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Question 411

SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) 2025• English Comprehension• English Comprehension

Change the following from active to passive: The professor could have been explaining differential topology for hours.

  1. AOption (a)

    Differential topology could have be being explained for hours by the professor.

  2. BOption (b)

    Differential topology could have explained for hours by the professor.

  3. COption (c)

    Differential topology could have been being explained for hours by the professor.

  4. DOption (d)

    Differential topology could have had been been explained for hours by the professor.

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (c)C.

Differential topology could have been being explained for hours by the professor.

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Option 3.

 

Key Points

  • Passive voice structure: The object of the active voice sentence becomes the subject of the passive voice sentence.
  • In the active voice, the sentence is: "The professor could have been explaining differential topology for hours."
  • To convert to passive voice: Place the object "differential topology" at the beginning.
  • Change the active verb form "could have been explaining" to "could have been being explained" (past modal passive).
  • Add the preposition "by" followed by the original subject "the professor."
  • Ensure the time phrase "for hours" remains at the end of the sentence for clarity.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

 

Correct Sentence: "Differential topology could have been being explained for hours by the professor."

 

Additional Information

  • Option 1: "Differential topology could have be being explained for hours by the professor." – Incorrect form of "be" and "being."
  • Option 2: "Differential topology could have explained for hours by the professor." – Missing "been" and "being" to form the passive structure.
  • Option 4: "Differential topology could have had been been explained for hours by the professor." – Redundant use of "had been been."

Question 412

SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) 2025• English Comprehension• English Comprehension

Find the part of the sentence that contains an error:

Rarely if ever have there been a time (1)/ when dissent was met (2)/ with such institutional disregard (3)/ as in the present administration. (4)

  1. AOption (a)

    (1)

  2. BOption (b)

    (2)

  3. COption (c)

    (3)

  4. DOption (d)

    (4)

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (a)A.

(1)

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Option 1.

 

Key Points

  • The phrase "Rarely if ever have there been a time" contains an error in subject-verb agreement.
  • The singular subject "a time" should be paired with the singular verb "has" instead of the plural verb "have."
  • The correct phrase should be "Rarely if ever has there been a time."
  • Thus, the error is located in part 1 of the sentence.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

 

Correct Sentence: "Rarely if ever has there been a time when dissent was met with such institutional disregard as in the present administration."

 

Additional Information

  • Part 2: "when dissent was met" – This part of the sentence is grammatically correct and does not require any changes.
  • Part 3: "with such institutional disregard" – This part of the sentence is grammatically correct and does not require any changes.
  • Part 4: "as in the present administration." – This part of the sentence is grammatically correct and does not require any changes.

Question 413

SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) 2025• English Comprehension• English Comprehension

Select the sentence containing the homonym of the highlighted word:

The ancient sconce held a flickering torch along the corridor.

  1. AOption (a)

    The thief smashed the wall sconce and fled.

  2. BOption (b)

    The student was sconced for violating tradition.

  3. COption (c)

    The bronze sconce was engraved with floral motifs.

  4. DOption (d)

    The hallway featured a new LED sconce.

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

The student was sconced for violating tradition.

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is: Option 2.

Key Points

  • The word "sconce" in the context of the sentence refers to a bracket fixed to a wall for holding a candle or torch. (दीवार पर लगा हुआ मोमबत्ती या मशाल रखने का ब्रैकेट)
  • Example: The antique sconce in the living room was a family heirloom.
  • The homonym of "sconce" is also a term used to describe a penalty or fine imposed on a student for a breach of college rules or traditions. (छात्र को परंपरा या नियम तोड़ने पर लगाया गया जुर्माना)
  • Example: The rowdy student was sconced for his disruptive behavior during the lecture.
  • Hence, the sentence in Option 2, "The student was sconced for violating tradition," uses the homonym of the word "sconce" in a different context.

Therefore, the correct answer is: Option 2.

Additional Information

Here are the other options explained along with their Hindi meanings and example sentences:

  • Option 1: The thief smashed the wall sconce and fled.

This sentence refers to a "sconce" as a wall fixture for holding a light or torch. (दीवार पर लगा हुआ प्रकाश उपकरण)

  • Example: The wall sconce gave the room a warm and inviting glow.
  • Option 3: The bronze sconce was engraved with floral motifs.

