CDS 2014 English Question Paper -2

ORDERING OF SENTENCES

SPOTTING ERRORS

Directions : In this section, you are required to spot errors in sentences. Each sentence is divided into three parts. Read each sentence to find out whether there is an error in any of the parts. No sentence has more than one error. Some of the sentences do not have any error. When you find an error in a sentence, the letter indicated under that part of the sentence is the answer and therefore the same may be marked on the separate Answer Sheet. If there is no error in any part, then (d) which stands for “No error” is the answer for the item.

  1. He went to England to work as a doctor but returned back as he could not endure
    (a)                                      (b)                             (c)
    the weather there.
    No error

(d)

  1. She inquired whether anyone has seen her baby. No error

(a)         (b)             (c)                          (d)

  1. When I went out door I found frost everywhere. No error

(a)            (b)                               (c)                  (d)

  1. These are his conclusion remarks. No error

(a)       (b)                 (c)                    (d)

  1. The shopkeeper either offered to exchange the goods or refund the money.

(a)                             (b)                            (c)

No error

(d)

  1. Churchill was one of the greatest war leaders. No error

(a)                (b)                           (c)                (d)

  1. We should keep such people at an arm’s length. No error

(a)                      (b)                      (c)                   (d)

  1. He did not know as much as he claimed he knew. No error

(a)                  (b)             (c)                      (d)

  1. That was very dangerous: you might have been killed. No error.
    (a)                           (b)       (c)                    (d)
  2. My friend is going to a movie every week. No error

(a)       (b)         (c)                         (d)

  1. They sit at the window and watch the traffic. No error

(a)             (b)                             (c)                  (d)

  1. I started early for the station lest I should not miss the train. No error

(a)                          (b)                                  (c)                      (d)

  1. I wanted to see that whether they had actually read the notes. No error

(a)                  (b)                                   (c)                            (d)

  1. They made him treasurer because they considered him as honest and efficient, No
    (a)                                      (b)                                      (c)

      (d)
  2. Having finished the paper early he came out of the hall almost an hour before the bell
    (a)                                  (b)                                  (c)
    rang
    .No error.
                (d)
  3. The young man had no manner .No error
    (a)          (b)              (c)               (d)
  4. No news are good news . No error.
    (a)        (b)      (c)                (d)
  5. The work involved is almost impossible to cope with. No error.
    (a)                    (b)                          (c)               (d)
  6. There is no place in this compartment. No error
    (a)         (b)                  (c)                    (d)
  7. Shakespeare is greater than any poet. No error .
    (a)                   (b)              (c)         (d)
  8. I should have preferred to go by myself .No error.
    (a)             (b)                (c)                   (d)
  9. The minister announced compensation for the victims from the accident. No error.
    (a)                                (b)                                  (c)                           (d)
  10. The Australian team losed the match yesterday. No error
    (a)                          (b)              (c)             (d)
  11. He told us that he has not read the book . No error.

(a)      (b)                            (c)              (d)

  1. The composition contained even no less than twenty mistakes. No error
    (a)                        (b)                       (c)                          (d)

SYNONYMS

Directions : Each item in this section consists of a word in capital letters followed by four words or phrases as (a), (b), (c) and (d). Select the word or phrase which is most nearly the same in. meaning as the original word and mark the correct response as (a), (b), (c) or (d) as the case may be, in your Answer Sheet.

  1. ASPIRE
    • breathe
    • stairs
    • hope for
    • thorn
  2. SEQUEL
    • ending
    • beginning
    • continuation
    • similarity
  3. PERPETUAL
    • constant
    • real
    • mistaken
    • painful
  4. ASSENT
    • despatch
    • climb
    • flavour
    • agreement
  5. DEFIANCE
    • attack
    • disobedience
    • protection
    • shyness
  6. HOSTILITY
    • kindness
    • enmity
    • entertainment
    • illness
  7. INDIFFERENT
    • similar
    • various
    • unconcerned
    • shy
  8. CONDEMN
    • censure
    • approve
    • qualify
    • despair
  9. CONFIDENT
    • full
    • friendly
    • sure
    • secret
  10. DEFECT
    • truth
    • deception
    • shortcoming
    • loss
  11. JEALOUS
    • envious
    • happy
    • prisoner
    • enthusiastic
  12. TRIP
    • journey
    • plant
    • design
    • press

ANTONYMS

Directions : Each item in this section consists of a word in capital letters followed by four words as (a), (b), (c) and (d). Select the word which is nearly opposite to the meaning of the original word and mark the correct response as (a), (b), (c) or (d) as the case may be, in your Answer Sheet.

