GENERAL AWARENESS PRACTICE QUESTIONS FOR SSC EXAMS

1. The source of the Sun’s energy is the process of:

(a) Photoelectric emission
(b) Nuclear fission
(c) Nuclear fusion
(d) Thermionic emission

2. Which of the following is not a stringed instrument ?

(a) Guitar
(b) Sitar
(c) Trumpet
(d) Violin

3. Who created the unforgettable literary character‘Swami’?

(a) Vikram Seth
(b) R.K. Narayan
(c) Mulk Raj Anand
(d) Harivansh Rai Bachchan

4. Which of the following cities lies to the western-most longitude ?

(a) Jaipur
(b) Nagpur
(c) Bhopal
(d) Hyderabad

5. Arrange the following rivers from South to North.

(a) Cauvery
(b) Krishna
(c) Godavari
(d) Mahanadi

6. What is the animal on the insignia of the RBI ?

(a) Lion
(b) Tiger
(c) Panther
(d) Elephant

7. Which part of India is linked to the border by the Hindustan-Tibet road ?

(a) Shimla
(b) Garhwal
(c) North Bengal
(d) Kashmir Valley

8. Which of the following political groupings has won the highest number of Assembly seats at the general elections held in September-October, 2002 in Jammu and Kashmir ?

(a) Peoples Democratic Party
(b) Indian National Congress
(c) National Conference
(d) Peoples Democratic Front

9. Which is the hottest planet of the solar system?

(a) Mercury
(b) Mars
(c) Earth
(d) Saturn

10. The element which is the. most abundant in the human body is­

(a) oxygen
(b) carbon
(c) iron
(d) nitrogen

11. ‘Kuchipudi dance originated in

(a) Andhra Pradesh
(b) Karnataka
(c) Punjab
(d) Rajasthan

12. Night blindness results from the deficiency of -

(a) Glucose
(b) Vitamin-E
(c) Vitamin-B2
(d) Vitamin-A

13. The details of statecraft are available in the following treatise -

(a) Dharma Shastra
(b) Nyaya Shastra
(c) Artha Shastra
(d) Niti Shastra

14. The country that has come forward to mediate in Sri Lanka is:

(a) Sweden
(b) Norway
(c) India
(d) Austria

15. The Legislative Council in a State in India may be created or abolished by the

(a) President on the recommendation of the Governor
(b) Parliament
(c) Parliament after the State Legislative Assembly passes a resolution to that effect.
(d) Governor on a recommendation by the State Cabinet

16. The lengthiest Constitution in the world is

(a) Indian
(b) American
(c) British
(d) French

17. No Money bill can be introduced in the Lok Sabha without the prior approval of the

(a) Vice-President
(b) President
(c) Prime Minister
(d) Finance Minister

18. When did the British Govt. starl ruling India directly ?

(a) After the Battle of Plassey
(b) After the Battle of Panipat
(c) After the War of Mysore
(d) After Sepoy Mutiny

19. The term ‘secular’ was added in the Preamble to the Indian Constitution by

(a) 41st Amendment
(b) 42nd Amendment
(c) 43rd Amendment
(d) 44th Amendment

20. Which of the following is not a Fundamental Right ?

(a) Right to Equality
(b) Right to Liberty
(c) Right against Exploitation
(d) Right to Property

21. The major harmful gas emitted by automobile vehicle which causes air pollution is

(a) Carbon Monoxide
(b) Methane
(c) Carbon dioxide
(d) Ozone gas

22. Who finally approves the draft Five Year Plan ?

(a) Planning Commission
(b) President
(c) National Development Council
(d) Parliament and State Legislatures

23. The deciding authority of States share in central taxes is the

(a) Finance Commission
(b) Planning Commission
(c) Election Commission
(d) Finance Minister

24. The meausre of a worker’s real wage is

(a) The change in his productivity over a given time
(b) His earnings after deductionat source
(c) His daily earnings
(d) The purchasing power of his earnings

25. Which country is the latest to join the U.N. as a member ?

(a) Switzerland
(b) Hong Kong
(c) Taiwan
(d) East Timor\

26. How many feet has a crab got?

(a) 12
(b) 10
(c) 8
(d) 6

27. When was the Public Service Commission, the original version of the U.P.S.C. set up?

(a) 1st October, 1926
(b) 1st April, 1937
(c) 15th August, 1947
(d) 26th January, 1950

28. The main source of revenue for a State Government in India is

(a) Sales tax
(b) Excise duty
(c) Income tax
(d) Property tax

29. Where is the Swami Narayan temple, Akshar-dham located ?

(a) Dwaraka, Gujarat
(b) Puri, Orissa
(c) Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
(d) Gandhinagar, Gujarat

30. Which one of the following is found only in women ?

(a) Thyroid
(b) Pituitary
(c) Ovary
(d) Adenoid

31. Gamma rays can cause

(a) gene mutation
(b) sneezing
(c) burning
(d) fever

32. Which one of the following is NOT a function of kidney ?

(a) Regulation of blood pH
(b) Removal of metabolic wastes from the body
(c) Production of antibodies
(d) Regulation of osmotic pressures of the blood

33. Water in plants is transported by

(a) cambium
(b) phloem
(c) epidermis
(d) xylem

34. Which State of India has the largest reserves of monazite, with a high thorium content ?

(a) Kerala
(b) Karnataka
(c) Gujarat
(d) Maharashtra

35. The Indian Wild Ass (GhorKhur) is found in

(a) Sunderbans
(b) Assam forests
(c) The Rann of Kuchh
(d) Kaveri delta

36. Which U.S. President has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize-2002 ?

(a) John F. Kennedy
(b) William Jefferson Clinton
(c) Jimmy Carter
(d) Franklin D. Rossevelt

37. Who was the Captain of the West Indies team that was defeated by the Indian Cricket team in 1983 to win the Prudential World Cup

