SBI Clerk Mains Memory Based Paper (Held On: 10 Aug 2019) (Previous Year Paper)

• Kane Williamson, New Zealand’s captain was awarded with the Man of the Tournament for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019.
• ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019 was hosted by England and Wales, the UK from 30 May-14 July 2019.
• The final match was held between New Zealand and England at Lords Cricket Stadium in UK and England won the match in the final super over.
• Ben Stokes was awarded the Man of the Match World Cup Final award for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2019.
• India will host the World Cup 2023 World Cup.

• The RBI formed a task force to suggest policy and regulatory interventions required for the development of the secondary market in corporate loans, including loan transaction platform for stressed assets.
• The task force will be headed by Canara Bank Chairman T N Manoharan.
• Secondary loan market in India is largely restricted to asset reconstruction companies.
• Sunil Mehta committee is related to NPA (stressed loan resolution) , Harshvardhan committee  related housing finance securitisation

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), in consultation with the government of India, has set up a six-member committee to review the 'Economic Capital Framework' of the central bank.
• Former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan is the committee’s Chairman.
• The other members are Economic Affairs Secretary Subash Chandra Garg, RBI Deputy Governor N.S. Vishwanathan and two board members of the RBI.

• On 19 February 2019, India’s boxing Chief Ajay Singh was elected as President of the Foundation Board for Better Boxing governing body of the sport, AIBA.
• He will have a tenure of four years.
• Foundation for Better Boxing was constituted by the AIBA to address future development of the sport globally.
• Mohamed Moustahsane  is the present  President of AIBA.

• The Prime Minister unveiled the statue of former Prime Minister Sh. Lal Bahadur Shastri at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi.
• He then launched the tree-plantation drive at Anand Kanan Vatika in Varanasi.
• He also visited the virtual museum at Man Mahal.
• The museum is a cultural landmark in the city of Varanasi, showcasing the various aspects of our cultural heritage.

• Anshula Kant, Managing Director of the State Bank Of India, has been appointed as the Managing Director and the Chief Financial Officer of the World Bank.
• She will be responsible for financial and risk management of the World Bank Group.
• Anshula brings more than 35 years of expertise in finance, banking, and innovative use of technology through her work as CFO of the State Bank of India.

• Dutee Chand clinched a gold medal in the World Universiade in 100 m dash event at Napoli in Italy.
• With this, she became the first Indian woman track and field athlete to win Gold.
• She took 11.32 seconds to finish the race.
• Dutee has now become the second Indian sprinter to win a gold in a global event after Hima Das.

• Shri Arjun Munda assumed charge as the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs.
• Smt. Renuka Singh, the new Minister of State for Tribal Affairs also assumed charge.
• He served as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand form 2003-2006. He was leader of opposition in Jharkhand from 2006-2008. He was elected to 15th Lok Sabha in 2009 but resigned on 26 February, 2011.
• He is from Khunti Constituency from Jharkhand.

The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is a statutory corporate fraud investigating agency in India. Initially, it was set up by a resolution adopted by the Government of India on 2nd July 2003 and carried out investigations within the existing legal framework under section 235 to 247 of the erstwhile Companies Act, 1956. Later, Section 211 of the Companies Act, 2013, accorded the statutory status to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO). It is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India. The SFIO is involved in major fraud probes and is the coordinating agency with the Income Tax Department and the Central Bureau of Investigation.

• BCCI has formally appointed Rahul Dravid as the Indian National Cricket Academy’s Head of Cricket.
• Dravid will oversee all cricket related activities at NCA.
• The former cricketer is also the head coach of India's under-19 and India A team.
• He has helped in grooming young talent such as Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw.

• The University Grants Commission (UGC) has approved a new initiative - Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy (STRIDE).
• It is to boost research culture in the country.
• STRIDE will provide support to research projects that are socially relevant, locally need-based, nationally important and globally significant.

• India ranked 130^th out of 189 countries, in the 2018 Human Development Index.
• The Human Development Index ranking is released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• India climbed one spot to secure 130^th rank this year. Last year it was ranked 131^st.
• Norway secured the top position in the index.

• Russia successfully launched Soyuz-2.1 a carrier rocket with a hydrometeorological satellite and 32 small satellites.
• The satellite will provide images of clouds, the surface of the Earth, ice and snow covers in the visible, infrared and microwave ranges.
• The ride-share mission lifted off from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in eastern Russia.
• It can also obtain data on the temperature of the sea surface, the state of the ozone layer as well as determine the level of humidity, which will help improve the accuracy of meteorological forecasts.

The correct answer is Indusind Bank.

• National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved the merger of IndusInd Bank with Bharat Financial Inclusion (BFIL).
• The merger will be completed within 2-4 weeks.
• Post-merger, BFIL will become a subsidiary of the Bank.
• Bharat Financial Inclusion Limited BFIL is a non-banking finance company, licensed by the Reserve Bank of India.
• The Central Government has constituted National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) under section 408 of the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013) w.e.f. 01st June 2016.
• In the first phase, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has set up eleven Benches, one Principal Bench at New Delhi, and ten Benches at New Delhi, Ahmadabad, Allahabad, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai.
• These Benches will be headed by the President and 16 Judicial Members and 09 Technicalmembers at different locations.

• Veteran director and actor G Vijaya Nirmala passed away in June 2019.
• She directed 44 films in Telugu. In 2002, she entered the Guinness Book of Records as the female director of the most number of films.
• She made her debut at the age of seven as a child artiste with a Tamil movie Machcha Rekhai (1950).

