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Question 391

National Defence Academy (NDA) 2025• General Ability Test

An attempt to determine the number of languages in the world is affected by other factors. A few new languages do continue to be discovered, even these days, as unexplored regions of the world begin to be opened up. The discovery does not usually take place straight away. Often there are similarities with an already known language which make the investigators assume that what they have found is just a dialect of that language. Only after a considerable period of contact does it transpire that the speech is so different that it has to be considered a different language. It takes a language survey to establish the facts, and there are still many countries where such surveys are incomplete or have not even begun. The people may be known, but the identity of their language may not be. Because many such peoples are bilingual or multilingual, and converse with outsiders in lingua franca, it may take a while before linguists come to realize that there is an ethnic language there at all.

Which one of the following is NOT the reason for the difficulty in estimating the number of languages of the world ?

  1. AOption (a)

    New languages continue to be discovered

  2. BOption (b)

    There are still unexplored regions

  3. COption (c)

    New languages are considered a dialect of a known language

  4. DOption (d)

    People who speak the language do not claim their language

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (d)D.

People who speak the language do not claim their language

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Option 4.

 

Key Points

  • The question asks which option is NOT a reason for the difficulty in estimating the number of languages according to the passage.
  • Let's examine each option against the text:
  • 1) New languages continue to be discovered: The passage states, "A few new languages do continue to be discovered, even these days..." This is a reason for difficulty.
  • 2) There are still unexplored regions: The passage mentions, "...as unexplored regions of the world begin to be opened up." This directly contributes to the discovery of new languages, thus making estimation difficult. This is a reason.
  • 3) New languages are considered a dialect of a known language: The passage explicitly says, "Often there are similarities with an already known language which make the investigators assume that what they have found is just a dialect of that language. Only after a considerable period of contact does it transpire that the speech is so different that it has to be considered a different language." This is a reason for difficulty in initial identification.
  • 4) People who speak the language do not claim their language: The passage states, "Because many such peoples are bilingual or multilingual, and converse with outsiders in lingua franca, it may take a while before linguists come to realize that there is an ethnic language there at all." This implies that the linguists don't realize the language exists, not that the speakers do not claim their language. The passage does not mention speakers actively refusing to claim their language; rather, it highlights the challenge for linguists due to multilingualism and the use of lingua franca. Therefore, this is NOT explicitly stated as a reason for difficulty.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

Question 392

National Defence Academy (NDA) 2025• General Ability Test

An attempt to determine the number of languages in the world is affected by other factors. A few new languages do continue to be discovered, even these days, as unexplored regions of the world begin to be opened up. The discovery does not usually take place straight away. Often there are similarities with an already known language which make the investigators assume that what they have found is just a dialect of that language. Only after a considerable period of contact does it transpire that the speech is so different that it has to be considered a different language. It takes a language survey to establish the facts, and there are still many countries where such surveys are incomplete or have not even begun. The people may be known, but the identity of their language may not be. Because many such peoples are bilingual or multilingual, and converse with outsiders in lingua franca, it may take a while before linguists come to realize that there is an ethnic language there at all.

Which one of the following is a way to establish the discovery of a new language ?

  1. AOption (a)

    By establishing contact over a period of time with the speakers of the language

  2. BOption (b)

    By finding the similarities with the language with other languages

  3. COption (c)

    By comparing with the lingua franca of the region

  4. DOption (d)

    By conducting a survey of all languages of the region

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (a)A.

By establishing contact over a period of time with the speakers of the language

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Option 1.

 

Key Points

  • The question asks for a way to establish the discovery of a new language, based on the provided passage.
  • Let's analyze the relevant part of the passage: "Often there are similarities with an already known language which make the investigators assume that what they have found is just a dialect of that language. Only after a considerable period of contact does it transpire that the speech is so different that it has to be considered a different language. It takes a language survey to establish the facts, and there are still many countries where such surveys are incomplete or have not even begun."
  • 1) By establishing contact over a period of time with the speakers of the language: The passage explicitly states, "Only after a considerable period of contact does it transpire that the speech is so different that it has to be considered a different language." This directly supports Option 1 as a way to establish a new language.
  • 2) By finding the similarities with the language with other languages: The passage states that similarities lead investigators to assume it's a dialect, which is the opposite of establishing it as a new language. So, this is incorrect.
  • 3) By comparing with the lingua franca of the region: The passage mentions that people "converse with outsiders in lingua franca," which delays linguists realizing an ethnic language exists, rather than being a method to establish a new language. So, this is incorrect.
  • 4) By conducting a survey of all languages of the region: The passage says, "It takes a language survey to establish the facts," but also notes that "many countries where such surveys are incomplete or have not even begun." While a survey is crucial, the specific method of differentiating a new language from a dialect, as described in the passage, relies on "considerable period of contact" to discern sufficient difference. The survey is a broader tool to establish facts about languages, but the initial transpiring of a new language comes from prolonged contact. Option 1 is more directly about the discovery and differentiation process detailed.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

