English Comprehension PYQs

The correct answer is: Treacherous.

Key Points

• The word "Perfidious" means deceitful and untrustworthy, especially in betraying someone who trusts you. (विश्वासघाती)
• Example: The spy revealed all the secrets to the enemy, proving to be perfidious to his country.
• "Treacherous" refers to someone or something that is guilty of betrayal or deception. It is synonymous with the word "perfidious." (विश्वासघाती)
• Example: The treacherous guide led them into a trap instead of the safe path.
• Hence, we can infer that the most appropriate synonym of 'Perfidious' is 'Treacherous'.

Therefore, the correct answer is: Treacherous.

Additional Information

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

• Honest (ईमानदार): Someone who is truthful and sincere in their actions or words.
• Example: She is known for being an honest person, always speaking the truth no matter the consequences.
• Faithful (वफादार): Someone who is loyal and devoted, especially to a person, cause, or belief.
• Example: The dog was faithful to its owner and never left his side.
• Loyal (निष्ठावान): Someone who is steadfast in allegiance or support to a person or cause.
• Example: He remained loyal to his friends even during difficult times.

The correct answer is: Option 3.

Key Points

• The idiom "Hobson's choice" means having no real choice at all; you must either accept what is offered or take nothing at all. (कोई वास्तविक विकल्प नहीं)
• Example: When it comes to the company's policies, employees often face Hobson's choice—either follow them or leave the job.
• It refers to a situation where only one option is available, and it can feel like an illusion of choice. (एक ऐसा विकल्प जो वास्तव में विकल्प नहीं है)
• Example: The restaurant offers Hobson's choice on its fixed menu—take it or leave it!

Therefore, the correct answer is: Option 3.

Additional Information

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

• Option 1: A dilemma between two evils (दो बुराइयों के बीच एक कठिनाई): Refers to choosing between two undesirable options.
• Example: She faced a dilemma between two evils—either betray her friend or lose her job.
• Option 2: A free and fair decision (एक स्वतंत्र और निष्पक्ष निर्णय): Refers to making a decision without pressure or bias.
• Example: The committee ensured that the decision-making process was free and fair.
• Option 4: A selection made under duress (दबाव में किया गया चयन): Refers to choosing something under pressure or force.
• Example: He signed the contract under duress, fearing repercussions.

The correct answer is: Extraordinary.

Key Points

• The word "Mundane" means lacking interest or excitement; dull and ordinary. (साधारण)
• Example: The job was mundane, consisting mainly of filing and answering the phone.
• "Extraordinary" refers to something very unusual or remarkable; exceptional. (असाधारण)
• Example: She has an extraordinary talent for playing the piano.
• Hence, we can infer that the opposite of 'Mundane' is 'Extraordinary'.

Therefore, the correct answer is: Extraordinary.

Additional Information

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

• Common (सामान्य): Occurring, found, or done often; prevalent.
• Example: It is a common misconception that all snakes are poisonous.
• Ordinary (साधारण): With no special or distinctive features; normal.
• Example: It was just an ordinary day at work.
• Boring (नीरस): Not interesting; tedious.
• Example: The lecture was so boring that many people fell asleep.

The correct answer is option 4.

Key Points

The misspelled word is 'Quintessance'.

• The correct spelling would be 'Quintessence'.
• The word 'quintessence' is a noun which means 'the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class'. (मूल तत्व)
• For Example -
• Sheep's milk cheese is considered the quintessence of traditional rural life.

Therefore, the correct answer would be 'Quintessence'.

Additional Information

Let's understand the meanings of the other marked words - 

• Vicereine - a woman who is a viceroy's wife.
• Floccinaucinihilipilification - the action or habit of estimating something as worthless.
• Defenestrate - to throw someone or something out of a window.

The correct answer is option 1.

Key Points

The correctly spelled term is 'Ventriculoperitoneal'.

• A ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is a medical device that relieves pressure on the brain caused by fluid accumulation.
• The word 'ventriculoperitoneal' refers to the connection between the ventricles of the brain and the peritoneal cavity in the abdomen.

Therefore, the correct answer would be 'Ventriculoperitoneal'.

Additional Information

Let's understand the meanings of the other marked words - 

• Ventriculoperitoneal - The correct spelling and term related to the medical procedure involving a shunt.
• Ventriculoperitonal - Incorrect spelling.
• Ventriculaperitoneal - Incorrect spelling.
• Ventriculoperetoneal - Incorrect spelling.

The correct answer is: Censure.