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. The city lies on the right bank of the Red River. Hanoi is 1,760 km (1,090 mi) north of Ho Chi Minh City and 120 km (75 mi) west of Hai Phong city.

The International Day of Charity is observed annually on 5 September. It was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012. The prime purpose of the International Day of Charity is to raise awareness and provide a common platform for charity related activities all over the world for individuals, charitable, philanthropic, and volunteer organizations.

• High Level Advisory Group (HLAG) headed by Dr. Surjit S. Bhalla has been constituted by the Department of Commerce.
• The HLAG will look into ways for boosting India’s share and importance in global merchandise and services trade.
• The Committee has recommended 'Elephant Bonds' as a specialised security product providing funds towards Long Term Infrastructure.

Former Union Minister of Civil Aviation P Ashok Gajapathi Raju inaugurated the country’s first Aviation Multi Skill Development Centre at Chandigarh Airport’s old terminal. The centre, which is a CSR initiative of Airports Authority of India (AAI), will initially train 2,360 students free of cost in three years. It will train about 2,400 youths in eight aviation job roles over the next three years.

• According to the Union Budget 2019-20, the direct tax for the companies with an annual turnover of up to Rs. 400 crore will be 25%.
  

This move will cover 99.3% of the companies and only 0.7% of companies will remain outside this rate.

• For the companies with an annual turnover of more than Rs. 400 crore, the tax rate will be 30%.
• Union Budget 2019-20 was presented by the first full-time finance minister of the country-Nirmala Sitharaman.
• Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes - Nitin Gupta (2022)
• HQ CBDT-New Delhi

• The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2019-20 before the Parliament.
• The TDS will be 2% on cash withdrawal exceeding Rs. 1 crore in a year from a bank account as per Union Budget 2019-20.
• It is discourage the practice of making business payments in cash.
• TDS - Tax Deducted at Source.
• TDS is to collect tax from the very source of income.
• The person (deductor) who is to make payment of specified nature to other person (deductee) deducts tax at source and remit the same into the account of the Central Government.

• The full form of the abbreviation FPI is Foreign Portfolio Investment.
• FPI consists of financial assets and securities passively held by foreign investors.
• It is relatively liquid depending on the volatility of the market and does not provide the investor with direct ownership of financial assets and is relatively liquid depending on the volatility of the market.

• Odisha is all set to organise the 21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship at Jawaharlal Indoor Stadium in Cuttack from July 17 to 22, 2019.
• Odisha TT team is ranked 10th in the country and the championship.
• It is for the seventh time that India will host the event and for the first time in Odisha.

• Kerala became the first state to tap into masala bond market by listing the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB)’s masala bond in LSE’s International Securities Market (ISM).
• The masala bond has tenor of 5-year and a 9.723% coupon.
• The main objective of this initiative was to tap masala bond market and to rebuild the infrastructure in Kerala from the proceeds of masala bond.

World photography day is observed annually on August 19 to inspire photographers across the planet to share a single photo with the world. First World Photo Day was celebrated in 2010 with 250 images submitted reaching 20,000 people. According to Facebook data, India figures at 4th spot among top 10 countries that post most photos on FB and 5th spot among the same category for Messenger app.

Male is the capital and most populous city in the Republic of Maldives. Administratively, the city consists of a central island, an airport island, and two other islands governed by the Malé City Council.

• Union Ministers, DV Sadananda Gowda and Narendra Singh Tomar were assigned portfolios of the Ministries of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; Minister of Rural Development; and Minister of Panchayati Raj.
• Constituency : North Bengaluru, Karnataka

Additional Information

• Mansukh Mandaviya was appointed as the new union health minister in 2021.
• Along with the crucial Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, he has also been given the charge of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers in the Modi 2.0 cabinet.
• Mansukh Mandaviya succeeds Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
• Earlier he was holding the independent charge of the shipping ministry and was MoS for the chemicals and fertilizers ministry.

• In Maharashtra, the state government has decided to inter-link rivers to solve the crisis of drought.
• For Mumbai, the best option is the Damanganga–Pinjal river inter-linking project, which is seen as an ideal, long-term solution for Mumbai’s water needs.
• This will fulfil Mumbai’s water needs till 2060.

• The 19th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was held on 13-14 June in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
• PM Narendra Modi attended the summit while representing India.
• Founded in 2001, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Ujbekistan are the founding members of the organisation.
• India and Pakistan were admitted to the group in 2017.

• India's first elephant rehabilitation centre will be situated in Kottoor, Kerala. It is an ecotourism village.
• It is being planned on the lines of the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka.
• It will have an elephant museum, mahout training centre, super-specialty hospital, a retirement home and crematorium for the animals, will house orphaned, injured and older elephants.

• Bank of India reported a net profit of ₹252 crore for the quarter ended March 31, compared with a loss of ₹3,969 crore in 2018.
• The Gross NPA ratio improved from 16.58% in March 2018 to 15.84% in March 2019.
• Net NPA ratio declined from 8.26% to 5.61%.
• Provision coverage ratio improved from 65.85% in March 2018 to 76.95% in March 2019.

• The RBI has set up a working group to review the regulatory and supervisory framework for core investment companies (CICs).
• The six-member working group, which will be headed by Tapan Ray, Non-Executive Chairman, Central Bank of India.
• The working group has also been tasked with recommending appropriate measures to enhance RBI’s off-sight surveillance and on-site supervision over CICs.

• The Kaziranga National Park is located across the Gologhat and Nagaon districts of Assam.

• It is famous for having the largest population of Indian One Horned Rhinos.

