SSC CHSL Tier 1 2013 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

When a clause begins with a negative or restrictive adverbial phrase like "Not only", grammatical inversion must be used. Inversion requires placing an auxiliary verb before the subject. Since "makes" is in the simple present tense, the auxiliary verb "does" must be introduced before the subject "she", and the main verb must change to its base form "make". Therefore, "Not only she makes" must be corrected to "Not only does she make".

Explanation

The definite article "the" is used before names of musical instruments (such as the flute, the violin, the piano) when we refer to playing them or performing on them. Therefore, "a flute" should be replaced with "the flute" to make the sentence grammatically correct.

Explanation

The sentence is grammatically correct and free from any errors. The plural pronoun "They" is correctly paired with the plural linking verb "are". The adjective "ignorant" is followed by its standard and correct preposition "of". Furthermore, the noun clause "what is happening here" is grammatically sound and functions correctly as the object of the preposition "of". All parts of the sentence are structurally and semantically accurate.

Explanation

The causative verb "make" when used in the active voice is followed by an object and a bare infinitive, which is an infinitive without "to". Therefore, the preposition "to" should be omitted after the object "the servant". The grammatically correct sentence is "My mother made the servant complete the work."

Explanation

The phrasal verb bring round means to restore someone to consciousness, revive them, or help them recover from a state of near-death or unconsciousness. In this context, the medical team is working hard to revive and save the life of the dying patient, making this the correct expression.

Explanation

The sentence describes an action in the past, established by the past tense verb tried. To maintain tense consistency, the blank must be filled with a past tense form. The idiomatic phrase to be too clever for someone means to be too shrewd or intelligent to be outwitted, tricked, or manipulated by them. Therefore, was too clever for correctly indicates that the peon outsmarted their attempt to bribe him.

Explanation

When an interrogative sentence is transformed into indirect speech, it becomes a noun clause acting as the object of the reporting verb. In this noun clause, the word order changes from interrogative (verb before subject) to assertive (subject before verb). Because the reporting verb "asked" is in the past tense, the tense inside the clause also shifts to the past. Therefore, the direct question "What is the time?" is reported with the assertive pattern and past tense as "what the time was", where "the time" functions as the subject and "was" as the verb.

Explanation

The word "embezzle" means to misappropriate or steal funds that have been placed in one's trust or care. Because brokers are in a fiduciary position and are trusted with their clients' money, any wrongful retention or misuse of these funds is legally and contextly referred to as embezzlement.

Explanation

In English grammar, when referring to an injury to a body part of which humans have multiple (such as ribs, teeth, or fingers), the indefinite article "a" or "an" is used to indicate that one of those parts was affected. Since a human has twenty-four ribs, the phrase "broke a rib" is the grammatically correct and idiomatic way to describe fracturing one of them.

Explanation

The word stratagem refers to a clever plan, scheme, or trick, especially one used to outwit an opponent or achieve a specific goal. In this context, it is synonymous with trick, as both terms represent a cunning maneuver or device designed to deceive or gain an advantage over others.

Explanation

The word "forsake" means to abandon or desert a person, place, or cause. It implies completely giving up or leaving something behind, making "abandon" the most accurate synonym among the choices.

Explanation

The word dreary is used to describe something that is dull, boring, bleak, or depressing. The appropriate opposite in meaning is interesting, which refers to something that arouses curiosity, holds one's attention, or is lively and engaging.

Explanation

The word keen is used to describe someone who is highly enthusiastic, eager, or intensely interested in something. The antonym of keen in this context is indifferent, which describes a state of being completely unconcerned, uninterested, or showing a lack of enthusiasm and care.

Explanation

The word privilege is correctly spelled with an i in the second syllable and without a d before the g. It originates from the Latin word privilegium, which is a combination of privus meaning private and lex meaning law. A privilege is a special right, advantage, or immunity granted to a particular individual or group.

Explanation

The correct spelling of the large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa is hippopotamus. The word originates from ancient Greek, combining hippos meaning horse and potamos meaning river, which literally translates to river horse. The correct spelling features a double p after the initial vowel and ends with the suffix potamus.

Explanation

The idiom till the cows come home is used to describe an action that continues for an indefinitely long period of time. The phrase originates from the slow and leisurely manner in which cows return to their barns for milking, which typically happens at the end of the day. Saying that people can sit and talk till the cows come home means they can continue their conversation for a very long time.

