SSC GD Constable 10 February 2025 · Shift 1 · English — questions with answers

61

Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the word in the brackets to fill in the blank. Shoaib's ____ (determination) for the cause of the eradication of child labour is praiseworthy.

A.Cowardice
B.Victory
C.Contentment
D.Sacrifice

Solution

Antonym in context The bracketed word 'determination' means firmness of purpose - refusing to give up until the goal is reached. The instruction asks for its ANTONYM, so the blank needs a word that names the absence of that firm resolve. 'Cowardice' is exactly that - a lack of courage and resolve - so it is the opposite required. 'Victory' (success) and 'Contentment' (satisfaction) name unrelated ideas, and 'Sacrifice' (giving something up for a cause) goes along with determination rather than against it. Hence the most appropriate option is (a).

62

Select the word that best completes the given sentence. Determine the collocation through the sentence. Siva, the singer,

____

live for the first time in five years.

A.risen
B.performed
C.lighted
D.shown

Solution

Verb collocation A collocation is a pair of words that habitually go together; the clues here are 'the singer' and 'live'. In the world of music the verb that regularly pairs with 'live' is 'perform' - to perform live is to sing or play in front of an audience instead of being recorded. 'for the first time in five years' places the event in finished past time, so the simple past form 'performed' is needed. 'risen', 'lighted' and 'shown' never collocate with 'live' in this sense, so option (b) is correct.

63

Select the INCORRECTLY spelt word.

A.Evidance
B.Corroborated
C.Hypothesis
D.Scientists

Solution

Spelling: -ence suffix 'Evidance' is wrong; the correct spelling is 'evidence'. Rule: this noun is built on the root 'evid-' plus the suffix '-ence', like confidence, patience and difference - never '-ance'. 'Corroborated', 'Hypothesis' and 'Scientists' are all spelt correctly. Hence the incorrectly spelt word is option (a).

64

Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the word in brackets to fill in the blank. The chef prepared a

____

(spicy) curry with bland flavours for those who preferred less heat.

A.fiery
B.zesty
C.pungent
D.mild

Solution

Antonym in context 'Spicy' means strongly and hotly flavoured, so its antonym must mean gentle and not strong. The sentence supplies the clue itself - 'with bland flavours ... who preferred less heat' - so the blank must agree with 'bland'. 'Mild' means gentle and low in heat, which is the exact opposite of 'spicy'. 'Fiery', 'zesty' and 'pungent' all describe hot, sharp or lively flavour, so they are synonyms of 'spicy', not antonyms. Hence option (d) is correct.

65

Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the given word. Copious

A.Practical
B.Excellent
C.Meager
D.Splendid

Solution

Antonym of quantity 'Copious' means present in large quantity - abundant, plentiful, as in copious notes or copious rainfall. Its antonym must therefore say that the quantity is small or insufficient. 'Meager' means scanty and lacking in quantity, so it is the opposite of 'copious'. 'Practical', 'Excellent' and 'Splendid' judge usefulness or quality, not quantity, so none of them can be the antonym here. Hence option (c) is correct.

66

Select the INCORRECTLY spelt word. He made an appoitment with the dentist for next week.

A.next
B.made
C.dentist
D.appoitment

Solution

Spelling: appointment 'Appoitment' is misspelt; the correct spelling is 'appointment'. The word is 'appoint' + '-ment', and the 'n' of 'appoint' must be kept before the suffix - a-p-p-o-i-n-t-m-e-n-t. 'next', 'made' and 'dentist' are all spelt correctly. Hence the incorrectly spelt word is option (d).

67

Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word. Placate

A.Infuriate
B.Appease
C.Bother
D.Serve

Solution

Synonym 'Placate' means to calm an angry person down and win them over. 'Appease' carries the same sense - to pacify or soothe someone who is upset - so it is the synonym. 'Infuriate' is the exact opposite (to enrage), 'Bother' means to annoy and 'Serve' means to attend to someone - none of them means to pacify. Hence option (b) is correct.

68

Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence and rectify it. If no correction is needed, select 'No correction required'. The article publishes in the newspaper today.

