English Comprehension PYQs

The correct answer is 'toot her own horn'.

 

Key Points

• The idiom 'toot one's own horn' means to boast or brag about one's own achievements, talents, or abilities, especially to draw attention to oneself.
• In the context of the sentence, Radhika is described as someone who focuses on working and achieving success quietly without seeking public praise or showing off.
• Therefore, the idiom 'toot her own horn' fits perfectly to describe what she avoids doing.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Complete Sentence: Radhika does not like to toot her own horn. She simply goes on working and achieving success in her life.

Additional Information

• A synonymous idiom for 'toot one's own horn' is 'blow one's own trumpet', which is more common in British English.
• The other phrases like 'sharpen her own horn', 'colour her own horn', and 'anoint her own horn' are not standard English idioms and carry no specific meaning in this context.

The correct answer is Option(1) i.e. 'Trustworthy'.

Key Points

• The word 'reliable' means someone or something that can be trusted to do what is expected or has been promised; it refers to consistency in quality or performance. (विश्वसनीय/भरोसेमंद)
• Example: Having a reliable car is essential for someone who has to commute a long distance every day.
• 'Trustworthy' refers to a person or thing that is able to be relied on as honest or truthful; it is synonymous with being dependable. (भरोसेमंद)
• Example: The manager needed a trustworthy employee to handle the company's financial accounts.
• Hence, we can infer that the most appropriate synonym of 'reliable' is 'trustworthy'.

Therefore, the correct answer is- Trustworthy.

Additional Information

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

• Uncertain (अनिश्चित): Something that is not known or definite; a state of doubt.
• Example: The weather forecast remains uncertain, so we might have to cancel the outdoor picnic.
• Untrue (असत्य): Something that is not in accordance with fact or reality.
• Example: She claimed that the accusations made against her were completely untrue.
• False (गलत/असत्य): Something that is not correct or true; often used for a statement or information.
• Example: Providing false information on a legal document can lead to serious consequences.

The correct answer is melodies.

Key Points

• In the given sentence, the word meloudies is misspelt. The correct spelling is melodies, which is the plural form of the noun melody.
• The word melodies refers to a sequence of musical notes that are musically satisfying or a primary part of a musical composition.
• The spelling error in meloudies involves the incorrect addition of the letter u. In English orthography, the long o sound in this specific word is represented by a single o, not the ou digraph found in words like cloud or loud.
• According to standard pluralization rules, when a word ends in a consonant followed by the letter y (such as melody), the y is dropped and replaced with ies to form the plural. Therefore, melody correctly becomes melodies.

 Additional Information

• Musician
• This term refers to a person who is talented in making music, especially as a profession.
• It is derived from the Old French word musicien and the Latin root musica.
• Profound
• An adjective used to describe a state, quality, or emotion that is very great or intense, or a person showing great knowledge or insight.
• The word originates from the Latin term profundus, meaning deep or bottomless.
• Symbolism
• This is a literary and artistic device where symbols are used to represent ideas or qualities.
• It stems from the Greek word symbolon, which refers to a mark, token, or sign used for identification.

The correct answer is: silhouette.

Key Points

• The word 'silhouette' refers to the dark shape and outline of someone or something visible against a lighter background, especially in dim light. (छायाचित्र)
• Example: The silhouette of the dome stood out against the evening sky.
• The correct spelling of the word is 'silhouette', which is sometimes misspelt as 'silhouete' or 'silhoute' by omitting the double 't' or the letter 'e'. (छायाचित्र)
• Example: He recognized his brother's silhouette in the dark corridor.
• Hence, we can infer that the misspelt word is 'silhouette'.

Therefore, the correct answer is: silhouette.

Additional Information

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

• Etiquette (शिष्टाचार): The customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group.
• Example: He was deeply schooled in the etiquette of the royal court.
• Corvette (एक छोटा युद्धपोत): A small warship designed for convoy escort duty.
• Example: The naval fleet included a highly advanced corvette.
• Cassette (कैसेट): A sealed plastic unit containing a length of magnetic tape, used for recording and playing back sound or video.
• Example: She found an old cassette player in the attic.

The correct answer is Option(4) i.e. Emptied.

Key Points

• The word 'filled' means to make a container, space, or area full, or to occupy all the available space in something. (भरा हुआ)
• Example: The room was filled with the pleasant aroma of freshly baked bread.
• 'Emptied' refers to the action of removing all the contents from a container or place; it is the direct opposite of filling. (खाली किया)
• Example: After the party, she emptied all the trash cans into the large bin outside.
• Hence, we can infer that the opposite of 'filled' is 'emptied'.

