English Comprehension PYQs

The correct answer is: Option 2 (Ennui).

Key Points

• The word "Ennui" refers to a feeling of dissatisfaction and weariness that arises from a lack of excitement or purpose. (उदासी, मानसिक थकावट)
• Example: After months of doing the same repetitive tasks, she felt a deep sense of ennui.
• It describes a state of mental fatigue and boredom, often associated with monotony or lack of enthusiasm for life.

Therefore, the correct answer is: Option 2 (Ennui).

Additional Information

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

• Languor (सुस्ती): A state of physical or mental tiredness and lack of energy, often pleasant or dreamy.
• Example: She lay in the hammock, filled with a sense of languor on the warm summer afternoon.
• Torpor (अक्रियता): A state of reduced physical or mental activity, often caused by lethargy or laziness.
• Example: The bear entered a state of torpor during hibernation, conserving energy for months.
• Tedium (नीरसता): The state of being monotonous, boring, or tedious.
• Example: The tedium of doing the same task daily was starting to affect his motivation.

The correct answer is 'to'.

Key Points

• The correct preposition to use in this context is "to."
• The phrase "subordinated to" is commonly used to indicate that one thing is made secondary or less important compared to another.
• Options 1 (at), 2 (for), and 4 (with) are not appropriate prepositions in this context.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

Complete Sentence: "The architect argued that aesthetics should not be subordinated to functionality."

Additional Information

• Option 1: "at" is incorrect because "subordinated at" is not a valid collocation.
• Option 2: "for" is incorrect because it does not fit the meaning of subordination in this sentence.
• Option 4: "with" is incorrect because it does not convey the idea of one thing being secondary to another.

The correct answer is 'is'.

Key Points

• The verb "is" is used in the present tense to describe a condition or state of being.
• The sentence refers to a situation in the present where, if the security protocol is breached, the system responds immediately.
• Options 1, 3, and 4 are incorrect in this context because they do not align with the present tense and the intended meaning of the sentence.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

Complete Sentence: "If the security protocol is breached, the system alerts administrators instantly."

Additional Information

• Option 1: "were" is incorrect because it implies a hypothetical or past situation, which does not fit the given context.
• Option 3: "has" is incorrect because it does not grammatically fit the structure of the sentence.
• Option 4: "had been" is incorrect as it refers to a past perfect scenario, which is not relevant here.

The correct answer is 'undermined'.

Key Points

• The verb "undermined" means to weaken or reduce the effectiveness, power, or ability of something, which fits the context of the sentence.
• The sentence indicates that unforeseen variables negatively impacted the reliability of the experiment's conclusions, making "undermined" the appropriate choice.
• Options 2, 3, and 4 do not align with the intended meaning of the sentence.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

Complete Sentence: "Although the experiment had been meticulously designed, unforeseen variables undermined the reliability of its conclusions."

Additional Information

• Option 2: "bolstered" is incorrect because it means to support or strengthen, which is the opposite of the intended meaning.
• Option 3: "ratified" is incorrect because it means to formally approve or confirm, which does not fit the context.
• Option 4: "exacerbated" is incorrect because it means to make something worse, which does not align with the idea of impacting reliability.

The correct answer is Option 2.

Key Points

• The error lies in the construction of the phrase "or if the statement was merely a strategic ploy."
• The use of "if" is incorrect in this context. It should be replaced with "whether" to maintain parallelism with the earlier "whether" in the sentence.
• The corrected phrase should read: "whether the statement was merely a strategic ploy."
• This ensures proper grammatical structure and consistency in the sentence.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

Correct Sentence: "It remains unclear whether the board intends to implement the proposal or whether the statement was merely a strategic ploy aimed at appeasing shareholders in light of the recent legal setbacks."

Additional Information

• Part 1: "It remains unclear whether the board intends to implement the proposal," – This part of the sentence is grammatically correct and does not require any changes.
• Part 3: "aimed at appeasing shareholders," – This part of the sentence is grammatically correct and does not require any changes.
• Part 4: "in light of the recent legal setbacks." – This part of the sentence is grammatically correct and does not require any changes.

The correct answer is Option 2.

Key Points

• The subject of the clause is singular: "their rhetorical framing."
• The verb "have" is incorrect because it does not match the singular subject.
• The correct verb should be "has" to maintain subject-verb agreement.
• Thus, the error is located in part 2 of the sentence.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

Correct Sentence: "The presumption, not that the policies themselves were ill-conceived but rather that their rhetorical framing—laden with abstractions alien to grassroots discourse—has contributed more to civic apathy than implementation failures per se, reflects a deeper institutional detachment than previously acknowledged."

Additional Information

• Part 1: "The presumption, not that the policies themselves were ill-conceived but rather that their rhetorical framing—laden with abstractions alien to grassroots discourse—" – This part is grammatically correct and does not require any changes.
• Part 3: "than implementation failures per se, reflects a deeper institutional detachment" – This part is also correct as written.
• Part 4: "than previously acknowledged." – This part is grammatically correct and does not require any changes.

