SSC CGL Tier 1 2024 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The word quanch is misspelt; the correct spelling is quench, which means to satisfy one's thirst by drinking. All other words in the options are spelled correctly.

Explanation

The sequence ROQP logically organizes the sentence by starting with segment R, which introduces the primary subject and assertion that knowledge is a powerful tool. This is followed by segment O, which specifies the context or utility of that tool for personal growth and development. Segment Q then introduces a related action by instructing the reader to seek it, using a pronoun that refers back to the knowledge defined in the first segment. Finally, segment P completes the thought by providing the object an open mind to follow the preposition with, describing the manner in which the seeking should occur. This arrangement ensures a clear grammatical flow from the definition of a concept to an actionable recommendation.

Explanation

The error lies in the choice of the adjective interior to describe national issues. In English, when referring to domestic matters or problems occurring within a nation's borders as opposed to international ones, the standard term is internal. While interior typically refers to the physical inside of a structure or the central part of a landmass, internal is specifically used for the inner workings or domestic affairs of a system or country. Therefore, the sentence should correctly use the country's internal problems to describe domestic challenges.

Explanation

Success is defined as the achievement of a desired goal, the attainment of prosperity, or a favorable outcome of an undertaking. Failure is the direct linguistic and conceptual opposite, representing the lack of success, the inability to meet an objective, or an unsuccessful outcome. In the context of the sentence, these two terms function as polar opposites regarding the result of an endeavor.

Explanation

The word eloquent describes a person or speech that is fluent, forceful, and persuasive in expression. It implies a high level of skill in using language to convey ideas clearly and effectively to an audience. Articulate is a precise synonym because it refers to the ability to speak fluently and coherently, ensuring that thoughts are communicated in a distinct and well-organized manner. Both terms characterize a speaker who is adept at using words to influence or inspire others.

Explanation

Sentence B serves as a thematic introduction, establishing a hook by reflecting on a terrible shock experienced by a young girl. Sentence C then provides the necessary background information, explaining that the couple had been married for a month and had just returned from their honeymoon. Sentence A follows logically by describing the ball arranged specifically to celebrate the homecoming mentioned in the previous sentence. Sentence D provides the narrative climax, detailing the tragic suicide that occurred just as the ball was beginning. This arrangement creates a coherent paragraph where the background and events lead up to the incident that explains the initial reflection in sentence B.

Explanation

To convert a sentence with a modal verb from active to passive voice, the grammatical structure follows the formula: Object + Modal Verb + be + Past Participle of the main verb + by + Subject. In the sentence "He must deliver pizza," the subject is "He," the modal verb is "must," the main verb is "deliver," and the object is "pizza." When shifted to the passive voice, "pizza" becomes the subject, the modal "must" remains unchanged and is followed by "be," the verb "deliver" is converted into its past participle form "delivered," and the pronoun "he" changes to its objective form "him" acting as the agent. Applying these rules results in the construction "Pizza must be delivered by him."

Explanation

The word crux refers to the most important, central, or fundamental part of a problem, issue, or argument. In the given sentence, it describes the core point of the individual's reasoning regarding lifelong education. The word essence is a synonym that denotes the intrinsic nature or the most indispensable quality of something, representing its heart or fundamental core. Therefore, in the context of identifying the main point of an argument, essence accurately conveys the same meaning as crux.

Explanation

A scapegoat refers to a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others, often to divert attention from the real culprits or to provide a convenient target for resentment. In the given sentence, the phrase blamed for the mistakes of others describes this exact situation, where an individual is held responsible for actions they did not commit, making the term scapegoat the precise vocabulary substitution for the underlined segment.

Explanation

The idiom nobody's fool refers to a person who is shrewd, perceptive, and possesses a keen sense of judgment. Such an individual is difficult to trick or mislead because they are observant and understand the true intentions of others. It characterizes someone who has enough experience or intelligence to avoid being taken advantage of by others, making them not easily deceived.

