SSC CGL 14 September 2025 · Shift 1 · English Comprehension — questions with answers

76

Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph. 1. These large predatory fish are known for their speed and sharp teeth, making them apex predators in their marine habitats. 2. Sharks are a fascinating group of cartilaginous fish found in oceans all over the world. 3. Their skeletons are made of cartilage rather than bone, a feature that distinguishes them from most other fish. 4. From the massive whale shark, the largest fish in the world, to the small dwarf lanternshark, they display remarkable diversity.

A.2, 4, 3, 1
B.4, 3, 2, 1
C.3, 2, 1, 4
D.2, 1, 4, 3

Solution

Para jumble — sharks Sentence 2 introduces the subject — sharks — so it opens the paragraph. Sentence 4 expands on their diversity with examples of species, naturally following the introduction. Sentence 3 then explains the cartilage feature, and sentence 1 concludes with their role as apex predators. Order 2-4-3-1 — option (a).

77

Select the most appropriate meaning of the highlighted idiom. After years of disagreement, they decided to bury the hatchet.

A.Ending a conflict and making peace
B.Increasing bitterness
C.Leaving the situation suddenly
D.Forgetting someone's identity

Solution

Idiom — bury the hatchet 'To bury the hatchet' means to end a quarrel and make peace. The idiom comes from a Native American custom of literally burying weapons when peace was made. After years of disagreement, they chose reconciliation. Hence option (a).

78

Select the INCORRECTLY spelt word.

A.Rendezvous
B.Harassment
C.Camouflage
D.Indespensable

Solution

Incorrect spelling The correct spelling is 'indispensable' — with an i after the d. 'Indespensable' is therefore wrong. Rendezvous, harassment and camouflage are all spelt correctly. Hence option (d).

79

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in the Active/Passive voice. The reports are being reviewed by the committee before publication.

A.The committee reviews the reports before publication.
B.The committee is reviewing the reports before publication.
C.The reports were reviewed by the committee before publication.
D.The committee has reviewed the reports before publication.

Solution

Passive → active — continuous 'Are being reviewed' is the PRESENT CONTINUOUS passive. Its active form must stay in the present continuous: 'is reviewing'. Options (a), (c) and (d) change the tense to simple present, past or present perfect. Hence option (b).

80

Select the correct spelling to fill in the blank. ____ is a key component in modern gunpowder.

A.Nitroselulose
B.Nitrocellulous
C.Nitrocellulose
D.Nitrosellullose

Solution

Spelling — nitrocellulose The word combines nitro- + cellulose (the plant fibre it is made from). 'Nitrocellulose' is the correct spelling. The endings '-lous' and the doubled l/s versions are all wrong. Hence option (c).

81

Choose the one-word substitute for the below sentence. He is known for eating far more than what is considered normal.

A.Glutton
B.Connoisseur
C.Epicure
D.Sybarite

Solution

One-word — glutton A 'glutton' is a person who greedily eats far too much. A connoisseur is an expert judge of taste; an epicure enjoys FINE food; a sybarite loves luxury. Only glutton matches over-eating. Hence option (a).

82

Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. The committee reviewed all the proposals, none of ____ met the required criteria.

A.who
B.which
C.them
D.those

Solution

none of which The blank joins two clauses, so it needs a RELATIVE pronoun, not a plain pronoun. 'Them' or 'those' would need a conjunction; 'who' is for people. For things, the correct relative form is 'none of which'. Hence option (b).

83

Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. Hardly ____ the team completed the report when the boss called them for a presentation.

A.did
B.have
C.had
D.was

Solution

Hardly had … when 'Hardly' at the start forces inversion, and it pairs with 'when'. The fixed structure is: Hardly HAD + subject + past participle … when … 'Hardly had the team completed the report when the boss called …' ✓ Hence option (c).

84

Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word: Childish

A.Old
B.Wise
C.Mature
D.Juvenile

Solution

Synonym — Childish 'Juvenile' means relating to a child or marked by childish behaviour. That is exactly the sense of 'childish'. Old, wise and mature all point the OPPOSITE way. Hence option (d).

85

The following sentences have been divided into parts. One of them contains an error. Select the part that contains the error from the given options. The principal emphasized that it was not only a lack of funding for extracurricular activities (1)/ that disheartened students, but the inconsistent support from parents and faculty (2)/ which, despite being crucial for success, (3)/ contribute to a decline in overall participation rates. (4)

A.(1)
B.(2)
C.(3)
D.(4)

Solution

Error — contribute(s) Trace the subject of the last verb: 'the inconsistent SUPPORT … which … contribute'. 'Support' is singular, so the verb must be 'contributes'. The error therefore lies in part (4): 'contribute to a decline …'. Hence option (d).