  1. FRESH
    • laden
    • soft
    • sour
    • stale
  2. DENY
    • accept
    • accuse
    • curse
    • except
  3. CHEERFUL
    • sad
    • happy
    • expensive
    • careless
  4. AFFLUENCE
    • continuance
    • poverty
    • diffidence
    • insurance
  5. TIMID
    • bold
    • bashful
    • nervous
    • soft
  6. CREATE
    • destroy
    • envy
    • satisfy
    • begin
  7. FORBID
    • defy
    • dislike
    • permit
    • understand
  8. MASTER
    • companion
    • follower
    • slave
    • boss

COMPREHENSION

Directions : In this section, there are four short passages. After each passage, you will find a few questions each based on what is stated or implied in the passage. First read a passage and then answer the questions following that passage.

PASSAGE-1

During the summer I was introduced to the game of cricket, and I felt my inherent foreignness for the first time. The ball is far too hard for my taste. Even during my last games at the school, angry spectators would shout, “Butter fingers !” But I smiled. Everyone knew in their hearts that I was going to drop the ball anyway, and nobody expected me to be able to play the game.

  1. The author first played cricket
  • as a child in his own country
  • when he was a school boy
  • when he was a tourist
  • when he returned home after his Studies
  1. “felt my inherent foreignness” means
  • Felt very strange
  • Felt very interested and excited
  • enjoyed learning new games
  • felt my superiority over others
  1. Spectators would shout “Butter fingers” ‘ when the author was playing because
    • he liked butter
    • his fingers were like those of a lady
    • he often dropped the ball
    • he was very good at the game
  2. ‘Spectator’ means
  • Glasses
  • Onlooker
  • Watchman
  • Player

PASSAGE-II

How can you improve your reading speed ? By taking off the brakes. You wouldn’t think of driving a car with the brake on. Yet as a reader you probably have several brakes slowing you down. One very common brake is regressing—looking back every now and then at something already read. It is like stepping backwards every few metres as you walk—hardly the way to move ahead quickly. Regression may arise from a lack of confidence, vocabulary deficiency, or actually missing a word or phrase. It makes a long sentence seem even more complex as the eyes frequently regress. Eye movement photographs of 12,000 readers in America showed that university students regress an average of 15 times in reading only 100 words. The average student of class four was found to look back 20 times. In short, regression consumes one-sixth of your precious reading time. Release this brake and enjoy a spurt in reading speed.

  1. In the context of the passage, what does 52. According to the author reading with ‘regression’ mean ?
  • Lack of desire to improve the reading speed
  • Looking back at what is already read
  • Lack of proper understanding of what one reads
  • Comparing the reading speed of school and university students
  1. In order to be a good reader you should
    • regress whenever necessary
    • be like a careful driver
    • not look back frequently while reading
    • test your vocabulary frequently
  2. According to the author reading with regression is like .
    • driving with poor quality brakes
    • stepping backwards while walking
    • using several brakes in order to slow down
    • making sudden spurts in reading speed

PASSAGE-III

Even in the most primitive societies the great majority of people satisfy a large part of their material needs by exchanging goods and services. Very few people indeed can make for themselves everything they need—all their food, their clothes, their housing, their tools. Ever since men started living in communities, they have been satisfying their needs by means of specialization and exchange; increasingly each individual has concentrated on what he can do best, and has produced more of the special goods or services in which he has concentrated, than he can consume himself. The surplus he has exchanged with other members of the community, acquiring, in exchange the things he needs that others have produced.

  1. Very few people can satisfy their needs today by
    • providing things for themselves
    • exchanging goods and services
    • concentrating on what they can do Best
    • individual specialization
  2. Exchange of goods becomes possible only when
    • there is no specialization
    • goods are produced in surplus
    • primitive societies become modern
    • individuals make things for Themselves
  3. Specialization and exchange began when men started
    • big industries
    • concentrating on their work
    • producing things for individual use
    • living in communities
  4. Exchange of goods and services becomes necessary because
  • man is a social being
  • reciprocity is the law of life
  • trade and commerce are means of progress
  • we cannot produce everything we need ourselves

PASSAGE -IV

Soil scientists have shown that the soil teems with millions of living things, many of them useful, others harmful. The living things which are useful include earthworms and various kinds of bacteria. Earthworms loosen the soil and so enable air and water to enter it. Bacteria, which are microscopic living things break down dead plants and /animals and make humus, or take nitrogen from the air and change it into substances that plants use. The living things that do harm include other bacteria and fungi which cause diseases. Other harmful things are pests such as wire worms which feed on the roots of grass and other plants. While the farmer can usually keep weeds in check by careful cultivation, this alone may not protect his crops from insects, pests and diseases. Nowadays, however, he is much better able to control these enemies. He may plant specially resistant types of seeds or he may keep the pests and diseases in check with chemicals. With better seeds farmers have been able to increase their crop yields. They can grow crops that ripen more quickly and have a stronger resistance to disease, frost or drought.

