SSC CGL Tier 1 2022 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The context of the passage focuses on the continuous need for modernization and the upgradation of knowledge within an organization. In the fields of science and technology, advancements occur at a very high speed, necessitating constant adjustments by management and staff. The term rapid appropriately describes the fast-paced nature of these technological developments, which serves as the driving force behind the requirement for regular training and skill enhancement mentioned in the subsequent sentences.

Explanation

The passage discusses the modernization of technology and the continuous need to upgrade knowledge and skills. In a professional and organizational context, maintaining pace with rapid scientific and technological advancements requires a consistent and systematic approach. Regular training ensures that the workforce remains competent, up-to-date, and capable of effectively utilizing new technologies as they are introduced.

Explanation

The context of the passage focuses on modernization, upgradation of knowledge, and the necessity of training. Training programs in a professional or technological environment are specifically designed to improve the capabilities and effectiveness of the workforce. The verb enhance means to intensify, increase, or further improve the quality, value, or extent of something. Therefore, in the phrase to update their knowledge and to enhance their skills, the word logically completes the purpose of staff training by indicating the improvement of employee abilities.

Explanation

The sentence begins with the subject A single uranium, which requires a noun to complete the noun phrase. Part Q provides pellet, making the full subject A single uranium pellet. Part Q ends with the comparative phrase slightly larger than a, which necessitates an object for comparison. Part P provides this object with pencil eraser and then introduces the main verb contains the same energy. This phrase establishes a comparison of energy density, requiring the conjunction as to complete the comparative structure the same ... as. Part R provides this with as a ton of coal, 3 barrels of oil, and part S concludes the list of energy equivalents with the final alternative or 17,000 cubic feet of natural gas. The sequence QPRS thus creates a grammatically logical and complete sentence.

Explanation

The preposition through is used to indicate the means, channel, or medium used to achieve a particular result. In the context of the passage, effective communication serves as the functional process or bridge that allows the management and employees to successfully implement technological modernization and knowledge updates. When describing an interactive process like communication that facilitates an outcome, through effectively conveys the idea of moving from a starting point to a result via a specific system of interaction.

Explanation

To convert the indirect speech into direct speech, the past perfect tense (had invited) is changed back to the present perfect tense (has invited) because the reporting verb (asked) is in the past tense. The conjunction (if) indicates that the original statement was a yes/no question. The pronoun (him), which represents the person being spoken to, reverts to the second person pronoun (you) in the direct speech. Therefore, the phrase (asked him) becomes (said to him) and introduces the question in its original present perfect form.

Explanation

The word illness refers to a state of being unwell or suffering from a physical or mental ailment or disease. Sickness is a direct synonym that describes the condition of being ill or in poor health. In the context of the sentence, it represents the medical condition or health issue affecting the father, which prompted Soumen to return home.

Explanation

The sentence is in the passive voice using the simple past tense (was + past participle). To convert it into the active voice, the agent of the action (the judge) becomes the subject of the sentence. The verb is changed from the passive form (was punished) to the active simple past form (punished). The original subject (the jewel thief) then becomes the direct object of the verb. Following the standard active voice structure of Subject + Verb + Object, the sentence becomes "The judge punished the jewel thief."

Explanation

The idiom to make a wry face means to produce a facial expression that shows disappointment, annoyance, or displeasure. In the given context, the little boy reacts to his father's refusal to buy him balloons and ribbons by twisting his features into an expression that conveys his unhappiness and frustration. This physical reaction is a common way for a child to demonstrate that they are upset when their demands are not met.

Explanation

The word nexus is derived from the Latin root nectere, which means to bind or tie. It refers to a connection or a series of connections linking two or more things together in a relationship. In the provided sentence, it identifies the specific bond or correlation existing between a child's academic results and their psychological well-being. This term is commonly employed in academic and legal writing to denote a functional relationship or a point of intersection where different factors influence each other.

Explanation

The phrase get into trouble is a standard idiomatic collocation in English used to describe a situation where someone finds themselves in a difficult, problematic, or punishable position as a result of their actions. In the context of the sentence, it indicates that the boss consistently faces negative consequences or complications whenever he introduces a new idea. This expression is widely used to denote the transition into a state of difficulty or distress.

Explanation

The subject of the sentence is the singular pronoun One, which requires a singular verb to maintain subject-verb agreement. The sentence describes a completed action that has relevance to the present, necessitating the use of the present perfect tense. The present perfect tense is formed using the auxiliary verb has for singular subjects followed by the past participle form of the main verb. Consequently, has gone is the grammatically correct substitution to indicate that one specific friend has traveled to Goa.

Explanation

Amusement refers to the state of being entertained or finding enjoyment in something, often resulting in a feeling of happiness or satisfaction. Pleasure is a synonym that describes a similar feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment, making it the most suitable match for the given word.

