UPSC NDA/NA Examination 2017 (I) Held on April 23, 2017
English
Part-A
Ordering of Words in a Sentence
Directions – (Q. 1-9) Each of the following items in this section consists of a sentence the parts of which have been jumbled. These parts have been labeled P, Q, R and S. Given below each sentence are four sequences namely (A), (B) (C) and (D). You are required to re-arrange the jumbled parts of the sentence and mark your response accordingly.
1. P : Farm workers Q: spend R : outdoors most of their S: time
The proper sequence should be-
(A) P Q R S
(B) P R Q S
(C) P Q S R
(D) R P Q S
2. P : He shuffled Q: the papers in a R : drawer S : together
The proper sequence should be –
(A) P Q S R
(B) P Q R S
(C) P S Q R
(D) R S P Q
3. P : Do you think Q : will this R : soap S : shrink woolen clothes ?
The proper sequence should be-
(A) P Q R S
(B) P R Q S
(C) Q R P S
(D) Q P R S
4. P : We advised the Q : hijackers to surrender R : to the police S : themselves
The proper sequence should be-
(A) P Q R S
(B) P R Q S
(C) P Q S R
(D) R P Q S
5. P : Sports cars Q : appeal to some R : motorists only with noisy S : exhausts
The proper sequence should be-
(A) R Q S P
(B) P S Q R
(C) R S P Q
(D) P Q S R
6. P : He Q : almost planned R : the entire strategy of operation S : singlehanded
The proper sequence should be-
(A) R S P Q
(B) P R Q S
(C) S Q R P
(D) Q P S R
7. P : She has Q : more R : intelligence than we S : suspected her to possess
The proper sequence should be-
(A) P Q S R
(B) P R Q S
(C) P S Q R
(D) P Q R S
8. P : They should Q : implant in the R : minds of young children sound S : principles
The proper sequence should be-
(A) P Q R S
(B) P Q S R
(C) R P Q S
(D) P R Q S
9. P : When I was a student I Q : learnt swimming at the age. of R : 15of class X in a S : government school
The proper sequence should be-
(A) P Q R S
(B) P R Q S
(C) Q P R S
(D) Q S P R
Spotting Errors
Directions – (Q. 10-14) Each item in this section has a sentence with three parts labelled (A), (B) and (C). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any part and indicate your response in the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter i.e., (A) or (B) or (C). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (D).
10. I can fly (A) / if I will be (B) / a bird.(C) No error (D)
11. As soon as (A) / the train arrived the passengers (B) / entered the compartments. (C) No error (D)
12. Never (A) / I have (B) / seen such a town. (C) No error (D)
13. He goes to his office (A) / by bicycle (B) / every day. (C) No error (D)
14. Far from being appreciated, (A) / his conduct was discussed (B) / and sharply commented. (C) No error (D)
Comprehension
Directions – (Q. 15-20) In this section, you have two short passages. Read the passages and answer the items that follow. You are required to select your answers based on the contents of the passage and opinion of the author only.
Passage-I
We had just passed Tenali, where I roused myself in order to hear the name of the station. As I was falling asleep again, a violent jolt shot me into the arms of somebody in the seat opposite. The engine with one wheel broken was lying across the track and beside it was the luggage van, likewise, derailed. Groaning, wheezing, gasping, sputtering in its death agony, the engine was like a fallen horse which, snorting, trembling in every limb, its flanks heaving, its chest laboring, seems incapable of making the smallest effort to struggle on to its legs again.
15. The author had roused himself as he wanted to-
(A) get off
(B) meet someone
(C) know the name of the station
(D) keep himself awake
16. The engine stopped because-
(A) the driver had stopped it
(B) one of the wheels was broken
(C) there was a halting place
(D) there was no fuel
17. The engine is compared to a fallen horse because-
(A) it was groaning like a horse
(B) it was lying across the track
(C) it could make no effort to stand upright
(D) it had a broken wheel
Passage-2
I was beginning to tire a little now. I had been cutting steps continuously for two hours, and Tenzing, too, was moving very slowly. As I chipped steps around still another corner, I wondered rather dully just how long we could keep it u p. Our original zest had now quite gone and it was turning more into a grim struggle. I then realized that the ridge ahead, instead of still monotonously rising, now dropped sharply away, and far below I could see the North Col and Rongbuk glacier. I looked upwards to see a narrow ridge running up to a snowy summit. A few more whacks of the ice-axe in the firm snow and we stood on top.
18. Which of the following is the most appropriate description of the area in which the narrator had been moving?
(A) A steep rocky slope
(B) A peak with a flight of steps
(C) A high peak covered with snow
(D) A long ridge
19. “ I had been cutting steps continuously for two hours” suggests that-
(A) the climber was unskilled in the art of making steps
(B) he had to cut the steps out of snow before climbing up which was necessarily a slow process
(C) the slowness was caused by the fact they were again covered with snow
(D) he had to work suspended from a ledge
20. “It was turning more into a grim struggle” would mean-
(A) that after the long exertion he was feeling so weak that any further climbing meant a hard struggle with the forces of nature
(B) that Tenzing was making the task more difficult
(C) that strong cold wind was pushing him down from above and that he had to struggle with the forces of nature
(D) that he was in a mood to give up ultimately
Antonyms
Directions – (Q. 21-25) In this section, item consists of a sentence with a word bold and if followed by four words. Select the word that is most opposite in meaning to the bold word and indicate your response in the Answer Sheet accordingly.
