SSC GD Constable 13 February 2025 · Shift 1 · English — questions with answers · ShikshaSphere
Chapter 109 of 210
13 February 2025 · Shift 1
English
20 questions ~20 min readFree
20 questions
A
61
Select the most appropriate option to replace the highlighted grammatical error and the underlined MISSPELT word in the following sentence.
The crops are dyeing, it must not had rained.
A.diying; must not have been
B.daying; must had not
C.dying; must not have
D.dieing; must not be
Solution
Spelling and modal perfect
Two separate faults have to be mended: one spelling and one verb form.
'Dyeing' means colouring cloth with a dye; the participle of 'die' (to stop living) is 'dying' - the 'ie' of 'die' changes to 'y' before '-ing'.
For a guess about the past, English uses the modal perfect 'must (not) have + past participle', so 'must not had rained' must become 'must not have rained'.
Option (a) 'must not have been' would need a further '-ing' form after it, (b) keeps the wrong 'had', and (d) 'must not be' points to the present, not to the past.
Hence, option (c) 'dying; must not have' is correct.
62
Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the given word. Audacity
A.Balance
B.Challenge
C.Ability
D.Modesty
Solution
Antonym
'Audacity' means boldness - a daring, sometimes impudent readiness to act without shame.
The word that reverses it is 'Modesty', the quality of being humble and unassuming about oneself.
'Balance' (steadiness), 'Challenge' (a demanding task) and 'Ability' (skill) sit on a different scale altogether, so none of them is the opposite of boldness.
Hence, option (d) is correct.
63
Parts of the following sentence have been given as options. Select the option that contains an error.
The storm approached very rapid, causing panic in the village.
A.causing panic
B.in the village.
C.The storm approached
D.very rapid,
Solution
Adverb vs adjective
Ask what the word 'rapid' is describing: it tells us how the storm 'approached', that is, it describes a verb.
A verb is modified by an adverb, not by an adjective, so 'rapid' must become 'rapidly' - 'The storm approached very rapidly'.
'The storm approached' (subject + verb), 'causing panic' (participle phrase) and 'in the village.' (prepositional phrase) are all correct.
Hence, the segment containing the error is option (d) 'very rapid,'.
64
Rectify the sentence by selecting the correctly spelt word from the options. Her nonverbal expressions were equivocall, making it difficult to ascertain whether she agreed or disagreed with the verdict.
A.Equiivocal
B.Iquivocal
C.Equivocal
D.Equevocal
Solution
Correct spelling
The sentence needs a word meaning 'open to more than one interpretation, ambiguous' - the correct spelling is 'Equivocal'.
It is built from Latin 'equi-' (equal) + 'voc' (voice): a word that speaks with two equal voices, so only one 'i' follows 'equ'.
'Equiivocal' doubles the 'i', 'Iquivocal' begins with 'I' instead of 'E', and 'Equevocal' puts 'e' where the 'i' belongs.
Hence, option (c) is correct.
65
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blanks. The chef's (1) meal consisted of crispy (2) tender meat and a (3) sauce that delighted everyone at the dinner party
A.(1) tangy ; (2) delicious ; (3) vegetables
B.(1) delicious ; (2) vegetables ; (3) tangy
C.(1) vegetables ; (2) tangy ; (3) delicious
D.(1) vegetables ; (2) delicious ; (3) tangy
Solution
Fill in the blanks
Fix each blank by asking which word can go with the noun standing next to it.
Blank (2) follows 'crispy' and is part of the list of things the meal consisted of, so it must be the noun 'vegetables' - 'crispy vegetables, tender meat'.
Blank (3) describes a 'sauce'; a sauce is 'tangy' (pleasantly sharp), which leaves 'delicious' for blank (1) to describe the meal itself.
Option (d) is the near miss: it gives 'the chef's vegetables meal', where a plural noun is wrongly used to describe another noun.
Hence, option (b) '(1) delicious ; (2) vegetables ; (3) tangy' is correct.
66
Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word. Tramp
A.Doctor
B.Actor
C.Wanderer
D.Professor
Solution
Synonym
'Tramp' (as a noun) means a homeless person who travels about on foot from place to place.
'Wanderer' carries exactly that sense of moving from place to place with no fixed home, so it is the synonym.
'Doctor', 'Actor' and 'Professor' all name settled professions, which is the opposite of the rootless life a tramp leads.
Hence, option (c) is correct.
67
Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined words in the given sentence. Vipul was having a wonderful dream at that moment somebody was knocking on the door.
A.then somebody had been knocking in the door
B.then somebody has knocked on the door
C.later somebody knocked in the door
D.when somebody knocked on the door
Solution
Interrupted past action
A longer action already in progress in the past ('was having a wonderful dream') is cut short by a sudden shorter action.
