UPSC EPFO General English previous year questions with answers
Every General English question asked in the UPSC EPFO (APFC, EO/AO) papers on this site, grouped by topic. Answers come from UPSC's official answer keys; each has a short explanation (free here for a sample, all of them in the practice app).
सीएपीएफ (एसी) सामान्य अंग्रेज़ी — पिछले वर्षों के प्रश्न, उत्तर और व्याख्या सहित।
Practise General English onlineSentence Arrangement
Rearrange the parts P, Q, R and S to form a meaningful sentence. P: before the judge Q: given that he was clearly innocent R: was incomprehensible S: his decision to plead guilty
- SQRP
- QPSR
- QSPR
- SRQP
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Answer: (3) QSPR
The sentence is "Given that he was clearly innocent, his decision to plead guilty before the judge was incomprehensible." Q is an introductory clause ("given that" = considering that) that sets the context, S supplies the subject "his decision to plead guilty", P must follow it directly because one pleads guilty before a judge, and R "was incomprehensible" is the predicate. QPSR wrongly attaches "before the judge" to "innocent" instead of to "plead guilty", while SQRP and SRQP leave "before the judge" stranded at the end, where it attaches to "incomprehensible" or "innocent" and distorts the meaning.
Rearrange the parts P, Q, R and S to form a meaningful sentence. P: when your stated principles Q: it is difficult R: are at odds with your ground realities S: to practise what you preach
- PRSQ
- SPRQ
- QPRS
- QSPR
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Answer: (4) QSPR
The sentence is "It is difficult to practise what you preach when your stated principles are at odds with your ground realities." Q is an anticipatory "it" clause and needs the infinitive S ("to practise what you preach") as its real subject immediately after it; the "when" clause then follows, with P giving its subject and R its verb. PRSQ and SPRQ end with a stranded "it is difficult", and QPRS separates "it is difficult" from the infinitive it introduces. To practise what you preach means to act as you advise others to act.
Rearrange the parts P, Q, R and S to form a meaningful sentence. P: people in dire need Q: it is a truth universally acknowledged that R: for assistance S: reach out to their friends and family
- QPSR
- PSRQ
- QRPS
- RQPS
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Answer: (1) QPSR
The sentence is "It is a truth universally acknowledged that people in dire need reach out to their friends and family for assistance." Q is the main clause and ends in "that", so it must open the sentence and be followed by a full noun clause: P is its subject, S its verb ("reach out to their friends and family") and R completes it, since one reaches out to someone for assistance. PSRQ leaves "that" hanging at the end, while QRPS and RQPS detach "for assistance" from "reach out". The opening echoes the first line of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
Rearrange the parts P, Q, R and S to form a meaningful sentence. P: his vengeful Q: by the expression on his face R: and diabolical nature S: were clearly revealed
- QSPR
- QPRS
- PSQR
- PRSQ
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Answer: (4) PRSQ
The sentence is "His vengeful and diabolical nature were clearly revealed by the expression on his face." P and R together form the subject (two adjectives joined by "and" before the noun "nature"), S is the passive verb, and Q is the agent phrase with "by", which naturally comes after a passive verb. PSQR splits the adjectives from "nature", and the options beginning with Q put the "by" phrase before the verb it depends on, which is unnatural. Vengeful means seeking revenge; diabolical means wicked or devilish. (Strictly, the singular "nature" takes "was", but the parts are fixed as printed.)
Rearrange the parts P, Q, R and S to form a meaningful sentence. P: bitter fights Q: between the two rival teams R: on more than one occasion S: I have witnessed
- SRQP
- RSPQ
- QPRS
- SQRP
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Answer: (2) RSPQ
The sentence is "On more than one occasion I have witnessed bitter fights between the two rival teams." R is a fronted adverbial of frequency, S gives the subject and verb, P is the object, and Q must follow P directly because it tells us which fights ("fights between the two rival teams"). SRQP and SQRP both put "between the two rival teams" before "bitter fights", which it should follow, and QPRS opens with a phrase that has nothing to attach to. SPQR would also be correct, but it is not among the options.
The first and sixth sentences of a passage are given as S1 and S6. The four sentences in between have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. Choose the proper sequence of the four sentences. S1: Geological mapping, when properly done, demands skill and judgment. S6: Nothing is more naive than to believe that a field geologist should gather only 'facts', the interpretation of which is to be made at a later date. P: While the field work progresses he should conceive as many interpretations as are consistent with the known facts. Q: As the field work progresses and the larger geological picture begins to unfold, experience and judgment are essential if the geologist is to evaluate properly the vast number of facts gathered from thousands of outcrops. R: Such mapping requires keen observation and a knowledge of what data are significant. S: Above all, the field geologist must use the method of "working multiple hypotheses" to deduce the geological structure.
- SRQP
- RQSP
- PSQR
- SRPQ
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Answer: (2) RQSP
The order is RQSP. R must come first because "Such mapping" refers back to the geological mapping of S1 and spells out the skill it demands: keen observation and knowing which data matter. Q moves on to the progress of the field work, when experience and judgment are needed to evaluate the facts. S ("Above all") gives the most important requirement, the method of multiple hypotheses, and P explains it: "he", the field geologist of S, should form many interpretations while the work goes on. That leads into S6, which rejects gathering facts now and interpreting them later. Only RQSP begins with R.
The first and sixth sentences of a passage are given as S1 and S6. The four sentences in between have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. Choose the proper sequence of the four sentences. S1: Under the colonial regime, basic infrastructure such as railways, ports, water transport, posts and telegraphs did develop. S6: Naturally, therefore, these areas remained inaccessible to the people. P: There always remained an acute shortage of all-weather roads to reach out to the rural areas during the rainy season. Q: Roads constructed in India prior to the advent of British rule were not fit for modern transport. R: However, the real motive behind this development was not necessarily to provide basic amenities to the people but to subserve various colonial interests. S: The roads that were built primarily served the purposes of mobilizing the army within India and drawing out raw materials from the countryside to the nearest railway station.
