SSC CGL Tier 1 2023 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

Sentence B serves as the opening statement by introducing the textile industry in India and establishing its long historical background. Sentence C continues the description of the industry by highlighting its immense diversity, ranging from traditional hand-woven methods to modern capital-intensive mills. Sentence D then identifies the specific characteristics that set the sector apart, such as its historical traditions and its tight ties to agriculture. Sentence A logically follows D because the phrase these ties acts as a grammatical pointer referring back to the agricultural and historical connections mentioned in the preceding sentence. This sequence moves logically from a broad historical introduction to specific industry characteristics and finally to contemporary government efforts regarding those characteristics.

Explanation

The word conceal means to hide something from view or to keep information secret and prevent it from being known. Its direct antonym is reveal, which means to make something known to others or to allow something that was hidden to be seen. While concealing involves a deliberate effort to cover or mask, revealing involves the act of uncovering or disclosing.

Explanation

The quantifier few conveys a negative meaning, implying hardly any or almost none. In contrast, the expression a few is used with plural countable nouns to indicate a small number or some in a positive sense. When describing a duration of time spent in an action, such as standing or waiting, the indefinite article a is required to denote a short period. Consequently, for a few moments is the grammatically correct phrase to indicate that the stranger stood for a brief interval.

Explanation

Memory refers to the mental faculty of retaining and recalling information, experiences, or events from the past. It represents the preservation of knowledge and the state of being remembered. Oblivion signifies a state of being completely forgotten or a condition where one is unaware or unconscious of what is happening. While memory is characterized by the retention and presence of thoughts or data in the mind, oblivion represents the total loss or extinction of such recollections, making it the direct conceptual opposite.

Explanation

The word function refers to the natural purpose or the specific role that something is designed to perform. In this context, the sentence describes the fundamental objective of the civil service within the government structure. By stating that the function of civil services is to ensure the timely and effective delivery of services, the passage identifies the core operational purpose of the institution. This fits grammatically and semantically as it introduces the reason for the existence of the civil service before detailing its various responsibilities and requirements.

Explanation

The context of the sentence describes the administrative and operational responsibilities of civil servants. Managing the implementation of policies and programmes refers to the oversight, coordination, and execution of government initiatives to ensure they achieve their intended objectives. This term aligns with the subsequent phrase managing budgets, establishing a parallel structure that describes the core executive functions of public officials. In public administration, civil servants are primarily responsible for the day-to-day supervision and practical delivery of public projects, making managing the most appropriate descriptor for their role in the implementation phase.

Explanation

The context of the passage highlights the complex responsibilities of civil servants, such as managing budgets and implementing programs. To handle these tasks, they must possess cognitive competencies that allow them to navigate administrative challenges. Problem-solving skills are naturally paired with analytical skills in this professional context because they represent the ability to identify issues and formulate effective solutions. These skills ensure that civil servants can interpret government processes and apply them to resolve real-world complications in public service delivery.

Explanation

Civil servants are governed by a code of conduct that prioritizes administrative values such as impartiality, integrity, and efficiency to ensure the optimal use of public resources and the effective delivery of services. In the context of public administration, efficiency refers to the ability to achieve desired outcomes with minimal waste and maximum productivity, which directly aligns with the passage's earlier emphasis on providing services to citizens in a timely and effective manner. These core values are fundamental to maintaining professionalism and ensuring that government programs are executed competently.

Explanation

In the context of governance, the verb uphold means to support, maintain, or defend a law, principle, or practice. The passage describes civil servants as integral components of the government who must follow a code of conduct emphasizing integrity and impartiality. Therefore, they play a vital role in upholding democratic values, ensuring that the fundamental principles of the state are preserved and enforced during the implementation of policies. This term perfectly complements the phrase promoting the public good, as both actions reflect the positive and protective responsibilities of public officials toward the democratic framework and the citizens they serve.

Explanation

The term rambling specifically describes the act of talking or writing at length in a confused, inconsequential, or long-winded manner. It accurately captures the essence of speaking for an extended period about unimportant matters without a clear point or structure, making it the most suitable replacement for the phrase speaking at length about trivial things.

