SSC CHSL Tier 1 2022 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The word monopoly refers to the exclusive possession, control, or command of something. It originates from the Greek words monos, meaning single, and polein, meaning to sell, representing a situation where a single entity has sole authority or ownership over a particular domain, commodity, or service.

Explanation

The sentence in option A contains words that are all spelled correctly: "peel" (to remove the outer skin), "pit" (to remove the stone or seed from a fruit), "avocados" (the plural form of the fruit avocado), and "slice" (to cut into thin, flat pieces). Each word adheres to standard English orthography, making the sentence completely free of spelling errors.

Explanation

The sentence begins with part S, which introduces the main subject sloths and their habitat, ending with the conjunction and pronoun and they. This naturally leads to part P, which provides the verb phrase actually move so slowly that algae grows on their fur and to describe their movement. Part P ends with the conjunction and, which connects to part R, explaining the consequence of the algae: this can give sloths a green colour that helps them hide in. Finally, the preposition in at the end of part R directly links to the noun phrase the forest from predators like nocturnal cats and harpy eagles in part Q, completing the logical and grammatical flow.

Explanation

When converting an interrogative sentence starting with a question word like when from direct to indirect speech, the reporting verb said to is changed to asked. The question word when serves as the connector, and the sentence structure changes from interrogative to assertive, meaning the subject comes before the verb. The pronoun you changes to he to agree with the object the student. Additionally, the modal verb will changes to its past tense form would because the reporting verb is in the past tense, followed by the base verb come.

Explanation

The term life expectancy is a standard statistical measure of the average time an organism is expected to live. This is confirmed later in the passage itself, which refers to Norway recovering its pre-pandemic life expectancy in 2021. Therefore, life is the correct word to complete the collocation life expectancy in the context of demographic and health outcomes during the pandemic.

Explanation

Scientific studies investigating brain activity and chemical levels typically use neuroimaging techniques such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging or Positron Emission Tomography to observe the brain. The term scanned is the standard scientific and English usage to describe the process of obtaining these medical or functional images of a person's brain. In this context, scanning allows researchers to monitor the physical and chemical changes, such as the buildup of glutamate in the lateral prefrontal cortex, at different times during the work day.

Explanation

The sentence structure requires a main verb for the subject "A recent study", with the clause "that (1) people's brains at different points in their work day" acting as a relative clause modifying the study. The main verb needs to express what the study discovered or showed in the past. The simple past tense of the verb "find" is "found", which correctly indicates that the completed study discovered that high-demand tasks can lead to a build-up of glutamate in the brain.

Explanation

The adverb potentially means having the capacity to develop into something or expressing possibility. In the context of the passage, glutamate is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter used to transmit signals, but it can become harmful when it builds up in large quantities during high-demand tasks. Therefore, it is described as a potentially toxic chemical, indicating that it is not inherently toxic but has the potential to become toxic under specific circumstances.

Explanation

In neurology and brain chemistry, glutamate is a primary neurotransmitter. Neurotransmitters function as chemical messengers that transmit or send signals from one nerve cell to another across synapses. The verb send fits the context of transmitting these neural signals.

Explanation

The blank requires a noun that describes the functioning or operation of the lateral prefrontal cortex (lPFC) when affected by an excess of glutamate. The word performance refers to how effectively or efficiently a system, organ, or brain region carries out its designated functions. In this context, the accumulation of glutamate alters the cognitive functioning and overall performance of the brain region responsible for planning and decision-making.

Explanation

The conjunction "while" is used to connect two clauses that present contrasting or opposing situations occurring at the same time. In this sentence, it successfully contrasts the positive trend where life expectancy rebounded in western European countries with the negative trend of additional losses experienced in eastern Europe and the United States.

Explanation

The verb beats is used in this context to mean surpasses or exceeds. The sentence indicates that Norway was the only country that managed to exceed or perform better than its pre-pandemic life expectancy level in 2021.

Explanation

The adverb likely is used to express probability or what would be expected to happen under normal circumstances. In this context, the phrase would likely have been refers to the estimated or expected level of life expectancy that countries would have achieved had the pandemic not occurred.