This also uses "sconce" in the sense of a decorative wall bracket for lighting. (दीवार पर लगा सजावटी प्रकाश उपकरण)

  • Example: The designer chose a bronze sconce to match the vintage decor.
  • Option 4: The hallway featured a new LED sconce.

This sentence again refers to a "sconce" as a lighting fixture. (दीवार पर लगा हुआ एलईडी प्रकाश उपकरण)

  • Example: The LED sconce illuminated the dark corner of the hallway perfectly.

Question 414

SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) 2025• English Comprehension• English Comprehension

Convert the sentence provided below from its passive voice structure to an active voice structure:

The documents had been submitted by the assistant before the deadline.

  1. AOption (a)

    The assistant submits the documents before the deadline.

  2. BOption (b)

    The assistant had submitted the documents before the deadline.

  3. COption (c)

    The assistant was submitting the documents before the deadline.

  4. DOption (d)

    The assistant is submitting the documents before the deadline.

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

The assistant had submitted the documents before the deadline.

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Option 2.

 

Key Points

  • Passive voice structure: The object of the active voice sentence becomes the subject of the passive voice sentence.
  • In the given passive voice sentence: "The documents had been submitted by the assistant before the deadline," the subject of the active voice sentence is the assistant.
  • To convert this sentence into active voice, the structure changes to: "The assistant had submitted the documents before the deadline."
  • The verb form "had been submitted" (past perfect passive) is converted to "had submitted" (past perfect active).
  • The object "the documents" follows the verb, and the time phrase "before the deadline" remains unchanged.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

 

Correct Sentence: "The assistant had submitted the documents before the deadline."

 

Additional Information

  • Option 1: "The assistant submits the documents before the deadline." – Incorrect tense (present simple active).
  • Option 2: "The assistant had submitted the documents before the deadline." – Correct conversion (past perfect active).
  • Option 3: "The assistant was submitting the documents before the deadline." – Incorrect tense (past continuous active).
  • Option 4: "The assistant is submitting the documents before the deadline." – Incorrect tense (present continuous active).

Question 415

SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) 2025• English Comprehension• English Comprehension

Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence:

She is senior than me in college.

  1. AOption (a)

    is more senior than

  2. BOption (b)

    is senior from

  3. COption (c)

    is elder than

  4. DOption (d)

    is senior to

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (d)D.

is senior to

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is 'senior to'.

 

Key Points

  • The word senior is always followed by the preposition to when comparing two people or entities.
  • The use of than is incorrect in this context as it is not the correct preposition for the word senior.
  • Options 1, 2, and 3 are grammatically incorrect and do not follow standard usage of the word senior.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

 

Complete Sentence: "She is senior to me in college."

 

Additional Information

  • Option 1: "is more senior than" is incorrect because the word "senior" does not require the qualifier "more" and is not followed by "than."
  • Option 2: "is senior from" is incorrect because "senior" is not followed by "from."
  • Option 3: "is elder than" is incorrect because "elder" is used for familial relationships, not professional or academic rankings.

Question 416

SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) 2025• English Comprehension• English Comprehension

Choose the most suitable option to replace the highlighted part of the sentence:

He did not know where was the book kept.

  1. AOption (a)

    where the book was kept

  2. BOption (b)

    where was the book

  3. COption (c)

    where did the book kept

  4. DOption (d)

    where the book has kept

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (a)A.

where the book was kept

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is 'where the book was kept'.

 

Key Points

  • The sentence is about the location of the book, and it requires proper word order for indirect speech or a question in reported form.
  • The correct structure is "where the book was kept" as it follows the subject-verb-object order for indirect speech.
  • Options 2, 3, and 4 are grammatically incorrect:
  • Option 2: "where was the book" is incorrect because it's a direct question structure, not suitable for this context.
  • Option 3: "where did the book kept" is incorrect as "did" cannot be followed by a past participle.
  • Option 4: "where the book has kept" is incorrect because "has" requires the past participle form of the verb, which is missing.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

 

Complete Sentence: "He did not know where the book was kept."

 

Additional Information

  • Option 2: "where was the book" is incorrect because it uses direct question syntax, which is not suitable here.
  • Option 3: "where did the book kept" is incorrect because the auxiliary "did" cannot be followed by a past participle.
  • Option 4: "where the book has kept" is grammatically incorrect; the correct form would be "has been kept" if present perfect tense were intended.

