CDS (I) 2022, English question paper

120 questions · 100 marks · 120 minutes · +0.83 per correct answer, -0.28 per wrong one

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Directions: find error in three underlined parts or No error
1 $This task is being undertaken for the benefit of young people in needed at the instance of the Chief of the Group.$
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2 $If I am the principal of the school I would abolish all examinations.$
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3 $My mother is thinking that I should stop drinking.$
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4 $The students have a good time in the class today.$
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5 $More than thirty lakh people were inoculated against COVID-19 on March 15th.$
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6 $LIC was found on September 1, 1956 via the Life Insurance Corporation Act.$
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7 $Full many a flower are born to blush unseen.$
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8 $I shall be glad to help every one of my boys in their studies.$
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9 $Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the centre or left side of the chest.$
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10 $For most food park marketing initiatives are restricted to a few hundred kilometres.$
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Directions: choose best word or group for the blank
11 $Fifteen years _______, Elizabeth left her career and moved to India with her spouse.$
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12 $The Government has _______ into a specific agreement with a charitable trust to provide medicines to poor patients.$
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13 $Whatever _______, please keep calm.$
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14 $_______ road we take, we shall be late.$
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15 $The news is _______ good to be true.$
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16 $There is nothing _______ than a busy life.$
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17 $I wish I _______ young again.$
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18 $He must work very hard and make up _______ lost time.$
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19 $Your attempt can hardly be called successful, for it _______ had no good results.$
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20 $As per the existing market rate, twelve dozen _______ one hundred rupees.$
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Directions: choose the correct meaning of the idiom
21 $Be out for the count$
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22 $Go by the book$
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23 $Double-talk$
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24 $At somebody's elbow$
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25 $Treading on eggshells$
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26 $Everyone and his brother$
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27 $Feet of clay$
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28 $Feel the pinch$
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29 $The feathers fly$
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30 $A foregone conclusion$
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Directions: re-arrange labelled parts P Q R S of the sentence
31 $P: as soon as Q: the government was pressed to do R: something for the poor S: the session commenced$
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32 $P: they do not come within my subject Q: lightly esteemed by me R: if I don't speak to them, it's because S: and not because they are$
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33 $P: no magnanimous victor Q: the fortune of war had R: put in his power so cruelly S: would treat those whom$
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34 $P: call in question Q: whatever else one may say of him R: no one dare S: his honesty of purpose$
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35 $P: has become Q: ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began, R: a fixture of everyday life S: calibrating disease-related risk$
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36 $P: late sixties Q: he still enjoys vigorous R: he is in his S: health; although$
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37 $P: inviting as the retort of abuse Q: nothing is so easy and R: and sarcasm but it is a paltry S: and an unprofitable contest$
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38 $P: introduces antithetical ideas Q: an epigram is a brief and R: pointed saying that frequently S: that cause one to think afresh$
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39 $P: of antithesis whereby two Q: predicted at once R: oxymoron is a special form S: contradictory qualities are$
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40 $P: and marble; they thus mock him Q: people talk of memorials to R: him in statues of bronze S: and belie his message$
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Directions: order middle sentences P Q R S between S1 and S6
41 $S1: Hunger and malnutrition are outcomes of food insecurity or the inability to access adequate food and nutrition. S6: It is most likely that India is going to miss the Millennium Development Goal in this regard. P: In 2001-03, every fifth Indian was found to be undernourished. Q: The rate of decline in the proportion of the undernourished through the 1990s was much slower in comparison to the decline in poverty headcount ratio. R: Hunger-related poverty remains one of the major deprivations in India. S: In fact, the proportion of undernourished people remained stagnant at 21% in the second half of 1990s, and the number actually increased.$
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42 $S1: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) was established in 1875. S6: These predictions have an effect on the Indian economy that belies any belief that the economy of our country is not solely dependent on agriculture and the rains that feed it. P: The Meteorological Department is perhaps also burdened with the most critical form of soothsaying i.e., forecasting the monsoon. Q: The Crop Yield Formation Unit of the department has developed statistical models using correlation and regression techniques. R: The IMD issued the first operational long range forecast of seasonal south-west monsoon rainfall in India in 1986. S: It is the natural meteorological service and the principal agency in all matters related to meteorology.$
