English Comprehension PYQs

The correct answer is 'themselves during the holidays'.

 

Key Points

• The phrase "enjoyed themselves" is the correct reflexive construction used when the subject and object of the action are the same.
• The word "themselves" is required to complete the reflexive structure of the sentence.
• Option 1 and Option 2 are incorrect as they do not use the reflexive pronoun "themselves."
• Option 4 is incorrect because it uses "in holidays" instead of "during the holidays," which is grammatically incorrect.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

 

Complete Sentence:"They enjoyed themselves during the holidays."

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: "enjoyment in the holidays" is incorrect because "enjoyment" is a noun and does not fit the context of the sentence, which requires a verb.
• Option 2: "enjoyed in the holidays" is incorrect because it does not include the reflexive pronoun "themselves" to indicate who is performing the action.
• Option 4: "themselves in holidays" is grammatically incorrect because it uses "in holidays" instead of the correct phrase "during the holidays."

The correct answer is Option 2.

 

Key Points

• Indirect Speech: She mentioned that she was working on a classified project.
• Key Conversions:
• "She was working" becomes "I am working"
• Tense conversion: past continuous ("was working") is changed to present continuous ("am working") in direct speech.
• Pronoun change: "she" becomes "I" to match direct speech.
• Reporting verb:
• Indirect: "mentioned"
• Converted to: "said," which is more common 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 2.

 

Correct Sentence: "**She said, "I am working on a classified project."

Additional Information

• Option 1: "She said, 'I work on a classified project.'"
• Incorrect tense: "work" (simple present) does not match the continuous nature of "was working" in indirect speech.
• Option 3: "She said, 'I had worked on a classified project.'"
• Incorrect tense: "had worked" (past perfect) does not match the continuous nature of "was working" in indirect speech.
• Option 4: "She said, 'I will work on a classified project.'"
• Incorrect tense: "will work" (future tense) does not match the ongoing action in "was working."

The correct answer is Option 4.

 

Key Points

• Indirect Speech: Rita requested to close the window.
• Key Conversions:
• "Please close the window" becomes "requested to close the window"
• The word "please" indicates a polite request.
• The reporting verb is converted to "requested" to reflect politeness.
• The phrase "to close the window" directly conveys the action being requested.
• Punctuation and Format:
• Direct speech is converted to indirect speech without quotation marks.
• The verb "requested" is followed by the infinitive "to close" to properly convey the polite request.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

 

Correct Sentence: "Rita requested to close the window."

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: "Rita asked to close the window."
• The word "asked" is not as polite as "requested" and does not fully convey the tone of the original sentence.
• Option 2: "Rita said to close the window."
• The word "said" is neutral and does not reflect the polite request implied by "please."
• Option 3: "Rita requested that the window is closed."
• The structure is grammatically incorrect; the phrase "the window is closed" is not the appropriate indirect speech conversion.

The correct answer is Option 2.

Key Points

• The paragraph begins with Sentence 1, which introduces protein folding as the central topic:
• "Protein folding determines its biological function."
• Sentence 3 follows as it explains the mechanism of correct folding:
• "Molecular chaperones assist in correct folding."
• Sentence 2 comes next, as it highlights the consequences of misfolding:
• "Misfolding can lead to diseases like Alzheimer's."
• Sentence 4 concludes the paragraph by discussing advancements in AI tools for protein structure prediction:
• "AI tools like AlphaFold predict structures accurately."
• The correct sequence is 1-3-2-4.

Coherent paragraph after rearrangement:

"Protein folding determines its biological function. Molecular chaperones assist in correct folding. Misfolding can lead to diseases like Alzheimer's. AI tools like AlphaFold predict structures accurately."

The correct answer is Option 2.

Key Points

• The paragraph discusses the challenges posed by the proliferation of information online and emphasizes the importance of media literacy and critical evaluation skills.
• Sentence 2 is the first sentence as it introduces the immense proliferation of information available online:
• "The proliferation of information online is immense."
• Sentence 3 follows as it highlights the issue of accuracy and bias in the information available:
• "Not all information is accurate or unbiased."
• Sentence 1 comes next as it emphasizes the importance of critically evaluating the sources of information:
• "Therefore, critical evaluation of sources is paramount."
• Sentence 4 is the final sentence as it concludes the paragraph by stressing the necessity of media literacy skills:
• "Media literacy skills are essential for navigating this landscape."
• The correct sequence is 2-3-1-4.

Coherent paragraph after rearrangement:

"The proliferation of information online is immense. Not all information is accurate or unbiased. Therefore, critical evaluation of sources is paramount. Media literacy skills are essential for navigating this landscape."

The correct answer is option 3.