(a) Viv Richards
(b) Clive Lloyd
(c) Richie Richardson
(d) Malcolm Marshall

38. Who is the author of the book “Life of Pi” ?

(a) Yann Martel
(b) Rohinton Mistry
(c) Ken Follet
(d) M.J. Akbar

39. How many months of a year, according to the Gregorian calendar, have been named after Roman emperors ?

(a) 0
(b) 1
(c) 2
(d) 3

40. Which State in India, has given the highest number of Deputy Prime Ministers ?

(a) Maharashtra
(b) Uttar Pradesh
(c) Bihar
(d) Gujarat

41. Average Revenue means

(a) the revenue per unit of commodity sold
(b) the revenue from all commodities sold
(c) the profit realised from the marginal unit sold
(d) the profit realised by sale of all commodities

42. The Saka era commencing from A.D. 78, was founded by

(a) Kanishka
(b) Asoka
(c) Chandragupta
(d) Vikramaditya

43. Ganhadra school of art came into existence in

(a) Hinayana sect
(b) Mahayana sect
(c) Vaishnava sect
(d) Shaiva sect

44. Which Sufi’s dargah is at Ajmer ?

(a) Baba Farid
(b) Qutb-din Bakhtiyar Kaki
(c) Moinuddin Chisti
(d) Khwaja Bahuddin

45. Who was the architect who designed Taj Mahal’

(a) Mohammad Hussain
(b) Ustad-Isa
(c) Shah Abbas
(d) Ismail

46. Out of the following remains excavated in Indus Valley, which one indicates the commercial and economic development ?

(a) The Pottery
(b) Seals
(c) The Boats
(d) The Houses

47. To achieve high rates of growth of national output, the economy has to

(a) reduce the rate of growth of population
(b) borrow foreign capital
(c) step up the rate of savings
(d) increase the rate of investment and reduce the capital output ratio

48. The proceeds of income tax go to

(a) Central Government
(b) State Government
(c) Centre and States
(d) Corporation authorities

49. Where are the Eucalyptus trees found in abundance ?

(a) Mizo Hills
(b) Naga Hills
(c) Manipur Hills
(d) Nilgiri Hills

50. The first solar city of India, is:

(a) Anandpur Sahib
(b) Mumbai
(c) Bangalore
(d) Delhi

ANSWERS:

 1. (c) 2. (c) 3. (b) 4. (b) 5. (d) 6. (a) 7. (d) 8. (d) 9. (b) 10. (b)

11. (a) 12. (d) 13. (d) 14. (b) 15. (a) 16. (a) 17. (b) 18. (d) 19. (b) 20. (d) 

21. (a) 22. (c) 23. (a) 24. (a) 25. (d) 26. (d) 27. (a) 28. (b) 29. (d) 30. (c) 

31. (a) 32. (c) 33. (d) 34. (a) 35. (c) 36. (c) 37. (b) 38. (a) 39. (c) 40. (d) 

41. (c) 42. (a) 43. (b) 44. (c) 45. (b) 46. (b) 47. (c) 48. (a) 49. (a) 50. (a)

SSC Sub-Inspector In Delhi Police, CAPFs And Assistant Sub-Inspector In CISF Exam General Awareness Solved Paper

1. The total number of planets revolving around the Sun is– 
(A) Seven (B) Six (C) Eight (D) Five (Ans : C)

2. Nitrogen in water is commonly found in the form of–
(A) Nitrate (B) Nitrous oxide (C) Nitrite (D) Nitric oxide (Ans : A)

3. The forests which act as barriers against cyclones are–
(A) Alpine forests (B) Evergreen forests (C) Monsoon forests (D) Mangrove forests (Ans : D)

4. Red rot of sugar cane is caused by– 
(A) Phylophthora (B) Alternaria alternata (C) Colletotrichum (D) Cercospora personata (Ans : C)

5. Cripps Mission came to India in–
(A) 1946 (B) 1940 (C) 1942 (D) 1945 (Ans : C)

6. Regarding money supply situation in India it can be said that the– 
(A) Currency with the public is more than the deposits with the banks. (B) Currency with the public is almost equal to the deposits with the banks 
(C) Currency with the public is less than the deposits with the banks. (D) Currency with the public is inconvertible only. (Ans : C)

7. Who constructed Humayun's tomb in Delhi ? 
(A) Humayun (B) Haji Begam (C) Akbar (D) Babar (Ans : B)

8. The founder of the 'Arya Samaj' was– 
(A) Annie Besant (B) Vivekananda (C) Dayananda (D) Raja Rammohan Roy (Ans : C)

9. To whom the President has to submit his resignation? 
(A) Speaker (B) Chief Justice (C) Prime Minister (D) Vice President (Ans : D)

10. Who among the following is named as "Haryana Hurricane"? 
(A) Ajay Jadeja (B) Kapil Dev (C) Nawab Pataudi (D) Ajay Ratsa (Ans : B)

11. Aluminium salt commonly used to stop bleeding is? 
(A) Aluminium nitrate (B) Aluminium sulphate (C) Potash alum (D) Aluminium chloride (Ans : C)

12. The first law of thermodynamics is simply the case of? 
(A) Newton's law of cooling (B) The law of conservation of energy (C) The law of heat exchange (D) Charle's law (Ans : B)

13. The equilibrium price of a commodity will definitely rise if there is a/an– 
(A) increase in both demand and supply (B) decrease in both demand and supply 
(C) increase in supply combined with a decrease in demand. (D) increase in demand accompanied by a decrease in supply (Ans : D)

14. The resources which are obtained from biosphere and have life are– 
(A) Potential Resources (B) Biotic Resources (C) Abiotic Resources (D) Renewable Resources (Ans : B)

15. Mac Iver says 'Kinship creates society and society at length creates ……….?' 
(A) State (B) Nation (C) City State (D) Association (Ans : A)

16. Government of India has decided to integrate………. with recent launched Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana.
(A) Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (B) Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 
(C) National Rural Livelihood Mission (D) Haryali (Ans : A)

