English Comprehension PYQs

The correct answer is Option 2.

 

Key Points

• The given sentence is in passive voice.
• Passive voice structure: object + auxiliary verb (has/have been) + past participle + by + subject.
• The given sentence: "A lot of masks have been distributed by the social workers."
• To convert it into active voice, make "the social workers" the subject.
• Change the verb "have been distributed" to "have distributed."

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

 

Correct Sentence: "The social workers have distributed a lot of masks."

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: "The social workers are distributing a lot of masks." – Incorrect as it changes the tense to present continuous.
• Option 3: "The social workers had distributed a lot of masks." – Incorrect as it changes the tense to past perfect.
• Option 4: "The social workers would distribute a lot of masks." – Incorrect as it changes the tense to conditional.

The correct answer is Option 1.

 

Key Points

• Direct speech retains the original words spoken by the speaker and is enclosed in quotation marks.
• In indirect speech, “He exclaimed with delight that he had won the first prize” needs to be converted to direct speech.
• Exclamatory words such as “Hurrah!” remain the same in direct speech.
• The verb “had won” (past perfect) changes to “have won” (present perfect) in direct speech.
• The correct format for direct speech is: “Hurrah! I have won the first prize,” said he.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

 

Correct Sentence: “Hurrah! I have won the first prize,” said he.

 

Additional Information

• Option 2: “Hurrah! I win the first prize,” said he. – Incorrect, as “win” (simple present) does not match the original past perfect tense.
• Option 3: “Hurrah! I will win the first prize,” said he. – Incorrect, as “will win” (future) changes the meaning of the sentence.
• Option 4: “Wow! I might win the first prize,” said he. – Incorrect, as “Wow!” changes the exclamatory expression, and “might win” changes the meaning.

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 the active voice, the sentence is: "The sharp knife had cut his finger."
• To convert to passive voice: Place the object "his finger" at the beginning.
• Change the active verb form "had cut" to "had been cut" (past perfect passive).
• Add the preposition "by" followed by the original subject "the sharp knife."
• Ensure the sentence structure remains clear and correct.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

 

Correct Sentence: "The sharp knife had cut his finger."

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: "The sharp knife had been cutting his finger." – Incorrect because it changes the tense and meaning.
• Option 2: "The sharp knife cuts his finger." – Incorrect because it uses the simple present tense.
• Option 3: "The sharp knife has cut his finger." – Incorrect because it uses the present perfect tense.

The correct answer is Option 2.

 

Key Points

• Indirect Speech: The manager shouted at him that he had been warned by them three days before.
• Key Conversions:
• "You were warned by us" becomes "he had been warned by them"
• Pronoun "You" is changed to "he" to match indirect speech.
• Verb "were warned" is converted to "had been warned" to match past perfect tense in indirect speech.
• Pronoun "us" is changed to "them" to match indirect speech.
• "three days ago" becomes "three days before"
• Time expression "three days ago" is converted to "three days before" in indirect speech.
• Punctuation and Format:
• Indirect speech does not use quotation marks.
• The reporting clause "The manager shouted at him" is followed by the conjunction "that".

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 2.

 

Correct Sentence: "The manager shouted at him that he had been warned by them three days before."

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: "The manager shouted at him that he was warned by them three days earlier."
• The verb form "was warned" does not accurately reflect the past perfect tense required in indirect speech.
• Option 3: "The manager shouted at him that he was warned by them three days before."
• The verb form "was warned" does not accurately reflect the past perfect tense required in indirect speech.
• Option 4: "The manager shouted at him that he was warned by them three days ago."
• Time expression "three days ago" should be converted to "three days before" in indirect speech.

The correct answer is Option 4.

