SSC CHSL Tier 1 2016 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

In this context, the plural noun levels is used to describe the degrees of intensity or volume that the contradictory voices reached. The phrase "rose to deafening levels" is a standard idiomatic expression in English used to describe sound, noise, or public discourse reaching an extremely high, overwhelming intensity. Since the passage refers to two distinct contradictory voices rising over time, the plural form levels appropriately represents the multiple scales or heights of volume attained by these distinct voices.

Explanation

The sentence uses the simple past tense verb rose in the preceding clause, which establishes a past time frame for the events being described. The temporal clause introduced by when refers to this same timeframe, requiring a past tense verb. Additionally, because the subject results of various school boards receives the action rather than performing it, the verb must be in the passive voice. The simple past passive form were declared correctly satisfies both the past tense agreement and the passive voice requirement.

Explanation

The context of the passage is set in the past tense, as indicated by verbs like "rose" in the preceding sentence and "succeeded" and "did" in the same sentence. Grammatically, the simple past tense verb "celebrated" maintains consistency with the rest of the narrative. Furthermore, in the original text of this editorial published in The Hindu, the exact word used to describe the action of the first voice is "celebrated".

Explanation

The given active voice sentence is in the simple past tense and begins with the interrogative pronoun "Who". When converting a question starting with "Who" into the passive voice, the word "Who" is replaced by "By whom" at the beginning of the sentence. The standard grammatical structure for this passive construction is: By whom + auxiliary verb (was/were) + subject + past participle of the verb + remaining elements.

In this sentence, the active object "you" becomes the subject in the passive voice, which requires the auxiliary verb "were". The past participle form of the verb "teach" is "taught", and the infinitive clause "to drive a truck" is placed at the end of the sentence. This yields the structurally accurate passive form: "By whom were you taught to drive a truck?".

Explanation

The idiom backseat driver refers to a person who offers unsolicited, annoying advice or instructions to someone else, especially concerning affairs or tasks for which they are not directly responsible. It originates from the literal scenario of a passenger in the back seat of a car giving unwanted driving instructions to the actual driver. In figurative usage, it describes any interfering individual who tries to dictate or criticize how a task is being performed without being the one who has to do the work or bear the responsibility.

Explanation

The sentence starts with the subject and helper verb "A truly free nation will", which requires a main verb to complete its predicate. Part R begins with the adverb-verb combination "confidently view", making it the perfect continuation. The phrase ends with "even its advocated", where "advocated" acts as an adjective requiring a noun. Part Q provides this noun with "destruction", continuing as "destruction as a bad idea that". The relative pronoun "that" at the end of Part Q then introduces a relative clause, which is completed by Part P with "will fail in the marketplace of ideas". Putting these together in the sequence RQP forms the grammatically correct and logically coherent sentence: "A truly free nation will confidently view even its advocated destruction as a bad idea that will fail in the marketplace of ideas."

Explanation

The word antithesis refers to a person, thing, or concept that is the direct opposite or in sharp contrast to another. This directly aligns with the meaning of contradictory, which describes ideas, statements, or elements that are mutually opposed, inconsistent, or in direct opposition to one another.

Explanation

The idiom "back to square one" means to return to the very beginning of a process, project, or task because previous attempts have failed, resulting in a situation where no progress has been made. It is commonly used when one has to start over from scratch after an effort or plan proves completely unsuccessful.

Explanation

The verb demanding in the introductory phrase requires a direct object, which is provided by Part R (a census of atrocity but). The conjunction but at the end of Part R introduces a contrasting parallel noun phrase, which is provided by Part P (a set of ethical scripts whose). The relative pronoun whose at the end of Part P naturally connects with the noun phrase political possibilities in Part Q to complete the relative clause (whose political possibilities could be played out). This arrangement creates a grammatically correct and meaningful sentence.

Explanation

The verb to wring means to squeeze or twist something tightly, typically to force liquid out of it or to compress it. In contrast, the verb to untwist means to open, loosen, or restore something from a twisted state back to a straight or uncoiled form, making it the direct antonym.

Explanation

The grammatical error lies in part (C) of the sentence. The phrase "from one end to other" is incorrect because it lacks the definite article. Since a stadium has two specific ends, the correct idiomatic expression requires "the" before "other", making it "from one end to the other".

