English Comprehension SSC 2014 Evening Paper

Directions (Q. Nos. 1 and 2): In the following questions four words are given in each question, out of which only oneword is correctly spelt. Find the correctly spelt.

1. (a) Camouflage

(b) Camaflouge
(c) Cemouflege
(d) Cemouflage

2. (a) Accessible

(b) Akcessible
(c) Accesseble
(d) Accesible

Directions (Q.Nos. 3-12): In the following questions, you have two brief passages with 5 questions following each passage.Read the passages carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.

Passage I

The critical faculty is the most potent one in the human make-up. Its pervasiveness and force have not properly been recognized because like breathing, it is so much a part and parcel of human activity. The difference between a simpleton and an intelligent man, according to the man who is convinced that he is of the latter category, is that the former wholeheartedly accepts all things that he sees and hears while the latter never admits anything except after a most searching scrutiny. He imagines his intelligence to be a sieve of closely woven mesh through which nothing but the finest can pass.
The critical sense is essential for keeping social transactions in a warm state. Otherwise life would become very dull and goody-goody. The critical faculty is responsible for a lot of give and take in life. It increases our awareness of our surroundings; it sounds dignified no doubt but it seems also to mean that we can watch someone else’s back better than our own! We never know our own defects till they are pointed out to us and even, then we need not accept them. We always question the bonafides of the man who tells us unpleasant facts. On the surface it is all very well to say, ‘I want an honest criticism: that will help me, not blind compliments.’ I wish people would mean it.

3 The self-defined intelligent man defines himself on the basis of

(a) his obvious divergence from the simpleton
(b) his superior intelligence as a whole
(c) his possession of the critical faculty
(d) his heightened awareness of his surroundings

4. The negative side of the critical faculty is that

(a) it makes us critical of others
(b) it makes us critical of ourselves
(c) it sounds dignified but it is not actually so
(d) it is a tool for creating classificatory division

5. People who solicit others opinions (about themselves) generally want

(a) effusive compliments
(b) honest criticism
(c) harsh facts
(d) precise feedback

6. The critical faculty is defined as the ‘most potent one in human make-up’ because

(a) it is all pervasive and powerful
(b) it separates the simpleton from the intelligent man
(c) it is a help in social transactions
(d) All the above

7. What, according to the wnter, is the essential link between breathmg and the cntical faculty?

(a) Both are required in social relations
(b) Both are exercised by human beings
(c) Both grow with age
(d) Both stop with death

Passage II

International trade represents a significant share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). While international trade has been present throughout much of history, its economic, social and political importance has been on the rise in recent centuries.
Industrialization, advances in technology, transportation, globalization, multi-national corporations and outsourcing are all having a major impact on the international trade system, increasing international trade is crucial to the continuance of globalization. International trade is, in principle, not different from domestic as the motivation and the behaviour of parties involved in a trade do not change fundamentally regardless of whether trade is across a border or not. The main difference is that international trade is typically more costly than domestic trade. Another difference between domestic and international trade is that factors of production such as capital and labour are typically more mobile within a country than across countries.

8. What is the main difference between international and domestic trade?

(a) One is more significant than the other
(b) One is more costiy than the other
(c) One is more advanced than the other
(d) One is more crucial than the other

9. Which of the following is one of the factors of production?

(a) Capital
(b) Cost
(c) Profit
(d) Loss

10. What is the synonym of ‘mobile’?

(a) Versatile
(b) Moveable
(c) Changeable
(d) Transferable

11. Which one of the following has a major. impact on international trade?

(a) Contribution to GDP
(b) industrialization
(c) Outsourcing
(d) Domestic trade

12. According to the author, increasing international trade

(a) brings about speedy industrialization
(b) uplifts technology and transportation
(c) is crucial to the continuance of globalization
(d) encourages multi-national corporations

Directions (Q. Nos. 63-67): In the following questions, some parts of the sentences have errors and some are correct. Find out which part of a sentence has an error. If a sentence is free from error, mark the answer (d).

13. One of the most (a)/ widely spread (b)/ bad habit-is the use of tobacco. (c)/ No error (d)

14. A chill wind blew (a)/ and icy fingers of death (b)/ crept up my spine. (c)/ No error (d)

15. Such rules(a)/ do not apply to (b)/ you and I. (c)/ No error (d)

16. The river (a)/j has over flown (b)/ its banks. (c)/ No error (d)

17. TIM Calcatta’s MBA programme (a)/ is regarded (b)/ as the finest in the country. (c)/ No error (d)

Directions (Q. Nos. 18-22): In the following questions, sentences are given with blanks to be filled in with an appropriate word(s). Four alternatives are suggested for each question. Choose the correct alternative out of the four.

18. Would you mind ------ the suitcase, Sir?

(a) open
(b) opening
(c) to open
(d) opened

19. When she parted ..... her parents, her eyes were full of tears.

(a) from
(b) away
(c) off
(d) with

20. He went -------- to oblige his superior.

(a) on his way
(b) out of his way
(c) in his way
(d) with his way

21. During a period of protracted illness, the sick can become infirm, ——— both the strength to work and many of the specific skills that were once possessed.

(a) regaining
(b) denying
(c) pursuing
(d) losing

22. The members of the religious .sect ostracized the who -------- had abandoned their faith.

(a) coward
(b) litigant
(c) recreant
(d) suppliant

Directions (Q. Nos. 23-25): In the following questions, out of the four alternatives, choose the one which best expresses the meaning of the given word.