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43 $S1: Let us posit two questions: one, what ails our parliamentary system? S6: Given the current political scenario, it appears that India has yet to develop a strong parliamentary culture. P: To search for an answer, we begin with Rudolf's observation that the parliamentary life has deteriorated in India. Q: Two, how democratic is our democracy? R: For a system to survive, grow and prosper, it needs to be supported by a democratic political culture. S: There is an organic connectivity between a parliamentary system and parliamentary democracy.$
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44 $S1: People of every country think very highly of themselves and consider their country the best or the greatest. S6: We should accept whatever good we may find in other countries. P: And discard what is bad. Q: No country can be absolutely good, just as no man can be thoroughly good. R: One must cultivate the ability to discern the good from the bad. S: We have to keep what is good.$
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45 $S1: Poverty is wrongly considered an evil. S6: To abolish poverty would be to destroy the soil upon which mankind produces the virtues conducive to higher civilisation. P: Most of the great men on Earth are those who have sprung from the ranks of the poor. Q: The home of poverty, free from care and social envy, is characterised by love and unity among its members. R: The children of rich men are not so fortunate as those of poor men. S: The poor lead a happier life than the rich.$
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46 $S1: 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy' — There is a lot of truth in this proverb. S6: Games provide recreation for the pupils, and also make their bodies strong. P: Then, they can go back to their books, refreshed. Q: Games provide the best form of recreation in schools. R: Unless pupils enjoy some sort of recreation, they become dull and their reading suffers as a consequence. S: Pupils should play for an hour or two.$
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47 $S1: Sometimes we have to put up with something irksome or unpleasant. S6: But we find ourselves getting accustomed to it in due course of time. P: Suppose we shift into a house near a factory which keeps going all day. Q: As time goes by, we are able to adapt ourselves to it so that it becomes a part of our life. R: Thus, we can get used to anything. S: At first, the noise of the machinery makes it impossible for us to sleep at night.$
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48 $S1: A large city is the best school for studying life. S6: Thus a city can teach us many aspects of life. P: If we live in a city for a year or two, we will be able to acquire a good knowledge of life. Q: In a large city we encounter different types of persons. R: The rich and the poor, the proud and the humble, the deceitful and the innocent, the rough and the gentle. S: The various facets of life can be found reflected in a large city.$
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49 $S1: Great talkers are never great doers. S6: Those who do nothing are usually the most talkative. P: Rather they serve themselves and never the community. Q: But when the time for action comes, they keep themselves away. R: We come across people who are eloquent over great things. S: Many who deliver wonderful speeches about their own greatness, do no valuable service to the country.$
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50 $S1: Leisure is perhaps as important as work. S6: We should take care to make proper use of leisure. P: And we feel very tired. Q: Unless we have some break, we cannot carry on and our health may suffer. R: Sometimes we work continuously. S: After a little relaxation, we can work more energetically and efficiently.$
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Directions: word nearest in meaning to the underlined word
51 $Please use conversational language.$
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52 $My neighbour is malicious .$
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53 $I was awe-inspired by his designation .$
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54 $Words of endearment always touch me.$
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55 $We should follow patience and forbearance .$
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56 $His gibbous looks make him different from others.$
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57 $She tormented me with her detached behaviour.$
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58 $Her peerless manners were noticed.$
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59 $He studied mensuration carefully.$
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60 $They smothered the fire in the building.$
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Directions: word opposite in meaning to the underlined word
61 $He discontinued the work due to pressure.$
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62 $The teacher chided the pupil.$
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63 $I cherish your company.$
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64 $The house was full of chaos when I reached.$
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65 $We worship celestial beings.$
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66 $Mohan is quite reticent .$
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67 $He was rather childish .$
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68 $John is a magniloquent person.$
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69 $His clandestine affairs were suspicious.$
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70 $Some animals live a dormant life.$
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Directions: Each of the following sentences in this section has a blank space with four words or group of words given. Select whichever word or group of words you consider the most appropriate for the blank space and indicate your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly. Passage CLOZE COMPOSITION Bad habits such as over-eating, drinking, or smoking ___(71)___ very easy to acquire. One should fight ___(72)___ the force of habit. Even good things can be very harmful when done ___(73)___ excess. The wise man is conscious ___(74)___ his bad habits and checks them promptly. The use of tobacco has spread all ___(75)___ the world. Those who have acquired this bad habit would ___(76)___ be able to get rid of it. Alcohol, which is more common in cold countries than in warmer ones, does nobody any good and should be avoided ___(77)___ Alcohol, even if taken in small quantities, ___(78)___ to affect one's health. For the victims of alcoholism, ___(79)___ helps, but this condition cannot be cured. Symptoms of alcoholism include repeated alcohol consumption ___(80)___ related legal and health issues.