Explanation

The word pliable describes something that is easily bent, flexible, supple, or easily influenced. The word rigid refers to something that is stiff, unyielding, and unable to bend or be forced out of shape. Because these two words represent opposite physical and metaphorical qualities of flexibility and stiffness, they are direct antonyms.

Explanation

The sentence begins with the introductory phrase From the, which naturally connects to the noun phrase in part R, grain heartland of Argentina to the tomato belt of. Part R ends with the preposition of, which must be followed by a geographical location, seamlessly connecting to California in part P, completing the geographical range California to the pork hub of China,. This introductory prepositional phrase is followed by the main subject of the sentence in part S, extreme weather events in 2021 have. The auxiliary verb have in part S requires a past participle to complete the present perfect tense, which is provided in part Q, reduced food supplies and sharply increased food prices. This sequence forms a coherent and grammatically correct sentence.

Explanation

The word dreary is used to describe something that is dull, bleak, boring, lifeless, or depressing. Therefore, dull is the correct synonym as it also refers to something lacking interest, excitement, or brightness.

Explanation

The verb revert means to return to a previous state, practice, or system. In this context, returning to a pre-existing method or way of functioning after a period of disruption is described as reverting to the older system. The preposition to naturally follows the verb revert in this usage.

Explanation

The idiom piece of cake is a widely used colloquial expression that refers to a task, activity, or job that is incredibly easy, simple, or straightforward to accomplish. The origin of the phrase is linked to the idea that eating a slice of cake is an effortless and enjoyable experience, requiring no struggle or hard work. Therefore, describing an action or task as a piece of cake denotes that it can be completed with absolute ease and minimal effort.

Explanation

The word ecclesial is an adjective derived from the Greek word ekklesia, which refers to a church, assembly, or congregation. It relates specifically to a church as an institution, its organization, or its governing body. Therefore, the word churchly is its synonym as it means pertaining to, connected with, or suitable for a church.

Explanation

The word challenging is the most appropriate adjective to describe a task that is difficult, demanding, or requires significant effort and evaluation. Selecting the right software involves assessing various factors like cost, compatibility, usability, and security, which makes the decision-making process highly demanding for any business.

Explanation

The idiom "to breast the tape" originates from track and field athletics. In a running race, a physical ribbon or tape is stretched across the finish line. The runner who crosses the finish line first breaks or touches this tape with their chest (or breast). Consequently, the phrase has historically been used to describe the act of winning a race or successfully completing a competitive event in the first position.

Explanation

The phrase much too is an adverbial modifier that must be used before adjectives or adverbs, such as in much too heavy or much too slowly. In this sentence, it is placed before the noun technology. To modify a noun, the correct determiner phrase is too much. Therefore, the phrase much too must be replaced with too much to make the sentence grammatically correct.

Explanation

The sentence structure begins with the introductory phrase, which naturally connects to part D because of the correlative conjunction construction lay not in... but in... which establishes a parallel structure between in finding a new flower and in what unfurling its secrets when it will. This is followed by part B, which introduces Rohan's advice. Part A contains the first part of this advice, ending with Allow the future, which grammatically requires an infinitive to complete its meaning. Part C provides this completion with to arrive at its own pace, creating a coherent and grammatically correct flow.

Explanation

The grammatical error lies in the segment "the world's leading string quartet." The phrase "one of the" is always followed by a plural noun because it denotes selecting one individual unit from a larger group. Therefore, the singular noun "quartet" should be replaced with the plural noun "quartets" to make the sentence grammatically correct.

Explanation

The active voice sentence is in the simple present tense, as indicated by the verb build. To convert a simple present tense sentence into the passive voice, the construction formula is: Subject (receiver of the action) + is/am/are + past participle of the verb (V3) + by + Object (doer of the action). Since the object new nests is plural, the plural auxiliary verb are is used together with the past participle built.