Therefore, the correct answer is- Emptied.

Additional Information

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

• Packed (खचाखच भरा हुआ): This means something is completely full of people or things, often to its limit.
• Example: The stadium was packed with thousands of fans for the championship game.
• Crowded (भीड़भाड़ वाला): This refers to a space that is full of people, sometimes making it difficult to move.
• Example: The crowded street market was full of tourists and local shoppers.
• Loaded (लदा हुआ): This means carrying or having a large or heavy amount of something inside or on top.
• Example: The delivery truck was loaded with heavy boxes for the new department store.

The correct answer is 'sew'.

 

Key Points

• The word 'sew' means to join, fasten, or repair something by making stitches with a needle and thread. (सिलाई करना)
• Since the sentence mentions a tailor and the process of stitching, 'sew' is the only contextually appropriate word among the given options.
• The words 'sow', 'sew', and 'so' are homophones—words that sound similar but have different meanings and spellings.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Complete Sentence: The tailor had to sew the cloth before stitching it.

Additional Information

• Sow (बोना): To plant seeds by scattering them on or in the earth.
• So (इसलिए/इतना): Used as an adverb to mean 'to such a great extent' or as a conjunction meaning 'and for this reason'.
• Saw (आरी/देखा): A hand tool for cutting wood or other hard materials, or the past tense of the verb 'see'.

The correct answer is: Homonym.

Key Points

• The phrase 'A word that has the same spelling or sound as another but a different meaning' refers to words that look or sound identical but represent entirely different concepts. (समान वर्तनी या ध्वनि वाले शब्द जिनका अर्थ भिन्न हो)
• Example: The word 'bark' can refer to the sound a dog makes or the outer covering of a tree trunk.
• 'Homonym' is the specific term used for a word that is spelled or pronounced like another word but has a different meaning. (अनेकार्थक शब्द)
• Example: 'Fair' can mean equitable, or it can refer to a traveling exhibition or circus.
• Therefore, the correct answer is- Homonym.

Additional Information

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

• Synonym (पर्यायवाची): A word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same language.
• Example: 'Happy' and 'Joyful' are synonyms because they convey similar emotions.
• Antonym (विलोम): A word that is opposite in meaning to another word.
• Example: 'Hot' is the antonym of 'Cold'.
• Acronym (संक्षिप्तीक्षर): An abbreviation formed from the initial letters of other words and pronounced as a word.
• Example: 'NASA' is an acronym for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The correct answer is 'in lieu of'.

 

Key Points

• The prepositional phrase 'in lieu of' is used to mean 'instead of' or 'in place of'.
• In employment and professional contexts, it is frequently used to indicate that one benefit (like leave) is being provided as a substitute for something else (like working on a holiday).
• The sentence indicates that the two days' leave is a compensatory substitute for the effort of working during a holiday, making 'in lieu of' the most appropriate choice.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

 

Complete Sentence: 'The school allowed teachers to take two days' leave in lieu of working on the holiday.'

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: 'in addition to' means 'as well as' or 'besides'. This would imply the leave was added to something else rather than replacing the holiday work.
• Option 2: 'because of' means 'due to' or 'by reason of'. While working is the reason for the leave, it doesn't capture the sense of compensatory substitution that 'in lieu of' does.
• Option 4: 'regarding' means 'about' or 'with reference to', which does not fit the grammatical or logical structure of the sentence.

The correct answer is The treaty was signed by the two kings just before the battle began..

Key Points

• Analyze the sentence structure in Active Voice: The two kings (Subject) + signed (Verb in Simple Past) + the treaty (Object) + just before the battle began (Adverbial Clause).
• Identify the tense of the main verb: The word signed is the V2 (Simple Past) form of the verb sign.
• Apply the Passive Voice conversion rule for the Simple Past Tense: The structure changes to New Subject (Original Object) + was/were + V3 (Past Participle) + by + New Object (Original Subject).
• Determine the auxiliary verb: Since the new subject, The treaty, is singular, the auxiliary verb was is used instead of were.
• Convert the main verb to its Past Participle (V3) form: The third form of sign remains signed.
• Retain the Adverbial Clause: The phrase just before the battle began describes the timing of the action and remains unchanged at the end of the sentence.
• Final Construction: The treaty (Subject) + was signed (Passive Verb) + by the two kings (Agent) + just before the battle began.

