SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English

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In the following questions,a part of the sentence is printed in bold. Below are given alternatives to the bold part at a, b and c which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative. In case no improvement is needed your answer is d.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 11

During the recent floods, we waded through waist-deep water for almost half a kilometre ?

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 13

My friend lamented that though a complete report was sent to the department a month ago no action is being taken so far.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 19

Before a skunk squeals an unpleasant spray from the glands under its tail, it will stamp its feet and his a warning.

In the following questions, a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect form. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct form.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 21

Socrates said, “Virtue is its own reward.”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 22

He said to the interviewer, “Could you please repeat the question?”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 23

Hesaid, “it used to be a lovely, quiet street.”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 24

The Prime Minister said that no one would be allowed to disturb the peace.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 25

The spectators said, “Bravo! Well done players.”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 26

I said to my friend, “Good Morning. Let us go for a picnic today.”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 27

The new student asked the old one, “Do you know my name?”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 28

I warned herthat I could no longer tolerate her coming late.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 29

I said to my mother,“I will certainly take you to Bangalore this week.”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 30

“How long does the journey take” my co-passenger asked me.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 31

“How clever ofyou to have solved the puzzle so quickly,” said the mother.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 32

He said he goes for a walk every morning.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 33

I reiterated, “I don't care about the job.”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 34

I said to my brother, “Let us go to some hill station for a change."

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 35

I wondered how many discoveries went unheeded.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 36

Gopan said to me, “Can you do these sums for me?”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 37

The boss said, “It's time we began planning our work".

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 38

He said to the judge, “I did not commit this crime.”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 39

Rahul said, “I will do it now or never’.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 40

My father once said to me, “If I can’t trust my people, then I don't want to be doing this.”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 41

Doshi said to his wife, “Please select one of these necklaces.”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 42

He wrote in his report, “The rainfall has been scanty till now."

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 43

“Govind,” said the manager sternly, “I command you to tell me what the old man said.”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 44

I said to him, “Where have you lost the pen I brought for you yesterday?”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 45

She said to Rita, “Please help me with my homework.”

In the following three passages, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
Passage I:

Billy Arjan Singh was a wildlife enthusiast. Billy's fight 46 hunting put 26 professional Shikar companies out of jobs.  47 his failing health, he had 48 a writ in the Allahabad High Court against 49 in Dudhwa. This is apart from a 50 battle that he 51 to have the offending railway tracks 52 through Dudhwa shifted to  53 its inhabitants a peaceful 54. The only regret he had was “there was so much 55 to be done for tigers and so little time”. Billy's contribution will always be remembered by wildlife lovers.

In the following three passages, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
Passage II:

The wings of some birds are so small that they are 56 for flying. Earlier such birds 57 fly. But after living for thousands of 58 in places where they had no 59 there was no need for them to fly, and they  60 on the ground. After a while their 61 ones could no longer rise into the air. The ostrich, rhea, emu and cassowary 62 fly, but they can run fast on their long, strong legs. Ostriches  63  in Africa and are found on the grassy places 64 they live along with big groups of zebras. The rhea looks like the ostrich, 65 it is smaller and has three toes on each feet, while the ostrich has only two.

In the following three passages, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
Passage III:

One of the major causes of the failure of 66 countries on the economic front is their  67  to evolve a judicious mixture of 68 substitution and export promotion. Today, Bambia, which  69 on imports after its independence 20 years, 70 .

Read the passages carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.
Passag I:

Fingerprints are the marks made by the ridges on the ends of the fingers and thumbs. These ridges form a pattern that stays the same throughout a person's life. No two persons have ever had the same fingerprints. So fingerprints are a foolproof way of identifying a person.

A fingerprint record is madein an interesting manner. A small piece of metal is coated with a thin film of ink. Next, a person’s finger and thumb tips are pressed against the inked surface. Then the fingertips are pressed on a white card. The prints are recorded in
exact detail.

Fingerprinting is often used to solve crimes. Fingerprints are picked up at the scene of a crime. These are compared with those of a suspect. Millions of fingerprints are kept on files by police departments.

Fingerprinting is also used in finding missing persons and identifying unknown dead. It is used to screen people who apply for certain jobs.

It is thought that the Chinese used thumbprints to sign documents a long time before Christ. The system used today was invented by Sir Francis Galton in the 1880's. In 1901 Sir E.R. Henry found a simple wayof grouping fingerprints. His system is used by many law-enforcement organizations.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 72

The main reason why fingerprinting is used for identification is that

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 73

Who first evolved a system of using finger impressions to authenticate documents ?