• The total deposits in bank accounts opened under the Jan Dhan scheme crossed Rs 1 lakh crore
• The cumulative balance in 35.29 crore accounts under the flagship programme of the Modi government reached Rs 97,665.66 crore as on April 3, 2019.
• The Modi government launched the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) on August 28, 2014.

• India has signed a deal to acquire 'Strum Ataka' anti-tank missile from Russia for its fleet of Mi-35 attack choppers.
• The deal for the missiles is worth around ₹200 crore and would give an added capability to the Mi-35 attack choppers to take out enemy tanks and other armoured elements.
• Recently, the IAF has acquired the Spice-2000 stand-off weapon system.

The correct answer is 10 crores.

Key Points

The Minimum Net Owned Fund for a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) as mandated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is 10 crores (INR).

• NBFC Regulations:
• The RBI mandates a minimum Net Owned Fund (NOF) of INR 10 crores for NBFCs to ensure their financial stability and mitigate risks.
• This requirement ensures that NBFCs have adequate capital to meet their obligations and support their operations.
• Maintaining this minimum NOF is critical for NBFCs to gain and sustain trust in financial markets.
• Financial Safety:
• The minimum NOF requirement helps protect depositors and maintain the integrity of the financial system.
• It ensures that NBFCs have a sufficient capital buffer to absorb potential losses.
• Market Confidence:
• This regulation fosters confidence among investors and stakeholders in the financial soundness of NBFCs.
• Adherence to this requirement can enhance the credibility and reputation of an NBFC in the financial industry.

• Foreign Minister of United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi.
• The UAE Foreign Minister was on a three-day visit to India.
• The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner and its fourth-largest energy supplier.

• The National Museum of Indian Cinema launched a fortnightly bulletin named “NMIC Bulletin“.
• It is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• It was brought out by the Films Division with veteran filmmaker Jahnu Barua.
• The Museum was inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India on 19th January 2019.

• Operational Risks arise due to the failure of the core banking solution or any other operational failure of the bank.
• Market risk is mainly associated with the equity market.
• Credit risk is defined as the kind of risk that arises out of default by borrowers.
• Reputation Risk is known as any loss due to the reputation of the bank because of credit risk and business risk.

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent took part in Garuda 2019, a bilateral Indo-French exercise hosted by the French Air Force (FAF) from July 1 to 12 at Mont-de-Marsan.
• Garuda VI was the largest international air training exercise of 2019 and the IAF contingent consisted of 134 air-warriors.
• IAF Chief-Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa

• The National Annual Rural Sanitation Survey (NARSS) 2018-19, found that 96.5% of the households in rural India who have access to a toilet use it.
• The survey also re-confirmed the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status of 90.7% of villages.
• The survey was conducted between November 2018 and February 2019, covering 92040 households in 6136 villages across the country.

Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), an arm of RBI, is set to test blockchain technology to support framework for digital transactions. The arm will soon roll-out pilots to develop applications for banks to adopt blockchain. The institute also plans to build a small digital currency model using blockchain. Blockchain promises tamper-proof ledger building.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may set-up an ombudsman for digital payments by March 2019 to reduce the burden on banking ombudsman.
• The number of complaints related to digital transactions has increased.
• These complaints are being handled by banking ombudsman.
• At present, RBI is in the process of creating a scheme for establishing offices for the digital payments ombudsman.

• The National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) launched a training programme.
• It is of Sustainable Livelihoods and Adaptation to Climate Change (SLACC) to help Rural Poor Farm Holds adapt to Climate Change and sustain their livelihoods.
• The first batch of Community Resource Persons and National Resource Persons from Madhya Pradesh and Bihar states have begun receiving training classes in Hyderabad.
• Total 638 drought and flood-prone villages of MP and Bihar are being covered on pilot basis under this first of its kind initiative.

• NASA's 'Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere' (PUNCH) mission is focused on understanding the transition of particles from outer corona of the sun to the solar wind that fills the interplanetary space.
• The mission will image regions beyond the outer corona of the sun.
• It will be launched in the year 2022.

• The fixed income with no maturity period called perpetual bond.
• Convertible bond is that which lets exchange a bond to a number of shares of the common stock of the issuer.
• Exchangeable bond is a hybrid security consisting of an embedded option to exchange the bond and a straight bond.
• Covered bond is a debt security issued by a mortgage institution or a bank.

• The type of account in which the broker lends cash to an investor for purchasing stocks or other financial products is known as margin account.
• A merchant account allows businesses to accept payments by credit or debit cards.
• A 'settlement account' is used in balance of payments accounting to keep track of reserve asset transactions of central banks with one other.
• A savings account allows you to deposit money, withdraw funds and keep it safe.

• IDRBT- Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology is developing a model blockchain platform in India.
• The work is being done under the Reserve Bank of India.
• It will be developed and documented in 2020.
• India has around 100 active blockchain startups currently.

• The headquarters of National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research are in New Delhi.
• It was established in March 1991 by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
• It focuses on areas including capacity building, agricultural growth and development, sustainable agriculture, etc.

• The correct answer is option 1.
• PCR stands for Provision Coverage Ratio.
• It gives an indication of the provision made against bad loans from the profit generated.
• Higher the PCR, lower is the unexposed part of the bad debts.

Consider this line from the passage:

"The Isleworth Mona Lisa, a painting of the same woman, Lisa Gherardini, as its namesake, is purportedly by Leonardo da Vinci."

The word 'purportedly' means 'in a way that is stated to be true, although this may not be the case'. Hence, the sentence states that Leonardo da Vinci is generally considered to have painted the Isleworth Mona Lisa.