 Additional Information

• Understanding Voice conversion across different tenses:
• Past Perfect Tense: If the active voice is had signed, the passive becomes had been signed. This is used for actions completed before another point in the past.
• Simple Present Tense: If the active voice is signs, the passive becomes is/am/are signed. This is used for habitual actions or general truths.
• Simple Future Tense: If the active voice is will sign, the passive becomes will be signed.
• Transitive Verbs: Only verbs that take an object can be transformed into passive voice because the object must become the new subject.
• The use of the preposition by is essential to introduce the agent or the doer of the action in a passive construction.

The correct answer is Thousands of enthusiastic supporters attended the victory celebrations.

Key Points

• The original sentence is written in the Passive Voice within the Simple Past Tense (also known as Past Indefinite).
• The Passive Voice structure for the Simple Past is: Object + was/were + V3 (Past Participle) + by + Subject (Agent). In this case, 'The victory celebrations' is the object, 'were attended' is the verb, and 'thousands of enthusiastic supporters' is the agent.
• To transform a sentence into the Active Voice, the Agent (the one performing the action) must become the Subject of the sentence.
• The Active Voice structure for the Simple Past Tense is: Subject + V2 (Past Tense Verb) + Object.
• The V2 (second form) of the verb 'attend' is attended. The auxiliary verb 'were' is removed during the conversion to active voice.
• By following these rules, 'Thousands of enthusiastic supporters' moves to the front, followed by the verb 'attended', and finally the original subject 'the victory celebrations' becomes the Object.

 Additional Information

• Voice and Tense Consistency: One of the fundamental rules of voice conversion is that the Tense of the sentence must never change. If the passive sentence is in the past, the active sentence must remain in the past.
• Tense Identification in Distractors:
• Simple Present Tense: Using the base verb 'attend' indicates a routine or general truth, which incorrectly shifts the timeline from the past to the present.
• Present Continuous Tense: The construction 'are attending' represents an action happening at the current moment, which does not match the completed past action 'were attended'.
• Past Perfect Tense: The form 'had attended' is used to describe an action completed before another past event. Since there is no such secondary past reference in the original sentence, this tense is inappropriate.
• Grammar Breakdown:
• Subject: The doer of the action (Thousands of enthusiastic supporters).
• Verb (V2): The action performed in the past (attended).
• Direct Object: The entity receiving the action (The victory celebrations).

The correct answer is 'under'.

 

Key Points

• The correct preposition to fill in the blank is 'under'.
• The phrase 'go under the knife' is a common idiomatic expression meaning to have a medical operation or surgical procedure.
• In the given sentence, the words 'patient' and 'ICU' (Intensive Care Unit) confirm that the context is medical, making the idiom appropriate.
• The other options like 'below' or 'after' do not form a standard idiom with 'knife' in a medical context.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

 

Complete Sentence: 'The patient went under the knife yesterday and is in the ICU now.'

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: 'ower' appears to be a misspelling and is not a valid preposition in this context.
• Option 3: 'below' generally means at a lower level or position, but it is not used in the specific idiom for undergoing surgery.
• Option 4: 'after' refers to time or following behind someone, which does not fit the meaning of undergoing an operation.

The correct answer is Option 2.

Key Points

• The paragraph follows a narrative structure, starting with a crisis, followed by a moment of despair, and concluding with a successful resolution.
• S1 is the fixed first sentence as it establishes the setting and the primary conflict:
• 'The dove Chitrani passed by the same place with her family, but being off their guard, they all flew into the net and were captured.'
• Sentence C follows S1 as it introduces a rhetorical question reflecting the immediate concern of the captured birds:
• 'What was to be done?'
• Sentence A follows C as it continues the sequence of rhetorical questions, intensifying the gravity of the situation:
• 'How could they escape from certain death?'
• Sentence D is the third in the sequence because it answers the previous questions by expressing the initial sense of hopelessness and despair:
• 'There was in fact no escape, no hope of obtaining their liberty.'
• Sentence B follows D as the turning point of the story, where the birds take collective action just as the danger (the fowler) approaches:
• 'Already the fowler was running up to seize his prey when all at once under the impulse of danger they took to flight together, carrying with them the net that enclosed them.'
• S2 is the fixed last sentence, confirming the outcome of the action described in B:
• 'So they succeeded in escaping, and the fowler... was not a little surprised when he saw them fly away with his nets.'
• The correct logical sequence is CADB.

Coherent paragraph after rearrangement:

'The dove Chitrani passed by the same place with her family, but being off their guard, they all flew into the net and were captured. What was to be done? How could they escape from certain death? There was in fact no escape, no hope of obtaining their liberty. Already the fowler was running up to seize his prey when all at once under the impulse of danger they took to flight together, carrying with them the net that enclosed them. So they succeeded in escaping, and the fowler, who had reckoned upon his capture, was not a little surprised when he saw them fly away with his nets.'

