SSC CGL Tier 1 2024 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The error in this segment is the use of the adverb violently after the linking verb became. In English grammar, linking verbs such as become, seem, feel, and appear are used to connect the subject of a sentence to an adjective that describes the subject. Adverbs are used to modify actions, whereas adjectives are required here to function as a subject complement. To maintain grammatical correctness, the adjective violent must be used instead of the adverb violently to describe the state or condition of the lions.

Explanation

The word gist refers to the substance or general meaning of a speech or text. It specifically denotes the most essential part or the central theme of a communication. When one identifies the gist of a passage, lecture, or book, they are pinpointing the core message or the fundamental argument being presented, stripped of unnecessary details and supporting evidence. This term is standard in literary and linguistic analysis to describe the concise summary of the main point.

Explanation

The word grotesque describes something that is comically or repulsively distorted, unnatural, or bizarre in appearance. It is typically used to characterize figures or objects that are hideously misshapen or aesthetically offensive. Because ugly refers to something that is unpleasant or repulsive to the sight, it serves as the most appropriate synonym for grotesque in this context.

Explanation

The sentence compares one specific suit against all the other suits available in the shop, which requires the use of the superlative degree of the adjective. In English grammar, the adjective good is irregular and does not follow the standard rules for forming comparisons. Its degrees are good in the positive, better in the comparative, and best in the superlative. Since the comparison involves more than two items, the superlative form the best is the grammatically correct choice to indicate the highest quality among the entire group. This substitution aligns with the rule that the definite article the must precede a superlative adjective when it functions as the identifier of a unique item within a set.

Explanation

The word loving describes someone who feels or shows great care, fondness, and deep emotional attachment towards others. Affectionate is a direct synonym because it characterizes a person who is demonstrative in their warmth and tenderness, readily expressing their love through words or actions. Both terms convey the quality of being caring and kind-hearted in personal relationships.

Explanation

The word tangible refers to anything that is perceptible by touch or has a physical, material existence. It is derived from the Latin root tangere, which means to touch. In linguistic and legal contexts, it is used to describe objects that are concrete and can be physically grasped or seen, distinguishing them from abstract concepts or feelings. Therefore, it serves as the precise one-word substitute for the phrase describing things that can be seen and touched.

Explanation

The idiom pat myself on the back means to praise or congratulate oneself for an achievement or for doing something well. In the context of completing a marathon after months of dedication and hard work, the speaker is expressing a sense of pride and self-recognition for their perseverance and successful accomplishment of a difficult goal.

Explanation

The idiom maiden speech refers to the first speech delivered by a person, particularly a newly elected or appointed member, in a legislative body or a formal assembly. In a parliamentary context, it is the inaugural address made by a representative to the house. The word maiden when used as an adjective in this sense signifies the first occurrence or the first of its kind, making a maiden speech the debut address of the individual in that specific role or forum.

Explanation

The preposition on is the most appropriate choice when referring to the surface or the visible area of the body where a tattoo is placed. While the tattooing process involves injecting ink into the dermis layer of the skin, the resulting mark or design is idiomatically and grammatically described as being on the skin or on a specific body part. This usage aligns with standard English conventions for describing marks, patterns, or decorations that appear on a surface.

Explanation

The sentence begins with segment C, which introduces the central theme of festivals in India being celebrated to share happiness. This is followed by segment D, which uses the preposition by to explain the first way happiness is shared, specifically through the company of family members, and ends with the conjunction and to indicate that a second method follows. Segment A introduces this second method of giving happiness to the poor at the same time. The sentence concludes with segment B, which specifies the exact means by which that happiness is provided, such as food, clothes, and money. This sequence creates a coherent and grammatically correct structure that progresses logically from the main idea to specific practical examples.

Explanation

The sentence follows the simple present tense structure: Subject + V₁(s/es) + Object. To convert this into passive voice, the formula Object + is/am/are + V₃ + by + Subject is applied. The object the meal is singular, so it requires the helping verb is, followed by the past participle prepared. The phrase with great care functions as an adverbial modifier describing the action, and the original subject the chef is placed after the preposition by.

Explanation

The word necessary refers to something that is required, mandatory, or indispensable to achieve a specific result or fulfill a certain condition. Essential is the most appropriate synonym as it describes something that is absolutely needed or fundamental in nature, making it impossible to do without. Both terms signify a requirement that is vital for the existence, success, or completion of a task.

Explanation

The sentence "The novels of Dickens are being read by Mayank" is in the passive voice and uses the present continuous tense, identified by the structure [Object] + [is/are] + being + [Past Participle] + by + [Subject]. To convert this into the active voice, the structure changes to [Subject] + [is/are] + [Verb+ing] + [Object].