- SPQR
- PQSR
- QPRS
- RQSP
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Answer: (4) RQSP
The order is RQSP. R comes first: "However" contrasts with S1's statement that infrastructure "did develop", and "this development" refers back to it before revealing the real colonial motive. Q and S narrow this down to roads: roads built before British rule were unfit for modern transport, and the roads the British built mainly served army movement and the carrying of raw materials to railway stations. P gives the result, a shortage of all-weather roads to rural areas, and S6's "these areas" means those rural areas, so P must come last. Only RQSP starts with R and ends with P.
The first and sixth sentences of a passage are given as S1 and S6. The four sentences in between have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. Choose the proper sequence of the four sentences. S1: Contemporary history is necessary, but it is at best a tentative record. S6: Some portentous events can be seen to be so from the moment of their occurrence, like the discovery of the New World; others of comparable momentousness are hidden in obscurity. P: The relevance of the issue of proportion is significant. Q: It possesses, indeed, a massive supply of public record, but it necessarily lacks the inner knowledge of politicians' minds, of planners' proposals, of scientists' discoveries, of technicians' break-throughs. R: It also lacks perspective since it is bereft of a sense of proportion. S: It is impossible, over just a few years of observation, to estimate accurately the significance of various events.
- QPSR
- SRPQ
- QSRP
- PRSQ
Show answer
Answer: (3) QSRP
The order is QSRP. Q follows S1 directly: "It" is contemporary history, and its "massive supply of public record" picks up S1's "tentative record" before saying what it lacks. S gives a second limitation: a few years of observation cannot show the real significance of events. R adds, with "also lacks", the lack of perspective and of a sense of proportion, and P can only come after R, because "the issue of proportion" needs R to introduce it. S6 then illustrates proportion with portentous events, some obvious at once and others hidden. QPSR wrongly puts P before proportion has been mentioned.
The first and sixth sentences of a passage are given as S1 and S6. The four sentences in between have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. Choose the proper sequence of the four sentences. S1: Income inequality in less-developed countries is worse than most estimates. S6: The tax regime in these countries needs to be progressive and futuristic. P: There is a staggering level of difference between the income metrics and the actual income of the prosperous in such countries. Q: The effective tax rates are not really progressive with regard to income. R: They need to be reengineered to bring into the tax net the enormous sums of 'missing' income. S: They are even less so with regard to wealth.
- PQSR
- QSPR
- QSRP
- SRPQ
Show answer
Answer: (2) QSPR
The keyed order is QSPR. Q and S are a fixed pair: "even less so" in S needs "not really progressive" in Q (on income, then wealth). P then points to the gap between measured income and the actual income of the prosperous, and R gives the remedy: reengineer the tax rates to bring this "missing" income into the tax net, as S6 sums up. SRPQ fails because S cannot open, and QSRP mentions the "missing" income before P explains it. PQSR, with P explaining S1's "worse than most estimates" and R's "They" directly after S's "They", reads at least as naturally. (Official key; some sources differ.)
The first and sixth sentences of a passage are given as S1 and S6. The four sentences in between have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. Choose the proper sequence of the four sentences. S1: The history of English literature is usually divided into different periods. S6: This is the real danger of periodization, which tends to give the impression of distinct categories where there are none. P: However there are important discontinuities to be kept in mind. Q: Each period has unique features that produce certain family resemblances between the writers of a particular period. R: Scholars often specialize in periods such as Medieval, Renaissance, Romantic, Victorian, and Modern literature. S: Failure to detect these discontinuities often produce a false sense of uniformity and consensus within a period.
- PQRS
- RQPS
- PSQR
- RSPQ
Show answer
Answer: (2) RQPS
The order is RQPS. R follows S1 by naming the usual periods (Medieval, Renaissance, Romantic, Victorian, Modern), and Q explains what holds a period together: features that produce family resemblances among its writers. P, opening with "However", turns to the discontinuities this view can hide, and S must follow P because "these discontinuities" refers back to them. S6's "This is the real danger of periodization" sums up the false sense of uniformity in S, so S comes last. PSQR keeps P and S together but separates S from S6. (In S, printed "produce" should strictly be "produces", agreeing with "Failure".)
Vocabulary & Idioms
Choose the word or phrase closest in meaning to the underlined word "platitudes". The essay was badly researched and contained several "platitudes" and generalizations.
- Incorrect statements
- Imprecise comments
- Often used and unoriginal ideas
- Vague, subjective statements
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Answer: (3) Often used and unoriginal ideas
A platitude is a remark, often with a moral tone, that has been used so often that it is stale and unoriginal, for example "honesty is the best policy" in an essay that offers nothing new. That fits an essay that was badly researched. Platitudes are usually true, so "incorrect statements" is wrong. "Imprecise comments" and "vague, subjective statements" describe generalizations, which the sentence mentions separately. The key idea is triteness, not inaccuracy or vagueness. Related words: cliche, banality, truism.
Choose the word or phrase closest in meaning to the underlined word "disinterested". The judgment of beauty is based on the human capacity for "disinterested" pleasure in the natural world.
- Indifference
- Free of all self-interest
- Not caring for something
- Extremely focused
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Answer: (2) Free of all self-interest
Disinterested means impartial: not influenced by personal advantage or any wish to own or use the thing. The sentence echoes Kant's idea in aesthetics that pleasure in beauty is "disinterested", enjoyed for its own sake and not because we want or gain anything from the object. The trap is to confuse "disinterested" with "uninterested", which means indifferent or not caring (options 1 and 3). A disinterested judge is fair, not bored. "Extremely focused" has no connection with the word.
