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Practice Papers for SSC Exams "General English"

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Govind’s father was a rich landlord, who was loved and respected by all his tenants. When he died, he left large tracts of land to Govind. But Govind did not spend a single day looking after his land. He had a funny idea, that there existed a magic potion which, if it was poured on any object would turn it into gold. He spent all his time trying to learn about this potion. People took advantage of him and cheated him. His wife grew anxious. Given the amount of money Govind was spending, she was sure that they would soon be paupers. One day, a widely respected sage who had been to the Himalayas came to their town. Govind asked him about the potion. To his surprise the sage answered, “I have learnt how to brew such a potion. But it is a difficult process.” “Tell me!” insisted Govind, hardly able to believe his luck. “You have to collect the dew which settles on the leaves of a banana tree every morning during winter. There is a condition though. The tree should be planted and watered regularly with your own hands. Store the collected dew in an earthen vessel and when you have five litres, bring it to me. I will recite a sacred mantra to transform the dew into the potion. A drop of the potion will be sufficient to change any object into gold.”

Govind was worried. “Winter is only for a few months in the year. It will take me years to collect the dew.” “You can plant as many trees as you want,” replied the sage. Govind went home and after talking to his wife, began clearing the large fields which has been lying vacant for years. He planted rows of banana saplings. He tended them with great care. His wife helped him too. She would take the banana crop to market and get a good price. Over the years the plantation grew and finally after six years Govind had five litres of dew. He went to the sage who smiled, uttered a mantra and sprinkled a few drops of dew on a copper vessel. To Govind’s dismay, nothing happened. “You have cheated me!” he shouted at he sage. The sage, however, smiled. Govind’s wife then came forward with a box. The sage opened it and revealed stacks of gold coins inside. Turning to Govind he said, “You worked hard on your land and created a plantation. Your wife sold the produce in the market. It was your hard work which created this wealth, not magic. If I had told you this earlier, you would not have listened.” Govind understood the wisdom behind the sage’s words and worked even harder from that day on.

Q1. Why did Govind’s father give him large plots of land?

(a) It was his way of instilling a sense of responsibility in his son
(b) Govind was his only son and sole heir
(c) To provide Govind with sufficient funds to pursue his interest of discovering a magic potion
(d) He wanted Govind to continue to look after the tenants

Q2. Which of the following can be said about the sage?

(a) He was cunning and plotted with Govind’s wife to cheat him
(b) He had no magical powers as such and used to swindle people
(c) He was a good judge of people
(d) He did not deserve his good reputation

Q3. Why was Govind’s wife worried?

(a) Govind had no knowledge of farming and could not cultivate the land he had inherited from his father
(b) Govind had not friends because he was obsessed with finding a potion which would turn anything into gold
(c) Govind was only interested in studying under different sages and neglected his family duties
(d) Since Govind had devoted all his time and wealth to finding a magic potion they would soon be poor

Q4. Why did Govind’s wife help him in the fields?

A. To support her husband in his endeavour to find a magic potion.
B. The sage had advised her to help her husband succeed.
C. He needed someone to help him collect the dew.

(a) None
(b) Only A
(c) Both A and B
(d) None of these

Q5. Why did Govind decide to cultivate a banana crop?

(a) The soil of his land was suitable only for cultivating bananas
(b) It was the most highly priced commodity in the region
(c) It could be grown at any time of the year including winter
(d) The ingredient for the magic potion could only be obtained from a banana tree.

Q6. What made Govind angry with the sage?

(a) The sage had conspired with Govind’s wife against him
(b) He had forgotten the magic spell and all Govind’s hard work was in vain
(c) He had lost a good deal of money in cultivating bananas
(d) The sage had made a fool of him in front of other villagers

Q7. How did Govind acquire his dream of gold finally?

(a) The sage gave him gold as a reward for his hard work was in vain
(b) His wife diligently saved the gold he had received from his father
(c) By selling the banana plantation
(d) His wife sold bananas at a higher price than other did.

Q8. Which of the following is TRUE in the context of the passage?