Question 393

National Defence Academy (NDA) 2025• General Ability Test

An attempt to determine the number of languages in the world is affected by other factors. A few new languages do continue to be discovered, even these days, as unexplored regions of the world begin to be opened up. The discovery does not usually take place straight away. Often there are similarities with an already known language which make the investigators assume that what they have found is just a dialect of that language. Only after a considerable period of contact does it transpire that the speech is so different that it has to be considered a different language. It takes a language survey to establish the facts, and there are still many countries where such surveys are incomplete or have not even begun. The people may be known, but the identity of their language may not be. Because many such peoples are bilingual or multilingual, and converse with outsiders in lingua franca, it may take a while before linguists come to realize that there is an ethnic language there at all.

Which one of the following statements is correct ?

  1. AOption (a)

    Language surveys have been conducted by all nations

  2. BOption (b)

    There is hardly any language to be discovered in the world

  3. COption (c)

    All the languages are either complete languages or dialects of other major languages

  4. DOption (d)

    No new language needs to be discovered since all languages are known to the world

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (c)C.

All the languages are either complete languages or dialects of other major languages

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Option 3.

 

Key Points

  • The question asks for the correct statement based on the provided passage.
  • Let's evaluate each option against the text:
  • 1) Language surveys have been conducted by all nations: The passage states, "...there are still many countries where such surveys are incomplete or have not even begun." This contradicts Option 1, making it incorrect.
  • 2) There is hardly any language to be discovered in the world: The passage says, "A few new languages do continue to be discovered, even these days, as unexplored regions of the world begin to be opened up." This contradicts Option 2, making it incorrect.
  • 3) All the languages are either complete languages or dialects of other major languages: The passage highlights the initial difficulty where "investigators assume that what they have found is just a dialect of that language. Only after a considerable period of contact does it transpire that the speech is so different that it has to be considered a different language." This implies that languages are fundamentally categorized as either distinct languages or dialects of existing ones, aligning with the idea that any given speech form falls into one of these two categories for classification purposes, even if the initial classification might be wrong. This statement reflects the central dilemma of classification presented in the passage.
  • 4) No new language needs to be discovered since all languages are known to the world: This contradicts the very first sentence of the passage: "A few new languages do continue to be discovered, even these days..." making it incorrect.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

Question 394

National Defence Academy (NDA) 2025• General Ability Test

An attempt to determine the number of languages in the world is affected by other factors. A few new languages do continue to be discovered, even these days, as unexplored regions of the world begin to be opened up. The discovery does not usually take place straight away. Often there are similarities with an already known language which make the investigators assume that what they have found is just a dialect of that language. Only after a considerable period of contact does it transpire that the speech is so different that it has to be considered a different language. It takes a language survey to establish the facts, and there are still many countries where such surveys are incomplete or have not even begun. The people may be known, but the identity of their language may not be. Because many such peoples are bilingual or multilingual, and converse with outsiders in lingua franca, it may take a while before linguists come to realize that there is an ethnic language there at all.

‘The people may be known, but the identity of their language may not be,’ means

  1. AOption (a)

    People are recognised as different ethnic groups but not necessarily their language

  2. BOption (b)

    People are recognised as different ethnic groups and their language is recognised

  3. COption (c)

    People are not recognised as different ethnic groups, and so are their languages

  4. DOption (d)

    Because the people are not from different ethnic groups and their language is recognised

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (a)A.

People are recognised as different ethnic groups but not necessarily their language

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Option 1.