Explanation

The word "amateur" is correctly spelled with the letter sequence a-m-a-t-e-u-r. It is derived from the French word "amateur", which in turn comes from the Latin "amator", meaning "lover" or "devotee". In English, it refers to a person who engages in a pursuit, such as a sport, art, or science, on an unpaid or non-professional basis.

Explanation

The word reprimand is a noun and a verb that means a formal expression of disapproval or a severe rebuke. It is derived from the French word reprimande and the Latin reprimenda, which means things to be repressed. The correct spelling in English is reprimand, ending with the suffix -and.

Explanation

When converting indirect speech to direct speech, the past perfect tense (had seen) in a yes/no question introduced by "if" is reverted to the simple past tense. A direct question in the simple past tense uses the auxiliary verb "did" followed by the subject and the base form of the main verb (Did + subject + see). Additionally, the first-person pronoun "I" changes back to the second-person pronoun "you" to match the object "me", and the reporting verb "asked" becomes "said to me" in the direct form.

Explanation

The verb phrase "think about" is used to describe the action of contemplating or having something in one's mind. In this sentence, the speaker is actively contemplating a beautiful scene in the present, which aligns with the present tense of the first clause "can't concentrate". The preposition "off" is grammatically incorrect in this context, whereas "about" correctly links the action of thinking to the object of thought. Thus, "am thinking about" provides the correct verb-preposition combination and maintains subject-verb agreement with the singular first-person pronoun "I".

Explanation

The word candid originates from the Latin candidus, meaning white or pure, which metaphorically extends to mean free from malice, prejudice, or bias. In this literary and formal sense, candid means impartial, fair, and unbiased in making judgments or representing facts.

Explanation

Sentence S introduces the topic by stating that Japan is known as the land of the rising sun. Sentence Q naturally follows by describing the geographical basis for this nickname, mentioning that the country experiences the earliest sunrise. Sentence R connects to the previous sentences by explaining the historical origin of that name through the words of the Japanese envoy. Finally, sentence P transitions from the national level to a local level, identifying Hiroshima as the specific city within Japan that experiences the earliest mornings. This creates a logical flow from the general introduction of the country to its specific geographic details and finally to a city-specific detail.

Explanation

The pronoun neither is grammatically singular and takes a singular verb. In the subject phrase neither of the two companies, neither is the head pronoun that determines the agreement, while of the two companies is a prepositional phrase. Therefore, the singular verb is must be used instead of the plural verb are to maintain subject-verb agreement.

Explanation

The verb filter means to pass a liquid through a device to remove impurities or solid particles. In the context of preparing tap water for drinking, filtering is a standard and logical practice to ensure the water is clean and safe for consumption.

Explanation

The preposition with is used to indicate the instrument, means, or state of accompaniment through which an action is performed. In this context, it describes the manner in which dolphins sleep, specifically that they do so using or employing only one brain hemisphere at a time. Therefore, with correctly establishes the relationship between the act of sleeping and the physical state of the dolphin's brain hemispheres.

Explanation

The passage describes the unique sleep behavior of dolphins, where they keep one hemisphere of their brain active. The word maintaining means preserving or retaining a particular state or activity. In this context, keeping one half of the brain awake allows the dolphin to preserve or keep enough consciousness to perform essential survival tasks such as breathing and staying alert to potential dangers.

Explanation

The passage describes the survival mechanisms of dolphins during sleep, where they maintain a degree of alertness to safeguard themselves from danger. The sentence structure requires a noun that represents a source of danger to parallel the phrase "and other threats". Predators are natural enemies that hunt and pose a direct physical threat to dolphins, making this word the most logical and contextually appropriate fit for the blank.

Explanation

The word sleep is the most appropriate fit for blank 4 because the passage discusses the physiological sleep cycle of dolphins, making early sleep stages a scientifically and contextually accurate phrase. Other options do not fit the grammar or context of the sentence.

Explanation

Correct Answer: A

The passage discusses the physiological state of dolphins during sleep. In biology, any change in an organism's environment that causes a physical or behavioral change or reaction is called a stimulus. The plural form of this word is stimuli. In the context of the sentence, mild external stimuli refers to sensory inputs such as touch, sound, or light from the surrounding environment that would normally provoke a reaction or response from the dolphin when awake. Thus, when dolphins are in a fully asleep state, they show no response to these external sensory triggers.

