Allahabad Bank / Clerical Exam 2010 / Test Of English Language

Allahabad Bank

Clerical Examination 2010

Test of English Language

Directions—(Q. 1 to 15) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

In a village in the East, there lived an old couple. They did not have any children and never spent an extra paisa on themselves. They never repaired their house or cooked good food. One day, a family moved into the village, it was their son’s second birthday and they sent two delicious laddoos to the old couple. The couple ate the laddoos with great relish. For days after they could talk of nothing else. Finally the old man could take it no more. He said to his wife, “Let’s buy the ingredients to make just two laddoos.” His wilfe agreed but said, “If I make the laddoos at home, the neighbours will know and will want a share. Let’s cook in the woods behind our hut. That way no one will ever know.”

The next day the old man purchased the ingredients from the market and they set off to the woods. Having never prepared food like this before, they ended up with three laddoos instead of two. The old couple returned home with the sweets, dying to eat them. But there was a problem. “It was my idea and I went to the market, so I ought to get two,” said the old man. But his wife refused to give in so easily and said, “Since I prepared the sweets. I ought to have two.” The day wore on and the argument continued.

At last, the old man suggested, “Let us not talk to each other. Whoever breaks the silence first will get one laddoo and the other person two.” His wife agreed. Hours passed, but neither of them spoke and finally they fell asleep with the bowl of sweets between them. That evening one of the neighbours knocked on the door but the couple did not answer for fear of losing the bet. Peering through the window, the man saw the couple lying on the floor with an untouched bowl of food. “They are dead !” he shouted and alerted the other villagers. Soon the door was broken down and the house was swarming with villagers. They discussed everything from the funeral to where the couple had hidden their wealth. But the couple lay still.

Finally, the villagers carried them to the cremation ground. As the flames licked his feet, the old man jumped up screaming “You win !” His wife jumped up too, happy that she had won. The two then rushed home leaving the bewildered villagers present there behind. But when they got home…Alas the door had been left open and they found a stray dog licking the last crumbs of the sweets from the bowl.

1. Why did the old couple cook in the woods ?
(A) It was very convenient to gather firewood
(B) To avoid the risk of their hut burning down
(C) To keep the fact that they were preparing laddoos a secret from their neighbours
(D) To hide the fact that they did not know how to prepare laddoos from their neighbours
(E) They did not have the ingredients to make enough laddoos for their neighbours as well
Ans : (C)

2. What caused the old couple’s sudden longing for laddoos ?
(A) They hadn’t eaten good food for several days
(B) They had attended their neighbour’s party and enjoyed the laddoos served
(C) They saw the mouth watering laddoos being served to guests at the party
(D) They had tasted the laddoos prepared for their neighbour’s son’s birthday
(E) They thought that the laddoos would satisfy their hunger for days to come
Ans : (D)

3. Why did the old couple initially not reveal that they were alive to the villagers ?
(A) To learn the villagers’ true opinion of them
(B) They did not like the villagers and were mocking them
(C) Neither of them wanted to be the first to speak and lose the bet
(D) To test the honesty of the villagers
(E) None of the above
Ans : (C)

4. What did the old couple disagree about ?
(A) Where they would cook their meal
(B) Which of them was entitled to the first laddoo
(C) Whether to share the extra laddoo with their neighbours
(D) The quantity of laddoos that they had made
(E) None of these
Ans : (B)

5. What was the villager’s reaction to the old couple’s presumed ‘death’ ?
(A) They were upset and all came to pay their last respects
(B) They were worried about how to pay for the funeral
(C) They could not decide what to do with the couple’s wealth
(D) They disliked the old couple and demolished their house
(E) They dutifully arranged the couple’s last rites
Ans : (E)

6. Why did the neighbour peep into the old couple’s house ?
(A) To learn what they were being so secretive about
(B) To spy on them and discover where their wealth was hidden
(C) To complain as they had cooked in the forest
(D) To check up on the old couple as he did everyday
(E) Not clearly mentioned in the passage
Ans : (E)

