English Quizzes For IBPS PO Mains 2022- 23rd November

Directions (1-5): Read the following passage and attempt the questions as directed.

Almost every willing household in India now has a legitimate electricity connection. The household electrification scheme, Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana, or Saubhagya, has been implemented at an (A)………………….. pace. More than 45,000 households were electrified every day over the last 18 months. Against such an achievement, it is important to ask these questions: what did it take for India to achieve this target? Why is electricity access not only about provision of connections? And, how can we ensure 24×7 power for all?

The efforts under Saubhagya have come after (B)……………………………………… The enactment of the Electricity Act, in 2003, and the introduction of the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana, in 2005, expanded electrification infrastructure to most villages in the following decade. (C) But the rollout of the Saubhagya scheme, in 2017, gave the required impetus to electrifies each willing household in the country.

(D) However, over the last year, several engineers and managing directors in electricity distribution companies (discoms), their contractors, State- and Central-level bureaucrats, and possibly pitch ministers have been working at fever energy. Discom engineers have evolved in their attitude, as we saw during our on-ground research — from one of (E) scepticism to that of determination. Their efforts to meet targets even included crossing streams in Bihar on foot with electricity poles, and reaching far-flung areas in Manipur, through Myanmar, to electrify remote habitations with solar home systems.

Q1. Which of the following words given in the options should come at the place marked as (A) in the above paragraph to make it grammatically correct and meaningful. Also, the word should fill in the blanks given in the two sentences given below to make them contextually correct and meaningful.
(I) Since Mrs. Johnson did not have high expectations for Hank, she was shocked by his ………………………….. interest in his math grade.
(II) The damage caused by the hurricane is …………………………….and has never been experienced before in this country.
(a) circulate
(b) unprecedented
(c) tutelary
(d) remarkably
(e) standard

Q2. Which of the following phrases should fill the blank in (B) to make it contextually correct and meaningful?
(a) decades of hard work precede it
(b) decades off hard work preceding it
(c) decades in hard work preceding it
(d) decades of hard work preceding it
(e) None of the Above

Q3. In the passage given, a sentence (C) is given in BOLD. There may or may not be an error in one part of the sentence. Choose the part which has an error in it as your answer. If there is no error then choose option (E) as your answer.
(a) But the rollout of the Saubhagya scheme
(b) ,in 2017, gave the required impetus
(c) to electrifies each willing
(d) household in the country.
(e) No Error

Q4. The sentence given in (D) has four words given in BOLD. Amongst the given BOLD words which of the following must replace each other to make the sentence contextually correct and meaningful.
(a) companies-energy
(b) contractors-pitch
(c) companies-pitch
(d) pitch-energy
(e) No change required

Q5. A word is given in bold in (E). Choose the word which is similar in meaning to the word given in bold in the passage.
(a) Conviction
(b) Doubtfulness
(c) Belief
(d) Embrace
(e) Both (a) and (b)

Directions (6-10): Read each of the following sentences to find out if there is any grammatical error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. The number (A, B, C or D) of this part is your answer. If there is no error in the statement, then mark option (e) as your answer choice.

Q6. The erect of electricity poles (A)/ and an extension of wires do (B)/ not necessarily mean uninterrupted (C)/ power flow to households. (D)/
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) No Error

Q7. While instances of low voltage and voltage (A)/ surges have reduced in the last three years, (B)/ about a quarter of rural households still report(C)/ low voltage issues for at least five days in a month. (D)/
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) No Error

Q8. Cactus, a silent feature-length (A)/ fiction film about Jesus Christ (B)/ by Aneek Chaudhari, has been nominate(C)/ for Rome Independent Film Awards. (D)/
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) No Error

Q9. Fire accidents kill thousands of people every year, (A)/ several hundreds of whose are Indians. The majority of (B)/ these incidents are caused not by mechanical failures, or nature, (C)/ but rather, because of human error and negligence. (D)/
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) No Error

Q10. These days, it is important for ambulances (A)/ to be stationed at huge corporate parks/ multi-national (B)/ companies in order to provide professional care (C)/ to the people in case of medical emergencies. (D)/
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
(e) No Error

Directions (11-15): In the following question a part of the sentence is given in bold, it is then followed by three sentences which try to explain the meaning of the phrase given in bold. Choose the best set of alternatives from the five options given below each question which explains the meaning of the phrase correctly without altering the meaning of the sentence given in the question.

