SSC CHSL Tier 1 2021 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The phrase "for the last 10 years" specifies a duration of time that began in the past and continues into the present. For actions that started in the past and are still ongoing, the present perfect continuous tense must be used instead of the present continuous tense. The structure for a singular third-person subject in this tense is "has been" followed by the present participle of the verb, which yields "has been doing".

Explanation

The word loathed is the correct synonym for hated as both express a strong feeling of dislike or aversion towards something. In the context of the sentence, it means everyone strongly disliked the idea of leaving the amazing party.

Explanation

The word perilous is an adjective that means full of danger or risk. The word treacherous is a direct synonym in this context, meaning hazardous, extremely dangerous, or presenting unpredictable risks. Both words describe situations or activities that pose a significant threat to physical safety, making treacherous the most appropriate term to describe the high-risk nature of adventure sports for athletes.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the passive voice and simple past tense, as indicated by the auxiliary verb "was" followed by the past participle "renovated". To convert a simple past passive sentence into the active voice, the structure is Subject + second form of verb (V2) + Object. Since the agent of the action is not specified in the passive voice, a general subject such as "They" is introduced to perform the action. The passive verb form "was renovated" thus changes to the active simple past verb "renovated" with "the library building" as the object.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the passive voice of the present perfect tense in an interrogative form. The structure of a present perfect interrogative sentence in the passive voice is: Has/Have + object + been + past participle (V3) + by + agent?

To convert this into the active voice, the structure changes to: Has/Have + subject + past participle (V3) + object?

The agent "you" becomes the active subject and takes the auxiliary verb "have". The past participle verb "uploaded" is retained, and "the assignment" becomes the object of the verb. Applying this structure results in: "Have you uploaded the assignment?"

Explanation

The passive voice sentence, Coffee is sipped by me, is in the simple present tense, which follows the grammatical structure of Subject + is/am/are + past participle of the verb + by + Agent.

To convert this sentence into the active voice, the tense must remain the same, which is the simple present tense. The active voice structure for the simple present tense is Subject + base form of the verb + Object. The agent of the passive sentence, me, becomes the subject, I, in the active voice. The helping verb, is, is removed, and the past participle, sipped, changes to its base form, sip, to agree with the first-person singular subject, I. Finally, the subject of the passive sentence, Coffee, becomes the direct object. This transformation results in the sentence, I sip coffee.

Explanation

The word priviledge is incorrectly spelt. The correct spelling is privilege, which contains no d. It is defined as a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group.

Explanation

The word liberal refers to being open to new behavior or opinions and willing to discard traditional values, particularly in a political or social context. Its most appropriate antonym among the choices is conservative, which relates to favoring traditional values and being averse to change.

Explanation

The verb indulged grammatically collocates with the preposition in to mean taking part in an undesirable or illicit activity, such as illegal business practices. In the second blank, monetary is the most appropriate adjective to modify gain, describing short-term financial profits sought through these actions.

Explanation

The idiom grease someone's palm refers to the act of giving money to someone, typically an official, in order to persuade them to do something, which is commonly known as bribing someone. This expression metaphorically likens the bribe to a lubricant or grease that helps a mechanism run smoothly, facilitating a desired outcome or favor.

Explanation

The sentence compares two entities, "she" and "her sister", which is indicated by the comparative conjunction "than". When comparing two people or things, the comparative degree of the adjective must be used. For multi-syllable adjectives like "educated", the comparative form is constructed by placing "more" before the adjective, making "more educated" the grammatically correct choice to complete the sentence.

Explanation

Sentence B serves as the opening statement, introducing the author's entry into Morehouse College at the age of fifteen. Sentence D logically follows B by describing the author's initial challenges and academic hardships upon entering college, noting that he was reading only at an eighth-grade level. Sentence A directly explains the cause of those hardships mentioned in D, stating that he skipped several grades and skipped the twelfth grade entirely, leaving him quite young when entering Morehouse. Sentence C concludes the paragraph by describing the supportive academic environment and professors at the college.

