PYST 3: IB Security Assistant & MTS Official Paper - English Language (Held On: 23 March, 2023 Shift 3) (Previous Year Paper)

The correct answer is "somnambulist". 

Key Points

• The underlined group of words in the sentence - "a person who walks in sleep" - refers to a specific behavior.
• Somnambulist: This term comes from the Latin "somnus" (meaning sleep) and "ambulare" (meaning to walk).
• A somnambulist is a person who walks while asleep.
• This term fits the underlined group of words perfectly.

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 2". 

Additional Information

• Regressionist: This term is not commonly used in English and doesn't have a standard definition.
• It certainly doesn't refer to a person who walks in their sleep. Therefore, this choice can be eliminated.
• Arsonist: An arsonist is a person who intentionally sets fire to properties, most often for malicious or illegal purposes.
• There's nothing in the original phrase about setting fires, so this can't be the right choice.
• Narcissist: A narcissist is a person who has excessive self-love or self-centeredness.
• While the original phrase does indicate some level of self-absorption, it doesn’t suggest excessive self-love or self-centeredness associated with narcissism.

The correct answer is "B, D, A, C". 

Key Points

• Let's analyze the sentences one by one to understand their plausible connections and the likely chronological order:
• Sentence A: "The fog was so bad that he could not see a lamp post looming in front of us."
• This sentence indicates a problem arising due to bad weather conditions.
• Sentence B: "After a nervous glance at her watch she nearly yelled, “Jaldi, jaldi.”"
• This sentence shows urgency from a character indicating they want to move quickly. "Jaldi, jaldi" is a Hindi term that means "Quickly, quickly."
• Sentence C: "He swerved to avoid it, hit the side of the pavement and the van came to a halt."
• This sentence describes an accident, clearly indicating that they were trying to avoid an obstacle, likely the lamp post mentioned in sentence A.
• Sentence D: "So he put his foot down on the accelerator."
• This sentence seems to be a response to sentence B, indicating compliance with the request for speed.
• Based on these examinations and providing a logical and chronological sequence of events, the right order appears to be B, D, A, C:

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 4".

The correct answer is "through". 

Key Points

• The context of the sentence involves a physical altercation in which individuals are actively engaging with police officers.
• The phrase 'to push through' is typically used to describe the act of forcefully making one's way past obstacles or through a crowd.
• In this context, it suggests a struggle to move forward or to continue despite resistance.
• 'Push through' effectively conveys the sense of continuation and effort despite the physical confrontation that is taking place, aligning with the narrative of the sentence.
• Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 3".

Additional Information

• 'Off' generally signifies a movement away from or the action of removing something.
• 'On' typically indicates continuity or progression but lacks the connotation of struggle against resistance that 'through' provides.
• 'By' is often used to denote proximity, a method of achieving something, or a time constraint but it doesn't fit the context of physical confrontation depicted.

The correct answer is "docile" (विनम्र) . 

Key Points

• An outspoken person usually expresses their thoughts or feelings openly or readily without reservation, often speaking bluntly or for a prolonged period.
• "Docile," on the other hand, refers to someone who is submissive, compliant, or easily managed.
• This does suggest the opposite of being outspoken, making it the appropriate choice.

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 4". 

Additional Information

• "Loud" (ऊँचा स्वर) is associated with sound. It does not convey the opposite of being outspoken.
• "Disrespectful" (अनुचित) refers to an impropriety or violation of socially acceptable behavior.
• It does not necessarily mean the opposite of being outspoken.
• "Rowdy" (उपद्रवी) refers to creating disorder or acting loudly, typically in a disruptive manner.
• It does not accurately reflect the opposite of the term outspoken.

The correct answer is "continuously".

Key Points

• The sentence in question is "After she had sneezed continously for five minutes, Aunt Razia took pity on her and offered to take us to the quiz.
• continously  in the sentence is incorrect.  The correct is "Continuously".
• So, all the options provided, that is, options 1, 3, and 4, are incorrect spellings of words in the original sentence.
• The second option, "continuously", is spelled correctly.

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 2".

Additional Information

• Some words in it are incorrectly spelled and should be corrected.
• Here are the correct spellings of the underlined words:
• "sneized" should actually be spelled "sneezed".
• "minites" is not correctly spelled.
• The correct spelling is "minutes".
• "ofered" is spelled incorrectly.
• The correct spelling is "offered".

Confusion Points

• We have find out the incorrect spelling among the underlined words.
• Then we have to find out the correct option that is the correct spelling of that incorrect underlined word.

The correct answer is "You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink it." 

