SSC CGL Tier 1 2022 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The phrase out of stock is a standard idiomatic expression used in retail and commerce to indicate that a particular product is currently unavailable for purchase because the inventory has been exhausted. In the context of the sentence, the inability of the subjects to acquire the item from the store is logically explained by the fact that the store had no remaining supply of that specific merchandise at the time of their visit.

Explanation

The idiom go pear-shaped is an informal British expression used to describe a situation, plan, or event that has gone wrong, failed, or turned into a disaster. It implies that something which was initially proceeding well or as intended has deviated from its course and resulted in an unsuccessful outcome. In the context of the sentence, it signifies that the meeting deteriorated or encountered significant problems after the person left.

Explanation

The word dwindle refers to the process of diminishing, shrinking, or becoming gradually less in size, strength, or importance. In the specific context of the sentence, it represents the act of devaluing or making ideas appear smaller and less significant. The word complement serves as an antonym because it means to add to something in a way that enhances, improves, or makes it complete. While dwindling implies a reduction or a fading away of substance, complementing implies an addition that provides balance and brings a sense of wholeness and increased value to the original subject.

Explanation

The construction is going to leave is used to indicate a future action that is based on present evidence. In this context, the statement that the bus is now full serves as the immediate evidence for the prediction that it will depart shortly. While will is often used for general predictions or spontaneous decisions, be going to is the standard grammatical choice for expressing a future event that is clearly signalled by a current situation or visible signs.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the passive voice of the Past Indefinite tense, as indicated by the structure "Wh-word + was + object + V3 + by + agent". To convert this into the active voice, the structure "Wh-word + did + subject + V1 + object" is used. In this transformation, the agent "him" becomes the subject "he", the object "this pen" remains the object, and the passive verb "was found" changes to the active form "did find". In English grammar, the auxiliary verb "did" must always be followed by the base form of the verb, which is "find". Applying these rules, the active voice construction is "Where did he find this pen?".

Explanation

The phrase in order to is used to express the purpose of an action and is followed by the base form of a verb. In this sentence, relieve is the base form of the verb, making in order to the grammatically correct choice to link the activity of swimming to the intended outcome of reducing stress. The construction functions as a purpose infinitive where in order to + verb establishes why the action is being performed. In contrast, the phrase in order that would require a complete subordinate clause consisting of a subject and a finite verb, which does not match the structure of the provided sentence.

Explanation

The word inherent refers to qualities that are intrinsic, innate, or existing in something as a permanent and essential attribute. It describes what is naturally part of a person or thing's basic nature from within. Conversely, extraneous refers to things that are external, irrelevant, or coming from the outside. It describes elements that are not essential or fundamental to the core subject. Since inherent signifies what is internal and vital, and extraneous signifies what is added from without and non-essential, they function as direct opposites.

Explanation

The idiom Aladdin's cave refers to a place filled with a large number of interesting, valuable, or curious objects. It originates from the folk tale of Aladdin in the Arabian Nights, where the protagonist discovers a cave overflowing with immense treasure and magical items. In the context of the sentence, a village fair is described as a location containing many interesting objects, making this idiom the most appropriate figurative description for such a place.

Explanation

The sentence I named the child Ritesh is in the active voice using the simple past tense. To convert it into the passive voice, the object of the active sentence (the child) is moved to the subject position. The verb is changed from the simple past form (named) to the past passive form, which consists of the auxiliary verb was followed by the past participle named. The object complement (Ritesh) is retained after the verb to maintain the original meaning of the sentence.

Explanation

The word furore refers to a sudden outbreak of public anger, excitement, or commotion. In the context of a protest occurring outside the president's house, it is the semantically and orthographically correct term to describe the noise or agitation of the crowd. While furor is the common American English spelling, furore is the standard British English spelling and is perfectly valid. The rest of the sentence, including protestors, heard, and the possessive president's, is spelled correctly.