Explanation

The word lousy is an informal adjective used to describe something that is of very poor quality, extremely bad, or highly disagreeable. For instance, one might describe terrible weather or awful service as lousy. While it historically originated from the noun louse, which refers to being infested with lice, its modern figurative usage is widely accepted as a direct synonym for very poor or bad.

Explanation

A pact is defined as a formal, solemn, or legally binding agreement made between two or more individuals, groups, or parties. It represents a mutual promise or contract between entities to act in a certain way.

Explanation

When changing a direct speech question beginning with an auxiliary verb into indirect speech, the reporting verb said to becomes asked. The conjunction if or whether is used to connect the clauses, and the coordinating conjunction that must not be used with it. Additionally, the simple past tense did find in the direct speech is converted into the past perfect tense had found in the indirect speech, while the pronoun you changes to he to refer to the gardener. This makes the sentence grammatically accurate and complete.

Explanation

The possessive apostrophe-s ('s) is generally reserved for living things, such as humans and animals, whereas the preposition "of" is used to denote possession or association for inanimate, non-living objects. Since a van is an inanimate object, expressing possession using "van's doors" is grammatically incorrect. The relation is properly expressed using "doors of the van". Additionally, the plural noun "doors" correctly agrees with the plural verb "are" in the sentence.

Explanation

The sentence is grammatically and idiomatically correct in all its parts. The singular subject "No one" correctly agrees with the singular present tense verb "knows". The verb "escaped" is properly followed by a gerund "being" rather than an infinitive, which is the correct grammatical construction. Additionally, "dashed to pieces" is a standard English idiomatic phrase meaning to be violently shattered or destroyed. Since there are no errors in subject-verb agreement, verb patterning, or word usage, the sentence is completely error-free.

Explanation

The word cubicles is spelled correctly. The correct spellings for the other options are aardvark, janitor, and celibate.

Explanation

The word slimmest is the superlative adjective form of slim, which means thin or slender. Under English spelling rules, when a single-syllable adjective ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, the final consonant is doubled before adding the suffix -est. This rule applies to slim (s-l-i-m), which results in the correct spelling slimmest.

Explanation

The word rational means guided by or based on reason, logic, or sanity. In the context of the sentence, it highlights the contrast between a sensible, logical individual and a deeply malicious or twisted mind. It is difficult for a sane and logical person to comprehend or predict the thoughts of someone who acts out of pure malice or irrational evil.

Explanation

The term "human beings" is a standard expression used to refer to people. In the sentence, the phrase "saw no human beings but the shepherd" means they did not see any other people except for the shepherd. The plural form "beings" is used after the negative quantifier "no" to indicate the complete absence of any other persons in the field, making it the grammatically appropriate choice to complete the sentence.

Explanation

Repatriation refers to the act of returning someone or something to their country of origin, or restoring something to its original state, place, or status. Broadly, it is associated with restoration, reinstatement, and revival.

Abolition is the act of officially putting an end to, eliminating, or canceling a system, practice, or institution. Since repatriation involves restoring or bringing something back, abolition serves as its opposite by representing complete termination or eradication.

Explanation

The word ascetic describes a person who practices severe self-discipline and abstains from all forms of physical indulgence, typically for spiritual or moral reasons. It also refers to a lifestyle characterized by extreme simplicity and self-denial. The word austere means living with a strict lack of comforts, luxury, or adornment, marked by simplicity and self-discipline. Both terms are closely related synonyms that convey the idea of a rigorous, simple, and disciplined way of life.

Explanation

The phrase "the very act of" is a standard idiomatic expression in English used to emphasize that the mere performance of a specific action is significant in itself. In this context, "apologizing" is a gerund representing a physical or verbal action, making "act" the grammatically and semantically correct noun to complete the phrase.

Explanation

The phrase raises the question is a standard English collocation used to introduce a question or issue that needs to be considered or discussed. In the context of the passage, it describes how the acts of apologizing and forgiveness bring up the question of responsibility for past injustices.

Explanation

The noun responsibility is standardly paired with the preposition for when referring to the person, duty, or thing that one is accountable or answerable for. In this context, the phrase responsibility for the past and its injustices correctly indicates the moral or political accountability towards past actions and their consequences.

