SSC CHSL Tier 1 2021 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The underlined phrase describes a being that is "naturally able to eat both plants and flesh," and the single word that captures this dual diet is "omnivorous," from the Latin "omni-" (all) and "vorare" (to devour). "Herbivorous" refers only to plant-eaters and "carnivorous" only to flesh-eaters, while "cannibals" specifically denotes creatures that eat their own species, so "omnivorous" is the only term that matches the meaning exactly.

Explanation

The idiom Catch-22 refers to a paradoxical situation from which an individual cannot escape because of contradictory rules or conditions. Coined by Joseph Heller in his 1961 novel of the same name, it describes a dilemma where the solution to a problem is denied by the problem itself, making any resolution impossible. For example, needing work experience to get a job, but needing a job to get work experience, is a classic Catch-22. This makes it a difficult situation where finding a solution is impossible.

Explanation

The sentence describes a sequence of consecutive actions that took place in the past. The first clause uses the simple past tense verb opened. To maintain tense consistency throughout the sentence, the verb in the second clause must also be in the simple past tense. The simple past form of the verb fly is flew.

Explanation

The correct spelling is Apology, which means a regretful acknowledgment of an offense or failure. The word is spelt with a single letter p, making Appology incorrect.

Explanation

In passive voice construction, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject, and the verb form must retain the same tense (present continuous) using "is/are being + past participle." The active sentence "Siddharth is floating a grand plan" becomes "A grand plan is being floated by Siddharth," which correctly places the object "a grand plan" as the new subject and uses the accurate past participle "floated" rather than the incorrect "floating" or "floated by a grand plan" reversal seen in the other options.

Explanation

The word spurious refers to something that is false, fake, counterfeit, or not genuine in nature. Therefore, its most appropriate antonym is genuine, which describes something that is authentic, real, and true to its claimed origins or qualities.

Explanation

"Former" means the first of two things mentioned or occurring earlier in time, and its direct opposite is "latter," which refers to the second of two things mentioned or the one occurring later. "External," "additional," and "featured" are unrelated in meaning to this former-latter pairing, making "latter" the only true antonym.

Explanation

The word savage is used to describe someone or something that is wild, fierce, primitive, uncivilized, or lacking in social development. Its direct antonym is civilised, which refers to being polite, well-mannered, socially advanced, and culturally refined.

Explanation

In this sentence, every word is spelled correctly. The key term "pharmaceutical" is spelled with the correct sequence of letters (p-h-a-r-m-a-c-e-u-t-i-c-a-l), which means relating to medicinal drugs, or their preparation, use, or sale. There are no spelling or typographical errors in this sentence.

Explanation

The word divisible means capable of being divided, specifically when a number or quantity can be split into equal parts without leaving a remainder. Therefore, it is the exact one-word substitution for the description of something that can be divided.

Explanation

The word reconciliation is the correct spelling of the noun derived from the verb reconcile. In this context, it refers to the process of comparing and adjusting financial records or worksheets to ensure they are consistent, accurate, and in agreement. The standard English spelling of the word is r-e-c-o-n-c-i-l-i-a-t-i-o-n.

Explanation

The active voice sentence is in the present perfect tense (subject + has/have + past participle + object). To convert a present perfect active sentence into the passive voice, the structure is: Object + has/have + been + past participle (V3).

Since the object "your note book" is singular, it requires the singular auxiliary verb "has" followed by "been" and the past participle "lost", resulting in "Your note book has been lost."

Explanation

"Bore her up" uses the phrasal verb "bear up," meaning to support, sustain, or keep someone from sinking under difficulty, which fits the context of her husband's affection sustaining her through hardship. "Tore her up" implies emotional distress, "stood her up" means to fail to keep an appointment, and "drove her up" is not an idiomatic phrase, so only "bore her up" conveys the intended sense of being emotionally supported.

Explanation

The well-known phrase "unity in diversity" describes a state of harmony despite differences, and it is commonly used to describe how India's many festivals, cultures, and traditions coexist as one unified whole. "Richness," "belongingness," and "inclusion" do not form part of this fixed, widely recognized expression, making "diversity" the correct fit.

Explanation

The paragraph must begin with a general statement establishing the theme, which sentence C provides by asserting that no relationship is free of trouble. Sentence D follows naturally by specifying that arguments and conflicts are common even in healthy relationships, after which sentence A introduces the contrasting concern about the child being negatively affected, and sentence B concludes by explaining how such conflicts can escalate and devastate the child, giving the coherent order CDAB.

Explanation

During the 18th century, the expansion of print culture and the rise of a larger literate middle class led to a dramatic increase in the readership of literary works. The passage highlights this widespread reach by discussing the success of landmark novels like Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver's Travels, as well as poetry written in a simple style specifically designed for the general masses to understand. Therefore, poetry and novels became highly popular during this period, meaning they were widely read, enjoyed, and appreciated by the public.