  1. Scientists who study soil believe that
    • all insects and bacteria are harmful
    • only microscopic living things are useful
    • only earthworms are useful
    • not all worms and bacteria are harmful
  2. The living things that do harm
    • break down plants and animals
    • use up the nitrogen from the air
    • cause diseases in the plants
    • loosen up the soil from air and water
  3. Farmers are always careful
  • to control insects and fungi that attack plants
  • to encourage pests in the soil
  • to eliminate all bacteria from the soil
  • to foster all kinds of worms in the Earth
  1. Nowadays it is possible to reduce the loss caused by pests and harmful bacteria
    • with the use of chemical fertilisers
    • through the development of resistant seeds
    • by using weeds as killers
    • by controlling earthworms
  2. The farmers today can also select seeds
    • of slow ripening variety
    • resistant to frost and drought
    • for economy in costs
    • of lower resistance to disease

SENTENCE IMPROVEMENT

Directions : Look at the underlined part of each sentence. Below each sentence are given three possible substitutions for the underlined part. If one of them is better than the underlined part, mark accordingly on the Answer Sheet. If none of the substitutions improve the sentence, mark (d) on the Answer Sheet.

  1. I never have and probably never will be write good letters.
  • I never have written
  • I never have wrote
  • I never have been written
  • NO IMPROVEMENT
  1. I think his feet are bigger than any boy in town.
  • his feet are bigger than many boys in town
  • his feet are bigger than no boys in town
  • his feet are bigger than any other boys in town
  • NO IMPROVEMENT
  1. I haven’t hardly studied for this examination.
  • Hardly I have studied
  • I have hardly studied
  • Not hardly I have studied
  • NO IMPROVEMENT
  1. As you look across the street, lighted windows can be seen.
  • you saw lighted windows
  • lighted windows may be seen
  • you can see lighted windows
  • NO IMPROVEMENT
  1. Her sister is a nurse and she intends to be one too.
  • this is the profession she intends
  • her intention is the same profession
  • She intending to be a nurse too
  • NO IMPROVEMENT
  1. He asked for the cup of tea.
    • some cup of tea
    • cup of tea
    • a cup of tea
    • NO IMPROVEMENT
  1. Several people saw the thief snatch her gold chain.
  • people have seen
  • people were seeing
  • people must see
  • NO IMPROVEMENT
  1. We shall not wait for anyone who will arrive late.
  • who arrives late
  • who arrived late
  • who shall arrive
  • NO IMPROVEMENT
  1. We had a hard time in the war.
  • from the war
  • since the war
  • during the war
  • NO IMPROVEMENT
  1. He aimed a blow on me.
  • at me
  • to me
  • against me
  • NO IMPROVEMENT
  1. He waited for her by dinnertime.
    • at dinnertime
    • till dinnertime
    • on dinnertime
    • NO IMPROVEMENT
  2. He does not have the last idea of it.
    • little
    • less
    • least
    • NO IMPROVEMENT
  1. Born of poor, illiterate farm workers, Lincoln rose to become the president of the U.S.A.
    • raised to become
    • arose to become
    • risen to become
    • NO IMPROVEMENT
  1. Gopal is two years older than his brother.
    • than own brother
    • to his brother
    • by his brother
    • NO IMPROVEMENT
  2. The editor regretted that he was inable to make use of the article.
    • was disabled
    • was unable
    • was enabled
    • NO IMPROVEMENT
  3. He walked softly lest he may wake the baby.
    • he would wake
    • he waked
    • he should wake
    • NO IMPROVEMENT
  4. I look forward to meet you in Delhi.
    • to meeting you
    • to meet with you
    • at meeting you
    • NO IMPROVEMENT
  5. I do not know where has he gone.
    • where had he gone
    • where he has gone
    • when has he gone
    • NO IMPROVEMENT
  6. The teacher taught the students that the moon goes round the earth.
    • the moon went round the earth
    • the moon is going round the earth
    • the moon has gone round the earth
    • NO IMPROVEMENT
  7. This is the boy that I talked to you about.
    • who I talked to you about
    • whom I talked to you about
    • which I talked to you about
    • JNO IMPROVEMENT

SELECTING WORDS

Directions : In the following passage at certain points you are given a choice of three words, one of which fits the meaning of the passage. Choose the best word. Mark the letter, viz. (a), (b) or (c) relating to this word on your Answer Sheet.