21. My first lecture in the classroom was a
(A) success
(B) joy
(C) fun
(D) disaster
22. It was indeed arduous to cross streets in New York.
(A) pleasant
(B) effortless
(C) interesting
(D) risky
23. Unlike his brother he is
(A) reserved
(B) gullible
(C) irritable
(D) lovable
24. The birth of his child decidedly proved to be an auspicious event in his life.
(A) precious
(B) ominous
(C) useless
(D) unforgettable
25. The witness corroborated word for word the statement of the victim.
(A) accepted
(B) confirmed
(C) denied
(D) repeated
Synonyms
Directions – (Q. 26-30) In this section, each item consists of a sentence with a word bold and is followed by four words or groups of worlds. Select the word or group of words that is most similar in meaning to the bold word and indicate your response in the Answer Sheet accordingly.
26. It is unwise to sever diplomatic relations with a neighbouring country over small matters.
(A) engage
(B) estrange
(C) cut off
(D) twist
27. Bad tendencies are to be countered by good ones until all that is evil disappears.
(A) opposed
(B) balanced
(C) reduced
(D) bypassed
28. The police fired indiscriminately at the crowd, killing many innocent women and children.
(A) continuously
(B) without distinguishing
(C) foolishly
(D) rapidly
29. Businessmen who lack acumen cannot be expected to be very successful.
(A) fairness
(B) sharpness
(C) boldness
(D) righteousness
30. His candid opinions have won him many friends.
(A) kind
(B) courteous
(C) generous
(D) frank
Selecting Words
Directions – (Q. 31-40) Each of the following items in this section has a sentence with a blank space and four words or groups of words given after the sentence. Select whichever word or group of words you consider most appropriate for the blank space and indicate your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
31. I ………….. you to be at the party this evening.
(A) look forward to
(B) hope
(C) expect
(D) think
32. When I met John yesterday, it was the first time I ………. his since Christmas.
(A) saw
(B) have seen
(C) had seen
(D) have been seeing
33. He ………. to listen to my arguments and walked away.
(A) denied
(B) disliked
(C) prevented
(D) refused
34. The flow of blood was so ………. that the patient died.
(A) intense
(B) adequate
(C) profuse
(D) extensive
35. You have never ………….. me about your experiences in America.
(A) said
(B) told
(C) explained
(D) spoken
36. I always felt hungry …………….. I heard the dinner bell.
(A) as much as
(B) as well as
(C) as soon as
(D) as close as
37. Although they took every precaution, they could not ……….. the accident.
(A) defer
(B) allow
(C) avoid
(D) block
38. The ambitious nobleman …………. to marry the king’s daughter.
(A) transpired
(B) perspired
(C) aspired
(D) expired
39. The dictator of that country was a monster of wickedness, insatiable in his ………… for blood and plunder.
(A) idea
(B) vision
(C) lust
(D) intention
40. Please don’t give me any more, I have had ………..
(A) few
(B) too little
(C) little
(D) enough
Sentence Improvement
Directions – (Q. 41-50) In this section, look at the bold part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the bold part. If one of them (A), (B) or (C) is better than the bold part, indicate your response on the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter (A), (B) or (C). If none of the substitutions. Improves the sentence, indicate (D) as your response on the Answer Sheet. Thus a ‘No improvement’ response will be signified by the letter (D).
41. I disliked him not so much for his meanness but for his dishonesty.
(A) as for
(B) but because
(C) but due to
(D) No improvement
42. He preferred death rather than
(A) for
(B) to
(C) than
(D) No improvement
43. They kept the idea
(A) secretive
(B) secret
(C) secretively
(D) No improvement
44. He ought not be tell me your secret, but he did.
(A) telling
(B) have told
(C) having told
(D) No improvement
45. If I don’t know the meaning of a word, I took it after in the dictionary.
(A) look it out
(B) look it for
(C) look it up
(D) No improvement
46. Mr. and Mrs. Rao stay in their home every evening.
(A) at home
(B) inside home
(C) within their home
(D) No improvement
47. When we saw him last, he ran to catch a bus.
(A) has run
(B) had run
(C) was running
(D) No improvement
48. She cut a sad figure in her first performance on the stage.
(A) made a sorry figure
(B) cut a sorry face
(C) cut a sorry figure
(D) No improvement
49. Last evening I went to the optician and bought
(A) a spectacle
(B) two spectacles
(C) a pair of spectacles
(D) No improvement
50. I would like to avail a fifteen days’ holiday this summer.
(A) to avail of
(B) to avail myself of
(C) to avail myself
(D) No improvement
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