Key Points

• The word "Censure" refers to an official reprimand or strong criticism. It is often used in the context of formal disapproval, especially by an authority or institution. (निंदा)
• Example: The senator faced censure from his colleagues for violating ethical guidelines.
• The correct word "Censure" is used to describe a strong disapproval or condemnation, typically in an official capacity. (निंदा)
• Example: The teacher issued a censure to the student for their disruptive behavior in class.

Therefore, the correct answer is: Censure.

Additional Information

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

• Accusation (आरोप): A charge or claim that someone has done something illegal or wrong.
• Example: He denied the accusation of theft made against him.
• Denunciation (निंदा): Public condemnation of someone or something.
• Example: The leader's speech was a denunciation of corruption in politics.
• Indictment (आरोप पत्र): A formal charge or accusation of a serious crime.
• Example: The indictment was read aloud in court, charging him with fraud.

The correct answer is 'barely'.

 

Key Points

• The word "barely" means "only just" or "not quite," which accurately conveys the idea that the infrastructure struggled to keep pace with the startup's rapid scaling.
• Option 2: "merely" is incorrect because it suggests a minimal action without implying difficulty, which does not fit the context.
• Option 3: "scarcely" is incorrect as it conveys a negative connotation and is less appropriate than "barely" here.
• Option 4: "all but" is incorrect because it means "almost" and does not fit the context of the sentence.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

 

Complete Sentence: "The startup scaled so rapidly that its infrastructure could barely keep pace."

 

Additional Information

• Option 2: "merely" is incorrect as it lacks the implication of difficulty that "barely" provides.
• Option 3: "scarcely" is incorrect because it implies a stronger sense of insufficiency, which is less fitting.
• Option 4: "all but" is incorrect as it means "almost" and does not align with the intended meaning.

The correct answer is 'under'.

 

Key Points

• The preposition "under" is used to indicate conditions or situations.
• In this context, "prolonged drought conditions" refers to a situation, so "under" is the most appropriate choice.
• Options 1, 2, and 3 are not suitable prepositions for this context.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

 

Complete Sentence: "Rare though the phenomenon is, it can occur under prolonged drought conditions."

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: "towards" suggests direction, not suitable for conditions.
• Option 2: "amid" suggests being surrounded by, not typically used for conditions.
• Option 3: "among" suggests being a part of a group, not used for conditions.

The correct answer is 'more'.

 

Key Points

• The word "more" is used to indicate a comparative degree, implying that the level of complexity was higher than expected.
• The sentence suggests that the implementation was not as simple as anticipated, and hence, "more" is the correct choice.
• Option 1 ("less") is incorrect because it contradicts the intended meaning.
• Option 3 ("much") is incorrect as it does not fit grammatically in this context.
• Option 4 ("rather") is incorrect as it does not convey the comparative nature required here.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

 

Complete Sentence: "While the proposal appeared pragmatic on paper, its implementation proved more complicated than expected."

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: "less" implies a lower level of complexity, which contradicts the intended meaning.
• Option 3: "much" is grammatically inappropriate as it does not express comparison.
• Option 4: "rather" does not fit the sentence structure or convey the intended meaning.

The correct answer is Option 2.

 

Key Points

• The error lies in part (2) of the sentence due to incorrect subject-verb agreement.
• The subject of the sentence is the entire noun clause: "That the report failed to address the root causes of the community unrest."
• When a noun clause acts as the subject of a sentence, it is treated as a singular unit.
• The plural verb "were" must be replaced by the singular verb "was" to match the singular subject.

Therefore, the correct answer is 2.

 

Correct Sentence: "That the report failed to address the root causes of the community unrest was surprising given the exhaustive data compiled over several months."

 

Additional Information

• (1): "That the report failed to address the root causes" – This is the beginning of the noun clause and is grammatically sound.
• (3): "given the exhaustive data" – This part correctly introduces the reason or evidence for the surprise.
• (4): "compiled over several months." – This uses a past participle phrase correctly to modify the noun "data."

The correct answer is Option 2.

 

Key Points

• The error is located in part (2) of the sentence due to a lack of parallel structure (parallelism).
• The sentence uses the correlative construction "is not [A] but [B]." For grammatical precision, both [A] and [B] should belong to the same grammatical category.
• In part (1), [A] is a noun phrase ("its proposed realignment..."). In part (2), [B] is a noun clause ("that it presumes...").
• To correct this, [B] should be changed to a noun phrase to match [A], such as "its presumption... of a fiscal equivalence."
• Thus, the error is found in part (2).

Therefore, the correct answer is 2.