Explanation

The sentence explains that Gulliver's Travels, written in 1726, narrates four imaginary sea voyages of a ship's doctor named Gulliver. "Describes" is the correct word because it means to give an account or depiction of something, which is exactly what a novel does with its plot and characters. "Represents" suggests symbolism, "discloses" implies revealing a secret, and "expresses" refers to conveying feelings, none of which fit the context of a narrative recounting a story's events.

Explanation

The passage states that 18th century poetry was centred on British people and places, so "revolved" is the fitting choice since the phrase "revolved around" is a common collocation meaning that something is focused on or centred upon a particular subject. "Encircled" refers to physically surrounding something, "revolutionised" means to bring about drastic change, and "executed" means to carry out or put to death, none of which suit the idea of poetry's thematic focus.

Explanation

The passage notes that poets viewed nature as a wellspring of creative stimulus for their work, and "inspiration" is the standard term for a source that motivates artistic or creative expression such as poetry. While "incentive," "impulse," and "motivation" all relate to being driven to act, they are typically used for practical or behavioural drives rather than the creative, imaginative spark that nature provides to poets, making "inspiration" the most contextually appropriate word.

Explanation

The passage explains that poets used simple style and language so that this particular group of people could understand their work, and "ordinary" fits because it refers to common, everyday people as opposed to the educated elite, aligning with the idea of writing in accessible language for the general public. "Modern," "traditional," and "typical" do not describe a section of society defined by its lack of privilege or education, so they do not match the intended meaning of masses who needed simple language to comprehend the poetry.

Explanation

Banter refers to the playful, friendly, and witty exchange of teasing remarks. Repartee denotes conversation characterized by quick, clever, and witty replies. Both words share the core meaning of engaging in lighthearted, quick-witted, and humorous verbal exchanges, making them close synonyms.

Explanation

The verb prevent is conventionally paired with the preposition from when specifying the threat or harm being avoided. In the given sentence, using the preposition with in the phrase with respiratory diseases is grammatically incorrect. Replacing with with from correctly completes the phrasal construction to prevent oneself from something, thereby rectifying the error.

Explanation

The idiom "to put someone's back up" means to annoy, offend, or irritate someone. This expression is derived from the physical behavior of a cat, which arches its back when it feels threatened, angry, or highly provoked. Doing or saying something that puts someone's back up results in making them irritated or hostile.

Explanation

The correct spelling of the word is competition. It is a noun defined as the activity or condition of striving to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others. The word is derived from the verb compete, which originates from the Latin competere, meaning to strive after or meet. The spelling follows the standard pattern of adding the suffix -ition to the root of the verb, resulting in competition.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the passive voice in the simple past tense, as indicated by the verb form was opened. To convert it into the active voice, the agent performing the action (the children) becomes the subject of the sentence, and the receiver of the action (the door) becomes the direct object. The verb is changed to the active simple past tense form, which is opened. This produces the grammatically correct active voice sentence: The children opened the door for their father.

Explanation

In this sentence, the verb runs requires an adverb to describe the manner of action. The word fast functions as both an adjective and an adverb, and in this context, it acts as an adverb modifying the verb runs. Since the sentence describes a simple, non-comparative action, the positive degree of the adverb is correct. The conjunction though establishes a contrast between his physical build (stout) and his ability to run at a high speed.

Explanation

The idiom "a chip off the old block" is used to describe a person who is very similar to one of their parents in terms of appearance, character, behavior, or talents. The phrase originates from the idea of a small piece of wood or stone having the exact same properties as the larger block from which it was cut. In this context, it signifies that the actress' daughter behaves similarly to or shares the qualities of her mother.

Explanation

The word Riverty is incorrectly spelt because it is not a valid word in the English dictionary. It is a misspelling of standard English words with similar phonetic and typographic patterns, such as rivalry, brevity, or liberty.

Explanation

The word variance refers to a state of disagreement, discord, or discrepancy. The term harmony denotes agreement, accord, and peaceful or consistent relations, making it the direct antonym of variance.

Explanation

The word inclined means having a physical or mental leaning, preference, or favorable disposition toward a course of action. In the context of the sentence, being inclined to stay means having a positive inclination or desire to remain, which is closely synonymous with being motivated to stay with the current organisation.

Explanation

The sentence compares the degree of work required by one person relative to others, which is indicated by the conjunction than. When making a comparison between actions, the comparative form of the adverb must be used. The comparative form of the adverb hard is harder. Therefore, harder than is grammatically correct to complete the comparison.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the passive voice in the simple past tense, which uses the structure: Subject + was/were + past participle (V3) + by + Agent. To convert this into the active voice, the agent (GB Shaw) becomes the active subject, the verb changes to its simple past form (wrote), and the original passive subject (Pygmalion) becomes the direct object. This follows the standard active voice structure: Subject + past tense verb (V2) + Object.