Explanation

The sentence structure follows a logical Subject-Verb-Object pattern starting with the introductory phrase "The continued." This phrase necessitates a noun to serve as the subject of the sentence, which is provided by segment Q, "dominance of the athleisure trend." The resulting subject, "The continued dominance of the athleisure trend," is singular and thus correctly pairs with the singular verb phrase in segment S, "has had a significant impact on." The preposition "on" at the end of segment S requires an object to complete the thought, which is found in segment P, "the growing sales of sneakers." Finally, segment R, "along with the pursuit of comfort," serves as a supplementary phrase that extends the scope of the impact to include the consumer pursuit of comfort alongside the increase in sneaker sales. This sequence creates a grammatically correct and semantically coherent sentence.

Explanation

The word enmity is the correct spelling for the state of feeling or being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something. It is derived from the Old French word enemistie, which traces back to the Latin inimicitia, formed from the prefix in- (not) and amicus (friend). The noun is constructed with a single n and a single m, followed by the suffix -ity. In the context of the sentence, it accurately describes the long-standing hostility between the Lomov and Chubukov families.

Explanation

When converting an indirect sentence into direct speech, the reporting verb must match the tense of the original. The reporting verb tells is in the present tense, which corresponds to says to in the direct form. Since the reporting verb is in the present tense, the tense of the verb in the reported speech remains unchanged. The pronoun I in the indirect speech refers to the listener me, so it changes to You in direct speech. Similarly, the possessive pronoun her refers to the speaker She, so it changes to my in direct speech. The direct form thus becomes: She says to me, "You are my lucky charm."

Explanation

The word chide is a verb that means to express disapproval or to rebuke someone, typically for their behavior or a mistake. It is used when someone is reprimanded or criticized in a stern manner. Scold is the most appropriate synonym as it also refers to the act of finding fault with someone angrily or rebuking them for an error or misconduct. Both terms describe the action of speaking sharply to someone to correct or criticize their actions.

Explanation

The grammatical rule for subject-verb agreement states that when two subjects are joined by phrases such as as well as, along with, together with, or accompanied by, the verb must agree with the first subject. In this sentence, the first subject is The boy, which is a singular noun. Therefore, the verb should be the singular was instead of the plural were. The error lies in segment c because it uses a plural verb that incorrectly agrees with the nearer noun friends instead of the actual subject of the sentence.

Explanation

The sentence begins with the adjective Genome-wide, which logically modifies the noun analysis found in part R. This establishes the subject Genome-wide analysis of each apple enabled. The transitive verb enabled requires a direct object, provided by identification of genetic markers associated in part S. The term associated is idiomatic with the preposition with, which introduces part P, metabolites that influence. Finally, the verb influence requires an object to complete the meaning, which is found in part Q, traits like flavour, disease resistance and texture. The complete coherent sentence is: Genome-wide analysis of each apple enabled identification of genetic markers associated with metabolites that influence traits like flavour, disease resistance and texture.

Explanation

The error lies in the use of the adjective vivid instead of the adverb vividly. In the clause He describes the place vivid, the word following the direct object the place is intended to modify the verb describes. Since adverbs are required to modify verbs to indicate the manner in which an action is performed, the adjective vivid must be replaced with the adverbial form vividly to be grammatically correct. Adjectives are used to describe nouns, whereas adverbs are used to describe actions or states.

Explanation

Exercise is fundamentally defined as physical activity that involves the displacement of body parts through muscular contraction. The term movement is the most appropriate noun to describe this physiological action of the muscles and limbs as they change position to perform work. In anatomical and fitness contexts, movement specifically refers to the functional motion produced by the musculoskeletal system, which is the core component of any exercise routine.

Explanation

The sentence describes the purpose behind performing physical exercise. The verb attain is used to signify reaching or achieving a specific goal, state, or result through effort and action. In the context of fitness and exercise, individuals perform specific movements with the intent to reach a desired end state, such as improved health or physical performance. This makes attain the most linguistically appropriate choice to describe the process of successfully realizing a planned objective or outcome.