Explanation

The idiom "keep the wolf from the door" means to earn or have enough money to afford basic necessities such as food and clothing in order to avoid starvation, extreme poverty, or hunger. Historically, the wolf represents hunger, famine, or deprivation, so keeping the wolf away from one's door signifies having sufficient financial resources to sustain life and keep hunger at bay.

Explanation

The phrasal verb get through with means to finish or complete a task, especially one that is difficult, long, or requires significant effort. Writing a doctoral thesis is a highly demanding academic endeavor, so saying Arvind got through with it means he finally finished his thesis after hard toil.

Explanation

A harbour is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can find refuge or be anchored safely away from rough open waters, stormy weather, and strong currents. It can be naturally occurring or artificially created using breakwaters and jetties to provide a safe haven for vessels.

Explanation

A greengrocer is a retail trader who specializes in selling fresh vegetables and fruits. The term combines green, denoting fresh produce, with grocer, denoting a dealer in food and provisions, to specifically define a shopkeeper who trades in these goods.

Explanation

The word incombustible is formed by combining the prefix in- (meaning not) with combustible (meaning capable of catching fire and burning). Therefore, incombustible describes any substance or material that cannot catch fire, burn, or be consumed by fire.

Explanation

The adjective urgent is the most appropriate word to modify need in this context. While earnest means sincere or serious and typically describes a person's attitude or intentions, urgent refers to a situation that requires immediate action or pressing attention. Since the periodic review and revision of history books is a time-sensitive requirement, urgent need is the correct and most natural collocation to express this necessity.

Explanation

The original sentence is grammatically correct as written. The phrase when describing is a reduced adverb clause, which is a shortened version of when he was describing. This type of reduction is grammatically correct and standard in English because the subject of both the main clause and the adverb clause is the same person.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the passive voice of the present continuous tense, which follows the structure: Subject + is/am/are + being + past participle (V3) + by + Object.

To convert this passive voice sentence into the active voice, the structure changes to: Subject + is/am/are + present participle (V-ing) + Object.

Applying this grammatical rule, the object of the passive sentence "the girl" becomes the subject of the active sentence, the passive verb form "is being learnt" converts to the active continuous form "is learning", and the subject of the passive sentence "Differential Calculus" becomes the direct object. This results in the active voice sentence: "The girl is learning Differential Calculus."

Explanation

The given sentence is in the active voice and simple past tense, which is indicated by the verb arranged. To convert a simple past active sentence into the passive voice, the structure changes from subject + past tense verb + object to new subject + was/were + past participle of the verb. Since furniture is an uncountable noun, it is grammatically treated as singular and takes the singular auxiliary verb was. Thus, the active verb arranged is transformed into was arranged in the passive construction.

Explanation

The active sentence is an imperative sentence containing a command or instruction: "add one tablespoonful of baking powder to the cake mixture".

When converting an active imperative sentence with a direct object into the passive voice, the standard grammatical structure is: Let + Object + be + Past Participle (V3) + prepositional phrase/extension

In this sentence, the direct object is "one tablespoonful of baking powder" and the verb is "add" (which becomes "added" in its past participle form). Applying the formula gives: Let one tablespoonful of baking powder be added to the cake mixture.

The purpose clause "To make the batter" is placed at the end of the passive clause to maintain a smooth flow and grammatical correctness. This results in: Let one tablespoonful of baking powder be added to the cake mixture to make the batter.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the passive voice in the simple present tense, indicated by the auxiliary verb "is" combined with the past participle "looked after". To convert this into the active voice, the prepositional agent "by whom" is converted back to the interrogative pronoun subject "who". The simple present passive verb "is looked after" changes to its active form "looks after", and the passive subject "John" becomes the direct object. This results in the active voice sentence "Who looks after John?".

Explanation

The given sentence is in the Active Voice and is in the Simple Past Tense. The structure of the active voice sentence with a prepositional verb is: Subject + verb in past tense (V2) + preposition + object.

To convert this sentence into the Passive Voice, the object of the active sentence (the fence) becomes the subject of the passive sentence. The auxiliary verb (was) is added because the new subject is singular and the original sentence is in the past tense, followed by the past participle form of the verb (jumped), the preposition (over), and the agent introduced by the preposition (by the horse). The standard structure for this transformation is: Object + was/were + past participle of verb (V3) + preposition + by + Subject. Applying this rule directly gives: The fence was jumped over by the horse.