 

Correct Sentence: "What renders the draft legislation particularly contentious is not its proposed realignment of fiscal powers per se, but its presumption, without empirical substantiation, of a fiscal equivalence among states whose developmental baselines are incommensurable by any normative metric."

 

Additional Information

• (1): "What renders the draft legislation particularly contentious is not its proposed realignment..." – This part correctly uses a free relative clause ("What renders...") as the subject and establishes the first half of the contrast.
• (3): "a fiscal equivalence among states whose developmental baselines are" – This is grammatically correct; "among" is appropriate for a group of states, and the plural verb "are" agrees with "baselines."
• (4): "incommensurable by any normative metric." – This part is correct. "Incommensurable" means lacking a basis of comparison, and "by" is the correct preposition when referring to the standard or metric of measurement.

The correct answer is Option 4.

 

Key Points

• Passive voice structure: The object of the active voice sentence becomes the subject of the passive voice sentence.
• In this case, the active voice sentence is: "They have been neglecting maintenance of the archives for years."
• To convert to passive voice: Place the object "maintenance of the archives" at the beginning.
• Change the active verb form "have been neglecting" to "has been being neglected" (present perfect continuous passive).
• Add the preposition "by" followed by the original subject "them."
• Ensure the time phrase "for years" remains at the end of the sentence for clarity.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

 

Correct Sentence: "Maintenance of the archives has been being neglected by them for years."

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: "Maintenance of the archives had been neglected by them for years." – Incorrect tense (past perfect).
• Option 2: "Maintenance of the archives is being neglected by them for years." – Incorrect tense (present continuous).
• Option 3: "Maintenance of the archives was being neglected by them for years." – Incorrect tense (past continuous).

The correct answer is 'Option (2)' i.e. 'The introit was replaced by an organ improvisation.'

Key Points

• Introit: A hymn, chant, or piece of music sung at the beginning of a religious service, especially in Christian worship (धार्मिक सेवा के आरंभ में गाया जाने वाला भजन या संगीत).
• Example: The choir performed the introit before the beginning of the church service.
• Musical/Religious Context: An introit is associated with sacred music and is often replaced or accompanied by instrumental music such as an organ performance.
• Example: The introit was replaced by an organ improvisation during the ceremony.

Explanation of the options:

• Option 1: The child sang the introit during the intermission. ❌

An introit is performed at the beginning of a religious service, not during an intermission.

• Option 2: The introit was replaced by an organ improvisation. ✅

This correctly uses "introit" in a musical and religious context.

• Option 3: The baseball player listened to his introit on the way to the field. ❌

Here, "introit" is incorrectly used as a general song or personal music.

• Option 4: The teacher wrote the introit on the chalkboard for the math students. ❌

An introit has no connection with mathematics or classroom writing.

Therefore, the correct answer is- 'Option 2'.

The correct answer is Option 1.

 

Key Points

• In the passive voice, the focus is on the action and the receiver of the action, rather than the doer.
• Original passive sentence: "It was being suggested by multiple sources that the operation had been compromised internally."
• To convert to active voice, make "multiple sources" the subject performing the action.
• Use the correct tense: "were suggesting" (past continuous).
• Keep the rest of the sentence the same to preserve the original meaning.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

 

Correct Sentence: "Multiple sources were suggesting that the operation had been compromised internally."

 

Additional Information

• Option 2: "The operation was compromised, multiple sources suggested." – Changes the meaning and tense of the original sentence.
• Option 3: "The sources were suggesting an operation compromise." – Alters the structure and meaning.
• Option 4: "The operation had compromised multiple internal sources." – Reverses the subject and object, changing the meaning entirely.

The correct answer is Option 3.

 

Key Points

• The passage clearly distinguishes between education and wisdom, emphasizing that wisdom develops through life experiences and reflection.
• It explicitly states that wisdom is earned through trial, failure, reflection, and a nuanced understanding of human nature.
• Unlike education, which comes from formal instruction and structured curricula, wisdom grows gradually through practical experience and introspection.
• Therefore, the passage indicates that wisdom is primarily acquired through experience and reflection.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

 

Correct Statement: According to the passage, wisdom is gained through experience, reflection, and lived realities rather than formal education.

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: Through textbooks – This relates to formal education, not wisdom. The passage states that education is acquired through structured learning.
• Option 2: Through emotional detachment – The passage highlights emotional intelligence as part of wisdom, not emotional detachment.
• Option 4: Through algorithmic thinking – The passage criticizes modern systems that emphasize algorithmic thinking and rote learning, suggesting they do not cultivate wisdom.