A.had published
B.was been published
C.No correction required
D.has been published

Solution

Passive voice An article cannot publish anything - it is the thing that gets published - so the verb must be in the passive voice. Passive voice = a form of 'be' + past participle, so 'publishes' has to become 'is published / has been published'. 'today' names a stretch of time that still includes the present moment, which is exactly where the present perfect is used, so the passive present perfect 'has been published' fits. 'had published' is active past perfect; 'was been published' piles two auxiliaries together and is not a possible form; and since the sentence as it stands is wrong, 'No correction required' also fails. Hence option (d) is correct.

69

Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. The diplomat's

____

manner helped in diffusing the tension between the two conflicting parties.

A.confrontational
B.abrasive
C.conciliatory
D.indifferent

Solution

Vocabulary in context The clue in the sentence is 'helped in diffusing the tension', so the blank must describe a manner that reduces conflict. 'Conciliatory' means meant to pacify an opponent and win him over, which is exactly how a diplomat settles a quarrel. 'Confrontational' and 'abrasive' would sharpen the quarrel, and an 'indifferent' manner would merely ignore it - none of the three can diffuse tension. Hence option (c) is correct.

70

Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank and complete the given idiom. Everybody said that Mr. Sen was a man of

____

.

A.books
B.copies
C.letters
D.messages

Solution

Idiom completion The blank completes a fixed idiom, so the word cannot be chosen for its literal sense. 'A man of letters' means a scholar or a learned writer - someone devoted to literature. The sentence says everybody spoke of Mr. Sen in these terms, which suits calling him a scholar. 'man of books', 'man of copies' and 'man of messages' are not English idioms, so option (c) is correct.

71

Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the given word. Malice

A.Animosity
B.Sympathy
C.Resentment
D.Antipathy

Solution

Antonym 'Malice' is the wish to harm someone - active ill will. Its opposite must therefore be a kindly feeling towards others. 'Sympathy' - fellow feeling and compassion for another - is that opposite. 'Animosity', 'Resentment' and 'Antipathy' all name hostility, bitterness or dislike, so they are synonyms of 'malice', not antonyms. Hence option (b) is correct.

72

The following sentence has been split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains an error. A) The supervisor advised / B) him to focus on the / C) examination first and / D) submit the assignment latter.

A.A
B.B
C.C
D.D

Solution

Error spotting: latter/later Segment D reads 'submit the assignment latter', and it is 'latter' that is wrong. 'Latter' is an adjective meaning the second of two things already mentioned (the former ... the latter); it can never mean 'afterwards'. The sense needed here is 'at a later time', for which the adverb is 'later'. Segments A, B and C are sound - 'advise' takes the pattern 'advised him to + first form of the verb'. Corrected sentence: 'The supervisor advised him to focus on the examination first and submit the assignment later.' Hence option (d).

73

The given sentence is divided into four segments. Select the option that has the segment with an adverbial usage error. Christopher told Mathew, / "Politely, she / takes the bus / to work."

A."Politely, she
B.takes the bus
C.Christopher told Mathew,
D.to work."

Solution

Adverb usage Each of the four segments has to be tested for an adverb that does not suit the verb it modifies. 'Politely' is an adverb of manner - it tells how an action is performed - but catching a bus to work is a matter of habit, not of good manners. What the sentence needs is an adverb of frequency such as 'usually' or 'generally': 'Usually, she takes the bus to work.' 'Christopher told Mathew,', 'takes the bus' and 'to work.' contain no adverbial error at all. Hence the faulty segment is option (a).

74

Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. Your tongue gives you information about the taste of food, but your sense of smell also plays an important role when you breathe air out

____

eating.

A.in
B.while
C.from
D.with

Solution

Conjunction/preposition The blank joins 'you breathe air out' to 'eating', so it must show that the two actions happen at the same time. 'While' followed by an '-ing' form does exactly that: while eating = at the time you are eating. 'in eating', 'from eating' and 'with eating' are not standard English for two simultaneous actions. Hence option (b) is correct.

75

Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. Growing up in Mumbai, Nehal's childhood was ____ with memories of playing in gardens and nurturing plants.

A.full
B.filling
C.fills
D.filled

Solution

Past participle after was The verb of the clause is 'was ___', so the blank needs a past participle to complete the passive form. The fixed expression is 'be filled with', meaning full of something. 'filled' gives 'Nehal's childhood was filled with memories', which is correct. 'full' would demand 'was full of', not 'was full with'; 'filling' and 'fills' are active forms that cannot follow 'was' here. Hence option (d) is correct.

