English Comprehension PYQs

The correct Answer is Option 3.

Key Points

• The error is in part c of the sentence, due to the wrong usage of uncountable noun and ABSTRACT NOUN.
• Education is an uncountable noun and an abstract noun and is not used in -s form.
• Uncountable nouns are always considered to be singular.
• The plural of education is education.

Correct sentence: "To maximize the scholarship opportunities, we should focus on our education and keep our priorities in the right place."  

Important Points 

• An abstract noun is a noun that cannot be perceived using one of the five senses.

Additional Information

• Uncountable nouns are nouns that come in a state or quantity that is impossible to count.
• Uncountable nouns are always considered to be singular.
• Hence, require singular verbs.

The Correct answer is option A

Key Points

• Error is in part A of the sentence.
• The word 'alleged' is giving additional information regarding 'impersonating civic body officials'
• Here we need to use the adverb of 'Alleged' i.e 'Allegedly'

 

Correct answer - Three men were arrested for allegedly impersonating civic body officials and extorting money from shopkeepers in east Delhi’s Mansarovar Park, the police said on Sunday.

The correct answer is 'B' i.e. this part of the sentence has an error.

Key Points

• In the second part of the given sentence, the plural form of the verb 'are' is incorrect.
• Some nouns are always plural and require plural verbs, these include shoes, glasses, trousers, scissors, remains, etc.
• However, if they are preceded by the phrase ''a pair of'', the verb is singular because the noun 'pair' becomes the subject.
• The plural verb 'are' in the given sentence agrees with a plural subject, but the subject of this sentence is singular 'pair.'
• Therefore, the singular verb 'is' should be used in place of the plural verb 'are'.

Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

Correct sentence: A pair of supportive shoes is important if you are experiencing lower back pain.

Additional Information

• Subjects and verbs must agree with one another in number (singular or plural).
• Thus, if a subject is singular, its verb must also be singular; if the subject is plural, its verb must also be plural.

The correct answer is option 3.

Key Points

• The error is in Part C of the sentence, the error is in use of or.
• Coordinate adjectives should be separated by a comma or the word and.
• Adjectives are said to be coordinated if they modify the same noun in a sentence.
• Hence in the given sentence 'or' should be replaced with 'and'
• The error is in Part C ("or tensile, possessing") where "or" should be replaced with "and" to correctly convey that the material possesses both qualities simultaneously.
• Correct sentence - The result was a material which was tough and tensile, possessing the dexterity of fabric.

Additional Information

• Adjective is the word which gives additional information regarding the noun.

The correct answer is 'empower'.

Key Points

• By reading the relevant sentence in the passage, we can see that the blank in question needs a verb that means to make stronger.
• Among the given options, we can see that the only word with the required denotation is 'empower.' It means to enable people by giving them the means to achieve something.
• For example, This law empowers the president to declare an emergency for a wide range of reasons.
• Correct sentence: Good nutrition has the potential to empower the present and future generations.

Hence, the correct answer is Option 1.

Additional Information

• enervate ⇒ make (someone) feel drained of energy or vitality.
• exhaust ⇒ make someone feel very tired.
• undermine ⇒ lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of, especially gradually or insidiously.
• beholden ⇒ indebted; obligated.

The correct answer is 'treasure'.

Key Points

• By reading the relevant sentence in the passage, we can see that the blank in question needs a noun that means something/someone of high value.
• Among the given options, we can see that the only word with the required denotation is 'treasure.' It refers to a very valuable object.
• For example, I don't know what I'd have done without my girlfriend Rashi when I was ill - she is an absolute treasure.
• Correct sentence: India’s greatest national treasure is its people — especially women and children...

Hence, the correct answer is Option 3.

Additional Information

• burden ⇒ a kind of load; liability.
• coterie ⇒ a secret and exclusive group.
• totem ⇒ a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people.
• rancour ⇒ bitterness; resentfulness.

The correct answer is 'majority'.