Explanation

The relative pronoun which is used to refer to non-human antecedents, such as things, places, or abstract ideas. In this sentence, the antecedent is a different country. The preposition for precedes the relative pronoun to form the phrase for which, indicating the relation of having no responsibility for that country. This establishes a grammatically correct and meaningful connection between the main clause and the relative clause.

Explanation

A meadow is an area of grassland, especially one used for hay or pasture. A pasture refers to land covered with grass and other low plants suitable for grazing animals. Since both terms describe a grassy field or open area of land, they are synonyms.

Explanation

The word escalate is a correctly spelled verb that means to increase rapidly, intensify, or expand in size, scale, or intensity. It originates from the noun escalator, which was coined in the early 20th century from escalade, a military term for scaling walls with ladders. Over time, escalate became a standard English word used to describe situations, conflicts, or prices that rise or grow more severe. The spelling e-s-c-a-l-a-t-e follows standard English phonetic rules with a single c and l, ending in the common suffix -ate.

Explanation

The verb burst is the standard collocative term used with firecrackers to describe the act of setting them off so that they explode with a loud noise. In English grammar, the verb burst is irregular and retains the same form in the present, past, and past participle tenses. Since the first part of the sentence uses the past tense verb came, the past tense form burst is grammatically appropriate to maintain tense consistency in the sentence.

Explanation

The sentence is grammatically correct in all its parts. The adverb scarcely is correctly used to modify the verb think to convey that the speaker was barely able to comprehend or focus on their own words or the words of others. The coordinating conjunction or appropriately connects the two parallel noun clauses what I was saying and what was being said to me, which serve as the objects of the verb. Since there are no grammatical, syntactical, or punctuation errors, the sentence is free from error.

Explanation

The noun phrase "the major drawback" naturally connects to the prepositional phrase "of this process is that" (P) to clarify what drawback is being referred to. The subordinating conjunction "that" introduces a subordinate clause, which continues with "there is no legally binding" (Q). Finally, the adjective "binding" requires a noun to modify, which is "outcome" in "outcome at the end of six years" (R). Joining these parts in the order P-Q-R creates a grammatically complete and coherent sentence.

Explanation

The error lies in part C of the sentence, where the phrase "the same" is incorrectly used as a pronoun. In standard English grammar, "the same" functions primarily as an adjective and should not be used as a personal pronoun to substitute for a noun mentioned earlier. Since the antecedent "my notes" is a plural noun, "the same" must be replaced with the plural personal pronoun "them" to make the sentence grammatically correct. The corrected sentence should read: "When you have gone through my notes, give them to me."

Explanation

The term bed and breakfast is a widely used and established English collocation referring to a budget-friendly accommodation service that provides a guest with a place to sleep for the night and a meal the next morning.

Explanation

The original phrase going to leave is grammatically correct and natural. The construction be going to followed by the base form of the verb (leave) is the standard structure used to express future plans, intentions, or events scheduled to happen in the future. In this question, it perfectly conveys the inquiry about a planned departure time for the next day, making any changes unnecessary.

Explanation

The verb to superimpose means to place, lay, or stack one image or object on top of another, often so that both remain visible or combine into a single effect. Similarly, to overlap means to extend over and cover a part of something else, or to lie upon it. Both terms convey the physical action of putting something over another thing, making them synonyms.

Explanation

The idiom "an arm and a leg" is a common English expression used to describe something that is extremely expensive or costs an exorbitant amount of money. It metaphorically suggests that the price of an item or service is so high that one would have to sacrifice vital parts of their body, like an arm or a leg, to afford it.

Explanation

Atrocity is the correct spelling for the noun that means an extremely wicked or cruel act, typically one involving physical violence or injury. The word originates from the Latin word atrocitas, which means cruelty or fierceness.

Explanation

The active voice sentence is in the simple present tense, which follows the structure: Subject + verb in simple present + Object.

To convert a simple present tense sentence into the passive voice, the structure is: Object of active voice + is/am/are + past participle of the main verb + by + Subject of active voice.