Read the passages carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.
Passage II:

An old man with steel-rimmed spectacles and very dusty clothes sat by the side of the road. There was a pontoon bridge across the river and carts, trucks, and men, women and children were crossing it. The muledrawn carts staggered up thesteel, bank from the bridge with soldiers helping to push against the spokes of the wheels. The trucks ground up and away heading outofit all. The peasants plodded along in the ankledeep dust. But the old man sat there without moving.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 76

What was the old man wearing ?

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 80

Why was he sitting there ?

Read the passages carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.
Passage III:

Most authorities agree that St. Valentineis “the lover's saint”.

However, somewriters are inclined to believe that no such person existed, though there appears to be proof that he was a Christian Bishop and that he suffered martyrdom under the Roman EmperorClaudius on February 14, 271 (A.D.).

The story is that Emperor Claudius issued a decree forbidding marriage. Married men disliked leaving their families to go to war and they did not make good soldiers, according to the Emperor's notion. Since good soldiers were needed, he decided that marriage had to be abolished.

The good priest Valentine heard this and was sad. He invited younglovers to come to him and secretly got them married. The emperor learnt of this and had Valentine putin prison. There the“friend of lovers” languished and died martyr to love. The Church made him a Saintand allotted the day of his death February 14, to him. Soit is not surprising that youngsters in Rome madethis day a special one in honour of the Saint; St. Valentine's Day came to be known as “the dayfor all true lovers.”

Three Egyptian words will tell us more aboutthe customs of Valentine's Day than all the falsehoods concerning the Saint. In Egyptian language, Va or Fa means “to bear", Len is “the name” or “to name”. Ten means “to determine”. Thus the day or Valentine is that which determines whose name shall be borne byeach personin this mode of marriage by drawinglots. The custom points to the time when chance,
rather than choice, was the law. Marriage is still said to be a lottery. The custom of sending caricatures on Valentine’s Day is probably based on asserting the freedom of choice, and making a mock of chance.

If one decides to entertain people at a supper or dinner on Valentine's Day, the decoration and even the food should follow thespirit of the day. Invitations are usually heart-shaped-a custom that originated with thefirst manufactured Valentines which were usually in the shape of hearts-darted through with arrows.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 81

The writer means that St. Valentine actually lived. Which of the following statements best reveal the meaning ?

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 82

Married men did not make good soldiers because

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 84

Valentine was called a martyr to love because

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 85

The first manufactured Valentines were usually heart-shaped. The word ‘Valentine’ here refers to

Read the passages carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.
Passage IV:

The ease with which democratic Governments have given way to authoritarian regimes in one Asian Country after another has made any persons ask in despair whether the parliamentary system based on the Western model is suited to under- developed countries. People who do not know how to read and write, they argue, can hardly know howto vote. Popular elections often bring incompetent men to the top, they contend, and the division of party spoils and breeds corruption. What is worse, the system of perpetual party warfare obstructs the business of Government.

They point to the dismal results of the last ten years. The pace of social and economic change has been far too slow and the Governments in most of the underdeveloped countries have failed to come to grip with the problems which face the people. What they
say is no doubt true to some extent but it is pertinent to remember that every alternative to democracy, while it in no way guarantees greater integrity or efficiency in the administration, lacks even the saving merit of regimes which, based on the suffrage of the people, leave it to the people to find out, by trial and error, who is their best friend. The people can peacefully get rid of a democratic Government which has failed to keep its promise, they can overthrow a dictatorial regime only through a violent revolution. Those who feel sore over the ills from which democratic regimes suffer should be wary therefore suggesting a cure which is likely to undermine the democratic structure of the state. The people can at least raise their voice of protest against the injustices of a democratic Government: they can only suffer in silence the tyranny of a regime which is responsible to no one but itself.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 86

Democratic Governments have given way to authoritarian regimes in several Asian Countries because

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 87

Popular elections

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 88

In the last ten years, the Governments in the underdeveloped countries

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 89

Every alternative to democracy

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 90

A democratic form of Government is superior to a dictatorial one because

Read the passages carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.
Passage V:

When flowers bloom in the lush bamboo plantations in the hills of the northeast, the tribesmen are thrown into a state of panic. The rare phenomenon of the flowering of a dwarf-sized bamboo species triggers a boom in the rat population. They devour the crops in nearby farmlands. The result is famine.

The mauve-coloured flowers sprouting in the hill-slopes in the sprawling Seppa valley in east Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh,are a palpable threat to the State Government. The worries are justified, if the catastrophe caused by the flowering of a bamboo species named Mau in Mizoram in 1959 is anything to go by Rodents had multiplied in millions during the flowering of bamboos and ravaged the crops in the foothills.