Explanation

The word Altarnate is misspelled. The correct spelling is Alternate, derived from the Latin word alternatus. It is used to describe something that occurs in turn or every second time. The error in the given word is the use of the vowel a instead of e in the second syllable.

Explanation

Refined refers to something that is elegant, cultured, or has been processed to remove impurities and reach a state of sophistication. In a social or personal context, it describes individuals who possess polished manners and high aesthetic tastes. Crude is the direct antonym because it describes things in their natural, raw, or unrefined state. When applied to behavior or objects, crude signifies a lack of polish, finish, or sophistication, representing a coarse and underdeveloped quality that stands in direct opposition to being refined.

Explanation

According to the rule of proximity in subject-verb agreement, when two subjects are joined by the correlative conjunction neither... nor, the verb must agree with the subject that is closest to it. In this sentence, the subjects are the doctors, which is plural, and the nurse, which is singular. Since the verb follows the nurse, it must be in the singular form was to correctly match the singular noun. The use of the plural verb were is grammatically incorrect in this context.

Explanation

The word proclaim means to announce or declare something publicly, officially, or loudly, ensuring that information is shared and made known to others. In contrast, conceal means to hide, keep secret, or prevent something from being known or seen. Because the two words represent the opposite actions of making information public versus keeping it hidden, they are antonyms.

Explanation

The idiom cold comfort refers to a statement, fact, or situation that provides very little or no consolation or encouragement to someone in a difficult position. It suggests that while some form of relief or sympathy is offered, it is so inadequate, poorly timed, or insignificant that it fails to make the person feel any better about their circumstances. The word cold in this context implies a lack of genuine warmth or effectiveness in the comfort provided, resulting in a state of very little satisfaction for the recipient.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the passive voice and uses the past continuous tense, indicated by the auxiliary structure were being made. When converting a sentence from passive to active voice, the tense must remain the same. The active voice structure for the past continuous tense is subject + was/were + verb-ing + object. The agent in the passive sentence, each promoter, becomes the subject in the active version. Because each promoter is a singular subject, it requires the singular auxiliary verb was followed by the present participle making. This transformation accurately preserves the original meaning and temporal context of the action.

Explanation

The segment for walking is grammatically incorrect because the preposition for must be followed by a noun phrase or a gerund used as a purpose, but in this specific context, the standard English idiom is go for a walk. In the phrase go for a walk, walk functions as a countable noun. Alternatively, one could say go walking without the preposition for to indicate the activity itself. Using for walking suggests a functional purpose of an object rather than a recreational activity, making it inappropriate for this sentence.

Explanation

The adjective excited is typically followed by the preposition about when expressing enthusiasm or interest in a specific event, achievement, or situation. Using the preposition on in this context is grammatically incorrect as it does not form a standard colocation with the word excited. To make the sentence grammatically sound, the phrase should be replaced with about the promotion.

Explanation

To convert an interrogative sentence into indirect speech, the reporting verb said to is changed to asked. For yes/no questions beginning with auxiliary verbs like do, the conjunction if or whether is used to connect the reporting part and the reported part. The second-person pronoun you changes to I to correspond with the object me. The simple present tense own shifts to the simple past tense owned. Furthermore, the demonstrative adjective this changes to that. The resulting clause follows assertive word order rather than interrogative word order.

Explanation

The expression a great many is a standard idiomatic phrase used to emphasize a large number. It functions as a quantifier that must be followed by a plural countable noun. In this sentence, difficulties is the plural form of the countable noun difficulty, which refers to specific problems or troublesome tasks. Because the phrase correctly combines the quantifier a great many with the plural noun difficulties, the sentence is grammatically accurate as written.

Explanation

The error lies in the segment these kind because of a lack of number agreement between the demonstrative adjective and the noun it modifies. The demonstrative adjective these is plural and must be paired with a plural noun to maintain grammatical consistency. In this sentence, kind is a singular noun, which creates a mismatch. To correct the error, the plural form kinds should be used to match the plural adjective these, resulting in the phrase these kinds of novels. In English grammar, plural demonstratives like these or those must always be followed by plural nouns such as kinds, types, or sorts when referring to a plural category.

Explanation

The error lies in the preposition among used in the first segment. In English grammar, the preposition between is specifically used when referring to two distinct people, objects, or groups. In this sentence, only two people are mentioned: you and me. Therefore, the preposition among, which is reserved for identifying relationships involving more than two people or things, is grammatically incorrect. Replacing among with between correctly establishes the relationship between the two specific individuals identified in the sentence.