 

Key Points

• Indirect Speech: My friend asked me if I wanted to accompany them on that tour.
• Key Conversions:
• "Do you want" becomes "if I wanted"
• Question "Do you want" is converted to an indirect question "if I wanted."
• Pronoun "you" is changed to "I" to match the indirect speech.
• Verb "want" is changed to "wanted" to match the past tense in indirect speech.
• "us" becomes "them"
• Pronoun "us" is converted to "them" to match the indirect speech pronoun change.
• Reporting verb:
• Direct: "said to me"
• Converted to: "asked me", maintaining the questioning tone.
• Punctuation and Format:
• Direct speech is enclosed in quotation marks.
• Indirect speech does not use quotation marks and ends with a period.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

 

Correct Sentence: "My friend asked me if I wanted to accompany them on that tour."

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: "My friend asked me if I wanted to accompany us on that tour."
• Pronoun "us" is incorrect; it should be "them" to match the indirect speech.
• Option 2: "My friend asked me if he wanted to accompany them on that tour."
• Pronoun "he" is incorrect; it should be "I" to match the direct speech.
• Option 3: "My friend asked me if I wanted to accompany them on that tour?"
• Incorrect punctuation; indirect speech should end with a period, not a question mark.

The correct answer is: Option (3) i.e. in a cordial manner.

Key Points

• The phrase "with open arms" means to welcome someone warmly and with friendliness. (खुले दिल से स्वागत करना)
• Example: She accepted the new job offer with open arms, excited for the opportunity.
• "Cordial manner" refers to being warm, friendly, and polite in behavior. (सौहार्दपूर्ण ढंग से)
• Example: The host greeted all the guests in a cordial manner, making them feel at home.
• Since "with open arms" and "in a cordial manner" both convey warmth and friendliness, the best substitution is "in a cordial manner".

Therefore, the correct answer is: Option (3) i.e. in a cordial manner.

Additional Information

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

• In a secretive way (गुप्त तरीके से): Doing something in a way that is not openly shared or disclosed.
• Example: He made a deal in a secretive way, hiding it from his colleagues.
• In a melancholy spirit (उदास मन से): Doing something in a sad or sorrowful mood.
• Example: She left her hometown in a melancholy spirit, knowing she might never return.
• Without any delay (बिना किसी देरी के): Doing something immediately or without waiting.
• Example: The doctor attended to the emergency case without any delay.

The correct answer is Option 3.

 

Key Points

• Passive voice structure: Object + is/am/are + past participle + by + Subject.
• Given passive voice sentence: "Geography is taught to us by Mr. Anand."
• To convert to active voice, move the subject "Mr. Anand" to the beginning.
• Change the verb "is taught" to its present simple form "teaches."
• Keep the object "us" and the subject "Geography" in their respective places.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

 

Correct Sentence: "Mr. Anand teaches us Geography."

 

Additional Information

• Option 1: "Mr. Anand will be teaching us Geography." – Incorrect because it changes the tense to future continuous.
• Option 2: "Mr. Anand will teach us Geography." – Incorrect because it changes the tense to future simple.
• Option 4: "Mr. Anand shall teach us Geography." – Incorrect because "shall" is used formally or legally, which is unnecessary here.

The correct answer is Option (1) i.e. DABC

Key Points

• The sentence begins with the subject "India's real estate business is," which is correctly indicated by part (D).
• Following the subject, "booming with private developers" (DA) continues the logical sequence, making it clear what the real estate business is doing.
• The next part, "and it is changing the landscape of the urban and semi-urban habitat," (DAB) starts the explanation about the impact of the booming business.
• Ending with "making the Indian elevator industry the second highest market in the world" (DABC) completes the sentence by stating the result of the booming real estate business.

Therefore, the correct answer is DABC.

 

Additional Information

• Option 2 (DBAC): This option starts with "India's real estate business is and it is changing the landscape of the urban and semi-urban habitat," which makes the sentence incomplete and confusing.
• Option 3 (ABCD): This option starts with "booming with private developers and it is changing the landscape of the urban and semi-urban habitat," which misses the subject and creates an unclear sentence.
• Option 4 (BACD): This option starts with "and it is changing the landscape of the urban and semi-urban habitat making the Indian elevator industry the second highest market in the world," which lacks the proper introduction of the subject.

The correct answer is 'itself'.