Key Points

The correctly spelt word is 'resurrection'.

• The word 'resurrection' refers to the act of restoring or reviving something that was dead or forgotten.
• The word 'resurrection' is a noun and is often used in historical, religious, or metaphorical contexts. (पुनर्जीवन)
• For Example -
• The resurrection of ancient manuscripts involves careful preservation techniques.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'resurrection'.

Additional Information

Explanation of the incorrect options - 

• Resurection - Misspelled version of 'resurrection.'
• Ressurection - Incorrect spelling due to additional 's'.
• Resurraction - Misspelled due to incorrect usage of 'a' instead of 'e.'

The correct answer is: Option 3 i.e. Archaeology.

Key Points

• The word "Anthropology" refers to the study of humans, human behavior, and societies in the past and present. (मानव विज्ञान)
• Example: Anthropologists study the rituals and customs of indigenous tribes to understand their culture.
• The word "Archaeology" refers to the scientific study of ancient societies through their material remains, such as artifacts, structures, and monuments. (पुरातत्व विज्ञान)
• Example: Archaeologists discovered ancient pottery fragments during the excavation of the site.
• Hence, the professor who specializes in the study of ancient societies would be engaged in "Archaeology".

Therefore, the correct answer is: Option 3.

Additional Information

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

• Anthropology (मानव विज्ञान): The study of humans, their behavior, and cultures across time.
• Example: The anthropology department is conducting research on the social structures of early civilizations.
• Sociology (समाजशास्त्र): The study of human society, its development, and functioning.
• Example: Sociology helps us understand the dynamics of modern urban life.
• Paleontology (जीवाश्म विज्ञान): The scientific study of fossils and ancient life forms.
• Example: Paleontologists uncovered dinosaur fossils from millions of years ago during their expedition.

The correct answer is: Deception.

Key Points

• The word "CHICANERY" refers to the use of trickery or deception to achieve a purpose, often in legal, political, or business matters. (छल कपट)
• Example: The politician was accused of chicanery for misleading the public with false promises.
• "Deception" means the act of deceiving someone by hiding the truth or giving a false impression, typically for personal gain. (धोखा)
• Example: His deception led everyone to believe he was an expert in the field, but he lacked actual knowledge.
• Hence, chicanery directly aligns with deception in meaning.

Therefore, the correct answer is: Deception.

Additional Information

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

• Truth (सत्य): Something that is factual and conforms to reality.
• Example: The truth about the incident was finally revealed after the investigation.
• Honesty (ईमानदारी): The quality of being truthful, sincere, and free from deceit.
• Example: His honesty earned him the respect of his colleagues.
• Loyalty (वफादारी): The quality of being faithful and committed to someone or something.
• Example: Her loyalty to her friends was evident during difficult times.

The correct answer is: Option 3.

Key Points

• The word "Furtive" means attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive or sneaky. (चोरी-छुपे)
• Example: He cast a furtive glance at the teacher before hiding the note.
• "Open" refers to something that is not secretive, hidden, or covert; it is transparent and accessible to everyone. (खुला)
• Example: The government promised to maintain an open policy regarding public health issues.
• Hence, the antonym of "Furtive" is "Open".

Therefore, the correct answer is: Option 3.

Additional Information

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

• Covert (गुप्त): Not openly acknowledged or displayed; secretive.
• Example: They conducted a covert operation to gather intelligence.
• Sneaky (धूर्त): Acting in a stealthy or underhanded manner to avoid detection.
• Example: The sneaky child took another cookie when no one was looking.
• Stealthy (चुपके से): Behaving in a cautious and surreptitious manner to avoid being seen or heard.
• Example: The cat moved stealthily toward the bird without making a sound.

The correct answer is: Option 2 i.e. "Put on a brave front despite fear".

Key Points

• The idiom "Whistle in the dark" refers to pretending to be confident or putting on a brave front despite fear or uncertainty. (डर या अनिश्चितता के बावजूद साहसी दिखना)
• Example: He was nervous about the exam results but tried to whistle in the dark by acting cheerful in front of his friends.
• The correct meaning of the idiom is "Put on a brave front despite fear". (डर के बावजूद साहसी दिखने का प्रयास करना)
• Example: Even though she was scared of the surgery, she whistled in the dark to comfort her family.

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: Speak without clarity (स्पष्टता के बिना बोलना): Refers to speaking in a vague or unclear manner.
• Example: His presentation lacked preparation, and he spoke without clarity.
• Option 3: Refuse to take sides (पक्ष लेने से मना करना): Refers to staying neutral in a situation or conflict.
• Example: She refused to take sides in the argument between her two best friends.
• Option 4: Enjoy loneliness (अकेलेपन का आनंद लेना): Refers to finding pleasure in being alone or spending time with oneself.
• Example: He enjoys loneliness and often goes on solo trips to relax.