In this specific transformation, Mayank is the subject and the novels of Dickens are the object. Since the subject Mayank is singular, the auxiliary verb is must be used followed by the present participle reading. Consequently, the sentence becomes Mayank is reading the novels of Dickens.

Explanation

Ophidiophobia is the clinical term for the intense and irrational fear of snakes. The term originates from the Greek words ophis, which translates to snake, and phobos, meaning fear. It is one of the most common specific phobias and falls under the broader category of herpetophobia, the fear of reptiles. People with this condition often experience significant anxiety or physical symptoms such as sweating, increased heart rate, and nausea when they encounter a snake or even when they see depictions of snakes in media.

Explanation

The passage distinguishes between the passive act of hearing and the active process of listening. By stating that listening starts with hearing but goes beyond, the text indicates that listening exceeds the scope of simple sound perception. The preposition beyond is used to show that a process or concept surpasses a specific limit or includes additional elements, which aligns with the subsequent explanation that listening requires attention, concentration, and mental interpretation in addition to the physical ability to hear.

Explanation

The sentence employs the logical and idiomatic phrase necessary but not sufficient condition. In logic and linguistics, a condition refers to a prerequisite or a requirement that must be satisfied for a specific outcome to be achieved. The text explains that while hearing is a requirement for listening, it does not, by itself, fulfill all the requirements of the listening process, which also involves attention and mental processing. Thus, condition is the only term that accurately describes this relationship of requirement.

Explanation

The phrasal verb calls for means to require, demand, or make something necessary. In the context of the passage, the act of listening is presented as an active mental activity rather than a passive physical reflex. Consequently, stating that listening is a process that calls for concentration accurately conveys that concentration is an essential requirement for the process of listening to be performed effectively.

Explanation

The passage describes listening as a comprehensive process that extends beyond the physical act of hearing. The phrase as well as functions as a cumulative conjunction used to add information, indicating that listening requires the use of the ears in addition to the eyes for observation and the mind for interpretation. This usage maintains the logical flow of the argument that listening is a multi-dimensional activity involving multiple faculties simultaneously.

Explanation

Communication is fundamentally a two-way exchange of information, ideas, and feedback between a sender and a receiver. The passage describes listening as a complex, active process involving attention, observation, and interpretation rather than a passive act. This dynamic engagement between the participants, where the listener actively processes the speaker's message and the speaker adjusts to the listener's cues, characterizes good communication as an interactive process.

Explanation

The segment very louder is grammatically incorrect because the intensifier very is used only with the positive degree of an adjective or adverb, such as very loud or very loudly. It cannot be used to modify a comparative degree like louder. To intensify a comparative form, words such as much, far, or way should be used instead. Additionally, since the sentence modifies the verb barks and does not involve a comparison between two entities, the correct usage requires the positive adverbial form very loudly.

Explanation

The original sentence is in the passive voice in the simple past tense, as indicated by the structure was + past participle (was performed). To convert this into the active voice, the object of the passive sentence (the comedian) becomes the subject, and the past tense form of the verb (performed) is used. The formula for the active voice in the simple past is Subject + V₂ + Object. Therefore, the comedian performed a comic play is the correct transformation.

Explanation

The sentence establishes a contrast using the conjunction but, indicating that the outcome in the second part of the sentence is the opposite of the initial result. The word failed means to be unsuccessful in achieving a goal. The most appropriate antonym for failed in this context is succeeded, which means to achieve the desired aim or result. This creates a logical progression from Ram's initial lack of success to his eventual accomplishment in every field.

Explanation

The sentence identifies Raj's specific area of interest as human psychology, which is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. Consequently, the most logical choice for his master's degree is psychology, as this academic discipline directly encompasses the theories, research methods, and clinical practices associated with understanding human mental processes and social conduct.

Explanation

Exhilaration is derived from the Latin verb exhilarare, meaning to gladden or make cheerful. The spelling is rooted in the word hilaris, which means cheerful and forms the basis for related words like hilarity and hilarious. It is constructed using the prefix ex-, the root hilar, and the noun suffix -ation.

Explanation

The idiom fall flat is used to describe a situation where an attempt to be funny, influential, or impressive fails completely to achieve its intended purpose. In the context of a speech, if it falls flat with an audience, it means that the words failed to evoke any interest, emotion, or reaction from the listeners. Consequently, the speech resulted in a total lack of impact or resonance, which is synonymous with having no effect on the crowd.

Explanation

A debut refers to the first public appearance or performance of an entertainer, athlete, or artist. It signifies the formal introduction of a person or a creative work to the audience for the first time. The term is widely used in music, cinema, sports, and literature to mark the beginning of a professional career or the premiere of a new project.