Key Points

• Each of the provided options is a well-known proverb with a specific meaning.
• Let's analyze them:
• "You should make hay while the sun shines."
• ​This proverb implies that you should take advantage of favourable conditions while they last, which doesn't exactly match the context of not being able to force someone to do something.
• "You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink it."
• ​This proverb implies that you can provide opportunities to someone, but you can't force them to take it.
• This aligns perfectly with the context implied within the brackets.
• "You should strike the iron when it is hot."
• ​This proverb encourages taking immediate advantage when the conditions are favorable, rather than delaying.
• It doesn't capture the specified meaning within the brackets.
• "The grass is greener on the other side."
• ​This proverb symbolizes the human tendency to always think others have it better.
• It doesn't fit the context presented within the brackets.
• Based on the analysis above, "You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink it" accurately captures the desired meaning as specified within the brackets: "One can make it easy for someone to do something, but not force them to do it."

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 2".

The correct answer is "bewildering". 

Key Points

• The word in brackets is "baffling," which means confusing or puzzling.
• We need to find a synonym for "baffling" to fill in the blank in the sentence: "This strange, ugly, __________ city was also awesomely beautiful."
• "Bewildering," means causing someone to become perplexed or confused.
• This aligns well with the meaning of "baffling."
• Based on the definitions of each word, "bewildering" is the most suitable synonym for "baffling" in the given context; the other options portray the opposite meaning or a slightly different aspect.
• So, the completed sentence would read: "This strange, ugly, bewildering city was also awesomely beautiful."

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 4". 

Additional Information

• "Logical" suggests something that makes sense or follows a clear, rational line of thought.
• This is contrary to the meaning of "baffling," so it can't be the correct choice.
• "Coherent" implies clear, logical, and consistent.
• Just like "logical," it's the opposite of what "baffling" means.
• "Dilapidated" refers to a state of disrepair or neglect.
• While a dilapidated city could definitely be strange and possibly baffling or confusing to navigate, it's not a perfect synonym for "baffling".

The correct answer is "The". 

Key Points

• "The" is a definite article we use in English when we're referring to something or someone specific.
• We use "the" when the listener or reader already knows what we are referring to.
• In the sentence — "The younger man was very trendily dressed in a black, high-necked pullover and a leather jacket" — the usage of "The" before "younger man" implies that among a group of people that we already know of, or are implied within the context, we are specifically referring to the one who is younger.
• So, the use of "The" indicates a specific "younger man" in a known or understood context.
• The observers are already expected to know which younger man the sentence is referring to, making "The" the appropriate choice.
• Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 3".

Additional Information

• "A": This article is used when the noun it refers to represents any instance of a group or category.
• It can be used with singular, countable nouns.
• It would be appropriate here if the context suggests that the man's identity isn't essential or specific.
• "An": This article is used similarly to "a", but it is used in front of words that begin with a vowel sound.
• "Younger" begins with a consonant sound, so "an" would not be appropriate here.

The correct answer is "remember". 

Key Points

• The verb "remember" is in its base form.
• The base form of a verb is used in various forms in English, one of which is to issue commands or give direct instructions, known as the imperative form.
• Looking at the sentence "“Okay, but ______ (remember) to always call Jahan, Janaki,” I turned to the others," it's clear that the speaker is giving an instruction to the listener explicitly telling them what to do.
• In this context, the instruction is about always referring to a person named Jahan as Janaki.
• Therefore, the verb "remember" correctly fills the blank in the sentence, expressing the speaker's imperative instruction: "Okay, but remember to always call Jahan, Janaki," I turned to the others.

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 2".

The correct answer is "plump". 

Key Points

• "Plump": This adjective describes someone who is slightly fat, but in a pleasant way.
• "plump" is the most appropriate adjective to describe a man in the given context, and also the one which best fits grammatically and contextually in the sentence.
• So the sentence should read: "Then he pointed to a plump man in a dhoti who was standing at the river edge."

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 4". 

Additional Information

• "Plum": This word is primarily a noun referring to a type of fruit.
• As an adjective, it's often used in British English to mean "very good or desirable," but it makes little sense when used to describe a person directly.
• "Leather": This adjective usually describes objects made from the material leather.
• It is not used to describe a person's physical characteristics.
• "Filled": This term describes something containing or packed with something else.
• It's not typically used to describe a person, and therefore doesn't fit well in this context.

The correct answer is "Retrievers". 

Key Points

• The underlined word in the sentence provided is "retreevers," which appears to be a misspelling of the word "retrievers."
• "Retrievers" is correct spelling. It refers to a type of dog breed that is known to be good at returning objects to their owners, hence the name "retrievers."
• So, the correct sentence with the right spelling of the word should be: "He was followed by Nawab and Badshah, her two golden retrievers, who were all over us in a second."

The correct answer is "The early bird catches the worm."

