← MES Jr. Grade
Past Questions — 2022
Choose the part of speech of the underlined word in the following sentence: 'Dirty water spreads diseases.'
A)
noun
B)
adverb
C)
verb
D)
adjective
Step-by-step analysis of the sentence 'Dirty water spreads diseases':
1. Identify the subject: 'Dirty water'.
2. Identify the noun in the subject: 'water' is the noun (the thing being discussed).
3. Analyze the word 'Dirty': The word 'Dirty' describes or modifies the noun 'water'. It tells us what kind of water it is.
4. Apply grammatical rules: A word that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun is classified as an adjective.
Evaluation of options:
- a. Noun: 'Water' and 'diseases' are the nouns in this sentence, not 'Dirty'.
- b. Adverb: Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. 'Dirty' is modifying a noun, not a verb.
- c. Verb: 'Spreads' is the verb (the action), not 'Dirty'.
- d. Adjective: Correct. 'Dirty' describes the quality of the water.
Choose the tense of the verb in the following sentence: 'The church bells had been ringing since dawn.'
A)
Present perfect continuous tense
B)
Past perfect continuous tense
C)
Present perfect tense
D)
Past perfect tense
To identify the tense of the verb in the sentence 'The church bells had been ringing since dawn,' we analyze the verb phrase 'had been ringing':
1. **'Had'**: This is the past tense of the auxiliary verb 'have', indicating that the action occurred in the past.
2. **'Been'**: This is the past participle of 'be', which is required for perfect continuous constructions.
3. **'Ringing'**: This is the present participle (verb + -ing), indicating a continuous or ongoing action.
Combining these elements (had + been + verb-ing) forms the **Past Perfect Continuous Tense**. This tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and continued up until another point in the past.
Why other options are incorrect:
- **a. Present perfect continuous tense**: This would require 'have been' or 'has been' (e.g., 'The bells have been ringing').
- **c. Present perfect tense**: This would require 'have' or 'has' + past participle (e.g., 'The bells have rung').
- **d. Past perfect tense**: This would require 'had' + past participle without the continuous '-ing' form (e.g., 'The bells had rung').
Choose the correct synonym for: 'antagonistic'
A)
hunger
B)
hostile
C)
humor
D)
hunter
Step-by-step reasoning:
1. Analyze the target word: 'Antagonistic' is an adjective derived from 'antagonist'. It describes a person or attitude that is showing active opposition, hostility, or conflict toward someone or something.
2. Evaluate Option (a) 'hunger': This is a noun referring to the desire for food. It has no semantic relationship to opposition or hostility.
3. Evaluate Option (b) 'hostile': This is an adjective meaning unfriendly, antagonistic, or showing opposition. This matches the definition of 'antagonistic' perfectly.
4. Evaluate Option (c) 'humor': This is a noun referring to the quality of being amusing or a particular mood. It is unrelated to the target word.
5. Evaluate Option (d) 'hunter': This is a noun referring to a person or animal that hunts. While a hunter may be antagonistic toward prey, the word itself is a role/occupation, not a synonym for the trait of being antagonistic.
Conclusion: 'Hostile' is the only synonym provided.
Choose the tense of the verb in the following sentence: 'The cook lights a match stick.'
A)
Past indefinite tense
B)
Past perfect tense
C)
Present indefinite tense
D)
Future indefinite tense
Step-by-step analysis:
1. Identify the verb in the sentence: The verb is 'lights'.
2. Analyze the verb form: 'Lights' is the base form of the verb 'light' with an '-s' suffix added. In English grammar, adding '-s' or '-es' to the base verb is used when the subject is third-person singular (The cook) in the present tense.
3. Determine the tense: The structure [Subject + Verb(s/es) + Object] is the characteristic formula for the Present Indefinite Tense (also known as the Simple Present Tense), which is used to describe habitual actions, general truths, or immediate actions in a narrative.
Why other options are incorrect:
- (a) Past indefinite tense: This would require the past form of the verb ('lit').
- (b) Past perfect tense: This would require 'had' + past participle ('had lit').
- (d) Future indefinite tense: This would require 'will' or 'shall' + base verb ('will light').
Choose the tense of the verb in the following sentence: 'Rama has stood first in the test.'