7. Which of the following can be said about the old couple ?
(A) They did not have any relatives to look after them in their old age
(B) They were misers and did not spend even on keeping their house in good condition
(C) They were not allowed to eat sweets as they were old
(D) They were fond of animals and sometimes shared their food with stray animals
(E) They were afraid of the villagers and hid from them
Ans : (B)

8. Which of the following is/are TRUE in the context of the passage ?
(1) The old woman had prepared more laddoos than she had intended
(2) The family who had recently moved into the village were fond of the old couple
(3) The villagers were saddened by the death of the old couple and gave them a grand funeral
(A) Only (1)
(B) Only (2) & (3)
(C) Only (1) & (2)
(D) All (1), (2) & (3)
(E) None of the above
Ans : (A)

9. What puzzled the villagers?
(A) The old couple did not die in the fire
(B) The sight of the old couple whom they had presumed dead, alive
(C) The fact that the old couple had wasted good food
(D) The lack of concern the old woman had for her husband
(E) The old couple fed the laddoos to the dog.
Ans : (B)

10. Why did the old man scream when surrounded by the villagers ?
(A) He was afraid that his wife would get burned
(B) To scare away the villagers who wanted to kill him for his money
(C) His wife refused to allow him to eat more than one laddoo
(D) To indicate to the villagers that he was alive
(E) The fear of being hurt in the fire
Ans : (E)

Directions—(Q. 11 to 13) Which of the following is most similar in meaning to the word given in bold as used in the passage.

11. breaks
(A) interrupts
(B) separates
(C) solves
(D) defeats
(E) escapes
Ans : (A)

12. passed
(A) overtook
(B) occupied
(C) unnoticed
(D) proceeded
(E) succeeded
Ans : (E)

13. share
(A) half
(B) part
(C) participate
(D) divide
(E) common
Ans : (B)

Directions–(Q. 14 and 15) Which of the following is most opposite in meaning to the word given in bold as used in the passage.

14. last
(A) new
(B) begin
(C) constant
(D) discontinue
(E) first
Ans : (E)

15. still
(A) restless
(B) noisily
(C) conscious
(D) calmly
(E) lifeless
Ans : (A)

Directions–(16 to 25) Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical mistake/ error in it. The error if any, will be in one part of the sentence. Mark the letter of the part with error as your answer. If there is ‘No error’, mark (E)

16. If his aim is to (A) / buy a house in the (B) / next three years he (C) / should start immediate saving. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (D)

17. Can you explain why (A) / you were late this morning (B) / when we had to make (C) / such an important presentation ? (D) No error (E)
Ans : (B)

18. Their company is going to incur (A) / heavy losses this year because (B) / of the big discounts they (C) / offers to customers. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (D)

19. The main advantage of (A) / investing such schemes (B) / is that you will not (C) / have to pay any taxes. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (B)

20. The final decision can (A) / be taken only after (B) / we consider all (C) / the panel suggestions. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (C)

21. The Foreign Investment Promotion Board is (A) / the government body who (B) / regulates investment received (C) / by Indian factories from foreign countries. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (B)

22. Our company was recently (A) / award the contract (B) / to construct two major (C) / bridges in the state. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (B)

23. That customer has (A) / written a letter (B) / thanks the manager (C) / for her timely help. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (C)

24. Accordingly the circular (A) / that was issued yesterday RBI (B) / has raised the rate at (C) / which it lends to banks. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (B)

25. A large number of policy (A) / have lapsed because many (B) / people have not paid (C) / their instalments on time. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (A)

Directions—(Q. 26 to 30) In each question below a sentence with four words printed in bold type is given. These are lettered as (A), (B), (C) and (D). One of these four words printed in bold may be either wrongly spelt or inappropriate in the context of the sentence. Find out the word which is wrongly spelt or inappropriate if any. The letter of that word is your answer. If all the words printed in bold are correctly spelt and also appropriate in the context of the sentence, mark (E) i.e., ‘All correct’ as your answer.