17. The Members of the Constituent Assembly which enacted the Constitution of India were– 
(A) nominated by Governor General. (B) directly elected by the People. 
(C) elected by the Legislative Assemblies of various Provinces. (D) nominated by the Political Parties. (Ans : C)

18. Which one of the following chapters in the Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to the people? 
(A) Part IV (B) Part II (C) Part I (D) Part III (Ans : D)

19. The market equilibrium for a commodity is determined by–
(A) the balancing of the forces of demand and supply for the commodity. (B) the market supply of the commodity. 
(C) the intervention of the Government. (D) the market demand of the commodity. (Ans : A)

20. In a solar or lunar eclipse, the region of earth's shadow is divided into– 
(A) two parts. (B) three parts. (C) four parts. (D) five parts.(Ans : B)

21. Tulsidas wrote 'Ramcharitamanas' during the reign of– 
(A) Akbar (B) Rama Raya (C) Krishnadeva Raya (D) Jehangir (Ans : A)

22. Name the kingdom which first used elephants in wars? 
(A) Magadha (B) Avanti (C) Kosala (D) Champa (Ans : A)

23. Immunisation technique was developed by– 
(A) Edward Jenner (B) Robert Koch (C) Joseph Lister (D) Louis Pasteur (Ans : D)

24. A low interest policy is also known as– 
(A) dear money policy (B) investment policy (C) income generating policy (D) cheap money policy (Ans : D)

25. Which Article of the Indian Constitution defines the duties of the Chief Minister? 
(A) Article 166 (B) Article 167 (C) Article 164 (D) Article 163 (Ans : B)

26. What does the word 'amphibian' mean? 
(A) One life (B) Two lives (C) Four lives (D) Three lives (Ans : B)

27. Chemical name of Gammaxane is– 
(A) Chloro benzene (B) Benzene hexachloride (C) Toluene (D) Aniline (Ans : B)

28. If the Union Parliament is to assume legislative power over and subject included in the State List, the resolution to this effect has to be passed by which of the following ? 
(A) Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and legislatures of the concerned States (B) Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha 
(C) Lok Sabha (D) Rajya Sabha (Ans : D)

29. The largest current, because of its dark waters is known as the 'black current' and that is– 
(A) Gulf Stream (B) Antarctic Current (C) California Current (D) Kuroshio Current (Ans : D)

30. The most abundant element is– 
(A) Silicon (B) Nitrogen(C) Oxygen (D) Calcium (Ans : C)

31. The hydrophilic nature of DNA is due to the presence of– 
(A) a number of hydrogen bonds (B) phosphate group (C) deoxyribose sugar (D) thymine base (Ans : A)

32. In a computer system, which device is functionally opposite of a Key-board? 
(A) Mouse (B) Printer (C) Joystick (D) Trackball (Ans : B)

33. Who among the following Mughal rulers banned music and dancing? 
(A) Aurangzeb (B) Jehangir (C) Humanyun (D) Babar (Ans : A)

34. The largest forest which covers 25 percent of the world's forest land is– 
(A) Monsoon Forest (B) The tropical Rain forest (C) Temperate forests of Europe (D) Taiga forest of Siberia (Ans : D)

35. Economies of a firm are–
(A) Saving in it's production costs (B) An increase in its profits 
(C) Its dominance of the market (D) A reduction in its selling expenses (Ans : D)

36. Total internal reflection cannot take place when light goes from– 
(A) glass to water (B) water to glass (C) water to air (D) glass to air(Ans : B)

37. The sense of balance is achieved by– 
(A) Cerebellum equilibrium (B) Thalamus equilibrium (C) Spinal chord equilibrium (D) Cerebrum equilibrium (Ans : D)

38. RAM is used as a short memory in a computer because it– 
(A) is programmable (B) is volatile (C) has less capacity (D) is very expensive (Ans : B)

39. Which of the following is the major copper-producing country ? 
(A) Sri Lanka (B) Russia (C) Indonesia (D) Chile (Ans : D)

40. Interferons are synthesised in response to– 
(A) Mycoplasma (B) Virus (C) Bacteria (D) Fungi (Ans : B)

41. Who was the Governor-General during the Second Anglo-Mysore War? 
(A) Sir John Shore (B) Warren Hastings (C) Lord Cornwallis (D) Lord Wellesley (Ans : B)

42. An electron microscope gives higher magnifications than an optical microscope because–
(A) The wavelength of electrons is smaller as compared to the wavelength of visible light (B) The electrons have more energy than the light particulars 
(C) The electron microscope uses more powerful lenses (D) The velocity of electrons is smaller than that of light (Ans : A)

43. The fleshy thalamus is edible in– 
(A) Tomato (B) Mango (C) Orange (D) Apple (Ans : D)

44. A reversible and an irreversible engine is working between the same limits of temperature. The efficiency of– 
(A) the irreversible engine is greater than the reversible engine (B) the two engines is equal 
(C) The reversible engine is greater than the irreversible engine (D) Each engine is 100% (Ans : C)

45. Reservation for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the service has been provided in the Indian Constitution under– 
(A) Article 375 (B) Article 335 (C) Article 315 (D) Article 365 (Ans : B)

46. Which of the following is used in the treatment of cancer ? 
(A) Physiotherapy (B) Electrotherapy (C) Chemotherapy (D) Psychotherapy (Ans : C)

47. The States reorganisation in 1956 created………. ? 
(A) 14 States and 6 Union Territories (B) 17 States and 6 Union Territories 
(C) 17 States and 9 Union Territories (D) 15 States and 9 Union Territories (Ans : A)

48. Name the acid attack victim who was honoured with prestigious "International Woman of Courage" award on March 4, 2014 at the State Department Ceremony in Washington by Michelle Obama, first lady of the US. 
(A) Malini (B) Shivani (C) Laxmi (D) Nirbhaya (Ans : C)