Hence, option 5 is correct.

Out of the given options, only option 2 is true. As is mentioned in the passage:

Recently, it (referring to The Isleworth Mona Lisa from the previous sentence) was allowed out briefly for a public exhibition in Florence.

The lawyer Giovanni Battista Protti is actually arguing on behalf of the painting's part-owners that it should not be returned to the vault.

The Isleworth Mona Lisa is actually a portrait of Lisa Gherardini painted by Leonardo da Vinci.

The last paragraph mentions that Britain does not have a French-style art export licensing system.

Therefore, option 2 is correct.

The word 'consortium' means an 'association, typically of several companies'. 

We can also figure out from the context of the passage that out of all the given options, an association of companies is most likely to own expensive art pieces.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 2.

The part of the passage in question says:

"Britain has an art export licensing system that some consider balanced in how it handles the competing interests of art institutions and art owners."

The part in bold highlights the reason why Britain's art export licensing system is considered balanced.

Therefore, the correct option is option 3.

Here are the meanings of the given words:

• Callous - showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others
• Finite - limited in size or extent
• Noxious - harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant
  

Sentence A describes the fumes from the pesticides as something to be careful of. They are most likely 'noxious' So, A matches with E. 

Sentence B describes Kabir's behavior towards the children as cruel and hence, 'callous'. So, B matches with D.

Sentence C states that the speaker(s) cannot help an organization because they don't have the resources for it. This is because their resources must be 'finite'. So, C matches with F.

Out of these, only B-D is expressed in the given options.

While C-F is also mentioned, it is also grouped together with the wrong combination A-D. Hence, the option will be incorrect.

Therefore, option 3 is correct.

Here are the meanings of the given words:

• Caricature - a picture of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic effect
• Nocturnal - done, occurring, or active at night
• Agony - extreme physical or mental suffering
  

Sentence A describes Aman's drawing as funny and colorful. It is most like a caricature. So, A matches with D. 

Sentence B describes Jane's broken leg and the pain it caused. So, she must be crying in agony. So, B matches with F.

Sentence C mountain lions as beings that are active and hunting at night. Therefore, they are nocturnal. So, C matches with E.

Out of these, only C-E is expressed in the given options.

Hence, option 5 is correct.

Here are the meanings of the given words:

• Affluent - having a great deal of money; wealthy.
• Ajar - (of a door or other opening) slightly open.
• Avarice - extreme greed for wealth or material gain.

Sentence A describes the investment banker as someone who committed crimes because he was greedy for money. So, A matches with F. 

Sentence B implies that though the door was locked last night, in the morning it was the opposite i.e. open or ajar. So, B matches with E.

Sentence C implies that the Jaguar can only be bought by people who have money and are rich or affluent. So, C matches with D.

Out of these, only A-F and B-E are mentioned in the given options.

While C-D is mentioned, it is grouped with the wrong combination B-F.

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

Here are the meanings of the given words:

• Tacit - understood or implied without being stated.
• Pensive - deep in thought or reflection.
• Salient - most noticeable or important.

Sentence A describes how Maya and Mira's mutually had an understanding that they aren't supposed to tell people about their business plans. Hence, they had a 'tacit' agreement. So, A matches with D. 

Sentence B describes John's hair as his most noticeable feature. Hence, his hair is his most salient  feature. So, B matches with F.

Sentence C describes Simran's mood as quite and most likely lost in thought, hence 'pensive'. So, C matches with E.

Out of these, only A-D is expressed in the given options.

Hence, option 1 is correct.

Here are the meanings of the given words:

• Inane - lacking sense or meaning; silly
• Placid - calm, not easily upset or excited
• Sedentary - (of work or a way of life) characterized by much sitting and little physical exercise

Sentence A describes Sumit's life as not active and is hence 'sedentary'. So, A matches with F.

Sentence B describes Riya's comments as meaningless and hence, 'inane'. So, B matches with D.

Sentence C describes the dog as something not to be afraid of and unlikely to get upset or fierce. Hence, the dog has a 'placid' temperament. So, C matches with E.

Out of these, only A-F and C-E are expressed in the given options.

Hence, option 2 is correct.

The -ing form of the verb 'paint' in the given sentence indicates that it is either in the continuous tense or that it is a gerund.

Neither one of these cases is true for the given sentence.

It is also not being used to mean the noun 'painting' which means 'a complete painted picture'.

Instead, it is more accurate to say that the scooter 'has red and blue stripes painted on the side' i.e. the painting has already been done.

The correct version of the sentence will be: My sister rides a bright yellow scooter which has red and blue stripes painted on the side.

Therefore, the error is in option 4.

We can see that the relationship between 'tea turning cold' in the first clause and 'father heating it up' in the second clause is that of cause and effect.

The conjunction 'while', on the other hand, is used to connect two clauses that take place at the same time. 

Instead, the correct version of the given sentence should be: Because the tea had turned cold, my father heated it up in the microwave before serving it to the guests.

Therefore, the error is in option 1.

Every verb must agree with its subject by taking on the required verb form.

In the first part of the sentence, the subject is 'department' which is singular. Therefore, the verb 'ensure' must agree with it and take on its singular form i.e. 'ensures'.

The correct version of this sentence will be: The department ensures that every content project fits perfectly into the company's overall marketing strategy.

Therefore, the error is in option 1.

In the given sentence, the first part talks about not liking the movie while the second part praises certain parts of it. 

The phrase 'due to' doesn't make sense here since it is used to mean 'caused by' or 'because of' something. 

The correct version of the sentence will be: To be honest, I really didn't like the movie even though the acting was good and the music was soulful.