Explanation

In indirect exclamatory expressions, the adjective modifying the noun or pronoun must immediately follow the adverb how. This establishes the structural pattern of how + adjective + subject + verb, which translates to how lucky I am. Additionally, the adjective lucky is standardly followed by a to-infinitive to express the cause of the state, resulting in the correct grammatical sequence how lucky I am to have.

Explanation

The adverb alone is used here to mean solely or exclusively. Placing it after the noun fitness creates the phrase not for fitness alone, which conveys that physical fitness is not the only reason people are turning to yoga. This structure establishes a clear contrast with the following clause, indicating that while fitness is a recognized benefit, practitioners are also seeking a deeper, holistic union of both body and soul.

Explanation

The term originated means to have a specified beginning or to arise from a particular source or place. In the context of the sentence, yoga is described as an ancient practice that had its historical beginnings and development in India. Therefore, the verb originated is the grammatically and contextually correct choice to indicate that India is the place where yoga first began.

Explanation

The term breathing techniques refers to the structured exercises and practices used to control, regulate, and direct the breath. In yoga, these techniques, collectively known as pranayama, are fundamental because they help focus the mind, reduce stress, and promote overall physical and mental well-being.

Explanation

The sentence states that there are many styles of yoga, indicating that a selection needs to be made. The verb choose means to select from a number of possibilities, which perfectly fits the context of selecting a specific style of yoga from the various available options. It grammatically completes the modal verb phrase should choose, followed by the direct object a style, to convey that an individual must select a practice that aligns with their personal goals and fitness level.

Explanation

The context of the passage focuses on yoga as a spiritual journey aimed at the union of the body, soul, and mind. The final sentence refers to achieving the ultimate purpose of life, which in spiritual philosophy is the union or oneness of the individual self with the supreme divine. The verb merge, when paired with the preposition with, perfectly conveys this concept of blending into or becoming one with God.

Explanation

The idiom "a storm in a teacup" is used to describe a situation where people show a great deal of anger, worry, or excitement over a matter that is trivial and of very little importance. It metaphorically compares a dramatic event like a storm to something small and insignificant, like a teacup, indicating that the commotion is unnecessary and exaggerated.

Explanation

The phrasal verb look forward to means to await something with eager anticipation and is grammatically followed by a gerund (verb + ing) or a noun. The inclusion of the auxiliary verb was before look is grammatically incorrect, as the past continuous form would require looking. Removing was and using the present simple form look forward to helping results in a grammatically precise and meaningful sentence: I look forward to helping you complete the project.

Explanation

The word oscilate is incorrectly spelt. The correct spelling is oscillate, which is written with a double l. It refers to the action of swinging back and forth in a regular rhythm, or wavering between different opinions, values, or conditions.

Explanation

The word "complements" means to contribute extra features to something in a way that improves or emphasizes its quality, or to go well with something else. In the context of fashion and clothing, when one item complements another, it means they go well together or match nicely to enhance the overall appearance. Therefore, the term denotatively means "matches" in this sentence.

Explanation

When converting direct speech into indirect speech, the tense of the reported speech and the time expressions change because the reporting verb "said" is in the past tense. The present perfect continuous tense "It's been raining" (It has been raining) shifts to the past perfect continuous tense "it had been raining". Additionally, the time expression "last night" is changed to "the night before" to reflect the change in the speaker's perspective. The conjunction "that" is introduced to link the reporting clause with the reported clause.

Explanation

The denotation of the word finicky refers to someone who is extremely fussy, fastidious, or overly particular about details, requirements, or choices. In the context of the sentence, it describes a disposition that is difficult to please due to an excessive focus on minor points, making fussy the direct meaning of the term.