49. A clone is a group of individuals obtained through– 
(A) Micropropagation (B) Hybridisation (C) Cross pollination (D) Self-pollination (Ans : D)

50. Who among the following Sultans tried to prohibit sati ? 
(A) Mohammad Bin Tughlaq (B) Alauddin Khilji (C) Firoz Tughlaq (D) Jalauddin Khilji (Ans : A) 

Staff Selection Commission Stenographers (Grade 'C' and 'D') Examination 2014 General Awareness Solved Paper

1. Who was the first Indian to become the President of UN General Assembly? 
(A) Natwar Singh (B) Krishna Menon (C) Ms. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (D) Ramesh Bhandari (Ans : C)

2. The confluence of rivers Bhagirathi and Alakanda is at–
(A) Rudra Prayag (B) Vishnu Prayag (C) Karn Prayag (D) Deo Prayag (Ans : D)

3. Which State is called the 'agricultural epitome' of India ? 
(A) Tamil Nadu (B) Madhya Pradesh (C) West Bengal (D) Uttar Pradesh (Ans : D)

4. Hydrogen Sulphide is– 
(A) Yellowish gas with pungent odour. (B) Colourless gas with rotten egg smell. 
(C) Reddish brown gas with fishy odour. (D) Colourless, odourless gas. (Ans : B)

5. The new RBI Governor is– 
(A) Montek Singh Ahluwalia (B) Kaushik Basu (C) Arvind Mayararn (D) Raghuram Rajan (Ans : D)

6. Hydrophobia is– 
(A) Like for water (B) Itch mite (C) Vomiting (D) Fear for water (Ans : D)

7. Find the incorrect pair–
(A) Sariska Sanctuary - Rajasthan (B) AnnamalaiSanctuary – Tamil Nadu 
(C) Periyar Sanctuary - Andhra Pradesh (D) Bandipur Sanctuary - Karnataka (Ans : C)

8. Who appoints the Attorney-General of India ? 
(A) President of India (B) Law Minister of the Union (C) Prime Minister of India (D) Chief Minister of India (Ans : A)

9. Point out from the following the first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha ? 
(A) Sonia Gandhi (B) Sushma Swaraj (C) Margaret Alva (D) Meera Kumar (Ans : D)

10. Which boundary line separates India from Pakistan ? 
(A) Radcliffe Line (B) 17th Parallel (C) Durand Line (D) McMahon Line (Ans : A)

11. Any dispute in connection with the election of Vice-President of India– 
(A) Should be referred to Election Commission (B) May be filed in the Supreme Court 
(C) Must be filed in the Supreme Court (D) May be flied in the High Court (Ans : C)

12. Blue and White Revolutions are related to– 
(A) Poultry and Dairying (B) Fisheries and Dairying (C) Fisheries and Agriculture (D) Fisheries and Edible oil (Ans : B)

13. Lake Lonar is situated in– 
(A) Kerala (B) Maharashtra (C) Gujarat (D) Tamil Nadu (Ans : B)

14. The newly elected Chairman of 'Lalit Kala Academy' is– 
(A) Pt. Bhim Sen (B) Rahul Chakrapani (C) K.K. Chakravorti (D) Vasudev Acharya (Ans : C)

15. The New Zealanders are also known as– 
(A) Sams (B) Kiwis (C) Ashes (D) None of the above (Ans : B)

16. The largest source of pollution in the world is– 
(A) Automobile exhausts (B) Herbicides and pesticides (C) Industrial affluents (D) Sewage and garbage (Ans : C)

17. Among the following liquids which one evaporates faster ? 
(A) Water (B) Alcohol (C) Petrol (C) Kerosene (Ans : C)

18. Wheat harvesting is an example of– 
(A) Gravity separation (B) Chromatographic separation (C) Fractional distillation (D) Extraction (Ans : A)

19. A perfect market situation exists when– 
(A) There are large number of buyers and sellers. (B) There are large number of firms and small number of buyers. 
(C) There are small number of firms in an industry. (D) The firms are not independent of each other. (Ans : D)

20. The only organisation concerned with children's welfare all over the world is– 
(A) UNICEF (B) UNFP (C) UNESCO (D) UNIDO (Ans : A)

21. Who is the author of 'Das Capital' ? 
(A) Dostoevsky (B) Maxim Gorki (C) Lenin (D) Karl Marx (Ans : D)

22. Expand 'RAM' of computer memory– 
(A) Random Access Memory (B) Random Average Memory (C) Read Access Memory (D) Read After Memory (Ans : A)

23. Sir C.V. Raman was awarded Nobel Prize for his experiment on– 
(A) deflection of light (B) scattering of light (C) dispersion of light (D) reflection of light (Ans : B)

24. Which of the following pairs is not correct ? 
(A) Holkar Trophy - Tennis (B) Hero Honda Indian Open - Golf 
(C) Deodhar Trophy - Cricket (D) Subroto Cup - Football (Ans : A)

25. Which of the following makes the major contribution to the revenue of Indian Railways ? 
(A) Goods traffic earnings (B) Sundry earnings (C) Passenger earnings (D) Coaching earnings (Ans : A)

26. Breathing roots are seen in– 
(A) Halophytes (B) Epiphytes (C) Hydrophytes (D) Xerophytes (Ans : A)

27. Which of the following is not a member of G-20 ? 
(A) Bangladesh (B) India (C) Saudi Arabia (D) European Central Bank (Ans : A)

28. Which layer of atmosphere enables us to have wireless communication ? 
(A) Stratosphere (B) Thermosphere (C) Mesosphere (D) Troposphere (Ans : B)

29. The gas used in balloons is–
(A) Oxygen (B) Carbon dioxide (C) Helium (D) Hydrogen (Ans : C)

30. Who defeated the Kings XI Punjab in the final of the IPL-7 played on June 1, 2014 ? 
(A) Chennai Super Kings (B) Delhi Dare Devils (C) Kolkata Knight Riders (D) Sun Risers Hyderabad (Ans : C)

