← Junior Engineer
Past Questions
Analyse the sentence and choose the correct type: 'When the cost goes up, customers buy less clothing.'
A)
simple sentence
B)
complex sentence
C)
compound sentence
The sentence has one main clause ('customers buy less clothing') and one dependent adverbial clause ('When the cost goes up'). Since one clause cannot stand alone and depends on the main clause, it is a complex sentence. It is not a simple sentence because it contains more than one clause, and it is not a compound sentence because there is no two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.
This show is excellent but the tickets cost……….
A)
a white elephant
B)
an arm and a leg
C)
a storm in a teacup
D)
alpha and omega
The sentence means the show is excellent, but the tickets are very expensive. The idiom "an arm and a leg" means very costly or expensive.
- (a) "a white elephant" = something costly to maintain and of little use
- (b) "an arm and a leg" = very expensive ✅
- (c) "a storm in a teacup" = a small matter made to seem big
- (d) "alpha and omega" = the beginning and the end
So the correct completion is "an arm and a leg."
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word 'Well' in the sentence: 'Well, I don’t think I will be here to answer the phone.'
A)
Interjection
B)
Preposition
C)
Pronoun
In the sentence, 'Well' is used at the beginning to express hesitation or to introduce a response. Such usage is an interjection. A preposition shows relation, and a pronoun replaces a noun, so neither fits here.
Identify the correct type of sentence: 'San Clemente is an Island off the coast of San Diego.'
A)
Exclamatory
B)
Affirmative
C)
Imperative
D)
Negative
The sentence "San Clemente is an Island off the coast of San Diego." states a fact positively, so it is an affirmative sentence. It is not exclamatory because it shows no strong emotion, not imperative because it gives no command or request, and not negative because it contains no negative word like 'not' or 'never'.
You must know the………of a job before you take it up.
A)
long and short
B)
ins and outs
C)
all and sundry
D)
right and wrong
The sentence means you should know the details thoroughly before accepting a job. The idiom "ins and outs" means the full details or every aspect of something. So the correct sentence is: "You must know the ins and outs of a job before you take it up."
Why others are wrong:
- (a) "long and short" does not fit this meaning.
- (c) "all and sundry" means everyone, not details.
- (d) "right and wrong" refers to moral correctness, not knowledge of a job.
The thief disappeared ………….
A)
in a minute
B)
immediately
C)
in the blink of an eye
D)
in front of me
The idiom that best fits the sentence is "in the blink of an eye," which means very quickly or almost instantly. So, "The thief disappeared in the blink of an eye" is the most natural and idiomatic sentence. Option (b) "immediately" is correct in meaning, but the question asks for an idiom/phrase. Option (a) "in a minute" means after a short time, not as abruptly. Option (d) "in front of me" does not fit the meaning.
The Fore Bearing of a line AB in the Whole Circle Bearing System is 142°18'. What will be its Back bearing in the same System?
A)
322°18'
B)
284°36'
C)
232°18'
D)
52°18'
In the Whole Circle Bearing (WCB) system, the back bearing is obtained by adding 180° to the fore bearing if the fore bearing is less than 180°. Here, fore bearing = 142°18'.
Back bearing = 142°18' + 180° = 322°18'.
So the correct answer is option (a). The other options do not match the required 180° difference between fore bearing and back bearing.
In bolted joints, the combined thickness of two plates connected by bolts is known as
A)
grip length
B)
slip length
C)
bolt length
D)
torque length
In a bolted joint, the thickness of the connected plates clamped together by the bolt is called the grip length. This is the total thickness being gripped between the bolt head and nut.
Why the others are incorrect:
- Slip length: not a standard term for total plate thickness in bolted joints.
- Bolt length: refers to the overall length of the bolt, not the thickness of the connected plates.
- Torque length: not used as a standard structural engineering term in this context.
In a series of readings taken on intermediate points with a levelling staff of a Dumpy level, it is found that the staff readings gradually decrease from 2.110 to 0.880. This indicate
A)
Increase in RL of Intermediate points
B)
No Change in RL
C)
Decrease in RL of Intermediate points
D)
Increase in RL of BM
In levelling, for a fixed instrument position, a smaller staff reading means the ground point is higher (has a greater Reduced Level, RL). Since the readings gradually decrease from 2.110 to 0.880, the intermediate points are progressively rising in elevation. Therefore, the RL of the intermediate points is increasing. Option (c) is the opposite, (b) is incorrect because the readings are not constant, and (d) is irrelevant because the benchmark RL is not being indicated here.