 

Key Points

• The word "itself" is a reflexive pronoun used to emphasize the subject "mankind".
• The sentence describes a situation where the survival of mankind is in danger, and "itself" is the appropriate pronoun to use in this context.
• Options 2, 3, and 4 are incorrect because they use the wrong pronouns ("himself", "herself", and "yourself" respectively) which do not match the subject "mankind".

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

 

Complete Sentence: "Survival of mankind itself is in danger due to pollution."

 

Additional Information

• Option 2: "himself" is incorrect because "himself" is a reflexive pronoun used for a male subject, which does not match "mankind".
• Option 3: "herself" is incorrect because "herself" is a reflexive pronoun used for a female subject, which does not match "mankind".
• Option 4: "yourself" is incorrect because "yourself" is a reflexive pronoun used for the second person, which does not match "mankind".

The correct answer is Option 4.

 

Key Points

• The primary issue in the sentence is the incorrect preposition "on" used with "the pool." The correct preposition should be "into."
• Prepositions are essential for indicating the relationship between words in a sentence, and using the wrong one can change the meaning or make the sentence grammatically incorrect.
• The corrected phrase should be "jumped into the pool" to ensure proper grammatical construction and clarity.
• Thus, the error is located in part D of the sentence.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 4.

 

Correct Sentence: "The swimmer jumped into the pool with the whistle."

The correct answer is 'dining'.

 

Key Points

• The passage discusses the idea of bringing people together through food and cooking at home.
• The most appropriate word to complete the phrase "over the _______ table" is "dining" because it refers to the table where people eat meals together.
• "Dining" fits well as it aligns with the context of sharing meals and bonding with family or friends.
• Other options ("console", "study", "vanity") do not fit naturally in this context.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

 

Additional Information

• Console (कंसोल): A console is a piece of furniture or a control panel, which does not fit in the context of a meal table.
• Study (अध्ययन): A study refers to a room or an act of learning, which is irrelevant to the idea of dining and sharing meals.
• Vanity (दर्पण मेज): A vanity is a table used for grooming or makeup, which does not relate to the idea of eating together.

The correct answer is 'alone'.

 

Key Points

• The sentence discusses the scenario of someone living alone and emphasizes that it does not mean they have to cook or eat by themselves.
• The appropriate word should reflect the idea of being by oneself, making "alone" the most suitable option.
• "Alone" fits well as it directly contrasts with the suggestion of inviting someone over for a meal.
• Other options ("together", "healthy", "every day") do not fit the context of describing the situation of living alone and eating by oneself.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

 

Additional Information

• Together (साथ में): "Together" means being with others, which contradicts the context of living alone.
• Healthy (स्वस्थ): "Healthy" refers to well-being and does not relate to the concept of eating alone.
• Every day (हर दिन): "Every day" refers to frequency and does not fit the context of discussing eating alone.

The correct answer is 'expand'.

 

Key Points

• The passage discusses the benefits of cooking and eating together, highlighting social interactions.
• The blank refers to what happens when one shares meals with others, implying an increase in social connections.
• "Expand" is the most suitable choice as it means to increase or grow, aligning with the idea of broadening one's social network.
• Other options ("reduce", "break", "harm") do not fit the context of enhancing social interactions.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 4'.

The correct answer is 'meal'.

 

Key Points

• The passage discusses cooking and sharing food with others.
• The appropriate noun should indicate something that is prepared for eating.
• "Meal" fits well as it refers to food that has been cooked and prepared for consumption.
• Other options ("card", "biscuits", "tea") do not fit the context of preparing a dish for others.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 4'.

 

Additional Information

• Card (कार्ड): A card is unrelated to food preparation.
• Biscuits (बिस्कुट): While biscuits are food, they are not a complete meal.
• Tea (चाय): Tea is a beverage, not a prepared meal.

The correct answer is 'boosting'.