Explanation

The sequence follows a logical narrative structure that begins with an event and concludes with its explanation. Sentence C introduces the primary incident, which is the crash landing of a plane caused by a malfunction in the landing gear. Sentence A follows naturally by describing the subsequent investigation conducted by expert mechanics. Sentence D uses the pronoun they to refer back to the mechanics mentioned in the previous sentence and notes their surprise upon finding the cause of the mechanical failure. Finally, sentence B provides the specific detail of that discovery, explaining that a small nut was responsible for the blockage.

Explanation

The sentence compares one student against the entire class, which necessitates the use of the superlative degree of the adjective. The superlative form of "bright" is "brightest," and it must be accompanied by the definite article "the." The idiom "by far" is used as an intensifier with superlative adjectives to indicate a significant gap or clear superiority in a specific quality compared to all others in a group. Consequently, the phrase "by far the brightest" provides the grammatically correct structure for this comparison.

Explanation

The verb arrange followed by the preposition for requires the structure arrange for something to be done. In this construction, the object is followed by a passive infinitive to express that a specific action should be performed on that object. The phrase to be is necessary here to complete the passive infinitive form to be delivered, indicating the requirement for the consignment to undergo the action of delivery on the specified day.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the present continuous tense, which follows the active voice structure: Subject + is/am/are + V1 + ing + Object. To convert this into passive voice, the structure used is: Object + is/am/are + being + V3 (past participle) + by + Subject. In this sentence, the old ladies is a plural object, so the auxiliary verb are is used followed by being looked after to maintain the continuous aspect and the phrasal verb integrity.

Explanation

Apartheid refers to the systematic and institutionalized policy of racial segregation and discrimination that was enforced by the National Party governments in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s. The term originates from the Afrikaans word meaning apartness and describes a legal framework designed to maintain white minority rule by depriving the black majority and other non-white ethnic groups of their political, social, and economic rights. Under this policy, citizens were classified into racial groups and forced to live in separate areas, attend separate schools, and use separate public facilities, fundamentally violating human rights through state-sanctioned racial prejudice.

Explanation

A florist is a person who specializes in the retail sale of cut flowers and ornamental plants. Their professional work involves arranging floral displays, maintaining the health of live plants, and managing a shop specifically dedicated to floral products for various events and individual customers.

Explanation

The idiom feast one's eyes on means to look at someone or something with great pleasure, delight, or admiration. It draws a metaphorical parallel between the satisfaction gained from a physical feast and the visual gratification derived from observing something beautiful, impressive, or appealing. When someone feasts their eyes on an object or a scene, they are giving it their full attention because they find it exceptionally pleasing to behold.

Explanation

In the context of the arts, expression refers to the process of communicating thoughts, emotions, or ideas through a creative medium. Dance is fundamentally a medium where performers use physical movement, gestures, and rhythm to convey a narrative or feeling to an audience. The phrase form of expression is a standard collocation in English used to describe how various arts serve as vehicles for human creativity and communication. In the passage, this term accurately identifies dance as a method of artistic output and emotional representation.

Explanation

The sentence requires an adjective to modify the noun form. In English grammar, an adjective provides more information about a noun, and creative serves this purpose by describing the imaginative and expressive nature of dance. The preceding sentence establishes dance as an artistic form of expression, so identifying it as a creative form maintains linguistic consistency and accurately reflects the role of dance as a medium of artistic output found in historical records.

Explanation

The quantifier many is used with plural countable nouns to indicate a large number. In the context of the sentence, dance forms is a plural countable noun phrase. The sentence describes how a significant number of these distinct artistic styles originate from the principles and movements codified in the Natya Shastra. Therefore, many is the grammatically correct choice to modify the subject and convey that numerous types of dance share this historical lineage.

Explanation

The Natya Shastra, attributed to Bharat Muni, serves as the foundational treatise for Indian performing arts, providing a comprehensive system of rules for dance and drama. In this context, techniques refers to the systematic and codified methods of physical movement, including hand gestures (Mudras), footwork, and body postures, which form the technical grammar of classical dance forms. Since the passage discusses the root of these forms being codified in a formal text, techniques is the most appropriate term to describe the structured practical application of movement defined by the treatise.

Explanation

The word mutate means to undergo alteration or transformation, changing from one form or state to another. Among the given options, change most closely mirrors this meaning, since making progress often requires embracing change in order to grow or adapt. Replicate means to copy exactly, imitate means to mimic behaviour, and incise means to cut or mark a surface — none of these convey the sense of undergoing change. Hence, change is the most appropriate synonym for mutate in this context.

Explanation

The Natya Shastra is an ancient and comprehensive Indian treatise on the performing arts, covering aspects of theatre, dance, and music. In the context of classical literature and historical texts, the word compiled refers to the process of gathering, organizing, and recording a vast body of knowledge or oral traditions into a single, structured volume. Bharat Muni is traditionally credited with compiling these rules and principles of movement, aesthetic theory, and performance into this definitive work, which serves as the foundational source for various dance forms.