Choose the word or phrase closest in meaning to the underlined word "derelict". The hundred-year old college building was now in a "derelict" state.
- Preserved for historical value
- Unsafe for occupation
- Neglected and broken down
- Retaining its original beauty
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Answer: (3) Neglected and broken down
Derelict (of a building or property) means in very poor condition because it has been abandoned and neglected, that is, dilapidated or run-down, as in "a derelict factory". "Neglected and broken down" gives exactly both parts of this sense. A derelict building may well be unsafe to live in, but that is a consequence, not the meaning of the word. "Preserved for historical value" and "retaining its original beauty" are nearly the opposite. As a noun, a derelict is a homeless, destitute person.
Choose the word or phrase closest in meaning to the underlined word "serendipitous". My "serendipitous" encounter with the man on the bus was to have a profound impact on my life.
- Fortunate
- Of historical significance
- Sudden and abrupt
- A chance event
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Answer: (4) A chance event
Serendipitous means happening or found by chance, usually in a happy or beneficial way. The essential idea is chance: the meeting on the bus was unplanned. "Fortunate" captures only the happy side and misses the element of accident, while the good effect is already stated separately ("a profound impact on my life"). "Sudden and abrupt" refers to speed, not chance, and "of historical significance" is unrelated. The word was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754 from the tale The Three Princes of Serendip (Serendip being Sri Lanka).
Choose the word or phrase closest in meaning to the underlined word "complacency". Notwithstanding our victory today we must be careful to avoid a feeling of "complacency".
- Smug and self-satisfied
- A defensive attitude
- Pride
- Feeling of superiority
Show answer
Answer: (1) Smug and self-satisfied
Complacency is a smug, uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements, which makes a person relax and ignore dangers or the need to improve. After a victory the risk is exactly that: feeling self-satisfied and letting one's guard down, which is why the speaker says "notwithstanding our victory". "Pride" and "feeling of superiority" are related but lack the sense of contented carelessness, and "a defensive attitude" is unrelated. Do not confuse it with complaisance, which means willingness to please others.
Choose the option that best describes the meaning of the phrase in italics, "too great and beautiful to be expressed in words". Her poetry not only succeeds in brilliantly capturing the beauty of nature but also carries the power to suggest that which is "too great and beautiful to be expressed in words".
- the unknown
- the proscribed
- the intangible
- the ineffable
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Choose the option that best describes the meaning of the phrase in italics, "the poverty-stricken". The Government's policies were aimed at relieving the distress of the homeless, the unemployed and "the poverty-stricken" sections of society.
- needy
- indigent
- disadvantaged
- challenged
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Choose the option that best describes the meaning of the phrase in italics, "speeches that tended to provoke and ignite passions". The organizers refused to allow him to speak at the function since he was known to make "speeches that tended to provoke and ignite passions".
- irreverent speeches
- incendiary speeches
- unsubstantiated speeches
- irrelevant speeches
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Choose the option that best describes the meaning of the phrase in italics, "restricted to small local issues". She was criticized for her views that were often "restricted to small local issues" and ignored matters of national importance.
- unilateral
- illiberal
- parochial
- limited
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Choose the option that best describes the meaning of the phrase in italics, "dropping steeply all of a sudden". When profits began "dropping steeply all of a sudden" he realized that he ought to wind up his business soon.
- precipitously
- instantaneously
- cataclysmically
- dramatically
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Select the most appropriate option for the blank space. A bird ______ is better than two in the bush.
- in hand
- to hand
- handy
- in one's hands
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Select the most appropriate option for the blank space. Human history is ample proof that human ambition ______ no limits.
- knows
- keeps
- crosses
- marks
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Select the most appropriate option for the blank space. Good history presents several perspectives on a period but these divergent views must ______ into an integrated whole.
- be made
- be fused
- fit
- be balanced
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Select the most appropriate option for the blank space. It's time you went out and ______ your own living.
- afforded
- earned
- gained
- won
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Answer: (2) earned
The fixed collocation is "earn a living", meaning to get the money you need to live by working: "It's time you went out and earned your own living." The past form "earned" matches "went", because "It's time" is followed by the past tense when it means "you should do this now". "Afford" means to have enough money for something, so "afford a living" makes no sense. "Gain" goes with experience, weight or an advantage, and "win" with prizes, contests or votes; neither is the idiomatic verb with "living" in modern English.
Select the most appropriate option for the blank space. The elephant fell into a ______ the hunters had set.
- track
- trap
- trick
- trunk
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Answer: (2) trap
Hunters "set a trap", and an animal "falls into a trap", so "trap" completes both halves of the sentence: "The elephant fell into a trap the hunters had set." A trap is a device or pit for catching animals, and figuratively a scheme to catch someone out. A "track" is a path or a line of footprints and cannot be set. A "trick" is a deception; one falls for a trick, not into it. "Trunk" is only a distractor linked to the word "elephant".
Select the most appropriate option for the blank space. The dress isn't really tight. It'll ______ when you've worn it.
- bend
- expand
- squeeze
- stretch
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Answer: (4) stretch
Cloth "stretches" with wear: the fibres give a little, so a garment becomes looser and fits better after it has been worn. The sentence reassures the wearer: "The dress isn't really tight. It'll stretch when you've worn it." "Expand" means to grow larger in size or volume, as metals do when heated or a business does, and is not used for clothes loosening. "Bend" means to curve something, and "squeeze" means to press hard, which would make the dress feel tighter, not looser.
Select the most appropriate option for the blank space. With his back to the old man, he stood at the window, fists clenched, and his shoulders ______ with his choked sobbing.
