English Comprehension PYQs

The correct answer is option 5.

Key Points

• The given sentence talks about attackers using technology to engage in various activities such as phone scams and posting fake videos on social media platforms that are against the law.
• Therefore, the most appropriate word for the given blank would be 'illegal'.
• Also, the word 'defraud' indicates the use of the word 'illegal' in the given blank.
• 'illegal' means contrary to or forbidden by law, especially criminal law. (गैरकानूनी)
• For Example -
• It is illegal to intercept radio messages.
• Hence, the correct answer is 'illegal'.

​

The complete sentence would be - Attackers are using technology to defraud users, steal their identity, and to engage in various other illegal activities like phone scams and posting fake videos on social media platforms.

 Additional Information

Let's understand the meanings of the other given options -

• Encouraging means giving someone support or confidence; supportive. (उत्साहजनक)
• Ethical means to be morally good or correct. (नैतिक)
• Scrambled means to struggle or compete with others for something in an eager or uncontrolled and undignified way. (संघर्ष)
• Regressive means returning to a former or less developed state; characterized by regression. (प्रतिगामी)

The correct answer is option 3.

Key Points

• The given sentence talks about PM Modi urging global investors to explore investment opportunities in India.
• Therefore, the most appropriate word for the given blank would be 'opportune'.
• Also, the word 'opportunities' indicates the use of the word 'opportune' in the given blank.
• 'Opportune' means to be especially convenient or appropriate for a particular action or event. (समयानुकूल)
• For Example -
• She was waiting for an opportune moment to ask for help.
• Hence, the correct answer is 'opportune'.

 

The complete sentence would be - Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged global investors to explore investment opportunities in the country’s energy sector, saying India is the most opportune place at present.

 

Additional Information

Let's understand the meanings of the other given options -

• Exquisite means to be extremely beautiful and delicate. (उत्कृष्ट)
• Forbidden means to be not allowed; banned. (निषिद्ध)
• Permitted means to officially allow (someone) to do something. (अनुमति है)
• Ambiguous means to be open to more than one interpretation; not having one obvious meaning. (अस्पष्ट)

The correct answer is option 4.

Key Points

• The given sentence talks about the budget aiming to fulfil the long-term goals of India and being the world’s fastest-growing large economy.
• Therefore, the most appropriate word for the given blank would be 'sustainable'.
• 'Sustainable' means able to be maintained at a certain rate or level. (दीर्घकालिक)
• For Example -
• The government is working on making the energy sector sustainable.
• Hence, the correct answer is 'sustainable'.

 

The complete sentence would be - The Budget aims to fulfil the long-term sustainable goals of the country along with being the world’s fastest-growing large economy. 

Additional Information

Let's understand the meanings of the other given options -

• Implausible means not seeming reasonable or probable; failing to convince. (अकल्पनीय)
• Challenging means testing one's abilities; demanding. (चुनौतीपूर्ण)
• Obnoxious means to be extremely unpleasant. (घृणित)
• Untenable means not able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection. (अस्थिर, असमर्थनीय)

The correct answer is option 1.

Key Points

• The given sentence talks about the subject (He) being arrogant and making people feel like he has a lot of money in his bank account.
• Therefore, the most appropriate word for the given blank would be 'exaggerate'.
• 'Exaggerate' means to represent (something) as being larger, better, or worse than it really is. (अतिशयोक्ति)
• For Example -
• He always exaggerates his accomplishments.
• Hence, the correct answer is 'exaggerate'.

The complete sentence would be - He is an arrogant businessman and he likes to exaggerate his net worth, it makes him seem like he has a lot of money in his bank account.

Additional Information

Let's understand the meanings of the other given options -

• Propel means to drive or push something forwards. (प्रेरित करना)
• Compensate means to give (someone) something, typically money, in recognition of loss, suffering, or injury incurred; recompense. (मुआवजा देना)
• Understate means to describe or represent (something) as being smaller or less good or important than it really is. (कम बतलाना)
• Trivialize means to make (something) seem less important, significant, or complex than it really is. (महत्वहीन)

The correct answer is B-D.