The flowering of the bamboo species in Arunachal Pradesh was first noticed in September this year. The depredations by the rats in the paddy, maize and millet fields from Bhalukpong on the Assam border to Seppa valley in the north were reported soon. As the agriculture department rushed its field-staff to the affected areas to fight the rampaging rodents with rattraps and zinc phosphate,fresh alarms
were sounded with flowering reported from the Tezu circle.

According to the local MLA much of the crops in Kameng had been destroyed by October. The State Veterinary Minister also confirmed the reports of a near-famine condition in that inaccessible district. The rats, feeding on the flower seedlings, continue to multiply. Till today, 33,000 rats, of the 26 varieties in the State have been trapped with the help of indigenous devices. The Chief Minister has sent an SOS to the Centre for both supplies and expertise in combating the rat menace.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 91

In the opening passage (2nd sentence) the phrase ‘triggers a boom‘ means

Read the passages carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives.
Passage VI:

Nasiruddin was the cleverest man in Khorasan. One of his neighbours was a merchant. He was a great miser. One day the merchant saw Nasiruddin praying inside his house. He was praying in a loud voice asking God to be kind to him and send him 9999 dinars, not a dinar more, or a dinar less. If God sent him even one dinar more, he would return all the money. The merchant could not understand Nasiruddin's prayer. He decidedto find out the truth. He put 10,000 dinars in a bag andthrew it into Nasiruddin’s house. Nasiruddin found the bag and counted the money carefully. He profusely thanked God for giving him 10,000 dinars, when he had askedfor only 9999 dinars. The merchant heard Nasiruddin. He realized that Nasiruddin was going to keep the money. He went to Nasiruddin's house. Hecalled him a liar and demanded that his 10,000 dinars be returned to him. Nasiruddin refused. He claimed that he was not a fool to believe that any one would throw away 10,000 dinars just to test someone's honesty. It was his money given by God in answer to his prayer . The merchant decided to take the matterto the judge. Nasiruddin said that he had no clean clothes to wear. The merchant gave him some of his own clothes to wear. Then they went to see the judge.

The merchant told the judge what had happened. Nasiruddin argued that the merchant was mad. Ever since he lost a lot of money a few months back, he hadbeen talking like a mad man. The judge asked Nasiruddin whether he could prove his charge. He said, “Just now he told you that I stole his money. Next he is goingtotell you that these clothes which I am wearing are also his.” The merchant shouted angrily, “Of course, these clothes are mine!.

The judge thoughtfor a few minutes. Then he said, “The case is false. Nasiruddin has not stolen his neighbour’s money, The merhantis mad. He should be sent to a mental hospital.”

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 96

Nasiruddin was praying in a loud voice because

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 97

The merchant threw the bag of money into Nasiruddin’s house because

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 98

When Nasiruddin found the bag of money he thought

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 99

The merchantcalled Nasiruddin a liar because

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 100

When the judge heard the case, he thought that the merchant

In the following questions, some of the sentences have errors and some have none. Find out which part of a sentence
has an error. The number of the part is your answer. If there is no error, your answer is (4) i.e. No error.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 105

After the teacher had told the boys (1)/ how to pronounce the word (2)/ all of them in one voice repeated the word again. (3)/ No error (4)

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 106

It was me who was (1)/ responsible for (2)/ making all the arrangements for the successful completion of his studies. (3)/ No error(4)

In the following questions, sentencesare 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.

In the folliwing questions, choose the word opposite in meaning to the given word that is your answer.

In the following questions, outof the four alternatives, choose the one which best expresses the meaning of the given word that is your answer.

In the following questions, groups of four words are given. In each group, one word is correctly spelt. Find the correctly spelt word that is your answer.

In the following questions, four alternatives are given for the idiom/phrase printed in bold in the sentence. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of he idiom/phrase that is your answer.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 145

To keep up one's appearances

In the following questions, the lst and the last sentences of the passage are numbered 1 and 6. The rest of the passage is split into four parts and named P, Q, R and S. These four parts are not given in their proper order. Read the sentence and find out which of the four combinations is correct. Then find the correct answer.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 151

1. The second-named motive
P. the aiming at
Q. lies firmly fixed
R. ambition, or in milder terms
S. recognition and consideration
6. in the human nature.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 152

1. The works of William Shakespeare
P. have provided us
Q. that have become
R. such common expressions
S. with a numberof phrases
6. that few realize their source

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 153

1. The ever spiralling costs
P. to take another look
Q. at the plant remedies
R. of modern synthetic drugs
S. may force western medicine
6. used by the Third World Countries