Explanation

The words accept and except are near-homonyms, often referred to as paronyms, because they share a very similar pronunciation despite having different meanings and spellings. In many dialects of English, the unstressed initial vowels are pronounced so similarly that the two words sound nearly identical in rapid speech. While accept is a verb meaning to receive or agree to something, except is primarily used as a preposition or conjunction meaning to exclude. This high degree of phonetic resemblance makes except the closest homonym to accept.

Explanation

The sentence is grammatically sound and follows standard English syntax. The plural subject They correctly agrees with the base form verb allege in the present simple tense. The introductory clause leads into a noun clause starting with that there is a delay, where the singular verb is matches the singular noun delay. The prepositional phrase in procuring stationery correctly utilizes the gerund procuring and the noun stationery, which refers to writing materials. The concluding phrase due to the faulty purchase orders accurately attributes the cause of the delay using appropriate prepositional usage. Since the subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, and word choices are all accurate, the sentence contains no errors.

Explanation

Sentence (a) follows the standard active voice structure where the subject performs the action of the verb. In this case, the subject is the neighbours, the verb is have called in the present perfect tense, and the object is the police. Because the subject of the sentence is the actual doer of the action described, it fulfills the grammatical requirements of the active voice. The construction adheres to the formula Subject + auxiliary verb + past participle + Object.

Explanation

The word connote refers to the action of suggesting or implying a meaning in addition to the literal or primary definition. It describes how a term or expression carries certain nuances, associations, or secondary ideas. To convey means to communicate or make an idea, impression, or feeling known. In the context of language and expression, both terms are used to describe the process of transmitting or suggesting specific meanings to an audience, making them synonymous in their focus on the communication of information or concepts.

Explanation

In this context, the word fair refers to a festive event or gathering that features various amusements, rides, stalls, and entertainment. This is a common noun used to describe a recreational exhibition or carnival that children typically participate in and find enjoyable.

Explanation

The idiom dance attendance means to be constantly available to serve or please someone, often in an excessively attentive or subservient manner. It typically describes a situation where one person waits on another and follows their orders or whims immediately. In this sentence, the context of a rich and famous individual expecting special treatment and constant service from those around them makes this phrase the most suitable choice to describe the act of being at someone's beck and call.

Explanation

The word calender is incorrectly spelled in the given sentence. The correct spelling is calendar, which refers to a chart or series of pages showing the days, weeks, and months of a particular year. This word is derived from the Latin calendarium, meaning account book, and traditionally ends with the suffix -ar. While calender is an actual English word, it refers specifically to a machine with rollers used in the textile or paper industry to smooth or glaze materials, which does not fit the context of routine household activities.

Explanation

Bark refers to the outermost layers of stems and roots of woody plants, including trees. It functions as a protective shield for the tree against physical damage, moisture loss, extreme temperatures, and various pathogens or pests. It comprises several layers, including the periderm and secondary phloem, which together ensure the structural integrity and survival of the tree.

Explanation

The phrasal verb come up means to be mentioned or introduced as a subject for discussion during a conversation or a formal meeting. In the given sentence, the phrase was raised for discussion signifies that the question was brought to the attention of the members for deliberation. The past tense form came up accurately conveys that the topic emerged or was presented for consideration during the assembly session.

Explanation

The grammatical error is located in segment C due to the incorrect use of the indefinite article. In English grammar, the article a is used before words that begin with a consonant sound, whereas the article an is used before words that begin with a vowel sound. Since the adjective expensive begins with the vowel sound /ɪ/, it must be preceded by an. Therefore, the correct phrasing is to buy an expensive car.

Explanation

The idiom treading on thin ice is a metaphorical expression used to describe a situation where someone is taking a significant risk or is in a highly precarious position. It originates from the literal danger of walking on ice that is not thick enough to support a person's weight, which could lead to falling into freezing water. In a figurative sense, it implies that the person is involved in a sensitive or dangerous activity where any slight error or further provocation could result in serious trouble, failure, or unpleasant consequences. It highlights the need for extreme caution due to the instability of the current circumstances.

Explanation

Sentence B introduces the central subject of the paragraph, which is Wendy Levinson's research involving recorded conversations between physicians and patients. Sentence D follows by dividing the group of physicians mentioned in the opening sentence into two categories, starting with the half that had never been sued. Sentence A maintains the flow by describing the other half of the group and noting that Levinson found clear differences between the two sets of doctors based on their conversations. Sentence C concludes the narrative by providing a specific finding from the study, detailing the exact difference in time spent with patients by the surgeons who had never been sued compared to those who had.