26. The Chairman has promissed (A) to look (B) into the matter (C) and take necessary (D) action. All correct (E)
Ans : (A)

27. Most (A) projects are delayed (B) because of the absents (C) of proper planning. (D) All correct (E)
Ans : (C)

28. He found (A) the company in 1980 to provide (B) electricity to people living (C) in rural areas. (D) All correct (E)
Ans : (A)

29. Salaries (A) of bank employees (B) are likely (C) to go above (D) by ten percent. All correct (E)
Ans : (D)

30. Since (A) the interest rate on bank deposits is low (B) at present, people prefer (C) to deposit their savings (D) in post office schemes. All correct (E)
Ans : (B)

Directions—(Q. 31 to 40) In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five words are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.

A rich merchant owned a beautiful horse. Now, one of his neighbours was keen to (31) this horse. He offered the merchant gold, (32) the merchant refused. This angered the neighbour. He (33) to trick the merchant. He disguised himself (34) a beggar and lay down at the (35) of the road, that the merchant used everyday. (36) at the sad plight of the beggar, he (37) from his horse and gently lifted the beggar (38) his horse. No sooner did the beggar get into the (39) than the galloped away. But hearing the merchant (40) out to him, he stopped when he was a safe distance away. “Please don’t tell anyone how you came to possess this horse. Some day an ill man may be lying by the roadside and people who have heard about your trick, may not want to help,’’ said the merchant. The merchant’s neighbour was deeply ashamed, rode back and returned the horse to the merchant.

31. (A) buy
(B) steal
(C) free
(D) train
(E) sell
Ans : (A)

32. (A) so
(B) unless
(C) otherwise
(D) but
(E) since
Ans : (D)

33. (A) desires
(B) decided
(C) declined
(D) deliberately
(E) deceived
Ans : (B)

34. (A) being
(B) alike
(C) as
(D) identical
(E) similar
Ans : (C)

35. (A) middle
(B) gutter
(C) ending
(D) distance
(E) side
Ans : (E)

36. (A) Carefully
(B) Distressed
(C) Misery
(D) Upsetting
(E) Unhappily
Ans : (B)

37. (A) stepped
(B) jump
(C) fell
(D) dismounted
(E) climbed
Ans : (D)

38. (A) with
(B) above
(C) from
(D) off
(E) onto
Ans : (E)

39. (A) saddle
(B) arms
(C) horse
(D) danger
(E) way
Ans : (A)

40. (A) appeal
(B) shouted
(C) call
(D) cried
(E) beg
Ans : (C)..

Punjab National Bank / Test of English Language 2010

Punjab National Bank

Test Of English Language 2010

Probationary Officers

Directions—(Q. 1–15) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

Once upon a time, there lived an old lion. The lion, the king of the forest had grown old. He became frail and due to this, he could not hunt for food. With each passing day he became more and more weak. He realized that he would not live for long if it continued like that. He thought how could he arrange for his food ? After pondering over it for quite some time, he decided that he should have an assistant.

The lion thought that a fox would be the best person to handle this position as he was intelligent and clever. He summoned the fox and said, “Dear friend, I have always liked you because you are smart. I want to appoint you as my minister and advise me on all the affairs of the forest”. The old lion also asked the fox, that since he was the king of the forest, he should not have to hunt for his food. With respect to this, the fox’s first duty as minister was to bring him an animal to eat every day. The fox could not refuse the king and accepted the offer.

After the conversation, the fox went out to find an animal for the lion. On the way, he met a fat donkey. He said “My friend, I have got good news for you. You are very lucky. Our king, the lion has chosen you to be his chief minister. He asked me to meet you and inform you about his decision.” The donkey was scared of the lion and said, “I am afraid of the lion. He might kill me and eat me up. Why has he chosen me as his chief minsiter ? I am not even fit enough to be a minster as I am not as intelligent as other animals.” The clever fox laughed and, said, “Dear, you don’t know your great qualities. Our king is dying to meet you. He has chosen you because you are wise, gentle, and hard working. By serving the king, you will be the second most powerful animal of our forest. Imagine, all the other animals will respect you and seek favours from you.” “You must not lose your greatest chance in life.” So, the poor donkey was convinced and got ready to go along with the fox.