The correct answer is Option 4.

Key Points

• The paragraph follows a narrative structure, beginning with the introduction of a character and his routine, followed by a specific incident and its climax.
• Sentence S1 introduces the main subjects: a hawker and his ass, setting the scene for their travels.
• Sentence D follows S1 as it explains the hawker's general practice: whenever they stopped, he would take the pack off the ass, dress it in a lion's skin, and let it graze in fields where watchmen were too afraid to approach.
• Sentence A is the third sentence because it transitions from the general routine to a specific day ('So one day') when the hawker stopped in a village and left the disguised ass in a barley-field.
• Sentence C follows A as it describes the immediate reaction of the watchmen in that specific village; seeing the 'lion', they were terrified and went home to spread the news.
• Sentence B is the fifth sentence as it details the villagers' response to the news: they gathered with weapons and drums and approached the field making noise.
• Sentence S2 concludes the sequence: the noise and presence of the villagers terrified the ass, causing it to bray and reveal its true identity.
• The correct sequence is DACB.

Coherent paragraph after rearrangement:

'At that time a hawker used to go from place to place, trafficking in goods carried by an ass. Now at each place he came to, when he took the pack down from the ass's back, he used to clothe him in a lion's skin and turn him loose in the rice and barley fields, and when the watchmen in the fields saw the ass, they dared not go near him, taking him for a lion. So one day the hawker stopped in a village; and while he was getting his own breakfast cooked, he dressed the ass in a lion's skin and turned him loose in a barley-field. The watchmen in the field dared not go up to him, but going home, they published the news. Then all the villagers came out with weapons in their hands; and blowing chanks and beating drums, they went near the field and shouted. Terrified with the fear of death, the ass uttered a cry - the cry of an ass!'

The correct answer is take the bull by the horns.

Key Points

• The phrase take the bull by the horns is a standard idiomatic expression in English that means to deal with a difficult situation or a challenge in a very direct and confident way.
• The idiom implies courage and decisiveness, suggesting that one should confront a problem head-on rather than avoiding it or being tentative.
• In the context of the sentence, resolving pending issues for the sake of progress requires a proactive approach, which is perfectly captured by this metaphor.
• The original phrase in the question, take the bull by the head, is an incorrect variation and does not carry any established linguistic meaning.
• Using the correct idiom ensures that the sentence maintains semantic clarity and adheres to the rules of standard English usage.

 Additional Information

• Idiomatic Analysis:
• Take the bull by the horns: Often used in business or leadership contexts to describe taking initiative during a crisis. It originated from the physical act of ranching or bullfighting, where grabbing the horns is the only way to gain control.
• Take the bull by the tail: This is not a recognized idiom. Figuratively, trying to control a bull from the rear would be considered counterproductive or cowardly, which contradicts the intended meaning of the sentence.
• Pull the bull by its ears: This phrase is nonsensical in an idiomatic sense and has no historical or literary background in the English language.
• Sentence Improvement:
• This category of verbal ability questions tests a candidate's knowledge of phrasal verbs, collocations, and idioms to ensure the sentence is grammatically and stylistically sound.

The correct answer is Option 3.

 

Key Points

• The error lies in the third part of the sentence: might drive on for hr.
• The term hr is an abbreviation for hour, which is a singular countable noun.
• Singular countable nouns must be preceded by an article (a/an) or a determiner. Since hour begins with a vowel sound (the 'h' is silent), it requires the article an.
• The grammatically correct phrase should be for an hour or for hours.
• Thus, the error is located in Option 3.

Therefore, the correct answer is might drive on for hr.

 

Correct Sentence: 'If you are looking for a free parking space, you might drive on for an hour until you find one.'

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: 'If you are looking for' is the subordinate clause starting with a conditional conjunction, which is grammatically correct.
• Option 2: 'a free parking space, you' uses the article a correctly before the singular countable noun phrase free parking space.
• Option 4: 'until you find one.' uses the pronoun one to refer back to the parking space, which is correct usage.
• The article an is used before words that start with a vowel sound, such as honest, honor, and hour, regardless of the starting consonant letter.

The correct answer is Option 4.