Here, the active object is the plural noun "my questions", which requires the auxiliary verb "are". The past participle of "answers" is "answered". The frequency adverb "always" is placed immediately after the auxiliary verb "are" and before the main verb "answered", giving the correct passive form.

Explanation

The verb to inundate means to overwhelm, flood, or swamp with an abundance of something. Its direct antonym is to underwhelm, which means to fail to impress, stimulate, or affect, typically due to a lack of force, presence, or quantity.

Explanation

The idiom "an axe to grind" refers to having a private, selfish motive or a personal grievance that needs to be addressed. In everyday usage, it means to have a dispute, conflict, or problem with a person or an issue that drives one's opinions or actions. For instance, if someone is constantly complaining about a policy, they have an axe to grind with the organization, showing they have an underlying problem with it.

Explanation

A graft is a piece of living tissue, such as skin, bone, or an organ, that is surgically transplanted from one part of the body to another, or from a donor to a recipient, to replace or repair damaged tissue. In medical and surgical procedures, grafting is widely used to restore anatomical function or appearance, relying on the transplanted tissue to integrate, heal, and continue growing in its new location.

Explanation

The expression "to be dressed in" is used to describe the state of wearing specific clothing. Since the main action of arriving at the party is in the simple past tense ("arrived"), the state of the subject's clothing at that exact moment is also expressed in the simple past using "was dressed". This correctly establishes the background state when the main action occurred.

Explanation

The verb to reveal means to make known, disclose, show, or bring to light information or truths that were previously hidden. In contrast, to repudiate means to refuse to accept, reject, disavow, or deny the truth or validity of something. Thus, to repudiate serves as the antonym by representing the act of rejection and denial, opposing the act of disclosure or open acknowledgment.

Explanation

The sentence begins with the subject "No democracy", which naturally connects to the verb phrase "can survive without the" in segment P. The definite article "the" at the end of segment P requires a noun, which is provided by "roots" at the start of segment R. Within segment R, the coordinating conjunction "and" links the adjective "ethical" to the adjective "philosophical" in segment Q, which together modify the noun "imagination". Combining the segments in the order PRQ yields the grammatically complete and coherent sentence: "No democracy can survive without the roots of such an ethical and philosophical imagination."

Explanation

When converting direct speech to indirect speech, several grammatical changes are made because the reporting verb is in the past tense ("said"). First, the conjunction "that" is introduced to connect the reporting clause to the reported clause. Second, the first-person pronoun "I" changes to the third-person pronoun "she" to match the subject "Anita". Third, the simple past tense verb "bought" is shifted back to the past perfect tense "had bought". Finally, the time expression "yesterday" is converted to "the day before". This results in the grammatically correct indirect speech sentence.

Explanation

The verb to mince is defined as cutting or chopping food, especially meat, into very small, fine pieces. This technique is commonly used in culinary preparation to finely divide ingredients, such as in making minced meat or minced garlic, ensuring they are much smaller than standard chopped pieces.

Explanation

The word nascent refers to something that is in its earliest stages, beginning to exist or develop. In the context of the passage, the phrase describes the early, initial period of the Internet and net neutrality conflicts, a time when Internet companies are referred to as the new kids on the block. Thus, nascent is the most appropriate word to describe this beginning phase.

Explanation

The term Internet content providers refers to companies, platforms, and organizations that create, host, and distribute digital information, media, or services over the Internet. In the context of net neutrality disputes, telecom operators historically attempted to charge these content-delivering entities additional fees or surcharges to access their network infrastructure and reach end-users. This makes providers the linguistically and contextually accurate term to complete the sentence.

Explanation

The phrase "new kid on the block" is a widely used English idiom that refers to a person or entity that has recently joined a group, area, or field and is a newcomer. In the context of the passage, it describes the emerging Internet companies that were newcomers to the technology and telecommunications landscape, contrasting them with the long-established, dominant telecommunications monopolies.

Explanation

The passage narrates events that occurred in the past, as indicated by the consistent use of simple past tense verbs such as tried, were, fought, and was. To maintain grammatical agreement and tense consistency throughout the paragraph, the verb filling the blank must also be in the simple past tense. The verb established correctly completes the clause, indicating that the first net neutrality war set up or solidified the principle in the past.