Key Points

• By reading the relevant sentence in the passage, we can see that the blank in question needs a noun that means the greater number. It also needs to be compatible with countable nouns.
• Among the given options, we can see that the only word with the required denotation is 'majority.' It means more than half of a total number or amount.
• For example, The majority of our employees have university degrees.
• Correct sentence: ...but even after 75 years of independence, a majority of them do not get the required diet to meet their nutritional needs.

Hence, the correct answer is Option 5.

Additional Information

• We don't use quantifiers like much, most, many after an article ('a' preceding the blank).
• 'A little' is normally used before non-count nouns. That is why it cannot go to the blank here.
• For example, There is a little oil inside the bottle.

The correct answer is 'affect'.

Key Points

• By reading the relevant sentence in the passage, we can see that the blank in question needs a verb that means to produce an effect or change in something, in a way that is not good.
• Among the given options, we can see that the only word with the required denotation is 'affect.' It means to produce an effect upon, usually with a negative connotation.
• For example, The storm affected citizens within forty kilometres of the coast lines of Sunderbans.
• Correct sentence: Poor nutrition among pregnant women affects the nutritional status of the child and has a greater chance to affect future generations.

Hence, the correct answer is Option 2.

Additional Information

• empower ⇒ provide someone with the means to give them the means to achieve something.
• improve ⇒ make something better.
• embolden ⇒ give someone the courage or confidence to do something.
• enable ⇒ make it possible for.

The correct answer is 'vicious'.

Key Points

• By reading the relevant sentence in the passage, we can see that the blank in question needs an adjective that can collocate with the word cycle and together can mean a sequence of reciprocal cause and effect in which two or more elements intensify and aggravate each other, leading inexorably to a worsening of the situation.
• Among the given options, we can see that the word that can perform that function is 'vicious.'
• For example, The debtors were caught in a vicious circle: they could not be freed until they had paid their debt, and were not able to pay their debt as long as they were in prison.
• Correct sentence: This vicious cycle restrains the development of the country...

Hence, the correct answer is Option 4.

Additional Information

• seasonal ⇒ available in or fluctuating or restricted according to the season or time of year.
• lunar ⇒ of, determined by, or resembling the moon.
• natural ⇒ born in or with one, innate; existing in or derived from nature.
• complete ⇒ whole.

The correct answer is, 'cheaper than'

Key Points

• In this sentence, the correct answer is 2) cheaper than.
• The sentence compares the cost of the new car model with the previous model, indicating one being less expensive than the other.
• Comparative degree needed: Since it's a comparison, we need to use the comparative degree of the adjective "cheap," which is "cheaper."

Additional Information

• "Cheaper then" (option 1) has an incorrect conjunction. "Than" is the correct one.
• "Cheapest than" (option 3) implies there are more than two car models being compared, which isn't the case here.
• "As cheap than" (option 4) is grammatically incorrect. You can use "as" with comparatives, but not after "than."
• "No correction required" (option 5) isn't accurate because "cheap" without the comparative degree doesn't accurately express the intended comparison.

The correct answer is, 'put up with'

Key Points

• The verbs used with prepositions, adverbs or both are defined as phrasal verbs that denote idiomatic meaning only when taken as a whole.
• Let's look at the meaning of phrasal verbs given in the options:
• put off: postpone, avoid, discourage
• example: The event was put off because the celebrity guest did not come.
• put out: extinguish
• example: The locals helped to put out the fire before the fire department arrived.
• put up with: tolerate patiently
• example: He was willing to put up with her shenanigans.
• put down: crush, keep down
• example: The protests were put down by the local police.
• In the given sentence, the subject 'law-abiding citizen', is having difficulty tolerating the anti-government neighbours, therefore the correct phrasal verb used here will be 'put up with'.

Hence, the correct option is option 3.

The correct sentence is: As a law-abiding citizen, it was difficult to put up with the anti-government group of neighbours with questionable activities.

Additional Information

• Types of phrasal verbs:
• Intransitive, inseparable and without an object.
• example: Come back.
• Transitive, separable and with an object.
• example: give it back.
• Transitive, inseparable and with an object.
• example: Pick up the pen.
• Transitive with two inseparable particles
• example: look it up.