Key Points

• "The early bird catches the worm." This proverb implies that the one who takes action early or before others has the best opportunity for success.
• So, based on the meanings of these proverbs, "The early bird catches the worm" exactly aligns with the intended meaning in the bracket: "The person who moves first will get an advantage over others."
• Consequently, using this proverb, the sentence would read: "I advised Rita to apply for the job soon after the opening was announced. The early bird catches the worm."

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 1". 

Additional Information

• "To kill two birds with one stone" means to achieve two goals with one action.
• It doesn't quite convey the meaning of acting quickly to gain advantage.
• "A rolling stone gathers no moss."
• This proverb suggests that one who is always moving and changing doesn't accumulate unnecessary baggage.
• It doesn't directly convey the idea of getting an advantage by acting first.
• "A bird in hand is worth two in the bush."
• This proverb suggests that it's better to be content with what you have than to risk losing it by trying to get more.
• It doesn't fit the given context of the advantage of acting quickly.

The correct answer is ".". 

Key Points

• In the sentence, “Yes, I did hear something but, sorry, girls______”, the speaker is confirming that they indeed heard something (a full statement) and is issuing a brief and somewhat informal apology by saying "sorry, girls".
• The dialogue doesn't continue immediately in the same sentence, articulate a strong exclamation or excitement, or pose a question nor is conveying a list, all of which could potentially call for the other punctuation options you listed (exclamation mark, comma or question mark respectively).
• In the structure of this sentence, the speaker completes their statement after the word "girls".
• There's no indication that the speaker's statement should continue beyond this point within this sentence.
• Therefore, we can conclude that this is the end of a complete thought or statement.
• Hence, a period or full stop (".") is the most suitable punctuation to indicate the end of this complete thought or statement.
• So, the sentence is filled as: "“Yes, I did hear something but, sorry, girls.”

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 3". 

Additional Information

• "!" - Incorrect.
• An exclamation mark denotes strong emotions, excitement, or intensity, but given the context, it doesn't seem to fit as the person speaking seems to be apologizing or expressing regret or disappointment.
• "," - Incorrect.
• A comma is used to separate parts of a sentence, not to end one. In this case, a comma leaves the sentence hanging and requires a further completion which isn't provided.
• "?" - Incorrect.
• A question mark is used to indicate a question or a request for information. As the sentence does not incorporate a question structure, this punctuation mark is not suitable.

The correct answer is "shrine". 

Key Points

• The underlined word in the sentence is "sanctum," which usually refers to a sacred or holy place.
• "Shrine" is used to describe a place regarded as holy because of its associations with a divinity or a sacred person or relic.
• Given the context and the activities mentioned this would be an appropriate substitution.
• So, the sentence with the substituted word would read: "How can I have the key to the shrine when all I do is fill pots of Ganga water and grind the sandalwood?"

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 1". 

Additional Information

• "Museum": While a museum is a place of purposeful collection, it wouldn't typically be the place where one fills pots of Ganga water and grinds sandalwood.
• These activities don't align well with the functions and activities performed at a museum.
• "Treasury": Although a treasury is an important and protected place, it isn't typically associated with religious or sacred activities like those described here.
• So this option doesn't fit the context well.
• "Bank": This term usually refers to a financial establishment and wouldn't be associated with the activities described in the sentence.

The correct answer is "the". 

Key Points

• "The" is known as the definite article in English and is used when we're referring to something specific.
• In this sentence, the phrase "the physics lab" refers to a specific, known physics lab.
• In the sentence "Just then, Miss Dutta came out of _________ physics lab looking grim and went marching off towards Sister Rose’s office.", the blank represents a place from where Miss Dutta is coming out.
• The definite article "the" is used when we talk about something specific or something that is unique and known to the speaker and listener, or when there is only one of something.
• In this situation, the physics lab is presumably a specific location in the context where the listeners and speakers are already aware of its existence and what it represents.
• They all know which physics lab is being referred to.
• Therefore, the sentence reads: "Just then, Miss Dutta came out of the physics lab looking grim and went marching off towards Sister Rose’s office."
• By using "the", we make it clear that the location Miss Dutta came out of was a specific, known physics lab.

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 2".

The correct answer is "glare, wagging". 