31. Who among the following is not related with 1857 Mutiny? 
(A) Mangal Pandey (B) Chandrashekhar Azaad (C) Rani Lakshmibai (D) Nana Saheb (Ans : B)

32. In which of the following medium sound travels faster ? 
(A) Iron bar (B) Steam (C) Water (D) Carbon dioxide (Ans : A)

33. Which of the following is a non-biodegradable pollutant ? 
(A) Fruits (B) Plastic (C) Mud (D) Leaves (Ans : B)

34. The Mangrove forests of the Ganges Delta are known as– 
(A) Sundarbans (B) Evergreen forests (C) Scrub vegetation (D) Monsoon forests (Ans : A)

35. Who built Fatehpur Sikri ? 
(A) Shershah (B) Shah Jahan (C) Babur (D) Akbar (Ans : D)

36. Which of the following is an example of joint sector enterprises in India? 
(A) Bharath Aluminium Ltd. (B) Maruti Udyog Ltd. (C) Indian Oil Corporation (D) Hindustan Antibiotics (Ans : B)

37. Who is the author of the book 'Lajja' ? 
A) Tasleema Nasreen (B) Shakti Mazumdar (C) Kiran Bedi (D) Anuradha Rai (Ans : A)

38. The transmission of data from a local computer to remote computer is called– 
(A) Installation (B) Configuration (C) Download (D) Upload (Ans : D)

39. How many ventricles are there in human brain ? 
(A) 4 (B) 5 (C) 2 (D) 3 (Ans : A)

40. Fructose is called– 
(A) Fruit sugar (B) Cane sugar (C) Grape sugar (D) Beet sugar (Ans : A)

41. Oxygen is a– 
(A) Supporter of combustion (B) Constituent of all gases (C) Combustible gas (D) Reducing agent (Ans : A)

42. The so called 'Black Hole' tragedy refers to– 
(A) Alleged imprisonment of 123 Englishmen in a small room resulting in death of most of them. 
(B) Confinement of English Prisoners in a Palace. 
(C) Imprisoning the English women and children in room without any window. 
(D) Covering the heads of English Prisoners with black masks. (Ans : A)

43. Spot the odd one from the following– 
(A) Kalapakkam (B) Narora (C) Tarapur (D) Trombay (Ans : D)

44. Circulatory system of starfish is called– 
(A) Water vascular system (B) Haemal system (C) Canal system (D) Gastrovascular system (Ans : A)

45. Identify the odd one among the following– 
(A) SJSRJ : Swarn Jayanti Shahari Rojgar Yojna (B) NOAPS : National Old Age Pension Scheme 
(C) NREGS : National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (D) SGSY : Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojna (Ans : B)

46. The study of the relation of animals and plants to their surroundings is called– 
(A) Geneology (B) Iconology (C) Ecology (D) Ethnology (Ans : C)

47. Which of the following is not a unit of energy ? 
(A) N-m (B) Joule (C) W-s (D) Kg-m/s (Ans : D)

48. Which European statesman was called the "Iron Chancellor" ? 
(A) Moltke (B) Otto Von Bismarck (C) Metternich (D) William I (Ans : B)

49. The human body gets most of its energy, from plant foods, in the form of– 
(A) Minerals (B) Vitamins (C) Carbohydrates (D) Proteins (Ans : C)

50. Who was the Constitutional Advisor to the Constituent Assembly at the time of framing the Indian Constitution ? 
(A) Dr. Rajendra Prasad (B) B.N. Rau (C) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (D) Jawaharlal Nehru (Ans : B) 

Staff Selection Commission Stenographers (Grade 'C' and 'D') Examination 2014 English Language and Comprehension Solved Paper

Directions (Qs. 1 to 10): Some parts of the sentences have errors and some are correct. Find out which part of a sentence (A), (B), or (C) has an error and mark that part as your answer. If a sentence is free from error, then mark (D) as your answer. 

1. In the modern age (A)/ twenty miles are (B) / not a long distance to be covered. (C)/ No error (D) (Ans : B)

2. Did he came (A)/ to see you (B)/ yesterday evening? (C)/ No error (D) (Ans : A)

3. No one know (A)/ who solved (B)/ these sums. (C)/ No error (D) (Ans : A)

4. A parent has (A)/ much duties (B)/ towards his child (C)/ No error (D) (Ans : B)

5. Rosy hadn't been (A)/ to Shimla for ten years (B)/ and was really looking forward to see it again. (C)/ No error (D) (Ans : C)

6. It's very important (A)/ to attend (B)/ to all the classes. (C)/ No error (D) (Ans : C)

7. The security guard kept awake (A)/ lest no stranger should (B)/ not enter the house unnoticed. (C)/ No error (D) (Ans : C)

8. A dodo was (A) / the large flightless bird (B)/ found in Mauritius. (C)/ No error (D) (Ans : B)

9. Once (A)/ you learnt to swim, (B)/ you will never forget it. (C)/ No error (D) (Ans : C)

10. What surprises me (A)/ is his absolute indifference (B) / for the entire tragedy. (C)/ No error (D) (Ans : C)

Directions (Qs. 11 to 15) : Sentences are given with blanks to be filled in with an appropriate word(s). Four alternatives are suggested for each question. Choose the correct alternative out of the four. 

11. Hamlet wanted to………. the death of his father who was treacherously killed by his mother's lover. 
(A) vindicate (B) forgive (C) avenge (D) revenge (Ans : C)

12. I was taken………. by the shocking news of his demise. 
(A) after (B) aback (C) ahead (D) away (Ans : B)

13. The disease spread throughout the village because it was highly. 
(A) courageous (B) nauseous (C) outrageous (D) contagious (Ans : D)

14. The present………. is not as powerful as the previous one. 
(A) school (B) block (C) wing (D) board (Ans : D)

15. Our flight was………. from Jaipur to Agra airport. 
(A) diverted (B) reverted (C) deflected (D) shifted (Ans : A)

Directions (Qs. 16 to 20) : Out of the four alternatives, choose the one which best expresses the meaning of the given word. 

