English Comprehension PYQs

The correct answer is '2' i.e. intimidated .

Key Points

• The original sentence uses the word "intimated," which means to hint or suggest something indirectly (e.g., "He intimated his desire to leave").
• In the context of an officer under suspension being interrogated by committee members, the feeling experienced would not be one of being hinted at. Instead, the situation implies a feeling of being frightened, pressured, or overawed.
• The word that perfectly conveys this intended meaning is "intimidated." To be intimidated means to be made fearful or apprehensive.

Correct sentence: The officer under suspension felt intimidated by the committee members during his interrogation regarding the allegations against him.

Additional Information

• Let's look at why the other options are incorrect:
• 1) inculcated: This means to instill (an idea, attitude, or habit) by persistent instruction. This does not fit the context of a feeling during an interrogation.
• 3) asphyxiated: This means to suffocate or be deprived of oxygen. This refers to a physical state, not a psychological feeling during an interrogation.
• 4) annulled: This means to declare (an official agreement, decision, or result) invalid. This is a formal action, not a feeling experienced by a person.
• The original sentence likely contains a common homophone error, confusing "intimate" (to hint) with "intimidate" (to frighten or overawe).

The correct answer is '1' i.e. perspicacity .

Key Points

• The original sentence uses the word "perquisite," which means a privilege, gain, or perk associated with a job or position (e.g., "A company car is a perquisite.").
• In the context of "understanding the complexity of the situation," "perquisite" is misused. Understanding is a mental quality or ability, not a job perk.
• We need a word that describes a mental ability or quality to comprehend difficult situations.
• Let's examine the options:
• 1. perspicacity: This means the quality of having a ready insight into things; shrewdness; keenness of mental perception. This perfectly fits the context of understanding complexity.
• 2. perniciousness: This means the quality of being highly injurious or destructive. This is unrelated to understanding.
• 3. peremptoriness: This means the quality of insisting on immediate attention or obedience, often in an arrogant way. This is unrelated to understanding.
• 4. presumptuousness: This means the quality of being excessively bold or arrogant; overstepping bounds. This is unrelated to understanding.

Correct sentence: Amongst them all, she was the only one with the perspicacity to understand the complexity of the situation.

The correct answer is '3' i.e. sumptuous .

Key Points

• The original sentence uses the word "scrumptious," which means extremely tasty or delicious, and is primarily used to describe food.
• In the context of "attire" (clothing) worn to an "official function" and "banquet" by "dignitaries," "scrumptious" is completely out of place and grammatically incorrect for describing clothing.
• We need a word that describes clothing as magnificent, luxurious, or impressive, suitable for a formal event.
• Let's examine the options:
• 1. synergistic: This describes an interaction where the combined effect is greater than the sum of individual effects. It is completely irrelevant to clothing.
• 2. stentorian: This describes a very loud and powerful voice. It is irrelevant to clothing.
• 3. sumptuous: This means splendid and expensive-looking; magnificent. This word perfectly describes rich, luxurious, or grand attire appropriate for dignitaries at a banquet.
• 4. scrimpy: This means meager, scanty, or revealing. This describes attire as insufficient or revealing, which is the opposite of what would be expected at such a formal event for dignitaries.

Correct sentence: At the official function organised for the attending dignitaries, guests arrived in sumptuous attire for the banquet.

The correct answer is '4' i.e. lure .

Key Points

• The original sentence uses the word "lyre," which is a stringed musical instrument.
• In the context of a "lake atop the mountain" being something for "intrepid hikers" (brave, adventurous hikers), "lyre" makes no sense. A lake is not a musical instrument, nor does it serve that function for hikers.
• We need a word that describes something that attracts, entices, or draws hikers.
• Let's examine the options:
• 1. link: A connection or connecting element. While a lake might be a point on a trail, it doesn't primarily convey the idea of attraction.
• 2. line: A mark, sequence, or path. This does not fit the meaning of attraction.
• 3. life: The state of living or vitality. While a lake can be full of life, "the life for intrepid hikers" doesn't precisely mean what draws them to it.
• 4. lure: Something that entices or attracts; a temptation. This word perfectly fits the context. A beautiful or challenging lake atop a mountain would be a strong attraction for intrepid hikers, drawing them to embark on the journey.

Correct sentence: The lake atop the mountain has always been the lure for intrepid hikers.

The correct answer is '3' i.e. induction .