The correct answer is Option 2.

 

Key Points

• The passage contrasts education with wisdom, stating that education equips the mind while wisdom enriches the soul.
• Here, “enriches the soul” implies the development of ethical awareness, empathy, humility, and moral judgment.
• The author emphasizes that wisdom emerges through experience, reflection, emotional intelligence, and ethical application of knowledge.
• Thus, the phrase suggests that wisdom deepens a person's moral understanding and ethical insight, shaping better life decisions.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

 

Correct Interpretation: The phrase "wisdom enriches the soul" signifies the development of deep moral insight and ethical understanding beyond formal education.

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: It enhances academic success – This relates to education and academic achievement, not to the deeper philosophical meaning of wisdom in the passage.
• Option 3: It improves verbal expression – The passage does not associate wisdom with language skills or communication abilities.
• Option 4: It sharpens mathematical skills – Mathematical ability is connected with technical education, not with the moral and experiential dimension of wisdom described in the passage.

The correct answer is Option 3.

 

Key Points

• The passage states that wisdom is not dependent on formal education or academic qualifications.
• The author explicitly mentions that many wise individuals such as farmers, artisans, and elders may lack formal schooling but possess prudence and practical understanding.
• Their wisdom develops through lived experiences, practical realities, and reflection rather than institutional learning.
• Therefore, the author suggests that elders and artisans can demonstrate wisdom even without formal education.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

 

Correct Statement: According to the passage, individuals such as elders and artisans may lack formal education yet display wisdom developed through real-life experience.

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: Scientists – Scientists generally rely on formal education and academic training, which is not the focus of the author’s example.
• Option 2: School children – The passage does not mention school children as examples of wisdom gained without formal education.
• Option 4: Technocrats – Technocrats are typically associated with technical expertise and formal education, not with experiential wisdom discussed in the passage.

The correct answer is Option 4.

 

Key Points

• The passage consistently contrasts education with wisdom throughout the discussion.
• Education is described as the formal acquisition of knowledge through institutions, curricula, and academic assessments.
• Wisdom, however, is portrayed as the practical and ethical application of knowledge, developed through experience, reflection, and emotional intelligence.
• Therefore, the central contrast in the passage is between formal learning and applied wisdom in real-life contexts.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

 

Correct Interpretation: The passage primarily contrasts institutional education with wisdom gained through experience and ethical application of knowledge.

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: Education vs. career – The passage does not discuss career paths or professional advancement.
• Option 2: Intelligence vs. memory – Although intelligence is mentioned briefly, the main discussion is not about memory or cognitive ability.
• Option 3: Reading vs. writing – These are language skills and are not part of the central theme of the passage.

The correct answer is Option 3.

 

Key Points

• The passage mentions that in the modern era, society is dominated by information overload and algorithmic thinking.
• Educational institutions increasingly emphasize rote memorization and standardized testing instead of developing critical thinking and moral reasoning.
• As a result, individuals may become efficient in technical problem-solving but lack the deeper judgment required for ethical and empathetic decision-making.
• Thus, the gap between education and wisdom has widened mainly because of rote learning and algorithmic methods dominating modern education.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

 

Correct Statement: The author argues that the gap has widened because modern education emphasizes rote memorization and algorithmic thinking rather than cultivating wisdom through critical thinking and moral reasoning.

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: Due to overuse of social media – The passage does not mention social media as a reason for the widening gap.
• Option 2: Because wisdom is no longer valued – The passage criticizes educational priorities but does not claim that society completely stops valuing wisdom.
• Option 4: Because people stop learning after school – The passage actually states that wisdom is a lifelong pursuit, so this interpretation is incorrect.

The correct answer is 'of being a kind woman'.

 

Key Points

• The phrase "of being a kind woman" is grammatically correct and appropriately fits the context of the sentence.
• The sentence is talking about reputation, which is correctly followed by the preposition "of" and the gerund "being."
• Option 1 ("to have kindness") and Option 4 ("to be kind-hearted") are not suitable as they are not idiomatic in this context.
• Option 3 ("of being the kind woman") is incorrect because the use of "the" changes the meaning and is not appropriate here.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

 

Complete Sentence: "She has the reputation of being a kind woman."

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: "to have kindness" is incorrect because it does not match the structure "reputation of" and is not idiomatic.
• Option 3: "of being the kind woman" is incorrect because the use of "the" changes the meaning unnecessarily.
• Option 4: "to be kind-hearted" is incorrect as it does not match the prepositional phrase structure "reputation of."