 

Key Points

• The sentence requires a verb that agrees with the subject Calcium.
• Calcium is an uncountable noun, and in English grammar, uncountable nouns are always treated as singular.
• The passage discusses scientific facts and general truths about minerals, which necessitates the use of the Simple Present Tense.
• The singular present tense form of the verb to be that fits this context is is.
• The full phrase is primarily associated with correctly forms a passive construction to describe the function of the mineral.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

 

Correct Sentence: 'Calcium, on the other hand, is primarily associated with the formation and maintenance of strong bones and teeth.'

 

Additional Information

• are: This is a plural verb and cannot be used with a singular/uncountable subject like Calcium.
• Was: This is the singular past tense. While grammatically singular, it is contextually incorrect because the association between calcium and bones is a permanent fact, not a past state.
• had: This is used for possession or as an auxiliary for the Past Perfect Tense; it does not fit the required is + past participle (associated) structure needed here.

The correct answer is Declarative.

Key Points

• A Declarative sentence (also known as an assertive sentence) is the most common type of sentence in the English language, used to state a fact, provide information, or express an opinion.
• The sentence 'A deficiency of iron often leads to anemia' serves to communicate a scientific fact regarding the biological outcome of low iron levels in the human body. Hence, the sentence is Declarative.
• Structural characteristics of such sentences include starting with a capital letter and ending with a period (full stop).
• In this sentence, the subject is 'A deficiency of iron' and the predicate is 'often leads to anemia', following the standard Subject-Verb structure required for making a clear assertion. Hence, this classification is correct.
• Unlike other sentence types, the declarative form does not seek information or issue a command; it simply describes a state of affairs or a causal relationship.

 Additional Information

• Exclamatory:
• These sentences express strong emotions or sudden feelings such as surprise, joy, or shock.
• They are identifiable by the use of an exclamation mark (!) at the end.
• Interrogative:
• These are used to ask questions or seek information from the reader/listener.
• They typically begin with wh-words (Who, What, Where) or auxiliary verbs and end with a question mark (?).
• Imperative:
• These sentences are used to give commands, instructions, or make requests.
• The subject 'you' is often implied rather than stated, and they can end with either a period or an exclamation mark depending on the intensity.

The correct answer is Option 2.

 

Key Points

• The word indispensable is used in the passage to describe minerals like iron and calcium that are required for the healthy growth of the human body.
• In a linguistic context, indispensable means something that is absolutely necessary, essential, or vital and cannot be done without.
• Since the sentence emphasizes that these minerals are required for growth, the word essential perfectly matches the intended meaning.
• Common synonyms for indispensable include crucial, mandatory, and requisite.

Therefore, the correct answer is essential.

 

Additional Information

• Harmful refers to something that causes damage or injury, which is the opposite of what a required mineral does.
• Temporary refers to something that lasts for only a limited period of time and is not permanent.
• Avoidable refers to something that can be shunned or prevented; it is an antonym of indispensable.

The correct answer is Option 4.

 

Key Points

• The word fragile is an adjective used to describe something that is easily broken, shattered, or damaged. In the context of the passage, it refers to bones weakened by osteoporosis.
• An antonym is a word that expresses a meaning directly opposite to that of another word.
• The word strong means having the power to move heavy weights or performing other physically demanding tasks; it also refers to something that is sturdy and able to withstand great force or pressure.
• Since strong represents the state of being robust and unbreakable, it is the correct antonym for fragile.

Therefore, the correct answer is strong.

 

Correct Sentence: "...in women it increases the risk of osteoporosis—a condition where bones become porous and strong (antonym)."

 

Additional Information

• Weak is a synonym for fragile, meaning lacking physical strength and energy.
• Delicate is a synonym for fragile, describing something that is easily broken or damaged and needs to be handled with care.
• Brittle is a synonym often used in medical contexts to describe materials (like bones) that are hard but liable to shatter or break easily.

The correct answer is Option 3.

 

Key Points

• According to the second paragraph of the passage, pregnant and lactating mothers have a higher physiological requirement for calcium.
• The text explicitly mentions that their bodies must support not only their own needs but also the developmental needs of the growing child.
• During pregnancy, calcium is essential for the skeletal development of the fetus, and during lactation, it is required to produce calcium-rich breast milk.
• Therefore, Option 3 directly reflects the reason provided in the passage.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

 

**Relevant Passage

Statement:

** 'Pregnant and lactating mothers require additional calcium, as their bodies support not only their own needs but also those of the growing child.'

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: The passage does not suggest that these mothers eat less food; in fact, they need more nutrition.
• Option 2: While household work may contribute to fatigue, the passage does not link it to the specific biological requirement for extra calcium.
• Option 4: The passage mentions that avoiding dairy products is a general cause of deficiency for everyone, but it is not the reason why mothers specifically require more calcium than others.