In this way, the fox managed to attract the donkey to the lion’s den. When the fox and the donkey approached, the lion was hungrier than ever. But he kept a smiling face and said, “Welcome, my dear friend. Come near me. You are my chief minister.” As the donkey came closer, the lion pounced on him and killed him instantly. The lion thanked the clever fox and was happy to get the food. As the lion sat down to take his meal, the fox said, “Your Majesty, I know you are very hungry but a king must take a bath before his meal”. The lion thought it was a good idea and told the fox to keep a watch on the carcass of the donkey”. The fox silently sat down to keep a watch of the donkey and thought to himslef, “I took all the trouble of getting the donkey here. It is I who deserve the best portion of the meal”. Thus, the fox cut open the head of the donkey and ate up the whole brain. When the lion returned he shouted, “What happened to the donkey’s brain ? I wanted to eat the brain first.” The fox smilingly replied, “Your majesty,
donkeys have no brains. If he had any, he would not have come near a lion at all”.

1. Why did the lion decide to have an assistant for him ?
(A) He was too lazy to hunt for himself
(B) He was old and weak and could not hunt any more
(C) He wanted someone to help him kill the fat donkey
(D) He could not handle the affairs of the forest alone
(E) None of these

2. Why did the lion select the fox as his assistant ?
(A) He had heard that the fox had good hunting skills
(B) He wanted the fox to take over as the king of the forest
(C) The fox had offered to let the lion have his leftovers
(D) He had planned to eat the fox after luring him to become his assistant
(E) None of these

3. Why did the fox say ‘our king is dying to meet you’ to the donkey ?
(A) The king would have died of hunger if the donkey did not meet him
(B) The king desperately wanted the donkey to be his chief minister as he was gentle and hard working
(C) The fox wanted to convince the donkey to come with him to the lion so that the lion could eat him
(D) The king wanted to meet the doneky since all other animals respected the donkey more than the king
(E) None of these

4. Which of the following best describes the donkey ?
(A) Honest
(B) Wicked
(C) Clever
(D) Opportunist
(E) Foolish

5. Which one of the phrases given below the following statement should be placed in the blank space provided so as to make a meaningfully correct sentence in the context of the passage ?
When the lion did not see any brain in the donkey’s head ……….
(A) he spared his life and let him go
(B) he got upset with the fox for having selected such a donkey
(C) he took his decision to make him the chief minister back
(D) the fox explained to him that donekys do not have any brains
(E) None of these

6. What, according to the lion, was the fox’s primary duty as a minister ?
(A) To force all animals to respect their king and seek favours from him
(B) To convince the donkey to become his chief minister
(C) To take over as the king of the forest since the lion had grown too old
(D) To bring him an animal to eat every day
(E) None of these

7. What did the fox do when the lion went to take a bath before having his meal ?
(A) He secretly told the donkey to run away as the lion had planned to kill him
(B) He ate up the donkey’s brain as he had done all the hard work of bringing him to the lion’s den
(C) He held himself responsible for the death of the poor donkey and did not let the lion eat the donkey
(D) He killed the lion with the help of the donkey and became the king of the forest
(E) None of these

8. Which of the following is TRUE in context of the passage ?
(A) Finally, the fox got the best part of the meal
(B) The donkey was appointed as chief minister to the king
(C) The donkey which the fox had brought for the king did not have any brain in his head
(D) The donkey was very intelligent and clever
(E) None is true

9. What did the lion do when he saw the donkey in his den ?
(A) He was impressed by the donkey and made him his chief minister
(B) He ordered the fox to kill him and eat his brain
(C) He went to take a bath before meeting the donkey
(D) He immediately noticed that the donkey did not have any brain
(E) None of these

10. Which of the following is the moral of the story ?
(A) An idle brain is the devil’s workshop
(B) Fools are deaf to wise words
(C) Never believe an enemy’s sweet talks
(D) Morality can be best tested while one has power
(E) One can only lead a horse to water, but not make him drink it

