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Past Questions — 2015
Indicate the correct meaning of the idiom: To move heaven and earth
A)
to take away
B)
to make a great effort
C)
to move something very big
D)
to gain some more
The idiom "to move heaven and earth" means to do everything possible or make a very great effort to achieve something. So option (b) is correct. The other options do not match the idiomatic meaning.
In the passage 'Then the mother rose and came into the kitchen. She looked at the two women, at her little son, and at the hearth, as if she were looking for something she had lost.', the word 'hearth' means:
A)
floor
B)
brick
C)
fireplace
D)
stone
The word 'hearth' refers to the area in front of a fireplace, especially the fireplace itself or the place where a fire is kept in a home. In the passage, the mother looks at the kitchen hearth as a household feature, so 'fireplace' is the correct meaning. The other options—floor, brick, and stone—do not match the context or the standard meaning of 'hearth'.
Analyse the sentence and choose the correct option: 'Owing to poverty she could not shine in life.'
A)
Simple Sentence
B)
Complex Sentence
C)
Compound Sentence
The sentence has only one main clause: 'she could not shine in life.' The opening phrase 'Owing to poverty' is just a prepositional phrase showing reason; it does not form a separate clause. A simple sentence contains only one independent clause, so this is a Simple Sentence. It is not complex because there is no dependent clause introduced by a subordinating conjunction, and it is not compound because there is no joining of two independent clauses.
Analyse the sentence and choose the correct option: 'A child who has lost its parents is to be pitied.'
A)
Compound Sentence
B)
Complex Sentence
C)
Simple Sentence
The sentence contains one independent clause: "A child is to be pitied" and one dependent (relative) clause: "who has lost its parents". Because it has a main clause plus a subordinate clause, it is a complex sentence. It is not a compound sentence because there is no joining of two independent clauses, and it is not a simple sentence because it has more than one clause.
Fill in the blank: He wandered __________ before I met him.
A)
more or less
B)
hither and thither
C)
time and again
D)
out and out
The sentence means that he moved around in many directions without a fixed place. The idiom "hither and thither" means "here and there" or "in various directions," which fits perfectly.
- (a) more or less = approximately; not about movement.
- (c) time and again = repeatedly; not about wandering.
- (d) out and out = completely; not about roaming.
So the correct answer is "hither and thither."
Based on Passage 2, some earliest human beings:
A)
have nothing to do with adaptation
B)
had never tried to beware the changes of civilisation
C)
had to live in distant and unpleasant environment
D)
become civilised easily
Passage 2 describes earliest humans adapting to harsh surroundings. Option C 'had to live in distant and unpleasant environment' fits adaptation context. So C.
Analyse the sentence and choose the correct option: 'Fortunately he has a strong sense of humour.'
A)
Simple Sentence
B)
Compound Sentence
C)
Complex Sentence
The sentence 'Fortunately he has a strong sense of humour.' has only one subject-verb clause: 'he has a strong sense of humour.' The word 'Fortunately' is only an adverb and does not form a separate clause. Since there is just one independent clause, it is a Simple Sentence. It is not compound because there is no coordination of two clauses, and not complex because there is no subordinate clause.
Choose the right alternative: I have always tried not to __________ in things that are not my business.
A)
intervene
B)
interfere
C)
intercede
D)
interpose
The correct phrase is "interfere in things that are not my business." "Interfere" means to get involved in something that does not concern you. "Intervene" means to step in, often to help or settle a situation. "Intercede" means to plead on behalf of someone. "Interpose" means to place oneself between or insert something.
Fill in the blank with correct preposition: I was surprised __________ the way he behaved. It was completely out of character.
A)
at
B)
with
C)
by
D)
for
The correct phrase is "surprised by" when referring to the cause of the surprise: "I was surprised by the way he behaved."
Why others are incorrect:
- at: possible with some expressions of surprise, but not the best fit here.
- with: not used in this structure.
- for: incorrect in this context.
So the best answer is "by".
Choose the right alternative: He was __________ complaining about something or the other.
A)
continuously
B)
somewhat
C)
continually
D)
happy
The sentence means he kept complaining again and again, with no long break. 'Continually' means repeated frequently or again and again, which fits best here. 'Continuously' suggests without any interruption at all, which is less appropriate for complaints. 'Somewhat' and 'happy' do not fit the meaning of the sentence.
Analyse the sentence and choose the correct option: 'Was any man ever immortal!'
A)
Assertive
B)
Affirmative
C)
Exclamatory
D)
Negative
The sentence 'Was any man ever immortal!' expresses strong feeling and ends with an exclamation mark, so it is an exclamatory sentence. It is not assertive/affirmative because it is not a simple statement, and it is not negative because there is no negative word like 'not' or 'no'.
Indicate the correct meaning of the idiom: Fair weather friends
A)
selfless
B)
good friend
C)
selfish
D)
familiar
A "fair weather friend" is someone who is friendly only when things are going well, but disappears or is unsupportive in difficult times. Such a person is selfish and unreliable. So the correct meaning is "selfish". The other options do not fit: selfless means opposite, good friend is trustworthy, and familiar means well-known.
Choose the correct form: Everybody at the party was __________ dressed.
A)
colourfully
B)
beautifully
C)
colourful
D)
happily
The blank needs an adverb modifying the verb phrase "was dressed". "Colourfully dressed" is the natural collocation meaning dressed in bright or vivid colours. "Beautifully" and "happily" do not fit the meaning, and "colourful" is an adjective, not the correct adverb form here.