Explanation

The sentence follows a logical narrative sequence starting with the subject and the main problem in parts (B) and (E), where the grandmother is unable to find her spectacles. Part (E) concludes with the subordinating conjunction "because she had," which necessitates a past participle to complete the past perfect tense. This is provided by part (D) "placed them on her head." The sentence then continues with part (A) to describe the resulting action using the coordinating conjunction "and," explaining that she "was searching for them." Finally, part (C) "all around the house" acts as an adverbial phrase of place, indicating where the search was conducted. Thus, the sequence B-E-D-A-C creates a grammatically sound and coherent sentence.

Explanation

Rampage refers to a period of violent and uncontrollable behavior, typically involving rushing through a place and causing widespread destruction and loud noise. It accurately describes the action of moving wildly through an area while inflicting damage.

Explanation

This sentence follows the structure of the First Conditional, which is used to describe real or possible situations in the present or future. In such constructions, the if-clause uses the simple present tense (runs), while the main clause requires the simple future tense (will get) to indicate the likely outcome. The formula for this type of conditional is If + Simple Present, + Simple Future (will + verb). Therefore, will get correctly completes the sentence to show the future result of the condition being fulfilled.

Explanation

Laudable is an adjective used to describe an action, idea, or goal that is deserving of praise and admiration. It stems from the Latin word laudare, meaning to praise. Conversely, deplorable refers to something that is shockingly bad, wretched, or deserving of strong condemnation and censure. Since laudable denotes something worthy of approval and merit, deplorable serves as its direct antonym by describing something that is contemptible and worthy of absolute disapproval.

Explanation

The word dissolve means to disappear, vanish, or cease to be visible, often by breaking down or melting into a solution. Its most appropriate antonym is appear, which means to come into sight, become visible, or emerge into existence. While dissolve implies a process of fading away or being lost to view, appear describes the opposite action of becoming present or perceptible.

Explanation

The sentence is structured as an imperative statement followed by a temporal clause. Stay humble (S) and and polite (R) are joined to form the compound predicate of the main clause, establishing the recommended character traits. The phrase when you (Q) acts as a subordinating conjunction that introduces the condition under which these traits should be maintained. Achieve success (P) completes this subordinate clause by providing the specific circumstance. Arranged as SRQP, the sentence Stay humble and polite when you achieve success follows standard English syntax and conveys a clear, logical piece of advice.

Explanation

The adverb truly is derived from the adjective true. While many words ending in a silent e retain that letter when the suffix -ly is added, true is a specific exception to this spelling rule. In this case, the final e is dropped before adding the suffix, resulting in the correct form truly. This pattern of dropping the silent e is also seen in related words such as duly and wholly.

Explanation

The word affiliated refers to being officially attached, connected, or associated with a larger organization or body. In an academic context, it signifies a formal partnership or relationship between institutions for mutual benefit or recognition. The word allied serves as a synonym because it describes entities that are joined, linked, or associated together through a formal agreement, common purpose, or cooperative relationship. Both terms denote a state of being connected or associated in a professional or official capacity.

Explanation

The verb specialise is an intransitive verb that requires the preposition in when referring to a specific field, activity, or area of expertise. In English grammar, fixed prepositional collocations dictate that one specialises in a subject rather than specialises at it. Therefore, the phrase The company specialises at is grammatically incorrect and should be corrected to The company specialises in to properly link the subject to the activities of designing, crafting, and manufacturing.

Explanation

The word legitimate in this context describes something that is authentic, real, or conforming to recognized standards. It implies that the restaurant serves traditional food that is true to its origins in Mexico. The term genuine is the most appropriate synonym because it characterizes something as being truly what it is claimed to be, capturing the same sense of authenticity and originality as specified in the sentence.

Explanation

The word derogatory is an adjective used to describe comments, attitudes, or actions that are intentionally disrespectful, critical, or demeaning. It is used when someone expresses a low opinion of something or someone to diminish their reputation. Insulting is the most appropriate synonym as it specifically refers to speech or behavior that is scornful, abusive, and intended to offend or belittle the recipient.

Explanation

The original sentence is in the Present Continuous tense, indicated by the construction is conducting. To convert a sentence in the Present Continuous tense into the passive voice, the structure used is: Subject + am/is/are + being + past participle (V3) + by + Object.

In this sentence, the object experiments is plural, so it requires the auxiliary verb are followed by being and the past participle conducted. The prepositional phrase on a new drug that could revolutionise the treatment of the disease remains unchanged as it modifies the object. The subject the research team is placed at the end of the clause following the preposition by, resulting in the correct passive form: Experiments are being conducted on a new drug that could revolutionise the treatment of the disease by the research team.