Therefore, the error is in option 3.

There is no error in this sentence. 

Key Points

• The simple future is a verb tense that’s used to talk about things that haven’t happened yet. 
  

Example: This year, Jen will read War and Peace. It will be hard, but she’s determined to do it.

• The construction 'will surely ' is used to mean that it can be definitely said that someone will perform a certain action in the future.
• In this sentence, the speaker is certain that his or her grandmother will be knitting him or her a sweater in the future (since winter is coming).

The correct form of the given sentence should be: Yesterday, the Indian government issued a statement urging the public to cooperate in this enquiry.

The verb form urges does not make sense in this position of the sentence. It requires the -ing form of the word.

Therefore, the error is in option 2.

The correct answer is option 3. 

Here, the subject of the latter part of the sentence is the pronoun 'she', which is a singular subject. Thus, the verb following the subject must be in accordance with the subject proceeding it. 

Therefore, the verb must change its form from 'were' (plural) to 'was' (singular).

The correct version of the sentence will be: One of her most brilliant novels was written when she was working as a waitress at a local restaurant.

The correct answer is 'comprehend' and 'inveterate'. 

Key Points

Here are the meanings of all the given words:

• Control - to order, limit, or rule something, or someone's actions or behavior.
• Fugitive - a person who has escaped from captivity or is in hiding.
  
• Comprehend - grasp mentally or understand.
• Inveterate - firmly established by long persistence.
  
• Familiarise - give (someone) knowledge or understanding of something.
  

Perilous - full of danger or risk.

• Subsume -include or absorb (something) in something else.
• Notorious- famous or well-known, typically for some bad quality or deed.
  
• Conform- comply with rules, standards, or laws.
• Resurgent - something that is becoming stronger after a period when it has been weak.
  
• From the given parts of the sentences, we can see that the first blanks require a word that means 'understand'. In the first sentence, the speaker cannot understand the other person's hostility to the speaker's brother while in the second sentence, Ravi's friends cannot understand Ravi's transformation from someone who doesn't drink alcohol to an alcoholic.
• The word that fits both these contexts is 'comprehend'.
• 'Inveterate' is an adjective used to refer to something that has become firmly established because it has existed for a long time. For example, a person can be an inveterate liar, because they have often been known to lie. It can also be used to describe a noun such as 'hostility' in the first sentence to mean that this hostility has existed for a long time.
• Therefore, only the set of words in option 2 fit the context of both sentences. Hence, option 2 is correct.

The correct words to fill the blanks in the given sentences are 'moderate' and 'beneficial'. 

Here are the meanings of all the given words:

• Inferior- not good, or not as good as someone or something else.
• Permanent - lasting or intended to last or remain unchanged indefinitely.
  
• Abated - made or became less in amount, intensity or degree.
• Prevalent - widespread in a particular area or at a particular time.
  
• Crucial - decisive or critical, especially in the success or failure of something.
• Considerable- notably large in size, amount, or extent.
  
• Secular- not connected with religious or spiritual matters.
• Allowance - a sum of money paid regularly to a person to meet needs or expenses.
  
• Moderate- average in amount, intensity, quality, or degree.
• Beneficial - resulting in good; favorable or advantageous.

We can see from the first sentence that the first blank must be a word that contrasts with 'too much' in the second clause. This is because of the usage of 'while' to contrast the two clauses. Similarly, the second blank must also contrast with the word 'exhaust'.

While 'inferior' might seem like the correct answer, the word is used to describe the quality not the quantity of something. The word 'amount' in sentence 1 shows that 'inferior' must be incorrect.

Only the set of words in option 5 help fit this context. 

To double-check, let's place these words in the blanks of sentence 2.

We see that when we place these words in sentence 2, they also make the sentence meaningfully complete. The resulting sentence conveys that even an average amount of exercise, when done regularly, can help keep the human body fit.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 5.

The correct answer is 'exaggerate' and 'cautiously'. 

Key Points

Here are the meanings of all the given words:

• Assuage - to make unpleasant feelings less strong
• Thoroughly - in a detailed and careful way
  
• Captivate - attract and hold the interest and attention of someone
• Scarcely - barely; hardly; not quite
  
• Exaggerate - to make something seem larger, more important, or better than it really is
• Cautiously - in a way that deliberately avoids potential problems or dangers
  
• Pristine - in its original condition; unspoiled
• Fatuously - in a way that is stupid, not correct, or not carefully thought about
  
• Subvert - undermine the power and authority of an established system
• Delightedly - in a way that shows that you are very pleased
  
• We can see from the first parts of the given sentences that the blank will be used to describe something is being overvalued. Hence, the word 'exaggerate'.
• This is why the second parts of both sentences indicate a sense of risk, caution, and hesitation. Hence, the adverb cautiously.
• Only the set of words in option 3 fit the context of both sentences. Therefore, option 3 is correct.

The correct answer is 'exuberant' and 'gloomy'. 

Key Points

Here are the meanings of all the given words:

• Euphoric - feeling intense excitement and happiness.
• Jubilant - expressing great happiness and triumph.
  
• Brilliant - very bright, extremely intelligent, or skilled
• Auspicious - conducive to success or favourable
  
• Deranged - mad or insane
• Vivacious - attractively energetic and enthusiastic
  
• Exuberant - full of energy, excitement, and cheerfulness
• Gloomy - causing or feeling depression OR dark or poorly lit, so as to appear depressing
  
• Melancholic - feeling or expressing sadness
• Subdued - quiet and reflective or depressed
  
• We can see from the given sentences that there is a contrast in the meanings of the two required words.
• The second sentence indicates that the contrast goes from positive to negative since the speaker is 'concerned' because of the change in Tanya's countenance.
• Only the set of words in option 4 indicates this contrast. Therefore, option 4 is correct.
• The words 'exuberant' and 'gloomy' can be used to describe both a person's mood or personality (as mentioned in sentence 2) as well as art styles such as in the 'pictures in the exhibition' (as mentioned in sentence 1).