Key Points

  • The phrase "The people may be known, but the identity of their language may not be," directly addresses the difficulty linguists face in identifying languages, even when they know the people who speak them.
  • 1) People are recognised as different ethnic groups but not necessarily their language: This statement accurately reflects the meaning of the given phrase. It highlights that while a community or ethnic group might be known to exist, their distinct language might remain uncatalogued or misidentified by linguists. This aligns with the subsequent sentence about bilingualism/multilingualism and the use of lingua franca masking the existence of an ethnic language.
  • 2) People are recognised as different ethnic groups and their language is recognised: This contradicts the second part of the phrase, "but the identity of their language may not be."
  • 3) People are not recognised as different ethnic groups, and so are their languages: This contradicts the first part of the phrase, "The people may be known."
  • 4) Because the people are not from different ethnic groups and their language is recognised: This contradicts both parts of the phrase and introduces an incorrect reason.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

Question 395

National Defence Academy (NDA) 2025• General Ability Test

An attempt to determine the number of languages in the world is affected by other factors. A few new languages do continue to be discovered, even these days, as unexplored regions of the world begin to be opened up. The discovery does not usually take place straight away. Often there are similarities with an already known language which make the investigators assume that what they have found is just a dialect of that language. Only after a considerable period of contact does it transpire that the speech is so different that it has to be considered a different language. It takes a language survey to establish the facts, and there are still many countries where such surveys are incomplete or have not even begun. The people may be known, but the identity of their language may not be. Because many such peoples are bilingual or multilingual, and converse with outsiders in lingua franca, it may take a while before linguists come to realize that there is an ethnic language there at all.

Which one of the following words from passage means ‘come to be known’ ? 

  1. AOption (a)

    transpire

  2. BOption (b)

    lingua franca

  3. COption (c)

    straight

  4. DOption (d)

    variant

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (a)A.

transpire

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Option 1.

 

Key Points

  • The question asks for a word from the passage that means ‘come to be known’.
  • Let's examine the relevant context in the passage: "Only after a considerable period of contact does it transpire that the speech is so different that it has to be considered a different language."
  • In this sentence, 'transpire' means to prove to be the case, to be revealed, or to come to be known. This perfectly matches the meaning required by the question.
  • Option 2: 'lingua franca' refers to a common language used among people of different native languages. It does not mean 'come to be known'.
  • Option 3: 'straight' in the context of "straight away" means immediately. It does not mean 'come to be known'.
  • Option 4: 'variant' is not a word found in the provided passage.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

Question 396

National Defence Academy (NDA) 2025• General Ability Test

Directions : The following items have a sentence in direct or indirect speech with four options. One of the options converts the direct or indirect speech into indirect or direct correctly. Select the correct option and mark your response on the Answer Sheet.

Convert from direct speech to indirect speech :

Charu said to her friend, “I want you to be here at 6.00 p.m. tomorrow for the meeting.”

  1. AOption (a)

    Charu told her friend that she wanted her to be there at 6.00 p.m. the next day for the meeting

  2. BOption (b)

    Charu told her friend that she wanted her to be there at 6.00 p.m. tomorrow for the meeting

  3. COption (c)

    Charu requested her friend that she wanted her to be there at 6.00 p.m. tomorrow for the meeting

  4. DOption (d)

    Charu told her friend that she will want her to be here at 6.00 p.m. the next day for the meeting

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (a)A.

Charu told her friend that she wanted her to be there at 6.00 p.m. the next day for the meeting

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is '1'.

Key Points

  • When converting direct speech to indirect speech, several changes occur, especially regarding pronouns, tenses, and time/place adverbs.
  • Let's analyze the changes from the original sentence: "Charu said to her friend, “I want you to be here at 6.00 p.m. tomorrow for the meeting.”"
  • The reporting verb "said to" changes to "told" because there is an object ("her friend").
  • The pronoun "I" changes to "she" (referring to Charu).
  • The present tense verb "want" changes to the past tense "wanted" (backshift of tense).
  • The pronoun "you" changes to "her" (referring to the friend).
  • The adverb of place "here" changes to "there".
  • The adverb of time "tomorrow" changes to "the next day".
  • The conjunction "that" is used to introduce the reported speech.
  • Let's evaluate the given options:
  • 1) Charu told her friend that she wanted her to be there at 6.00 p.m. the next day for the meeting. This option correctly applies all the rules of conversion.
  • 2) Charu told her friend that she wanted her to be there at 6.00 p.m. tomorrow for the meeting. Incorrect: "tomorrow" is not changed to "the next day".
  • 3) Charu requested her friend that she wanted her to be there at 6.00 p.m. tomorrow for the meeting. Incorrect: While it's a request, "I want you to be here" is typically reported with "told that she wanted". More importantly, "tomorrow" is not changed.
  • 4) Charu told her friend that she will want her to be here at 6.00 p.m. the next day for the meeting. Incorrect: The tense "want" is not correctly backshifted to "wanted", and "here" is not changed to "there".

