CDS 2015 English Question Paper -1

ORDERING OF SENTENCES

SPOTTING ERRORS

Directions: Each question 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 in the Answer Sheet against the corresponding letter i.e., (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be indicated as (d).

The reason for his failure is because he did not work hard. No error.

(b) (c) (d)

Food as well as water is necessary for life. No error.

(b) (c) (d)

India is larger than any democracies in the world. No error.

(b) (c) (d)

The Judge heard the arguments of the lawyers and found that the boy was innocent.
(a) (b) (c)
No error.

(d)

I have lived in Delhi from 1965. No error.

(b) (c) (d)

All scientists agree that there should be a total ban on nuclear explosions. No error,

(b) (c) (d)

Such books which you read are not worth reading. No error.

(b) (c) (d)

Tagore was one of the greatest poet that ever lived. No error.

(b) (c) (d)

You may please apply for an advance of salary to cover costs of transport. No error.

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

The taxi that will take the family to Haridwar had to be ready at six the next morning.

(a) (b) (c)

No error.

(d)

Employees are expected to adhere the rules laid down by the management. No error.

(b) (c) (d)

The owner of the horse greedily ask too high a price. No error.
(a) (b) (c) (d)
I convinced him to see the play .No error.
(a) (b) (c) (d)
Some man are born great. No error.
(a) (b) (c) (d)
We must sympathise for others in their troubles. No error.

(b) (c) (d)

My detailed statement is respectively submitted. No error.

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

I am waiting for my friend since this morning. No error.

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

He is representing my constituency for the last five years. No error.

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

If he hears of your conduct he is to be unhappy. No error.

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

No sooner he appeared on the stage than the people began to cheer loudly, No error.
(a) (b) (c) (d)

SYNONYMS

Directions: Each item in this section consists of a word in capital letters followed by four words as (a),, (c) and (d). Select the word 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.

DEPLORE

lose heart
entreat
regret
malign

MOTIVATION

Inducement
Emotion
Ambition
Incitement

RESIDUE

Remainder
Nothing
Recede
Little

PERPETUAL

Perfect
Confused
never ending
seasonal

ASSENT

Climb
Confirm
Answer
Agree

DEFIANCE

Insult
Denial
Degradation
Resistance

EMANCIPATE

Liberate
Release
Acquit
Unchain

HOSTILITY

Hospitality
Jealousy
Enmity
Envy

ANTONYMS

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 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.

FORBID

forgive
allow
refuse
deprive

AMBIGUOUS

definite
constant
shapeless
determined

COUNTERFEIT

destructive
genuine
affirm
harmonize

FUSION

melting
fixture
amendment
separation

ESCALATE

bring down
isolate
slope down
reject

TERMINATE

imitate
interrupt
initiate
examine

GRAVITATE

meditate
become serious
deteriorate
retreat

WORD SUBSTITUTION
Directions: For the expression which has been underlined in each of the following sentences, choose the response (a), (b), (c) or (d) which most nearly expresses its meaning.

Moralists are usually persons who abstain from alcoholic drinks.

teetotallers
ascetics
pedants
celibates

The chairman is quick to find fault and is hard to please.

frivolous
facetious
fastidious
ferocious

Scriptural injunctions should not be opposed or treated with contempt.

flouted
flounced
floundered
flaunted

A fortress on a commanding height for defense of a city is called

citadel
metropolis
megapolis
headquarters

Nostalgia is

anxiety about future
feeling of insecurity
longing for a period in the past
an allergy to certain foods

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 your Answer Sheet.

We need honest workers, not people of redoubtable

doubting
doubtful
doubtless
No improvement

I expect every player here to be conversant at the rules of game.

on
about
with
No improvement

There is no alternate, so we must leave now.

altering
alternative
alternation
No improvement

If I were you, I would do it at once.

was
am
would be
No improvement

They set a strong guard, lest anyone could

would
might
should
No improvement

The matter called up an explanation of his conduct.

out
in
for
No improvement

The accused refused having murdered anybody.

disagreed
denied
declaimed
No improvement

We cannot trust a man who plays false and loose with others.

false or loose
fast or loose
fast and loose
No improvement

He is still in vigorous health although he is on the right side of sixty.

wrong
left
negative
No improvement

Any English are known for their practical instincts.

Some
Many
The
No improvement

Fifty miles are a long distance to walk.

is
become
be
No improvement

Economics today were not what it was a century ago.

are
was
is
No improvement

Hearing the news of the accident, he broke.

broke down
broke up
broke out
No improvement

The speaker asked the audience to bear upon him for a few minutes more.

on
with
for
No improvement

Those men as are false to their friends should be avoided.