A)
Present perfect continuous tense
B)
Present perfect tense
C)
Past perfect tense
D)
Past indefinite tense
Step-by-step analysis of the sentence 'Rama has stood first in the test':
1. **Identify the verb phrase**: The verb phrase is 'has stood'.
2. **Analyze the structure**:
- 'has' is the auxiliary verb (present tense of 'to have').
- 'stood' is the past participle (V3) of the verb 'stand'.
3. **Apply Tense Rules**: The formula [Subject + has/have + Past Participle] is the standard structure for the **Present Perfect Tense**. This tense is used to describe an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past or an action that has just been completed and has relevance to the present.
**Why other options are incorrect:**
- **a. Present perfect continuous tense**: This would require the structure [has/have + been + verb-ing] (e.g., 'Rama has been standing').
- **c. Past perfect tense**: This would require the auxiliary 'had' instead of 'has' (e.g., 'Rama had stood').
- **d. Past indefinite tense**: This would use only the simple past form of the verb without an auxiliary (e.g., 'Rama stood').
Choose the part of speech of the underlined word in the following sentence: 'Alas! The cat fell into the well.'
A)
noun
B)
pronoun
C)
interjection
D)
verb
Step-by-step reasoning: 1. Identify the underlined word: In the sentence 'Alas! The cat fell into the well.', the word 'Alas!' is the target word. 2. Analyze the function of the word: 'Alas' is used to express a strong emotion of grief, pity, or regret. It is grammatically independent from the rest of the sentence and is followed by an exclamation mark. 3. Match with Parts of Speech: An 'interjection' is a word or phrase used to express strong feeling or sudden emotion. Therefore, 'Alas!' is an interjection. 4. Evaluate other options: (a) Noun: 'Alas' does not name a person, place, thing, or idea. (b) Pronoun: 'Alas' does not replace a noun. (d) Verb: 'Alas' does not describe an action or state of being.
Choose the part of speech of the underlined word in the following sentence: 'India and Australia played in the final.'
A)
conjunction
B)
verb
C)
noun
D)
pronoun
Step-by-step analysis: 1. Identify the underlined word: In the sentence 'India and Australia played in the final', the word 'and' is the target word. 2. Analyze the function of 'and': The word 'and' is used to connect two words of the same grammatical category (the proper nouns 'India' and 'Australia'). 3. Define the part of speech: A word that joins words, phrases, or clauses is called a conjunction. Specifically, 'and' is a coordinating conjunction. 4. Evaluate other options: (b) 'verb' is incorrect because the verb in the sentence is 'played'. (c) 'noun' is incorrect because 'India' and 'Australia' are the nouns. (d) 'pronoun' is incorrect because 'and' does not replace a noun.
Choose the correct synonym for: 'burden'
A)
load
B)
loaf
C)
vice
D)
sin
Step-by-step reasoning:
1. Analyze the target word: 'Burden' refers to a heavy load, typically a physical weight being carried, or a psychological/financial stress or responsibility.
2. Evaluate Option (a) 'load': A load is a heavy or bulky thing being carried or supported. This is a direct synonym for 'burden'.
3. Evaluate Option (b) 'loaf': A loaf refers to a shaped mass of baked bread or (as a verb) to spend time idly. It has no semantic connection to 'burden'.
4. Evaluate Option (c) 'vice': A vice is a practice, behavior, or habit generally considered immoral, depraved, or degrading. While a vice might cause a burden, it is not a synonym for the word itself.
5. Evaluate Option (d) 'sin': A sin is an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law. Similar to 'vice', it is a specific type of wrongdoing, not a synonym for 'burden'.
Conclusion: Option (a) is the only word that matches the meaning of 'burden'.
Choose the part of speech of the underlined word in the following sentence: 'The baby sleeping soundly.'
A)
conjunction
B)
adverb
C)
noun
D)
verb
In the sentence 'The baby sleeping soundly', the word 'sleeping' describes the action being performed by the subject ('The baby'). A word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being is classified as a verb. Specifically, 'sleeping' is the present participle form of the verb 'sleep'. While the sentence is grammatically incomplete (it lacks an auxiliary verb like 'is' or 'was' to be a full sentence), the function of the word 'sleeping' remains that of a verb (or a verbal acting as a predicate).