Key Points

• The sentence talks about how the world-famous heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora, and other tourist spots in the district will remain shut on Saturdays and Sundays, while marriages will not be allowed to be held in function halls during the lockdown period.
• Looking at the sentence, we can find that:
• In part B, 'officials' spot is inappropriate. Instead, 'tourist' from part D seems more inappropriate in this part of the sentence.
• In part D, we can assume that only officials are in a place to issue statements and not tourists. Therefore, 'officials' will replace 'tourists' in part D.
• 'and other tourists' and 'officials said' are both grammatically and contextually correct.
• Therefore B replaces D and vice-versa.
• Thus, the correct answer is option 1.

The correct answer is: The world-famous heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora, and other tourist spots in the district will also remain shut on Saturdays and Sundays, while marriages will not be allowed to be held in function halls during the lockdown period, officials said.

The correct answer is A-D.

Key Points

• Looking at the sentence, we can see that
• If A were correct, it should have been 'students''- the possessive form in place of 'students'. Therefore, 'students' is incorrect in part A.
• 'Continuing' is a verb. So, 'continuing' will not fit in part D. Instead, it has to be replaced with a noun i.e 'student
• 'Continuing professional development' and 'creatively with their students' are both grammatically and contextually correct.
• Therefore, A will replace D and vice-versa.
• Thus, the correct answer is option 2.

 The correct sentence is: Continuing professional development is necessary to innovate and engage creatively with their students.

The correct answer is A-C

Key Points

• The sentence talks about how a well-known adage in the education world is that technology cannot replace a teacher but a teacher who uses technology will replace one who does not*.*
• Looking at the sentence, we can find that:
• In part A, 'teacher world' doesn't sound correct. Therefore, we can see in part C, that the word 'education' can replace 'teacher' perfectly.
• In part C, we can see that the article 'a' doesn't go with 'education'. Therefore, we can replace 'education' with 'teacher' and it will make sense
• Therefore, 'adage in the education world' and 'but a teacher who uses' are both grammatically and contextually correct.
• Therefore, A replaces C and vice-versa.
• Thus the correct answer is option 4.

                                                

The correct sentence is: A well-known adage in the education world is that technology cannot replace a teacher but a teacher who uses technology will replace one who does not.

The correct answer is A- C.

Key Points

• Let us look at the given sentence in the following manner - 
• The study also ____ (A) the ____ (B) of Head Start programs that use a ____ (C) educational ____ (D).
• To understand which word belongs in which blank we need to know its meaning as enlisted below -

• From the above meanings it is clear that
• the study also different is an incorrect phrase.
• As 'examined' starts with a vowel, it cannot come after the article 'a'.
• So, A and C should be interchanged to make the sentence correct.

Therefore the correct sentence is - The study also examined the effect of Head Start programs that use a different educational approach.

The correct answer is A-B.

Key Points

• Let us look at the given sentence in the following manner -

In the rural ____ (A), there was less ____ (B) with traffic, although an ____ (C) farm dog forced him to ____ (D) his sprints.

• To understand which word belongs in which blank we need to know its meaning as enlisted below -

 

• From the above meanings it is clear that
• the rural concern is an incorrect phrase.
• Individually the phrase 'was less areas' might sound correct. But in context of the given sentence it does not fit.
• So, A and B should be interchanged to make the sentence correct.

Therefore the correct sentence is - In the rural areas, there was less concern with traffic, although an occasional farm dog forced him to practice his sprints.

Confusion Points

• The phrase 'there was less areas with traffic' might sound conceptually correct.
• But grammatically it is wrong.
• It voids subject-verb agreement. Was is singular while areas is plural.

The correct answer is option 3.

Key Points

Part C of the sentence i.e. 'day I had the most tastiest' is erroneous.

• In part C of the sentence, the use of the adverb 'most' before the adjective 'tastiest' is superfluous.
• The adjective 'taste' is already given in its superlative form i.e. tastiest and does not need to be preceded by 'most'.
• Hence, the correct answer is C.
• The correct sentence would be - When I went wine tasting with my friends the other day I had the tastiest wine that I have ever had.

​

Additional Information

Difference between adjectives and adverbs - 

• Adjective - An adjective is a word that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun. Adjectives can be used to describe the qualities of someone or something independently or in comparison to something else.
• For Example -
• She wore a beautiful dress at her birthday party.
• Adverb - An adverb is a word that modifies (describes) a verb (he sings loudly), an adjective (very tall), another adverb (ended too quickly), or even a whole sentence (Fortunately, I had brought an umbrella). Adverbs often end in –ly, but some (such as fast) look exactly the same as their adjective counterparts.
• For Example -
• She was beautifully dressed at her birthday party.