71 $Blank (71): "Bad habits such as over-eating, drinking, or smoking ___ very easy to acquire."$
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72 $Blank (72): "One should fight ___ the force of habit."$
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73 $Blank (73): "Even good things can be very harmful when done ___ excess."$
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74 $Blank (74): "The wise man is conscious ___ his bad habits and checks them promptly."$
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75 $Blank (75): "The use of tobacco has spread all ___ the world."$
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76 $Blank (76): "Those who have acquired this bad habit would ___ be able to get rid of it."$
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77 $Blank (77): "...does nobody any good and should be avoided ___."$
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78 $Blank (78): "Alcohol, even if taken in small quantities, ___ to affect one's health."$
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79 $Blank (79): "For the victims of alcoholism, ___ helps, but this condition cannot be cured."$
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80 $Blank (80): "...include repeated alcohol consumption ___ related legal and health issues."$
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Directions: complete the sentence with the correct alternative
81 $I stopped seeing her _______$
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82 $He led the caravan _______$
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83 $Unless you work harder _______$
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84 $Had I the wings of a bird _______$
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85 $He would be happier _______$
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86 $No sooner did I arrive at the airport _______$
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87 $I couldn't be angry with him _______$
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88 $He knows only _______$
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89 $As you have made your bed _______$
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90 $The younger man has more money _______$
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Directions: choose correct preposition or determiner for the blank
91 $He succeeded _______ dint of perseverance and hard work.$
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92 $_______ his ill health, he retired from his business.$
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93 $These are the good rules to live _______.$
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94 $People who are averse _______ hard work do not succeed in life.$
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95 $A woman who always connives _______ her children to hide their faults, is their worst enemy.$
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96 $We travelled _______ Mr. Barthwal's car.$
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97 $Suresh came home _______ train.$
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98 $Few things are impossible _______ achieve with diligence and skill.$
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99 $It is natural for everyone to aspire _______ distinction.$
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100 $He is liable _______ his wife's debts.$
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Directions: In this section you have two short passages. After each passage, you will find some items based on the passage. First, read a passage and answer the items based on it. You are required to select your answers based on the contents of the passage and opinion of the author only. Passage – I All organisms such as plants, animals, microorganisms and human beings as well as the physical surroundings interact with each other and maintain a balance in nature. All the interacting organisms in an area together with the non-living constituents of the environment form an ecosystem. Thus, an ecosystem consists of biotic components comprising living organisms and abiotic components comprising physical factors like temperature, rainfall, wind, soil and minerals. For example, if you visit a garden you will find different plants, such as grasses, trees; flower-bearing plants like rose, jasmine, sunflower; and animals like frogs, insects and birds. All these living organisms interact with each other and their growth, reproduction and other activities are affected by the abiotic components of the ecosystem. So a garden is an ecosystem. Other types of ecosystems are forests, ponds and lakes. These are natural ecosystems while gardens and crop-fields are human-made ecosystems.
101 $The general tone of the passage is$
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102 $Which of the following is a non-living constituent of the environment?$
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103 $Abiotic components of the ecosystem refer to$
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104 $Which of the following is not a natural ecosystem?$
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105 $The word 'constituent' in the passage implies$
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Directions: In this section you have two short passages. After each passage, you will find some items based on the passage. First, read a passage and answer the items based on it. You are required to select your answers based on the contents of the passage and opinion of the author only. Passage – II As we discussed food and sang every song we could remember and talked incessantly, we were slowly moving deeper into the Atlantic, and we got the feeling, really, that we belonged there, and that the ships that passed on the horizon were only hurrying strangers. We were actually living on the ocean. We discovered that the birds all seemed to league up at night-time, resting on the water by the hundreds. When we came poking along, we seemed so much a part of the sea that the birds wouldn't move until we were about five yards away. Then they'd flutter off, leaving feathers floating in the water, and settle again a few yards away. The dolphins and porpoises would come up at sunset and move in among us and the birds. They'd come up very lazily under the birds, which would go up on their heels and flap their wings a bit, and then settle right down again. Two whales joined us one evening and played ring-around-rosie so close to us that Chay could have reached out an oar and tapped one. We had calculated that we had just enough rations to make England, but the easterly winds caused an agonizing reappraisal. It would have been an interesting experience, running right down like that, but we felt we must not risk other people's lives by making them search for us. We decided to accept rations from the next ship that stopped. Was it a mature decision ? This was also the time when the strain of the voyage really began to tell on us. I wrote in my log : 'I have known fear many times in my life, and indeed I have often striven to develop a situation that provided fear in both boxing and parachuting. I have never known anything like this — cannot be over tomorrow, or for many tomorrows. Somehow it is like being rubbed down with sandpaper. I honestly do not know how many storms there have been now, and each leaves us progressively weaker.' 'Tonight we lie and wait. Nothing could save us if we get into difficulties. No ship could get us off these seas even if it arrived in time. We are completely in God's hands, at the mercy of the weather. All night the wind screams louder and louder, and the sound of the sea grows. We talk of many things — the night train to Scotland, the many things we've done, and slowly we are overtaken by an enormous feeling of humility and a desire to return to try and live a better life. The weather reached a climax at 0300 and then declined rapidly. Thank goodness we could not see the sea.'
106 $"We were actually living on the ocean," implies$
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107 $"... the birds all seemed to league up at night-time," implies$
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108 $What did the author write in his log?$
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109 $They lost all hope of survival because$
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110 $"We are overtaken by an enormous feeling of humility," implies that they$
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Directions: part of speech of the underlined word
111 $The conclusions that they came to are highly questionable .$
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112 $This year marks the quincentenary of Columbus's voyage to America.$
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113 $I still cherish the memories of those far-off days.$
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114 $I don't think I'll come on Saturday. I have a lot of work to do. Besides, I don't really like parties.$
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115 $The bottomline is that we have to make a decision today.$
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116 $Try to knock that vase over .$
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117 $I'd like an ice cream. Are you having one too?$
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118 $My parents lent me the money. Otherwise, I could not have afforded the trip.$
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119 $She wrote me an anguished letter from her prison cell.$
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120 $There is a visitor for you.$
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