The correct answer is 'tirade' and 'berated'.

Key Points

Here are the meanings of all the given words:

• Argument - a set of lengthy statements to convince people that your opinion is correct
• Abandon - cease to look after someone
  
• Tirade - a long angry speech of criticism
• Berate - to scold or criticize someone angrily
  
• Compliment - a polite expression of praise
• Curate - to select, organize or look after certain items
  
• Fulsome - complimentary or flattering to an excessive degree
• Reproach - to tell somebody that he/she has done something wrong; to blame somebody
  
• Discussion - a conversation or debate about a specific topic
• Chant  - to repeat or sing a word or phrase continuously
  
• The second sentence implies that the first word has a negative connotation as understood by the words 'I will not tolerate'.
• Also, we can see that in both sentences, the negative word in the first blank clearly leads to something happening in the second blank, which is also negative.
• We can see that only the words 'tirade' and 'berated' fit this particular context in both sentences.
• While the word 'discussion' might also seem like the correct answer for both the first blanks, the second word 'chant' doesn't fit the context of either of the two sentences.
• Therefore, the correct answer is option 2.

The part of the passage in question says:

"When a mortgage rate is negative, a borrower must still make monthly payments, but they pay back less than they owe."

Hence, option 4 is correct.

The idiom 'to have the whip hand' means 'to be the person or group that has the most power in a situation'.

For example:

As the editor in chief, I have the whip hand and give final approval for the layout of every issue.

Hence, option 2 is correct.

Out of the given options, only option 2 is true. As is mentioned in the passage:

"They kept rising, especially in the capital, Copenhagen...". 

The following sentence from the passage proves that options 1 and 5 are wrong.

"the situation in Denmark, where house prices have risen consistently for decades and, as in most western European countries, stand at record highs."

And this sentence from the passage proves that option 3 is wrong.

"Savers in Denmark must be squealing with pain at the advent of the world’s first negative rate mortgage...".

Therefore, option 2 is correct.

Let us go through this line from the passage:

"The owner of King’s Cross is one of the first property companies to acknowledge it is deploying facial recognition software, even though it has been criticised by human rights group Liberty as “a disturbing expansion of mass surveillance”.

Hence, we can see that the correct answer is option 2.

The word 'liaise' means 'to cooperate on a matter of mutual concern'.

Hence, option 5 is correct.

The use of 'liaise' in the passage conveys that the mayor of London wants reassurance that King’s Cross has properly cooperated with the government while using facial recognition software in its CCTV systems.

While option 3 might also seem correct, it specifies making an association 'when one is not supposed to'. Hence, it is clearly incorrect.

All of the statements mentioned above are true, based on the information provided in the passage, except the statement in option 2. 

Here is the relevant line from the passage:

"The mayor of London has written to the owner of the King’s Cross development demanding to know whether the company believes its use of facial recognition software in its CCTV systems is legal."

If the Mayor of London believed that the use of that technology was legal, he would not have demanded to know it from the company.

Hence, option 2 is the correct answer.

Here are the relevant lines from the passage:

"....the National Geographic-backed expedition aims to better understand how plastic pollution travels from source to sea and provide solutions for reducing the amount that ends up in the world’s oceans."

While the expedition may indirectly help save the Ganges' marine life from industrial pollution, that is not the expedition's main purpose.

Hence, option 3 is correct.

A paradox can be defined as: 'a situation or statement that seems impossible or is difficult to understand because it contains two opposite facts or characteristics'.

Let us look at the given lines from the passage:

"The 2,525 km-long Ganges is a river of extreme paradox: though worshipped by 1 billion people and relied on as a water source for roughly 400 million people, it is contaminated with industrial runoff, untreated sewage and household waste."

We can see from the parts in bold that the part mentioned in option 3 is the reason the author thinks Ganges is a river of paradox.

Hence, option 3 is correct.

The phrasal verb 'run off' means to escape or run away.

However, the word 'runoff' as mentioned in the context of the passage means 'excess water that flows over the Earth's surface'. It refers to 'industrial runoff' which means 'water discharges from industries'. 

Hence, option 2 is correct.

Out of the given statements, only the statement in option 3 is true.

Here are the other facts about the Ganges, as understood from the passage:

• It is a water source for roughly 400 million people
• It is 2,525 km long
• Its source is in the Himalayas and it empties into the Bay of Bengal

Therefore, option 3 is correct.

The idiom 'so far so good' is used to say that something (such as a project or an activity) has been going well or without problems up to the present.

Out of the given sentences, only sentence A conveys this meaning in that Karan's new job has been going well so far.

None of the other sentences fit this idiom. 

Hence, option 1 is correct.

The idiom 'a perfect storm' is used to describe an extremely bad situation in which many unfavourable things happen at the same time.

Out of the given sentences, only sentence C conveys this meaning in that two unfortunate things happened to Vineet almost at the same time.

None of the other sentences fit the meaning of this idiom. 

Hence, option 3 is correct.

The idiom 'give someone the cold shoulder' means to intentionally ignore someone or treat someone in an unfriendly way.

Out of the given sentences, sentence A fits the idiom in that the speaker is being ignored by Seema.