The correct answer is were split on whether

Key Points

• If the committee members are unanimous regarding a decision, in that case, the committee is considered as a singular collective noun and a singular verb is used in the context. On the other hand, if a committee has members differing in their views regarding something, the plural form of the verb is used in that case.
• In the given context, the committee members are differing in their opinions and therefore a plural form of the verb should be used. As the tense is correct in the sentence, the correct verb should have been ‘were’.
• This makes option 1 the correct choice among the given options.

The correct sentence is: The committee were split on whether the new regulations for the National Health Protection Scheme should be implemented.

The correct answer is Option 1.

Key Points

• In the given sentence use of are to be is incorrect.
• Some nouns appear to be multiple because they end in a "s," yet they are actually singulars.
• Examples are Summons, News, Politics, Physics, Economics, Ethics, etc.
• Hence in the given sentence are to be should be replaced with is to be

Correct sentence - Moral ethics is to be taught to the students at an early age by their parents, teachers, and society for their overall development*.*

Additional Information 

 

• A noun is a word that refers to a thing (book), a person (Betty Crocker), an animal (cat), a place (Omaha), a quality (softness), an idea (justice), or an action (yodeling). It's usually a single word, but not always: cake, shoes, school bus, and time and a half are all nouns.

• When you have a collection of things in a particular noun, you use a term to address that group. This term is called a collective noun. In this category, we are dealing with those collective nouns which look singular but are actually used as a plural

• Example: The gentry are well educated.

• ​​There are some words that look plural as they end with a “s” but are actually used as singulars

• Example: Gymnastics is his favorite sport.

The correct answer is Option 2 i.e. historically been a difficult place

Key Points

• We need the adverb form of ‘history’. Thus, ‘historically’ is correct while ‘historic’ is incorrect. This eliminates option A.
• Being is incorrect as it is used to refer to an individual/person. Been is correct here. This eliminates option C.
• Due to article ‘a’,  the correct form is singular ‘place’
• Hence, option B is correct.

Correct sentence: Due to its complex tribal equations and rugged mountainous terrain, Rajasthan has historically been a difficult place for external invaders.

Additional Information

Been and Being

• Been: The word "been" is the past participle of the verb "to be." As such, it can be used with "have" (in all its guises) to form tenses in the perfect (or complete) aspect.
• Ex: The dog has been naughty.
• Being: The word "being" is the present participle of the verb "to be." As such, it can be used with "be" (in all its guises) to form tenses in the progressive (or continuous) aspect.
• Ex: The dog is being naughty.

The correct answer is Option 3)i.e. yet both points.

Key Points

• Here we are speaking about a contrasting view presented by the subject 'he' and the action being 'says the exact opposite of what he had said', a sort of contrast is being expressed in the full sentence.
• Let us explore the given option.
• The conjunction ‘and’ is used to connect words of the same part of speech, clauses or sentences that are to be taken jointly.
• ​Example: James and Sam went to town.
• Both individuals have gone to town and are joined by 'and'.
• Here we are talking about two contrasting ideas. So option 1 is incorrect.
• The conjunction ‘so’ means and for this reason; therefore.
• ​Example: He slept late so that he could finish the movie.
• Here the explanation or reason for sleeping late has been explained by using 'so.'
• There is no justification regarding an action being given in the further parts of the given sentence.
• So option 2 is incorrect.
• The conjunction ‘yet’ means but at the same time, but nevertheless.
• ​Example: He was smart yet he panicked and lost the fight.
• 'yet' expresses the fact that even though he was 'smart' he still lost the fight as he 'panicked.'
• Here in the latter parts, we are trying to show contrast that even though the ruling was different yet both sides still agree with each other
• So option 3 is correct.
• The conjunction ‘nor’ is used before the second or further of two or more alternatives to indicate that they are each untrue or each does not happen.
• So option 4 is incorrect.
• The conjunction ‘or’ is used to link alternatives.
• ​Example: Orange or mango pick one.
• We have to choose between an orange or mango.
• In the given sentence we do not have to choose between two options, So option 5 is incorrect.❌

📌Correct sentence: He would often say the exact opposite of what he had said on a previous occasion, yet both points would be right after the debate had ended.✔️

The correct answer is option 2 i.e. CBA

We can look at the sentence in the following way:

In the _______ (A) when water _______ (B) fuse together and become heavy, they come down as _______ (C). 

