English Language : Solved Practice Paper
Directions—(Q. 1–15) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words/phrases have been printed in bold to help you to locate them while answering some of the questions.
In the Indian scenario there are various prestigious scholarships that are available for the meritorious. Apart from the scholarship you can start off with, immediately after your school education, i.e., the NTSE (National Talent Search Examinations), there are further scholarships for higher studies in various categories.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development has several schemes whereby it funds students for their education within the country and abroad. Besides, the ministry also offers scholarships and fellowships to those trying to pursue a career in the fine arts, such as music, dance, theatre, painting and sculpture. Information regarding these regularly appear in the Employment News and National and regional dailies.
Various opportunities are available for those students who want to build their careers in academics. The ICHR (Indian Council of Historical Research) the ICPR (Indian Council of Philosophical Research), and the ICSSR (Indian Council of Social Science Research) award scholarships and fellowships to those interested in higher studies in the fields of History, Philosophy and inter-disciplinary areas.
One thing of seminal importance is the choice of subject. It is not important whether you get umpteen (many) degrees and file them away or you go to the choicest University to feel alienated from what you are doing. To judge this there are various tests like the aptitude test that some Universities abroad conduct. At the end of the test, you are sure about what you want to study and whether you are suited for it. A good number of career consultants is available and they can guide you in the right directions. Apart from personal directions some of these also hold workshops. The Institute of Career studies at Delhi is amongst the pioneers in this field. After you get enrolled with it, you are provided with ample information about all Universities all-over the world and it also keeps you updated with minute details.
Along with the subject, selecting the University too is vital, since it determines future prospects. However for most, selection also involves other considerations, such as the socio-political, cultural and intellectual climate prevalent in that country and of course, the monetary considerations involved for the student who undertakes the course fully or partially on his own cost.
Talking of cost, shared scholarships are available with British Universities, which are funded by the foreign and commonwealth offices. The scheme operates with four British Universities—Cambridge, Oxford, Leicester and the London School of Economics and Political Science. Other Universities likely to participate are Durham, Wales, Warwick and the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine. The scholarships cover tuition fees and maintenance costs. However, the scholars have to pay for airfares. The normal method of application for candidates is to state, at the time of applying to the University of their choice, to be considered for one of these shared scholarships.
1. What is available to most intelligent students in Indian context ?
(A) Offers of higher jobs
(B) Various prestigious scholarships
(C) Admission opportunities in various good Universities
(D) Fellowships
(E) None of these
2. What for does the abbreviation NTSE stand ?
(A) No Tuition Service Exists
(B) National Tutorial Survey Estimates
(C) National Talent Search Examination
(D) National Total Service Examination
(E) No Test in Social Employment
3. As per passage, for what does the Ministry of Human Resource Development provide scholarships to students ?
1. For their education within country and abroad.
2. For fine arts that is music, dance, theatre, painting and sculpture.
3. For C.A., M.B.A. and mechanical training.
(A) Both 1 and 3
(B) Both 2 and 3
(C) Only 1
(D) Both 1 and 2
(E) None of these
4. Which of the following does not award or provide scholarships and fellowships to those who are interested in higher studies in the fields of History and Philosophy and inter-disciplinary areas ?
(A) Indian Council of Historical Research
(B) Indian Council of Rural Higher Education
(C) Indian Council of Philosophical Research
(D) Indian Council of Social-Science Research
(E) None of these
5. According to author, why do foreign Universities conduct various tests like the aptitude test ?
1. To see the choice of subject.
2. To judge the number of degrees one has.
3. Whether the student is interested in the University or not.
(A) Both 1 and 3
(B) Both 2 and 3
(C) Only 1
(D) All three 1, 2 and 3
(E) None of these
6. Which of the following is one of the best guides in the field of career studies selection ?
(A) Institute of Social Sciences Ambedkar University, Agra
(B) Career and courses agencies
(C) The Institute of Career Studies at Delhi
(D) A.M.U. Aligarh
(E) None of these
7. According to the passage, which of the following is not true ?
(A) There are further scholarships for higher studies in various categories
(B) One thing of primary importance is the selection of subject
(C) The scholarships cover tuition fees and maintenance costs
(D) The Employment News does not publish information regarding these scholarships
(E) None of these
8. What does the Institute of Career-Studies at Delhi do after you get enrolled with it ?
(A) It assures a good job on good package
(B) It bears your all responsibilities
(C) You are provided with sufficient information about all Universities all-over the world; it also keeps you updated with minute details
(D) It administers strict discipline over the students to bring them on line
(E) None of these
9. Which of the following founded shared scholarships are available with British Universities ?
(A) Founded by British and India Government
(B) By U.S.A. and U.K.