16. Tenacity 
(A) ability (B) despair (C) stubbornness (D) roughness (Ans : C)

17. Vacant 
(A) rare (B) vacuum (C) occupied (D) full (Ans : B)

18. Peaceful 
(A) danger (B) release (C) fury (D) tranquil (Ans : D)

19. Furore 
(A) attraction (B) enjoyment (C) celebration (D) excitement (Ans : D)

20. Bedlam 
(A) lover (B) clamour (C) roar (D) lout (Ans : B)

Directions (Qs. 21 to 25) : Choose the word opposite in meaning to the given word. 

21. Sprightly 
(A) dull (B) lose (C) mild (D) fast (Ans : A)

22. Industrious 
(A) undesirable (B) irritable (C) sluggish (D) annoyed (Ans : C)

23. Wreck 
(A) salvage (B) construct (C) free (D) loosen (Ans : B)

24. Vigorous 
(A) feeble (B) smart (C) brave (D) eager (Ans : A)

25. Confess 
(A) discourage (B) decrease (C) deny (D) dissent (Ans : C)

Directions (Qs. 26 to 30) : In these questions, the sentence/ passage is split into four parts and named P, Q, Rand S. These four parts are not given in their proper order. Read the sentence/passage and find' out which of the four combinations is correct. Then find the correct answer. 

26. P. In an age 
Q. you are living 
R. when there are 
S. great opportunities for women 
(A) P Q R S. (B) Q P R S (C) S R P Q (D) R S P Q (Ans : B)

27. P. That we are more civilised than our ancestors 
Q. is the prevailing belief 
R. one of the 
S. great delusions of modern times 
(A) Q R S P (B) R S Q P (C) R P Q S (D) S Q R P (Ans : B)

28. P. Seems like a perfect holiday 
Q. watching the sun sink 
R. sitting on the beach and 
S. into the blue sea 
(A) Q R P S (B) Q S P R (C) R Q S P (D) R P Q S (Ans : C)

29. P. Country in the world 
Q. celebrated with as 
R. Here, festivals are 
S. much passion as in any 
(A) S P R Q (B) R Q S P (C) P Q R S (D) Q P S R (Ans : B)

30. P. The Olympics start 
Q. in the stadium of a torch 
R. lighted on Mount Olympus by the sun's rays 
S. with the arrival 
(A) R P Q S (B) Q P S R (C) P S Q R (D) S P R Q (Ans : C)

Directions (Qs. 31 to 35) : Four alternatives are given for the Idiom/ Phrase underlined in the sentence. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the Idiom/ Phrase. 

31. The road roller proved to be a white elephant for Mr. Raman. 
(A) an albino pachyderm (B) a burdensome possession (C) a symbol of royalty (D) an exotic beast of burden (Ans : B)

32. Before going to the party, the children were told to mind their p's and q’s. 
(A) to complete their homework (B) to dress up properly (C) to take care of their behaviour (D) to learn the alphabet (Ans : C)

33. I cannot allow you to take liberties with me. 
(A) do whatever you want (B) share my liberty (C) treat me disrespectfully (D) fool around (Ans : A)

34. I will be back in two shakes. 
(A) with two milkshakes (B) very soon (C) in two minutes (D) with a bang (Ans : B)

35. The king of metals is becoming dearer by the day. 
(A) gold (B) diamonds (C) platinum (D) iron (Ans : A)

Directions (Qs. 36 to 45) : A sentence has been given in Active/ Passive Voice. Out of die four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Passive/Active Voice and mark your answer accordingly. 

36. The room has been cleaned by Jill. 
(A) Jill is cleaning her room. (B) Jill will clean her room. (C) Jill cleans her room. (D) Jill has cleaned her room.(Ans : D)

37. The bench has dismissed the petition. 
(A) The petition is being dismissed by the bench. (B) The petition was dismissed by the bench. 
(C) The petition has been dismissed by the bench. (D) The petition has dismissed by the bench. (Ans : C)

38. The manager has not signed the cheques carefully. 
(A) The cheques were not signed carefully by the manager. (B) The cheques have not been signed carefully by the manager. 
(C) The cheques has been not signed carefully by the manager. (D) The cheques have been not signed carefully by the manager. (Ans : B)

39. The dogs were chasing the girl. 
(A) The girl were chased by the dogs. (B) The girl had been chased by the dogs. 
(C) The girl was being chased by the dogs. (D) The girl was chased by the dogs. (Ans : C)

40. He had completed the work. 
(A) The work has been completed by him. (B) The work was completed by him. 
(C) The work had been completed by him. (D) The work is completed by him. (Ans : C)

41. Computers can perform complicated calculations. 
(A) Complicated calculations would be performed by computers. (B) Complicated calculations will be performed by computers. 
(C) Complicated calculations could be performed by computers. (D) Complicated calculations can be performed by computers. (Ans : D)

42. A poem was being written by me. 
(A) I had been writing a poem. (B) I am writing a poem. (C) I was writing a poem. (D) I have been writing a poem. (Ans : C)

43. We expect that they will elect him. 
(A) It is expected that he will have been elected. (B) It is expected that they would elect him. 
(C) It was expected that they will elect him.(D) It is expected that he will be elected. (Ans : D)

44. We sent a message of congratulations to her. 
(A) A message of congratulations are sent to her. (B) A message of congratulations is sent to hen 
(C) A message of congratulations will be sent to her. (D) A message-of congratulations was sent to her (by us). (Ans : D)

45. We will finish the lessons before this month. 
(A) The lessons are being finished before this month. (B) The lessons will be finished before this months (by us). 
(C) The lessons will have finished before this month. (D) The lessons will finish before this month. (Ans : B)

Directions (Qs. 46 to 55) : A sentence/ a part of the sentence is underlined. Below are given alternatives to the underlined part at (A), (B), (C) which may improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative. In case no improvement is needed your answer is (D). 