The men
Men
Such men
No improvement

Many people find it difficult to make both hands meet.

both accounts
both hands to mouth
both ends meet
No improvement

Young children are not physically capable to carry these loads.

have to carry these loads
of carrying these loads
carry these loads
No improvement

I enjoyed the ballet by a troupe of Russian dancers.

troop
trouper
trooper
No improvement

The secretary threatened to resign his post.

from his post
to his post
for his post
No improvement

By the time he arrived, everybody had gone home.

when he arrived
at which he arrived
by which he arrive
No improvement

ORDERING OF WORDS IN A SENTENCE
Directions: In each of the items in this section 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.

When the car passed by he threw a stone, raising dust in the road with all his might

P Q R

and hit the man who was driving it
S

The proper sequence should be :

PQRS
QPRS
RPQS
RPSQ

A moment comes when we step out from the old to the new which comes but rarely
P Q
in history and when the soul of a nation long suppressed, finds utterance
R S

The proper sequence should be :

QPRS
PRSQ
QRSP
RSQP

She had a blind belief that inside the bag two or three other children there were
P Q
perhaps which the big man carried like herself

R S

The proper sequence should be :

QRPS
QPSR
RQSP
RQPS

He approached the teacher at school to know in his studies how his son was getting
P Q R S

The proper sequence should be :

PQRS
PQSR
QSRP
QSPR

I was so angry that if I had met him in the street and not waited to ask him why he had
P Q
written me an insulting letter I would have knocked him down.
R S

The proper sequence should be :

PSQR
PQRS
SQRP
RSQP

On the contrary, about family planning and its benefits to all citizens the Government
P Q R
wants to provide information and education
S

The proper sequence should be:

RQSP
SPQR
RSPQ
QPRS

In spite of the poor and hungry people made by medical sciences the extraordinary
P Q R
progress often die.
S

The proper sequence should be :

RPSQ
RQPS
PQSR
RSPQ

SELECTING WORDS

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

PASSAGE

We all like listening to and the person who is good (68), telling stories (69), will always be a member of any company. The art (70), good story-telling (71), covers much more than up fabulous adventures; it includes telling (72), the doings of living people or (73), men and women of the past, (74), your own travels and adventures and (75), about the books you have(76), read the films you have seen. Practising (77), art of story-telling can be very (78), too. It will help you to (79), clearly and logically, to sort out (80), ideas (81), to express yourself clearly and to gain and hold the attention (82), others.(83), It will help you to off shyness and self-consciousness, and give (84), that (85), feeling of freedom is so important to (86), in life.(87).

Lectures
Theories
Stories
None of these

On
At
By
None of these

Popular
Good
Necessary
None of these

On
Of
At
None of these

Describing
Making
Showing
None of these

About
By
For
None of these

Insignificant
Dead
Famous
None of these

In
About
Though
None of these

Experience
Desires
Worries
None of these

Either
All
And
None of these

An
A
The
None of these

Useful
Dangerous
Contagious
None of these

Listen
Remember
Think
None of these

Her
Their
Your
None of these

Timidly
Effectively
Bluntly
None of these

At
On
Of
None of these

Shake
Lay
Hit
None of these

She
You
I
None of these

Then
What
Which
None of these

Success
Victory
Gain
None of these

COMPREHENSION

Directions: 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—I

A little man beside me was turning over the pages of a magazine quickly and nervously. Opposite me there was a young mother who was trying to restrain her son from making a noise. The boy had obviously grown weary of waiting. He had placed an ashtray on the floor and was making aeroplane- noises as he waved a pencil in his hands. Near him, an old man was fast asleep, snoring quickly to himself and the boy’s mother was afraid that sooner or later her son would wake the gentleman up.

The noise was made by

the old man
the aeroplane
the little man
the boy

The person who was the least disturbed was the

observer
son
old man
little man

The factor common to all the people was that they were all

watching a film
waiting for something
looking at the little boy’s playfulness
reading magazine

Among those present the one who appeared to be the most bored was the

child
little man
old man
mother

PASSAGE—II

A man had two blacksmiths for his neighbours. Their names were Pengu and Shengu. The man was greatly troubled by the noise of their hammers. He decided to talk to them. The next day he called both of them and offered Rs. 100 each, if they found new huts for themselves. They took the money and agreed to find new huts for themselves. The next morning he woke up again to the sound of their hammers. He went out to see why the blacksmiths hadn’t found new huts and he discovered that
Pengu and Shengu had kept their promise. They had exchanged their huts.

