This article provides a detailed breakdown of the English Comprehension section from the SSC CGL Tier-I (Shift-2). Each question is presented with its multiple-choice options, followed by the correct answer in bold and a clear, concise explanation.
Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined words in the given sentence: He did not stop until it was remarked that he was speaking at length about trivial things.
(a) twittering
(b) writing
(c) rambling
(d) littering
Answer: (c) rambling
Explanation: The word “rambling” means talking or writing at length in a confused or inconsequential way, which perfectly fits the context of speaking about trivial things. “Twittering” refers to making short, high-pitched sounds or light-hearted speech, which doesn’t match. “Writing” is irrelevant as the context involves speaking. “Littering” refers to throwing trash and is unrelated.
Select the nearest homonym of the given word: Accept.
(a) Accent
(b) Expect
(c) Except
(d) Expert
Answer: (c) except
Explanation: A homonym is a word that sounds similar but has a different meaning and spelling. “Except” (to exclude) is the closest homonym to “accept” (to agree or receive). “Accent” refers to pronunciation, “expect” means to anticipate, and “expert” denotes a skilled person, none of which are homonyms for “accept.”
The following sentence has been divided into parts. Select the part that contains the error. If no error, mark ‘No error’: They usually allege that there is / a delay in procuring stationery / due to faulty purchase orders.
(a) Due to faulty purchase orders
(b) The following sentence
(c) They usually allege that there is
(d) No error
Answer: (d) No error
Explanation: The sentence is grammatically correct. Each part is structured correctly: “They usually allege that there is” is clear, “a delay in procuring stationery” uses correct phrasing, and “due to faulty purchase orders” is appropriately used to indicate the reason.
Select the correct sentence in active voice from the following options:
(a) The neighbours have called the police.
(b) The neighbours are calling the police.
(c) The Police said to me, “I will call the neighbours.”
(d) The neighbours have called the police.
Answer: (a) The neighbours have called the police.
Explanation: Active voice has the subject acting. In option (a), “neighbours” (subject) perform the action “called” on “police” (object). Options (b) and (d) are in passive voice, where the police are the recipients of the action. Option (c) involves reported speech, which is unrelated to the action described.
Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word: Connote.
(a) Comment
(b) Criticise
(c) Care
(d) Convey
Answer: (d) convey
Explanation: “Connote” means to imply or suggest something beyond the literal meaning. “Convey” (to communicate or express) is the closest synonym. “Comment” means to remark, “criticise” means to find fault, and “care” refers to concern, none of which align with “connote.”
Select the most appropriate homonym to fill in the blank: The children enjoyed the ____ very much.
(a) feer
(b) fear
(c) fere
(d) fair
Answer: (d) fair
Explanation: “Fair” refers to a public event or gathering for entertainment, fitting the context of children enjoying it. “Feer” and “fere” are not valid English words. “Fear” (being scared) does not suit the positive context of enjoyment.
Select the most appropriate idiom or phrase to fill in the blank: He is rich and famous and expects everyone to ____ on him.
(a) tap dance like mad
(b) dead duck
(c) Give a song and dance
(d) dance attendance
Answer: (d) dance attendance
Explanation: “Dance attendance” means to serve someone eagerly or obediently, fitting the context of someone rich and famous expecting service. “Tap dance like mad” implies frantic action, “dead duck” means something doomed, and “give a song and dance” refers to lengthy excuses, none of which fit.
Select the word that is INCORRECTLY spelled in the given sentence: Traditional people are used to using a calendar for their routine activities in rural households.
(a) Traditional
(b) Household
(c) Calendar
(d) Activities
Answer: (c) calendar
Explanation: The correct spelling is “calendar.” “Calendar” is incorrect. All other words—”traditional,” “household,” and “activities”—are spelled correctly.
Select the option that can be used as a one-word substitute for the given group of words:
Outer protective layer of a tree.
(a) Bark
(b) Shrub
(c) Rind
(d) Peel
Answer: (a) Bark
Explanation: The correct one-word substitute for the outer protective layer of a tree is “bark.” Neither “hark” (to listen) nor “shrub” (a small bush) fits the description. The document appears incomplete for this question, but “bark” is the standard term.
The question was raised for discussion before the members during the assembly session.
(a) came up
(b) came off
(c) came round
(d) came out
Answer: (a) came up
Explanation: “Came up” means to be raised or brought up for discussion, which fits the context. “Came off” means to succeed or occur, “came round” means to recover or agree, and “came out” means to be revealed, none of which suit the sentence.
The following sentence has been divided into three segments, A, B, and C. Select the segment that contains the error: He is not rich (A) / so he cannot afford (B) / to buy an expensive car (C).
(a) C
(b) A
(c) C
(d) A
Answer: (a) C
Explanation: The error is in segment C: “a expensive car” should be “an expensive car” because “expensive” starts with a vowel sound, requiring “an.” Segments A and B are grammatically correct.
Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom: Treading on thin ice.
(a) Playing with a sharp icicle
(b) To be in a dangerous, risky position
(c) Skating on ice covered in a hailstorm
(d) Making a thin ice sculpture
Answer: (b) To be in a dangerous, risky position
Explanation: “Treading on thin ice” means being in a risky situation. Options (a), (c), and (d) are literal or unrelated interpretations that don’t match the idiom’s figurative meaning.
Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange them in the correct order to form a meaningful paragraph:
A. The other half had been sued at least twice, and Levinson found that just based on those conversations, she could see apparent differences between the two groups.
B. Recently, the medical researcher Wendy Levinson recorded hundreds of conversations between a group of physicians and their patients.
C. The surgeons who had never been sued spent more than three minutes longer with each patient than those who had been sued did.