Key Points

• The original sentence uses the word "absorption," which typically refers to the process of taking something in or becoming part of a larger whole, often in a physical or passive sense (e.g., "the absorption of water"). While it can imply becoming part of a group, it's not the most precise term for formally joining a service after training.
• The context "intensive instruction process before their ... into the service" strongly suggests a formal entry process into an organization, particularly a service (like government service, military service, etc.).
• Let's examine the options:
• 1. immersion: This means deep mental involvement or being submerged in a liquid. While candidates might be immersed in training, "immersion into the service" for formal entry is not standard.
• 2. intimation: This means a hint or an indirect suggestion. This is completely irrelevant to the context of formally joining a service.
• 3. induction: This means the formal act or process of inducting someone into a position, office, or organization. This is the most accurate and commonly used term for bringing new members into a service or profession, especially after a training period. (e.g., "military induction," "induction into the civil service").
• 4. unction: This refers to the act of anointing as a religious rite or excessive earnestness/flattery. This is unrelated to joining a service.

Correct sentence: The candidates went through an intensive instruction process before their induction into the service.

The correct answer is '4' i.e. reduce .

Key Points

• The original sentence uses the word "minimise," which means to reduce something to the smallest possible amount or degree.
• However, the phrase "by up to twenty percent" indicates a specific target or limit for reduction, not necessarily the absolute smallest amount. If the goal were to "minimise," there wouldn't typically be an "up to" percentage limit, as the instruction would be to get it as close to zero as possible.
• Therefore, a word that implies making something less in amount, without necessarily aiming for the absolute minimum, would be more appropriate.
• Let's examine the options:
• 1. supervise: To oversee or direct. This is irrelevant to the action of managing consumption.
• 2. surmise: To suppose that something is true without having evidence. This is irrelevant to the context.
• 3. lower: To make something less in amount, degree, or intensity. This is a suitable option as it means to decrease.
• 4. reduce: To make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size. This is a very common and precise word for decreasing a quantity or consumption. It fits perfectly with the idea of a targeted decrease.
• Both "lower" and "reduce" are strong candidates. However, "reduce" is generally more idiomatic and direct when speaking about decreasing quantifiable consumption or amounts, especially when a percentage is involved.

Correct sentence: The office memorandum directed personnel to reduce their consumption of office stationery by up to twenty percent.

The correct answer is '4' i.e. uproar .

Key Points

• The original sentence uses the word "tumult," which means a loud, confused noise, especially one caused by a large mass of people, or a state of confusion or disorder.
• While an unexpected bonus might lead to some "tumult" in the sense of commotion, "tumult" often carries a connotation of disorder or agitation, which doesn't perfectly capture the likely positive and excited reaction to a bonus.
• We need a word that describes a loud, excited, and possibly chaotic reaction that is consistent with receiving good news like an unexpected bonus.
• Let's examine the options:
• 1. merriment: This means gaiety and fun. While a bonus would lead to merriment, "tumult" refers to a more active, audible disturbance, not just a feeling.
• 2. trepidation: This means a feeling of fear or anxiety about something that may happen. This is the opposite of the expected reaction to a bonus.
• 3. upheaval: This means a violent or sudden change or disruption. While a bonus is a change, "upheaval" usually implies a more chaotic or disruptive (often negative) event.
• 4. uproar: This means a loud and confused noise or disturbance. "Uproar" can be used for both positive (e.g., of applause, cheering) and negative (e.g., of protest, anger) commotions. In the context of an unexpected bonus, "uproar" vividly describes the excited shouts, cheers, and general noisy commotion among the staff. This is the most fitting word to describe the enthusiastic reaction.

Correct sentence: The announcement of an unexpected bonus led to great uproar among the staff.

The correct answer is '1' i.e. laudatory .

Key Points

• The original sentence states: "The scurrilous remarks in the article were met with great joy by the leadership of the company."
• Scurrilous means making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation; abusive, defamatory.
• If the remarks were scurrilous (abusive or defamatory), it would be contradictory for the company's leadership to react with "great joy." Such remarks would typically cause anger, distress, or concern.
• Therefore, we need an option that describes remarks that would logically be met with "great joy" by the leadership.
• Let's examine the options:
• 1. laudatory: Expressing praise and commendation. If remarks are praising, it is perfectly logical for leadership to respond with joy. This fits the context.
• 2. reviling: Criticizing in an abusive or angrily insulting manner. This is synonymous with scurrilous and would not evoke joy.
• 3. scathing: Severely critical; unsparingly harsh. This would not evoke joy.
• 4. upbraiding: Reproaching; finding fault with (someone). This would not evoke joy.

Correct sentence: The laudatory remarks in the article were met with great joy by the leadership of the company.

The correct answer is '3' i.e. opprobrium .