Analysis of other options:
- a. Conjunction: A conjunction connects words, phrases, or clauses (e.g., 'and', 'but'). 'Sleeping' does not perform this function.
- b. Adverb: An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In this sentence, 'soundly' is the adverb because it describes how the baby is sleeping.
- c. Noun: A noun is a person, place, thing, or idea. 'Baby' is the noun in this sentence; 'sleeping' is the action the noun is performing.
Choose the part of speech of the underlined word in the following sentence: 'They play for five hours every day.'
A)
verb
B)
pronoun
C)
preposition
D)
noun
In the sentence 'They play for five hours every day', the word 'for' is used to indicate the duration of an action. A preposition is a word used to link nouns, pronouns, or phrases to other words within a sentence. Here, 'for' links the verb 'play' to the noun phrase 'five hours'.
Analysis of other options:
- (a) Verb: The verb in this sentence is 'play', which describes the action.
- (b) Pronoun: The pronoun in this sentence is 'They', which replaces the subject.
- (d) Noun: The nouns in this sentence are 'hours' and 'day'.
Since 'for' functions as a connector showing a relationship of time/duration, it is a preposition.
Choose the tense of the verb in the following sentence: 'Your mother has been looking for you since morning.'
A)
Past perfect continuous tense
B)
Past perfect tense
C)
Present perfect tense
D)
Present perfect continuous tense
To identify the tense of the sentence 'Your mother has been looking for you since morning,' we analyze the verb phrase 'has been looking':
1. **'Has'**: This is the present tense of the auxiliary verb 'have', indicating the tense is in the Present category.
2. **'Been'**: This is the past participle of 'be', which is used to form perfect tenses.
3. **'Looking'**: This is the present participle (verb + -ing), which indicates a continuous or progressive action.
Combining these elements (Present Auxiliary + Been + Present Participle) forms the **Present Perfect Continuous Tense**. This tense is used to describe an action that started in the past and is still continuing in the present, often accompanied by a time reference (in this case, 'since morning').
Why other options are incorrect:
- **a. Past perfect continuous**: Would require 'had been looking'.
- **b. Past perfect**: Would require 'had looked'.
- **c. Present perfect**: Would require 'has looked' (without the 'been' and '-ing' form).
Choose the correct antonym for: 'repulsive'
A)
repellant
B)
recurrent
C)
attentive
D)
attractive
Step 1: Analyze the meaning of the target word. 'Repulsive' means causing intense distaste or disgust, or in a physical/scientific sense (like magnetism), tending to drive or push something away.
Step 2: Evaluate the options to find the opposite meaning (antonym).
- Option (a) 'repellant' is a synonym; it means driving something away.
- Option (b) 'recurrent' means occurring often or repeatedly, which is unrelated to repulsion.
- Option (c) 'attentive' means paying close attention to something, which is unrelated to repulsion.
- Option (d) 'attractive' means pleasing or appealing to the senses, or in a physical sense, tending to pull something closer. This is the direct opposite of 'repulsive'.
Conclusion: Since 'repulsive' means to push away/disgust and 'attractive' means to pull toward/please, option (d) is the correct antonym.
Choose the correct synonym for: 'belligerent'
A)
aggressive
B)
progressive
C)
redressive
D)
condusive
Step-by-step reasoning:
1. **Analyze the target word**: 'Belligerent' is an adjective derived from the Latin 'bellum' (war). It describes someone or something that is hostile, eager to fight, or engaged in a war.
2. **Evaluate Option (a) 'aggressive'**: Aggressive means ready or likely to attack or confront; characterized by aggression. This aligns perfectly with the meaning of 'belligerent'.
3. **Evaluate Option (b) 'progressive'**: Progressive refers to favoring or implementing social reform, or happening in stages. It is unrelated to hostility.
4. **Evaluate Option (c) 'redressive'**: Redressive refers to the act of setting right an unfair or undesirable situation (redress). It is not a synonym for belligerence.
5. **Evaluate Option (d) 'condusive' (likely a typo for 'conducive')**: Conducive means making a certain outcome likely or possible. It does not relate to aggression or fighting.