Directions—(Q. 11–13) Choose the word which is most similar in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

11. POUNCED
(A) Climbed
(B) Grew
(C) Attacked
(D) Plunged
(E) Roared

12. FIT
(A) Healthy
(B) Deserving
(C) Strong
(D) Valuable
(E) Important

13. LOSE
(A) Misplace
(B) Suffer
(C) Dispose
(D) Defeat
(E) Miss

Directions—(Q. 14–15) Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

14. HANDLE
(A) Mismanage
(B) Drop
(C) Confront
(D) Decline
(E) Uncover

15. FRAIL
(A) Unhealthy
(B) Massive
(C) Rich
(D) Robust
(E) Civilised

Directions—(Q. 16–25) Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error or idiomatic error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. The letter of that part is the answer. If there is ‘No error’, the answer is (E). (Ignore errors of punctuation, if any.)

16. When I called him yesterday, (A) / he offered to donate (B) / a handsome sum to (C) / the flood relief fund. (D) No error (E)

17. The student which (A) / you had thought (B) / so highly of has (C) / failed to pass the examination. (D) No error (E)

18. Government took strict action (A) / against the doctors on strike (B) / but they refused to (C) / resume to work. (D) No error (E)

19. If a person has been given (A) / diplomatic immunity then he (B) / cannot be arrested on a (C) / foreign land under any circumstance. (D) No error (E)

20. A group of birds (A) / migrate from southern part (B) / of the country to the (C) / Northern part during summer. (D) No error (E)

21. The constable said that (A) / the prisoner seize a (B) / fully loaded gun from a policeman (C) / and shot the prosecutor. (D) No error (E)

22. It will not be possible for you (A) / to catch the train on time (B) / because the nearest railway station (C) / is at ten kilometres away. (D) No error (E)

23. Each of the survivors of the Tsunami (A) (B) / have been offered free (C) / psychological consultation to ease their trauma, / by some of the top consultants. (D) No error (E)

24. Considering about her good credentials, (A) / the manager offered her a job (B) / in his organization (C) / despite the lack of experience. (D) No error (E)

25. Although he has been (A) / winning the elections (B) / all years, this year his popularity (C) / has substantially reduced. (D) No error (E)

Directions—(Q. 26–30) Rearrange the following six sentences (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) in the proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph; then answer the questions given below them.
(a) To their surprise, however, the reward went to a beggar who had contributed only a Rupee instead of a wealthy donor.
(b) He received funds from many people as rich and poor donated generously to his trust.
(c) The man explained that the one Rupee given by the beggar was worth millions of Rupees as that was all the money he possessed and that he had made a much greater sacrifice than others.
(d) During the function everyone waited with bated breath to hear who had made the maximum contribution.
(e) A man went from town to town to collect money for his charitable trust.
(f) On returning he decided to hold a function and reward the person whose contribution had been maximum.

26. Which of the following should be the SECOND sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) b
(B) c
(C) d
(D) e
(E) f

27. Which of the following should be the LAST (SIXTH) sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) a
(B) c
(C) d
(D) e
(E) f

28. Which of the following should be the FOURTH sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) b
(B) c
(C) d
(D) e
(E) f

29. Which of the following should be the THIRD sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) a
(B) b
(C) c
(D) e
(E) f

30. Which of the following should be the FIRST sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) a
(B) b
(C) d
(D) e
(E) f

Directions—(Q. 31–35) In each of the following questions six words are given which are denoted by (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f). By using all the six words, each only once, you have to frame a meaningful and grammatically correct sentence. The correct order of words is the answer. Choose from the five alternatives, the one having the correct order of words and mark it as your answer on the answer-sheet.