Question 417

SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) 2025• English Comprehension• English Comprehension

Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage:

While financial inclusion is often praised as a driver of equitable growth, its implementation in rural India presents a paradox. On paper, schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Aadhaar-enabled payment systems, and mobile banking have revolutionized access. Yet, in practice, access does not necessarily translate into utility. A significant number of rural account holders remain dormant users, often constrained by digital illiteracy, infrastructural limitations, and deeply entrenched socio-cultural barriers. In numerous villages, banking correspondents (BCs)—the foot soldiers of India's rural financial architecture—are overburdened, undertrained, and often unsupported by robust technological infrastructure. The notion that a biometric fingerprint or a one-time password could substitute for financial literacy is naïve at best. Many beneficiaries, especially women, face systemic exclusion, not just due to lack of documentation, but because patriarchal norms often discourage or control women’s interactions with banking services. Moreover, while financial inclusion aims to integrate the rural poor into the formal economy, the informal credit system continues to flourish. This coexistence is not accidental but symptomatic of a trust deficit and functional inefficiencies within formal institutions. Local moneylenders, albeit exploitative, offer immediacy and familiarity, elements often absent in bureaucratic banking processes. The digital push, accelerated post-2016 demonetization and COVID-19, has undoubtedly expanded the ecosystem. However, digital penetration without digital comprehension can widen the exclusion gap. Without focused digital education, grievance redressal mechanisms, and gender-sensitive outreach, financial inclusion may remain more rhetorical than real. In essence, true inclusion cannot be measured merely by the number of accounts opened but must reflect active participation, trust, and accessibility across gender, literacy, and regional lines. Until then, the dream of a financially empowered rural India will remain aspirational.

According to the passage, what is the main paradox of financial inclusion in rural India?

  1. AOption (a)

    Lack of infrastructure

  2. BOption (b)

    Overreliance on technology

  3. COption (c)

    Access without actual usage

  4. DOption (d)

    Excess of digital banking

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (c)C.

Access without actual usage

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is 'Option 3'.

 

Key Points

  • Option 1: Lack of infrastructure
  • This is mentioned as a challenge, but it is not the central paradox. The paradox lies in the gap between access and usage.
  • Option 2: Overreliance on technology
  • This is discussed in the passage (biometric/OTP reliance), but it is not framed as the main paradox of financial inclusion.
  • Option 3: Access without actual usage
  • This can be inferred. The passage highlights that although rural populations have accounts and access to schemes, many remain dormant users due to illiteracy, socio-cultural barriers, and lack of trust. Thus, access does not equal utility.
  • Option 4: Excess of digital banking
  • This cannot be inferred. The passage mentions digital expansion but does not describe it as excessive; rather, it critiques the lack of comprehension accompanying digital penetration.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

 

Additional Information

  • Option 1: Incorrect because infrastructure is a challenge but not the paradox.
  • Option 2: Incorrect because reliance on technology is noted, but the paradox is broader.
  • Option 3: Correct because the paradox is that access exists but actual usage and participation remain limited.
  • Option 4: Incorrect because digital banking expansion is not described as excessive, but as incomplete without literacy.

Question 418

SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) 2025• English Comprehension• English Comprehension

Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage:

While financial inclusion is often praised as a driver of equitable growth, its implementation in rural India presents a paradox. On paper, schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Aadhaar-enabled payment systems, and mobile banking have revolutionized access. Yet, in practice, access does not necessarily translate into utility. A significant number of rural account holders remain dormant users, often constrained by digital illiteracy, infrastructural limitations, and deeply entrenched socio-cultural barriers. In numerous villages, banking correspondents (BCs)—the foot soldiers of India's rural financial architecture—are overburdened, undertrained, and often unsupported by robust technological infrastructure. The notion that a biometric fingerprint or a one-time password could substitute for financial literacy is naïve at best. Many beneficiaries, especially women, face systemic exclusion, not just due to lack of documentation, but because patriarchal norms often discourage or control women’s interactions with banking services. Moreover, while financial inclusion aims to integrate the rural poor into the formal economy, the informal credit system continues to flourish. This coexistence is not accidental but symptomatic of a trust deficit and functional inefficiencies within formal institutions. Local moneylenders, albeit exploitative, offer immediacy and familiarity, elements often absent in bureaucratic banking processes. The digital push, accelerated post-2016 demonetization and COVID-19, has undoubtedly expanded the ecosystem. However, digital penetration without digital comprehension can widen the exclusion gap. Without focused digital education, grievance redressal mechanisms, and gender-sensitive outreach, financial inclusion may remain more rhetorical than real. In essence, true inclusion cannot be measured merely by the number of accounts opened but must reflect active participation, trust, and accessibility across gender, literacy, and regional lines. Until then, the dream of a financially empowered rural India will remain aspirational.