Explanation

The term enhancing is used to describe the process of improving or increasing the quality, value, or strength of something. In the context of physical health, the primary objective of exercise is to improve one's current state of well-being, stamina, and muscular strength. Enhancing fitness is a standard idiomatic expression that conveys the positive development and refinement of physical capabilities through consistent effort. It accurately reflects the goal of making one's health better than its previous state, which aligns perfectly with the intended meaning of the passage regarding the aim of physical activity.

Explanation

The word hectic is the most appropriate adjective to describe a day characterized by intense activity, a busy schedule, and a lack of rest. In the context of the passage, a hectic day explains why an individual would feel exhausted and prefer to engage in relaxing leisure activities rather than the physical exertion required for a workout. The phrase hectic day is a common collocation used to denote a period of time filled with a flurry of tasks and responsibilities that leave little energy for further strenuous exercise.

Explanation

The conjunction unless is used to introduce a negative condition and is equivalent in meaning to if... not. In English grammar, using a negative auxiliary such as doesn't or don't in a clause starting with unless creates a redundant double negative. Therefore, the subordinate clause following unless must be in the affirmative form. The correct phrasing should be unless one goes, which conveys the intended meaning that the heat cannot be imagined if one does not experience it in person.

Explanation

The phrase indulge in is a standard idiomatic expression used to describe allowing oneself to enjoy a particular activity or pleasure. While luxuriate in is also a valid phrase, it specifically implies wallowing in intense comfort or luxury, whereas indulge is the more general and appropriate term for participating in leisure activities.

Explanation

The idiom cool their heels means to be kept waiting for a long time, often due to the delay or indifference of others. In the context of the sentence, the interviewees were left in the waiting room for hours, leading to their impatience. This expression originates from the idea of allowing one's feet to cool down after a long journey, but it evolved to signify the frustration of being forced to wait.

Explanation

The term flora refers to the collective plant life found in a specific geographic area or during a particular geological period. It is derived from the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring. In scientific and ecological studies, flora is used to classify and describe the diversity, distribution, and characteristics of all botanical species, including trees, shrubs, and herbs, that are indigenous to or naturalized in a given environment.

Explanation

In indirect speech, when the reporting verb is in the past tense (said), the verb in the reported clause must undergo a backshift in tense. If the action in the reported clause occurred before the act of speaking, the simple past or present perfect from the original direct speech is converted into the past perfect tense. Therefore, he had seen the picture is the grammatically correct form to indicate an action completed prior to Abu's statement.

Explanation

To oppose means to disagree with, resist, or actively work against a person, idea, or action to prevent it from succeeding. It implies a stance of obstruction or competition. Conversely, to encourage means to provide support, confidence, or assistance to help something develop or to inspire someone to continue a course of action. Because opposing involves hindering or stopping progress while encouraging involves promoting or aiding it, the two words function as opposites in terms of their objective and impact.

Explanation

The idiom break the ice refers to the act of initiating a conversation or performing a small gesture to relieve social tension or awkwardness. It is typically used in situations where people who do not know each other meet for the first time. By starting a friendly dialogue or an engaging activity, the person breaks the silence and helps others feel more relaxed and at ease, which facilitates smoother communication and social interaction.

Explanation

The sentence structure requires a past participle to complete the passive construction or to function as an adjective following the auxiliary verb are. In the phrase whether they are directly or indirectly involved, the word involved describes the state of the drivers participating in or being affected by road rage. This is a standard usage where the past participle indicates that the subject is included in or part of a particular situation or activity.

Explanation

The sentence requires a verb that describes the relationship between a driver's internal psychological traits and their external actions. The noun phrase Individual coping qualities is the plural subject of the sentence, and influence is a transitive verb that correctly indicates that these qualities have an effect on or determine the nature of a driver's behavior. In the context of road rage and stress, a person's ability to handle pressure directly shapes how they react to stressful situations on the road. The base form verb influence also maintains proper grammatical agreement with the plural subject qualities.