Explanation

The sentence is grammatically correct as written. The preposition of is the appropriate choice following the noun examples to indicate the contents or nature of those examples. The word their is the correct possessive adjective used to refer to the plural noun passages. Furthermore, precis is a term derived from French that serves as both the singular and plural form of the noun in English, referring to a concise summary or abstract of a text. Consequently, the phrase of passages and their precis follows standard English usage and requires no changes.

Explanation

The paragraph follows a chronological progression of Elon Musk's life and career. Sentence P serves as the introduction, describing his childhood interests in reading and computer programming. Sentence Q logically follows P by providing a specific example of his early coding success with the creation of the video game Blastar. Sentence R moves the timeline forward to his early adulthood, detailing his relocation to North America and the establishment of his first business venture in 1995. Sentence S completes the sequence by using the transitional phrase that company to refer back to the entity mentioned in sentence R, describing the subsequent sale of that business and the founding of X.com.

Explanation

The idiom racked his brain means to exert a great deal of mental effort to remember something or to find a solution to a problem. It suggests that the person is thinking as hard as possible, often under stress or frustration. The term originates from the rack, an old instrument of torture used to stretch a person's limbs, metaphorically describing the intense strain placed on the mind during a difficult period of concentration. In this sentence, Mr. Raghav is putting significant effort into recalling the specific location where he misplaced his book.

Explanation

The word unprecedented refers to something that has never happened or been known before, signifying that a situation is unique, novel, or unparalleled in history. Its antonym must describe something that is well-known, common, or has been experienced previously. Familiar fits this requirement as it pertains to things that are easily recognized or well-established through prior experience or occurrence.

Explanation

The sentence establishes tattooing as a talent, which inherently implies the need for specific skills and proficiency. In the context of mastering a craft, ability refers to the physical or mental power and the acquired skill needed to do something well. Since the passage later mentions developing penmanship and the skill to sketch, ability is the most logically consistent term to describe the technical competence that must be cultivated over time alongside the investment of effort.

Explanation

In the context of the passage, tattooing is established as a talent and a craft that requires significant time and dedication. The sentence refers to the various forms and levels of proficiency or skill required to perform the art. The word ability refers to the possession of the means or skill to do something, which aligns with the characterization of tattooing as a technical and artistic pursuit. It complements the word kinds by indicating that there are both different styles of tattoos and different degrees of skill or expertise involved in the practice.

Explanation

In the context of artistic expression and creative fields, the term genres refers to specific categories or styles characterized by a particular form, content, or technique. The passage establishes tattooing as an artistic talent and a form of artwork, making genres the most appropriate word to pair with kinds when describing the diverse classifications and stylistic variations, such as tribal, realism, or traditional styles, found within the practice of tattooing.

Explanation

The sentence uses the past continuous tense in the first clause as it was getting late to establish a past context. To maintain grammatical consistency and tense agreement within the sentence, the subsequent action performed by the subject Lata must also be expressed in the past tense. The word left is the past simple form of the verb leave, which correctly indicates a completed action that occurred during the past timeframe established at the beginning of the sentence.

Explanation

The idiom cat's paw refers to a person who is used by another to carry out a dangerous, difficult, or unpleasant task, essentially serving as a tool or a dupe for someone else's benefit. This expression originates from an ancient fable involving a monkey and a cat. In the story, a clever monkey persuades a cat to pull roasting chestnuts out of a hot fire. While the cat burns its paws performing the task, the monkey eats all the chestnuts, leaving the cat with nothing but its injuries. In contemporary English, it describes anyone who is manipulated into doing another person's dirty work.

Explanation

The term quadruped is derived from the Latin roots quattuor, meaning four, and pes, meaning foot. It refers specifically to any animal that possesses four feet and typically uses all of them for walking or running. This classification encompasses a vast majority of land-dwelling vertebrates that maintain a four-legged gait.

Explanation

The phrase I get myself tired is grammatically incorrect because the reflexive pronoun myself is redundant in this context. When expressing a change in physical or mental state, the verb get functions as a linking verb followed directly by an adjective, such as tired. The reflexive pronoun would imply that the subject is intentionally performing an action to make themselves tired, whereas the intended meaning is simply becoming tired or feeling fatigued. The correct grammatical structure is I get tired, which naturally describes the state of the subject without the need for an object or a reflexive pronoun.

Explanation

The context of the sentence describes the physical process of tattooing, where a design made of ink and color is placed into the skin permanently. The term embedding refers to the act of fixing an object or substance firmly and deeply into a surrounding mass or surface. In the tattooing process, needles are used to insert pigment into the dermis layer of the skin, effectively embedding the ink so that it remains a permanent part of the flesh.