SSC GD Constable 25 February 2025 · Shift 2 · English — questions with answers · ShikshaSphere
Chapter 204 of 210
25 February 2025 · Shift 2
English
20 questions ~20 min readFree
20 questions
A
61
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.
Atul lit the candle with a match. 'Match' here means .
A.a contest in a game or sport
B.a piece of decorative or protective material placed on the tip of a stick
C.a short stick with a tip that ignites when rubbed on a rough surface
D.a piece of stone
Solution
Homonym in context
The context fixes the meaning: Atul lit the candle with a match, so 'match' must be the object that produces the flame.
In that sense a match is a short stick whose tip ignites when it is rubbed on a rough surface - option (c).
Option (a) is the other common meaning of 'match' (a contest in a game or sport), but nothing is being played here, so the context rules it out.
Options (b) and (d) describe a cap on a stick and a stone, neither of which can light a candle.
62
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.
She anticipates the reports done by Saturday.
A.has
B.having
C.making
D.had
Solution
Gerund after 'anticipate'
'Anticipate' belongs to the group of verbs that must be followed by a gerund (verb + -ing), never by a to-infinitive or a finite verb form.
The -ing form of 'have' is 'having', and it also fits the causative pattern have + object + past participle: having the reports done.
So the sentence reads 'She anticipates having the reports done by Saturday.' - option (b).
'Has' and 'had' are finite forms and cannot follow 'anticipates'; 'making' breaks the sense, since one does not 'make the reports done'.
63
The following sentence has been split into four segments. Identify the segment that contains a grammatical error.
The flat up / is full of / an awful lot / of junk.
A.The flat up
B.of junk
C.is full of
D.an awful lot
Solution
Error spotting: redundant word
Read each segment against the rest of the sentence; only the subject phrase is faulty.
'The flat up' is not English - 'up' cannot post-modify a noun by itself. The subject should be simply 'The flat' (or 'The flat upstairs').
So the segment containing the error is (a).
'is full of', 'an awful lot' and 'of junk' are all correct: 'an awful lot of' is a standard informal quantifier meaning 'a great deal of'.
64
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.
His presence of mind and saved the life of the elderly woman.
A.audacity
B.cowardice
C.fear
D.carelessness
Solution
Vocabulary in context
The blank is joined by 'and' to 'presence of mind', so it must name a second quality of the same positive kind - one that helped save a life.
'Audacity' means boldness, a readiness to take a daring risk, which is exactly what a rescue demands - option (a).
'Cowardice', 'fear' and 'carelessness' are negative traits; none of them saves anybody, and each contradicts 'presence of mind'.
65
Select the word that best completes the given sentence. Determine the collocation through the sentence.
Hari advantage of the sale and bought three new shirts.
A.took
B.saw
C.set
D.struck
Solution
Collocation: take advantage
The fixed collocation is 'take advantage of', meaning to make good use of a favourable situation.
The sentence is in the past tense ('bought'), so the past form 'took' is needed - option (a).
'Saw', 'set' and 'struck' do not collocate with 'advantage'; English says 'see a chance', 'set a target' and 'strike a deal'.
66
Select the most appropriate idiom that can substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence.
Even though the project seemed overwhelming at first, we took it slowly and carefully and got it done in no time.
A.one step ahead
B.one step at a time
C.one step closer
D.one step fix
Solution
Idiom substitution
The underlined words describe how the work was done: gradually, finishing one part before moving to the next.
'One step at a time' carries exactly that sense - proceeding steadily, stage by stage - option (b).
'One step ahead' means being in front of a rival, 'one step closer' means nearer to a goal, and 'one step fix' is not an English idiom at all.
67
Identify the INCORRECTLY spelt word in the following sentence.
The deligent student studied hard for the exam, earning a well-deserved top score on the test.
A.well-deserved
B.deligent
C.studied
D.earning
Solution
Spelling error
The word intended is 'diligent' (hard-working and careful), spelt with an i in the first syllable: d-i-l-i-g-e-n-t.
The sentence prints 'deligent', so the incorrectly spelt word is option (b).