A. Govind was easily fooled by people.
B. Govind was preserving by nature.
C. The sage had never actually been to the Himalayas.

(a) Only A
(b) Both A and B
(c) Only C
(d) Both A and C

Q9. SPEND

(a) pay
(b) bought
(c) devote
(d) settle

Q10. LYING

(a) sleeping
(b) dishonest
(c) relaxing
(d) remaining

Q11. DISMAY

(a) joy
(b) interest
(c) desire
 (d) humour

Q12. TENDED

(a) negligible
(b) watched
(c) inclined
(d) ignored

Q13. Starting out my own business at this time would affect the financial stability of my family.

(a) Starting up my
(b) For starting with
(c) To start out mine
(d) By starting my

Q14. Use a tactic for mixing the inferior with good quality rice is dishonest and you will lose your license.

(a) Using tactics as
(b) Using a tactic like
(c) To use tactics
(d) Used to tactics like

Q15. The company will invest more six hundred crores in the next five years to expand its operations in Britain.

(a) will further invest
(b) has invested more than
(c) have invested over
(d) will be invested above

Q16. Several of our projects have delayed because the equipment we ordered was delivered late.

(a) have been delivered when
(b) delayed because of
(c) are delayed since
(d) were delayed with

Q17. The committee has ruled out the possible raising taxes for this financial year.

(a) possibly raised
(b) possible rise of
(c) possibility to raise
(d) possibility of raising

Q18. Under existing

(a)/regulations we are not permitted
(b)/to owe
(c)/of the family business.
(d)All correct

Q19.

(a)In case of any land dispute
(b)/panchayat  officials
(c)/will determine
(d)/how the property is to be dividend

Q20. The World Bank has consented

(a)/ to sanction
(b)/ the necessary
(c)/finance
(d)/for the project.

 

Q21. To obtain

(a)/a refund you will have to fill
(b)/ a claim
(c) /with the appropriate
(d)/authority.

Q22. Experts predict

(a)/there will be shortage
(b)/of investment
(c)/in the infrastructure
(d)/sector.

A. The hall was filled with children, teachers, students, family members and those who were close to him.
B. Normally, such ceremonies are attended by important people like industrialists, politicians and VIPs.
C. What I saw when I stepped into the hall amazed me.
D. I went home with the feeling that it was a most unusual oath taking ceremony with only those who were ‘important’ to him present.
E. When he was elected President, he invited me to the swearing in ceremony in the Central Hall of Parliament.
F. However, in this case everyone who attended the ceremony seemed to know him personally.

Q23. Which of the following should be the FIRST sentence after rearrangement?

(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) E

Q24. Which of the following should be the SECOND sentence after rearrangement?

(a) B
(b) C
(c) D
(d) E

Q25. Which of the following should be the THIRD sentence after rearrangement?

(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D

Q26. Which of the following should be the FIFTH sentence after rearrangement?

(a) B
(b) C
(c) D
(d) E

Q27. Which of the following should be the LAST (SIXTH) sentence after rearrangement?

(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
 (d) D

Q28.

(a) His proposal had
(b)/to be send to
(c)/the President of the company
(d)/for her approval

Q29

(a)Each Tuesday evening we visited
(b)/the farmers in the area
(c)/and held a meeting
(d)/to discuss the problems they faced 

Q30.

(a).Though our training facilities
(b)/are limited only a
(c)/few employees have been
(d)/selected for training 

Q31.

(a)During the interview
(b)the panel asked me
(c) several technical questions
(d)and I answered all of it

Q32.

(a)He decided to work for
(b)/an NGO, but most of his
(c)/classmates opted for high paid
(d)/jobs in multinational companies

When we 73 started thirty years ago in 1977, we did not know anything about how to run a bank or the poor. We therefore looked at how others ran their operations and 74 from their mistakes. In Bangladesh, conventional banks and credit co-operatives always 75 lump sum repayments. This created 76 problems because repaying in a lump sum was a mental hurdle for borrowers. They tended to delay repayment and get further into debt in the 77. In the end they usually 78 totally on the loan, which was a loss to the bank. In structuring our own loans, I decided to ask for a daily payment. Monitoring repayment was 79 and it filled people with 80 that they could repay their loans.