Correct sentence: Charu told her friend that she wanted her to be there at 6.00 p.m. the next day for the meeting.

Question 397

National Defence Academy (NDA) 2025• General Ability Test

Directions : The following items have a sentence in direct or indirect speech with four options. One of the options converts the direct or indirect speech into indirect or direct correctly. Select the correct option and mark your response on the Answer Sheet.

Convert from direct speech to indirect speech :

Nitin said to his brother, “What a beautiful painting it is ?”

  1. AOption (a)

    Nitin wondered to his brother that what a beautiful painting it was

  2. BOption (b)

    Nitin wondered before his brother that it was a beautiful painting

  3. COption (c)

    Nitin exclaimed that it is a beautiful painting

  4. DOption (d)

    Nitin asked his brother whether it was beautiful painting

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

Nitin wondered before his brother that it was a beautiful painting

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is '2'.

Key Points

  • The given sentence is an exclamatory sentence, expressing admiration for the painting. The presence of "What a..." and the implied emotion make it an exclamation, despite the question mark which might be a typo or an unusual stylistic choice in the original.
  • When converting exclamatory sentences to indirect speech, we follow these rules:
  • The reporting verb 'said to' changes to verbs like 'exclaimed', 'remarked', 'wondered', etc., depending on the emotion conveyed.
  • The exclamatory phrase is converted into a declarative sentence. For "What a + adjective + noun + it is/was", it typically becomes "it was a very + adjective + noun" or "it was a + adjective + noun".
  • Tense backshift occurs: 'is' changes to 'was'.
  • The conjunction 'that' is usually used.
  • Let's analyze the options:
  • 1) Nitin wondered to his brother that what a beautiful painting it was. This option has redundant phrasing ("that what a") and "wondered to his brother" is awkward.
  • 2) Nitin wondered before his brother that it was a beautiful painting. While "wondered before his brother" is slightly awkward, the conversion of the exclamation "What a beautiful painting it is?" to "it was a beautiful painting" is grammatically correct. The tense is correctly backshifted from 'is' to 'was'. This is the best available option for converting the exclaimed content into a reported statement.
  • 3) Nitin exclaimed that it is a beautiful painting. Incorrect: The tense 'is' is not backshifted to 'was'.
  • 4) Nitin asked his brother whether it was beautiful painting. Incorrect: The original sentence is an exclamation, not a question, so 'asked' and 'whether' are inappropriate.

Correct sentence: Nitin wondered before his brother that it was a beautiful painting.

Question 398

National Defence Academy (NDA) 2025• General Ability Test

Directions : The following items have a sentence in direct or indirect speech with four options. One of the options converts the direct or indirect speech into indirect or direct correctly. Select the correct option and mark your response on the Answer Sheet.

Convert from indirect speech to direct speech :

The teacher asked her students why they had been quiet in the previous class.

  1. AOption (a)

    The teacher asked her students, “Why were they keeping quiet in the previous class ?”

  2. BOption (b)

    The teacher said to her students, “Why were you quiet in the previous class ?”

  3. COption (c)

    The teacher said to her students, “Why had you been quiet in the previous class ?”

  4. DOption (d)

    The teacher said to her students, “Why were you quiet in previous class ?”

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

The teacher said to her students, “Why were you quiet in the previous class ?”

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is '2'.