Explanation

The segment contains a grammatical error in word choice. The word secret is an adjective, but it is positioned to modify the verb decided. According to the rules of English grammar, an adverb is required to modify a verb to describe the manner of an action. Therefore, the adjective secret must be replaced with the adverb secretly to make the sentence grammatically correct. The rectified sentence should read They secretly decided to leave the town.

Explanation

The preposition to is used after the noun surprise to indicate the person or group that experiences the emotion or impact of an event. In the idiomatic expression come as a surprise to someone, to functions as the link between the surprising event and the recipients. In this sentence, the appointment of Mr. X is the event affecting the Scheduled Tribes, necessitating the use of to to complete the prepositional phrase correctly.

Explanation

The preposition among is used to indicate that a person or thing is part of a larger group, collection, or category. In this context, it correctly identifies the Scheduled Tribes as being included within the group of the most marginalized segments of society. The use of among establishes a relationship of inclusion, highlighting their position as one of several entities that share the characteristic of being socially and economically disadvantaged. This usage is standard for denoting membership or classification within a plural set of items or people.

Explanation

The term marginalised refers to the social process of being confined to a lower social standing or being pushed to the outer edges of a group or society. It specifically describes individuals or communities who are denied access to rights, resources, and opportunities that are available to others, often resulting in a lack of power and influence. In the context of social and economic discourse, this word is the most suitable choice to describe populations that are systematically excluded from mainstream development or decision-making processes.

Explanation

The noun poverty refers to the condition where people's basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter are not being met. The passage states that, despite various efforts by the Government of India, the Adivasis are 'still under poverty and suffering', which describes continuing economic hardship alongside social deprivation. The other options (abundance, forest, river) do not fit with 'under ... and suffering'; only poverty completes the phrase logically and matches the passage's theme of marginalisation.

Explanation

The term elevation refers to the promotion or advancement of an individual to a higher rank, status, or position of greater importance. In formal, administrative, or judicial contexts, the phrase elevation of is specifically used to describe the appointment of a person to a superior office, such as a judge being raised to a higher court or a professional being moved into a position of significant authority. It signifies a formal transition to a level of increased prestige and responsibility within a hierarchy.

Explanation

A fallacy is a mistaken belief or a false idea, particularly one that is based on unsound reasoning or an illogical argument. In linguistics and logic, it refers to a failure in reasoning which renders a conclusion invalid, often leading to a widespread but incorrect notion.

Explanation

The word secure means to protect something from danger, harm, or capture, or to ensure that a location or object is safe and stable. In the context of safety and defense, securing implies the act of safeguarding and maintaining stability. Attack serves as the most appropriate antonym because it refers to the act of initiating an aggressive or offensive move to cause harm or to overcome defenses. While securing focuses on the preservation of safety, attacking focuses on the deliberate violation or destruction of that safety.

Explanation

The sentence requires the comparative degree of the adjective because the conjunction than is used to compare Gourav with a foolish person. In English, the adjective good follows an irregular comparison pattern: good (positive), better (comparative), and best (superlative). The phrase no better than is a standard idiomatic expression indicating that someone or something is essentially the same as or equivalent to another, typically in a negative context. Using the comparative form better ensures the sentence is grammatically sound and correctly structured for comparison.

Explanation

In the sentence, the word quick is an adjective being used to modify the verb ran. In English grammar, verbs must be modified by adverbs rather than adjectives to describe the manner in which an action is performed. To transform the adjective quick into its adverbial form, the suffix -ly is added, resulting in quickly. This change ensures grammatical agreement between the action and its modifier.

Explanation

The word acquiesce means to accept, comply, or agree to something silently or without protest. It implies a passive form of agreement or submission to the will of others. Similarly, concur means to be of the same opinion or to agree with a decision or action. Both terms function as synonyms because they describe the act of reaching an accord or consenting to a particular situation or proposition.