A contract by which one party promises to save the other from loss caused to him by the conduct of the promisor himself, or by the conduct of any other person, is called a contract of
A)
guarantee
B)
indemnity
C)
bailment
D)
pledge
This is the definition of a contract of indemnity under the Indian Contract Act, 1872. In an indemnity contract, one party promises to save the other from loss caused by the conduct of the promisor himself or of any other person.
Why others are wrong:
- guarantee: a contract to perform the promise, or discharge the liability, of a third person in case of his default.
- bailment: delivery of goods by one person to another for a specific purpose.
- pledge: a type of bailment for securing payment of a debt or performance of a promise.
The most suitable system of sewerage for Indian conditions is
A)
separate
B)
combined
C)
partially combined
D)
lateral
The separate system of sewerage is generally considered the most suitable for Indian conditions. In this system, sanitary sewage and storm water are carried in different conduits. This reduces the load on sewers and treatment plants, avoids overloading during monsoon, and is more economical and practical for Indian towns where rainfall can be heavy. The combined system is less suitable because it requires larger sewer sizes and higher treatment capacity. Partially combined is only a compromise, and lateral is not a standard sewerage system classification for this purpose.
Valuation of anything is an estimation of its value in terms of
A)
quantity
B)
money
C)
equipments
D)
materials
Valuation means estimating the worth or value of any property, asset, or item in monetary terms. In civil engineering and appraisal, value is expressed in money. The other options—quantity, equipment, and materials—are not measures of value.
In design of Riveted Joints, the following have to be determined; (i) Number of rivets (ii) Pitch of rivets and (iii)
A)
gauge of rivets
B)
diameter of rivets
C)
strength of rivets
D)
thickness of rivets
In the design of riveted joints, the main parameters to be determined are: (i) number of rivets, (ii) pitch of rivets, and (iii) diameter of rivets. The rivet diameter is needed to ensure proper shear and bearing resistance, while gauge is a layout detail and thickness is a plate property, not a rivet design parameter. Hence, the correct option is (b).
Mark the one alternative that is nearest in meaning to the word - Nullify
A)
Impress
B)
No effect
C)
Seclude
D)
Astound
"Nullify" means to make something legally or effectively void, cancel, or render it of no effect. Among the options, "No effect" is the nearest in meaning. The other options do not match: "Impress" means influence positively, "Seclude" means isolate, and "Astound" means amaze.
Depending upon the way in which the members are connected, Riveted joints mainly consist of two types : viz Lap Joint and
A)
Single Joint
B)
Double Joint
C)
Multiple Joint
D)
Butt Joint
Riveted joints are mainly classified by the way the plates are connected into two types: Lap joint and Butt joint. In a lap joint, one plate overlaps another and both are riveted together. In a butt joint, the plates meet edge to edge and are joined using cover plates (straps) with rivets. Therefore, the correct answer is Butt Joint. The other options are not the main classification types of riveted joints.
A rivet may fail due to Bearing and
A)
Buckling
B)
Tearing
C)
Shearing
D)
Packing
A rivet in a steel joint can fail mainly in two ways: (1) bearing failure, where the rivet crushes the connected plate around the hole, and (2) shearing failure, where the rivet shank is cut across by the load. Hence the correct completion is "Bearing and Shearing". Buckling is not a typical rivet failure mode, tearing is usually a plate failure mode, and packing is unrelated here.
If V= Volume of cutting or banking, D=Distance between the Sections, A0, A1, A2 etc the areas of different cross-sections, then the Volume is given by, V= D/2 { A0 + 2A1 + 2A2 + …. ….2 An-1 + An }. The Method for Volume calculation as above is
A)
Prismoidal Method
B)
Mid – Sectional Area Method
C)
Trapezoidal Method
D)
Mean – Sectional Area Method
The given formula is \(V = \frac{D}{2} \{A_0 + 2A_1 + 2A_2 + \cdots + 2A_{n-1} + A_n\}\), which is the standard formula for the **Trapezoidal Method** of volume calculation. In this method, the volume between successive cross-sections is taken as the average of adjacent sectional areas multiplied by the distance between them.
