SSC CHSL Tier 1 2023 English Comprehension Questions with Solutions

Explanation

The word Laison is misspelt. The correct spelling is Liaison, which requires an additional letter i after the first a. It refers to cooperation or communication that facilitates a close working relationship between people or organizations.

Explanation

The arrangement B, A, D, C forms a grammatically correct and logically coherent sentence: "he was capable of writing angelic or weird poetry, with a supreme sense of rhythm and word appeal; yet he would write down a problem of morbid psychology or the outlines of an unrelenting plot in a hard and dry style". Part B introduces the main subject and his capability of writing poetry. Part A immediately follows to describe the style of this poetry, ending with a semicolon that indicates a transition to a contrasting idea. Part D introduces this contrast using the conjunction "yet" to describe a different writing style. Part C completes the thought by offering an alternative outcome of that style, connected by the conjunction "or".

Explanation

The word falter means to lose strength or momentum, hesitate, stumble, or show instability in movement or action. The antonym of falter is stabilise, which means to make or become firm, steady, and unlikely to change, fail, or decline, representing a state of steady strength and consistency rather than weakness or hesitation.

Explanation

The word salvage means to save, rescue, or recover something from potential ruin, destruction, or loss. The exact opposite of saving or recovering something is to harm, ruin, or destroy it, which is the definition of damage. Thus, damage serves as the most appropriate antonym in this context.

Explanation

An allegation is an accusation or statement made without proof. Testimony is a formal statement given in a court of law that serves as evidence or proof. Therefore, testimony acts as the antonym because it represents established evidence, whereas an allegation is merely an unproven claim.

Explanation

The word copious means abundant, plentiful, or existing in large quantities. Its antonym is meagre, which means deficient in quantity or quality, thin, or scanty. In the given sentence, meagre is used to describe a novel that lacks depth or substance due to a shortage of words, making it the direct opposite of copious.

Explanation

The word "benifited" is misspelled in the sentence. The correct spelling is "benefited", which is derived from the root word "benefit" and retains the letter "e" in the second syllable.

Explanation

The idiom the die is cast means that a decision has been made or a course of action has been set in motion, and it is now impossible to change, stop, or reverse it. The expression famously originates from Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, marking a point of no return. In this context, it signifies that a course of action has begun and it cannot be blocked or undone.

Explanation

The active voice sentence is in the simple past tense, as indicated by the verb "airlifted". To convert a simple past active voice sentence into the passive voice, the structure used is: Subject (original object) + was/were + past participle (V3) of the verb + by + Agent (original subject). Since the new subject "thousands of people" is plural, the auxiliary verb "were" is used along with the past participle "airlifted", resulting in "Thousands of people were airlifted from Ukraine by the Indian army."

Explanation

The original sentence is grammatically correct and semantically logical. The phrase "is a nice place to meditate" correctly uses the singular verb "is" to agree with the singular subject "This hill", and the infinitive "to meditate" correctly follows the noun phrase "a nice place" to indicate the purpose or suitability of the location. The context of enjoying solitude aligns perfectly with the description of the hill as a nice place for meditation, meaning no changes are needed.

Explanation

The idiom "turn one's hand to" means to adapt oneself to, or apply oneself to, a particular task, trade, or skill. It is commonly used to describe someone who is versatile and can perform different types of work or activities successfully.

Explanation

To convert a passive voice sentence beginning with "By whom" into the active voice, the phrase "By whom" is replaced by the subject pronoun "Who". The passive verb construction "can be solved" consists of the modal auxiliary "can" followed by "be" and the past participle "solved". In the active voice, this structure simplifies to the modal "can" followed by the base form of the verb, which is "solve". The noun phrase "the problem" becomes the direct object placed after the verb. This sequence produces the active query "Who can solve the problem?".

Explanation

The word affable means friendly, warm, and easy to approach. Its direct antonym is hostile, which means unfriendly, antagonistic, or showing ill will. In the context of the sentence, hostile territory describes an unfriendly or threatening environment, making it the appropriate word to fill the blank.

Explanation

Sentence B introduces the topic by suggesting a practical action of asking grandparents about their lifestyle. Sentence D naturally follows Sentence B by specifying exactly what to ask, transitioning from their general lifestyle to their specific homemade remedies and habits. Sentence C then refers to these remedies and habits as tips that can save a trip to the pharmacy. Sentence A serves as the concluding statement, summarizing the value of the knowledge obtained from grandparents by comparing elders to living libraries. This progression moves smoothly from a specific interaction to the practical benefits, ending with a general concluding realization.

Explanation

The sentence describes Daniel's daily life and livelihood. The verb owns is the most appropriate fit for the blank because it expresses possession of the souvenir shop, which aligns with the context of him running a business and living in a nice cottage.

Explanation

The preposition "for" is used to indicate the purpose, function, or use of something. In this context, "a backyard for barbeque" means a backyard that is used or intended for holding barbeques. Therefore, "for" is the correct preposition to establish this relation of purpose.