Explanation

The term invincible refers to something or someone that is too powerful to be defeated, overcome, or subdued. Etymologically, it originates from the Latin word invincibilis, which combines the prefix in- meaning not with the verb vincere meaning to conquer. Therefore, it precisely defines a person, army, or entity that cannot be conquered by an opponent or any opposing force.

Explanation

Ambition denotes a strong desire, aspiration, or drive to achieve a particular goal or status in life. Eagerness refers to a state of being keen, enthusiastic, or having a strong desire to do or have something. In the context of the sentence, the subject's ambition represents his keen desire or drive to reach a state of happiness, making eagerness the most suitable synonym.

Explanation

The idiom beside the mark means that something is irrelevant, inaccurate, or not to the point. In the context of the sentence, the book was withdrawn because the public lost interest, which logically follows if the arguments presented within the text were off-target, failed to address the intended subject effectively, or lacked relevance to the readers.

Explanation

The word receive means to take delivery of something or to welcome and admit someone into a place, society, or group. Its most appropriate antonym in this context is exile, which means to expel, banish, or force someone to leave their native country or home. While receive involves the act of accepting or letting someone in, exile represents the act of casting someone out or forcing them away.

Explanation

The original sentence is in the simple present tense with a plural object, bananas. To convert a simple present tense sentence into the passive voice, the structure used is: New Subject (the original object) + is/am/are + not + past participle (V3) + by + New Object (the original subject). Since bananas is a plural noun, the auxiliary verb are is used, followed by the negative particle not and the past participle liked. Therefore, the construction Bananas are not liked by Sonam correctly follows the rules of passive voice transformation for this tense and subject-verb agreement.

Explanation

The paragraph follows a logical progression from a general introductory statement to a detailed mechanism and finally to a concluding observation about the social impact of education.

Sentence C serves as the ideal opening statement, introducing the broad topic of education's significance in shaping character and opinion. Sentence A follows by providing specific details about the beliefs mentioned in C, explaining how they are acquired by children. Sentence B is logically linked to A through the pronoun them, which refers back to the plural noun beliefs in the previous sentence, explaining that these childhood beliefs persist into adulthood. Finally, sentence D concludes the paragraph by summarizing the result of this process: because education successfully implants lasting beliefs, it acts as the most powerful force for maintaining the status quo (what exists) and resisting fundamental change.

Explanation

PROPOSED: [d]

The term immortal refers to a being that is exempt from death or destined to live forever. It is derived from the Latin root mortalis, meaning subject to death, combined with the prefix im-, which signifies negation. In mythology and literature, it specifically describes entities that do not age, decay, or perish, thus being never able to die.

Explanation

The sentence "Someone has taken my secret diary" is in the Present Perfect tense (Subject + has/have + V3 + Object). To convert a sentence from active to passive voice in the Present Perfect tense, the structure follows the formula: New Subject + has/have + been + Past Participle (V3) + by + New Object.

Following this rule, the object "my secret diary" becomes the subject. Since "my secret diary" is singular, the auxiliary "has been" is used, followed by the past participle "taken." The original subject "someone" is then placed at the end preceded by the preposition "by," resulting in the construction "My secret diary has been taken by someone."

Explanation

Mawkish is a direct synonym for sentimental, specifically denoting sentimentality that is exaggerated, cloying, or sickly in nature. Both words describe an emotional state or appeal characterized by an emphasis on tender feelings, sadness, or pathos. In the context of making appeals to evoke a response for a cause, mawkish captures the intent to leverage strong emotional sentiment to influence the audience.

Explanation

The word atheist is derived from the Greek word atheos, where the prefix a- means without and theos means god. It refers to a person who lacks belief in the existence of God or any supreme deity. In the given sentence, the individual is described as an atheist because they do not subscribe to religious faith or the notion of a divine creator, even though they maintain a respectful attitude toward the beliefs of others.