Explanation

The idiom straight from the horse's mouth is used to describe information that comes directly from the original or most reliable source. Since Leela was physically present in the class when the fight occurred, she is a primary witness with first-hand knowledge. Obtaining information from such a person ensures it is authentic and accurate rather than being based on hearsay or second-hand reports.

Explanation

The sentence describes the geographical location of Kuno Palpur National Park within the state of Madhya Pradesh. The term region is the most suitable fit as it refers to a specific geographic area or territory characterized by certain physical or environmental features. Kuno National Park is located in the Sheopur and Morena districts, which fall within the broader Chambal region of the state. This term provides the necessary spatial context for the park's location.

Explanation

In ecological and wildlife management terminology, a prey base refers to the population of herbivorous animals available for predators to hunt. The passage lists several species such as spotted deer, sambhar, neelgai, chinkara, wild boar, and four-horned antelope, all of which are primary natural food sources for large felids like lions, leopards, or cheetahs. The presence of a healthy population of these herbivores ensures that the habitat can sustain large carnivores, making prey the most appropriate term to describe the foundation required for the successful reintroduction or maintenance of big cat species in the Kuno Palpur National Park.

Explanation

The sentence discusses the legal and political stance taken by the Gujarat government regarding the relocation of Asiatic lions. In this context, the state asserted a specific position or stated a case as a matter of right or fact. The word claimed is the most appropriate fit as it signifies the act of asserting that something is true or exists, which aligns with Gujarat's argument that lions are an integral part of the state's cultural and natural heritage. This term is standard when referring to the arguments presented by a party in a dispute or formal objection process.

Explanation

In the context of administrative or conservation performance, a record refers to the history of past actions, successes, or failures of an entity. During the legal and political deliberations regarding the relocation of Asiatic lions, the Gujarat government argued that Madhya Pradesh possessed a poor record in wildlife management, specifically citing concerns over tiger poaching and the ability to provide adequate protection to big cats. The term perfectly fits the phrase to describe the documented history of a state's performance in a specific field.

Explanation

The context of the passage describes the objections raised by the Gujarat government against the translocation of Asiatic lions to Madhya Pradesh. In the fifth blank, the word must reflect a negative outcome or a threat to the lion relocation project caused by the presence of other big cat species like leopards. Jeopardise, which means to put someone or something into a situation in which there is a danger of loss, harm, or failure, fits logically as it describes how the existing predator population might threaten or compromise the success of the newly introduced lions through inter-species competition or conflict.

Explanation

A cannibal is defined as a person who eats the flesh of other human beings. In contrast, scavengers are organisms that feed on dead and decaying animal or plant matter.

Explanation

The idiom the lion's share refers to the largest part or the majority of something. It originates from Aesop's Fables, where a lion, hunting with other animals, demands the greatest portion of the prey for himself based on his strength and status. In the context of the sentence, it indicates that the brother consistently received the largest amount or the major portion of the food served.

Explanation

The subject of the sentence is He and his friends, which is a compound subject joined by the conjunction and. According to the rules of subject-verb agreement, when two or more subjects are connected by and, they are treated as a plural subject and require a plural verb. The auxiliary verb does is singular and is used with third-person singular subjects such as he, she, or it. To maintain grammatical correctness with a plural subject, the plural auxiliary verb do must be used. Therefore, the segment does not contains an error and should be replaced with do not.

Explanation

The idiom pull one's socks up means to make a significant and determined effort to improve one's performance, work, or behavior. It is commonly used to encourage someone to increase their dedication when their current level of effort is deemed insufficient for a desired outcome. In the context of preparing for a Board exam to achieve outstanding grades, the phrase indicates that the students must increase their level of study and diligence compared to their previous efforts.

Explanation

The segment as a major contributor to an industry revenue contains an incorrect use of the article an. In this context, the sentence refers to the specific revenue generated by the IT industry mentioned in the preceding clause. Therefore, the definite article the should be used instead of the indefinite article an to indicate this specific relationship. Alternatively, the article could be omitted entirely because revenue is typically used as an uncountable noun when referring to total income or earnings in a general industrial sense. The use of an is grammatically improper here as it implies any random industry, which breaks the logical consistency of the sentence.

Explanation

The word nominal refers to something that is very small or far below the real value or cost. It can also describe something that exists in name only rather than being real or practical, often implying insignificance. The antonym significant describes something that is sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention, or something that is large in amount or value. While nominal suggests a token amount or lack of importance, significant denotes importance and substantiality.