31. (a) OTHERS
(b) HER
(c) SHE
(d) MISTAKES
(e) FOR
(f) BLAMES
(A) cfaebd
(B) acfebd
(C) bdacfe
(D) cfdabe
(E) bdafce

32. (a) FINALISE
(b) WE
(c) DETAILS
(d) LATER
(e) THE
(f) WILL
(A) BFEACD
(B) BDCFEA
(C) BDCAEF
(D) ECFDBA
(E) BFAECD

33. (a) UV-RAYS
(b) ABSORBS
(c) THE
(d) LAYER
(e) HARMFUL
(f) OZONE
(A) ACBEFD
(B) CFDBEA
(C) ACBFED
(D) CFBDAE
(E) CBEAFD

34. (a) PRACTISING
(b) SPEECH
(c) SPENT
(d) HIS
(e) HE
(f) HOURS
(A) DBCFEA
(B) DBFCAE
(C) EBCDAF
(D) FACBED
(E) ECFADB

35. (a) TO
(b) AROUND
(c) SEE
(d) THEY
(e) HIM
(f) HATED
(A) DFAECB
(B) DBFAEC
(C) DFCAEB
(D) DFACEB
(E) CEBFAD

Directions—(Q. 36–40) In each question below a sentence with four words printed in bold type is given. These are lettered as (A), (B), (C) and (D). One of these four words printed in bold may be either wrongly spelt or inappropriate in the context of the sentence. Find out the word, if any, which is wrongly spelt or inappropriate. The letter of that word is your answer. If all the words printed in bold are correctly spelt and also appropriate in the context of the sentence, mark (E), i.e., ‘All correct’ as your answer.

36. A large number of celebrities (A) have joined an NGO involved (B) in the movement for protection (C) of animal writes. (D) All correct (E)

37. The teacher liked the poem (A) so much that she requested (B) Saba to read it allowed (C) to the whole (D) class. All correct (E)

38. Breathe (A) deeply and inhale the sents (B) of Roses and Daisies in the landscaped gardens (C) surrounding (D) my house. All correct (E)

39. As the wind blue (A) harder every minute, (B) people got a fairly (C) good idea that a storm was approaching (D) the town. All correct (E)

40. The family had to bear (A) a leaky sealing (B) throughout the rainy season (C) as they could not afford (D) to get it repaired. All correct (E)

Directions—(Q. 41–50) In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five words are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.

Once upon a time, there lived a sparrow on a banyan tree. She laid her eggs in the nest. One afternoon, a wild elephant came under the tree and in a fit of rage, broke a branch of the tree on which the nest was …(41)…. Unfortunately, all the eggs of the sparrow …(42)… after falling down though the sparrow was saved. The sparrow was full of grief and began weeping for her eggs.

A woodpecker, a close friend of the sparrow, heard her crying and asked her, “Why are you crying, my friend ?” The sparrow said, “The …(43)… elephant has killed my offspring. If you are a true friend of mine, suggest a way-to kill him”. The woodpecker …(44)… her and told her that he knew a fly and she would definitely help them kill the elephant.

Both of them went to seek the help of the fly. The woodpecker said, “A wild elephant has crushed my friend’s eggs. We need your help in killing him.” the fly replied, “One of my friends is a frog. Let us go to him and take his help too”. They went to the frog and …(45)… the whole incident. The frog said, “What can an elephant do before a united crowd like us ? Do what I tell you. Dear Fly, you go to the elephant and hum a sweet tune into his ears. When he closes his eyes in delight, the woodpecker will poke his eyes. This way, he will become …(46)…. When he gets thirsty, he will …(47)… for water. I will go to a marshy land and begin croaking there. …(48)… that there is water, the elephant will come there. He will sink into the marshy area and …(49)….

The next day in the noon, all of them played out the plan and the elephant was killed, as he drowned into a marshy area after being blinded by the woodpecker, when he closed his eyes in response to the music. Thus, the smartness of all the animals enabled the sparrow in taking her …(50)… on the elephant.