Key Points

• The original sentence states: "His inappropriate behaviour earned plaudits from his colleagues."
• Plaudits means praise, acclaim, or approval.
• If someone exhibits "inappropriate behaviour," it is contradictory and illogical for them to receive "plaudits" (praise) from their colleagues. Inappropriate behaviour would typically lead to criticism, disapproval, or disgrace.
• Therefore, we need an option that describes a negative consequence or reaction that logically follows from "inappropriate behaviour."
• Let's examine the options:
• 1. sanctimoniousness: This refers to the quality of being self-righteous or morally superior. It describes a characteristic, not a reaction earned from others for behavior.
• 2. triumph: This means a great victory or achievement. This is a positive outcome and contradicts the negative context of "inappropriate behaviour."
• 3. opprobrium: This means harsh criticism or censure; disgrace incurred by shameful conduct. This perfectly fits the context, as inappropriate behaviour would logically earn harsh criticism or disgrace from colleagues.
• 4. banter: This refers to playful and friendly teasing. While sometimes perceived as inappropriate, it's generally lighthearted, and "earned banter" as a direct consequence of "inappropriate behaviour" is an awkward and less fitting phrase than "earned opprobrium."

Correct sentence: His inappropriate behaviour earned opprobrium from his colleagues.

The correct answer is '2' i.e. enormousness .

Key Points

• The original sentence is: "The enormity of the mountain range stunned the visitors to the hill station."
• Enormity has two main meanings:
• Its primary and formal meaning is the quality of being particularly evil, atrocious, or great wickedness (e.g., "the enormity of the crime").
• Informally, it is sometimes used to mean immense size or scale, but this usage is often considered imprecise or incorrect in formal contexts.
• In the context of a "mountain range stunning visitors," it is clearly the immense size or vastness of the mountains that would be stunning, not their wickedness. Therefore, "enormity" is used imprecisely.
• Let's examine the options:
• 1. eternity: Infinite or unending time. This is unrelated to the physical size of a mountain range.
• 2. enormousness: The quality or state of being enormous; immense size or scale. This word directly and precisely conveys the intended meaning of the vast size of the mountain range.
• 3. extremity: The furthest point or limit; the greatest degree. While a mountain range has extremities, this word does not capture the overall vastness that would stun visitors.
• 4. simulacrum: An image or representation; an imitation. This is entirely irrelevant to the size of a mountain range.

Correct sentence: The enormousness of the mountain range stunned the visitors to the hill station.

The correct answer is '1' i.e. abatement is incorrect.

Key Points

• The word "abatement" is incorrectly used in this sentence. The correct term should be "abetment", which refers to encouraging or assisting someone to commit a crime.
• "Abatement" means "reduction" or "decrease," which does not fit the context of the sentence.
• The corrected phrase should be: "The accusation of abetment to the crime...".

Correct sentence: The accusation of abetment to the crime that had been levelled at him was eventually not proven in court.

Additional Information

• Common Confusion:
• Abetment: Encouraging or assisting someone to commit an unlawful act.
• Abatement: Reduction, decrease, or alleviation (e.g., "abatement of noise").
• It is essential to use the correct term to convey the intended legal or contextual meaning.

The correct answer is Option '3' i.e. "was overlooked by the officer." 

Key Points

• The subject of the sentence is "The unintentional mistakes", which is plural.
• The verb "was" is singular and does not agree with the plural subject.
• The correct verb should be "were" to maintain subject-verb agreement.

Correct sentence: The unintentional mistakes made by the clerical staff were overlooked by the officer.

Additional Information

• Subject-Verb Agreement:
• Rule: Singular subjects take singular verbs, and plural subjects take plural verbs.
• Example: The team is playing well (singular). The players are practicing hard (plural).
• Usage: Ensures grammatical correctness and clarity in sentences.
• Common Errors in Agreement:
• Using singular verbs with plural subjects.
• Using plural verbs with singular subjects.

The correct answer is '2' i.e. "for the imperial stokes" .

Key Points

• The word "stokes" in part (b) is incorrect. The correct word should be "strokes," which refers to the batting shots in cricket.
• This is a spelling error, and it changes the meaning of the sentence.

Correct sentence: The opening batsman was famous for the imperial strokes he played on the cricket field.

Additional Information

• Errors like spelling mistakes can lead to incorrect meanings or interpretations of a sentence.
• It is crucial to carefully proofread the sentence to spot such errors.
• The rest of the sentence, i.e., parts (a) and (c), are grammatically correct and do not contain any errors.

The correct answer is '4' i.e. No error.

Key Points

• The sentence is grammatically correct, and all parts (a), (b), and (c) are free from errors.
• The phrase "Each student was meant to receive" correctly introduces the subject and intent.
• The phrase "an equal share of the scholarship but the eventual distribution" is properly constructed and conveys the intended meaning.
• The phrase "was found to be iniquitous" is appropriate in terms of grammar and vocabulary, describing the unfair distribution.