Explanation

The given sentence is in indirect speech. To convert it into direct speech, the reporting verb urged is changed back to said to because it is followed by the object the child. The infinitive phrase to come on the footpath represents an imperative command, which is converted back into the direct imperative form starting with the base verb Come on the footpath. This gives the direct speech sentence: The mother said to the child, "Come on the footpath."

Explanation

When converting direct speech into indirect speech, several grammatical transformations are required because the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense. The pronoun "we" changes to "they" to match the third-person perspective. The modal verb "shall" changes to "would" to indicate the future in the past, matching the pronoun "they". Finally, the adverb of time "tomorrow" is converted to "the next day". Combining these changes results in the grammatically correct indirect assertion.

Explanation

When converting direct speech into indirect speech, the reporting verb phrase "said to the tree" changes to "told the tree" because "told" is a transitive verb that directly takes the listener as an object without the preposition "to". The first-person pronoun "I" and the contraction "I'm" refer to the speaker, the little boy, and thus change to "he" and "he was" respectively. The present tense auxiliary "can't" changes to the past tense "couldn't" to match the past tense reporting verb. Finally, the possessive pronoun "your" refers to the listener, the tree, and changes to "its". Applying these standard grammatical transformations results in the correct indirect statement.

Explanation

The direct speech is converted into indirect speech by changing the tenses and reporting verbs appropriately. The phrase I'm sorry is reported using the verb regretted to convey the swallow's emotion. The present tense modal cannot shifts to the past tense couldn't, and the present passive tense I'm waited for shifts to the past passive was waited for. The two statements are joined cohesively using the conjunction as, which establishes the correct causal link between the swallow's regret at not being able to stay and the reason for it.

Explanation

When converting direct speech into indirect speech, the tense of the verb in the reported speech does not change if the reporting verb is in the present tense. In this sentence, the reporting verb "reads" is in the simple present tense. Therefore, the modal verb "will" in the direct speech remains unchanged as "will" in the indirect speech, and the conjunction "that" is added to connect the clauses.

Explanation

Sentence 1 introduces the concept of self-help. Sentence R transitions into a contrast by introducing a group of men in society who do not exert themselves. Sentence P logically follows R by using the pronoun 'they' to explain what these inactive men prefer. Sentence S continues this point by explaining that 'such people' are rarely successful. Sentence Q shifts the focus to the opposite group, describing the most successful man as one who depends the least on others. This flows naturally into Sentence 6, as the pronoun 'He' in 6 refers directly back to 'the most successful man' mentioned in Q.

Explanation

Sentence 1 introduces Antonio, a merchant of Venice. Sentence S follows logically by detailing his character, noting that he was well known for his kindness. Sentence P expands on this social nature by mentioning his friends, specifically introducing Bassanio. Sentence R then provides background on Bassanio, explaining that he was poor despite his noble lineage. Sentence Q connects back to Antonio's kindness and Bassanio's financial state, showing that Antonio gave him money whenever he needed it. Finally, sentence 6 provides the reason why Antonio was capable of doing so, completing the coherent sequence as S-P-R-Q.

Explanation

Sentence 1 introduces the general problem of drug addiction in society. Part S logically follows this introduction by identifying the primary victims of this addiction, which are the youngsters. Part Q must immediately succeed Part S because the phrase "these young men and women" in Q directly refers back to the "youngsters" introduced in S, establishing a mandatory S-Q pair. Part P suggests that a joint effort is required to prevent and cure this curse. Part R describes the ongoing crisis as an "alarming situation" in which we cannot remain idle onlookers, which transitions smoothly into the final pledge in Sentence 6 to unite for a drug-free world.

Explanation

The subject of the sentence is the noun phrase 'Tsunami' which means 'harbour wave'. The most logical continuation after the subject is a verb phrase, which is provided by part R: is a series of water waves. This is followed by part S: caused by the displacement, which describes how these waves are created. Part Q: of a large volume of a body of water clarifies what is being displaced, and part P: usually an ocean specifies where this body of water is typically located. This seamlessly connects with the final segment 6: though it can occur in large lakes. Putting these parts together in the sequence RSQP forms a grammatically correct and meaningful sentence.