Explanation

The sentence requires a comparative structure because of the adjective larger. In English, the comparative degree is followed by the conjunction than to establish a relationship between the two entities being compared. Furthermore, when comparing one member of a group to the rest of the group, the phrase than any other is used to logically exclude the subject from the group it is being compared against. This ensures the comparison is valid, as a channel cannot have a larger viewership than itself.

Explanation

The term literate refers to a person who possesses the fundamental ability to read and write in at least one language. It is derived from the Latin word litteratus, meaning educated or marked with letters. In a socio-educational context, literacy is the basic benchmark used to determine an individual's capacity to engage with written information and communicate through text.

Explanation

The word final refers to something that occurs at the very end of a series, process, or sequence, representing the ultimate or last stage. Concluding is its most appropriate synonym because it specifically describes an action or element that brings something to a close or serves as the finish of an activity. Both words denote the terminal point of an event, such as the concluding chapter of a book or the final whistle of a match, indicating that no further parts or actions follow.

Explanation

The active voice sentence is in the Present Continuous tense, following the structure: Who + is/am/are + verb-ing + object. To convert an interrogative sentence starting with Who into the passive voice, Who is replaced by By whom. The passive construction for the Present Continuous tense requires the addition of being and the past participle (V3) of the main verb. The resulting structure follows the pattern: By whom + is/am/are + subject + being + V3. Since this mess is a singular subject, the auxiliary verb is is placed before it to maintain the interrogative form, leading to the construction: By whom is this mess being created?

Explanation

The sentence requires a modal auxiliary verb to express necessity or a strong recommendation for drivers to change their behavior. The modal verb must is used to indicate obligation or an essential requirement and is followed directly by the base form of the verb learn. In the context of the passage, which discusses the negative impacts of road rage, the word must effectively conveys the imperative for drivers to exercise patience and maintain control over their emotions for safety.

Explanation

When the reporting verb is in the present tense, such as says, the tense of the verb in the reported speech does not change when converting from direct to indirect speech. In this case, since the reporting verb is says, the present continuous structure is going to be remains unchanged in the indirect form. The comma and inverted commas are replaced by the conjunction that, resulting in the construction Ajay says that there is going to be a snowfall.

Explanation

Exonerate means to officially absolve someone from blame, fault, or a criminal charge, effectively releasing them from a burden of guilt or legal responsibility. It signifies the act of clearing or freeing an individual from an accusation. The word engage, however, means to involve, occupy, or commit someone to a particular task, role, or situation. While exonerate denotes the act of releasing or clearing a person, engage implies the act of binding or bringing someone into an active state of involvement or participation. In the context of these options, where the others represent the act of clearing or freeing, engage serves as the most appropriate antonym by representing the state of being involved or occupied.

Explanation

The phrase at first is an idiomatic prepositional phrase used to denote the beginning of a situation or a period of time, especially when that situation changes later on. In the context of the sentence, it introduces the initial difficulty of wearing a mask, creating a logical temporal contrast with the subsequent phrase but later. It functions as a temporal adverbial, indicating that the difficulty is limited to the start of the experience before the wearer becomes accustomed to it.

Explanation

Obscure refers to something that is not clearly seen, understood, or expressed, often being hidden, vague, or uncertain. In contrast, apparent describes something that is clearly visible, obvious, or easy to perceive and understand. Since obscure denotes a lack of clarity or visibility, its direct opposite is apparent, which signifies that something is manifest and unmistakable.

Explanation

The preposition since is used to refer to a specific point in time when an action started, such as since 5 PM or since Monday. In contrast, the preposition for is used to denote a duration or period of time. Because two hours represents a length of time rather than a fixed starting point, the use of since is grammatically incorrect in this context. The sentence requires for to properly indicate how long it has been raining.