 

Key Points

• The passage discusses how food and social interaction contribute to well-being.
• The appropriate verb should indicate an improvement in mood.
• "Boosting" fits well as it means to enhance or improve, which aligns with the idea of food and conversation uplifting one's mood.
• Other options ("lowering", "depreciating", "falling") do not convey the idea of a positive impact on mood.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

 

Additional Information

• Lowering (कम करना): "Lowering" means reducing or decreasing, which does not fit the context of improving mood.
• Depreciating (मूल्य में कमी): "Depreciating" refers to a decrease in value, which is unrelated to mood improvement.
• Falling (गिरना): "Falling" indicates a decline or drop, which does not align with the idea of uplifting mood.

The correct answer is 'displacement'.

 

Key Points

• The passage defines a landslip as the movement of rock, soil, or other materials down a slope.
• The word "displacement" refers to the shifting or movement of something from its original position, which accurately describes the movement of soil and rocks in a landslip.
• "Displacement" fits well in the sentence as it aligns with the context of landslides causing the downward movement of terrain materials.
• Other options ("abduction", "altercation", "embezzlement") do not fit the meaning of landslip.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

 

Additional Information

• Abduction (अपहरण): "Abduction" refers to forcibly taking someone away, which is unrelated to the movement of land or rocks.
• Altercation (विवाद): "Altercation" means a heated argument or disagreement, which does not fit the context of a landslip.
• Embezzlement (गबन): "Embezzlement" refers to the theft of funds, which is entirely irrelevant to the topic of landslides.

The correct answer is 'Geologists'.

 

Key Points

• The passage discusses the study of landslides and mass wasting, which involves the Earth's physical structures.
• The correct term for specialists who examine Earth's physical formations, including landslides, is "Geologists."
• "Botanists" study plants, "Pathologists" study diseases, and "Archaeologists" study human history through artifacts, making them incorrect choices.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 1'.

 

Additional Information

• Botanists (वनस्पतिशास्त्री): They study plants, which is unrelated to the study of landslides.
• Pathologists (रोगविज्ञानी): They study diseases, which is not relevant to geophysical studies.
• Archaeologists (पुरातत्ववेत्ता): They study human history through artifacts and excavations, which does not relate to landslides.

The correct answer is 'significant'.

 

Key Points

• The passage discusses the impact of landslides on human lives and property.
• The appropriate adjective should indicate a high level of risk posed by landslides.
• "Significant" fits well as it conveys a major or notable level of risk, which aligns with the context of fatalities and economic losses caused by landslides.
• Other options ("small", "minimal", "zero") do not accurately reflect the severe consequences described in the passage.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

 

Additional Information

• Small (छोटा): "Small" means minor or negligible, which contradicts the passage's mention of deaths and financial losses.
• Minimal (न्यूनतम): "Minimal" suggests an insignificant impact, which is incorrect given the described consequences.
• Zero (शून्य): "Zero" implies no risk, which is inaccurate as landslides cause casualties and economic damage.

The correct answer is 'occurrence'.

 

Key Points

• The passage discusses the causes and consequences of landslides.
• The correct word should describe the frequency or happening of landslides.
• "Occurrence" fits well as it refers to the fact or frequency of something happening, which aligns with the context of landslides being triggered by various factors.
• Other options ("name", "form", "show") do not fit appropriately in describing the phenomenon of landslides.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

 

Additional Information

• Name (नाम): "Name" refers to a title or designation, which does not fit the context.
• Form (रूप): "Form" refers to a structure or shape, which does not convey the intended meaning of frequency.
• Show (दिखाना): "Show" means to display or exhibit something, which does not relate to the concept of landslides occurring.

The correct answer is 'limited'.

 

Key Points

• The sentence discusses how human activities contribute to landslides.
• The phrase "including but not..." suggests that the list is not exhaustive.
• "Limited" fits well in the blank as it correctly conveys the idea that human activities contributing to landslides are not restricted to just agriculture and building.
• Other options ("named", "freed", "escaped") do not logically fit the context of restriction or extent.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 3'.

 

Additional Information

• Named (नामित): "Named" means identified or labeled, which does not fit the phrase "including but not..."
• Freed (मुक्त किया गया): "Freed" means released, which does not match the context of restriction.
• Escaped (भाग निकला): "Escaped" means evaded or avoided, which does not logically fit the sentence.