Q11. An analysis by Mint, a financial newspaper, suggests that every year some 36m families, or 14% of households, face an unexpected medical bill equal to the entire annual living expenses of one member of the family. All too often such surprise costs are enough to tip families into penury.
(i) An analysis by Mint suggests that every year 14% of the households, face shockingly high medical bill which is equal to the complete annual living expenses of one member of the family and is enough to overbalance and turn over families into poverty.
(ii) An analysis by Mint, a financial newspaper, suggests that some 36m families face small medical bill but which is unexpected. Such surprise costs, although low, are still powerful to throw families into poverty.
(iii) An analysis by Mint, a financial newspaper, suggests that some 36m families face an unexpected medical bill which is almost equal to the entire annual living expenses of one member of the family and such surprise costs are enough to throw families into the state of being poor.
(a) Only (i)
(b) Both (i) and (iii)
(c) Only (iii)
(d) Both (i) and (ii)
(e) All of (i), (ii) and (iii)

Q12. On September 16th, in this year’s Berlin Marathon, the 33-year-old Kenyan didn’t merely edge the existing world record of 2:02:57, set four years ago by Dennis Kimetto, his countryman, on the same course. Instead, he obliterated it, running a near-perfect race in cooperative conditions and setting a new standard at 2:01:39.
(i) Not only did the 33-year-old Kenyan broke the existing world record of 2:02:57 on September 16th, in this year’s Berlin Marathon which was set by his countryman, Dennis Kimetto, four years ago on the same course, he destroyed it, running a near-perfect race in cooperative conditions and setting a new standard at 2:01:39.
(ii) Because of the cooperative conditions of track, the 33-year-old Kenyan not only broke the existing world record, set four years ago by Dennis Kimetto, his countryman, on the same course, he destroyed it, running a near-perfect race.
(iii) Though the 33-year-old Kenyan broke the existing world record of 2:02:57 on September 16th and set a new standard at 2:01:39, in this year’s Berlin Marathon which was set by his countryman, Dennis Kimetto, four years ago on the same course, the former couldn’t outperform the later because his near-perfect race was because of the cooperative conditions.
(a) Both (i) and (iii)
(b) Both (ii) and (iii)
(c) Only (i)
(d) Only (iii)
(e) Only (ii)

Q13. In the beginning, town twinning was idealistic and chummy. Often pairings were the result of mayors who were mates, but there was also genuine concern for transnational reconciliation.
(i) In the beginning, building a new twin town of an existing town was idealistic and unrealistic. Often pairings were the result of mayors who were mates, but there was also genuine concern for transnational reconciliation.
(ii) In the beginning, constructing a new town out of an existing town which is twin of the latter was idealistic and unrealistic. But such pairings were the because of the mayors who were friends, but also has genuine concern for transnational reconciliation.
(iii) In the starting, the practice of establishing official or social links between two towns or cities, typically in different countries was friendly and characterized by idealism. Often pairings were the result of mayors who were mates, but there was also genuine concern for transnational reconciliation.
(a) Only (i)
(b) Both (i) and (ii)
(c) Both (ii) and (iii)
(d) Only (iii)
(e) Only (ii)

Q14. Aadhaar started life under the previous, Congress government, to provide every Indian with a form of identification and thus to plug gushing leaks in government welfare schemes.
(i) Aadhaar was started under the previous Congress government to block extravagant leaks in government welfare schemes by providing a form of identification to every Indian.
(ii) The government welfare schemes used to have high level of loopholes, and an attempt was made to fix such loopholes in the form of starting Aadhaar under the previous Congress government, the objective of which was to provide every Indian with a form of identification.
(iii) Aadhaar was originated by the previous Congress government to help cease the high shortcomings in the government welfare schemes by providing every Indian with a form of identification.
(a) Only (i)
(b) Both (i) and (iii)
(c) Options (i), (ii) and (iii)
(d) Only (ii)
(e) Both (i) and (ii)