PASSAGE

We know that the average depth of the sea is about two and a half miles, but in a few places it is very deep indeed—over six miles. The air presses upon our bodies with a weight of about fifteen pounds to the square inch at (82), We are used to this air pressure and not notice it(83). In the sea this is doubled at a depth of thirty-five feet, (84) and it at this rate for greater depths.(85) In the great deeps the Philippine(86) Islands, a man would be squeezed and utterly crushed by a pressure of tons per(87) square inch. The pressure near the ocean floor is great that if you were to weigh a (88) piece of wood and(89) it to a great depth and then pull it again it would no(90) longer float, it would have become waterlogged. All the tiny wood cells and cavities (91) have burst and become filled with water(92) . We that animals (93)live at a depth of three miles and more and we wonder this can be. The bodies of(94) animals down are almost entirely filled with water (95), and saves them from(96) being crushed. However, many of (97)animals contain some gases as well, for (98) they are captured in nets and drawn(99) the surface these gases expand so much that the animal explodes(100). Its body is tom to shreds as it(101) .

  • Sea water
  • Sea level
  • Sea bed
  • None of these
  • Do
  • Did
  • Does
  • None of these
  • Weight
  • Volume
  • Pressure
  • None of these
  • Expands
  • Decrease
  • Increase
  • None of these
  • Off
  • Of
  • On
  • None of these
  • Severe
  • Several
  • Sheer
  • None of these
  • Such
  • Not
  • So
  • None of these
  • Measure
  • Follow
  • Lower
  • None of these
  • Up
  • Off
  • Down
  • None of these
  • But
  • For
  • When
  • None of these
  • Should
  • Could
  • Would
  • None of these
  • Know
  • Have know
  • Are knowing
  • None of these
  • Why
  • How
  • What
  • None of these
  • Here
  • Where
  • There
  • None of these
  • This
  • These
  • Thus
  • None of these
  • Such
  • Those
  • Their
  • None of these
  • Then
  • Since
  • When
  • None of these
  • On
  • To
  • From
  • None of these
  • Immediately
  • Eventually
  • Actually
  • None of these
  • Bursts
  • Jumps
  • Lands
  • None of these

ORDERING OF WORDS IN A SENTENCE

Directions : In each of the items there is a sentence of which some parts have been jumbled up. You are required to rearrange these parts which are labelled P, Q, R and S, to produce the correct sentence. Choose the correct sequence and mark in your Answer Sheet accordingly.

  1. The soldiers decided to hold out in the fort was killed till the last man among them
    P                       Q              R                           S

    • QPSR
    • PQSR
    • QRSP
    • SRPQ
  2. Her friend when she was very ill last year on Sheila could not attend.
    P                  Q                  R                 S

    • PQRS
    • SRPQ
    • RSPQ
    • RPQS
  3. The poems and stories have been taken for this book from a variety of sources that
             P                   Q                              R
    have been selected
               S

    • SQPR
    • RPQS
    • QPSR
    • PQRS
  4. The belief that the moon has great influence still exists with great force over the
    P                                      Q                      R
    weather
    among many people
    S

    • PRQS
    • QPRS
    • PQSR
    • QSPR
  5. There is an old saying in our country that soldiers not only cover themselves with
                                 P                              Q
    glory on the earth
    who die for their motherland but attain heaven

R                                           S

  • PSQR
  • SPRQ
  • QPSR
  • PRQS
  1. Boys are on their parents invariably dependent until they can earn money to support

P                         Q                              R                          S
themselves

  • RSQP
  • QRSP
  • RPQS
  • QPRS
  1. The principal said that those student would not be permitted to enter who do not
    P                                        Q                        R
    produce
    identity cards

S

  • RSPQ
  • RPSQ
  • PRSQ
  • SRPQ
  1. The doctor remarked that lying in bed if students are fond of reading it will be bad for
    P                  Q                      R                      S
    the eves

    • PQRS
    • QRSP
    • SQRP
    • QRPS
  2. We saw while playing with the boys that Ram fell down and hurt his leg
    P                  Q                          R                     S

    • RSPQ
    • PQRS
    • RPQS
    • RPSQ
  3. For an hour because it had to wait due to dense fog the plane couldn’t take off
    P                         Q                           R                              S
  • PQRS
  • RQPS
  • QPRS
  • SPQR
  1. She complained that that it took a month to clean it the house was so dirty
    P                     Q              R                  S
  • PQRS
  • SPQR
  • PSQR
  • RSPQ

ORDERING OF SENTENCES

Directions for the following 8 (EIGHT) items : In this section each item consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and sixth sentences are given in the beginning as SI and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly on the Answer Sheet.