86

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in the Active/Passive voice. The research team had been analyzing the collected data for weeks before publishing the results.

A.The collected data had been being analyzed by the research team for weeks before publishing the results.
B.The collected data had be analyzed by the research team for weeks.
C.The collected data had analyzed by the research team for weeks.
D.The collected data had been analyzed by the research team for weeks before the results were published.

Solution

Passive — past perfect continuous 'Had been analyzing' is the PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS. Its passive keeps the continuous sense: had been BEING + past participle. 'The collected data had been being analyzed by the research team …' — options (b) and (c) are ungrammatical, and (d) changes the tense to past perfect simple. Hence option (a).

87

Select the sentence using a different meaning of the highlighted word. The warrior's pauldron was dented in the battle.

A.The steel pauldron protected the knight's left shoulder.
B.He polished the curved surface of his pauldron.
C.The snail retracted beneath its thick pauldron.
D.A heavy pauldron was strapped over the tunic.

Solution

Different sense — pauldron In the stem, a 'pauldron' is a piece of plate armour covering the shoulder. Options (a), (b) and (d) all use it in the same armour sense. In option (c) the word is used for the protective SHELL of a snail — a different sense. Hence option (c).

88

Select the correct indirect/direct form of the given sentence. Ravi said to me, "Please help me with this task."

A.Ravi requested me to help him with that task.
B.Ravi told me help him with this task.
C.Ravi said me to please help him with that task.
D.Ravi requested that I help him with this task.

Solution

Direct → indirect — request A sentence with 'please' becomes a REQUEST: said to → requested. Structure: requested + object + TO + verb; the pronoun changes (me → him) and this → that. 'Ravi requested me to help him with that task.' — (b) drops 'to', (c) keeps 'said me' and 'please'. Hence option (a).

89

Select the most appropriate antonym of the highlighted word: He had fought in a war to extirpate fascism.

A.Exterminate
B.Establish
C.Remove
D.Eradicate

Solution

Antonym — extirpate 'Extirpate' means to root out and destroy completely. Its antonym is 'establish' — to set up firmly. Exterminate, remove and eradicate are all synonyms of extirpate. Hence option (b).

90

Directions (Qs. 90-94): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. India's journey in space exploration began in 1962 with the establishment of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) under the leadership of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. What started with modest rocket launches from Thumba soon evolved into one of the world's most respected space programs. The formation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969 marked a turning point, reflecting India's ambition to harness space technology for national development. Over the decades, ISRO achieved remarkable milestones — from launching the Aryabhata satellite in 1975 to the Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan missions that showcased India’s prowess in lunar and interplanetary exploration. However, the true transformation occurred in the 21st century. With the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission in 2023, India became the first nation to land on the Moon’s south pole, a feat celebrated globally. The mission highlighted ISRO’s cost-effective innovation and technical expertise. Meanwhile, projects like Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight program, signify the country’s leap toward manned missions. ISRO’s collaborations with private space startups and global agencies are also expanding the frontiers of innovation, aiming to make India a key player in the global space economy. Yet, challenges persist — limited budgets, brain drain, and the need for continuous technological upgrades. Still, India’s space vision remains clear: to combine affordability, innovation, and global collaboration to reach new cosmic milestones.

When was the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) established?

A.1962
B.1969
C.1975
D.1984

Solution

RC — ISRO founding Careful — the passage gives two dates: 1962 is INCOSPAR, the earlier committee. It says the formation of ISRO in 1969 'marked a turning point'. 1975 is the Aryabhata launch, not the founding. Hence 1969 — option (b).

91

Directions (Qs. 90-94): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. India's journey in space exploration began in 1962 with the establishment of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) under the leadership of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. What started with modest rocket launches from Thumba soon evolved into one of the world's most respected space programs. The formation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969 marked a turning point, reflecting India's ambition to harness space technology for national development. Over the decades, ISRO achieved remarkable milestones — from launching the Aryabhata satellite in 1975 to the Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan missions that showcased India’s prowess in lunar and interplanetary exploration. However, the true transformation occurred in the 21st century. With the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission in 2023, India became the first nation to land on the Moon’s south pole, a feat celebrated globally. The mission highlighted ISRO’s cost-effective innovation and technical expertise. Meanwhile, projects like Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight program, signify the country’s leap toward manned missions. ISRO’s collaborations with private space startups and global agencies are also expanding the frontiers of innovation, aiming to make India a key player in the global space economy. Yet, challenges persist — limited budgets, brain drain, and the need for continuous technological upgrades. Still, India’s space vision remains clear: to combine affordability, innovation, and global collaboration to reach new cosmic milestones.