Explanation

The sentence structure becomes clear and grammatically correct when arranged in the sequence SRQP. Part S (and after maturity) logically follows sentence 1 (Dante was of moderate height) as it continues describing Dante's physical attributes over time. Part R (was accustomed to walk somewhat bowed) acts as the predicate that naturally follows the time clause in S. Part Q (with a slow and gentle pace) acts as an adverbial phrase describing how he walked, as mentioned in R. Part P (clad always in such sober dress) transitions seamlessly into sentence 6 (as befitted his ripe years), since "such sober dress as befitted" forms a complete and coherent comparative construction.

Explanation

The sentence structure flows logically when we arrange the parts in the sequence of RPQS. Starting with statement 1, "Queen Elizabeth had the mind", the noun "mind" is naturally completed by the prepositional phrase "of a political genius" in part R. This is followed by the coordinating conjunction and verb phrase in part P, "and nurtured her country", which connects her possessing a great mind with her actions. The sentence then explains how she nurtured her country using parallel structures of manner: first "through careful leadership" in part Q, and then "and by choosing capable men" in part S. Finally, the infinitive phrase "to assist her" in part 6 perfectly completes the object of part S, making "capable men to assist her" a grammatically coherent ending.

Explanation

The phrase leaned on is the correct idiomatic expression used to describe supporting the weight of one's body on a particular object or body part. In this context, Martin supported himself by resting his weight on his elbow to elevate his head and look through the leaves, making leaned the most grammatically and contextually appropriate verb for the blank.

Explanation

In the given context, Martin is positioned on an elevated spot, such as on a branch of a tree or a high bank, and is observing the scene below him. The phrasal verb looked down fits perfectly here, indicating that he directed his gaze downwards through the leaves of the tree to observe the alligators swimming in the lake below.

Explanation

The phrase "a number of" is a standard English idiom used to mean several or a group of individuals, typically followed by a plural countable noun. In this context, it indicates that Martin saw several alligators floating quietly in the lake, serving as a quantifier to describe a plural group of these creatures.

Explanation

The indefinite article a is used before words that begin with a consonant sound. In the phrase a huge one (written as hug one in the text due to a typographical error), the word huge starts with the consonant sound /h/, making the article a the grammatically correct choice to complete the sentence.

Explanation

The context of the passage describes an alligator resting near a body of water. A raised slope or accumulation of sand along the shore of a river or lake is referred to as a bank. Therefore, the phrase bank of sand correctly describes the natural geological feature where the alligator crawled out to lie down a few yards from the water.

Explanation

The passage uses a subjunctive conditional construction: "what would have happened had Shakespeare had a wonderfully gifted sister". The phrasing "had Shakespeare had" is a counterfactual past conditional structure, which indicates that the premise is contrary to fact. This signifies that Shakespeare did not actually have this sister in reality, and she is introduced solely as a fictional figure for a hypothetical scenario.

Explanation

The phrasal verb come by means to obtain, acquire, or manage to get something, especially something that is hard to find or requires effort to obtain.

Explanation

The passage primarily details the biographical events, upbringing, and career beginnings of William Shakespeare. It provides key details of his personal history, including his probable grammar school education where he studied Latin and classical authors like Ovid and Virgil, his rebellious youth, his early marriage, and his relocation to London to seek fortune in the theater. Because the narrative substance concentrates on these developmental and historical events of his early years and career path, the passage is about Shakespeare's life.

Explanation

The passage describes Shakespeare as a wild boy who had to marry a woman in his neighborhood rather sooner than he should have done, leading to a child born rather quicker than was right. This hasty, premature union, driven by sudden youthful actions rather than careful planning or deliberation, indicates that he was impulsive.

Explanation

The passage describes a hypothetical thought experiment introduced by the author to explore the societal limitations placed on women during the Elizabethan era. The narrator explicitly invites the reader to think hypothetically, stating, "Let me imagine, since facts are so hard to come by, what would have happened had Shakespeare had a wonderfully gifted sister, called Judith, let us say." This clearly establishes that the sister, Judith, is a fictitious figure created for the purpose of the argument, making her imaginary.

Explanation

When converting direct speech expressing a prayer or appeal to God into indirect speech, the reporting verb said is changed to prayed to God, which incorporates the vocative address O God. The imperative verb phrase have mercy on my soul is converted into an infinitive clause to have mercy on his soul. Additionally, the first-person possessive pronoun my is changed to the third-person possessive pronoun his to correspond with the subject the poor beggar.