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 active voice, the sentence is: "The university may confer honorary degrees upon exceptional scholars."
• To convert to passive voice: Place the object "honorary degrees" at the beginning.
• Change the active verb form "may confer" to "may be conferred" (modal + be + past participle).
• Add the preposition "by" followed by the original subject "the university."

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

Correct Sentence: "Honorary degrees may be conferred upon exceptional scholars by the university."

Additional Information

• Option 1: "Honorary degrees might have been conferred upon exceptional scholars by the university." – Incorrect modal verb and tense.
• Option 3: "Honorary degrees may have conferred upon exceptional scholars by the university." – Incorrect verb structure.
• Option 4: "Honorary degrees must be being conferred upon exceptional scholars by the university." – Incorrect use of modal and tense.

The correct answer is: Option 1.

Key Points

• The word "digest" has multiple meanings depending on its context (a homonym).
• It can mean the process of breaking down food in the body (पाचन in Hindi).
• It can also refer to a compilation or summary of information, especially legal or written material (सारांश in Hindi).
• Explanation of the given context:
• In the sentence, "The legal scholar revised the digest of civil statutes," the word "digest" refers to a summary or compilation of legal statutes (सारांश).
• Correct word in Option 1:
• In Option 1, "He took a tablet to aid his digest after the meal," the word "digest" refers to the process of breaking down food in the body (पाचन).
• Example: After eating a heavy meal, he drank herbal tea to help with digestion.

Therefore, the correct answer is: Option 1.

Additional Information

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

• Option 2: "The magazine's monthly digest reached a million readers."
• Here, "digest" refers to a publication containing a summary of news or information (सारांश).
• Example: The monthly digest provided concise updates on global politics.
• Option 3: "The editor proofread the tax digest overnight."
• Here, "digest" refers to a written summary or compilation of tax-related information (सारांश).
• Example: The tax digest included the latest updates in tax laws.
• Option 4: "The court referenced an old digest of maritime law."
• Here, "digest" refers to a summary or compilation of maritime laws (सारांश).
• Example: The historical digest of maritime law is often cited in legal cases.

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 instructions have been misunderstood by many candidates."
• To convert to active voice: Place the subject "many candidates" at the beginning.
• Change the passive verb form "have been misunderstood" to its active form "have misunderstood."

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

Correct Sentence: "Many candidates have misunderstood the instructions."

Additional Information

• Option 1: "Many candidates misunderstood the instructions." – Incorrect as it changes the tense from present perfect to simple past.
• Option 2: "Many candidates have misunderstood the instructions." – Correct as it maintains the present perfect tense of the original sentence.
• Option 3: "The instructions misunderstood the candidates." – Incorrect as the subject and object are swapped and the meaning changes.
• Option 4: "The candidates misunderstand the instructions." – Incorrect as it changes the tense from present perfect to simple present.

The correct answer is: It is central to business strategy. The author highlights that CSR is now integrated into core business strategies, emphasizing its significance in driving sustainable growth and aligning with modern societal expectations.

The correct answer is: Investing in renewable energy.

This reflects purpose-driven CSR as it aligns with long-term sustainability goals, showcasing genuine commitment to societal and environmental well-being rather than superficial actions.

The correct answer is: option 3 (Through intent and impact). The author emphasizes genuine CSR by focusing on the authenticity of a company's intentions and the measurable impact of their actions, distinguishing it from superficial efforts.

The correct answer is: It enforces minimum standards.

Legislation plays a vital role in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by ensuring businesses adhere to minimum standards, promoting ethical practices and accountability, as highlighted in the passage.

The correct answer is: Option 3 (They demand ethical transparency).

Millennials and Gen Z are considered important in CSR discourse because they prioritize ethical transparency and expect businesses to align with social and environmental values.

The correct answer is 'No improvement'.

Key Points

• The word "lest" is used to express a fear or a precaution.
• It is followed by either should or the subjunctive base form of the verb.
• The original phrase "lest he should fall" is grammatically correct and standard.
• Option 3, "lest he fall," is also grammatically correct, but as the original sentence is correct as written, no improvement is required.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 5.

Complete Sentence: "He walked slowly lest he should fall."

Additional Information

• Option 1: "in order to not fall" is incorrect as it doesn't fit the structure of the sentence.
• Option 2: "so that he may not fall" is wordy and less precise.
• Option 4: "for fear of falling" changes the grammatical structure.

The correct answer is 'well'.

Key Points

• The adverb "well" is used to describe how someone performs an action, specifically in a skillful or effective manner.
• In this context, "He speaks English" requires an adverb to modify the verb "speaks" appropriately.
• Option 1 (very good) is incorrect because "good" is an adjective, and the phrase would still be grammatically incorrect.
• Option 2 (nicely) is incorrect because it does not convey the intended meaning of proficiency in speaking English.
• Option 3 (fluently) is incorrect because the sentence does not explicitly refer to fluency but rather to speaking skill in general.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

Complete Sentence: "He speaks English well."