23. Amicable

(a) Friendly
(b) Happy
(c) Perfect
(d) Joyous

24. Impervious

(a) Audacious
(b) Hapharx
(c) Impenetrable
(d) Illogical

25. Peruse

(a) Overuse
(b) Examine
(c) Abuse
(d) Defuse

Directions (Q. Nos. 26-28): In the following questions, choose the word opposite in meaning to the given word.

26. Particularly

(a) Elaborately
(b) Generally
(c) Comprehensively
(d) Entirely

27. Desecration

(a) Hopelessness
(b) Disbelief
(c) Veneration
(d) Manifestation

28. Yield
(a) Respond
(b) Survive
(c) Attack
(d) Resist

Directions (Q. Nos. 29-33): In the following questions, four alternatives are given for the Idiom\Phrase underlined in the sentence. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the Idiom\Phrase.

29. My efforts at pest control went in vain, I have to go back to the drawing board.

(a) plan it all over again
(b) take professional help
(c) spend sometime researching abroad
(d) work at night

30. Indians are going places in the field of software technology.

(a) going abroad
(b) going to spaces
(c) talented and successful
(d) friendly and amicable

31. She is a person who pulls no punches.
(a) speaks politely
(b) speaks frankly
(c) speaks rudely
(d) speaks sweetly

32. For any group work to be successful. It is important that everyone is on the same page.

(a) present for the meeting
(b) registered for the work
(c) willing to pay the same fees
(d) thinks in a similar way

33. Our plan to go to London is in the air.

(a) undecided
(b) certain
(c) under consideration
(d) for approval

Directions (Q. Nos. 34-43): In the following sentence/a part of the sentence is underlined. Below are given alternatives to the underlined part at (a), (b), (c) which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative. In case no improvement is needed, your answer is (d).

34. Your previous project was only failed because you did not persevere yourself in it.

(a) failed only because you did not persevere
(b) failed only because you did not persevere for it
(c) only failed because you did not persevere
(d) No improvement

35. This crime makes a man liable for transportation till his life.

(a) to transportation to life
(b) for transportation for life
(c) to transportation for life
(d) No improvement

36. I don’t think many people will be able to attend the meeting tomorrow. I, but for one, have to be in Chennai.

(a) so for one
(b) rather for one
(c) for one
(d) No improvement

37. My visits to my family are a few and far between.

(a) few and a far between
(b) few and far between
(c) few or far between
(d) No improvement

38. Their friendship will not last through long time.

(a) last through a long time
(b) last through
(c) last long
(d) No improvement

39. All these articles are kept in a tin box to prevent from spoiling of damp in rainy season.

(a) prevent them from spoiling by damp
(b) prevent them being spoiled by damp
(c) prevent them from spoiling of damp
(d) No improvement

40. Although other partsthe world 20% of the farm area is owned by women, in India women own less than 7%.

(a) If in other parts of
(b) However some parts of
(c) While in other parts of
(d) No improvement

41. I had more sympathy with you, my friend.

(a) have more sympathy
(b) have much sympathy
(c) had much sympathy
(d) No improvement

42. The bank manager was given a holiday and so he resolved to go for hitch-hiking.

(a) with hitCh-hiking
(b) for the hitCh-hiking
(c) hitch-hiking
(d) No improvement

43. Our big iron gate jingles on its hinges as it is opened.

(a) clangs
(b) grates
(c) bangs
(d) No improvement

Directions (Q. Nos. 44-50): In the following questions out of the four alternatives, choose the one which can be substituted for the given words/sentences.

44. A part of a word that can be pronounced separately.

(a) Particle
(b) Sibilant
(c) Syllable
(d) Letter

45. Passing out of use.

(a) Adolescent
(b) Reticent
(c) Translucent
(d) Obsolescent

46. A drink usually made from a mixture of one or more alcoholic drinks.

(a) Cocktail
(b) Mocktail
(c) Liquor
(d) Bisque

47. Affecting or relating to cows.

(a) Feline
(b) Bovine
(c) Ovine
(d) Vulpine

48. Something that might happen in the future.

(a) Contingency
(b) Insurance
(c) Emergency
(d) Prophecy

49. A special fondness or liking for.

(a) Propensity
(b) Inclination
(c) Penchant
(d) Preoccupation

50. Relating to kinship with the father.

(a) Patrilineal
(b) Fratrilineal
(c) Matrilineal
(d) Familial

Answers Key

1. (a) 2. (a) 3. (c) 4. (a) 5. (b) 6. (c) 7. (b) 8. (b) 9. (a) 10. (b)
11. (b) 12. (c) 13. (c) 14. (c) 15. (c) 16. (b) 17. (a) 18. (b) 19. (a) 20. (b)
21. (d) 22. (d) 23. (a) 24. (c) 25. (b) 26. (b) 27. (c) 28. (d) 29. (a) 30. (c)
31. (b) 32. (d) 33. (a) 34. (a) 35. (c) 36. (c) 37. (b) 38. (c) 39. (b) 40. (c)
41. (b) 42. (d) 43. (b) 44. (c) 45. (d) 46. (a) 47. (b) 48. (a) 49. (c) 50. (a)