UPSC CDS exam of the year 2016 held on dated 23 October, 2016. We are giving 25 questions of General English Section - C of this exam with answers. These questions not only better prepared for exam but will useful for upcoming CDS exams also.
Comprehension Solved Paper
Directions (Q. Nos. 37-56) : In this section, you have five short passages. After each passage, you will find some questions based on the passage. First, read a passage and answer the questions based on it. You are required to select your answers based on the contents of the passage and opinion of the author only.
Passage-1
One of the most important things to notice about the power of art is the way in which great works continue to exert their influence through the ages. Scientific discoveries, which are of major importance at the time, when they are made, are superseded. Thus, Newton's theory of gravitation has been superseded by Einstein's theory of relativity. Hence, the work of great scientists has value in stages on the way to a goal, which supersedes them.
Broadly speaking, the achievements of generals, politicians, and statesmen have an importance only in their own time. Hence, these people and their acts, great as they may have been are like milestones which mankind passes on its way to something else. But with works of art it is not so.
The place which they occupy in the estimation of succeeding ages and the power, which they exercise over men's spirits are as great as they were in the age, which produced them; indeed, their power tends to increase with time, as they came to be better understood.
37. The power of art can be judged through–
(a) its influence on a few individuals
(b) its influence on the people over the years
(c) the greatness of great artists
(d) the opinions of great thinkers (Ans : b)
38. The statement "Newton's theory of gravitation has been superseded by Einstein's theory of relativity" suggests that–
(a) the theory of relativity has nothing to do with the theory of gravitation
(b) the theory of relativity is new in comparison to the theory of gravitation
(c) the theory of relativity is an improvement over the theory of gravitation
(d) the theory of relativity has suppressed the theory of gravitation (Ans : d)
39. The achievements of generals, politicians and statesmen have been compared to milestones by the author because–
(a) they are inscribed on the milestones
(b) they have contemporary relevance
(c) they have topical and historical interest
(d) they are strong and lasting stones (Ans : b)
40. How is a work of art different from the work of a scientist?
(a) A work of art is as permanent as the work of a scientist.
(b) The influence of a work of art increases from age to age unlike the work of a scientist which diminishes in course of time.
(c) A work of art has no material value like the work of a scientist.
(d) A work of art is an expression of creative power while the work of a scientist is not. (Ans : b)
Passage-2
Most disputes about whether or not men are stronger than women are meaningless because the word 'strong' may mean many things. Most men can surpass most women in lifting heavy weights, in striking an object, in running, jumping or doing heavy physical labour. But most women live longer than most men, they have a better chance of resisting disease, they an beat men at operations requiring finger dexterity and the ability to work accurately under monotonous conditions. So, it would be legitimate to argue that women are stronger than men. The truth is that each gender can surpass the other in certain kinds of activities. To say that one is stronger than the other is to indulge in futile arguments.
41. Which one of the following statements best reflects the main contention of the author?
(a) In most cases men are stronger than women.
(b) Since women are healthier than men they are also stronger.
(c) In some activities men are stronger than women and in some others women are stronger than men.
(d) Men and women are equally strong. (Ans : c)
42. The author says that any dispute about whether or not men are stronger than women is meaningless, because–
(a) it is an already established fact that men are stronger than women
(b) the word 'stronger' can be interpreted in various ways
(c) it is difficult to assess the comparative strength of men and women
(d) it is a dispute that might harm the man-woman relationship in our society (Ans : b)
43. The author says, it would be legitimate to argue that women are stronger than men, because–
(a) the author believes in the superior strength of women
(b) the author is not committed to any opinion
(c) in some of the activities women do give an impression that they are stronger than men
(d) in fact women are inferior to men in every respect (Ans : c)
44. From the passage, which of the following statements is most likely to be correct?
(a) Women live longer than men because they can resist diseases better than men.
(b) Monotonous living conditions make women stronger than men.
(c) All women are incapable of running, jumping and doing physical labour because they are not strong.
(d) Statistically speaking, most women live longer than most men. (Ans : d)
Passage-3
In national no less than in individual life there are no watertight compartments. No sharp lines can be drawn to mark off the political from the moral, the social from the economic regions of life. Politicians often talk as though one has only to introduce certain political and economic changes for paradise to descend on earth, forgetful of the fact that the efficiency of an institution depends on the way it is worked, which itself is determined by the character and wisdom of the men-who work it.
45. Which one of the following statements most clearly suggests the central theme of the passage?
(a) Political and economic changes can solve all the problems facing the nation.
(b) There is no difference between the political, moral, social arid economic regions of life.
(c) It is not the institutions that are important but the character and wisdom of the people who manage them
(d) National progress depends solely on the efficient running of our institutions. (Ans : c)
46. Which one of the following phrases best helps to bring out the precise contextual meaning of 'watertight compartments'?
(a) Activities of life unaffected by public opinion.
(b) Spheres of life where no liberty of opinion is tolerated.
(c) Ways of life peculiar to each nation and each section of society.
(d) Spheres of life which are independent and unconnected (Ans : a)
47. Which one of the following statements most correctly reflects the attitude of the author towards politicians' opinions?
(a) The author totally disbelieves what the politicians say.
(b) The author believes what the politicians say.
(c) The author is sceptical about the claims of tile politicians.