Explanation

The word squawk refers to a loud, harsh, or discordant noise, typically made by a bird or by a person complaining in a noisy and shrill manner. It denotes a high-pitched and abrasive sound that carries a sense of urgency or irritation. Similarly, a scream is a loud, sharp, and piercing vocalization often associated with intense emotion, distress, or a sudden outburst. Both terms describe an unpleasant and forceful auditory emission characterized by its volume and sharpness.

Explanation

The sentence requires a subordinating conjunction to introduce a concessive clause because the segment following the underlined portion, my niece's dog Casper is very mischievous, contains a subject and a finite verb. In English grammar, although is a conjunction used to connect a subordinate clause to a main clause, whereas in spite of is a prepositional phrase that must be followed by a noun, pronoun, or gerund rather than a full clause. By substituting the underlined part with although, the sentence correctly establishes the contrast between the dog's mischievous nature and its lovability while maintaining proper grammatical structure.

Explanation

The paragraph follows a logical progression starting with sentence B, which introduces the nose as the primary subject and defines its position and general purpose. Sentence A follows immediately by using the transition word Firstly to list the specific physiological functions of the nose, such as respiration and air conditioning. Sentence D builds on the filtering function mentioned at the end of sentence A, employing the phrase Apart from filtering the air to introduce the additional role of self-cleaning. Sentence C completes the description by providing technical details about the internal anatomy, specifically the two cavities and the cartilage wall that facilitate the inhalation process described in the previous sentences.

Explanation

The error lies in the lack of subject-verb agreement within the sentence. The subject the workers is a plural noun, which requires a plural verb to match. According to the rules of grammar in the simple present tense, plural subjects take the base form of the verb without the -s or -es suffix. Since gets is the singular form of the verb, it should be replaced with the plural form get to correctly correspond with the plural subject workers.

Explanation

The word nervous is an adjective derived from the noun nerve. It follows the standard English spelling rule where the silent e at the end of a root word is dropped before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel (nerve + ous = nervous). The word fidgety is the adjectival form of the word fidget. It is correctly spelled with a single t before the suffix -y. This follows the orthographic pattern for two-syllable words ending in a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) sequence where the final syllable is unstressed; in such cases, the final consonant is not doubled before adding a suffix. Both words in the phrase adhere strictly to these grammatical and phonetic spelling conventions.

Explanation

The sentence follows the grammatical structure of "be + adjective + to-infinitive" to express capability or necessity. The word able functions as an adjective meaning having the power, skill, or means to do something. In this context, it indicates that drivers must possess the internal capacity to regulate and manage their emotional states while navigating traffic. This aligns with the preceding sentence's advice for drivers to learn patience and maintain composure instead of reacting to external stressors beyond their control.

Explanation

The idiom cool as a cucumber is used to describe a person who remains very calm and composed, even in stressful or difficult situations. Options A, B, and D do not match the standard figurative meaning of this expression.

Explanation

The original sentence is in the simple past tense (found). To convert a sentence from active to passive voice in the simple past, the object of the active sentence (the prisoner) becomes the subject, followed by the appropriate form of the verb to be (was/were) and the past participle of the main verb (found). The structure follows the rule: Subject + was/were + past participle + by + Agent. Since the prisoner is singular, was is used, resulting in the construction the prisoner was found guilty by the judge.

Explanation

The idiom a hair in the butter refers to a difficult or awkward problem that is unpleasant to deal with. Just as removing a fine hair from a soft substance like butter is a delicate and annoying task that can cause a mess, the expression signifies a complication or a hurdle that makes a situation more difficult than it originally seemed, thereby representing a challenging situation.

Explanation

Graffiti refers to writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually within public view and often without permission. The term originates from the Italian word graffiato, meaning scratched, and traditionally describes markings found on ancient walls, though it now encompasses modern spray-painted art and inscriptions in urban environments.