IBPS Clerk Prelims English Language 13th October, 2020 – Miscellaneous

Directions (1-8): Read
each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical or idiomatic error
in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. The number of
that part is the answer. If there is ‘No error’, the answer is (e). (Ignore
errors of punctuation, if any.)

Q1. The
landlord says (A)/ we can make (B)/ changes to the house (C)/ as long as they
are not irrevocable (D)/ No error. (E)

(a) A

(b) B

(d) D

(e) E

Q2. All the
flowers (A)/ in his garden will surely die (B)/ before the rains (C)/ will
fall. (D)/ No error. (E)

(a) A

(b) B

(d) D

(e) E

Q3. The dog (A)/
I have bought (B)/ looks more ferocious (C)/ than you have. (D)/ No error. (E)

(a) A

(b) B

(d) D

(e) E

Q4. Everybody
(A)/ were in a(B)/ very relaxed (C)/ and jolly mood (D)/ No error

(a) A

(b) B

(d) D

(e) E

Q5. This book
is (A)/ undoubtedly preferable than (B)/ that in many respects and its printing
(C)/ is also comparatively good. (D)/ No error. (E)

(a) A

(b) B

(d) D

(e) E

Q6. The
audience will flock (A)/ to his concerts to hear him to sing (B)/ as they
perceive a sense of purity and piquancy in his music that is hard (C)/ to come
by today. (D)/ No error. (E)

(a) A

(b) B

(d) D

(e) E

Q7. The judges
(A)/ will ruminate (B)/ in the evidence (C)/ before deciding upon a verdict.
(D)/ No Error (E)

(a) A

(b) B

(d) D

(e) E

Q8. The
security agent (A)/ told me my credit card (B)/ alone would not (C)/ suffice as
a form of identification(D)/ No Error (E)

(a) A

(b) B

(d) D

(e) E

Directions (9-15): In the following
passage, some of the words have been left out, each of which is indicated by a
number. Find the suitable word from the options given against each number and
fill up the blanks with appropriate words to make the paragraph meaningfully
complete.

The
researchers first asked a narrow, ___(9)____
question about whether people paid others to do “unenjoyable daily tasks,” such
as domestic work, to be able to “___(10)____
their free time.”

Only 28 percent of respondents said yes,
spending an average $147.95 per month to buy themselves extra time. These
people also ___(11)___ increased
life satisfaction compared to those who did not ___(12)____ money this way.

In the second part of the ___(13)___, researchers asked more than
1,800 Americans whether they spent money to buy “more free time.” The responses
were roughly __(14)___ in half, with
those who spent between $80 and $99 per month, on average, on outsourcing
chores reporting a higher ___(15)__
of life satisfaction.

Q9. (a)
personal
(b) common
(c) ignorant
(d) specific
(e) strict

Q10. (a) unite
(b) procurement
(c) store
(d) gathering
(e) increase

S11. (a)
recorded
(b) posted
(c) procrastinated
(d) estimated
(e) fabricated

S12. (a) take
(b) spend
(c) apply
(d) waste
(e) draw

Q13. (a) theory
(b) planning
(c) effort
(d) study
(e) opinion

Q14. (a) get

(b) deal
(c) split
(d) assign
(e) quit

Q15. (a)
condition

(b) nature
(c) caliber
(d) degree

(e) value

SOLUTIONS:

S1. Ans. (e)

Sol. The
sentence is grammatically correct.

Always remember
that the mind’s eye, the heart’s content, the soul’s delight etc. are idiomatic.

S2. Ans. (d)

Sol. In place
of ‘will fall’, only ‘fall’ will be used because future tense is not used if a
clause starts with ‘before, if, when’, simple present tense is used in such
cases.

S3. Ans. (d)

Sol. Add ‘the
one’ after ‘than’ because comparison is between the two dogs that means
comparison is between ‘the dog I have’ and ‘the dog you have’. Therefore other
‘the dog’ must be replaced by ‘the one’.

Ex. These new books are better than those old
ones. (Here ones= books)

S4. Ans. (b)

Sol. ‘were’
should be replaced by ‘was’.

S5. Ans. (b)

Sol. In place
of ‘than’, ‘to’ will be used. Always remember preposition ‘to’ is used after
preferable/ prefer and not conjunction ‘than’.

S6. Ans. (b)

Sol. ‘to’ will
not be used because the correct syntax ‘hear + object + V1’ is used.

Ex. I heard him
sing.

S7. Ans. (c)

Sol. ‘in’
should be replaced by ‘over’

S8. Ans. (e)

Sol. The
sentence is grammatically correct.

S9. Ans. (d)

Sol. ‘specific’
is the correct word that fits to the blank as the word before blank (narrow) is
pointing to a particular question. All other options are irrelevant.

S10. Ans. (e)

Sol. The phrase
here is “…….their free time”. We cannot use ‘unite’, ‘procure’, ‘store’ or
‘gather’ for time. Hence ‘increase’ is the correct word that fits in the blank
and hence is the correct option.

S11. Ans. (a)

Sol. The
observations are given in the paragraph which suggested that data are recorded
and not fabricated or procrastinated (means prediction) or posted. Hence
‘recorded’ is the correct word that completes the sentence.

S12. Ans. (b)

Sol. The
paragraph is about spending money for buying free time. Hence ‘spend’ is the
correct word that justifies the sentence.
All other options are irrelevant.

S13. Ans. (d)

Sol. This is
the paragraph telling us about the study of researchers. Hence ‘study’ is the
word that is making the sentence meaningful.

S14. Ans. (c)

Sol. A question
has been asked before the blank and the response of that question is divided
into half. Hence ‘split’ makes the sentence complete and meaningful.

S15. Ans. (d)

Sol. ‘Degree’
is the correct word here as all other words are not making the sentence
meaningful. The sentence is talking about experiencing the amount of life
satisfaction by spending the given amount of money. Hence ‘degree’ is the
correct option.