Key Points

• Let's explore each option to understand the correct answer:
• "Glare, wagging" - Correct.
• This choice fits well with the context of the sentence.
• Aunt Razia is expressing a stern warning or reprimand to the listeners.
• Typically when someone glares, it suggests a stern or intense look, combined with wagging a finger, which is a common action when admonishing or sternly warning someone (as in the sentence).
• "Cry, turning" - Incorrect.
• The verb 'to cry' would typically suggest sadness or distress.
• The verb 'to turn' lacks an object here and it's unclear what Aunt Razia would be turning.
• Given the context, it's unlikely Aunt Razia is in distress and these words don't suitably describe her actions or emotions in giving a warning.
• "Smile, looking" - Incorrect.
• The verb 'to smile' and 'to look' don't properly convey the stern warning that Aunt Razia is delivering.
• Smiling and looking do not align well with the stern tone of the warning she gave to not go anywhere without her.
• "Laugh, twisting" - Incorrect.
• Laughing and twisting a finger do not usually associate with the act of rebuking or providing sharp advice.
• The verb 'to laugh' implicates happiness or amusement, and 'to twist' doesn't suitably describe an action that would accompany a stern warning.
• So, in conclusion, sentence filled with Option 1 is correct. 
• "Aunt Razia turned to glare at us, wagging a finger. “You four do not go anywhere without me, you hear? I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 1".

The correct answer is "- ". 

Key Points

• Let's examine why using a hyphen is correct in this context:
• ";" - Incorrect.
• The semicolon is used to connect two closely related independent clauses in a sentence.
• There aren't two independent clauses here.
• "." - Incorrect.
• A period or full stop is used at the end of a sentence.
• Here, it is incorrect since this is in the middle of a sentence.
• "-" - Correct.
• The hyphen is used here to create a compound term. In this case, "T-shirt" is a compound term, and a hyphen is used to join "T" and "shirt" together, making the term one conceptual unit.
• "," - Incorrect.
• A comma is used to separate clauses, phrases, or items in a list.
• Here it isn't suitable as there are no separate items or phrases that need to be distinguised.
• So, considering the above points, the correct punctuation fills the blank as follows: "She was wearing a saggy, faded, green T-shirt."

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 3".

The correct answer is "imitative". 

Key Points

• In this context, 'imitative' makes sense as it means copying someone or something, much like a mock salute would be a playful imitation of a formal salute.
• Therefore the sentence would become:
• "Yes, Ma'am!" Karthik gave an imitative salute, then as the two walked away, he smiled at Jahan.

Hence, the correct answer is "Option 1". 

Additional Information

• "Sincere" - Incorrect.
• This word suggests honesty and genuineness; a sincere salute would be given with genuine respect and seriousness, which changes the tone of the original sentence.
• The term "mock" implies a playful or not completely serious salute, and "sincere" would essentially be the opposite of "mock" in this context.
• "Comic" - Incorrect.
• This might seem like a possible choice because a mock salute could be comic or humorous.
• However, it would not necessarily be so: a mock salute could also be sarcastic, or light-hearted without being funny.
• The term "comic salute" would indicate that the salute was definitely meant to be funny, which we don't know from the original sentence.
• "Genuine" - Incorrect.
• This term, like "sincere", implies an actual, sincere salute with no element of playfulness or sarcasm.
• The term "mock", however, suggests that the salute was done in jest or playfully, so "genuine" would not be a suitable replacement.

The correct answer is Option 1.

Key Points

• The paragraph begins with Sentence A, which sets the scene of being at the ghat steps and introduces the context.
• Next, the sequence of events regarding Mishra’s missing couple unfolds logically:
• Sentence D: Police arrive at Shashadhar Mishra’s house but no one answers.
• Sentence C: Another police team goes to Robin’s house and finds it locked.
• Sentence E: Neighbours report they have not seen the couple for two days.
• Sentence B: Finally, a servant is found who opens the door to an empty house.
• The paragraph ends with Sentence F, noting that Mishra is missing but the idol is still in the crate.

Therefore, the correct sequence is: A – D – C – E – B – F.

Coherent Paragraph after Rearrangement:

"Moving away from the noise and the crowds, we settled on the ghat steps outside and heard the whole story. When the police arrived at Shashadhar Mishra’s house and knocked at the door, no one answered. Another police team then rushed off to Robin’s house and found it locked. The neighbours said that they had not seen the couple for the last two days. Finally, a servant was found who opened the door to an empty house. Mishra was nowhere to be seen but the idol was still in the crate in the store room."

The correct answer is "pointed". 

Key Points

• Looking at the context of the sentence, we can see that it is describing an event that happened in the past.
• The events are presumably complete (the man did the action of pointing), and we also know from the use of 'then' (which refers to a point in time in the past) that this is not an ongoing action.
• Therefore, we need to use a past tense form of the verb.
• Option 3 is "pointed." This is the simple past tense of the verb "point."
• Simple past tense is usually used to describe actions that took place and were completed at a definite time in the past.
• In this context, the man isn't currently pointing nor is the action about to happen.
• From the words given, we understand the action has already been completed.
• Hence, the correct form to use is "pointed" – he completed the action of pointing at a specific moment in the past.
• The sentence then becomes: "Then he pointed to a plump man in a dhoti who was standing at the river edge filling a couple of large copper pots with Ganga water."

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 3".