Additional Information

• Option 1: "very good" is not suitable as "good" is an adjective and cannot modify the verb "speaks" directly.
• Option 2: "nicely" is grammatically correct but does not convey the intended meaning of skill or proficiency.
• Option 3: "fluently" specifically refers to the ability to speak a language smoothly and accurately, which is not the focus of the original sentence.

The correct answer is Option 3.

Key Points

• Indirect Speech: She said that her parents would arrive that day.
• Key Conversions:
• "today" becomes "that day"
• The adverb "today" is replaced with "that day" in indirect speech.
• "will arrive" becomes "would arrive"
• The future tense "will" is changed to "would" to match the indirect speech format.
• Reporting verb:
• Direct: "She said,"
• Indirect: "She said that" is used to introduce the reported clause.
• Punctuation and Format:
• Quotation marks are removed in indirect speech.
• The sentence is written in a declarative structure.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

Correct Sentence: "She said that her parents would arrive that day."

Additional Information

• Option 1: "She said that her parents will arrive that day."
• Incorrect tense: "will" should be changed to "would" in indirect speech.
• Option 2: "She said her parents would arrive today."
• Incorrect adverb: "today" should be replaced with "that day" in indirect speech.
• Option 4: "She said her parents would be arriving today."
• Incorrect adverb: "today" should be changed to "that day."
• The use of "would be arriving" is not as accurate as "would arrive" in this context.

The correct answer is Option 1.

Key Points

• Indirect Speech: He said that he wished to speak with the manager.
• Key Conversions:
• "he wished to speak" becomes "I wish to speak"
• Pronoun "he" is converted to "I" to match direct speech.
• Verb "wished" is changed to "wish" to match the present tense in direct speech.
• Punctuation and Format:
• Direct speech is enclosed in quotation marks.
• Starts with a capital letter "I" and ends with a period ".".
• Reporting clause follows the quoted speech, starting with a lowercase letter after the comma.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

Correct Sentence: "“I wish to speak with the manager,” he said."

Additional Information

• Option 2: "I want to speak with the manager," he said.
• The word "want" changes the tone and meaning, suggesting a stronger desire rather than a polite wish.
• Option 3: "I wished to speak with the manager," he said.
• Tense is incorrect: "wished" implies past, whereas the original sentence indicates a present wish.
• Option 4: "May I speak with the manager?" he said.
• Changes the sentence into a question, altering the original statement format.

The correct answer is Option 1.

Key Points

• The paragraph begins by introducing the role and importance of research in academic and scientific progress.
• Sentence 2 is the first sentence as it establishes the foundational role of research:
• "Research is a foundational pillar of academic and scientific progress."
• Sentence 1 follows as it defines research in a systematic manner:
• "It is a process that involves the systematic and objective investigation of a subject to discover new facts or to confirm existing ones."
• Sentence 3 is the third sentence as it elaborates on the two types of research:
• "This can be either theoretical, aiming to expand knowledge, or applied, seeking to solve a practical problem."
• Sentence 4 is the final sentence as it concludes by mentioning the documentation and peer-review process:
• "The findings of this investigation are then documented and peer-reviewed to ensure validity and credibility."
• The correct sequence is 2, 1, 3, 4.

Coherent paragraph after rearrangement:

"Research is a foundational pillar of academic and scientific progress. It is a process that involves the systematic and objective investigation of a subject to discover new facts or to confirm existing ones. This can be either theoretical, aiming to expand knowledge, or applied, seeking to solve a practical problem. The findings of this investigation are then documented and peer-reviewed to ensure validity and credibility."

The correct answer is Option 1.

Key Points

• The paragraph aims to establish strategies for mitigating climate change and reducing reliance on carbon-intensive energy production.
• Sentence 2 is the first sentence as it introduces the global community's goal:
• "To mitigate the worst effects of climate change, the global community must drastically reduce its reliance on carbon-intensive energy production."
• Sentence 1 follows as it elaborates on the key strategy to achieve the goal:
• "A key strategy is to diversify energy sources, transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable alternatives like solar, wind, and geothermal power."
• Sentence 3 is the third sentence as it explains the benefits of this shift:
• "This shift not only decreases greenhouse gas emissions but also improves air quality and creates new economic opportunities."
• Sentence 4 is the fourth sentence as it highlights additional policies to complement the strategy:
• "Additionally, policies that promote energy efficiency in buildings and transportation can further lower overall energy consumption."
• The correct sequence is 2, 1, 3, 4.

Coherent paragraph after rearrangement:

"To mitigate the worst effects of climate change, the global community must drastically reduce its reliance on carbon-intensive energy production. A key strategy is to diversify energy sources, transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable alternatives like solar, wind, and geothermal power. This shift not only decreases greenhouse gas emissions but also improves air quality and creates new economic opportunities. Additionally, policies that promote energy efficiency in buildings and transportation can further lower overall energy consumption."