SSC CHSL Tier 1 2023 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The standard English idiomatic expression is "add insult to injury", which means to make a bad situation even worse by further offending, harming, or humiliating someone. In the given sentence, Srujan was already feeling sad due to his boss's harsh words, and his colleague's words worsened his feelings, making "added insult to injury" the correct and appropriate phrase to use.

Explanation

The active voice sentence is in the simple future tense, following the structure: Subject (The child) + will + verb (recite) + Object (the poem).

To convert a sentence in the simple future tense from active to passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. The verb form changes from (will + verb) to (will + be + past participle of the verb), followed by the preposition "by" and the original subject.

Applying this grammatical rule, "the poem" becomes the subject, "will recite" is converted to "will be recited", and "the child" becomes the agent introduced by "by". This yields the correct passive sentence: The poem will be recited by the child.

Explanation

The word itinary is misspelled in the sentence. The correct spelling of the word is itinerary, which refers to a detailed plan or route of a journey.

Explanation

The word extempore is derived from the Latin phrase ex tempore, which translates to out of time or at the moment. In the context of public speaking and school competitions, it refers to a speech delivered on a topic given to the speaker on the spot, requiring them to speak without any prior preparation, notes, or rehearsal.

Explanation

The correct order of the sentence parts is DCBA, which forms the sentence: "My heart skipped a beat when suddenly a carcass of an animal fell before me." In this structure, the main independent clause is "my heart skipped a beat" (D), which describes the reaction of the narrator. This is joined by the adverbial time conjunction "when suddenly" (C) to the subordinate clause that details the unexpected event triggering that reaction. The subject of this subordinate clause is "a carcass of an animal" (B), followed by its corresponding verb phrase "fell before me" (A), creating a grammatically correct and logically coherent narrative sentence.

Explanation

The paragraph begins with sentence D, which introduces the high cost and time required to develop a new drug. Sentence B directly supports this by providing the high failure rate of 95% in drug discovery. Sentence A poses a rhetorical question asking why entrepreneurs do not seek ancient wisdom to overcome these immense drug development challenges. Sentence C provides the direct answer to this question, noting that the cultures holding this ancient wisdom are now reduced to endangered tribes. This creates a logical flow from the challenges of modern drug development to a potential alternative, followed by an explanation of why that alternative is difficult to access.

Explanation

Resentment is defined as a feeling of deep and bitter indignation, ill-will, or displeasure, typically experienced as a result of perceived unfair treatment or injustice. Because this state of mind is characterized by a strong sense of hostility and irritation, anger is the most direct synonym.

Explanation

The correct spelling of the word is liaison, which means a person who facilitates communication between different groups. Option C provides the accurate spelling of this word.

Explanation

The word meagre means deficient in quantity, quality, or fullness, representing a scarce or inadequate amount. The word generous, in addition to meaning liberal in giving, is used to describe an amount that is larger, more plentiful, or more abundant than is usual or necessary. Therefore, generous is the opposite in meaning to meagre.

Explanation

The word pompous means exhibiting self-importance, arrogance, or an inflated sense of one's own grandeur and dignity. Similarly, supercilious describes someone who behaves in a haughty, patronizing, or superior manner, displaying an arrogant sense of self-importance. Both terms denote an attitude of superiority and conceit, making supercilious the most appropriate synonym.

Explanation

The correct order of the jumbled parts forms a grammatically correct and coherent sentence: "Rewards are given in accordance with hierarchical status and are not related to the economic value of the services rendered."

In this arrangement, the sentence begins with the main clause "Rewards are given" (C), which is immediately modified by the adverbial phrase "in accordance with hierarchical status" (A) explaining how the rewards are distributed. The coordinating conjunction "and" then connects this to a parallel passive predicate "are not related to the economic value" (D). Finally, the prepositional phrase "of the services rendered" (B) post-modifies the noun phrase "the economic value" to complete the overall meaning.

Explanation

To convert a superlative degree sentence of the structure Subject + verb + the + superlative adjective + noun + prepositional phrase into the positive degree, the standard construction used is No other + noun + prepositional phrase + verb + as/so + positive adjective + as + subject pronoun.