Conclusion: 'Aggressive' is the only synonym among the choices provided.
Choose the part of speech of the underlined word in the following sentence: 'A spider has many legs.'
A)
verb
B)
noun
C)
adjective
D)
pronoun
In the sentence 'A spider has many legs', the word 'legs' (which is the underlined word in this context) refers to a physical part of a body. By definition, a noun is a word that names a person, place, thing, or idea. Since 'legs' names a thing/body part, it functions as a noun.
Analysis of other options:
- a. verb: A verb expresses an action or state of being. In this sentence, 'has' is the verb.
- c. adjective: An adjective describes or modifies a noun. In this sentence, 'many' is the adjective modifying 'legs'.
- d. pronoun: A pronoun replaces a noun. There are no pronouns used in this specific sentence.
Choose the part of speech of the underlined word in the following sentence: 'There is a little gravy left in the bowl.'
A)
adjective
B)
verb
C)
noun
D)
pronoun
In the sentence 'There is a little gravy left in the bowl,' the underlined word is 'little'. To determine its part of speech, we look at its function in the sentence: 'little' is modifying the noun 'gravy' by specifying the quantity of the gravy. Words that modify or describe nouns are classified as adjectives. Specifically, 'little' here acts as a quantitative adjective (or determiner).
Why other options are incorrect:
- b. verb: A verb expresses an action or state of being (e.g., 'is' in this sentence). 'Little' does not express an action.
- c. noun: A noun is a person, place, thing, or idea. 'Gravy' and 'bowl' are the nouns in this sentence; 'little' describes the noun rather than being one.
- d. pronoun: A pronoun replaces a noun (e.g., he, she, it). 'Little' is not replacing a noun but is modifying one.
Choose the tense of the verb in the following sentence: 'It is raining cats and dogs outside.'
A)
Past continuous tense
B)
Past perfect continuous tense
C)
Present continuous tense
D)
Present perfect continuous tense
Step-by-step analysis of the sentence 'It is raining cats and dogs outside':
1. **Identify the Verb Phrase**: The verb phrase in the sentence is 'is raining'.
2. **Analyze the Structure**:
- 'is' is the present tense form of the auxiliary verb 'to be'.
- 'raining' is the present participle (verb + -ing).
- The structure [Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing] is the formula for the Present Continuous Tense.
3. **Determine the Meaning**: The sentence describes an action that is happening right now, at the moment of speaking, which is the primary function of the present continuous tense.
Why other options are incorrect:
- **a. Past continuous tense**: This would require the past form of the auxiliary verb ('was' or 'were'), e.g., 'It was raining'.
- **b. Past perfect continuous tense**: This would require 'had been' + verb-ing, e.g., 'It had been raining'.
- **d. Present perfect continuous tense**: This would require 'has been' + verb-ing, e.g., 'It has been raining'.
Choose the part of speech of the underlined word in the following sentence: 'River Ganga flows into the Bay of Bengal.'
A)
adjective
B)
Noun
C)
interjection
D)
preposition
Step-by-step reasoning: 1. Identify the underlined word: In the sentence 'River Ganga flows into the Bay of Bengal', the word 'River Ganga' (or 'Ganga') is the subject of the sentence. 2. Define the part of speech: A noun is a word that functions as the name of a specific object or set of objects, such as living creatures, places, actions, qualities, states of existence, or ideas. 3. Application: 'River Ganga' is the name of a specific geographical entity (a proper noun). 4. Evaluate options: (a) Adjective: It does not describe another noun; it is the noun itself. (b) Noun: Correct, as it names a specific river. (c) Interjection: It is not an exclamation expressing emotion. (d) Preposition: It does not show a relationship between a noun and another part of the sentence (the preposition in this sentence is 'into').
Choose the correct antonym for: 'Important'
A)
Imbibe
B)
incur
C)
trivial
D)
trident
Step 1: Analyze the target word. 'Important' means having great significance, value, or influence.
Step 2: Evaluate the options to find a word with the opposite meaning (antonym).
- Option (a) 'Imbibe' means to drink or absorb (liquid or ideas); it is unrelated to significance.
- Option (b) 'Incur' means to become subject to something unwelcome as a result of one's own behavior; it is unrelated to significance.