The man was troubled because

the blacksmiths always fought with each other
the blacksmiths’ hammers made a lot of noise
he was afraid of blacksmiths
the blacksmiths did not do their work properly

the man gave them money because

the blacksmiths were poor
the blacksmiths had asked him for money
he did not want them to make a noise
he wanted them to find new huts

the man went out of his house because

he wanted to fight with the blacksmiths
he wanted to ask the blacksmiths to stop the noise
he wanted to find out why they hadn’t found new huts
he wanted his money back from the blacksmiths

the man came to know that

the blacksmiths were not in their huts
the blacksmiths had exchanged huts
the blacksmiths were going away
the blacksmiths had not kept their promise

PASSAGE—III

The tigress was a mile away and the ground between her and us was densely wooded, scattered over with great rocks and cut up by a number of deep ravines, but she could cover the distance well within the half-hour — if she wanted to. The question I had to decide was, whether or not 1 should try to call her. If I called and she heard me, and came while it was still daylight and gave me a chance to shoot her, all would be well; on the other hand, if she came and did not give me a shot, some of us would not reach camp, for we had nearly two miles to go and the path the whole way ran through heavy jungle.

According to the author

the tigress wanted to cover the distance within the half-hour
the tigress did not wish to cover the distance within the half-hour
the tigress actually covered the distance within the half-hour
there was a possibility of the tigress covering the distance within the half- hour

The author says, ‘’Some of us would not reach camp”, because

it was two miles away
the tigress would kill some of them
the path is not suitable for walking
the ground was scattered over with great rocks

The author found it difficult to decide the question because

he was afraid
the tigress was only a mile away
the ground between them was densely wooded
there was uncertainty about the reaction of the tigress to his call

The time available to the author for shooting the tigress was

the whole day
one night
a few hours
thirty minutes

When the author says ‘all would be well’, he means

that they would be able to hide themselves in the heavy jungle
that the tigress would run away to the deep ravines
that they would be able to shoot her down without difficulty
that they would be able to return in daylight

PASSAGE—IV

After lunch, I felt at a loose end and roamed about the little flat. It suited us well enough when mother was with me, but now I was by myself it was too large and Fd moved the dining room table into my bedroom. That was now the only room I used ; it had all the furniture I needed; a brass bedstead, a dressing table, some cane chairs whose seats had more or less caved in, a wardrobe with a tarnished mirror. The rest of the flat was never used, so I didn’t trouble to look after it.

The flat did not really suit him anymore because

the rooms were too small
he was living on his own now
his mother needed too much rooms
the flat itself was too little

He did not look after the rest of the flat because

he did not use it
the bedroom was much too large
he needed only the brass bedstead
he had too much furniture

“ … now I was by myself it was too large”.
The word it here refers to

the dining room table
the dining room
the bedroom
the flat

From the passage we learn that the writer was

scared of living alone in the flat
dissatisfied with the flat
satisfied with the space in his bedroom
an eccentric person

“After lunch I felt at a loose end” means

he had nothing specific to do
had a rope with a loose end
had much work to do
had a feeling of anxiety

PASSAGE—V

The overwhelming vote given by the greater part of the public has so far been in favour of films which pass the time easily and satisfy that part of our imagination which depends on the more obvious kind of daydreams. We make up for what we secretly regard as our deficiencies by watching the stimulating adventures of the other people who are stronger, more effective, or more beautiful than we are. The conventional stars act out our daydreams for us in a constant succession of exciting situations
set in the open spaces, in the jungles or in the underworld of great cities which abounds in crime and violence. We would not dare to be in such situations but the situations are very exciting to watch since our youth is being spent in day-to-day routine of school, office or home.

According to the passage, most of us prefer films which

overwhelm our imagination
depict our times
fulfil our secret wishes
appeal to our reason

By watching thrilling adventures in films we make up for

the effectiveness of our desires
the shortcomings in our life
the stimulation of our everyday life
the influence which we don’t have

Film stars present situations

which are familiar to us, the city dwellers
which we have seen only in jungles
which we meet everyday at work
which excite us

Whether we admit it to ourselves or not, we are aware that

we are weak and plain
we are both powerful and handsome
we are as strong as film heroes
we are more beautiful than film stars

The daily life of students, office-goers and housewives is

full of new adventures
the same dull repetition
stimulating to their imagination
very exciting to them

ORDERING OF SENTENCES

Directions: In this section, each item consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and the 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.

S1: while teaching in the class-room, our teacher suddenly fainted.