Which mission made India the first country to land on the Moon's south pole?

A.Chandrayaan-2
B.Mangalyaan
C.Chandrayaan-3
D.Gaganyaan

Solution

RC — south pole landing The passage states that with Chandrayaan-3 in 2023, India became the first nation to land on the Moon’s south pole. Mangalyaan was the Mars mission and Gaganyaan is the human-spaceflight programme. Chandrayaan-2 is not credited with the landing. Hence option (c).

92

Directions (Qs. 90-94): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. India's journey in space exploration began in 1962 with the establishment of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) under the leadership of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. What started with modest rocket launches from Thumba soon evolved into one of the world's most respected space programs. The formation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969 marked a turning point, reflecting India's ambition to harness space technology for national development. Over the decades, ISRO achieved remarkable milestones — from launching the Aryabhata satellite in 1975 to the Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan missions that showcased India’s prowess in lunar and interplanetary exploration. However, the true transformation occurred in the 21st century. With the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission in 2023, India became the first nation to land on the Moon’s south pole, a feat celebrated globally. The mission highlighted ISRO’s cost-effective innovation and technical expertise. Meanwhile, projects like Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight program, signify the country’s leap toward manned missions. ISRO’s collaborations with private space startups and global agencies are also expanding the frontiers of innovation, aiming to make India a key player in the global space economy. Yet, challenges persist — limited budgets, brain drain, and the need for continuous technological upgrades. Still, India’s space vision remains clear: to combine affordability, innovation, and global collaboration to reach new cosmic milestones.

What does the Gaganyaan project aim to achieve?

A.Launch India's first Mars rover
B.Conduct India's first human spaceflight
C.Build a permanent space station
D.Launch low-cost communication satellites

Solution

RC — Gaganyaan The passage calls Gaganyaan 'India’s first human spaceflight program'. It signifies the leap toward manned missions. Mars rovers, space stations and communication satellites are not what the passage links to Gaganyaan. Hence option (b).

93

Directions (Qs. 90-94): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. India's journey in space exploration began in 1962 with the establishment of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) under the leadership of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. What started with modest rocket launches from Thumba soon evolved into one of the world's most respected space programs. The formation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969 marked a turning point, reflecting India's ambition to harness space technology for national development. Over the decades, ISRO achieved remarkable milestones — from launching the Aryabhata satellite in 1975 to the Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan missions that showcased India’s prowess in lunar and interplanetary exploration. However, the true transformation occurred in the 21st century. With the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission in 2023, India became the first nation to land on the Moon’s south pole, a feat celebrated globally. The mission highlighted ISRO’s cost-effective innovation and technical expertise. Meanwhile, projects like Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight program, signify the country’s leap toward manned missions. ISRO’s collaborations with private space startups and global agencies are also expanding the frontiers of innovation, aiming to make India a key player in the global space economy. Yet, challenges persist — limited budgets, brain drain, and the need for continuous technological upgrades. Still, India’s space vision remains clear: to combine affordability, innovation, and global collaboration to reach new cosmic milestones.

Which factor is NOT mentioned as a challenge for India's space program?

A.Limited funding
B.Brain drain
C.Lack of public interest
D.Need for technological upgrades

Solution

RC — NOT a challenge The passage lists the challenges: limited budgets, brain drain and the need for continuous technological upgrades. Public interest is never mentioned as a problem. So 'lack of public interest' is the odd one out. Hence option (c).