The correct answer is option 1.

Key Points

Part A of the sentence i.e. 'As it is to be superior than' is erroneous.

• Here, the preposition 'than' used after the adjective 'superior' is incorrect and it should be replaced with the preposition 'to'.
• As per English Grammar rules, the adjectives inferior, superior, senior, junior, prior etc. take the preposition 'to' not 'than'.
• For Example -
• The air hostess asked all the passengers to fasten their seat belts prior to descent.
• You can give this task to someone junior to you.
• Hence, the correct answer is A.
• The correct sentence would be - As it is to be superior to static graphics, animation is being increasingly employed in technology-based learning resources.

​

Additional Information

Let's understand the use of the prepositions 'to' and 'than' - 

To - 

• It is used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward, or the direction of something.
• For Example -
• We went to the shopping mall.
• It is used to indicate a limit or an ending point.
• For Example -
• The clothes were piled up to the roof in the cupboard.
• It is used to indicate the relationship between two things.
• For Example -
• Your time is very important to us.
• It is also used to indicate a time or a period.
• For Example -
• I work from nine to five on weekdays.

 

Than - 

• It is used used for comparing and to introduce the second part of a comparison.
• For Example -
• I like cake more than pie.

The correct answer is option 2.

Key Points

Part B of the sentence i.e. 'depend on how individuals and' is erroneous.

• Here, the verb 'depend' is given in its base form while it should be used with an 's' at the end of it.
• As per English Grammar rules, In the simple present tense, the verb with the third-person singular subject is used with s/es at the end of it.
• For Example -
• He cooks his breakfast every morning.
• Hence, the correct answer is B.
• The correct sentence would be - The transition to a circular economy depends on how individuals and organisations learn to innovate and apply what they have learned in the real world.

​

Additional Information

Sentence structure of the present simple tense - 

Singular subject -

• Subject + Verb in its base form + s/es + Object 
• For Example -
• He cooks dinner every day.

Plural subject - 

• Subject + Verb in its base form + Object 
• For Example -
• They usually wake up early in the morning

The correct answer is option 4.

Key Points

Part D of the sentence i.e. 'and creating innovation platforms for digital banking' is erroneous.

• The noun 'innovation' given before the noun 'platforms' is incorrect and it should be replaced with the adjective 'innovative'.
• Adjective - Adjectives are words that come before nouns to describe the the qualities or states of being of nouns. 
• For Example -
• Your have a very beautiful collection of clothes.
• Hence, the correct answer is D.
• The correct sentence would be - This was only possible because India has made financial inclusion a priority, investing in a digital ID system called Aadhaar and creating innovative platforms for digital banking.

​

Additional Information

Difference between noun and adjective - 

• Noun - A noun is a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea. It can function as a subject, object, or complement in a sentence. Examples of nouns include - dog, house, book, etc.
• Adjective - An adjective, on the other hand, is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. It provides additional information about the noun by indicating its quality, size, colour, or other characteristics. Examples of adjectives include - red, beautiful, happy, etc.

 

To see the difference between a noun and an adjective in action, consider the following sentences -

• The dog barked at the mailman. (dog is a noun)
• The brown dog barked at the mailman. (brown is an adjective that modifies the noun dog)

In the first sentence, the noun dog is the subject of the sentence, while in the second sentence, the adjective brown provides additional information about the dog's color.

The correct answer is 'No error'.

Key Points 

• There is no error in the given sentence.
• The verb "was" in segment (C) is correct, as it refers back to the singular "the solar cooker".
• If it were referring to multiple cookers, we would use "were".
• 'to transform household energy consumption' is additional information.
• 'fabricated' is a verb which means construct or manufacture (an industrial product), especially from prepared components. 
• ​Example:- "you will have to fabricate an exhaust system"
• The use of subject-verb agreement is absolutely correct.
• Hence, the given sentence is correct.

Hence, option 5 is the correct answer.