The correct answer is: Option 2 i.e. Great uproar that signifies nothing.

Key Points

• The idiom "Sound and fury" refers to a lot of loud and passionate noise or commotion that ultimately has no meaning or result. (शोर-शराबा जो अंततः व्यर्थ हो)
• Example: The argument between the two leaders was full of sound and fury but led to no concrete decision.
• The correct explanation of this idiom is "Great uproar that signifies nothing". (महान शोरगुल जो किसी परिणाम का संकेत नहीं देता)
• Example: His angry speech was a lot of sound and fury, but it didn’t change anyone’s opinion.
• Hence, the idiom emphasizes situations or actions that are dramatic but lack substance or significance.

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: Echoes of truth from the past (अतीत से सत्य की गूंज): Refers to remnants or reflections of truth that are remembered from previous events.
• Example: His words carried echoes of truth from the past, reminding everyone of the hardships they overcame.
• Option 3: Confession followed by silence (स्वीकृति के बाद मौन): Refers to admitting something and then remaining silent afterward.
• Example: After his confession, there was a prolonged silence in the courtroom.
• Option 4: Loud actions with enduring impact (प्रभावशाली जोरदार कार्य): Refers to actions that are dramatic and leave a lasting impression.
• Example: Her speech was full of loud actions with enduring impact, inspiring everyone in the audience.
• Option 5: No further explanation required as there is no additional context provided for Option 5.

The correct answer is option 2.

Key Points

The misspelled word is 'Feaseable'.

• The correct spelling would be 'Feasible'.
• The word 'Feasible' is an adjective which means 'capable of being done or achieved'. (संभव)
• For Example -
• It is not feasible to complete the project within one week.

Therefore, the correct answer would be 'Feasible'.

Additional Information

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

• Feaseable - Incorrect spelling of 'Feasible'.
• Fiesible - Another incorrect spelling of 'Feasible'.
• Fiesable - Incorrect variation of the word 'Feasible'.

The correct answer is option 2.

Key Points

The correct spelling is 'Prevaricate'.

• The word 'Prevaricate' means to speak or act in an evasive way or avoid the truth.
• It is a verb and is often used to describe someone who avoids answering questions directly.
• For Example -
• When asked about his involvement in the incident, he began to prevaricate instead of giving a clear answer.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Prevaricate'.

Additional Information

Explanation of incorrect options:

• Prevericate - Incorrect spelling of the word 'Prevaricate'.
• Prevarricate - Incorrect spelling with an additional 'r'.
• Privaricate - Incorrect spelling with a 'v' instead of the correct letter 'r'.

The correct answer is: Option 2) Bibliophile.

Key Points

• The word "Philatelist" refers to a person who collects or studies stamps. (डाक टिकट संग्राहक)
• Example: My uncle is a philatelist and owns a remarkable collection of rare stamps.
• The word "Bibliophile" refers to a person who loves and collects books. (पुस्तक प्रेमी)
• Example: As a bibliophile, she spent hours browsing bookstores and adding rare editions to her collection.
• Hence, the correct one-word substitute for "A person who loves and collects books" is "Bibliophile."

Therefore, the correct answer is: Option 2) Bibliophile.

Additional Information

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

• Philatelist (डाक टिकट संग्राहक): A person who collects or studies stamps.
• Example: The philatelist displayed his collection of rare stamps at the exhibition.
• Calligrapher (सुलेखक): A person skilled in the art of beautiful handwriting.
• Example: The wedding invitations were crafted by a professional calligrapher.
• Archivist (संग्रहपाल): A person responsible for preserving and organizing historical records or documents.
• Example: The archivist spent years cataloging the ancient manuscripts.

The correct answer is 'superfluous'.

 

Key Points

• The word "superfluous" means unnecessary or redundant, which fits the context of eliminating dialogue that is not needed.
• Option 2 "superfluity" refers to the state of being superfluous, which does not fit grammatically in this sentence.
• Option 3 "superfluously" is an adverb and does not fit the sentence structure.
• Option 4 "superfluousness" is a noun and is not suitable in this sentence.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

 

Complete Sentence: "The director demanded the screenplay be revised to eliminate superfluous dialogue."

 

Additional Information

• Option 2: "superfluity" is incorrect as it refers to a state or condition and cannot describe the type of dialogue.
• Option 3: "superfluously" is incorrect as it is an adverb and does not align with the sentence structure.
• Option 4: "superfluousness" is incorrect as it is a noun and does not fit grammatically.

The correct answer is Option 1.