D. Roughly half of the doctors had never been sued.
(a) A/B/C
(b) CABD
(c) ABCD
(d) BCAD
Answer: (d) BCAD
Explanation: The logical order is: B (introduces the study), C (describes a finding), A (compares the two groups), D (states the division of doctors). This forms a coherent paragraph about Levinson’s research and findings.
Select the most appropriate synonym of the underlined word: A wide-ranging effort is being made to safeguard lives and livelihoods by addressing the devastating near-term socio-economic, humanitarian, and human rights aspects of the crisis with attention to those hit the hardest.
(a) flourishing
(b) destructive
(c) emerging
Answer: (b) destructive
Explanation: “Devastating” means causing severe damage or destruction. “Destructive” is the closest synonym. “Flourishing” means thriving, “emerging” means coming into view, and the fourth option is missing but irrelevant based on context.
Select the correct spelling for the INCORRECTLY spelled word in the given sentence: Education plays a crucial role in breaking the cycle of poverty and child labour.
(a) Poverty
(b) Crucial
(c) Braking
(d) Education
Answer: (b) crucial
Explanation: The word “crucial” is misspelled; the correct spelling is “crucial.” “Poverty” (should be “poverty”) and “braking” (should be “breaking”) are also incorrect, but “crucial” corrects the error in the sentence. “Education” is already correct.
Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange them in the correct order to form a meaningful paragraph:
A. In a study sponsored by the World Health Organisation and carried out by Harvard School of Public Health, the global burden and injury indicated that stress diseases and accidents are going to be the killers in 2020.
B. Road traffic accidents are going to be the third largest killers.
C. These accidents are also an indicator of psycho-social stress in a fast-moving society.
D. Heart disease and depression—both stress diseases—are going to rank first and second in 2020.
(a) BCDA
(b) CBAD
(c) DACB
(d) ADCB
Answer: (d) ADCB
Explanation: The logical order is: A (introduces the study), D (lists top killers), C (links accidents to stress), B (specifies road accidents as third). This sequence creates a coherent paragraph about the study’s predictions.
Select the synonym of the word ‘reproduce’ from the sentence: Many scientific researchers have proved that DNA replicates itself in the human body and is an enzyme-based catalyst reaction.
(a) Replicates
(b) Reaction
(c) Proved
(d) Research
Answer: (a) replicates
Explanation: “Reproduce” means to produce again or replicate. “Replicates” is the synonym, as it means DNA copying itself. “Reaction,” “proved,” and “researches” do not relate to “reproduce.”
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank: A ____ is a female horse.
(a) Given
(b) Rooster
(c) Mare
(d) Rooster
Answer: (c) mare
Explanation: A “mare” is a female horse. “Given” is not a relevant term, and “rooster” refers to a male chicken, not a horse. The repetition of “rooster” in the options is likely a typo.
We compelled the teacher to finish the class sooner.
(a) The teacher was compelled to finish the class sooner.
(b) The teacher finished the class, compelled by us.
(c) Finishing the class sooner was what the teacher was compelled to do.
(d) The teacher compelled us to finish the class sooner.
Answer: (a) The teacher was compelled to finish the class sooner.
Explanation: In passive voice, the object (“teacher”) becomes the subject, and the verb is adjusted to show the action was done by “us.” Option (a) correctly transforms the sentence. Options (b) and (c) are awkwardly phrased, and (d) reverses the meaning.
Please select the most appropriate antonym of the underlined word: I don’t like to work with people who are not flexible.
(a) Capable
(b) Malleable
(c) Open-ended
(d) Rigid
Answer: (d) rigid
Explanation: “Flexible” means adaptable or easily bent; its antonym is “rigid,” meaning inflexible or unyielding. “Capable” means competent, “malleable” is similar to flexible, and “open-ended” refers to something indefinite, none of which are opposites.
In the following passage, select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. 1: High Court considers the Emergency-era shifting of education…
(a) have
(b) were
(c) had
(d) is
Answer: (d) is
Explanation: The sentence discusses an ongoing action by the High Court, requiring the present tense “is” for the singular subject. “Have” and “were” are incorrect for a singular subject, and “had” implies a completed action, which doesn’t fit.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. 2: Forty-six years have passed ____ the 42nd Constitution Amendment Act.
(a) from
(b) for
(c) as
(d) since
Answer: (d) since
Explanation: “Since” is used for a starting point in Time, fitting the context of years passing since the amendment. “From” and “for” are used for duration, and “as” is contextually irrelevant.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. 3: …most can’t be ____.
(a) turned
(b) backed
(c) referred
(d) reversed
Answer: (d) reversed
Explanation: The context implies changes in the education sector that cannot be undone. “Reversed” means to undo or turn back, fitting perfectly. “Turned,” “backed,” and “referred” do not convey the intended meaning.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. 4: States still enjoy ____ to operate their own universities…
(a) flexible
(b) flexibility
(c) suitable
(d) suitably
Answer: (b) flexibility
Explanation: “Flexibility” is a noun, fitting the sentence structure to describe the ability of states to operate systems. “Flexible” is an adjective, “suitable” doesn’t fit the meaning, and “suitably” is an adverb, all grammatically incorrect here.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. 5: …society is ____ headed in the opposite direction.
(a) irrevocably
(b) irrevocable
(c) irrelevant
(d) suddenly
Answer: (a) irrevocably
Explanation: “Irrevocably” (an adverb meaning unchangeably) fits the context of a societal trend that cannot be reversed. “Irrevocable” is an adjective; “irrelevant” doesn’t fit, and “suddenly” implies abruptness, which is inappropriate.
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