46. He is senior than me. 
(A) to (B) by (C) over (D) No improvement (Ans : A)

47. The conduct of many students are not what they should be. 
(A) The conduct of many students is not what they should be. (B) The conducts of many students are not what they should be. 
(C) The conduct of many students is not what it should be. (D) No improvement (Ans : C)

48. That is it's name. 
(A) That is its name. (B) That name is its. (C) That name is it's. (D) No improvement. (Ans : A)

49. Jameel was instructed to complete the task by Monday. 
(A) Monday (B) Until Monday (C) Upto Monday (D) No improvement (Ans : D)

50. It seemed he was possessed with a demon. 
(A) It seemed he was possessed by a demon. (B) It seemed he was possessed of a demon. 
(C) It possessed he seemed of a demon. (D) No improvement (Ans : A)

51. Two hundred people have been employed by the company. 
(A) Two hundred people are employed by the company. (B) The company employed two hundred people. 
(C) The company has employed two hundred people. (D) No improvement (Ans : D)

52. You should carry an umbrella as because it is raining. 
(A) You should carry an umbrella because it is raining. (B) Because it is raining, you should carry an umbrella. 
(C) The rain is the because as you should carry an umbrella. (D) No improvement (Ans : A)

53. Her parents always impressed her in her studies. 
(A) trained (B) taught (C) encouraged (D) No improvement (Ans : C)

54. He gave me a ten-rupees note. 
(A) ten-rupee (B) tens-rupees (C) tens-rupee (D) No improvement (Ans : A)

55. The ship sank and all his passengers were drowned. 
(A) all her passengers (B) all its passengers (C) all their passengers (D) No improvement (Ans : B)

Directions (Qs. 56 to 65) : A sentence has been given in Direct/ Indirect. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct. 

56. She said to me, "Why have you failed" ? 
(A) She asked me why do I fail. (B) She asked me why had I failed. 
(C) She asked me why did I fail. (D) She asked me why I had failed. (Ans : D)

57. "Bless his kind heart" ! they cried. 
(A) They cried that his kind heart needs blessing. (B) They bless him that he has a kind heart. 
(C) They said that he had a blessed and kind heart. (D) They blessed him for his kind heart. (Ans : D)

58. I said, "Who knew that this would happen" ! 
(A) I said that none knew that, that would happen. (B) I said that none knew that this should happen. 
(C) I asked who knew what should happen. (D) I asked who knew that this should happen. (Ans : A)

59. The customer asked the salesman whether he knew where the manager was. 
(A) The customer asked the salesman, "Do you know where the manager is" ? (B) The customer said to the salesman, "Can I meet the manager" ? 
(C) The customer wanted to know, "Where is the manager" ? (D) The customer demanded of the salesman, "Where is the manager" ? (Ans : A)

60. He said, “What a nice thing it is" ! 
(A) He asked what a nice thing it is. (B) He exclaimed that it was a nice thing. 
(C) He enquired what a nice thing it was. (D) He said that it is a very nice thing. (Ans : B)

61. "Do you know the person we are talking about" ? Karim said to his friend. 
(A) His friend was asked by Karim if he knew the person they are talking about. 
(B) Karim asked his friend if he knew the person they were talking about. 
(C) His friend asked Karim if he knew the person they were talking about. 
(D) Karim asked his friend if he knows the person they were talking about. (Ans : B)

62. "Please lend me your pen for some time", Seema said to Jyoti. 
(A) Seema said to Jyoti that she should lend her, her pen. (B) Jyoti asked Seema to lend her, her pen. 
(C) Please lend me your pen for some time Seema said to Jyoti. (D) Seema requested Jyoti to lend her, her pen. (Ans : D)

63. He said to me, "Let us go home". 
(A) He asked me to let us go home. (B) He proposed that we should go home. 
(C) He suggested to me about going home. (D) He said to me that we should let us go home. (Ans : C)

64. She said to me, "Have you seen the man who came to me the other day"? 
(A) She asked me whether I had seen the man who came to her the other day. 
(B) She said to me have I seen the man who came to her the other day. 
(C) She asked me if I had seen the man who came to me the other day. 
(D) She asked me if I have seen the man who came to her the other day. (Ans : A)

65. The mother told her son that if he lied, he would be punished. 
(A) The mother said, "Son, if you lie, you will be punished". 
(B) The mother said to his son, "Do not lie otherwise you will be punished" . 
(C) The mother said, "Son, if you lied, you would be punished". 
(D) "Son", said the mother, "you told a lie so you will be punished". (Ans : A)

Directions (Qs. 66 to 85) : In the following passages, some of the words have been left out. Read the passages carefully and choose the correct answer to each question out of the four alternatives and fill in the blanks. 

Passage - I 
When you are driving abroad you should make Sure that you have all your documents with you. These ...(66)... your passport, your driving licence and insurance papers. It ...(67)... be very inconvenient if you ...(68)... any of these or if you cannot find ...(69)... quickly. You must also make sure that your car has a nationality plate which shows the country where the car is registered; for ...(70)... GB for Great Britain, F for France, N for Norway and so on. In some ...(71)... you have to pay if you don't ...(72)... motoring laws and this can sometimes cost you a lot of money. For instance, you may have to pay immediately if you are stopped by a police officer 'for taking no notice of traffic lights, speed ...(73)... or if you allow children ...(74)... the age of twelve to ...(75)... in the front seat of the vehicle. 