The pattern for this is: past continuous + 'when' + simple past - so the sudden knock takes 'when somebody knocked'.
The fixed collocation is 'knock on the door', never 'knock in the door', which rules out (a) and (c).
Option (b) 'has knocked' is present perfect and cannot be used for an event finished in the past.
Hence, option (d) 'when somebody knocked on the door' is correct.
68
Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence.The time is ripe for harness the rising level of ambition.
A.The time is ripe to
B.The time has ripeness for
C.The time were ripe to
D.The time is ripeness to
Solution
Sentence improvement
'The time is ripe' is a fixed idiom meaning that the right moment for an action has come.
The word after the blank is 'harness', the bare first form of the verb; a bare verb is introduced by 'to', not by 'for' (after 'for' we would need 'harnessing').
So the segment becomes 'The time is ripe to harness the rising level of ambition.'
'Ripeness' in (b) and (d) is a noun and breaks the idiom, and 'were' in (c) does not agree with the singular subject 'The time'.
Hence, option (a) 'The time is ripe to' is correct.
69
Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the given word.
Lament
A.Part
B.Refuse
C.Grieve
D.Rejoice
Solution
Antonym
'Lament' means to mourn, to express deep sorrow or regret.
Its opposite is 'Rejoice', to feel and show great delight.
'Grieve' is the trap: it is a synonym of 'lament', not its antonym; 'Part' (to separate) and 'Refuse' (to decline) do not touch the idea of sorrow at all.
Hence, option (d) is correct.
70
The following sentence has been split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error.
A.C
B.B
C.A
D.D
Solution
Error spotting
Test each labelled segment on its own and check the word class of every modifier.
In segment (C), 'attentive' is meant to tell us how the children were listening, so it modifies the verb 'listening' and must be the adverb 'attentively'.
The corrected segment reads 'listening attentively as he spun tales'.
Segments (A), (B) and (D) are sound: 'eagerly' is already an adverb, 'around the storyteller' and 'of adventure and magic under the starry sky' are correct phrases.
Hence, the faulty segment is C, which is option (a).
71
Select the most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom.
Arjun was an expert developer, and it took him all of a New York minute to solve the issue with the software.
A.A situation beyond the scope of one's imagination
B.An elaborate exhibition or presentation
C.A very short amount of time
D.A very casual attitude
Solution
Idiom meaning
The idiom 'a New York minute' means an extremely short amount of time - an instant.
It comes from the famously fast pace of life in New York City, where a minute is felt to pass quicker than anywhere else.
The sentence supports this: an expert developer solved the software issue almost instantly.
Hence, option (c) 'A very short amount of time' is correct.
72
Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word.
Empty
A.Vacant
B.Common
C.Busy
D.Dear
Solution
Synonym
'Empty' means containing nothing, with no one and nothing inside.
'Vacant' says the same thing of a space that is unoccupied, so it is the synonym.
'Busy' is the direct opposite, while 'Common' (ordinary) and 'Dear' (much loved, or costly) describe quite different qualities.
Hence, option (a) is correct.
73
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.
He was late for the meeting the traffic jam.
A.because
B.because of
C.as a result
D.owing for
Solution
Connector usage
What follows the blank is 'the traffic jam' - a noun phrase, not a clause with its own subject and verb.
'Because' must be followed by a full clause, but 'because of' is followed by a noun phrase, so 'because of the traffic jam' is the correct fit.
'As a result' would also need 'of' before the noun, and 'owing for' is not English - the correct form there is 'owing to'.
Hence, option (b) 'because of' is correct.
74
Complete the sentence with the correct collocation.
Despite facing numerous challenges, Binod managed to attain an impressive level of academic .
A.excellence
B.result
C.discourse
D.failure
Solution
Collocation
A collocation is the partner word that habitually goes with a given word; here the phrase needed is 'academic ___'.
'Academic excellence' is the standard pairing and means outstanding achievement in studies.
'Impressive level of' calls for something positive, which rules out 'failure'; 'academic result' does not sit with 'level of', and 'academic discourse' means scholarly discussion, not achievement.
Hence, option (a) 'excellence' is correct.
75
Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word.
Brave
A.Scared
B.Courageous
C.Timid
D.Fearful
Solution
Synonym
'Brave' means showing courage and facing danger without giving in to fear.
'Courageous' expresses exactly that quality, so it is the synonym.
'Scared', 'Timid' and 'Fearful' all describe a lack of courage, so all three are antonyms rather than synonyms.
Hence, option (b) is correct.
76
Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Technology has become an essential part of our (76) influencing everything from how we communicate to how we work. With the rise of
smartphones and (77) people are now more connected than ever through many applications like Facebook. However, despite the many benefits, there are growing concerns about the negative effects of technology on (78) health. Constant notifications, social media comparisons and the pressure to stay updated can lead to stress and anxiety. Studies have shown that too much screen time may reduce focus and (79) and disrupt sleep patterns which might lead to less work, forgetting important works and loss of concentration. Therefore, while technology offers numerous advantages, it is important to manage its (80) responsibly to maintain a healthy balance.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (76).