Why do informal credit systems persist despite formal financial inclusion efforts?

  1. AOption (a)

    Due to strict documentation

  2. BOption (b)

    Trust and familiarity of local lenders

  3. COption (c)

    Higher interest rates attract borrowers

  4. DOption (d)

    Government incentives are unavailable

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

Trust and familiarity of local lenders

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is 'Option 2'.

 

Key Points

  • Option 1: Due to strict documentation
  • This is mentioned as a barrier for some beneficiaries, especially women, but it is not the main reason for the persistence of informal credit systems.
  • Option 2: Trust and familiarity of local lenders
  • This can be inferred. The passage explains that local moneylenders, despite being exploitative, persist because they offer immediacy and familiarity—qualities often missing in formal banking processes. This trust and accessibility make them more appealing to rural borrowers.
  • Option 3: Higher interest rates attract borrowers
  • This cannot be inferred. Higher interest rates are exploitative, not attractive, and the passage does not suggest they draw borrowers in.
  • Option 4: Government incentives are unavailable
  • This cannot be inferred. The passage does not mention government incentives as a factor in the persistence of informal credit systems.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

 

Additional Information

  • Option 1: Incorrect because documentation issues affect access but do not explain the persistence of informal credit.
  • Option 2: Correct because trust, immediacy, and familiarity with local lenders make them more reliable in the eyes of rural borrowers.
  • Option 3: Incorrect because higher interest rates are exploitative, not attractive.
  • Option 4: Incorrect because government incentives are not discussed as a factor in the passage.

Question 419

SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) 2025• English Comprehension• English Comprehension

Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage:

While financial inclusion is often praised as a driver of equitable growth, its implementation in rural India presents a paradox. On paper, schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Aadhaar-enabled payment systems, and mobile banking have revolutionized access. Yet, in practice, access does not necessarily translate into utility. A significant number of rural account holders remain dormant users, often constrained by digital illiteracy, infrastructural limitations, and deeply entrenched socio-cultural barriers. In numerous villages, banking correspondents (BCs)—the foot soldiers of India's rural financial architecture—are overburdened, undertrained, and often unsupported by robust technological infrastructure. The notion that a biometric fingerprint or a one-time password could substitute for financial literacy is naïve at best. Many beneficiaries, especially women, face systemic exclusion, not just due to lack of documentation, but because patriarchal norms often discourage or control women’s interactions with banking services. Moreover, while financial inclusion aims to integrate the rural poor into the formal economy, the informal credit system continues to flourish. This coexistence is not accidental but symptomatic of a trust deficit and functional inefficiencies within formal institutions. Local moneylenders, albeit exploitative, offer immediacy and familiarity, elements often absent in bureaucratic banking processes. The digital push, accelerated post-2016 demonetization and COVID-19, has undoubtedly expanded the ecosystem. However, digital penetration without digital comprehension can widen the exclusion gap. Without focused digital education, grievance redressal mechanisms, and gender-sensitive outreach, financial inclusion may remain more rhetorical than real. In essence, true inclusion cannot be measured merely by the number of accounts opened but must reflect active participation, trust, and accessibility across gender, literacy, and regional lines. Until then, the dream of a financially empowered rural India will remain aspirational.

Which factor does not contribute to dormant rural bank accounts, as per the passage?

  1. AOption (a)

    Patriarchal social norms

  2. BOption (b)

    Digital illiteracy

  3. COption (c)

    Mobile network expansion

  4. DOption (d)

    Lack of financial literacy

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (c)C.

Mobile network expansion

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is 'Option 3'.