(d) The author thinks that the opinions of the politicians are contradictory. (Ans : d)
48. Which one of the following statements most correctly indicates the implication of the phrase 'paradise to descend on earth'?
(a) A world of perfect economic, political and social well-being. (b) A world ruled by religious persons.
(c) A world of total liberty and equality. (d) A world in which nobody needs to labour. (Ans : a)
Passage-4
Just as some men like to play football or cricket, so some men like to climb mountains. This is often very difficult to do, for mountains are not just big hills. Paths are usually every steep. Some mountainsides are straight up and down, so that it may take many hours to climb as little as one hundred feet. There is always the danger that you may fall off and be killed or injured. Men talk about conquering a mountain.
It is a wonderful feeling to reach the top of a mountain after climbing for hours and may be even for days. You look down and see the whole country below you. You feel God-like. Two Italian prisoners of war escaped from a prison camp in Kenya during the war.
They did not try to get back to their own country, for they knew that was impossible. Instead they climbed to the top of Mount Kenya, and then they came down again and gave themselves up. They had wanted to get that feeling of freedom that one has, after climbing a difficult mountain.
49. Some men like to climb mountains because–
(a) they do not like to play football or cricket (b) they know the trick of climbing
(c) they want to have a wonderful feeling (d) they like to face danger (Ans : c)
50. To climb a mountain is often difficult because–
(a) mountains are big hills (b) it consumes more time
(c) prisoners often escape from capms and settle there (d) paths are steep and uneven (Ans : d)
51. It is a wonderful feeling .......... 'It' refers to.
(a) the steep path (b) the prisoner (c) the mountain (d) mountaineering (Ans : d)
52. Two Italian prisoners escaped the camp and climbed to the top of Mount Kenya to–
(a) escape to Italy (b) come down and give up
(c) gain fame as mountaineers (d) get the feeling of freedom (Ans : d)
Passage-5
Most of the people who appear most often and most gloriously in the history books are great conquerors and generals and soldiers, whereas the people, who really helped civilization forward are often never mentioned at all. We do not know, who first set a broken leg, or launched a seaworthy boat, or calculated the length of the year, or manoeuvred a field; but we know all about the killers and destroyers. People think a great deal of them, so much so that on all the highest pillars in the great cities of the world you will find the figure of a conqueror or a general or a soldier. And I think most people believed that the greatest countries are those that have beaten in battle the greatest number of other countries and ruled over them as conquerors.
53. People, who are glorified often in history books are those–
(a) who contributed to the public health (b) who contributed to the technical knowledge of man
(c) who made calendars (d) who fought and won wars (Ans : d)
54. The words "the people who really helped civilization forward" suggest that conquerors, generals, and soldiers–
(a) contributed a great deal to civilization (b) contributed only towards civilization
(c) were least interested in the progress of civilization (d) contributed little to civilization (Ans : d)
55. We will find the figure of a conqueror or a general or a soldier on all the highest pillars in great cities because–
(a) they sacrificed their lives for the benefit of humanity (b) people have exaggerated notions about their achievements
(c) they had a deep concern for the welfare of humanity (d) they built most cities (Ans : b)
56. The passage implies that the greatest countries are those that–
(a) have conquered many countries and ruled over them (b) are very large in their size
(c) have the largest population (d) are civilized (Ans : a)
Directions (Q. Nos. 57-76) : Each questions in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part and indicate your response against the corresponding letter i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).
57. I am senior (a)/ than him (b)/ by two years. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : b)
58. When I finished writing the letter, (a)/ I could not help admiring myself (b)/ to have achieved the impossible. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : a)
59. I am (a)/ glad (b)/ that you are here. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : d)
60. He will be (a)/ cured from (b)/ his fever. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : b)
61. Though he is a gifted comedian, (a)/ he prefers spend his spare time (b)/ watching horror movies. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : b)
62. The writer (a)/ of this poetry (b)/ is Wordsworth. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : b)
63. The jug (a)/ is made (b)/ out of China clay. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : c)
64. Sita (a)/ with all her sisters (b)/ were here. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : a)
65. As you know (a)/ that the ignorant (b)/ are easily duped. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : d)
66. Pay attention (a)/ to what (b)/ I am saying. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : d)
67. One of the assistant (a)/ was (b)/ Alfred. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : a)
68. Though George is a (a)/ honourable man (b)/ his activities arouse suspicion. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : a)
69. She told her teacher (a)/ that she could not be able (b)/ to attend the class the previous day because of heavy rains. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : b)
70. Coleridge as well as Wordsworth were (a)/ of the opinion that the opposite of poetry is (b)/ not prose but (c)/ science. No error (d) (Ans : a)
71. He was courted arrest (a)/ in order to protest against (b)/ corruption among the government servants. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : d)
72. Mr. Joshi was, however, sure (a)/ that the idea would never work (b)/ in practice. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : d)
73. As I was leaving for Delhi, (a)/ he asked me whether (b)/ I could buy a tape recorder for him. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : d)
74. The boy's parents (a)/ pleaded with the Principal (b)/ that they were too poor to pay his tuition fee. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : d)
75. For young Donald, (a)/ peace in Vietnam was (b)/ almost terrible as war. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : c)
76. That Brutus, who was his trusted friend (a)/ had attacked on him (b)/ caused heartbreak to Julius Caesar. (c)/ No error (d) (Ans : b)