Explanation

The sentence requires the superlative degree of the adjective because it compares the cloth she bought with all the other cloths available in the store, representing a group of more than two items. The superlative degree of the monosyllabic adjective fine is finest. This is further indicated by the definite article the preceding the adjective, which typically accompanies superlative adjectives in this context.

Explanation

The word primitive refers to something that belongs to an early, simple, or basic stage of development, often lacking refinement. Sophisticated describes something that is highly developed, complex, refined, and advanced. Because of these opposite meanings regarding development and complexity, sophisticated serves as the direct antonym.

Explanation

The word captivating means holding the interest or attention of someone, or being extremely charming and attractive. In the context of the sentence, the new literature was so engrossing and fascinating that it completely absorbed the reader's attention, causing them to entirely forget their otherwise miserable or hopeless condition. This makes it the most appropriate word to describe literature that has such a powerful, positive, and absorbing effect on a reader's mind.

Explanation

The phrasal verb "tell upon" (or "tell on") means to have a significant, noticeable, and typically damaging or adverse effect on someone or something. It is often used in contexts where cumulative stress, hard work, illness, or age begins to show its negative consequences on a person's physical or mental well-being. For instance, in the sentence "The long hours of continuous work began to tell upon his health," the phrase indicates that the exhausting routine was adversely affecting his physical condition.

Explanation

The word bestow means to present, give, or confer a gift, honor, or right upon someone. The most appropriate antonym for giving or granting is to refuse to grant or to withhold, which is represented by the word deny.

Explanation

Demography is the scientific study of human populations, focusing on their size, structure, distribution, and how they change over time through births, deaths, migration, and aging. It analyzes these demographic dynamics to understand trends and patterns within populations.

Explanation

The phrasal verb "collapse under" is the standard idiomatic expression used to describe a structure failing and caving in due to the physical pressure or downward force exerted by a heavy load. In this sentence, the immense weight of the snow resting on top of the roof caused it to give way, making "collapsed under" the correct grammatical and contextual fit.

Explanation

The word Mimikry is spelled incorrectly. The correct spelling is Mimicry, using a c instead of a k. Mimicry refers to the act of imitating someone or something, particularly for entertainment, or the biological phenomenon where one organism evolves to resemble another species or object for protection or survival.

Explanation

The passive voice sentence is in the simple past tense, indicated by the auxiliary verb was followed by the past participle written. To convert this to the active voice, the subject Miguel Cervantes performs the action, which requires the simple past tense form of the verb write, which is wrote, followed by the direct object Don Quixote.

Explanation

The idiom "a piece of cake" is used to describe a task, activity, or job that is very easy, simple, or effortless to complete. In this sentence, replacing the highlighted text "with extreme ease" with "a piece of cake" perfectly matches the intended meaning, indicating that the trainee completed the assigned task without any difficulty.

Explanation

The sentence refers to two actions that occurred in the past, where one action was completed before another. The action of making a formal complaint is in the simple past tense (was made), and the action of being excused occurred prior to that event. To express an action completed before a specific point in the past, the past perfect tense must be used. Therefore, the present perfect auxiliary verb has been in the segment He has been must be replaced with the past perfect had been to maintain correct tense agreement.

Explanation

The segment in Option B contains the word overwrought, which is the intended misspelled word in this question (often printed as overwrough in the test paper). All other segments contain words that are spelt correctly.

Explanation

The preposition "since" is used to refer to a specific point of time in the past to show that an action started in the past and is still continuing in the present. This duration of an ongoing action requires the present perfect continuous tense, which is formed using "has/have been" followed by the present participle (verb-ing) form. Thus, "has been living" is the grammatically correct choice to indicate that Manoj started residing in the city in 1993 and continues to reside there.