Confusion Points

• Amid and Amidst are two words that look very similar. Believe it or not, these words mean the same thing.
• Both mean to be in the middle of something or surrounded by something.
• Although these two words are interchangeable, the word amid is more commonly used.

The correct answer is E.

Key Points

• The first sentence is E as it is introducing the topic by mentioning about a meeting.
• The second sentence is D as it mentions that the deputy government also attended the meeting.
• The third sentence is B as it mentions what was said at the meeting.
• The fourth sentence is C. It informs that some other issues were also discussed at the meeting.
• The last sentence is A as it is concluding the passage by mentioning the purpose behind the discussion of these issues.
• Thus the correct sequence is EDBCA.
• The first sentence is E.

Additional Information

Concern: to relate to or to worry

Regulator: a person or body that supervises a certain industry

Assessment: evaluation or judgement

The correct answer is B.

• The first sentence is E as it is introducing the topic by mentioning about a meeting.
• The second sentence is D as it mentions that the deputy government also attended the meeting.
• The third sentence is B as it mentions what was said at the meeting.
• The fourth sentence is C. It informs that some other issues were also discussed at the meeting.
• The last sentence is A as it is concluding the passage by mentioning the purpose behind the discussion of these issues.
• Thus the correct sequence is EDBCA.
• The third sentence is B.

Concern: to relate to or to worry

Regulator: a person or body that supervises a certain industry

Assessment: evaluation or judgement

The correct answer is C.

• The first sentence is E as it is introducing the topic by mentioning about a meeting.
• The second sentence is D as it mentions that the deputy government also attended the meeting.
• The third sentence is B as it mentions what was said at the meeting.
• The fourth sentence is C. It informs that some other issues were also discussed at the meeting.
• The last sentence is A as it is concluding the passage by mentioning the purpose behind the discussion of these issues.
• Thus the correct sequence is EDBCA.
• The fourth sentence is C.

Concern: to relate to or to worry

Regulator: a person or body that supervises a certain industry

Assessment: evaluation or judgement

The correct answer is A.

• The first sentence is E as it is introducing the topic by mentioning about a meeting.
• The second sentence is D as it mentions that the deputy government also attended the meeting.
• The third sentence is B as it mentions what was said at the meeting.
• The fourth sentence is C. It informs that some other issues were also discussed at the meeting.
• The last sentence is A as it is concluding the passage by mentioning the purpose behind the discussion of these issues.
• Thus the correct sequence is EDBCA.
• The fifth sentence is A.

Concern: to relate to or to worry

Regulator: a person or body that supervises a certain industry

Assessment: evaluation or judgement

The correct answer is D.

• The first sentence is E as it is introducing the topic by mentioning about a meeting.
• The second sentence is D as it mentions that the deputy government also attended the meeting.
• The third sentence is B as it mentions what was said at the meeting.
• The fourth sentence is C. It informs that some other issues were also discussed at the meeting.
• The last sentence is A as it is concluding the passage by mentioning the purpose behind the discussion of these issues.
• Thus the correct sequence is EDBCA.
• The second sentence is D.

Concern: to relate to or to worry

Regulator: a person or body that supervises a certain industry

Assessment: evaluation or judgement

The correct answer is 'Only B.'

Key Points

• The given word 'Intimidating' means to frighten or threaten somebody, often in order to make him or her do something. (डराने वाला, धमकी भरा, अभित्रासकीय)
• Let us explore the given sentences:
• The word 'revert' should be used in the first sentence as it talks about the state court's refusal to change back the local court’s decision.
• The word 'revert' means to return to a previous state, practice, topic, etc. (पूर्व दशा या क्रिया में लौट जाना)
• The word 'intimidating' is used correctly in the second sentence as it talks about how learning to use a computer was frightening for the retiree.
• Example: Government officials accused the rebels of intimidating voters.
• The word 'jerk' should be used in the third sentence as it talks about the sudden movement of the airplane due to stormy weather.
• The word 'jerk' means a sharp, sudden movement. (झटका)
• Therefore, only sentence B best expresses the meaning of the given word.

Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

Sentence A: The state court refused to revert the local court’s decision.

Sentence B: Learning to use a computer was intimidating for the retiree as she was afraid she wouldn't be able to understand the new technology.

Sentence C: As the stormy weather began to worsen, the airplane began to jerk back and forth.