Explanation

In English, the term family gatherings is a standard collocation used to describe social occasions where family members assemble to celebrate holidays, milestones, or special events. In the context of the passage, where Daniel hosts events at his cottage and his wife prepares turkey, the term gatherings fits the informal and warm family atmosphere of these get-togethers perfectly.

Explanation

The term "dark" is the most appropriate adjective to describe clouds in this context, both literally and metaphorically. In English, "dark clouds" is a standard collocation used to symbolize approaching trouble, gloom, or danger, which perfectly fits the ominous tone of the passage where the characters are worrying about terror and war.

Explanation

The context of the passage depicts Daniel's life as peaceful, stable, and highly pleasant, filled with a nice cottage, a successful shop, family gatherings, and pets. The word comfortable is an adjective that perfectly describes this secure, cozy, and trouble-free lifestyle. Using comfortable before life fits grammatically as an attributive adjective modifying the noun, capturing the essence of the ease and well-being that Daniel fears losing due to the threat of war.

Explanation

Correct Answer: C

The verb wrest means to forcibly pull, snatch, or seize power, authority, or control from someone, typically with effort or difficulty. In this sentence, the shareholders are planning to take away control of the company from the current directors, making wrest the grammatically and semantically correct choice.

Explanation

The word destructed is incorrect in this context. The standard verb form is destroyed, which means to damage something so badly that it cannot be used or no longer exists. While destruct exists as a back-formation from destruction, its usage is generally restricted to specific contexts such as self-destruct and is considered non-standard or incorrect when used in place of destroyed.

Explanation

The word pedestrians is a plural countable noun. In English grammar, fewer is used when referring to items that can be counted individually, while less is used for uncountable quantities or mass nouns. Since eight pedestrians refers to a countable number of people, the correct phrase to use is no fewer than.

Explanation

Leisure refers to free time that is spent away from work, business, or duties, during which one can rest and recreate. Working is the act of engaging in physical or mental effort, labor, or employment, which directly opposes the state of leisure. Therefore, working serves as the precise antonym in this context.

Explanation

To convert a passive voice sentence into the active voice, the agent of the action, which is the object of the preposition "by" (the scientist), becomes the subject of the active sentence. The verb phrase "was made" is in the simple past tense in the passive voice, so it converts to the simple past active form "made". Finally, the subject of the passive sentence (a remarkable discovery) becomes the direct object of the active verb, resulting in "The scientist made a remarkable discovery."

Explanation

The adverbial phrase yesterday evening refers to a completed action in the past. Therefore, the verb must be in the simple past tense rather than the simple present tense. The present tense verb speaks in the first part is incorrect and should be replaced with its past tense form spoke to align with the past time reference.

Explanation

Sentence D introduces the main character, young Abhimanyu, and his action of leading a powerful counterattack. Sentence A logically follows D, using the metaphor "The young lion" to refer back to young Abhimanyu and describing his charge through the enemy formation. Sentence C explains the specific tactic he employed during this charge, which involved using a weapon that created a hallucination of hundreds of Abhimanyus. Sentence B concludes the narrative by describing the direct consequence of this hallucination on the enemy, showing how the illusion caused the soldiers to panic and kill each other.

Explanation

An atheist is a person who does not believe in the existence of a deity or God. The term is derived from the Greek prefix "a-" meaning "without" and "theos" meaning "god", which literally translates to "without god" or one who lacks belief in any divine being.

Explanation

The given sentence is in the passive voice, consisting of two clauses joined by the conjunction "and": "The movie was directed by the famous filmmaker" and "was produced by the studio."

To convert this structure into the active voice: In the first clause, the passive agent "the famous filmmaker" becomes the active subject, the passive verb "was directed" changes to the active simple past tense "directed", and "the movie" becomes the direct object. This forms the clause: "The famous filmmaker directed the movie." In the second clause, the passive agent "the studio" becomes the active subject, the passive verb "was produced" changes to the active simple past tense "produced", and the pronoun "it" is introduced as the direct object representing the movie. This forms the clause: "the studio produced it."

Combining these two active clauses with "and" results in the grammatically correct active construction: "The famous filmmaker directed the movie and the studio produced it."

Explanation

The idiom "have a finger in every pie" means to be involved in or have an influence over many different activities, plans, or enterprises, often suggesting a tendency to meddle. In the context of the sentence, it highlights that despite Ravi being quiet and reserved, he is actively involved in many things.

Explanation

The verb "exhibit" in its past tense is spelled "exhibited", which means to display or show. The adjective "senseless" is spelled with a double "s" at the end, meaning lacking common sense or judgment. Replacing the misspelled words "exhibitad" and "senseles" with their correct spellings yields "exhibited" and "senseless".

Explanation

The word frantic describes a state of being wild or distraught with fear, anxiety, or other strong emotions, typically as a result of a stressful situation such as losing a valuable item in a crowded place. Agitated refers to feeling or appearing troubled, nervous, or perturbed, making it the closest synonym that accurately reflects this state of distress and anxiety.

