of the original statement.

Explanation

In the given context, the word boon refers to a timely benefit, blessing, or something that is highly advantageous. When a situation or event is described as a boon for businesses, it signifies that the event provides a helpful boost or a positive impact on their operations and success. The term denotes that the good weather served as a helpful factor that promoted the well-being and profitability of the beachside establishments, making it synonymous with being beneficial to their interests.

Explanation

Alliteration is a stylistic literary device characterized by the repetition of the same initial consonant sound in a sequence of nearby words or syllables. This figure of speech is used to create a musical or rhythmic effect, enhance the memorability of a phrase, or provide emphasis to specific ideas within a text. It focuses specifically on the phonetic beginning of words, such as in the phrase "busy buzzing bees," where the recurring initial sound connects the words together.

Explanation

When the reporting verb is in the present tense, such as says to, the tense of the verb in the reported speech remains unchanged in the indirect form. The phrase says to followed by an object is converted into tells. The second-person pronoun You changes to she to correspond with the object Gayatri. Therefore, the present continuous tense are writing remains in the present continuous form is writing to agree with the singular subject she, resulting in the construction He tells Gayatri that she is writing an apology to the warden.

Explanation

The word prevail means to be widespread or current in a particular area or at a particular time. In the context of the sentence, it correctly describes the existing state of poor hygienic conditions at local dhabas and fast food joints. It is the most appropriate verb to indicate that such conditions are commonly found or predominant in those specific environments.

Explanation

The term contamination refers to the process by which food becomes impure, spoiled, or unfit for consumption due to contact with harmful substances, bacteria, or pollutants. In the context of the passage, which focuses on poor hygiene at local eateries, this process is specifically linked to the use of inferior packaging materials or inadequate storage environments that fail to protect the food from external hazards.

Explanation

The passage describes the substandard sanitary practices at local eateries, beginning with the mention of poor hygienic conditions. The third blank requires an adjective to describe storage conditions that contribute to food spoilage or contamination, alongside poor quality packaging material. Unhygienic specifically refers to conditions that are not clean or sanitary, which directly correlates with the negative context of the passage and the focus on poor food safety standards.

Explanation

In the context of food quality and health impact, nutrition refers to the essential substances that provide nourishment for growth and the maintenance of life. The passage describes dhabas and fast food joints where food is often processed or cooked poorly, leading to a lack of vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial components. By stating that the food is rich in harmful elements like trans fats, the sentence logically contrasts this by highlighting that the food is deficient in healthy dietary value. Therefore, describing the food as low in nutrition is the most accurate way to characterize its lack of health benefits.

Explanation

The passage highlights the negative health consequences of consuming fast food high in oil and trans fats. Diets characterized by excessive intake of unhealthy fats are a primary cause of significant weight gain and long-term metabolic issues. The term obese appropriately describes the physical condition resulting from these dietary habits, aligning with the subsequent descriptors lousy and dull to illustrate the overall decline in physical health and energy levels.

Explanation

The sentence structure uses the correlative conjunctions either and or to present two alternative explanations for the subject's behavior. The verb feign means to pretend or simulate a particular feeling, state, or injury. For the sentence to be logically consistent and parallel, the second part of the alternative must refer to the same condition mentioned in the first part. Therefore, if the first possibility is that the person is actually mad, the alternative is that he is merely pretending to be in that state, making madness the only grammatically and contextually appropriate choice to complete the parallel.

Explanation

The word entrenched means firmly established and difficult to change or remove. In the context of the sentence, it suggests that economics is deeply rooted and fixed within social, political, and cultural behaviors. The word transient refers to something that lasts for only a short time, is impermanent, or is fleeting in nature. Because entrenched signifies a state of being permanent and immovable while transient signifies a state of being temporary and passing, they are opposites in meaning.

Explanation

Remorse refers to a distressing emotion experienced by an individual who regrets actions which they have done in the past that they deem to be shameful, hurtful, or wrong. It is characterized by a deep and painful sense of guilt and self-reproach for a misdeed or a sense of sin.

Explanation

The segment contains a grammatical error related to subject-verb agreement. In the simple present tense, the verb must match the number of the subject. Here, the subject The students is a plural noun. According to standard English grammar rules, plural subjects require the base form of the verb without the -s or -es suffix. Therefore, the singular verb form asks is incorrect and should be replaced by the plural verb form ask to ensure proper agreement with the plural subject.

Explanation

The original sentence is in the simple past tense, as indicated by the verb drank. To convert a sentence from the active voice to the passive voice in the simple past tense, the structure Object + was/were + V3 (past participle) + by + Subject is used. The object a lot of coffee is an uncountable noun and functions as a singular subject in the passive form, requiring the auxiliary verb was. The past participle of the verb drink is drunk. Following this grammatical rule, the correct passive construction is a lot of coffee was drunk by him before the marathon.