In this sentence, the superlative adjective is dullest, and its positive degree is dull. Applying the rule, the structure becomes No other child in the class is as dull as she, which perfectly maintains the original meaning while changing the degree of comparison to positive.

Explanation

The word "fulfil" means to carry out, perform, or satisfy a promise, duty, or obligation, such as meeting a financial commitment made in an agreement. Its antonym is "breach", which means to break, violate, or fail to observe a law, agreement, or obligation. Thus, breaching a commitment represents the exact opposite action of fulfilling it.

Explanation

The idiom "when the crunch comes" refers to a critical situation, crisis, or turning point when an important decision must be made or action must be taken. In the context of the sentence, "at the moment of decision" represents this precise critical juncture where one's courage is tested, making "when the crunch comes" the most appropriate idiomatic replacement.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the passive voice and simple present tense, as indicated by the structure is + past participle (is taught). To convert this into the active voice, the agent of the action "Miss Glenn" becomes the subject, and the simple present tense verb form "teaches" (singular verb agreeing with the singular subject "Miss Glenn") is used with the objects "us" and "French". This results in the active voice structure: Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object.

Explanation

The sentence requires the active voice of the verb look because it is used here as a linking verb meaning to appear or to have a certain appearance. Linking verbs are intransitive and cannot be used in the passive voice. The conditional perfect active form would have looked correctly expresses a hypothetical past situation, indicating that Adyasha would have appeared gorgeous in ethnic apparel.

Explanation

Correct Answer: D

The superlative adjective oldest must be preceded by the definite article the instead of the indefinite article a. Therefore, the phrase a oldest member is grammatically incorrect and should be corrected to the oldest member.

Explanation

The subject noun phrase "Such poststructuralist pronouncements" is logically qualified by the prepositional phrase "on the literature of the Third World," (B). This complete subject is then followed by the verb phrase "however, are a common feature of the literary theory practiced" (C), which provides the plural verb "are" agreeing with the plural noun "pronouncements". The participle "practiced" is subsequently modified by the correlative conjunction structure "not only... but also...", requiring "not only in the Anglo-American academia" (A) to be immediately followed by "but also in the Third-World countries" (D) to maintain parallel structure. This yields the coherent and grammatically correct sequence BCAD.

Explanation

The word fundamental refers to something that is of central importance, essential, primary, or forming the base of something. The word least means of the smallest degree, size, or significance, representing the minimum or lowest level of importance. Thus, least serves as the most appropriate antonym by denoting the minimum or negligible significance in contrast to the essential and primary nature of fundamental.

Explanation

The verb bear means to endure, tolerate, or withstand a difficult situation or emotional burden. In this context, it correctly expresses that animals find it difficult to endure or cope with the grief and pain of losing their loved ones.

Explanation

The passage discusses the various reasons behind the occurrence of unemployment, such as the disorganisation of industry, diminution of raw products, invention of machinery, and strikes. The phrase "arises from" indicates source or origin, and the context refers to the origins or reasons of unemployment, making "causes" the grammatically and semantically correct fit for blank 1.

Explanation

The context of the sentence refers to the disorganisation of industry resulting from a long war, which is characterized as a complex and challenging issue. The noun problem correctly describes this difficult situation, especially as it is immediately followed by the phrase admitting of no easy, which typically collocates with words like solution or remedy in blank 3. Therefore, problem is the most grammatically and contextively appropriate word to fill blank 2.

Explanation

The context of the passage discusses unemployment arising from the disorganisation of industry after a war, which is described as a serious problem. The noun solution is the most appropriate word to fill the blank because it collocates naturally with the adjective easy in the phrase admitting of no easy solution, which means there is no simple or straightforward way to resolve or fix this highly complex issue.

Explanation

The word diminution refers to a reduction in the size, extent, or amount of something. In the context of the sentence, a decrease in the amount of a raw product like cotton directly leads to less production work in mills and factories, thereby reducing the requirement for labor. Therefore, quantity is the most grammatically and contextually appropriate fit to complete the phrase "diminution in the quantity of any raw product".

Explanation

The passage discusses the various causes of unemployment. In the context of blank 5, the text describes the impact of industrial mechanization. The invention of machinery increases efficiency by doing more work, which consequently reduces the necessity for human labor. Since hands is used here as a plural countable noun referring to workers, the word fewer is grammatically and contextually correct to indicate a reduction in the number of workers required.