Explanation

The idiom "good grief" is an informal exclamation used to express surprise, shock, dismay, or frustration. It is commonly uttered as a reaction to an unexpected event, a piece of bad news, or a minor annoyance.

Explanation

The word temerity refers to excessive confidence, boldness, or audacity. Its direct antonym is diffidence, which means a lack of self-confidence, shyness, or modesty.

Explanation

The introductory phrase ends with the adjective ancient, which requires a noun to complete the noun phrase. Part C starts with epics in world literature, making it the only logical continuation. Part C ends with the phrase It consists of nearly, which must be followed by a quantity, leading directly to Part A, which begins with 24,000 verses divided into seven Khanda (parts). Part B then naturally follows to provide additional details about these seven parts with the clause the first and the seventh being later additions. Finally, Part D concludes the passage by introducing a new sentence that describes the genre of the text as Itihasa. This forms the coherent sequence CABD.

Explanation

The introductory clause Mr. Summers spoke frequently is grammatically completed by the prepositional phrase in C, to the villagers about making a new box, but no one. The subject pronoun no one at the end of C requires a verb, which is supplied by the verb liked in B, continuing as liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box. There was a. The indefinite article a at the end of B requires a singular noun, which is provided by story in D, reading story that the present box had been made with some pieces of the box that had preceded it. The noun phrase the box that had preceded it at the end of D is then naturally modified by the appositive clause in A, the one that had been constructed when the first people settled down to make a village here. This completes a cohesive and grammatically correct passage.

Explanation

The phrase "has had developed" is grammatically incorrect because it uses an improper combination of auxiliary verbs. In English grammar, to form the present perfect tense, the auxiliary verb "has" is followed directly by the past participle of the main verb, which would be "has developed". To form the past perfect tense, the auxiliary "had" is used, resulting in "had developed". Combining both auxiliary verbs as "has had developed" before the main verb is redundant and grammatically invalid.

Explanation

An apiary is a location where beehives of honey bees are kept, managed, and maintained, typically for the production of honey and the pollination of crops. The term is derived from the Latin word apis, which translates directly to bee.

Explanation

The verb loading is the most appropriate word to fill the blank in the context of preparing a dishwasher for operation. Loading a dishwasher is a standard English collocation that refers to the act of placing dirty dishes, trays, and utensils inside the appliance before turning it on. In the context of the sentence, dumping the tray on the side serves as the preliminary action before placing the items into the dishwasher, which is described as loading it.

Explanation

The plural subject "The actors" requires a verb form that is grammatically consistent with it. The past tense construction "had to" followed by the base form of the verb "shoot" (had to shoot) is grammatically correct and agrees with the plural subject, appropriately expressing a past obligation or necessity.

Explanation

The word tardy is defined as delaying or delayed beyond the expected or proper time, meaning slow or late. Its opposite must describe someone or something that acts quickly, punctually, and without any delay. The word prompt directly conveys the meaning of being on time, immediate, or quick to act, which makes it the precise antonym of tardy.

Explanation

When converting direct speech into indirect speech, the reporting verb "asked" is in the past tense, which requires the verb in the reported speech to undergo a backshift from the present tense "is" to the past tense "was". Additionally, the interrogative word order "is it" changes to the assertive word order "it was" in indirect questions. The absolute phrase "his euphoria fading" is correctly integrated at the beginning as "With his euphoria fading" to maintain the original meaning and adverbial relationship of the sentence.

Explanation

The adjective receptive requires the preposition to when linking to an object, as in receptive to. In contrast, the adjective accommodating is paired with the preposition of. When two adjectives that govern different prepositions share the same object, both prepositions must be explicitly stated. Therefore, the preposition to is missing after the word receptive, making this segment grammatically incorrect.

Explanation

A pedestrian is a person walking rather than travelling in a vehicle, which perfectly describes one who goes on foot. The term is derived from the Latin word pedester, meaning going on foot.