66. (A) include (B) made (C) contain (D) mean (Ans : A)

67. (A) is (B) has (C) can (D) should (Ans : C)

68. (A) pass (B) miss (C) hide (D) lose (Ans : B)

69. (A) them (B) their (C) those (D) that (Ans : D)

70. (A) example (B) genetal (C) once (D) fact (Ans : A)

71. (A) routes (B) countries (C) positions (D) ways (Ans : B)

72. (A) obey (B) allow (C) do (D) continue (Ans : A)

73. (A) numbers (B) marks (C) limits (D) spots (Ans : C)

74. (A) lower (B) over (C) behind (D) under (Ans : D)

75. (A) follow (B) travel (C) wait (D) pass (Ans : B)

Passage - II 
Yoga was a ...(76)... of self-realisation in the Upanishads. The system of Yoga was ...(77)... on the ...(78)... of self-control. A ...(79)... course of self-discipline was ...(80)... through hatha yoga, raja yoga and jnana yoga and ...(81)... man from physical to mental, from ...(82)... to spiritual discipline, stage by ...(83)... Without physical cleansing no mental discipline was ...(84)... and without mental discipline no spiritual discipline was ...(85)... 

76. (A) path (B) route (C) way (D) means (Ans : D)

77. (A) based (B) realised (C) developed (D) controlled (Ans : A)

78. (A) principle (B) principal (C) thought (D) idea (Ans : A)

79. (A) thorough (B) full (C) complete (D) serious (Ans : C)

80. (A) attainable (B) got (C) achieved (D) fulfilled (Ans : A)

81. (A) prepared (B) trained (C) equipped (D) moulded (Ans : B)

82. (A) mental (B) mentality (C) psychological (D) physiological (Ans : A)

83. (A) practice (B) practising (C) stages (D) stage (Ans : D)

84. (A) impossible (B) achieved (C) possible (D) attainable (Ans : C)

85. (A) impossible (B) achieved (C) attainable (D) probable (Ans : C)

Directions (Qs. 86 to 100) : You have three brief passage with 5 questions following each passage. Read the passages carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives. 

Passage - I 
What makes good conversation ? In the first place, it is essentially a mutual search for the essence of things. It is a zestful transaction, not a briefing or a lecture. Russian poet, Alexander Pushkin correctly identified the willingness to listen as one of the vital ingredients of any exchange. When two people are talking at the same time, it is not conversation; it is collision– nothingis more destructive of good talk than an over-zealous football dribbler playing to the crowd. Pity the husband or wife with a garrulous mate who insists on talking long past the point where he or she has anything to say. To be meaningful, a conversation should head in a general direction. It has been said that if speech is silver, silence is gold. Certainly silence is preferable, under most circumstances, to inconsequential chit-chat. 

86. The word garrulous means_____ 
(A) annoying (B) talkative (C) noisy (D) disturbing (Ans : B)

87. A vital ingredient of conversation is_____
(A) being like an over-zealous footballer. (B) being able to speak without stopping. 
(C) the ability to talk. (D) the willingness to listen. (Ans : D)

88. A good conversation should not be– 
(A) a lecture (B) a dialogue (C) a discourse (D) a monologue (Ans : A)

89. If speech is silver, silence is gold-indicates that... 
(A) silence is valuable (B) silence is more precious than speech (C) speech is less important (D) Both are valuable (Ans : B)

90. According to the Author, "in Collision" occurs when_____
(A) two people listen at the same time. (B) two people collide against each other 
(C) a single person talks too long. (D) two people talk at the same time. (Ans : D)

Passage - II 
There is a need to preserve our natural resources. The growth of population leads to an increase in the demand for food which means more space is required for cultivation. Trees in the forests are cut down to make way for more land for farms and buildings. Animals are decreasing in number due to widespread poaching and the depletion of their natural habitat. Many species are getting extinct or are on the verge of extinction. There is a need to conserve forests and the wildlife within them. Trees are the lifeline of society. Excessive felling of trees can lead to various problems like floods, droughts, climate change and lack of resources. Therefore, for sustainable development that is development that fulfils the need of future generations, it is important to save forest and wildlife. 

91. What is the life line of society ? 
(A) mountains (B) rivers (C) trees (D) humans (Ans : C)

92. Why is it important to save forests and wildlife ? 
(A) to improve tourism (B) to save the animals (C) for maintaining nature's beauty (D) for sustainable development (Ans : D)

93. Why is more space needed for cultivation ? 
(A) decrease in population (B) development (C) decrease in food supply (D) growth of population (Ans : D)

94. What has led to animal extinction? 
(A) trade and commerce (B) poaching (C) lack of awareness (D) industrial development (Ans : B)

95. What has led to the change in climate? 
(A) the drilling of wells (B) the deforestation (C) the killing of animals (D) the construction of dams (Ans : B)

Passage - III 
The high speed winds have a lot of energy in them as kinetic energy, due to their motion. The driving force of the winds is the sun. The wind energy is harnessed by making use of wind mills. The blades of the wind mill keep on rotating continuously due to the force of the striking wind. A large number of wind mills are installed in clusters called wind farms. These farms are ideally located in coastal regions, open grasslands or hilly regions, particularly mountain passes and ridges where the winds are strong and steady. Wind energy is very useful as it does not cause any air pollution. After the initial installation cost, the wind energy is very cheap. It is believed that by the middle of the century wind power would supply more than 10% of world's electricity. 

96. What are wind farms ? 
(A) the force of the striking wind (B) high speed winds having a lot of energy in them 
(C) large number of wind mills installed in clusters (D) working of a wind generator (Ans : C)

97. Where are the farms located ? 
(A) in places where there are lots of houses (B) in industrial areas 
(C) In areas where there are water pumps and flour mills (D) in areas where the winds are strong and steady. (Ans : D)

98. What is the driving force of the winds? 
(A) the electric generators (B) the sun (C) the atmosphere (D) the continuous rotation (Ans : B)

99. How is wind energy harnessed? 
(A) by constructing a barrage (B) by providing commercial energy (C) by using steam turbine (D) by making use of wind mills (Ans : D)

100. Why is wind energy useful? 
(A) It can generate a lot of electricity (B) It does not cause any air pollution (C) It is easily affordable (D) It can be utilized on a wide range (Ans : B)