Explanation

Ambience refers to the character, mood, or overall atmosphere associated with a particular place, room, or environment. It encompasses the surrounding influence and unique quality of a location, defining the overall feeling or vibe that a person experiences when in that space.

Explanation

The parts form a grammatically correct and coherent sentence when arranged in the order PQRS. Part P introduces the subject and transitive verb, the research paper analyses. Part Q provides the direct object, the relationship between diet and, which naturally connects to part R, disease and the importance of, completing the first phrase about the relationship between diet and disease. Part R then leads directly into part S, exercise in maintaining good health, to complete the prepositional phrase explaining the importance of exercise. The complete sentence reads: The research paper analyses the relationship between diet and disease and the importance of exercise in maintaining good health.

Explanation

The word deteriorated means decayed, worsened, or fallen into a state of decline. When referring to a building, it indicates that the structure is in a state of ruin, disrepair, or decay due to age or neglect. The word dilapidated specifically describes a building or object that is in such a state of ruin, neglect, or disrepair, making it the most appropriate synonym in this context.

Explanation

The idiom "fish out of water" means a person who is in an unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or awkward situation because they are not suited to their surroundings or are in a completely new environment. In the given sentence, the new entrant felt uncomfortable because everyone was unfamiliar to him, which perfectly matches the meaning of this idiom.

Explanation

The active sentence is in the simple past tense, as indicated by the verb laughed. To convert a sentence in the simple past tense from active to passive voice, the construction is: Subject + was/were + past participle of the main verb + preposition + by + Object.

Here, the object of the active sentence, me, becomes the subject of the passive sentence, which is I. The pronoun I takes the singular past auxiliary verb was. The past participle form of the verb laughed remains laughed, and the preposition at stays with the verb. Finally, the subject of the active sentence, Ramya, is introduced as the agent using by, resulting in: I was laughed at by Ramya.

Explanation

The context of the passage describes a character who is fleeing from pursuers and realizes he has forgotten his rifle in his haste. This realization of a critical, irreversible mistake that leaves him vulnerable and unarmed naturally produces a feeling of sadness, disappointment, or self-blame over his past action. The noun regret precisely denotes this feeling of sadness or disappointment over something that has happened or been done, especially a missed opportunity or a mistake, making it the most appropriate word to describe his state of mind.

Explanation

The word lapse is the most appropriate fit for blank 2 as it refers to a temporary failure of concentration, memory, or judgment, which perfectly describes the act of forgetting his rifle in a hurry. The other options do not fit the context grammatically or semantically.

Explanation

The sentence describes a hypothetical situation in the past, which is expressed using the third conditional structure. In English grammar, the conditional conjunction if can be omitted by inverting the auxiliary verb and the subject. Therefore, the past perfect conditional clause If he had had the rifle becomes Had he had the rifle when inverted. This matches the structure of the sentence, where Had acts as the auxiliary verb preceding the subject he and the past participle had.

Explanation

The context indicates that the protagonist is helpless because he forgot his rifle while fleeing. The phrase "could do nothing about it" perfectly fits this state of complete powerlessness, which is further reinforced by the immediate succeeding sentence, "He was unarmed." This expresses his inability to change the situation or defend himself.

Explanation

The word "business" is the correct spelling, which refers to an occupation, profession, trade, or commercial activity. It is etymologically derived from the state of being busy, combining the root word "busy" (where the letter "y" changes to "i" when adding a suffix) with the standard noun-forming suffix "-ness".

Explanation

The word keen means having or showing eagerness, intense enthusiasm, or a strong desire for something. In the provided sentence, the word eager is used to express this exact same state of looking forward to something with great interest and anticipation, making it the direct synonym of keen.

Explanation

Scarcity refers to a state of being in short supply or having a shortage of resources. The word excess denotes an amount of something that is more than necessary or desirable, representing an abundance or surplus. Thus, excess serves as the direct antonym to scarcity within the context of the sentence.

Explanation

The active voice sentence "A sudden noise frightened the horse" is in the simple past tense, which follows the structure Subject + second form of verb (V₂) + Object. To convert a simple past active sentence into the passive voice, the grammatical structure is Subject (original object) + was/were + past participle (V₃) + by + Object (original subject).