 

Key Points

  • Option 1: Patriarchal social norms
  • This does contribute to dormant accounts. The passage notes that patriarchal norms often discourage or control women’s interactions with banking services.
  • Option 2: Digital illiteracy
  • This does contribute. The passage highlights that many rural account holders remain dormant users due to lack of digital literacy.
  • Option 3: Mobile network expansion
  • This does not contribute. In fact, mobile banking and digital expansion are described as enablers of access, not as causes of dormancy. The issue lies in comprehension and usage, not expansion itself.
  • Option 4: Lack of financial literacy
  • This does contribute. The passage stresses that biometric or OTP access cannot substitute for financial literacy, which is essential for active usage.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

 

Additional Information

  • Option 1: Incorrect because patriarchal norms are explicitly mentioned as barriers.
  • Option 2: Incorrect because digital illiteracy is a major factor in dormant accounts.
  • Option 3: Correct because mobile network expansion is not a cause of dormancy; it increases access, though usage depends on literacy and trust.
  • Option 4: Incorrect because lack of financial literacy is clearly identified as a contributor to dormant accounts.

Question 420

SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) 2025• English Comprehension• English Comprehension

Read the following passage and answer the questions based on the passage:

While financial inclusion is often praised as a driver of equitable growth, its implementation in rural India presents a paradox. On paper, schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Aadhaar-enabled payment systems, and mobile banking have revolutionized access. Yet, in practice, access does not necessarily translate into utility. A significant number of rural account holders remain dormant users, often constrained by digital illiteracy, infrastructural limitations, and deeply entrenched socio-cultural barriers. In numerous villages, banking correspondents (BCs)—the foot soldiers of India's rural financial architecture—are overburdened, undertrained, and often unsupported by robust technological infrastructure. The notion that a biometric fingerprint or a one-time password could substitute for financial literacy is naïve at best. Many beneficiaries, especially women, face systemic exclusion, not just due to lack of documentation, but because patriarchal norms often discourage or control women’s interactions with banking services. Moreover, while financial inclusion aims to integrate the rural poor into the formal economy, the informal credit system continues to flourish. This coexistence is not accidental but symptomatic of a trust deficit and functional inefficiencies within formal institutions. Local moneylenders, albeit exploitative, offer immediacy and familiarity, elements often absent in bureaucratic banking processes. The digital push, accelerated post-2016 demonetization and COVID-19, has undoubtedly expanded the ecosystem. However, digital penetration without digital comprehension can widen the exclusion gap. Without focused digital education, grievance redressal mechanisms, and gender-sensitive outreach, financial inclusion may remain more rhetorical than real. In essence, true inclusion cannot be measured merely by the number of accounts opened but must reflect active participation, trust, and accessibility across gender, literacy, and regional lines. Until then, the dream of a financially empowered rural India will remain aspirational.

What assumption does the author criticize regarding digital financial systems?

  1. AOption (a)

    Mobile payments are fast

  2. BOption (b)

    Biometrics ensure security

  3. COption (c)

    OTPs can replace financial education

  4. DOption (d)

    Rural people distrust technology

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (c)C.

OTPs can replace financial education

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is 'Option 3'.

 

Key Points

  • Option 1: Mobile payments are fast
  • This cannot be inferred. The passage does not critique the speed of mobile payments; it focuses on deeper issues of literacy and usage.
  • Option 2: Biometrics ensure security
  • This cannot be inferred. The passage mentions biometrics but does not critique their security aspect; instead, it critiques their role as substitutes for literacy.
  • Option 3: OTPs can replace financial education
  • This can be inferred. The author explicitly criticizes the assumption that a biometric fingerprint or one-time password could substitute for financial literacy, calling it naïve.
  • Option 4: Rural people distrust technology
  • This cannot be inferred. The passage highlights trust deficits in formal institutions, not a blanket distrust of technology by rural populations.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

 

Additional Information

  • Option 1: Incorrect because speed of mobile payments is not critiqued.
  • Option 2: Incorrect because biometrics are not criticized for security but for being seen as substitutes for literacy.
  • Option 3: Correct because the passage directly calls the assumption that OTPs or biometrics can replace financial literacy “naïve.”
  • Option 4: Incorrect because distrust of technology is not mentioned; the issue is inefficiency and lack of comprehension in formal systems.