- shivered
- shook
- vibrated
- moved
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Answer: (2) shook
When a person sobs, the body moves in short, jerky heaves, and the usual expression is that the shoulders "shook" with sobs: "his shoulders shook with his choked sobbing." "Shiver" means to tremble slightly from cold or fear, not from weeping. "Vibrate" describes rapid, mechanical movement, as of a machine or a string. "Moved" is too weak and vague to convey the force of his grief, which the clenched fists and choked sobbing make clear.
Select the most appropriate option for the blank space. The bereaved mother proudly received the gallantry award ______ her brave son who had laid down his life in the recent war.
- in the name of
- in lieu of
- on behalf of
- for the sake of
Show answer
Answer: (3) on behalf of
"On behalf of" means as the representative of someone, in place of a person who cannot be there. The son had died ("laid down his life"), so his mother received his award on his behalf, as happens with posthumous gallantry awards. "In lieu of" means instead of, in exchange for ("leave in lieu of overtime"), so it would wrongly say the award replaced her son. "In the name of" means by the authority of or invoking someone ("in the name of the law"), and "for the sake of" means for the benefit or good of someone; neither means receiving something as his representative.
Choose the word opposite in meaning to the underlined word "lavish". She always organises "lavish" parties on birthdays.
- frugal
- decent
- cheap
- strange
Show answer
Answer: (1) frugal
"Lavish" means rich, elaborate and extravagant, with money spent generously and without counting the cost, as in "a lavish wedding". Its opposite is "frugal", which means sparing and economical, using only what is necessary, as in "a frugal meal". "Cheap" is tempting, but it means low in price or poor in quality rather than deliberately economical, and is not the standard antonym. "Decent" means acceptable or respectable, and "strange" means unusual; neither is opposite to lavish.
Choose the word opposite in meaning to the underlined word "valour". The soldier was greatly praised for his "valour".
- clumsiness
- cowardice
- selfishness
- tactlessness
Show answer
Answer: (2) cowardice
"Valour" means great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle, as in medals awarded "for valour". Its opposite is "cowardice", lack of courage. "Clumsiness" is awkwardness in movement or handling things, "selfishness" is concern only for oneself, and "tactlessness" is a lack of sensitivity in dealing with people. They are faults, but none of them is the opposite of bravery.
Choose the word opposite in meaning to the underlined word "fertile". These regions are very "fertile".
- sterile
- arid
- barren
- productive
Show answer
Answer: (3) barren
"Fertile" land or regions produce abundant vegetation and crops. The standard antonym for land is "barren", too poor to produce much or any vegetation, as in "barren land". "Sterile" is also an opposite of fertile and can describe poor soil, but it is used mainly of people and animals unable to have young, or in the sense free from germs; "barren" is the usual word for land and regions. "Arid" means very dry, a matter of rainfall rather than of the soil's capacity to produce, and "productive" is a synonym of fertile.
Choose the word opposite in meaning to the underlined word "immigrants". Some sick "immigrants" were detained at the airport.
- settlers
- natives
- vagabonds
- foreigners
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Answer: (2) natives
"Immigrants" are people who come to live permanently in a country that is not their own. The opposite is "natives", people born in the place where they live. "Settlers" (people who go to live in a new place) and "foreigners" (people from another country) are close to the meaning of immigrants, not opposite. "Vagabonds" are people who wander from place to place without a home or job, which is unrelated. Note that the opposite of "immigrant" in the sense of direction is "emigrant", a person who leaves their own country to live in another, but it is not offered.
Choose the word opposite in meaning to the underlined word "elementary". The questions were so "elementary" that anyone could pass the test.
- unusual
- primary
- naive
- advanced
Show answer
Answer: (4) advanced
"Elementary" means basic and simple, belonging to the first stage of a subject, which is why "anyone could pass the test". Its opposite is "advanced", far on in development or difficulty, as in "elementary and advanced courses". "Primary" is a near-synonym (first, basic), so it cannot be the answer. "Naive" describes a person lacking experience or judgement, and "unusual" means not common or ordinary; neither is the opposite of easy or basic.
Choose the word nearest in meaning to the underlined word "carnage". Today the newspaper is full of "carnage" and violence.
- bloodshed
- lust
- concern
- satire
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Choose the word nearest in meaning to the underlined word "religious". This "religious" gift, that makes men human, is still alive in Indian souls.
- mystical
- spiritual
- metaphysical
- philosophical
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Choose the word nearest in meaning to the underlined word "imagine". It is difficult for us to "imagine" how much this safety means to everyone.
- feel
- understand
- think
- see
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Choose the word nearest in meaning to the underlined word "invades". Public service is not merely something that occupies the hours you are doing it, but "invades" all your life and experience and affects them in one way or the other.
- preserves
- demolishes
- covers
- spoils
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Choose the word nearest in meaning to the underlined word "liberal". He was, in the early part of the twentieth century, a staunch nationalist of the "liberal" fold.