Applying this rule, the object "the horse" becomes the new singular subject, which takes the auxiliary verb "was". The past participle of "frighten" is "frightened", and the original subject "a sudden noise" is introduced with the agent preposition "by". This results in the correct passive sentence: "The horse was frightened by a sudden noise."

Explanation

The preposition "for" is followed by a gerund or a noun to express purpose, making "for feed" grammatically incorrect. To express the purpose of an action using the base form of a verb like "feed", the infinitive structure "to + verb" (to feed) is required. The modal verb "must" combined with the passive voice "be used" followed by the infinitive "to feed" correctly conveys that technology needs to be utilized to satisfy or sustain the changing forces in society.

Explanation

The correct spelling of the word meaning delightfully charming or attractive is enchanting, and the correct spelling of the word referring to the natural features of a landscape is scenery. Both words are spelled correctly in this option, maintaining the standard rules of English orthography.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the present continuous tense in the passive voice, which follows the structure: object + is/am/are + being + past participle + preposition + subject. To convert this into the active voice, the structure is changed to: subject + is/am/are + present participle + object. Applying this rule, the passive subject the matches becomes the active object, and the passive agent Sports TV becomes the active subject. The verb phrase are being shown changes to is showing to agree with the singular subject Sports TV. This results in the active voice sentence: Sports TV is showing the matches live.

Explanation

The sequence EACBD forms a grammatically correct and coherent sentence: "To stay ahead of these crises we need to understand where we are and, where we are headed, and that will require significant investment in our data and information infrastructure."

The sentence opens with the adverbial infinitive phrase of purpose, "to stay ahead of these crises" (E), followed by the main clause starting with "we need to understand" (A). The verb "understand" takes two parallel noun clauses joined by "and": "where we are" (A) and "where we are headed" (C). This is followed by a coordinating clause, "and that will require significant investment" (B), which connects seamlessly to its prepositional complement "in our data and information infrastructure" (D) to complete the meaning of "investment in".

Explanation

The idiom cutting corners refers to the practice of performing a task in the easiest, quickest, or cheapest way possible. This is typically achieved by bypassing established procedures, skipping necessary steps, or using inferior materials, which ultimately compromises the quality, safety, or standard of the final result.

Explanation

Correct Answer: B

The phrase "that angry" is grammatically incorrect in this context. The standard English structure used to express cause and effect, indicating that a quality exists to such a degree that it produces a certain result, is "so... that". Therefore, the adverb "that" should be replaced with "so" to modify the adjective "angry", making the correct sentence "He was so angry that he slammed the book on the table."

Explanation

The idiom "chapter and verse" means providing precise, detailed, and authoritative reference or evidence to support a statement or a claim. In the given situation, Shayam submitted clear and specific proofs to establish his innocence against the accusation of bribery, which corresponds directly to providing chapter and verse for his defense.

Explanation

The word requirement refers to something that is needed, demanded, or obligatory for a specific purpose. An essential refers to a fundamental, indispensable, or necessary element, quality, or condition that cannot be done without. Both terms convey the core meaning of necessity, making essential the most appropriate synonym for requirement.

Explanation

The word Monologe is incorrectly spelt. The correct spelling is Monologue, which refers to a long speech delivered by a single person, typically in a play, movie, or broadcast.

Explanation

The noun compliment means an expression of praise, admiration, or congratulation, which is appropriate for the first blank where someone is receiving praise for their new haircut.

The verb complement means to add to something in a way that enhances, improves, or completes it. In the third-person singular form, complements fits the second blank to indicate that the haircut enhances and suits the person's personality.

Explanation

The word callous is defined as having or showing an insensitive and cruel disregard for others. Insensitive similarly describes someone who is unfeeling, cold, or indifferent to the feelings and suffering of others, making it the most appropriate synonym.

Explanation

In a sentence with compound verbs, when auxiliary verbs require different forms of the principal verb, the appropriate form of the verb must be used with each auxiliary. The auxiliary verb "has" requires the past participle form "been" to form the present perfect tense, while the modal auxiliary "can" requires the base form "be". To maintain grammatical correctness, both verb forms must be explicitly stated as "has not been and can never be".