 

Key Points

• The error lies in part (1) of the sentence: "To ensure every participant be heard."
• The use of "be" in this context is incorrect. The correct structure should be "To ensure every participant is heard."
• In formal or standard English, "is" is used to convey the correct tense and agreement with the subject.
• Thus, part (1) contains the grammatical error.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

 

Correct Sentence: "To ensure every participant is heard, the chairperson requested that questions be submitted in advance and that moderators be assigned to each group."

 

Additional Information

• (2): "the chairperson requested that questions" – This part of the sentence is grammatically correct and does not require any changes.
• (3): "be submitted in advance and that" – This part of the sentence is grammatically correct and does not require any changes.
• (4): "moderators be assigned to each group." – This part of the sentence is grammatically correct and does not require any changes.

The correct answer is Option 1.

 

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 audience applauded the singer enthusiastically."
• To convert to passive voice: Place the object "the singer" at the beginning.
• Change the active verb form "applauded" to "was applauded" (past simple passive).
• Add the preposition "by" followed by the original subject "the audience."
• Ensure the adverb "enthusiastically" remains in the sentence for clarity.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

 

Correct Sentence: "The singer was applauded enthusiastically by the audience."

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: "The singer was applauded enthusiastically by the audience." – This is the correct passive voice version of the sentence.
• Option 2: "The singer is applauded enthusiastically by the audience." – Incorrect tense (present simple passive).
• Option 3: "The singer has been applauded enthusiastically by the audience." – Incorrect tense (present perfect passive).
• Option 4: "The singer was being applauded enthusiastically by the audience." – Incorrect use of past continuous passive.

The correct answer is Option 3.

 

Key Points

• The primary issue in the sentence is the use of the plural form "evidences."
• In English grammar, "evidence" is an uncountable (or mass) noun.
• Uncountable nouns cannot be counted individually and do not take a plural "-s" suffix.
• The correct phrase should be "no evidence," ensuring grammatical correctness and proper agreement with the singular verb "was" later in the sentence.
• Thus, the error is located in part 3 of the sentence.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

 

Correct Sentence: "The official, addressing the press yesterday, claimed that the matter had been resolved though no evidence supporting the statement was ever made available."

 

Additional Information

• 1: "The official, addressing the press yesterday," – This part of the sentence is grammatically correct and properly uses a participial phrase.
• 2: "claimed that the matter had been resolved" – This part is grammatically correct, using the past perfect tense to indicate an action completed before the past claim.
• 4: "was ever made available." – This part is grammatically correct. The singular verb "was" perfectly agrees with the corrected singular noun "evidence."

The correct answer is: Option 1 i.e. "They used lead pipes in old construction."

Key Points

• The word "lead" (in the question) is a verb that means to guide or direct a group, organization, or activity. (नेतृत्व करना)
• Example: She was chosen to lead the project because of her excellent management skills.
• The word "lead" (in Option 1) is a noun that refers to a type of metal, commonly used in construction and plumbing in the past. (सीसा)
• Example: The pipes in old houses were often made of lead, which is now known to be hazardous to health.
• Both words are spelled the same but have different meanings and pronunciations, making them homonyms.

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: He tried to lead the meeting professionally. (नेतृत्व करना): Refers to the same meaning as the highlighted word in the question.
• Example: She will lead the discussion on climate change at the conference.
• Option 3: She leads the choir every Sunday. (नेतृत्व करना): This also refers to guiding or directing, similar to the highlighted word.
• Example: He leads the team with great energy and enthusiasm.
• Option 4: He wrote a report on leadership styles. (नेतृत्व): Refers to the concept or styles of leading, not a homonym of the word "lead."
• Example: Leadership styles vary greatly among different organizations.

The correct answer is Option 1.

 

Key Points

• Passive voice structure: The object of the active voice sentence becomes the subject of the passive voice sentence.
• In the passive voice, the sentence is: "Was the conclusion reached by the jury after reviewing all the evidence?"
• To convert to active voice: Identify the subject "the jury" and make it the subject of the active voice sentence.
• Change the verb structure: "was reached" becomes "did reach."
• Ensure the time phrase and object, "after reviewing all the evidence," remain intact for clarity.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

 

Correct Sentence: "Did the jury reach the conclusion after reviewing all the evidence?"

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: "Did the jury reach the conclusion after reviewing all the evidence?" – This is the correct active voice conversion.
• Option 2: "Was all the evidence reviewed after reaching a conclusion by the jury?" – Incorrect as it remains in passive voice.
• Option 3: "Had the jury reached a conclusion by the time the evidence was reviewed?" – Incorrect tense (past perfect).
• Option 4: "Did the evidence conclude the jury's review?" – Incorrect meaning as it changes the intended subject.