- profuse
- dogmatic
- plentiful
- tolerant
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Reading Comprehension
Read the passage given below and answer the question that follows. The millet project of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation had three objectives—to preserve crop diversity in local millet varieties, to increase production and the consumption of millets, and to enhance farm incomes. The Kolli Hills block of Namakkal district, the project area, is a distinct geographic and agroecological region of the Eastern Ghats, populated by income-poor Scheduled Tribe households. There had been a rapid decline in minor millet cultivation, and a shift in land use towards more profitable crops such as cassava (tapioca), pineapple, coffee, and pepper. As the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has pointed out, the area under nutri-cereals has declined steeply in India since the mid-1980s—from 41 million hectares in the 1980s to 24 million hectares in 2017–18. The reasons for a shift in land use include low yields. Further, processing of millets is a time-consuming and laborious task, undertaken by women. Additionally, very little was marketed, and a tiny share of grain was processed into value-added products. The project intervened in three areas. First, yield enhancement was attempted, using a combination of participatory varietal trials for improved seeds, new agronomic practices, and new technology. Community seed banks were designed and constructed to conserve, restore, revive, strengthen and improve local seed systems. Second, customized post-harvest machineries (pulverizers and dehullers) were introduced. The introduction of small-scale localized mechanical milling, operated by self-help groups, was a game-changer. The third major initiative was training. The Kolli Hills Agrobiodiversity Conservers' Federation (KHABCOFED) was formed to oversee all activities relating to training and value-addition. Ready-to-cook products were branded under the Kolli Hills Natural Foods label and market links established. Net returns from value-added products were five to ten times higher than those from grains. Yields have risen as a result of improved seeds, agronomic practices and intercropping. There have been significant improvements in incomes from millet farming. The shift from hand-pounding to milling has reduced the drudgery for women and encouraged millet consumption. The number of private mills with customized dehullers and pulverizers has risen (and the technology has been marketed to Krishi Vigyan Kendras across Tamil Nadu). What does "agroecological region of the Eastern Ghats" mean in the passage?
- Area marked by excessive agricultural yield
- Area suitable for developing tourism
- Area with pollution-free characteristics
- Area meant for sustainable farming that works in tandem with nature
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Read the passage given below and answer the question that follows. The millet project of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation had three objectives—to preserve crop diversity in local millet varieties, to increase production and the consumption of millets, and to enhance farm incomes. The Kolli Hills block of Namakkal district, the project area, is a distinct geographic and agroecological region of the Eastern Ghats, populated by income-poor Scheduled Tribe households. There had been a rapid decline in minor millet cultivation, and a shift in land use towards more profitable crops such as cassava (tapioca), pineapple, coffee, and pepper. As the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has pointed out, the area under nutri-cereals has declined steeply in India since the mid-1980s—from 41 million hectares in the 1980s to 24 million hectares in 2017–18. The reasons for a shift in land use include low yields. Further, processing of millets is a time-consuming and laborious task, undertaken by women. Additionally, very little was marketed, and a tiny share of grain was processed into value-added products. The project intervened in three areas. First, yield enhancement was attempted, using a combination of participatory varietal trials for improved seeds, new agronomic practices, and new technology. Community seed banks were designed and constructed to conserve, restore, revive, strengthen and improve local seed systems. Second, customized post-harvest machineries (pulverizers and dehullers) were introduced. The introduction of small-scale localized mechanical milling, operated by self-help groups, was a game-changer. The third major initiative was training. The Kolli Hills Agrobiodiversity Conservers' Federation (KHABCOFED) was formed to oversee all activities relating to training and value-addition. Ready-to-cook products were branded under the Kolli Hills Natural Foods label and market links established. Net returns from value-added products were five to ten times higher than those from grains. Yields have risen as a result of improved seeds, agronomic practices and intercropping. There have been significant improvements in incomes from millet farming. The shift from hand-pounding to milling has reduced the drudgery for women and encouraged millet consumption. The number of private mills with customized dehullers and pulverizers has risen (and the technology has been marketed to Krishi Vigyan Kendras across Tamil Nadu). There has been a rapid decline in minor millet cultivation because
- the millet crop requires special manures to grow
- the land of Namakkal district is not suitable for growing millet
- there has been shift towards growing more profitable crops
- the land is declared as not climate-resilient for the production of millet
Answer and explanation: open it in the practice app. 3 days free when you register, then one ₹45 PYQ Pass for every exam on the site.
Read the passage given below and answer the question that follows. The millet project of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation had three objectives—to preserve crop diversity in local millet varieties, to increase production and the consumption of millets, and to enhance farm incomes. The Kolli Hills block of Namakkal district, the project area, is a distinct geographic and agroecological region of the Eastern Ghats, populated by income-poor Scheduled Tribe households. There had been a rapid decline in minor millet cultivation, and a shift in land use towards more profitable crops such as cassava (tapioca), pineapple, coffee, and pepper. As the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has pointed out, the area under nutri-cereals has declined steeply in India since the mid-1980s—from 41 million hectares in the 1980s to 24 million hectares in 2017–18. The reasons for a shift in land use include low yields. Further, processing of millets is a time-consuming and laborious task, undertaken by women. Additionally, very little was marketed, and a tiny share of grain was processed into value-added products. The project intervened in three areas. First, yield enhancement was attempted, using a combination of participatory varietal trials for improved seeds, new agronomic practices, and new technology. Community seed banks were designed and constructed to conserve, restore, revive, strengthen and improve local seed systems. Second, customized post-harvest machineries (pulverizers and dehullers) were introduced. The introduction of small-scale localized mechanical milling, operated by self-help groups, was a game-changer. The third major initiative was training. The Kolli Hills Agrobiodiversity Conservers' Federation (KHABCOFED) was formed to oversee all activities relating to training and value-addition. Ready-to-cook products were branded under the Kolli Hills Natural Foods label and market links established. Net returns from value-added products were five to ten times higher than those from grains. Yields have risen as a result of improved seeds, agronomic practices and intercropping. There have been significant improvements in incomes from millet farming. The shift from hand-pounding to milling has reduced the drudgery for women and encouraged millet consumption. The number of private mills with customized dehullers and pulverizers has risen (and the technology has been marketed to Krishi Vigyan Kendras across Tamil Nadu). What does "a tiny share of grain was processed into value-added products" mean in the passage?
- Enough was not done for the marketing of millet as a diverse food product.
- A small quantity of millet is used with other grains.
- The demand for millet is not very encouraging.
- Millet does not have potential health benefits.
Answer and explanation: open it in the practice app. 3 days free when you register, then one ₹45 PYQ Pass for every exam on the site.