Q33.

(a) firstly
(b) freshly
(c) foremost
(d) initially

Q34.

(a) copied
(b) observed
(c) learned
(d) understood

Q35.

(a) asked
(b) insisted
(c) demanded
(d) settled

Q36.

(a) severe
(b) no
(c) additionally
(d) variety

Q37.

(a) time
(b) process
(c) return
(d) event

Q38.

(a) neglected
(b) abandoned
(c) defaulted
(d) depended

Q39.

(a) benefit
(b) easier
(c) reckless
(d) disorganised

Q40

 (a) sense
 (b) confidence
 (c) challenge
 (d) doubt

Q41
 

(a) gone
(b) quit
(c) remaining
(d) disappeared

Q42. packed

(a) filled
(b) squeezed
(c) crowd
(d) collected

 

Q43. Choose the word which is most OPPOSITE in meaning of the word dejectedly as used in the passage.

(a) calmly
(b) happily
(c) willingly
(d) fortunately

The yearly festival was close at hand. The store room was packed with silk fabrics, gold ornaments, clay bowls full of sweet curd and platefuls of sweetmeats. The orders has been placed with shops well in advance. The mother was sending out gifts to everyone. The eldest son, a government servant, lived with his wife and children in far off lands. The second son had left home at an early age. As a merchant he travelled all over the world. The other sons has split up over petty squabbles, and they now lived in homes of their own. The relatives were spread all across the world. They rarely visited. The youngest son, left in the company of a servant, was soon bored left her and stood at the door all day long, waiting and watching. His mother, thrilled and excited, loaded the presents on trays and plates, covered them with colourful kerchiefs, and sent them off with maids and servants. The neighbours looked on. The day came to an end. All the presents had been sent off. The child came back into the house and dejectedly said to his mother, “Maa, you gave a present to everyone, but you didn’t give me anything!” His mother laughed, “I have given all the gifts away to everyone, now see what’s left for you.” She kissed him on the forehead. The child said in tearful voice, “Don’t I get a gift?”

“You’ll get it when you go far away.”
“But when I am close to you, don’t I get something from your own hands?”

His mother reached out her arms and drew him to her “This is all I have in my own hands. It is the most precious of all.”

Q44. Why did the woman’s second son travel?

(a) He was restless by nature
(b) He did not want to stay at home
(c) He was rich and could afford to travel
(d) His job was such that he had to travel

Q45. Why did the woman’s eldest son not attend the festival?

(a) He was not an good terms with his youngest brother who lived at home
(b) He had quarrelled with his mother
(c) His wife did not allow him to return home
(d) His job prevented him from taking leave

Q46. How did the woman prepare for the festival?

A. She bought expensive gifts for her children and neighbours.
B. She ordered her servants to prepare sweets and food well in advance.
C. She made sure that her youngest child was looked after so that he wouldn’t be bored.

(a) None
(b) Only A
(c) Only B
(d) Both A & B

Q47. What did the youngest child do while his mother was busy?

A. He waited for. a chance to steal some sweetmeats.
B. He pestered his mother to give him a present.
C. He stood at the door with the servants.

(a) Only A
(b) Only B
(c) Both A & C
(d) Only C

Q48. Which of the following can be said about the woman?

(a) She was a widow who had brought up her children single handedly
(b) She was not a good mother since her children has left home at an early age
(c) She enjoyed sending her family gifts at festival time
(d) She gave expensive presents to show that she was wealthy
(5) She rarely visited her grandchildren because they all lived abroad.

Q49. What did the boy receive from his mother?

(a) She taught him the value of patience
(b) She encouraged him to grow up and live independently like his brother
(c) She showed him the importance of giving expensive gifts
(d) She gave him a hug to express her love

Q50. Which of the following is TRUE in the context of the passage?

(a) The woman usually ignored her youngest son
(b) The woman’s eldest son lived abroad
(c) The members of the woman’s family did not care about her
(d) The woman made all the preparations herself since she did not want to burden the servants

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