94

Directions (Qs. 90-94): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. India's journey in space exploration began in 1962 with the establishment of the Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) under the leadership of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. What started with modest rocket launches from Thumba soon evolved into one of the world's most respected space programs. The formation of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 1969 marked a turning point, reflecting India's ambition to harness space technology for national development. Over the decades, ISRO achieved remarkable milestones — from launching the Aryabhata satellite in 1975 to the Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan missions that showcased India’s prowess in lunar and interplanetary exploration. However, the true transformation occurred in the 21st century. With the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission in 2023, India became the first nation to land on the Moon’s south pole, a feat celebrated globally. The mission highlighted ISRO’s cost-effective innovation and technical expertise. Meanwhile, projects like Gaganyaan, India’s first human spaceflight program, signify the country’s leap toward manned missions. ISRO’s collaborations with private space startups and global agencies are also expanding the frontiers of innovation, aiming to make India a key player in the global space economy. Yet, challenges persist — limited budgets, brain drain, and the need for continuous technological upgrades. Still, India’s space vision remains clear: to combine affordability, innovation, and global collaboration to reach new cosmic milestones.

What best describes India's long-term vision in space exploration?

A.To compete with Western nations at any cost
B.To combine affordability, innovation, and collaboration
C.To focus only on manned missions
D.To depend entirely on foreign space agencies

Solution

RC — long-term vision The closing line spells out the vision: to combine affordability, innovation and global collaboration. The goal is new cosmic milestones — not rivalry, not dependence. Manned missions are one project, not the whole vision. Hence option (b).

95

Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence: If she knew you were coming, she would have baked a cake.

A.knows you were coming
B.had known you were coming
C.was knowing you were coming
D.has known you were coming

Solution

Third conditional The main clause 'would have baked' shows an unreal PAST — the third conditional. The if-clause of a third conditional needs the past perfect: 'If she HAD KNOWN …'. 'Knew' (second conditional) mismatches the past-perfect result clause. Hence option (b).

96

Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence: It's high time they should start preparing for the exam.

A.started preparing for the exam
B.should have started preparing for the exam
C.start to prepare for the exam
D.will start preparing for the exam

Solution

High time + past 'It is high time' takes the SIMPLE PAST (a subjunctive use), not 'should'. Correct: 'It's high time they STARTED preparing for the exam.' The past form shows the action is already overdue. Hence option (a).

97

Select the correct indirect/direct form of the given sentence. The manager informed the staff that the meeting had been postponed to Monday.

A."The meeting is postponed to Monday," informed the manager.
B."The meeting has been postponed to Monday," said the manager to the staff.
C."The meeting had been postponed to Monday," said the manager to the staff.
D."The meeting will be postponed to Monday," said the manager to the staff.

Solution

Indirect → direct — announcement The past perfect 'had been postponed' in reported speech comes from the PRESENT PERFECT in direct speech. So the direct form is: "The meeting has been postponed to Monday," said the manager to the staff. Option (c) wrongly keeps the past perfect inside the quotes; (a) and (d) change the tense. Hence option (b).

98

The following sentences have been divided into parts. One of them contains an error. Select the part that contains the error from the given options. The proposal seeks to neither expand existing facilities (1)/ nor hire additional staff members (2)/ until the budget allocation (3)/ for the next fiscal year is confirmed. (4)

A.(1)
B.(2)
C.(3)
D.(4)

Solution

Error — neither placement 'Neither … nor' must sit before PARALLEL items — here two infinitives: to expand / to hire. So the correct order is 'seeks NEITHER TO EXPAND … nor to hire', not 'seeks to neither expand'. The misplacement of 'neither' occurs in part (1). Hence option (a).

99

Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph. 1. The invention of the printing press in the 15th century revolutionized how knowledge was shared across Europe. 2. This technological breakthrough made books more affordable and accessible to the general public. 3. As a result, literacy rates began to rise, paving the way for intellectual movements such as the Renaissance and the Reformation. 4. Before this invention, manuscripts were copied by hand, a slow and expensive process.

A.4, 1, 2, 3
B.1, 4, 2, 3
C.4, 2, 1, 3
D.1, 2, 3, 4

Solution

Para jumble — printing press Sentence 4 sets the scene BEFORE the main event — hand-copied, costly manuscripts — so it opens. Sentence 1 then introduces the revolutionary invention. Sentence 2 ('This technological breakthrough') gives its impact, and sentence 3 ('As a result') concludes with rising literacy. Order 4-1-2-3 — option (a).

100

Select the correct option. The reformer's views were diametrically ____ to the established tradition.

A.reverse
B.averse
C.diverse
D.opposed

Solution

diametrically opposed 'Diametrically opposed' is the fixed collocation — completely and directly against. 'Averse' means unwilling (averse TO doing), 'diverse' means varied, 'reverse' is a noun/verb here. Only opposed fits both grammar and idiom. Hence option (d).