76

Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. The 18th century witnessed a fierce struggle for supremacy in India, pitting the Marathas, a powerful indigenous force, against the formidable British East India Company. The Marathas (76)

____

vast territories and played a pivotal role in shaping the subcontinent's political landscape, receiving tributes from regions beyond their direct rule. The Second Anglo-Maratha War had shattered the power of the Maratha chiefs but not their spirit. The (77)

____

of their freedom rankled in their hearts. They made a last desperate attempt to regain their independence and old prestige in 1817. The lead in organising a united front of the Maratha chiefs was taken by the Peshwa who was smarting under the (78)

____

control exercised by the British Resident. However, Elphinstone, the British Resident at Pune, compelled the Peshwa to sign the treaty of Poona in June 1817. The Peshwa (79)

____

his claim as the 'Peshwa'. Lord Hastings also compelled Daulatrao Sindhia to conclude the Treaty of Gwalior in November 1817. Hardly had Scindia signed the treaty of Gwalior when the Peshwa Bajirao II attacked the British at Kirki, near Pune. The British forces (80)

____

and occupied Pune. The might of the British forces since then had established completely and on many occasions they had proved it easily during their regime.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (76).

A.survived
B.gifted
C.lost
D.controlled

Solution

Cloze: verb choice The blank takes 'vast territories' as its object, so it needs a verb of holding power over land. 'Controlled vast territories' says the Marathas held authority over them, and the next clause confirms it - they received tributes even from regions beyond their direct rule. 'survived' and 'gifted' do not fit that object, and 'lost' would contradict 'played a pivotal role in shaping the subcontinent's political landscape'. Hence option (d) is correct.

77

Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. The 18th century witnessed a fierce struggle for supremacy in India, pitting the Marathas, a powerful indigenous force, against the formidable British East India Company. The Marathas (76)

____

vast territories and played a pivotal role in shaping the subcontinent's political landscape, receiving tributes from regions beyond their direct rule. The Second Anglo-Maratha War had shattered the power of the Maratha chiefs but not their spirit. The (77)

____

of their freedom rankled in their hearts. They made a last desperate attempt to regain their independence and old prestige in 1817. The lead in organising a united front of the Maratha chiefs was taken by the Peshwa who was smarting under the (78)

____

control exercised by the British Resident. However, Elphinstone, the British Resident at Pune, compelled the Peshwa to sign the treaty of Poona in June 1817. The Peshwa (79)

____

his claim as the 'Peshwa'. Lord Hastings also compelled Daulatrao Sindhia to conclude the Treaty of Gwalior in November 1817. Hardly had Scindia signed the treaty of Gwalior when the Peshwa Bajirao II attacked the British at Kirki, near Pune. The British forces (80)

____

and occupied Pune. The might of the British forces since then had established completely and on many occasions they had proved it easily during their regime.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (77).

A.disappearance
B.empowerment
C.benefit
D.lost

Solution

Cloze: noun choice 'The ___ of their freedom rankled in their hearts' - what rankles is a bitter memory, so the blank must name something bad that happened to their freedom. The previous sentence says the war 'had shattered the power of the Maratha chiefs', so their freedom was gone. 'Disappearance' names precisely that vanishing, and being a noun it can follow 'The'. 'Empowerment' and 'benefit' are positive and cannot rankle; 'lost' is a verb form, not a noun, so it cannot stand after 'The'. Hence option (a) is correct.

78

Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. The 18th century witnessed a fierce struggle for supremacy in India, pitting the Marathas, a powerful indigenous force, against the formidable British East India Company. The Marathas (76)

____

vast territories and played a pivotal role in shaping the subcontinent's political landscape, receiving tributes from regions beyond their direct rule. The Second Anglo-Maratha War had shattered the power of the Maratha chiefs but not their spirit. The (77)

____

of their freedom rankled in their hearts. They made a last desperate attempt to regain their independence and old prestige in 1817. The lead in organising a united front of the Maratha chiefs was taken by the Peshwa who was smarting under the (78)

____

control exercised by the British Resident. However, Elphinstone, the British Resident at Pune, compelled the Peshwa to sign the treaty of Poona in June 1817. The Peshwa (79)

____

his claim as the 'Peshwa'. Lord Hastings also compelled Daulatrao Sindhia to conclude the Treaty of Gwalior in November 1817. Hardly had Scindia signed the treaty of Gwalior when the Peshwa Bajirao II attacked the British at Kirki, near Pune. The British forces (80)

____

and occupied Pune. The might of the British forces since then had established completely and on many occasions they had proved it easily during their regime.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (78).