Explanation

The phrase "has impacted the way we consume" is the most appropriate substitution because "impacted" directly corresponds to "influenced", and "the way we consume" is a standard and natural expression for "how we utilise" when referring to news and media. In the context of communication and information, people consume media, making this substitution both semantically accurate and stylistically appropriate.

Explanation

The sentence begins with the subject and verb in Q, which introduces the main action of the sentence. The transitive verb discusses requires a direct object, which is provided by the noun phrase in R. The conjunction and in P connects this initial object with the next concept, while the possessive pronoun its at the end of P refers back to renewable energy. This pronoun is logically completed by the noun implementation in S, which flows into the remaining prepositional phrase to complete the sentence.

Explanation

The phrasal verb "call around" means to visit or contact several people or places, especially in a specific area, to gather information, help, or support. In this context, Meenakshi is reaching out to various people in her vicinity to gain support for her campaign, making "called around" the most appropriate and idiomatic phrase to substitute the underlined segment.

Explanation

The word indispensable refers to something that is absolutely necessary, essential, or vital. Similarly, imperative denotes something of vital importance, crucial, or urgently requisite. Both words share the core meaning of being essential and unavoidable, making them synonyms.

Explanation

The word soothe means to gently calm, ease, or reduce pain, distress, or anger. Pacify similarly means to quell anger, agitation, or excitement, bringing about a state of peace and tranquility. Since both terms share the central meaning of calming or restoring quiet to an agitated state, they function as direct synonyms.

Explanation

The idiom "let the cat out of the bag" means to disclose a secret or reveal confidential information, often unintentionally. In the context of the sentence, sharing details about the surprise party made it no longer a secret, which directly corresponds to revealing confidential information.

Explanation

Fervour is defined as an intense, passionate, and sincere feeling or expression of excitement and warmth. Enthusiasm similarly refers to a strong, eager, and energetic interest or excitement in a particular activity or cause. Both words convey a state of high passion, dedication, and intense positive energy, making them direct synonyms.

Explanation

The phrasal verb put off means to delay, postpone, or defer an action. The word procrastinate is the precise vocabulary equivalent for this behavior, defined as the act of delaying or postponing something, especially habitually or intentionally. In the given sentence, it perfectly describes the habit of delaying work until the last minute, which leads to unfinished tasks and unnecessary stress.

Explanation

The sentence structure "eggs would be a..." requires a singular countable noun to follow the indefinite article "a". The noun "contender" means a competitor or a strong candidate for a particular title or position. In this context, it fits perfectly to convey that eggs are a strong candidate for being classified as a "perfect food".

Explanation

The adjective packed is idiomatically paired with the preposition with to mean containing a large amount of something. In this context, packed with protein correctly indicates that eggs are highly concentrated with and contain a rich amount of protein.

Explanation

The grammatically and contextually appropriate word to fill in blank 3 is "help". In English grammar, the verb "help" can be followed by an object and a bare infinitive, which fits the structure "help our bodies absorb". This conveys the correct meaning that consuming eggs alongside other foods assists or facilitates the body in absorbing more vitamins.

Explanation

The sentence discusses the historical controversy surrounding egg consumption and its association with an increased risk of heart disease. Eggs, particularly the yolks, are rich in dietary cholesterol, containing approximately 186 milligrams in a single large egg. This substantial amount represents a high cholesterol content, which has been the primary focus of scientific debate and dietary guidelines regarding cardiovascular health. Therefore, the word high accurately describes the cholesterol levels in eggs that triggered this controversy.

Explanation

The adverb normally fits the context of the sentence as it expresses a common, usual, or general perception. In the passage, the author contrasts the widespread, conventional belief that cholesterol is bad with its actual physiological necessity as a crucial building block in cell membranes and hormone production, making normally the most coherent choice.

Explanation

The word magnanimous means being extremely generous, forgiving, and noble in spirit, especially toward a rival or opponent. It perfectly substitutes the phrase generous and forgiving to describe John's sportsmanlike behavior after his defeat.

Explanation

The word invincible is used to describe someone or something that is too powerful to be defeated, overcome, or conquered. It originates from the Latin word invincibilis, where the prefix in- means not and vincere means to conquer.

Explanation

The word militant describes someone who is active, aggressive, and confrontational, often supporting extreme or violent methods to achieve a social or political objective. The antonym of militant is moderate, which refers to a person who advocates for peaceful, non-extreme, and gradual methods, avoiding radicalism or violence in pursuit of political or social change.

Explanation

The word revolve means to move in a circular orbit or to turn around a central point or axis. In the context of security cameras turning to monitor a hallway, revolve is the most appropriate synonym for rotate as it describes this circular turning motion.

Explanation

The idiom throw cold water on means to discourage, dampen enthusiasm, or react to an idea, plan, or proposal with a lack of interest, support, or excitement. Showing indifference toward someone's ideas or initiatives effectively dampens their spirit and discourages them, which aligns with the meaning of the idiom.

Explanation

The word harsh is defined as something that is unpleasantly rough, jarring, or sharp, particularly when affecting the physical senses, such as sound, light, or texture. Additionally, it describes behavior, treatment, or rules that are cruel, severe, and devoid of leniency or gentleness.