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 155

1. John had somerelatively new clothes he had outgrown.
P. But his mother took them out and kept them neatly folded in the cupboard again.
Q. He threw them into the waste basket.
R. SoJohn putthe clothing into the family’s bag of items to donate to charity.
S. His mother found them and put them back in his cupboard.
6. John finally put the items in his mother’s mending basket and neversaw them again.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 157

1. When a boy grows into a young man,hefinds himself in a new and strange world.
P. Therelationship remains, but its nature changes.
Q. The emotional ties that he had with them are now loosened.
R. The old pattern ofhis life in which his parents were the nucleus around which his life revolved now undergoes a change.
S. He finds in himself an emotional void which he must some how fill.
6. At this stage of life he is like a body without a soul ora flower without fragrance.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 158

1. It is useful to distinguish.
P. basic research
Q. pure science, which involves
R. and applied science
S. between two formsof science
6. which involves technology.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 159

1. In London there is a popular public park called Hyde Park.
P. He may succeed in attracting an audience.
Q. Any one who wants to make a speech can do so in Speaker's Corner.
R. In this park, there is a place known as ‘Speaker's Corner’.
S. On Sunday afternoons, we can find many such people there.
6. They will be standing on soapboxes and speaking away on various subjects.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 160

1. It is shocking to read that many more cigarette brands are going to be marketed in India.
P. Aren't these two at cross-purposes ?
Q. On the one hand, the Government declares ‘no-smoking’ zones.
R. The proposal appears to be awaiting the Government's approval.
S. On the other, it entertains unhealthy proposals like this.
6. There is a need for review of Government policy.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 161

1. A man who climbs a mountain faces several dangers.
P. A cylinder of oxygen can be very expensive.
Q. The atmosphere at such a great height contains less oxygen than in the plains and therefore he mayfind it difficult to breathe.
R. Yet another danger is the avalanches - huge mass of snow sliding down the mountain and the mountaineer may get sweptoff.
S. This means that the mountaineer has to carry his own supply of oxygen in a cylinder.
6. It is a proof of man's indomitable courage thatin spite of all these dangers, he continues to climb the highest mountains in the world.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 162

1. After the Chipko Movement
P. that peasants andtribals
Q. in the responsible management
R. it was demonstrated
S. had a greater stake
6. of Nature than did supposedly sophisticated city dwellers.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 163

1. Sometimes you can figure out
P. of the rest of the sentence
Q. or from the meaning
R. its place in the story or in the sentence
S. an unfamiliar word from its context
6. even though you may never have seen the word before.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 164

1. Even today in many countries.
P. neglected and there are far
Q. womencontinue to be
R. who have hadthe benefit of
S. fewer women than men
6. education and vocational training.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 165

1. Carl Sagan
P. the severity of the problem
Q. says that we do notfully understand
R. that the next generations may be badly affected
S. in his essay
6. and that the only solution is international co-operation.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 167

1. The life of the honeybee colony centres around the activities of its single queen.
P. Fertilization of these eggs takes place before they are deposited in thecells.
Q. When the eggs hatch into larvae, they are looked after and fed by the worker bees.
R. During the summer months spends most of her time laying eggs in the wax cells of her honey comb.
S. The honeybee does this by releasing sperm from her storage sacs which were filled at the time of her mating of flights.
6. A new worker bee emerges three weeks after the egg was laid.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 168

1. George Eliot sees
P. family life
Q. and mutually caring relationships
R. human relationships
S. as the centre of
6. as the centre oflife itself.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 169

1. As the girl grew up, she became prettier and prettier
P. She began to be treated worse than any servant
Q. After household work she would sleep among the cinders.
R. And the prettier she became, the more thesisters hated her.
S. She was compelled to eat scraps of left avers.
6. This habit earned her the nickname Cinderella.

In the following questions, out of the four alternatives, choose the one which can be substituted for the given words/ sentence that is your answer.

In the following questions, a sentence has been given in Active Voice/Passive Voice. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Passive/Active Voice that is your answer.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 183

Did he remember the date and time ?

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 184

The boys were digging a hole in the ground.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 185

We must now deal with these problems.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 186

The audience loudly cheered the leader's speech.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 187

Someone is following us.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 188

He hasn't slept in his bed.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 189

I was recommended another lawyer.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 190

Many a person has been saved from the man-eaters by these hunters.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 192

You will be well looked after.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 193

Didn't they tell you to be here by six O'clock ?

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 194

Don't touch this switch.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 195

One cannot gather grapes from thistles.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 196

They will have completed the workby the time we get there.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 197

You will have to pull down this sky-scraper as you have not complied with the town planning regulations.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 198

He has written a poem which fascinates every one.

SSC CGL Tier-2 2010 English - Question 199

Will those happy days be ever forgotten by me ?

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