But sentence B also fits the idiom in that Rachna was deliberately ignored by Lara when it came to being invited to her party.

Only option 4 mentions both these sentences and is hence correct.

The idiom 'have bigger fish to fry' means to have other more important or interesting things to do.

Sentence A fits this idiom in that Nitin has clients who pay better than the offer does.

Sentence C also fits the idiom in that Shireen has more important things to do than manage every little task on the project.

Therefore, both sentences A and C represent this idiom accurately.

Only option 5 mentions both these sentences and is hence correct.

The idiom 'to shoot straight' means to talk or deal with people honestly and in a straightforward manner.

Out of the given sentences, only sentence B fits the context of the idiom in that Taran is described as a person who doesn't confuse people with sarcasm and instead always tells people his honest opinions.

Hence, option 2 is correct.

The first verb of the sentence is in the simple present tense ('comes'), and is preceded by 'when' which means that the next part of the sentence will be a result of the first verb.

For example: When it gets cold, we turn the heaters on. That is, the heaters are turned on as a result of it getting cold.

Notice how both the verbs are in the same tense. 

This should be the case with the given sentence as well. The second verb 'was' should actually also be in its simple present tense ('is').

Hence, the correct sentence will be: But when it comes it is torrential, bringing destructive and sometimes fatal flooding.

Therefore, the error is in the part mentioned in option 2.

The verb 'build' in the given sentence is preceded by the word 'have' indicating that the entire verb form should be in its present perfect tense.

Examples of present perfect tense:

• Don't worry, I have reached home safely.
• She has brought her new kittens with her to the office.

The construction for the present perfect tense is: Subj + have/has + past participle form of verb

In the given sentence, the verb 'build' should actually be in its past participle form i.e. 'built'.

Hence, the correct sentence should be: In San Juan, a low-lying area of the city, authorities have now built a new park with a twist. 

Therefore, the error is in the part mentioned in option 3.

The first sentence of the paragraph or passage should stand independently in meaning. It should ideally also introduce the topic or setting of the passage.

We can see that only sentence D fits this criteria. It introduces the 'city' in which the setting of the entire topic is based.

Hence, D is the first sentence.

The next sentence should offer an explanation or contrast of the information provided in sentence D. None of the sentences offer any logical explanation of the subject mentioned in sentence D (the city receives no rains for months), but sentence C does offer a logical contrast to this information (the rain can be torrential when it does come).

Hence, C is the second sentence.

The next sentence should logically be E. This is because it introduces a new element to the passage (authorities built a new park) while tying together with the part already mentioned before (the city). 

Hence, E is the third sentence.

Out of the remaining two sentences, sentence A should come before sentence B. This is because it is clear that sentence B is only refering and expanding on a subject mentioned before it. This subject is clearly introduced and named ('Called La Marjal') in sentence A. 

Hence, A is the fourth sentence and B is the fifth sentence.

Therefore, the correct order of sentences to form a paragraph would be DCEAB.

Hence, option 5 is correct.

The given sentence can be used to emphasise a change in situations. It can be used to illustrate that 'this is how things used to be but aren't anymore'.

Therefore, it should fit within a part of the passage where a change of some kind is introduced.

This change can be observed between the 2nd sentence (C) and 3rd sentence (E). C talks about the torrential rains and floods in the city while E talks about the new park that has now been built to help the rain and flood situation. Therefore, the given sentence, would signify that while the city used to experience torrential rains and floods, it doesn't anymore.

Let us look at how it fits into the passage:

Alicante, a city in southeast Spain, goes without rain for months on end. 

But when it comes it’s torrential, bringing destructive and sometimes fatal flooding. 

Or at least, it used to.

In San Juan, a low-lying area of the city, authorities have now built a new park with a twist. 

Called La Marjal, it serves as a as a typical recreation area and a nature reserve. 

But its primary purpose is to store, and then recycle, rainwater.

Shortcut Trick

Let initial strength be n.

Total age after 6 years = n × (44 + 6) − 5 × (78 + 2) = 50n − 400.

New average = (50n − 400) ÷ (n − 5) = 40.

⇒ 50n − 400 = 40n − 200 ⇒ 10n = 200 ⇒ n = 20.

∴ The correct answer is 20.

Alternate Method

Given: Initial average age of n employees = 44 years. After 4 years, 5 employees (age 78) retire. After another 2 years, average age of remaining (n − 5) employees = 40 years.

Formula Used: Total Age = Average Age × Number of Employees

⇒ Initial Total Age = 44 × n

⇒ Total Age after 4 years = 44n + 4n = 48n

⇒ Age of 5 employees who retired = 5 × 78 = 390

⇒ Total Age of remaining (n − 5) employees at Year 4 = 48n − 390

⇒ Total Age of remaining employees at Year 6 (after 2 more years) = (48n − 390) + 2(n − 5)

⇒ Total Age at Year 6 = 48n − 390 + 2n − 10 = 50n − 400

⇒ New Average = Total Age ÷ (n − 5) = 40

⇒ 50n − 400 = 40(n − 5)

⇒ 50n − 400 = 40n − 200

⇒ 10n = 200

⇒ n = 20

∴ The correct answer is 20.

Additional Information

Net Change in Average

When every person in a group ages by 'x' years, the Average Age also increases by exactly 'x' years.

Weighted Average

Average = (n₁A₁ + n₂A₂) ÷ (n₁ + n₂). For subtraction (removal), use (n₁A₁ − n₂A₂) ÷ (n₁ − n₂).