Read the passage given below and answer the question that follows. The millet project of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation had three objectives—to preserve crop diversity in local millet varieties, to increase production and the consumption of millets, and to enhance farm incomes. The Kolli Hills block of Namakkal district, the project area, is a distinct geographic and agroecological region of the Eastern Ghats, populated by income-poor Scheduled Tribe households. There had been a rapid decline in minor millet cultivation, and a shift in land use towards more profitable crops such as cassava (tapioca), pineapple, coffee, and pepper. As the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has pointed out, the area under nutri-cereals has declined steeply in India since the mid-1980s—from 41 million hectares in the 1980s to 24 million hectares in 2017–18. The reasons for a shift in land use include low yields. Further, processing of millets is a time-consuming and laborious task, undertaken by women. Additionally, very little was marketed, and a tiny share of grain was processed into value-added products. The project intervened in three areas. First, yield enhancement was attempted, using a combination of participatory varietal trials for improved seeds, new agronomic practices, and new technology. Community seed banks were designed and constructed to conserve, restore, revive, strengthen and improve local seed systems. Second, customized post-harvest machineries (pulverizers and dehullers) were introduced. The introduction of small-scale localized mechanical milling, operated by self-help groups, was a game-changer. The third major initiative was training. The Kolli Hills Agrobiodiversity Conservers' Federation (KHABCOFED) was formed to oversee all activities relating to training and value-addition. Ready-to-cook products were branded under the Kolli Hills Natural Foods label and market links established. Net returns from value-added products were five to ten times higher than those from grains. Yields have risen as a result of improved seeds, agronomic practices and intercropping. There have been significant improvements in incomes from millet farming. The shift from hand-pounding to milling has reduced the drudgery for women and encouraged millet consumption. The number of private mills with customized dehullers and pulverizers has risen (and the technology has been marketed to Krishi Vigyan Kendras across Tamil Nadu). "The introduction of small-scale localized mechanical milling, operated by self-help groups, was a game-changer." What does it mean in the passage?
- Machinery for processing millets is not advanced enough.
- Self-help groups are active in improving machinery for various crops.
- The use of improvised local machines for removing husk from millets has been a turning point for millet farming.
- The process of milling the millets is at a small scale.
Answer and explanation: open it in the practice app. 3 days free when you register, then one ₹45 PYQ Pass for every exam on the site.
Read the passage given below and answer the question that follows. The millet project of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation had three objectives—to preserve crop diversity in local millet varieties, to increase production and the consumption of millets, and to enhance farm incomes. The Kolli Hills block of Namakkal district, the project area, is a distinct geographic and agroecological region of the Eastern Ghats, populated by income-poor Scheduled Tribe households. There had been a rapid decline in minor millet cultivation, and a shift in land use towards more profitable crops such as cassava (tapioca), pineapple, coffee, and pepper. As the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has pointed out, the area under nutri-cereals has declined steeply in India since the mid-1980s—from 41 million hectares in the 1980s to 24 million hectares in 2017–18. The reasons for a shift in land use include low yields. Further, processing of millets is a time-consuming and laborious task, undertaken by women. Additionally, very little was marketed, and a tiny share of grain was processed into value-added products. The project intervened in three areas. First, yield enhancement was attempted, using a combination of participatory varietal trials for improved seeds, new agronomic practices, and new technology. Community seed banks were designed and constructed to conserve, restore, revive, strengthen and improve local seed systems. Second, customized post-harvest machineries (pulverizers and dehullers) were introduced. The introduction of small-scale localized mechanical milling, operated by self-help groups, was a game-changer. The third major initiative was training. The Kolli Hills Agrobiodiversity Conservers' Federation (KHABCOFED) was formed to oversee all activities relating to training and value-addition. Ready-to-cook products were branded under the Kolli Hills Natural Foods label and market links established. Net returns from value-added products were five to ten times higher than those from grains. Yields have risen as a result of improved seeds, agronomic practices and intercropping. There have been significant improvements in incomes from millet farming. The shift from hand-pounding to milling has reduced the drudgery for women and encouraged millet consumption. The number of private mills with customized dehullers and pulverizers has risen (and the technology has been marketed to Krishi Vigyan Kendras across Tamil Nadu). Millet yield has increased because
- sustainable farming practices are being followed
- farmers are exporting millet
- more labour is employed for farming
- easy bank loans are available now
Answer and explanation: open it in the practice app. 3 days free when you register, then one ₹45 PYQ Pass for every exam on the site.
Read the passage given below and answer the question that follows. The world's life-supporting resources are being depleted at a faster rate than ever before! We have to change our practices and those of the world as a whole towards a more sustainable future. To give us an idea about the dimensions of change, the General Assembly of the United Nations has announced its 'Agenda 2030'. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals describe the framework of our common global efforts. Within each goal, education holds a key position. Of course education and learning do not function in isolation. In a traditional sense they help to understand the world one lives in and prepare all for a job market with both intrinsic and instrumental values. What are the many roles of education in sustainable development? Its purpose is transformative in nature, in the sense that it should widen one's worldview, make one question 'unsustainability', and help one build competencies to address global challenges and be accommodated into a global system. Beyond this, education for sustainable development means integrating the 'future' as a specific dimension of our learning activities and teaching. How to build a sustainable future must play a central role in educational processes. Globalization, which is sometimes merely seen as global capitalism, has an inevitability about it. Whether we like it or not, we live in a highly interconnected and interdependent world. It is now well recognized that 21st century challenges are global in nature and require cooperation beyond national boundaries. In a sustainable development sense we have to see ourselves as 'citizens' of the world and respond accordingly to the global challenges in the present century. In fact, global challenges have expanded the very notion of citizenship itself. There is an increasing recognition of the importance of global citizenship. Which one of the following areas holds a common key position in United Nations 'Agenda 2030'?