'well-deserved', 'studied' and 'earning' are all spelt correctly, so none of them is the answer.
68
Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the given word.
Dainty
A.Exquisite
B.Graceful
C.Cute
D.Crude
Solution
Antonym
'Dainty' means small, delicate and pleasingly fine - a word of refinement.
Its opposite must suggest roughness and a lack of refinement, which is 'crude' - option (d).
'Exquisite', 'graceful' and 'cute' all praise delicacy or beauty, so they are close in sense to 'dainty', not opposite to it.
69
In the sentence, 'The CEO's behaviour was impeccable', what is the ANTONYM of the word 'impeccable' ?
A.Unblemished
B.Spotless
C.Faulty
D.Perfect
Solution
Antonym in context
'Impeccable' means flawless, without a single fault - here, behaviour to which no objection can be made.
The opposite is 'faulty', that is, having defects or errors - option (c).
'Unblemished', 'spotless' and 'perfect' all mean the same as 'impeccable', so they are synonyms and cannot be its antonym.
70
Rectify the sentence by selecting the correctly spelt word from the options. He was able to deciphere the encoded messages with ease.
A.Decipher
B.Deecipher
C.Deciepher
D.Declipher
Solution
Correct spelling
The verb meaning 'to work out the meaning of something written in code' is spelt d-e-c-i-p-h-e-r.
The sentence prints 'deciphere' with an extra final e, so the correct replacement is 'Decipher' - option (a).
'Deecipher', 'Deciepher' and 'Declipher' each insert a stray letter (a second e, an e before p, and an l) and are not words at all.
71
Identify the sentence with the INCORRECT usage of an adverb.
A.They delivered the package yesterday.
B.He will send the documents later.
C.She submitted the report today.
D.Rohit completed already the project.
Solution
Adverb placement
An adverb of indefinite time such as 'already' stands before the main verb (or just after the auxiliary) - never between the verb and its object.
Option (d) places 'already' after 'completed' and before 'the project'; it should read 'Rohit has already completed the project.'
In (a), (b) and (c) the adverbs 'yesterday', 'later' and 'today' are definite time adverbs, and their correct position is at the end of the sentence, exactly where they stand.
72
Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence.
I will have one more of these delicious rasgullas.
A.both
B.many
C.either
D.another
Solution
Determiner: another
The underlined words mean 'one additional' rasgulla, so the substitute must be a singular word standing for one more of the same thing.
'Another' means exactly 'one more': 'I will have another of these delicious rasgullas.' - option (d).
'Both' and 'many' are plural, and 'either' means one out of just two, so none of them can replace 'one more' here.
73
Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the given word.
Sporadic
A.Scant
B.National
C.Aromatic
D.Regular
Solution
Antonym
'Sporadic' means happening occasionally, at scattered and irregular intervals.
Its opposite is something that happens at fixed, predictable intervals: 'regular' - option (d).
'Scant' is about small quantity, 'national' about a nation and 'aromatic' about smell; none of them contrasts with frequency, which is what 'sporadic' describes.
74
Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the given word.
Versatile
A.Limited
B.Beautiful
C.Optimistic
D.Cruel
Solution
Antonym
'Versatile' describes a person or thing able to do many different things or to be used in many ways.
The opposite is being confined to one use or to a narrow range: 'limited' - option (a).
'Beautiful', 'optimistic' and 'cruel' describe looks, outlook and temperament, not the range of what someone can do.
75
Based on the situation in the sentence, select the most appropriate idiom to fill in the blank.
Despite the criticism, the artist took it in stride and considered it .
A.break a leg
B.as water under the bridge
C.a chip on their shoulder
D.a piece of cake
Solution
Idiom in context
'Took it in stride' tells us the artist accepted the criticism calmly and did not let it trouble him.
'Water under the bridge' is used of something past that no longer matters, so 'considered it as water under the bridge' completes that idea - option (b).
'Break a leg' is a wish of good luck; 'a chip on their shoulder' means a lasting grudge, the very opposite of letting the matter go; 'a piece of cake' means something very easy, which the project's criticism was not.