Key Points

  • When converting indirect speech to direct speech, we reverse the changes made during the direct to indirect conversion.
  • Original Sentence (Indirect Speech): "The teacher asked her students why they had been quiet in the previous class."
  • Let's apply the reverse rules:
  • Reporting Verb: "asked" indicates a question in direct speech. It can revert to "said to" or "asked."
  • Pronoun Change: "they" (referring to the students) reverts to "you."
  • Tense Change: "had been quiet" (Past Perfect) usually reverts to "were quiet" (Simple Past) or "have been quiet" (Present Perfect) in direct speech. "Why were you quiet?" is the most common and natural direct question for a past state.
  • Time/Place Adverb Change: "the previous class" remains "the previous class" or could revert to "the last class."
  • Question Structure: Since it's a 'why' question, it remains a 'why' question.
  • Let's evaluate the options:
  • 1) The teacher asked her students, “Why were they keeping quiet in the previous class ?” Incorrect pronoun ("they" instead of "you") and different verb tense/aspect ("keeping quiet" instead of a form related to "had been quiet").
  • 2) The teacher said to her students, “Why were you quiet in the previous class ?” Correct reporting verb and structure. Pronoun "you" is correct. Tense "were quiet" (Simple Past) correctly backshifts to "had been quiet" (Past Perfect). "the previous class" is retained. This option is grammatically correct and natural.
  • 3) The teacher said to her students, “Why had you been quiet in the previous class ?” While "had been quiet" would also backshift to "had been quiet," the Simple Past "were quiet" is often the original form that leads to Past Perfect in indirect speech unless a clear sequence of past events is implied. This option is less natural for a direct question than option 2.
  • 4) The teacher said to her students, “Why were you quiet in previous class ?” Incorrect: Missing the definite article "the" before "previous class".

Correct sentence: The teacher said to her students, “Why were you quiet in the previous class ?”

Question 399

National Defence Academy (NDA) 2025• General Ability Test

Directions : Following items have four sentences, one of which is correct. Find the correct option and mark your response in the Answer Sheet.

Which one of the following sentences is correct ?

  1. AOption (a)

    He is considered as the brightest intellectual in the country

  2. BOption (b)

    He is considered as one among the brightest intellectual in the country

  3. COption (c)

    He is considered as one among the brighter intellectual in the country

  4. DOption (d)

    He is considered as one of the intellectual in the country

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (a)A.

He is considered as the brightest intellectual in the country

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Option 1.

Key Points

Let's analyze each sentence to determine its correctness:

  • 1) He is considered as the brightest intellectual in the country.
  • The use of "considered as" is sometimes debated for redundancy (often "considered" without "as" is preferred when assigning a role or quality, e.g., "He is considered the leader"). However, "considered as" is not strictly ungrammatical in all contexts.
  • "the brightest intellectual" is grammatically correct. "Intellectual" here is a singular noun referring to a person.
  • This sentence is the most grammatically sound among the given options.
  • 2) He is considered as one among the brightest intellectual in the country.
  • Incorrect: The phrase "one among the brightest" must be followed by a plural noun. It should be "intellectuals" (plural) because he is one person chosen from a group of many brightest individuals.
  • 3) He is considered as one among the brighter intellectual in the country.
  • Incorrect: "brighter" is a comparative adjective (used for two things). For comparison within a group in the entire country, the superlative "brightest" is required.
  • Incorrect: Similar to option 2, "intellectual" should be "intellectuals" (plural).
  • 4) He is considered as one of the intellectual in the country.
  • Incorrect: The phrase "one of the" must always be followed by a plural noun. It should be "intellectuals" (plural).

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

Question 400

National Defence Academy (NDA) 2025• General Ability Test

Directions : Following items have four sentences, one of which is correct. Find the correct option and mark your response in the Answer Sheet.

Which one of the following sentences is correct ?

  1. AOption (a)

    No other mountain is taller than the Himalayas

  2. BOption (b)

    No other mountain is tall than the Himalayas

  3. COption (c)

    No other mountains taller than the Himalayas

  4. DOption (d)

    No other mountain is taller then the Himalayas

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (a)A.

No other mountain is taller than the Himalayas

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Option 1.

Key Points

Let's analyze each sentence to determine its correctness:

  • 1) No other mountain is taller than the Himalayas
  • "No other mountain is" correctly uses singular subject-verb agreement.
  • "taller than" is the correct comparative form used for comparison.
  • This sentence is grammatically correct.
  • 2) No other mountain is tall than the Himalayas
  • Incorrect: "tall than" is wrong. When making a comparison with "than," the comparative adjective "taller" must be used.
  • 3) No other mountains taller than the Himalayas
  • Incorrect: This is a sentence fragment because it lacks a main verb (e.g., "are").
  • 4) No other mountain is taller then the Himalayas
  • Incorrect: "then" is an adverb of time or sequence. The correct word for comparison is "than".

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.