Explanation

The sentence follows a logical subject-verb-object structure starting with the phrase "The absence of". Part P "data on the migrant workers was" provides the necessary noun to complete the subject and introduces the linking verb. This is followed by part R "preventing the governments from", which establishes the consequence of the lack of data using the present participle. The preposition "from" in part R requires a gerund, which is found in part Q "formulating effective policy decisions and". Finally, part S "strategies for the welfare of migrant workers" serves as the second object of the action "formulating", joined to "policy decisions" by the conjunction "and" to complete the grammatical and thematic meaning of the sentence.

Explanation

The adverb strangely is used to modify the adjective elated to indicate that the feeling of extreme happiness was unexpected, peculiar, or unusual in its intensity. In this context, it functions as a degree modifier that highlights the speaker's surprise at their own emotional state. While emotions can be intense, describing them as occurring in a way that feels odd or surprising to the individual is a standard idiomatic use of the word strangely.

Explanation

The idiom red tape refers to excessive bureaucracy or adherence to official rules and formalities that prevent or delay action and decision-making. Historically, the term originates from the 16th-century practice of binding legal and government documents with red cloth tape or ribbon, particularly in the Spanish and British administrations. Over time, this evolved into a metaphor for the tedious procedures and complicated administrative requirements that make simple tasks difficult to complete. In modern usage, it specifically describes the unnecessary hurdles and rigid procedures within government or large organizations that hinder efficiency and progress.

Explanation

A stoic is an individual who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining, remaining indifferent to the pleasures and pains of life. This term originates from the ancient Greek philosophy of Stoicism, which emphasizes the development of self-control and fortitude as a way to overcome destructive emotions and maintain inner peace regardless of external circumstances. Sita’s lack of emotional reaction to various life experiences specifically defines the characteristic of being stoic.

Explanation

A plea is defined as an earnest or humble request, often made in an emotional or urgent manner. In the context of the sentence, the speaker is contrasting a forceful demand with a softer, more supplicatory form of asking. Since a request involves the act of politely or formally asking for something, plea serves as the most appropriate synonym as it shares the core meaning of seeking a favor or action from another person rather than commanding it.

Explanation

The word purportedly means allegedly or as appears to be true, though not necessarily so. It is used to indicate that a claim has been made about an event that is supposed to have occurred, suggesting a level of possibility or reported reality. The word impossibly serves as an antonym because it describes something that is not able to occur, exist, or be done. While the former refers to an event that is claimed to be possible or true, the latter denotes a state where the occurrence is completely ruled out, representing the opposite end of the spectrum regarding the validity and feasibility of the action.

Explanation

The word spelled as Extarnal is incorrect. The standard English spelling is External, which refers to something belonging to or forming the outer surface or structure of something. The error lies in the use of the vowel a in the second syllable; it should be replaced with the vowel e. This word originates from the Latin externus, meaning outward or outside. In English, the prefix ex- combined with the root -tern- followed by the suffix -al consistently uses the e spelling to maintain phonetic and etymological accuracy.

Explanation

When converting a sentence from indirect to direct speech, the past continuous tense (were getting) is changed back to the present continuous tense (are getting). The third-person possessive pronoun her, which refers to the speaker Meena in the indirect form, reverts to the first-person possessive pronoun my in the direct speech. Since the reporting verb said is in the past tense, the reported clause undergoes a backshift in tense; thus, the present continuous in the direct statement are getting becomes the past continuous were getting in the indirect version.

Explanation

The verb warn is idiomatically paired with the preposition against when it is used to advise someone to avoid a particular action or to caution them about a negative behavior. In this context, the students are being cautioned not to repeat the act of arriving late, making warned against the standard grammatical construction to convey a preventive warning or prohibition regarding their conduct.

Explanation

The word Subsistance is incorrectly spelled. The standard and correct spelling is Subsistence, which ends with the suffix -ence rather than -ance. This noun refers to the state of remaining in force or the means by which one maintains life or support, such as food and shelter, at a minimum level. Derived from the Latin verb subsistere, the word follows the linguistic pattern where the vowel e is maintained in the final syllable of its noun form. Confusing the suffix -ence with -ance is a common orthographic error in English, but for this specific term, the usage of a is incorrect.

Explanation

The sentence follows the grammatical rule where the subject is the singular pronoun One in the opening phrase One of the major challenges. When the subject of a sentence is One of followed by a plural noun, the verb must agree with the singular head noun One rather than the plural noun that follows it. In this segment, the plural verb were is used incorrectly; it must be replaced by the singular verb was to maintain proper subject-verb agreement with the subject One.

Explanation

The idiom in black and white refers to something that is documented in a written or printed form, such as a contract, a letter, or a formal statement. It originates from the visual contrast of black ink on white paper, signifying that the information is clear, official, and provides a permanent record. When someone asks for information in black and white, they are requesting a formal written account to ensure there is no ambiguity or misinterpretation, as opposed to a verbal agreement or spoken thought.