Rainfall: Refers to a shower of water from clouds to the earth. Rainfall is the final outcome of the process, the droplets have to fuse before they become rainfall. 

Droplets: Small drops of a liquid. 

Clouds: Visible masses of condensed water vapour floating in the atmosphere, typically high above the general level of the ground. Clouds cannot fall to the ground, only the rain can. 

Hence, C and A need to be interchanged. 

Correct sentence: In the clouds (C) when water droplets (B) fuse together and become heavy, they come down as rainfall. (A)

The correct answer is option 1 i.e. BCA

Explanation:

We can look at the sentence in the following way:

The _______ (A) of the RBC transports _______ (B) from the _______ (C) to all the cells of the body. 

Lungs: A pair of air-filled organs located on either side of the chest. The RBC is a type of cell and cannot have its own set of lungs.

Haemoglobin: A protein that is found in red blood cells (RBC) that carry oxygen in a human body. Haemoglobin does not transport anything, it is a carrier of oxygen. 

Oxygen: A colourless, odourless gas that is a chemical element that supports life. Haemoglobin is not transported from oxygen, oxygen is transported through haemoglobin. 

Hence A and B have to be interchanged, then C and A have to be interchanged to make the sentence contextually correct.

Correct sentence: The haemoglobin (B) of the RBC transports oxygen (C) from the lungs (A) to the cells of the body.

The correct answer is option 4 i.e. BCA.

We can look at the sentence like this: 

The use of _______ (A) is responsible for causing an increase in _______ (B) concentration in _______(C). 

Atmosphere: It is a layer or a set of layers of gases that surround the planet and other bodies. It is not an entity that can be used. 

Fossil fuels: Fuels formed on Earth through natural processes.

No kind of changes in the atmospheres can cause an increase in fossil fuels, they occur naturally, man-made processes can only increase their depletion. 

Carbon dioxide: A chemical compound that is composed of carbon and oxygen. It doesn't fit here contextually or grammatically.

Hence, A should be replaced by B, B should be replaced by C and A should replace C, in order to make a contextually correct sentence. 

Correct sentence: The use of fossil fuels (A) is responsible for causing an increase in carbon dioxide (B) concentration in the atmosphere (C).

The correct answer is option 4 i.e. BCA.

We can look at the sentence in the following way:

_______ (A) countries have faced a large _______ (B) due to the recent onset of the Corona _______ (C) worldwide. 

Virus: Refers to a microscopic agent that settles in a living being and infects. It can affect a country, but no country can be referred to as "virus country".

Developing: Refers to something that is growing or becoming more stable. Developing is an adjective that needs to be followed by a noun. 

Setback: A reversal in progress. 'Corona' is a name for something and so the following blank should tell us what 'Corona' is.

Hence, A should be replaced by B, B should be replaced by C, and A should take C's place. 

Correct sentence: Developing (A) countries have faced a large setback (B) due to the onset of the Corona virus (C) worldwide.

The correct answer is option 1 i.e. A-C ie. CBA

We can look at the sentence the following way:

The puppy was finally found _______ (A) in the nearby park, it was _______ (B) and about to _______ (C). 

Faint: Lose consciousness for a short time because of a temporarily insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain. This part of the sentence is in the past continuous tense(was/were + -ing form of verb) and so the blank cannot have 'faint' as it is in the present tense. 

Dehydrated: Refers to someone who has lost a large amount of water from their body

Roaming: Going from place to place without any purpose*.* This is in the continuous tense and the blank requires a verb in the base form because 'to' is used in front of it('to + base form of verb' is the to-infinitive).

Hence, A and C need to be interchanged to make the sentence contextually correct. 

Correct sentence: The puppy was finally found roaming (A) in the nearby park, it was dehydrated (B) and about to faint (C).