Fill in the blank with correct preposition: Are you hungry? Would you care __________ something to eat?
A)
about
B)
for
C)
of
D)
at
The correct phrase is 'care for something to eat,' which means 'would you like something to eat?'. So the sentence becomes: 'Are you hungry? Would you care for something to eat?' The other options do not fit this idiomatic expression.
Fill in the blank with correct preposition: Money isn’t the solution __________ every problem.
A)
for
B)
into
C)
on
D)
to
The correct collocation is "the solution to a problem." So the sentence becomes: "Money isn’t the solution to every problem." The other options are not idiomatic in this context: "for," "into," and "on" do not form the standard phrase with "solution."
Fill in the blank: __________ is the mother of good luck.
A)
Honesty
B)
Diligence
C)
Patience
D)
Endurance
The idiom is: "Diligence is the mother of good luck." It means hard work and steady effort often lead to success and favorable results.
- Honesty is not the proverb here.
- Patience is related to waiting calmly, but it is not the correct fixed expression.
- Endurance means the ability to bear hardship, which also does not fit the idiom.
So the correct answer is Diligence.
Analyse the sentence and choose the correct option: 'Nowhere in the world will you find a mountain peak higher than Everest.'
A)
Negative
B)
Affirmative
C)
Interrogative
D)
Assertive
The sentence contains the negative word "Nowhere," which makes it a negative sentence. It states that in no place in the world will you find a mountain peak higher than Everest. It is not interrogative because it does not ask a question, and it is not affirmative/assertive because it expresses negation.
Analyse the sentence and choose the correct option: 'He was more worthy of praise than anyone else.'
A)
Interrogative
B)
Assertive
C)
Negative
D)
Affirmative
The sentence makes a statement: 'He was more worthy of praise than anyone else.' It is not asking a question, so it is not interrogative. It does not contain any negative word like 'not', so it is not negative. 'Affirmative' is often used for positive statements, but in sentence analysis the standard classification here is Assertive (declarative) because it simply asserts a fact.
Fill in the blank with the appropriate form: Women wore these skirts __________.
A)
tradition
B)
customarily
C)
costume
D)
traditionally
The blank needs an adverb to describe how the women wore the skirts. "Traditionally" means in the usual or customary way and fits naturally: "Women wore these skirts traditionally."
Why others are wrong:
- (a) tradition = a noun, so it cannot directly modify the verb "wore".
- (b) customarily = also an adverb and grammatically possible, but "traditionally" is the more exact and natural choice in this context.
- (c) costume = a noun, and does not fit the sentence structure.
Analyse the sentence and choose the correct option: 'This pot is not so good as that.'
A)
Superlative Degree
B)
Comparative Degree
C)
Positive Degree
The structure 'not so ... as' is used to compare two things, showing a lesser degree of a quality. It is the negative form of the comparative degree. Here, 'This pot is not so good as that' means this pot is less good than that pot. Therefore, it is a Comparative Degree, not Superlative or Positive.
Based on Passage 2, choose the most appropriate title for the passage:
A)
Pygmies of Congo
B)
Primitive Environment
C)
Adapting to Change
D)
African Bushmen
Passage 2 theme is about human adaptation to environment, so title 'Adapting to Change' (C) is most generic and appropriate, rather than narrow tribe names. So C.
Based on Passage 1, who defined a king's duty as 'not merely to protest citizens and punish wrong-doers but also to preserve animal life and forest trees'?
A)
Indira Gandhi
B)
Ashoka
C)
William Cooper
D)
Mahatma Gandhi
The quoted duty of a king—'not merely to protect citizens and punish wrong-doers but also to preserve animal life and forest trees'—is associated with Emperor Ashoka, who emphasized welfare of all living beings and environmental protection in his edicts. The other options do not match this historical context: Indira Gandhi and Mahatma Gandhi were modern Indian leaders, and William Cowper is an English poet, not the source of this royal duty statement.
Indicate the correct meaning of the idiom: Back and belly
A)
shelter and food
B)
clothing and food
C)
body and soul
D)
back and forth
The idiom **"back and belly"** means the basic necessities of life, especially **food and shelter**. So option **(a) shelter and food** is correct. The other options do not match the idiomatic meaning: (b) refers to clothing and food, (c) is a different expression meaning the whole person, and (d) means moving to and fro.
Choose the right alternative: The traffic was __________ for a few minutes, then it began.
A)
stationary
B)
standing
C)
slow
D)
stationery
The sentence needs a word meaning "not moving." "Stationary" means fixed in one place or not moving, so it fits: "The traffic was stationary for a few minutes, then it began..."
Why others are wrong:
- "standing" is not the usual collocation for traffic.
- "slow" describes speed, but not the idea of being stopped.
- "stationery" means writing materials, so it is unrelated.
Based on Passage 3, the number of accidents has fallen because:
A)
significant advances have been made towards safer driving
B)
drivers are warned to take extra care on the roads
C)
drivers have finally learned how to behave
D)
there has been improvement in the way drivers behave
The passage indicates that the fall in accidents is attributed to better driver behaviour, not simply warnings or general safer driving advances. Option (d) best matches this idea. Option (a) is too broad, option (b) only mentions warnings, and option (c) is too absolute and unsupported.