A.homes
B.jobs
C.lives
D.economy
Solution
Cloze: noun choice
The blank completes the fixed expression 'an essential part of our ___'.
The clause that follows widens the scope to everything 'from how we communicate to how we work', so the noun must cover the whole of human living - 'lives', the plural of 'life'.
'Homes' and 'jobs' each name only one of those areas, and 'economy' is not something people own in the plural sense demanded by 'our'.
Hence, option (c) 'lives' is correct.
77
Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Technology has become an essential part of our (76) influencing everything from how we communicate to how we work. With the rise of
smartphones and (77) people are now more connected than ever through many applications like Facebook. However, despite the many benefits, there are growing concerns about the negative effects of technology on (78) health. Constant notifications, social media comparisons and the pressure to stay updated can lead to stress and anxiety. Studies have shown that too much screen time may reduce focus and (79) and disrupt sleep patterns which might lead to less work, forgetting important works and loss of concentration. Therefore, while technology offers numerous advantages, it is important to manage its (80) responsibly to maintain a healthy balance.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (77).
A.social media
B.websites
C.public network
D.games
Solution
Cloze: context word
The sentence names the two things whose rise has connected people: 'smartphones and ___'.
The example given immediately after is Facebook, an application through which people connect with one another - that is social media.
'Websites' and 'games' do not by themselves make people 'more connected than ever', and 'public network' is not what Facebook is called.
Hence, option (a) 'social media' is correct.
78
Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Technology has become an essential part of our (76) influencing everything from how we communicate to how we work. With the rise of
smartphones and (77) people are now more connected than ever through many applications like Facebook. However, despite the many benefits, there are growing concerns about the negative effects of technology on (78) health. Constant notifications, social media comparisons and the pressure to stay updated can lead to stress and anxiety. Studies have shown that too much screen time may reduce focus and (79) and disrupt sleep patterns which might lead to less work, forgetting important works and loss of concentration. Therefore, while technology offers numerous advantages, it is important to manage its (80) responsibly to maintain a healthy balance.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (78).
A.mental
B.social
C.physical
D.emotional
Solution
Cloze: collocation
The next sentence names the harms: notifications, social media comparisons and pressure that 'lead to stress and anxiety'.
Stress and anxiety are disorders of the mind, so the health being harmed is 'mental health' - a standard collocation.
'Physical' would need bodily complaints, and 'social' or 'emotional health' are not the phrases the following sentence supports.
Hence, option (a) 'mental' is correct.
79
Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Technology has become an essential part of our (76) influencing everything from how we communicate to how we work. With the rise of
smartphones and (77) people are now more connected than ever through many applications like Facebook. However, despite the many benefits, there are growing concerns about the negative effects of technology on (78) health. Constant notifications, social media comparisons and the pressure to stay updated can lead to stress and anxiety. Studies have shown that too much screen time may reduce focus and (79) and disrupt sleep patterns which might lead to less work, forgetting important works and loss of concentration. Therefore, while technology offers numerous advantages, it is important to manage its (80) responsibly to maintain a healthy balance.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (79).
A.creative
B.memory
C.productive
D.energise
Solution
Cloze: parallel noun
The verb is 'may reduce focus and ___', so the blank is joined by 'and' to the noun 'focus' and must itself be a noun.
'Creative' and 'productive' are adjectives and 'energise' is a verb, so all three break the parallel structure; only 'memory' is a noun.
The sense confirms it: the clause goes on to speak of 'forgetting important works', which is exactly what reduced memory causes.
Hence, option (b) 'memory' is correct.
80
Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Technology has become an essential part of our (76) influencing everything from how we communicate to how we work. With the rise of
smartphones and (77) people are now more connected than ever through many applications like Facebook. However, despite the many benefits, there are growing concerns about the negative effects of technology on (78) health. Constant notifications, social media comparisons and the pressure to stay updated can lead to stress and anxiety. Studies have shown that too much screen time may reduce focus and (79) and disrupt sleep patterns which might lead to less work, forgetting important works and loss of concentration. Therefore, while technology offers numerous advantages, it is important to manage its (80) responsibly to maintain a healthy balance.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (80).
A.cost
B.use
C.development
D.creation
Solution
Cloze: noun choice
The closing sentence advises what an ordinary reader can do: 'manage its ___ responsibly to maintain a healthy balance'.
What an individual can manage responsibly is how much technology is used, so the noun is 'use'.
'Cost', 'development' and 'creation' belong to companies and engineers, not to the user whose healthy balance the passage is about.
Hence, option (b) 'use' is correct.
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