41. (A) Born
(B) Built
(C) Grown
(D) Broken
(E) Found

42. (A) Fell
(B) Escaped
(C) Damaged
(D) Survived
(E) Broke

43. (A) Defective
(B) Attacking
(C) Wicked
(D) Poor
(E) Harmless

44. (A) Ignored
(B) Protected
(C) Scolded
(D) Consoled
(E) Defended

45. (A) Said
(B) Informed
(C) Revived
(D) Mention
(E) Narrated

46. (A) Blind
(B) Unseen
(C) Regretful
(D) Sorry
(E) Dead

47. (A) Need
(B) Want
(C) Search
(D) Drink
(E) Demands

48. (A) Recalling
(B) Informed
(C) Sure
(D) Assuming
(E) Accepting

49. (A) Hurt
(B) Die
(C) Fall
(D) Kill
(E) Realise

50. (A) Help
(B) Revenge
(C) Anger
(D) Insult
(E) Fight

Answers :1. (B) 2. (E) 3. (A) 4. (E) 5. (D) 6. (D) 7. (B) 8. (A) 9. (E) 10. (C)
11. (C) 12. (B) 13. (E) 14. (A) 15. (D) 16. (C) 17. (A) 18. (D) 19. (D) 20. (B)
21. (B) 22. (D) 23. (B) 24. (D) 25. (B) 26. (A) 27. (B) 28. (C) 29. (E) 30. (D)
31. (A) 32. (E) 33. (B) 34. (E) 35. (D) 36. (D) 37. (C) 38. (B) 39. (A) 40. (B)
41. (B) 42. (E) 43. (C) 44. (D) 45. (E) 46. (A) 47. (C) 48. (D) 49. (B) 50. (B)

Bank of Maharashtra / Clerical Examination / English language 2008.

Test of English Language

 

Directions—(Q. 1–15) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
Crude oil has had a long history, and interesting one. It is probably one single natural resource that has been instrumental in producing maximum conflicts and wars during the last century. With such a track record, it is surprising that in the given environment, where in oil prices are breaking all records, and has become the biggest cause of concern across the globe, why is it that there is silence from some parts of the world`? It is intriguing especially when some have been paying a much higher price on fuel, as compared to their poorer counterparts. It is surprising, more so, when one realizes that the number of oil producing nations is only a handful as compared to the number of oil consuming nations. While a proactive action from the mighty and powerful can bring in a huge respite for the world, why is it that they choose to be silent ? Also, keeping in mind the fact that a few nations–both powerful and weak have some of the largest unused oil reserves,their silence and lack of any serious action look all the more aberrant. Looking at the manner things are shaping up, it just cannot be ruled out that possibly these nations have a definite interest in the increasing prices of oil. The question then is what could their underlying interest be ?

In all probability, what we are seeing right now is just a precursor to the larger picture, well laid out by them may be for the good. With rising prices, the OPEC might be delighted right now, but perhaps they are unable to see what is going to hit them. For this unprecedented rise in oil is creating a most demanding environment for alternative fuels. As and when the reserves deplete and demand really grows, more than anyone else, it is OPEC that would be badly hit, much to the glee of some nations having unused reserves which have the most to gain by using blackmailing tactics. Eventually, the countries at the receiving end would be forced to create an enabling environment for alternative energy. This trend is already visible, with India showing the way with its nuclear deal and other countries dangling the carrot of complete conversion to natural gas towards other countries in order to boost their own business. By doing so they are creating a tactical pressure on countries. As they know that the further the oil prices get pushed, the more the globe would become attracted and ready for alternative and non-conventional fuel. Moreover, for many of the countries, it might become more expensive to invest in newer technologies to conform to the emission norms than to shift to alternative sources, making the market even more attractive. And it is then that the organizations which have already invested billions of dollars in alternate fuels would mop up the global energy market completely.

The second possible reason why some nations of the world are not too enthusiastic to mitigate the price of oil is because the rising oil price is perhaps one of the major deterrents to growth of other countries. Perhaps they were hand in glove in the mechanism to raise the oil price and knowing well that this would make these nations feel the pinch. And now, the rising oil prices have put these nations in a fix. As the pressure of inflationary tendencies increases these countries cannot afford either to sit back and remain entrapped in the larger conspiracy. No wonder then that these are frantically looking around the globe – especially Africa – for newer reserves ! As it is said, oil has a long history and the legacy continues.