- Option (c) 'Trivial' means of little value or importance; insignificant. This is the direct opposite of 'important'.
- Option (d) 'Trident' is a three-pronged spear; it is a noun and unrelated to significance.
Step 3: Conclusion. Since 'trivial' describes something that lacks importance, it is the correct antonym.
Choose the part of speech of the underlined word in the following sentence: 'The greengrocer sells vegetable.'
A)
noun
B)
adverb
C)
Interjection
D)
verb
Step-by-step analysis: 1. Identify the underlined word: In the sentence 'The greengrocer sells vegetable', the word 'greengrocer' (or 'vegetable', as both are nouns) is the target. In standard English grammar tests for this specific sentence, the focus is typically on the subject 'greengrocer' or the object 'vegetable'. 2. Define the part of speech: A noun is a word that functions as the name of a specific object or set of objects, such as living creatures, places, actions, qualities, states, concepts, or ideas. 3. Application: 'Greengrocer' refers to a person/profession, and 'vegetable' refers to a thing/food item. Both are nouns. 4. Evaluate options: (a) noun - Correct. (b) adverb - Incorrect, as it does not modify a verb, adjective, or other adverb. (c) Interjection - Incorrect, as it is not an abrupt remark or exclamation. (d) verb - Incorrect, as the verb in this sentence is 'sells'.
Choose the correct antonym for: 'enrich'
A)
endorse
B)
cherish
C)
novelish
D)
impoverish
Step 1: Analyze the target word. 'Enrich' means to improve the quality or value of something, or to make someone wealthy.
Step 2: Evaluate the options to find the opposite meaning (antonym).
- Option (a) 'endorse' means to declare one's public approval or support of something; it is unrelated to wealth or quality improvement.
- Option (b) 'cherish' means to protect and care for someone or something lovingly; it is a positive emotion but not an antonym for enrich.
- Option (c) 'novelish' is a rare term referring to something resembling a novel; it is irrelevant to the context.
- Option (d) 'impoverish' means to make a person or area poor, or to exhaust the quality/strength of something. This is the direct opposite of 'enrich'.
Conclusion: Since 'enrich' is to make rich/better and 'impoverish' is to make poor/worse, option (d) is the correct antonym.
Choose the part of speech of the underlined word in the following sentence: 'Our final examinations are always held in December.'
A)
noun
B)
pronoun
C)
verb
D)
adverb
Step-by-step analysis of the sentence: 'Our final examinations are always held in December.'
1. Identify the underlined word: In this sentence, the word 'December' is the target word.
2. Analyze the function of 'December': 'December' is the name of a specific month of the year. In English grammar, names of specific people, places, or time periods (like months) are classified as Proper Nouns.
3. Contextual clue: The word follows the preposition 'in'. Prepositions are typically followed by a noun or a pronoun (the object of the preposition). In this case, 'December' serves as the object of the preposition 'in'.
Evaluating the options:
- (a) Noun: Correct. 'December' is a proper noun.
- (b) Pronoun: Incorrect. A pronoun replaces a noun (e.g., he, she, it). 'December' is the name itself, not a replacement.
- (c) Verb: Incorrect. A verb expresses an action or state of being (e.g., 'are held'). 'December' does not express an action.
- (d) Adverb: Incorrect. An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb (e.g., 'always'). While 'December' provides time information, it functions as a noun here, not as a modifier of the verb.
The overall thermal efficiency of a thermal power plant lies in the range :
A)
25% to 30%
B)
35% to 40%
C)
45% to 60%
D)
65% to 80%
The overall thermal efficiency of a power plant is the ratio of the electrical energy output to the total heat energy input from the fuel. In a typical modern thermal power plant (Rankine Cycle), efficiency is limited by the Carnot efficiency and various losses.
1. **Thermodynamic Limits**: Most conventional coal-fired power plants operate with steam temperatures around 540-600°C and condenser pressures near vacuum. This typically results in a thermal efficiency of about 35% to 45% for the cycle itself.
2. **Plant Losses**: The 'overall' efficiency must account for losses in the boiler (incomplete combustion, heat loss through walls), turbine mechanical losses, and the auxiliary power consumption (pumps, fans, coal handling).