Explanation

The idiom fish out of water refers to a person who is in an environment or situation that is unfamiliar or where they do not feel they belong. This lack of familiarity or the feeling of being out of place leads to a sense of being ill at ease or awkward. Just as a fish is in a state of distress when removed from its natural habitat of water, an individual in a new or different social setting often feels highly uncomfortable. In the context of the sentence, the speaker feels uneasy because they are in a new office where they do not yet fit in with the other employees.

Explanation

The word Exhilerate is spelled incorrectly. The correct spelling is Exhilarate. This word is derived from the Latin root hilaris, meaning cheerful or merry, which is the same root found in the word hilarious. The spelling error occurs in the third syllable where an e is used instead of the correct vowel a. Consequently, the standard English spelling requires the sequence l-a-r-a-t-e at the end of the word.

Explanation

In English grammar, certain comparative adjectives derived from Latin that end in -ior, such as superior, inferior, senior, junior, prior, and posterior, are followed by the preposition to instead of the conjunction than. When comparing the musical intelligence of two individuals, the word superior must be paired with to to maintain correct idiomatic usage. Thus, the phrase is superior than is grammatically incorrect and should be replaced with is superior to.

Explanation

The sentence describes a hypothetical or imaginary situation that is contrary to reality, which requires the use of the subjunctive mood. In English grammar, when expressing a wish, a supposition, or an improbable condition in the present or future, the past subjunctive form were is used for all persons and numbers, including the first-person singular pronoun I. This construction is typically paired with a main clause containing would, should, could, or might followed by the base form of the verb. Since the speaker is not actually the queen, the condition is purely speculative, making were the grammatically appropriate choice to indicate the counterfactual nature of the statement.

Explanation

The word quaint refers to something that is attractively unusual or old-fashioned in character. In the context of literary criticism regarding O. Henry's work, it describes an opening style that is stylized, peculiar, or whimsical. The use of the conjunction but establishes a contrast between this initial distinctive presentation and the subsequent haunting simplicity of the prose. Therefore, quaint accurately captures the specific, slightly old-world charm often found in the introductions of early twentieth-century short stories before the narrative transitions into a more straightforward emotional tone.

Explanation

The sentence describes a transition in the narrative flow of O. Henry's writing. Since the first clause refers specifically to the beginning of the story, the second clause requires an adverb that illustrates how the style changes as the reader progresses further into the text. Gradually is the most appropriate choice because it signifies a slow, steady development in the prose, moving from the initial presentation to a haunting simplicity. This adverb provides the necessary sense of progression required to connect the distinct stages of the story's stylistic evolution.

Explanation

The word dimension is the most appropriate fit in this context as it refers to a new aspect, feature, or level of depth added to a concept. In the passage, which describes O. Henry's short story The Last Leaf, the act of the old artist provides a fresh perspective or a new layer of meaning to the universal themes of sympathy and sacrifice. This usage aligns with literary analysis where a character's actions give a familiar moral element a new dimension or complexity.

Explanation

The adverb enough is used to modify the verb cares to indicate a sufficient degree or intensity of emotion required to produce a specific result. In the context of the passage, which discusses O. Henry's themes of sympathy and sacrifice, the phrase if only one cares enough suggests that heroism is accessible to anyone who possesses a necessary amount of compassion for others. This completion creates a logical transition into the discussion of how O. Henry balances his material, as the act of caring to a sufficient degree is the catalyst for the heroic sacrifice mentioned in the text.

Explanation

The passage describes O. Henry's literary style as a balanced and controlled treatment of his subject matter. In this context, the term blend refers to a harmonious mixture of different qualities or elements. O. Henry is famously known for his ability to combine lighthearted humour with deep pathos—the quality that evokes pity or sadness—in a way that creates a cohesive and impactful narrative. The word accurately captures the synthesis of these two contrasting emotional tones within his storytelling.