Explanation

The logical and chronological sequence of the paragraph begins with sentence C, which introduces the protagonist, Oliver Twist, and establishes his birth in a workhouse in 1830s England. Sentence A follows directly because it provides crucial details about the circumstances of his birth, mentioning his mother's death immediately after he is born. Sentence D continues the chronological progression of Oliver's life, describing his first nine years in an orphanage and his subsequent transfer to an adult workhouse. Finally, sentence B describes a specific event that takes place inside the adult workhouse, where he asks for more gruel and Mr. Bumble decides to get rid of him, completing the coherent narrative flow of the passage.

Explanation

The passage begins with the phrase "In terms of education," establishing that the sentence is specifically focused on the learning, development, and upbringing of children. Along with "care" and "schooling," "guidance" is the most appropriate term because it refers to the advice, mentoring, and direction that children require to navigate their educational journey and personal growth.

Explanation

The context of the passage emphasizes protecting children and securing their future through proper care, education, and the prevention of harmful practices. Outlawing means to make something illegal or to ban it by law. In this sentence, banning child marriage is the necessary action to ensure and protect the best possible future for children.

Explanation

The word envisioned means to imagine, picture, or foresee a future possibility. In the context of the sentence, preventing or eliminating child marriage allows society to visualize, plan for, and secure a positive and bright future for children. This makes envisioned the most grammatically and contextually appropriate fit for the blank.

Explanation

The context of the sentence describes programs designed to benefit children during an economic crisis. In the phrase "so that they can learn how to fight for themselves", the pronoun "they" refers to the children. Since the children are the recipients of the program's guidance, the appropriate action they perform is acquiring skills and knowledge. The verb "learn" correctly expresses this process of gaining ability, and it fits grammatically in the standard structure "learn how to" followed by an infinitive.

Explanation

The context of the passage focuses on empowering children to face economic crises through specialized programmes that teach them how to stand up for themselves. In the sentence, the blank is joined with the adverb efficiently by the coordinating conjunction and. The adverb effectively means in a manner that is successful in producing a desired or intended result. The phrase effectively and efficiently is a highly standard and natural English collocation used to describe actions that are both successful in achieving their goals and well-organized in their execution. Therefore, effectively is the most appropriate word to complete the sentence.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the passive voice and simple past tense, as indicated by the structure was + past participle verb narrated. To convert this into the active voice, the agent of the action somebody becomes the subject, the simple past tense form of the verb narrated is used, and the receiver of the action the incident becomes the direct object, resulting in Somebody narrated the incident to Naresh.

Explanation

Correct Answer: D

The word impetuous means acting or done quickly and without thought or care, representing a rash, impulsive, or reckless action. The opposite of an impetuous action is one that is based on reason, wisdom, and practical judgment. Sensible means having or showing good sense or judgment, making it the exact antonym for the highlighted word in this context.

Explanation

The preposition for is used to denote a period or duration of time. Since two hours represents a specific duration during which the action of waiting took place, for is the appropriate preposition to substitute from in this context.

Explanation

The verb accorded means to grant, bestow, or give someone a particular status, power, or privilege. In this context, the delighted directors granted or bestowed the privilege of developing automatic regulators upon the narrator as a reward or mark of recognition for their complete success. This usage perfectly aligns with both the grammatical structure and the positive, rewarding tone of the sentence.

Explanation

The word sheer is used as an adjective to emphasize that a feeling, quality, or state is pure, absolute, and unmitigated. The phrase sheer exuberance is a standard English collocation where sheer highlights the immense, overwhelming, and unadulterated nature of the energy and excitement generated by the performance.

Explanation

The idiom white elephant refers to a possession that is highly expensive to maintain but serves no practical use or is of little value to its owner. This expression originates from the historical practice of the Kings of Siam gifting sacred white elephants to courtiers who had displeased them, thereby financially ruining the recipients due to the massive cost of feeding and housing the animals without being able to put them to work.

Explanation

The idiom "hard and fast" refers to rules, standards, or principles that are fixed, strict, and incapable of being violated, modified, or evaded. It originated as a nautical term describing a ship that is firmly aground or docked, rendering it completely immobile. In common usage, it signifies strictness and inflexibility.