S6 : The headmaster at once sanctioned his leave.

P : The headmaster soon joined us and spoke to them in a soft voice.

Q : He was told that the patient needed complete rest for a month.

R : He was at once taken to the hospital.

S : The doctors examined him with serious faces.

The proper sequence should be:

PQRS
SPQR
QPSR
RSPQ

SI : The colonial powers had a very simple technique to rule the world,

S6 : Partition was the culmination.

P : They lumped tribes and people together, played one against the other.

Q : India’s provinces were more elaborately designed to play the game of divide and rule.

R : Africa was divided, believe it or not, on the basis of the lines of longitude and
latitude.

S : They also purchased the loyalties of those locals who were needed as supports for the colonial presence.

The proper sequence should be

PRSQ
PSRQ
SPQR
RPSQ

SI : The bank opened at 10.00 a.m.

S6 : The safe was empty.

P : The peon opened the safe and returned the keys to the manager.

Q : The manager and the peon went to the safe in the vault.

R : The manager and the peon looked into the safe.

S : They were shocked at what they saw there.

The proper sequence should be:

QRPS
QPRS
SQRP
QRSP

SI : The crowd swelled round the thief.

S6 : They were followed by the crowd which left the thief alone.

P : Suddenly he whipped out a knife from under his shirt.

Q : The thief stood quiet, his head hung in shame.

R : The two young men holding him were scared by the sight of the shining knife.

S : They took to their heels.

The proper sequence should be:

QPRS
SQPR
SPQR
RQSP

SI : The old man wanted to cross the road.

S6 : Holding him by hand the driver helped him to cross the road.

P : The driver got off and came to him.

Q : He was fed up and was about to return.

R : Then a car stopped in front of him.

S : He waited for a long time.

The proper sequence should be:

SQRP
SPRQ
QRSP
PSRQ

SI : The first thing you have to do is to speak with a strong foreign accent and
speak broken English.

S6 : Half a dozen people will immediately overwhelm you with directions.

P : He will be interested in you because you are a foreigner and he will be pleased that he could figure out what you said.

Q : He will not expect you to be polite and use elaborate grammatical phrases.

R : Then every English person to whom you speak will at once know that you
are a foreigner and try to understand you and be ready to help you.

S : If you shout, “Please! Charing Cross! Which way?” you will have no difficulty.

The proper sequence should be:

SRQP
SRPQ
RQPS
RSPQ

SI : When a lamb is born its mother may die.

S6 : If a means of overcoming this natural tendency is found, the lives of millions
of lambs can be saved.

P : Thus there will nearly always be both motherless lambs and sheep without lambs.

Q : However a sheep which has lost its own lamb will not feed or look after a
motherless lamb.

R : At the same time some new born lambs are too weak to live.

S : This happens in large flocks where many sheep give birth to lambs at the same time.

The proper sequence should be:

PQSR
RPQS
SRQP
SRPQ

SI : People very seldom have everything they want.

S6 : Our decisions indicate our scale of preferences and therefore our priorities.

P : Usually we have to decide carefully how to spend our income.

Q : They may all seem important, but their true importance can be measured by
deciding which we are prepared to live without.

R : When we exercise our choice, we do so according to our personal scale of
preferences.

S : In this scale of preferences essential commodities come first, then the kind
of luxuries which help us to be comfortable, and finally those non- essentials which give us personal pleasure.

The proper sequence should be:

PSQR
PRSQ
QPSR
RPQS

SI : On 5th October 1818, when young Lincoln was approaching his tenth year, his mother Nancy died of fever.

S6 : His total education at school comprised only about a year during which he,
however, managed to master reading, writing, spelling and some arithmetic.

P : She was illiterate, but she brought with her several books, among which were
Pilgrim’s Progress, Sindbad the Sailor, Robinson Crusoe and Aesop’s Fables.

Q : Lincoln always acknowledged this moral and intellectual debt to his step mother.

R : The following year, his father married Sarah Bush Johnson, a widow with three children.

S : These books provided Lincoln with a mass of knowledge.

The proper sequence should be:

RPQS
PSRQ
RPSQ
PSQR

SI : Crude oil obtained from the field is taken to a refinery for treatment.

S6 : Lubricating oils of various grades are obtained last of all.

P : The gas that comes off later is condensed into paraffin.

Q : This allows substances with different boiling points to be separated.

R : The first vapours to rise when cooled provide the finest petrol.

S : The commonest form of treatment is heating.

The proper sequence should be:

SQRP
RSPQ
SRPQ
RPQS