Explanation

The word devastating refers to something that causes severe shock, distress, or extensive damage and ruin. In the context of the sentence, it describes the severe negative impacts of a crisis on socio-economic and humanitarian aspects. Destructive is a direct synonym as it defines something that causes great harm, damage, or injury, perfectly matching the sense of ruinous impact conveyed by devastating.

Explanation

The word crucial is an adjective used to describe something that is of the highest importance or significance in a particular context. Its correct spelling is c-r-u-c-i-a-l. In English orthography, the sh sound in this word is produced by the combination of the letters c and i before the suffix al. Within the sentence, it correctly functions as a modifier for the noun role to emphasize the essential and vital impact education has on disrupting the generational patterns of poverty and child labour.

Explanation

Sentence A introduces the overarching context by citing a study sponsored by the World Health Organisation and the Harvard School of Public Health, which identifies stress diseases and accidents as the primary killers in 2020. Sentence D logically follows A as it provides specific details regarding the stress diseases mentioned, ranking heart disease and depression as first and second. Sentence B continues this statistical breakdown by identifying road traffic accidents as the third largest killer. Finally, sentence C uses the demonstrative phrase these accidents to refer back to the road traffic accidents mentioned in B, adding a qualitative observation about their link to psycho-social stress.

Explanation

The word replicates is a synonym for reproduce because both terms refer to the process of making a copy, duplicate, or likeness of something. In the biological context of the sentence, DNA replication specifically describes the mechanism where a DNA molecule acts as a template to produce an exact genetic copy of itself. This act of duplication is functionally identical to reproduction, as both involve the generation of new material that mirrors the original structure to maintain biological information across cells or generations.

Explanation

In biological and agricultural terminology, a mare is defined specifically as an adult female horse. This classification is used to distinguish the female of the species from the adult male, known as a stallion, or the young horse, known as a foal. Typically, a female horse is referred to as a mare once she reaches the age of four or five years.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the simple past tense with the structure: Subject (We) + V₂ (compelled) + Object (the teacher) + Infinitive Phrase (to finish the class sooner). To convert this into passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. The verb is changed to its passive form using the auxiliary verb was or were plus the past participle (V₃). Since the teacher is singular, was compelled is used. The rest of the sentence, including the infinitive phrase, follows the verb to maintain the original meaning.

Explanation

In the context of personality and professional behavior, the word flexible refers to a person who is adaptable, versatile, and willing to change or compromise when necessary. The word rigid serves as the direct antonym because it describes someone who is stiff, unyielding, and fixed in their ways or opinions. A rigid individual refuses to adapt to new situations or modify their approach, representing the exact opposite characteristic of flexibility.

Explanation

The subject of the sentence is the singular noun phrase The challenge. In English grammar, the principle of subject-verb agreement requires a singular verb to match a singular subject. The phrase in Madras high court to the Emergency-era shifting of education from state list to concurrent list serves as a prepositional modifier and does not change the number of the subject. Additionally, the passage uses the present tense to describe the current state of the education sector and the ongoing nature of the legal situation. Therefore, the singular present tense verb is correctly completes the sentence.

Explanation

The word since is used to denote the starting point of a period of time that continues up to the present. In the sentence structure where a specific duration of time has elapsed (Forty-six years have passed) following a specific event (the 42nd Constitution Amendment Act), since serves as the appropriate conjunction to link the past event to the current state of time. This usage is standard with the present perfect tense to indicate how much time has gone by from a fixed point in the past until now.

Explanation

The context of the passage discusses the permanence of developments within the education sector over the last forty-six years. The term reversed is the most appropriate choice because it specifically refers to the act of undoing or nullifying a process, change, or policy to return it to its previous state. In the sentence, the author argues that because so much time has passed and numerous structural changes have been implemented, such as nationalized testing and policy restructuring, these shifts cannot be undone or negated. This aligns with the opening sentence's metaphor of a futile exercise in turning back the clock, emphasizing that the evolution of the system is now ingrained and irreversible.

Explanation

The sentence requires a noun to act as the direct object of the transitive verb enjoy. In the context of the passage, which discusses the distribution of powers between the Centre and the states regarding education, the term flexibility refers to the autonomy and freedom of action that states still possess. The grammatical structure enjoy flexibility to operate correctly indicates that states retain the ability to manage their own universities and schools according to their specific needs.