  1. SI: There have been many stories of porpoises saving human lives.

S6:     Marine scientists point out that the porpoise’s spirit of play is responsible for such incidents.

P : ‘    When I got to my feet no one was near, but in the water about 18 feet out a porpoise was leaping about.’

Q :    One woman was wading waist deep off the Florida coast when an undertow pulled her down.

R :     ‘I felt something give me a terrific shove up on to the beach’, she says.

S : ‘    A man standing nearby said that the porpoise had shoved me ashore.’

The proper sequence should be

  • PRSQ
  • QPRS
  • QRPS
  • QPSR
  1. SI: Rome, the greatest city of the ancient world, did not achieve its glory all of a sudden.

S6 :    Achievement of great moment cannot be accomplished without patient perseverance and a considerable interval of time.

P :      The same is true of every great achievement.

Q :    We should carry on our work with patience and perseverance.

R :     It took several years to build Rome and bring it to the state of pomp and splendor.

S :      When we wish to do a great thing, we cannot expect success in a moment.

The proper sequence should be

  • RPSQ
  • PQSR
  • QSPR
  • SRPQ
  1. SI: The bus stopped.

S6 :    Then his eyes rested with cold malice on the dog.

P :      The conductor came in and took the fares.

Q :    A woman and a man got in together.

R :     The young woman was carrying a pet dog.

S ;      They took their seats.

The proper sequence should be

  • PQRS
  • QSRP
  • QPSR
  • QSPR
  1. SI :James Watt used the power of steam to drive machines.

S6:     The jet engine is relatively more recent.

P :      With petrol engines people were able to build motor cars and aeroplanes.

Q :    Then many years later, the petrol engine was invented.

R :     These provided quicker means of traveling.

S :      His invention was used later by other clever men to give us the railway engine.

The proper sequence should be

  • SQPR
  • PQRS
  • PSRQ
  • QSRP
  1. SI : A man handed a pair of trousers to the departmental store clerk and said, “I’d like these altered, please.”

S6:     Triumphantly he put the trousers and the receipts on the counter and said, “I’d like to have these altered, please.”

P :      He said that free alteration is not possible without a receipt.

Q :    The man said, “Okay, I’d like to return the trousers.” The clerk took them back and returned the money.

R :     The man pushed the money and said, “Now I want to buy them.” The clerk put the trousers in a bag, issued a receipt and handed him both.

S :      The clerk asked for the sales receipt but after searching his pockets the man replied that he had lost it.

The proper sequence should be

  • QRPS
  • SPQR
  • PSRQ
  • PSQR
  1. SI: It is generally assumed by the admirers of democracy that the right to vote also confers a right for power which threaten the very existence of democracy.

S6:     As a result, the political scene witnesses endless dogfights for power which threaten the very existence of democracy.

P :      These qualities are very rare and cannot be had for the wishing.

Q :    For the right for power must, if it is to be useful, be accompanied by the ability to exercise it with competence, wisdom, foresight and broadminded- ness.

R :     Yet all those, who have the right to vote believe that they have them and try by hook or crook to capture power.

S :      The former has much to commend it but one cannot be so sure about the latter.

The proper sequence should be

  • PQRS
  • SQPR
  • PRQS
  • RQPS
  1. SI: There are several tribes in East Africa.

S6:     All the other tribes were afraid of them because of their skill in war.

P :      The Masais were famous fighters.

Q :    They used to raid the neighbouring tribes and carry away their cattle.

R :     They lived on the wide plains in Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania.

S :      But the most famous among them is the Masai tribe.

The proper sequence should be

  • SPRQ
  • PRQS
  • RQSP
  • QRPS
  1. SI : I had my eye especially on the long 1 jump.

S6:     He turned out to be a German named Luz Long.

P :      Everyone expected me to win that Olympic event hands down.

Q :    I was in for a surprise.

R :     When the time came for the long jump trials, I was startled to see a tall boy hitting the pit at almost 26 feet on his practice leaps.

S :      A year before I had set the world record of 26 feet 3 inches.

The proper sequence should be

  • PQRS
  • PSQR
  • PRSQ
  • SRPQ