- Environment
- Gender
- Globalization
- Education
Answer and explanation: open it in the practice app. 3 days free when you register, then one ₹45 PYQ Pass for every exam on the site.
Read the passage given below and answer the question that follows. The world's life-supporting resources are being depleted at a faster rate than ever before! We have to change our practices and those of the world as a whole towards a more sustainable future. To give us an idea about the dimensions of change, the General Assembly of the United Nations has announced its 'Agenda 2030'. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals describe the framework of our common global efforts. Within each goal, education holds a key position. Of course education and learning do not function in isolation. In a traditional sense they help to understand the world one lives in and prepare all for a job market with both intrinsic and instrumental values. What are the many roles of education in sustainable development? Its purpose is transformative in nature, in the sense that it should widen one's worldview, make one question 'unsustainability', and help one build competencies to address global challenges and be accommodated into a global system. Beyond this, education for sustainable development means integrating the 'future' as a specific dimension of our learning activities and teaching. How to build a sustainable future must play a central role in educational processes. Globalization, which is sometimes merely seen as global capitalism, has an inevitability about it. Whether we like it or not, we live in a highly interconnected and interdependent world. It is now well recognized that 21st century challenges are global in nature and require cooperation beyond national boundaries. In a sustainable development sense we have to see ourselves as 'citizens' of the world and respond accordingly to the global challenges in the present century. In fact, global challenges have expanded the very notion of citizenship itself. There is an increasing recognition of the importance of global citizenship. What is the role of Education in sustainable development?
- Education will develop multiple competencies for sustainable development among people all over the world
- Education will provide books to read on sustainable development
- Education will increase the global capital
- Education will reduce interdependence of the people
Answer and explanation: open it in the practice app. 3 days free when you register, then one ₹45 PYQ Pass for every exam on the site.
Read the passage given below and answer the question that follows. The world's life-supporting resources are being depleted at a faster rate than ever before! We have to change our practices and those of the world as a whole towards a more sustainable future. To give us an idea about the dimensions of change, the General Assembly of the United Nations has announced its 'Agenda 2030'. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals describe the framework of our common global efforts. Within each goal, education holds a key position. Of course education and learning do not function in isolation. In a traditional sense they help to understand the world one lives in and prepare all for a job market with both intrinsic and instrumental values. What are the many roles of education in sustainable development? Its purpose is transformative in nature, in the sense that it should widen one's worldview, make one question 'unsustainability', and help one build competencies to address global challenges and be accommodated into a global system. Beyond this, education for sustainable development means integrating the 'future' as a specific dimension of our learning activities and teaching. How to build a sustainable future must play a central role in educational processes. Globalization, which is sometimes merely seen as global capitalism, has an inevitability about it. Whether we like it or not, we live in a highly interconnected and interdependent world. It is now well recognized that 21st century challenges are global in nature and require cooperation beyond national boundaries. In a sustainable development sense we have to see ourselves as 'citizens' of the world and respond accordingly to the global challenges in the present century. In fact, global challenges have expanded the very notion of citizenship itself. There is an increasing recognition of the importance of global citizenship. 'We live in a highly interconnected and interdependent world'. What does this phrase mean in the passage?
- We are now more connected and dependent upon each other for our survival
- The means of transport have become faster
- We have become dependent on other countries
- We are facing challenges from globalization
Answer and explanation: open it in the practice app. 3 days free when you register, then one ₹45 PYQ Pass for every exam on the site.
Read the passage given below and answer the question that follows. The world's life-supporting resources are being depleted at a faster rate than ever before! We have to change our practices and those of the world as a whole towards a more sustainable future. To give us an idea about the dimensions of change, the General Assembly of the United Nations has announced its 'Agenda 2030'. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals describe the framework of our common global efforts. Within each goal, education holds a key position. Of course education and learning do not function in isolation. In a traditional sense they help to understand the world one lives in and prepare all for a job market with both intrinsic and instrumental values. What are the many roles of education in sustainable development? Its purpose is transformative in nature, in the sense that it should widen one's worldview, make one question 'unsustainability', and help one build competencies to address global challenges and be accommodated into a global system. Beyond this, education for sustainable development means integrating the 'future' as a specific dimension of our learning activities and teaching. How to build a sustainable future must play a central role in educational processes. Globalization, which is sometimes merely seen as global capitalism, has an inevitability about it. Whether we like it or not, we live in a highly interconnected and interdependent world. It is now well recognized that 21st century challenges are global in nature and require cooperation beyond national boundaries. In a sustainable development sense we have to see ourselves as 'citizens' of the world and respond accordingly to the global challenges in the present century. In fact, global challenges have expanded the very notion of citizenship itself. There is an increasing recognition of the importance of global citizenship. 'The world's life-supporting resources are being depleted at a faster rate than ever before!' What does this phrase mean in the passage?
- Today we are facing an acute shortage of food products
- Medical health systems are deteriorating at a fast pace
- The natural resources necessary to sustain life are reducing drastically
- Human life is becoming more dependent on the support of technology
Answer and explanation: open it in the practice app. 3 days free when you register, then one ₹45 PYQ Pass for every exam on the site.