Correct sentence: Each student was meant to receive an equal share of the scholarship, but the eventual distribution was found to be iniquitous.

Additional Information

• Iniquitous: The word "iniquitous" means grossly unfair or morally wrong. It is used correctly in the context of describing the scholarship distribution.
• Grammatical Construction: The sentence follows proper sentence structure, with no misplaced modifiers or verb agreement errors.
• No Error Option: When none of the underlined parts of the sentence contain errors, the correct answer is always "No error" (option 4 in this case).

The correct answer is '3' i.e. 'on' the luggage compartment of the bus should be corrected to 'in' the luggage compartment of the bus .

Key Points

• The error lies in part 3 of the sentence.
• The preposition "on" is incorrect because it implies something is located on the surface of the luggage compartment.
• The correct preposition is "in", as the baggage was discovered inside the luggage compartment of the bus.

Correct sentence: No one turned up to claim the stowed away piece of baggage which was discovered in the luggage compartment of the bus.

Additional Information

• Prepositions:
• "On": Used for surfaces or when something is positioned on top of something else. Example: The book is on the table.
• "In": Used to indicate that something is inside a space or area. Example: The keys are in the drawer.
• Correct usage of prepositions is critical to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy in sentences.

The correct answer is '3' i.e. "its own species and none other" .

Key Points

• The underlined part "its own species and none other" in part (c) has an error.
• The pronoun "its" is incorrect in this context because the subject "animals" is plural, so the correct pronoun should be "their".
• The correct phrase should be "their own species and none other."

Correct sentence: Certain animals have a tendency to communicate only with their own species and none other.

Additional Information

• Pronoun Agreement:
• A pronoun must agree with its antecedent in number and gender.
• For singular antecedents, use singular pronouns like "his," "her," "its."
• For plural antecedents, use plural pronouns like "their."
• Common Errors:
• Using a singular pronoun for a plural subject or vice versa is a common error.
• Always identify the subject before deciding which pronoun to use.

The correct answer is '3' i.e. she sprung up from her bed .

Key Points

• The word "sprung" is the incorrect form of the verb. The correct form of the verb is "sprang", as it is the simple past form of the verb "spring".
• In standard English, "sprung" is used as the past participle of "spring", not as its simple past tense.
• Therefore, the correct sentence should read: She sprang up from her bed.

Correct sentence: As soon as the clock chimed to announce the hour at midnight, she sprang up from her bed.

Additional Information

• Common verb forms:
• Present tense: Spring
• Past tense: Sprang
• Past participle: Sprung
• Always ensure the tense of the verb matches the intended time of the action in the sentence.

The correct answer is '3' i.e. own community yet none other .

Key Points

• The error in the sentence lies in part (c). The phrase "none other" is incorrect and awkward in this context. The sentence is comparing a community to something else, so it should be "none other than" to properly introduce the comparison.
• When comparing something with an alternative or exception, we use "none other than" to indicate the specific thing being compared.

Correct sentence: There are people who are likely to fraternise with their own community yet none other than their own.

Additional Information

• Common Phrase Error: The phrase "none other" is commonly misused in informal contexts. The correct form is "none other than," which is used when making comparisons or emphasizing a specific choice.
• Example: The leader trusted none other than his closest advisors in making key decisions.

The correct answer is '3' i.e. which defied the purpose of the public event .

Key Points

• While analyzing the sentence, we note that the third part, "which defied the purpose of the public event," is incorrect in this context.
• The word "defied" means to openly resist or challenge, which does not fit the intended meaning of the sentence.
• The correct word should be "defeated," which conveys that the high price undermined or negated the purpose of a public event.

Correct sentence: The mime show attracted a huge audience despite the high price of tickets, which defeated the purpose of the public event.

Additional Information

• Vocabulary Tip:
• Defy: To resist or refuse to obey.
• Defeat: To prevent the success of something or make it ineffective.
• Contextual Clarity: Always ensure the word used in a sentence aligns with the intended meaning.

The correct answer is '2' i.e. hanged should be replaced with hung.

Key Points

• The verb "hang" has two past participles: "hung" and "hanged."
• "Hanged" is used when referring to death by hanging (e.g., The criminal was hanged).
• "Hung" is the correct past participle when referring to suspending or placing objects (e.g., He hung the painting).
• In this context, the sentence is about placing a shirt, so the correct word is "hung."

Correct sentence: He was unable to recall where he had hung his shirt after returning home from office.

Additional Information

• Usage of "Hanged":
• Example: The prisoner was hanged for his crimes.
• Refers to legal or formal execution by hanging.
• Usage of "Hung":
• Example: She hung the picture on the wall.
• Refers to suspending or attaching objects.