3. **Typical Range**: While older plants might operate at 30-33%, modern subcritical and supercritical plants generally fall within the 35% to 40% range. Ultra-supercritical plants can push this higher (up to 45%), but for standard competitive exam contexts regarding general thermal power plants, 35-40% is the accepted standard range.
Comparing options:
- Option (a) 25-30% is too low for modern standards.
- Option (c) 45-60% is generally unattainable for standard thermal plants due to the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
- Option (d) 65-80% is physically impossible for a standard steam-based thermal power plant.
Which of the following motors is used to derive the constant speed line shafting lathes, blowers and fans?
A)
D.C shunt motor
B)
D.C series motor
C)
Commutative compound motor
D)
None of these
To determine the correct motor, we must analyze the speed-torque characteristics required for the mentioned applications (lathes, blowers, and fans):
1. **D.C. Shunt Motor**: This motor is known as a 'constant speed motor'. Its speed drops only slightly as the load increases. This characteristic is essential for line shafting, lathes, and centrifugal blowers/fans, where a stable, predictable speed is required regardless of the load variation.
2. **D.C. Series Motor**: This motor has a high starting torque but its speed varies drastically with the load (speed is inversely proportional to the load current). If run at no-load, it can reach dangerously high speeds. Therefore, it is used for high-starting torque applications like electric trains, cranes, and hoists, not for constant speed shafting.
3. **Cumulative Compound Motor**: This motor combines the characteristics of both shunt and series motors. It provides better starting torque than a shunt motor but does not maintain as constant a speed. It is typically used for heavy-duty applications like punch presses or shears.
Since the question specifically asks for 'constant speed' applications like line shafting, lathes, blowers, and fans, the D.C. shunt motor is the correct choice.
A second-order control system exhibits 100% overshoot. Its damping coefficient is :
A)
greater than 1
B)
less than 1
C)
equal to 0
D)
equal to 1
Step-by-step reasoning:
1. **Definition of Overshoot**: In a second-order control system, overshoot occurs when the system response exceeds the steady-state value. This behavior is characteristic of an 'underdamped' system.
2. **Damping Coefficient (ζ)**: The damping coefficient (or damping ratio) determines the nature of the system's response:
- If ζ > 1: The system is Overdamped (No overshoot).
- If ζ = 1: The system is Critically Damped (No overshoot).
- If 0 < ζ < 1: The system is Underdamped (Overshoot occurs).
- If ζ = 0: The system is Undamped (Sustained oscillations).
3. **Mathematical Relationship**: The percentage overshoot (%OS) is given by the formula:
%OS = 100 * exp[(-ζπ / sqrt(1 - ζ²))]
4. **Analysis**: For any positive percentage of overshoot to exist (in this case, 100%), the term inside the exponential must be negative, which requires 0 < ζ < 1. Specifically, for 100% overshoot, the system must be significantly underdamped.
5. **Conclusion**: Since the system exhibits 100% overshoot, it must be underdamped, meaning the damping coefficient ζ must be less than 1.
Comparing with options:
- (a) greater than 1: Incorrect (Overdamped, no overshoot).
- (b) less than 1: Correct (Underdamped, allows overshoot).
- (c) equal to 0: Incorrect (Undamped, results in constant oscillation, not a specific percentage overshoot relative to a settled value).
- (d) equal to 1: Incorrect (Critically damped, no overshoot).
A transformer operates most efficiently at 3/4th full-load. Its iron loss (Pi) and full-load copper loss (Pcu) are related as :
A)
Pi/Pcu = 16/9
B)
Pi/Pcu = 4/3
C)
Pi/Pcu = 3/4
D)
Pi/Pcu = 9/16
For maximum efficiency of a transformer, iron loss equals copper loss at that load.
Let full-load copper loss be Pcu. At x fraction of full load, copper loss = x^2 Pcu.
Given maximum efficiency occurs at 3/4 full-load, so x = 3/4.
Hence,
Pi = (3/4)^2 Pcu = 9/16 Pcu
Therefore,
Pi/Pcu = 9/16.
So the correct relation is Pi/Pcu = 9/16, which corresponds to option d. The other options are incorrect because 3/4 and 4/3 are not the required square relation, and 16/9 is the inverse of the correct ratio.