Explanation

The segment "There is many ways" contains a subject-verb agreement error. In sentences introduced by "there", the verb must agree with the actual subject that follows it. Here, the subject is "many ways", which is plural. Therefore, the plural verb "are" must be used instead of the singular verb "is" to achieve grammatical agreement.

Explanation

The spelling of the word Mamorial is incorrect. The correct spelling is Memorial, which refers to a monument, statue, or holiday designed to preserve the memory of a person, group, or event.

Explanation

The word austere is used to describe a person, manner, or attitude that is severe, strict, or simple and devoid of any comfort or luxury. Similarly, stern means serious, harsh, or strict in authority and discipline, making it the most accurate synonym for expressing this sense of uncompromising severity.

Explanation

The noun "marbles" is a plural countable noun. In English grammar, the comparative determiner "fewer" is used specifically with plural countable nouns to denote a smaller number. Since marbles can be counted individually, "fewer marbles" is the grammatically correct choice to indicate that Robin has a smaller quantity of marbles than George.

Explanation

Correct Answer: B

The first blank requires a verb ending in -ing that describes lowering one's standards, which is satisfied by compromising. The second blank requires a noun representing a low or average standard of quality that one might tolerate, which is mediocrity. The third blank requires a verb meaning to make great efforts toward a goal, which is strive, fitting perfectly with the phrase to give our best. The fourth blank requires a verb meaning to make certain, which is ensure, completing the idea of making sure that one does not get caught doing the bare minimum. Together, these words form a coherent and grammatically precise passage about maintaining high standards and avoiding complacency.

Explanation

The word route refers to a way or course taken in getting from a starting point to a destination. In the context of the sentence, which asks about the path or direction the minister takes to travel to the Assembly, route is the appropriate noun that fits the blank semantically and grammatically.

Explanation

The sentence is free of any spelling errors. All the words, including represented, debate, and competition, are spelled correctly and used in their appropriate contexts according to standard English vocabulary rules.

Explanation

A botanist is a scientist who specializes in botany, which is the branch of biology that deals with the scientific study of plants, including their physiology, structure, genetics, ecology, distribution, and classification. The term is derived from the Greek word botane, meaning grass or pasture, and specifically denotes an expert who possesses deep knowledge of plant life.

Explanation

The word "Collague" is misspelled. The correct spelling is "colleague", which refers to an associate or coworker in a profession or office, or "collage", which refers to an artistic composition made of various materials pasted onto a surface.

Explanation

The idiom win laurels means to earn great honor, distinction, or glory through one's achievements. This expression originates from ancient Greece and Rome, where victors in athletic contests, military battles, and artistic competitions were crowned with wreaths made of laurel leaves as a symbol of victory and high honor.

Explanation

The idiom "by the skin of one's teeth" is used to describe a situation where someone manages to succeed or escape from a disaster by the narrowest of margins. It implies that the margin of safety was extremely thin, as teeth do not actually have skin. Therefore, escaping by the skin of one's teeth means that the individual barely managed to escape the accident.

Explanation

Universal truths, general facts, and scientific laws are always expressed in the simple present tense. The verb "rises" is the correct intransitive verb to describe the upward movement of the sun, whereas "raises" is a transitive verb that requires a direct object. Additionally, the standard preposition used with directions in this context is "in", making "in the east" the grammatically correct phrase.

Explanation

The correct spelling of the word is equilibrium, which denotes a state in which opposing forces or influences are balanced. It is commonly misspelled with a double l as equillibrium or with incorrect vowel placement such as equilibreum.

Explanation

The clause contains a grammatical error in the passive voice construction. Since the bridge is the receiver of the action of construction, the passive voice of the modal verb would must be used. The correct passive structure requires the helping verb be followed by the past participle verb form. Thus, would constructed must be corrected to would be constructed.

Explanation

The verb explore means to travel through an unfamiliar area in order to learn about it or discover new things. In the context of going on a trip, explore is the most appropriate and idiomatic word to use with new paths, as it denotes the action of searching, traveling, and discovering new routes or territories.

Explanation

The phrasal verb carried away means to be deeply influenced, overcome, or filled with strong emotion or enthusiasm. In this context, listening to a rapturous song causes the speaker to be completely captivated and emotionally moved, making carried away the most appropriate and idiomatic choice to complete the sentence.

Explanation

Sentence a introduces the main subject, defining non-verbal communication as a means. Sentence c directly follows and completes this definition by explaining what this means achieves, which is being able to communicate without speaking. Sentence b then explains how this non-verbal communication is facilitated, stating that this is possible by using visual clues. Finally, sentence d provides concrete examples of these visual clues, such as facial expressions, eye-contact, postures, and gestures. This sequence creates a logically coherent flow of ideas and a grammatically sound paragraph.

Explanation

Tree plantation is a systematic series of actions or steps taken to transplant saplings or seeds to increase green cover. The word process correctly describes this structured activity or method of achieving a specific result.