Q15. It seemed a speech worthy of a place in history, and one to delight Pakistan’s shrinking cohort of liberals. On September 4th Fawad Chaudhry, information minister of the Pakistan Movement for Justice (PTI), the party that leads the new government, hit out against religious bigotry.
(i) The speech made by Fawad Chaudhry, information minister of the Pakistan Movement for Justice (PTI), the party that leads the new government, which was based on him hitting out against religious bigotry, seemed a speech worthy of a place in history, and one to delight Pakistan’s decreasing group of liberals.
(ii) Though the speech made by Fawad Chaudhry has the potential to spark controversy as he hit out against religious bigotry, it was something that could please the ever-shrinking group of liberals.
(iii) Because the speech made by Fawad Chaudhry who is information minister of the Pakistan Movement for Justice (PTI), the party that leads the new government was controversial, it would please the ever-shrinking group of liberals.
(a) Only (ii)
(b) Both (i) and (ii)
(c) Both (ii) and (iii)
(d) Only (iii)
(e) Only (i)

Solutions

S1. Ans.(b)
Sol. ‘Unprecedented’ means never done or known before. It is the appropriate word for all blanks.

S2. Ans.(d)
Sol. “decades of hard work preceding it ” is the correct phrase for the blank.

S3. Ans.(c)
Sol. ‘electrifies’ is incorrect here’ ‘To’ will take first form of verb and so ‘electrify’ must be used.

S4. Ans.(d)
Sol. Replace ‘pitch-energy’ with each other to make the sentence grammatically correct and meaningful. ‘Fever pitch’ means a state of extreme excitement.

S5. Ans.(b)
Sol. Scepticism: a sceptical attitude; doubt as to the truth of something.

S6. Ans.(a)
Sol. Error is in part A. ‘Erection’ will be used in place of ‘erect’̣

S7. Ans.(e)
Sol. No Error

S8. Ans.(c)
Sol. Error is in part C. Use ‘nominated’ with ‘has been’ and not ‘nominate’ as the sentence is in passive voice.

S9. Ans.(b)
Sol. Error is in part B of the sentence. ‘whom’ will be used in place of ‘whose’.

S10. Ans.(e)
Sol. No Error

S11. Ans. (b)
Sol. ‘tip’ [verb] means ‘overbalance to fall or turn over’;
Penury [noun] means ‘the state of being very poor; extreme poverty’;
So, ‘to tip families into penury’ means ‘to turn over families to extreme poverty’;
Clearly, the alternatives (i) and (iii) correctly impart the meaning of the highlighted phrase.
Hence, the option (b) is the correct answer.

S12. Ans. (c)
Sol. The phrase ‘edge the existing world record’ means ‘breaking the existing world record’. The given passage doesn’t supply the reason for the happening of the 33-year-old Kenyan breaking the existing world record but focuses on the fact that the 33-year-old Kenyan not just broke the existing world record, but destroyed it.
Clearly, the alternatives (ii) and (iii) are incorrect, and only the alternative (i) supplies the correct meaning.
Hence, the option (c) is the correct answer.

S13. Ans. (d)
Sol. Town twining means ‘the practice of establishing official or social links between two towns or cities, typically in different countries.’
Chummy [adjective] means ‘on friendly terms; friendly’;
Idealistic [adjective] means ‘characterized by idealism; unrealistically aiming for perfection’;
So, the highlighted phrase means ‘the practice of establishing official or social links between two towns or cities, typically in different countries was friendly and characterized by idealism.’
Hence, the correct answer is the option (d).

S14. Ans. (c)
Sol. ‘Gushing’ [adjective] means ‘(of speech or writing) effusive or exaggeratedly enthusiastic’;
‘Plug’ [verb] means ‘block or fill in (a hole or cavity)’;
So, the meaning of the highlighted phrase is ‘… blocking the extravagant leaks…’
All the given alternatives (i), (ii) and (iii) say the same things and are grammatically correct and contextually meaningful.
Hence, the correct answer is the option (c).

S15. Ans. (e)
Sol. Cohort [noun] means ‘a group of people with a shared characteristic; a supporter or companion’;
Shrinking [noun] means ‘becoming smaller in size or amount’;
The meaning of the highlighted phrase is ‘decreasing group of liberals’.
Clearly, only the alternative (i) provides the correct meaning of the phrase without altering the overall meaning of the passage.
There is no mention of ‘controversial nature of the speech’. So, the alternatives (ii) and (iii) are incorrect.
Hence, the correct answer is the option (e).