Explanation

The word enchanting refers to something that is delightfully charming, captivating, or fascinating, often possessing a quality that attracts and holds one's attention through beauty. The word alluring serves as its most appropriate synonym because it describes someone or something that is powerfully and mysteriously attractive or enticing. Both terms emphasize the quality of being irresistibly appealing and drawing people toward it.

Explanation

The word witty refers to the quality of being clever and funny, characterized by quick and inventive verbal humor. An antonym must describe something that lacks this humor or fails to be entertaining. The word unamusing directly serves as the opposite, as it describes something that is not funny, dull, or fails to provide amusement.

Explanation

The sentence is entirely free of spelling mistakes. The word exhibition is correctly spelled with an h following the x and an i before the b. The verb reinforce is spelled correctly using the standard prefix and root combination to mean strengthening or supporting. The noun versatility follows the correct suffix pattern for words derived from versatile, using -ility rather than -ality. All other terms, including focus and creative thinking, are also spelled according to standard English conventions.

Explanation

The word repulse is derived from the Latin repulsus, meaning to drive back or reject. It is primarily used to describe the action of driving back an attacking force or an intruder by using physical strength or resistance. Similarly, repel means to force something away or to be resistant to it. In linguistic contexts, both terms are synonyms that denote the act of pushing away an object or a person, whether physically, as in a military encounter, or figuratively, as in expressing a feeling of intense distaste or aversion.

Explanation

The segment contains a fundamental error in subject-verb agreement. In English grammar, the first-person singular pronoun I must be paired with the auxiliary verb have in the perfect tense. The verb has is used exclusively with third-person singular subjects such as he, she, it, or a singular noun. Furthermore, because the preceding clauses utilize the past tense verbs were and talked, the use of has also creates a tense inconsistency. To be grammatically accurate, the phrase should use have to satisfy subject-verb agreement or had to maintain consistency with the past narrative established in the sentence.

Explanation

The sentence follows a logical subject-verb-object-modifier structure. The sun (P) acts as the grammatical subject. It is immediately followed by the verb phrase provides essential energy (O), which establishes the primary action and the direct object. The prepositional phrase to our planet, Earth (Q) serves as the indirect object, specifying the recipient of the energy. Finally, the participial phrase sustaining life and warmth (R) provides additional information about the effect or result of the energy being provided. When arranged in the sequence POQR, the parts form the grammatically correct and meaningful sentence: The sun provides essential energy to our planet, Earth sustaining life and warmth.

Explanation

The sequence (a, g, b, c, i, d, e, f, h, j) forms the grammatically sound sentence: I heard that the chef is going to work in the new restaurant across the road. This construction follows the standard Subject-Verb-Object pattern of English. The main clause consists of the subject I and the verb heard. This is followed by a subordinate noun clause acting as the object, introduced by the conjunction that. In the subordinate clause, the chef functions as the subject, is going to work is the verb phrase indicating future intent, and the prepositional phrases in the new restaurant and across the road provide the necessary location details. This arrangement creates a clear, logical, and meaningful statement.

Explanation

The word monotonous is derived from the Greek roots for single tone, describing something that is dull, tedious, and lacking in variety or interest. In the context of the sentence, listening to the exact same lecture every day represents a repetitive and unvarying activity, making monotonous the most precise synonym for boring.

Explanation

The idiom break a leg is a common expression used in the performing arts to wish someone good luck before a performance. It is a theatrical superstition where wishing for a positive outcome is thought to invite bad luck, so performers instead wish for the opposite. In the given sentence, since the speaker is about to go on stage to sing, this idiom directly substitutes for the phrase wished me good luck.

Explanation

The sentence uses the demonstrative "this" in the phrase "this same dish," which indicates that the speaker is referring to the dish they are currently consuming. When a sentence describes a situation that has reached the present moment after a specific duration (in this case, five years after an initial event), the present continuous tense "am eating" is the most appropriate substitution. This choice ensures logical consistency between the tense and the proximity implied by the word "this."