(C) By the foreign and commonwealth offices
(D) Founded by U.A.R. and U.K.
(E) Founded by Britain and Pakistan
Directions—(Q. 10–12) Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning as the word given in bold as used in the passage.
10. Meritorious
(A) Wire (B) Deserving (C) Diligent (D) Intelligent (E) Ranker
11. Resource
(A) Source (B) Skill (C) Stock (D) Means (E) Way
12. Consultants
(A) Friendly (B) Guide (C) Informer (D) Adviser (E) Counsellors
Directions—(Q. 13–15) Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning of the word given in bold as used in the passage.
13. Personal
(A) General (B) Impersonal (C) Public (D) Common (E) Joint
14. Foreign
(A) Aboriginal (B) Connected (C) Native (D) Local (E) Inborn
15. Normal
(A) Special (B) Insane (C) Contrary (D) Abnormal (E) Unnatural
Directions—(Q. 16–25) Which of the phrases (A), (B), (C) and (D) given below each sentence should replace the phrases printed in bold in the following sentences to make the sentence grammatically correct. If the sentence is correct as it is and no correction is required, mark (E) as the answer.
16. Her face buries itself on his rough shirt and he could feel the fragrance of her hair and the warmth of her as she sobbed against his breast—
(A) sinking itself in his rough shirt
(B) buried itself in his rough shirt
(C) dipped itself in his rough shirt
(D) sank itself in his rough shirt
(E) No correction required
17. ‘Allah’, he said, rising his face towards the star-spangled black sky, “punish me as much as you like-Mahesh died with thirst on his lips.”
(A) raised his face towards the star-spangled black sky
(B) had raised his face towards the star-spangled black sky
(C) rose his face towards the star spangled black sky
(D) raising his face towards the star-spangled black sky
(E) No correction required
18. All of us carried plenty of food and sweets with us and we served the little fortunate human beings with our own hands—
(A) The lesser fortunate human beings
(B) The less fortunate human beings
(C) The least fortunate human beings
(D) The unfortunate human beings
(E) No correction required
19. Once again, the Indian tradition of ‘ahimsa’ comes out as infinitely most relevant, than much of what we learn in modern education.
(A) The most relevant, than much of what we learn
(B) More relevance what we learn
(C) More relevant than much of what we learn
(D) No relevance in what we learn
(E) No correction required
20. When it was decided to send the rescue team in the colliery, the experts showed their reluctance.
(A) into the colliery
(B) inside the colliery
(C) under the colliery
(D) underneath the colliery
(E) No correction required
21. Everything comes in the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), which was started with the intention of restoring law and order.
(A) about the State Law and order Restoration Council
(B) under the State Law and order Restoration Council
(C) within the State Law and order Restoration Council
(D) into the State Law and order Restoration Council
(E) No correction required
22. The whole atmosphere was sweetly dominated with the fascinating perfume and soft western music.
(A) from a fascinating perfume and…
(B) of a fascinating perfume and…
(C) by a fascinating perfume and…
(D) nearly fascinating perfume and…
(E) No correction required
23. Power to expression has the ability to overcome, neutralise, change or strengthen the transient impression formed on others by one’s initial facial appearance.
(A) Power into expression
(B) Power about expression
(C) Power for expression
(D) Power of expression
(E) No correction required
24. They (girls from middle class) become shy, withdrawn and lose confidence for themselves.
(A) lose confidence to themselves
(B) lose confidence in themselves
(C) lose confidence of themselves
(D) lose confidence about themselves
(E) No correction required
25. One must remember that meteorological weather systems do not respect some geographic boundaries and can move from one place to another and affect the local weather.
(A) do not respect many geographic boundaries
(B) do not respect several geographic boundaries
(C) do not disrespect geographic boundaries
(D) do not respect any geographic boundaries
(E) No correction required
Directions—(Q. 26–30) In each question below a sentence with four words printed in bold type is given. These are lettered as (A), (B), (C) and (D). One of these four words may be either wrongly spelt or inappropriate in the context of the sentence. Find out the word which is wrongly spelt or inappropriate, if any. The letter of that word is your answer. If all the four words are correctly spelt and also appropriate in the context of the sentence, mark (E) i.e., ‘All correct’ as your answer.