76
Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Indigenous communities (76) the world are facing some of the most severe climate impacts. Indigenous communities are not only (77) on their surrounding ecosystems for their lives and livelihoods; "but their identities are (78) deeply interwoven with the land and water. As a result, indigenous peoples (79) efforts in climate change mitigation and adaptation across the globe. At the Center for Climate Justice, we (80) relationships with indigenous communities by partnering with indigenous people.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (76).
A.in
B.around
C.throughout
D.of
Solution
Cloze: preposition
The blank links 'Indigenous communities' to 'the world', so it must say that these communities are spread over many parts of it.
The established phrase for that is 'around the world' - option (b).
'In' and 'of' give no sense of spread, and 'throughout' is normally used of one thing extending over a whole area or period rather than of separate communities dotted about the globe.
77
Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Indigenous communities (76) the world are facing some of the most severe climate impacts. Indigenous communities are not only (77) on their surrounding ecosystems for their lives and livelihoods; "but their identities are (78) deeply interwoven with the land and water. As a result, indigenous peoples (79) efforts in climate change mitigation and adaptation across the globe. At the Center for Climate Justice, we (80) relationships with indigenous communities by partnering with indigenous people.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (77).
A.relevant
B.relatable
C.relational
D.reliant
Solution
Cloze: word choice
The clue is the preposition that follows the blank: 'on'.
Of the four adjectives only 'reliant' takes 'on' - 'reliant on their surrounding ecosystems' means depending on them for life and livelihood - option (d).
'Relevant' and 'relatable' are followed by 'to', and 'relational' merely means 'concerning relationships'; none of the three states dependence.
78
Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Indigenous communities (76) the world are facing some of the most severe climate impacts. Indigenous communities are not only (77) on their surrounding ecosystems for their lives and livelihoods; "but their identities are (78) deeply interwoven with the land and water. As a result, indigenous peoples (79) efforts in climate change mitigation and adaptation across the globe. At the Center for Climate Justice, we (80) relationships with indigenous communities by partnering with indigenous people.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (78).
A.only
B.also
C.seldom
D.too
Solution
Cloze: correlative conjunction
The earlier clause begins with 'not only' and the next clause begins with 'but'.
'Not only … but also' is a fixed pair of correlative conjunctions, so the blank must be filled by 'also' - option (b).
'Only' and 'seldom' break the pair, and 'too' would have to stand at the end of its clause, not before 'deeply interwoven'.
79
Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Indigenous communities (76) the world are facing some of the most severe climate impacts. Indigenous communities are not only (77) on their surrounding ecosystems for their lives and livelihoods; "but their identities are (78) deeply interwoven with the land and water. As a result, indigenous peoples (79) efforts in climate change mitigation and adaptation across the globe. At the Center for Climate Justice, we (80) relationships with indigenous communities by partnering with indigenous people.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (79).
A.has leading
B.was leading
C.are leading
D.have leading
Solution
Cloze: subject-verb agreement
The subject is 'indigenous peoples', a plural noun, so the auxiliary must be plural too.
The sense is of an activity going on at present, which calls for the present continuous: are + leading - option (c).
'Has leading' and 'have leading' are not verb forms at all, since 'has/have' must be followed by the past participle 'led'; and 'was leading' is singular and past, so it fails both tests.
80
Directions (Qs. 76-80): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Indigenous communities (76) the world are facing some of the most severe climate impacts. Indigenous communities are not only (77) on their surrounding ecosystems for their lives and livelihoods; "but their identities are (78) deeply interwoven with the land and water. As a result, indigenous peoples (79) efforts in climate change mitigation and adaptation across the globe. At the Center for Climate Justice, we (80) relationships with indigenous communities by partnering with indigenous people.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number (80).
A.imitate
B.nominate
C.nurture
D.notice
Solution
Cloze: collocation
The Centre builds and sustains its ties by partnering with indigenous people, so the blank needs a verb meaning to foster and develop something with care.
'Nurture relationships' is the standard collocation for that - option (c).
'Imitate', 'nominate' and 'notice' can all take an object, but a relationship is not imitated, nominated or merely noticed into being.
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