Why others are incorrect:
- **Prismoidal Method** uses a different formula involving the mid-area: \(V = \frac{L}{6}(A_1 + 4A_m + A_2)\).
- **Mid-Sectional Area Method** uses mid-section areas, not the trapezoidal summation formula.
- **Mean-Sectional Area Method** is based on the average of end areas for each interval, but the exact given expression is specifically the trapezoidal rule.
So, the correct answer is **(c) Trapezoidal Method**.
Gaseous impurities contribute a significant portion of Air pollution. Which of the following is not an air pollutant?
A)
Carbon monoxide
B)
Sulphur dioxide
C)
methane
D)
benzene
Carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and benzene are recognized air pollutants. Methane is a greenhouse gas and is generally not listed as a common air pollutant in this context. Therefore, the correct answer is methane.
In general, the main components of Analysis of Rates are cost of Materials and
A)
Labour
B)
Water
C)
Sundries
D)
Contractor’s profit
In analysis of rates, the principal components are the cost of materials and the cost of labour. Other items like sundries, tools and plants, overheads, and contractor’s profit may also be considered, but the main components are materials and labour. Therefore, the correct answer is Labour.
For accuracy, cubic contents of woodwork shall be measured to the nearest of
A)
1.00 cum
B)
0.10 cum
C)
0.01 cum
D)
0.001 cum
In estimation and costing, cubic contents of woodwork are measured very precisely, and the standard practice is to record them to the nearest 0.001 cubic metre. This is because woodwork items like doors, windows, and frames need fine measurement accuracy. Hence option (d) is correct. The other options are too coarse for standard cubic measurement of woodwork.
What does it mean to say “don’t judge a book by its cover”?
A)
Don’t believe everything you hear
B)
In judging a person or an object, do not look at outward appearance alone
C)
Well-bound books often have cheap covers
D)
Someone else’s situation always seems better than our own
The proverb “don’t judge a book by its cover” means you should not form an opinion based only on appearance. A person or thing may seem one way on the outside but be different inside. Option (b) matches this meaning exactly. Option (a) is about hearing information, (c) is literal and not the proverb’s meaning, and (d) refers to envy or comparison, which is unrelated.
Nature of Impurity in hardness of water due to the presence of Carbonates and bicarbonates of Calcium and Magnesium is
A)
suspended
B)
dissolved
C)
organic
D)
vegetable
Hardness caused by carbonates and bicarbonates of calcium and magnesium is due to salts that are **dissolved** in water. These dissolved mineral salts produce temporary hardness. The other options are incorrect because suspended, organic, and vegetable impurities do not cause this type of hardness.
In a compression steel member, the maximum slenderness ratio may be defined as the ratio of effective length to the appropriate
A)
Modulus of Elasticity
B)
Compressive stress
C)
Radius of gyration
D)
Moment of Inertia
For a compression member, the slenderness ratio is defined as the ratio of effective length to the least radius of gyration: \( \lambda = \frac{L_e}{r_{min}} \). This is because buckling resistance depends on how the cross-section is distributed about its centroid, which is captured by the radius of gyration. Modulus of elasticity, compressive stress, and moment of inertia are not used directly in the definition of slenderness ratio.
The next number in the following sequence would be 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, ____.
A)
22
B)
55
C)
53
D)
47
This is a Fibonacci-type sequence, where each term is the sum of the two previous terms: 3, 5, 8 (3+5), 13 (5+8), 21 (8+13), 34 (13+21). So the next term is 21 + 34 = 55. Hence, option (b) is correct. The other options do not follow the pattern.
The Fore Bearing of a line AB in the Whole Circle Bearing System is 132°38'. What will be its Fore Bearing in the Quadrantal Bearing System?
A)
S 47°22' W
B)
S 42°38' E
C)
S 47°22' E
D)
S 47°22' W
In the Whole Circle Bearing (WCB) system, 132°38' lies between 90° and 180°, so the line is in the southeast quadrant. For the Quadrantal Bearing (QB) system in the SE quadrant, QB = S (180° - WCB) E. Thus, 180°00' - 132°38' = 47°22'. Therefore, the fore bearing is S 47°22' E. Options (a) and (d) are identical and correspond to the southwest quadrant, which is incorrect here; (b) has the wrong direction.