Read the passage given below and answer the question that follows. The world's life-supporting resources are being depleted at a faster rate than ever before! We have to change our practices and those of the world as a whole towards a more sustainable future. To give us an idea about the dimensions of change, the General Assembly of the United Nations has announced its 'Agenda 2030'. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals describe the framework of our common global efforts. Within each goal, education holds a key position. Of course education and learning do not function in isolation. In a traditional sense they help to understand the world one lives in and prepare all for a job market with both intrinsic and instrumental values. What are the many roles of education in sustainable development? Its purpose is transformative in nature, in the sense that it should widen one's worldview, make one question 'unsustainability', and help one build competencies to address global challenges and be accommodated into a global system. Beyond this, education for sustainable development means integrating the 'future' as a specific dimension of our learning activities and teaching. How to build a sustainable future must play a central role in educational processes. Globalization, which is sometimes merely seen as global capitalism, has an inevitability about it. Whether we like it or not, we live in a highly interconnected and interdependent world. It is now well recognized that 21st century challenges are global in nature and require cooperation beyond national boundaries. In a sustainable development sense we have to see ourselves as 'citizens' of the world and respond accordingly to the global challenges in the present century. In fact, global challenges have expanded the very notion of citizenship itself. There is an increasing recognition of the importance of global citizenship. 'There is an increasing recognition of the importance of global citizenship' because:
- People want to travel more and live in different parts of the world
- It will unite people from all over the world to face the challenges of the 21st century
- People believe that there is a future in foreign countries
- People will cooperate with each other to save themselves from natural disasters
Answer and explanation: open it in the practice app. 3 days free when you register, then one ₹45 PYQ Pass for every exam on the site.
Grammar & Usage
Find the part of the sentence that contains an error. If there is no error, choose "No error". Ramesh liked his friend's music player to his own.
- Ramesh liked
- his friend's music player
- to his own.
- No error
Show answer
Answer: (1) Ramesh liked
The error is in part (1). The verb "like" cannot take a "to" phrase of comparison; the verb that does is "prefer", since one prefers one thing to another. The correct sentence is "Ramesh preferred his friend's music player to his own." Parts (2) and (3) are correct once the verb is changed: "his friend's music player" is the object, and "to his own" (to his own music player) completes the comparison. "Liked ... more than his own" would also be acceptable, but with "to" the sentence needs "preferred".
Find the part of the sentence that contains an error. If there is no error, choose "No error". Given the complex of the problem the committee is not expected to arrive at a decision any time soon.
- Given the complex of the problem
- the committee is not expected
- to arrive at a decision any time soon.
- No error
Show answer
Answer: (1) Given the complex of the problem
The error is in part (1). As a noun, "complex" means a group of connected buildings or parts (a sports complex) or a psychological fixation (an inferiority complex); it does not mean the quality of being complicated. The noun needed is "complexity": "Given the complexity of the problem, the committee is not expected to arrive at a decision any time soon." Part (2) is a correct passive ("is not expected"), and part (3) uses the right collocation "arrive at a decision" and the idiom "any time soon", meaning in the near future.
Find the part of the sentence that contains an error. If there is no error, choose "No error". The group of students on a visit to Srinagar circumnavigated around the Dal Lake.
- The group of students
- on a visit to Srinagar
- circumnavigated around the Dal Lake.
- No error
Show answer
Answer: (3) circumnavigated around the Dal Lake.
The error is in part (3). To circumnavigate means to sail, fly or travel all the way around something (Latin circum, around, and navigare, to sail), so "circumnavigated around" is a redundancy, like "return back" or "revert back". The correct sentence is "The group of students on a visit to Srinagar circumnavigated the Dal Lake" (or "went around the Dal Lake"). Parts (1) and (2) are correct: "The group of students" is the subject, and "on a visit to Srinagar" describes it.
Find the part of the sentence that contains an error. If there is no error, choose "No error". Jitender was the smartest of the two children in the room.
- Jitender was the smartest
- of the two
- children in the room.
- No error
Show answer
Answer: (1) Jitender was the smartest
The error is in part (1). When two persons or things are compared, the comparative degree is used, not the superlative: "Jitender was the smarter of the two children in the room." The superlative "smartest" is used for three or more, as in "the smartest of all the children". Note that "the" stays before the comparative in the pattern "the + comparative + of the two" (the taller of the two, the better of the two). Parts (2) and (3) are correct as they stand.
Find the part of the sentence that contains an error. If there is no error, choose "No error". He asked me if I would be interested in signing up as a member of the group.
- He asked me if I would be
- interested in signing up
- as a member of the group.
- No error
Show answer
Answer: (4) No error
The sentence is correct, so the answer is "No error". It reports a yes/no question ("Would you be interested ...?"); such questions are reported with "if" or "whether" followed by normal statement word order, and "would" is correct after the past reporting verb "asked". "Interested in" takes the right preposition and is followed by the gerund "signing up", and "sign up as a member of" is idiomatic for enrolling in or joining a group. No part needs correction.
Select the most appropriate option for the blank space. I ______ walking past this particular shop for the past three years.
- was
- have
- have been
- had been
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Select the most appropriate option for the blank space. All effects can be connected with immediate causes, but it ______ whether they provide the whole explanation.
- is doubted
- is a doubt
- may be a doubt
- may be doubted
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Find the part of the sentence that contains an error. If there is no error, choose "No error". Neither the servants nor the clerk has done this.
- Neither the servants
- nor the clerk
- has done this.
- No error
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Find the part of the sentence that contains an error. If there is no error, choose "No error". The car which went past us when we were driving on the highway must have been doing at least a hundred miles an hour.
- The car which went past us
- when we were driving on the highway
- must have been doing at least a hundred miles an hour.
- No error
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Find the part of the sentence that contains an error. If there is no error, choose "No error". Raju will be back home in an year after his stay abroad.
- Raju will be back home
- in an year
- after his stay abroad.
- No error
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Find the part of the sentence that contains an error. If there is no error, choose "No error". I have much work to do.
- I have
- much work
- to do.
- No error
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Find the part of the sentence that contains an error. If there is no error, choose "No error". Psychology did not develop into a science based of careful observation and experimentation until the late 1800s.
- Psychology did not develop into a science
- based of careful observation
- and experimentation until the late 1800s.
- No error
Answer and explanation: open it in the practice app. 3 days free when you register, then one ₹45 PYQ Pass for every exam on the site.