Explanation

The blank requires an adverb to modify the verb phrase is headed. The context of the sentence describes a deep-rooted and permanent societal trend towards English medium instruction that persists despite the shifting preferences of the central government. The word irrevocably serves as an adverb meaning in a way that cannot be changed or reversed, perfectly describing a societal direction that has become fixed and final over time. This choice provides the necessary grammatical and semantic fit to indicate that society's movement in this direction is permanent and unalterable.

Explanation

The sentence structure follows the rules of conditional clauses, specifically the first conditional which describes a probable future result. In a first conditional sentence, the main clause uses the future tense (will + be), while the if-clause must use the simple present tense. The use of the past tense verb tried in the segment ensured if they all tried to is grammatically inconsistent with the future tense will be used earlier in the sentence. To rectify the error and maintain tense consistency, the past tense verb tried should be replaced with the simple present tense verb try.

Explanation

The term atheist is derived from the Greek prefix a-, meaning without, and theos, meaning god. It specifically identifies an individual who lacks belief in the existence of God or any supernatural deities. In linguistic and philosophical contexts, it is the standard one-word substitution for someone who denies or does not subscribe to the existence of a higher power or divine beings.

Explanation

The word converted is the most appropriate synonym for transformed in the context of recycling materials from one state or product into another. Options such as placed, evolved, or devaluated do not accurately convey the process of industrial repurposing described in the sentence.

Explanation

Wisdom refers to the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment, particularly the deep understanding of life or a subject gained through learning. In the context of the sentence, it describes the profound enlightenment and discernment that books provide to a reader. Insight is the most appropriate synonym because it signifies the capacity to gain an accurate and deep intuitive understanding of a complex issue or situation, directly reflecting the depth of thought and perception associated with wisdom.

Explanation

The sentence is in the simple past passive voice (Subject + was/were + V3 + by + Object). To convert it to active voice, the object (the boar) becomes the subject and the verb changes to simple past (V2), resulting in "The boar killed the deer."

Explanation

The word whole means entire or complete, which correctly describes the amount of biryani she could eat. The other options are homophones that do not fit the context of the sentence.

Explanation

The idiom sharp practice refers to underhanded or deceitful behavior, particularly in business or legal dealings. It describes actions that are technically legal or clever but are morally questionable, involving trickery or taking an unfair advantage of others. The term implies a level of cunning used to achieve an end through unscrupulous or dishonest methods.

Explanation

A hangar is a large building or shed used for housing and maintaining aircraft. While hanger (Option A) sounds similar, it refers to a device used for hanging clothes.

Explanation

The error lies in the segment "get extreme cold" because the word "extreme" is an adjective being used to modify another adjective "cold". In this context, an adverb "extremely" should be used instead to correctly modify the adjective.

Explanation

The word Acceptible is misspelled; the correct spelling is Acceptable. Dearth, Corrupt, and Barely are all spelled correctly.

Explanation

The word Sufficeint is incorrectly spelled; the correct spelling is Sufficient, where the i comes before the e. The other words Syrup, Superior, and Shrubbery are spelled correctly.

Explanation

The word amateur refers to a person who engages in an activity as a pastime rather than a profession, often implying a lack of specialized skill. Its most appropriate antonym is expert, which denotes someone with high proficiency, specialized knowledge, and professional mastery in a field.

Explanation

The sentence requires the use of the correlative conjunction pair not only... but also to maintain grammatical correctness. Option B correctly completes this structure, replacing and also with but also.

Explanation

The paragraph follows a chronological sequence based on the narrative of Khushwant Singh's 'The Portrait of a Lady'. Sentence A introduces the context of going to school together, D identifies the teaching of the alphabet and prayer, C describes the simultaneous activities of the children and the grandmother during the session, and B concludes the sequence by describing their return home after finishing.

Explanation

A cloudburst is defined as a sudden, very heavy rainfall, which is synonymous with a rainstorm. The other options refer to sand, snow, or food scarcity, which are unrelated to heavy rain.

Explanation

The term contemporaries refers to people who live, exist, or produce their work during the same period of time. John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelley were both leading figures of the second generation of English Romantic poetry in the early 19th century. Since the sentence explicitly states they were poets of the same period, contemporaries is the precise vocabulary word used to describe this chronological relationship.