Shortcut Trick

Total words = Pages × Lines × Words per line

Let P₂ be the new number of pages: 200 × 26 × 9 = P₂ × 33 × 8

P₂ = (200 × 26 × 9) ÷ (33 × 8) = 177.27 ≈ 178 pages

Percentage change = (177.27 − 200) ÷ 200 × 100 = −11.36%

Rounding to the nearest whole number gives a 11% decrease.

∴ The correct answer is Decrease, 11%.

Alternate Method

Given:

Original: Pages (P1) = 200, Lines (L1) = 26, Words (W1) = 9

New: Lines (L2) = 33, Words (W2) = 8

Formula: Total Words = P₁ × L₁ × W₁ = P₂ × L₂ × W₂

Calculations:

⇒ 200 × 26 × 9 = P₂ × 33 × 8

⇒ 46800 = P₂ × 264

⇒ P₂ = 46800 ÷ 264 ≈ 177.27

⇒ Change in pages = P₂ − P₁ = 177.27 − 200 = −22.73

⇒ % Change = (−22.73 ÷ 200) × 100 = −11.36%

⇒ % Change ≈ 11% decrease

∴ The correct answer is Decrease, 11%.

Additional Information

Inverse Variation in Product

When the total product remains constant (like total words), if the capacity per unit (lines × words) increases, the number of units (pages) must decrease.

Percentage Change Formula

Percentage Change = [(Final Value − Initial Value) ÷ Initial Value] × 100. A negative result indicates a decrease.

Given:

Total stocks of notebooks of both shops = 4500 + 3500 = 8000

Then,

Total stock available before sales in shop A,

⇒ 4500 + 6000 + 1200 + 2500 + 3000 = 17200

Total stock available before sales in shop B,

⇒ 3500 + 5000 + 1500 + 3000 + 2500 = 15500

Total stock of both shops,

⇒ 17200 + 15500 = 32700

Required value = 8000 = N × 32700

⇒ N = 0.24

Given:

Total stock available before sales in shop B,

⇒ 3500 + 5000 + 1500 + 3000 + 2500 = 15500

Total sales of five items of shop B,

⇒ 3000 + 3500 + 1100 + 1600 + 1900 = 11100

Required percentage,

⇒ (11100/15500) × 100 = 71.61%

Given:

Total stock available before sales in shop A =

⇒ 4500 + 6000 + 1200 + 2500 + 3000

⇒ 17200

Total sales of five items of shop A =

⇒ 4000 + 3500 + 900 + 1800 + 2200

⇒ 12400

Total stock available after sales

⇒ 17200 – 12400 = 4800

Given:

Total sales of five items of shop A =

⇒ 4000 + 3500 + 900 + 1800 + 2200

⇒ 12400

Total sales of five items of shop B =

⇒ 3000 + 3500 + 1100 + 1600 + 1900

⇒ 11100

Required ratio is (12400/5) : (11100/5) = 124 : 111

Given:

Total sales of notebooks for two shops = 4000 + 3000 = 7000

Total sales of books for two shops = 3500 + 3500 = 7000

Total sales of school bags for two shops = 900 + 1100 = 2000

Total sales of compass boxes for two shops = 1800 + 1600 = 3400

Total sales of uniforms for two shops = 2200 + 1900 = 4100

Then,

Total sales of two shops are 7000 + 7000 + 2000 + 3400 + 4100 = 23500

Average sales of two shops = 23500/5 = 4700

Then, for notebooks and books, total sales is greater than average sales.

Shortcut Trick

Make the total quantity (Sum of ratio parts) same for all vessels using the LCM of (2+1), (3+1), and (3+2).

LCM of 3, 4, 5 = 60 units. Multiply ratios: (2:1)×20, (3:1)×15, (3:2)×12.

New Ratios → Vessel 1: 40:20 | Vessel 2: 45:15 | Vessel 3: 36:24.

Total Milk = 40 + 45 + 36 = 121 | Total Water = 20 + 15 + 24 = 59.

∴ The correct answer is 121 : 59.

Alternate Method

Given: Capacity of each vessel = 10 litres. Ratios (M:W) are 2:1, 3:1, and 3:2.

Formula Used: Total Milk = Σ(Milk parts ÷ Total parts) × Capacity

⇒ Milk in Vessel 1 = (2/3) × 10 = 20/3 litres

⇒ Milk in Vessel 2 = (3/4) × 10 = 30/4 = 15/2 litres

⇒ Milk in Vessel 3 = (3/5) × 10 = 6 litres

⇒ Total Milk = (20/3) + (15/2) + 6 = (40 + 45 + 36)/6 = 121/6 litres

⇒ Water in Vessel 1 = (1/3) × 10 = 10/3 litres

⇒ Water in Vessel 2 = (1/4) × 10 = 10/4 = 5/2 litres

⇒ Water in Vessel 3 = (2/5) × 10 = 4 litres

⇒ Total Water = (10/3) + (5/2) + 4 = (20 + 15 + 24)/6 = 59/6 litres

⇒ Ratio = (121/6) : (59/6) = 121 : 59

∴ The correct answer is 121 : 59.

Additional Information

Concept of Equal Volume

When vessels of equal capacity are mixed, we must normalize the ratios so that the sum of their parts is equal before direct addition.

Alligation for Two Mixtures

For mixing two different concentrations to get a third, Alligation Rule: (Quantity 1 / Quantity 2) = (C₂ − C_m) / (C_m − C₁).

Weighted Average in Mixtures

The final concentration C_avg = (n₁C₁ + n₂C₂ + ...) / (n₁ + n₂ + ...), where n is the volume and C is the concentration.