26. On the snow-covered land or frozan (A) water, the Eskimos (B) travel on-sledges dragged (C) by five, seven or nine strong dogs called huskies. (D) All correct. (E)
27. When a complete stranger (A) offers unsolicited (B) advice, one either dismisses it outright (C) or takes up earnestly. (D) All correct. (E)
28. I remember (A) reading somewhere, a field-biologist’s (B) estimate, that a colony of a thousand painted storcks (C) requires (D) fifteen to twenty tons of food per day. All correct. (E)
29. The public was so much familiar (A) with Robichon that the audience (B) used to laugh (C) before he uttered (D) the first word of his role. All correct. (E)
30. It is necessary (A) to have a scientific mind to be truly religious (B) because only with a scientific (C) mind can one be a truely (D) cultured man capable of creating a new good world. All correct (E)
Directions—(Q. 31–35) In each of the following sentences there are two blank spaces. Below each sentence there are five pairs of words denoted by letters (A), (B), (C), (D) and (E). Find out which pair of words can be filled up in the blanks in the sentence in the same sequence to make the sentence grammatically correct and meaningfully complete.
31. An engineering college requires a lot of…… and it is available in …… in this area.
(A) room…… abundance
(B) things……ample
(C) land……plenty
(D) plots…… sufficient
(E) pieces……number
32. A young lady, who was standing at a…… got trapped in a valley of bullets and was killed…… the spot.
(A) step…… in
(B) scooter…… of
(C) place…… upon
(D) counter…… on
(E) corner…… near
33. However, activity based……that makes learning a joy needs more time…… per topic.
(A) training……fixing
(B) education……allotment
(C) teaching……schedule
(D) educating……taking
(E) schooling……giving
34. At present, there are about four lac…… in Japan who survived the…… of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
(A) women……accident
(B) men……incident
(C) workers……trouble
(D) employees……terror
(E) persons……tragedy
35. We can …… a good world by keeping a truly scientific mind which……precise, clear and unprejudiced.
(A) create……is
(B) generate……was
(C) originate……are
(D) maintain……were
(E) keep……is
Directions—(Q. 36–40) Rearrange the following six sentences (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6) in the proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph; then answer the questions given below them—
1. Five different kinds of rice are cooked in as many different colours, and from each of these, in a symbolic gesture.
2. They are then decorated and the rice preparations made the previous day are offered to them.
3. The third day of the festival is called the Mathu Pongal or the Pongal of the Cattle.
4. A rice ball is made and fed to five types of birds and animals.
5. In the morning, the animals are herded into the village pool and bathed.
6. This is also a time when the sister prays for the longevity and happiness of her brother.
36. Which of the following will be the third sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 (E) 5
37. Which of the following will be the fifth sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 (E) 5
38. Which of the following will be the second sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 (E) 5
39. Which of the following will be the fourth sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 (E) 5
40. Which of the following will be the first sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 (E) 5
Directions—(Q. 41–50) In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five words are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.
What this approach lacks is the essential interaction with …(41)… and with other humans. Indeed in many environmental activities the …(42)… takes place. A classic example of this is making of a herbarium or even worse, an insect …(43)…, so common in both formal and nonformal education in India. A child is …(44)… encouraged to pluck leaves and …(45)… and run after butterflies with a net and is …(46)… of a large group of children similarly working a …(47)… of nature within it. Such a child is not likely to develop any strong …(48)… of respect for nature, or for the individual ‘specimens’ pressed in the …(49)… file or trapped in a jar. It is worse when the activity is also competitive, i.e., who …(50)… the maximum.
41. (A) habit (B) tradition (C) practice (D) custom (E) nature
42. (A) antonym (B) against (C) enemy (D) opposite (E) opponent
43. (A) gathering (B) compilation (C) collection (D) assembly (E) bulk
44. (A) oft (B) often (C) frequently (D) mostly (E) many
45. (A) flowers (B) petals (C) buds (D) blossoms (E) delight
46. (A) division (B) segment (C) particle (D) portion (E) part
47. (A) piece (B) thatch (C) plot (D) patch (E) spot
48. (A) thinking (B) experiencing (C) feeling (D) knowing (E) viewing
49. (A) sapling (B) plant (C) creeper (D) nursery (E) tree
50. (A) collects (B) meets (C) piles (D) gathers (E) assembles
Answers with Hints
1. (B) 2. (C) 3. (D) 4. (B) 5. (C) 6. (C) 7. (D) 8. (C) 9. (C) 10. (B)
11. (D) 12. (E) 13. (B) 14. (C) 15. (D) 16. (B) 17. (D) 18. (B) 19. (C) 20. (A)
21. (B) 22. (C) 23. (D) 24. (B) 25. (D) 26. (A) Frozan—Frozen 27. (E)
28. (C) Storcks—Storks 29. (A) Familir—Familiar 30. (D) Truely—Truly
31. (C) 32. (D) 33. (B) 34. (E) 35. (A) 36. (C) 37. (E) 38. (B) 39. (D) 40. (A)
41. (E) 42. (D) 43. (C) 44. (B) 45. (A) 46. (E) 47. (D) 48. (C) 49. (B) 50. (A)
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