A.satisfying
B.orthodox
C.pleasant
D.rigid

Solution

Cloze: adjective choice 'Smarting under' means suffering something resentfully, so the control the Peshwa endured has to be described as harsh. 'Rigid' means strict and unbending, and it is exactly such control that a proud ruler resents. 'Satisfying' and 'pleasant' are positive - nobody smarts under them - while 'orthodox' describes conventional belief, not the tightness of a control. Hence option (d) is correct.

79

Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. The 18th century witnessed a fierce struggle for supremacy in India, pitting the Marathas, a powerful indigenous force, against the formidable British East India Company. The Marathas (76)

____

vast territories and played a pivotal role in shaping the subcontinent's political landscape, receiving tributes from regions beyond their direct rule. The Second Anglo-Maratha War had shattered the power of the Maratha chiefs but not their spirit. The (77)

____

of their freedom rankled in their hearts. They made a last desperate attempt to regain their independence and old prestige in 1817. The lead in organising a united front of the Maratha chiefs was taken by the Peshwa who was smarting under the (78)

____

control exercised by the British Resident. However, Elphinstone, the British Resident at Pune, compelled the Peshwa to sign the treaty of Poona in June 1817. The Peshwa (79)

____

his claim as the 'Peshwa'. Lord Hastings also compelled Daulatrao Sindhia to conclude the Treaty of Gwalior in November 1817. Hardly had Scindia signed the treaty of Gwalior when the Peshwa Bajirao II attacked the British at Kirki, near Pune. The British forces (80)

____

and occupied Pune. The might of the British forces since then had established completely and on many occasions they had proved it easily during their regime.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (79).

A.remembered
B.renounced
C.resigned
D.retreated

Solution

Cloze: verb choice By the Treaty of Poona (June 1817) the Peshwa was forced to give up his claim to the headship of the Maratha confederacy. 'Renounce' means to give up a claim, title or right formally - which is just what a treaty compels. 'Remembered' says nothing about giving up; one resigns a post, not a claim ('resigned from his post'); and 'retreated' is used of withdrawing in battle. Hence option (b) is correct.

80

Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. The 18th century witnessed a fierce struggle for supremacy in India, pitting the Marathas, a powerful indigenous force, against the formidable British East India Company. The Marathas (76)

____

vast territories and played a pivotal role in shaping the subcontinent's political landscape, receiving tributes from regions beyond their direct rule. The Second Anglo-Maratha War had shattered the power of the Maratha chiefs but not their spirit. The (77)

____

of their freedom rankled in their hearts. They made a last desperate attempt to regain their independence and old prestige in 1817. The lead in organising a united front of the Maratha chiefs was taken by the Peshwa who was smarting under the (78)

____

control exercised by the British Resident. However, Elphinstone, the British Resident at Pune, compelled the Peshwa to sign the treaty of Poona in June 1817. The Peshwa (79)

____

his claim as the 'Peshwa'. Lord Hastings also compelled Daulatrao Sindhia to conclude the Treaty of Gwalior in November 1817. Hardly had Scindia signed the treaty of Gwalior when the Peshwa Bajirao II attacked the British at Kirki, near Pune. The British forces (80)

____

and occupied Pune. The might of the British forces since then had established completely and on many occasions they had proved it easily during their regime.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (80).

A.retreated
B.retaliated
C.revenge
D.restricted

Solution

Cloze: verb choice The previous clause says Bajirao II attacked the British at Kirki, so the blank must name the British response to that attack. 'Retaliated' means struck back in return for an attack, and it sits naturally before 'and occupied Pune'. 'Retreated' means withdrew, the opposite of occupying Pune; 'revenge' is a noun and cannot serve as the verb; 'restricted' would need an object. Hence option (b) is correct.