1. What, according to the passage, is the step that the nations are likely to take with an intolerable rise in oil prices ?
(A) Shift to alternate forms of energy
(B) Come to a state of war with other nations
(C) Put tactical pressure on countries having oil reserves
(D) Formulate more stringent emission norms and apply these across the globe
(E) None of these
Ans : (A)

2. Why is the author surprised with the stance which various nations have taken pertaining to the current global oil crisis ?
(A) The stance is leading to war among the nations for control over oil fields
(B) Powerful nations have been selling oil at a very inflated rate to under developed nations
(C) Many nations have shifted to alternative forms of energy boycotting the use of oil due to inflated prices
(D) Eventhough oil has been a matter of conflict among the nations earlier, many nations have a kept a silence on the current crisis
(E) None of these
Ans : (D)

3. Which nations does the author refer to in the phrase ‘these nations have a definite interest in the increasing prices of oil’ ?
(A) The mighty and powerful nations
(B) Nations having unused oil reserves
(C) Nations which have exhausted their oil reserves
(D) The nations which have shifted to non-conventional fuels
(E) None of these
Ans : (A)

4. Which of the following is not true in context of the passage ?
(A) Some nations have kept a silence upon the rising oil price in order to inhibit the growth of other nations
(B) It is more cost effective to shift to alternative forms of energy than to invest in technology for conforming to the emission norms
(C) Some nations have unused oil reserves which would earn these nations heavy profits once the oil reserves elsewhere deplete
(D) India has had a nuclear deal for its energy needs
(E) All are true
Ans : (E)

5. What does the author mean by ‘dangling the carrot’ in the passage ?
(A) Some countries are stringently opposing the conversion to alternative forms of fuel
(B) Some countries have been luring other countries to change over to alternate fuels in order to boost their own business
(C) Some countries are making the effort to save environment by using natural gas instead of oil as a fuel
(D) Both (A) and (B)
(E) None of these
Ans : (B)

6. Which of the following is intended in the given passage ?
(A) To highlight the plight of OPEC with rising fuel prices
(B) To urge to the government to shift from oil to natural gas since it is more environment friendly
(C) To highlight the vested interest of some nations in maintaining the indifference to rising oil prices
(D) To urge to save the environment by conforming to the emission norms and using alternate energy sources
(E) None of these
Ans : (C)

7. Why, according to the author, OPEC though delighted currently, would be in difficult situation later ?
(A) All the oil reserves on the earth will soon be exhausted
(B) Powerful nations will try and dominate OPEC later on
(C) As the oil reserves which are being used currently deplete in the time to come, nations having unused oil reserves would arm-twist OPEC
(D) Nations will lose faith in OPEC owing to very high fuel prices
(E) None of these
Ans : (C)

8. What, according to the author, makes the market of alternative sources very attractive ?
(A) Many countries have already made a substantial profit in the industry of alternative fuel
(B) Such measures do not cause harm to the environment
(C) Only a few countries of the world will have the access to alternative forms of fuel
(D) The use of alternative sources has been forced upon certain countries by powerful countries
(E) None of these
Ans : (D)

9. Which of the following can be the most appropriate title for the given passage ?
(A) Reasons behind silence on increase in oil prices
(B) Nuclear power as an alternative source of energy
(C) The monopoly of oil reserves by powerful countries
(D) The repercussion of shifting to alternative forms of energy
(E) Oil reserves as deterrent of growth of the nations
Ans : (A)

Directions—(Q. 10–12) Choose the word/group of words which is MOST SIMILAR in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

10. INSTRUMENTAL
(A) Non-vocal
(B) Reasonable
(C) Creditable
(D) Responsible
(E) Liable
Ans : (D)

11. ABERRANT
(A) Curious
(B) Abnormal
(C) Spoilt
(D) Inferior
(E) Nonfunctional
Ans : (B)

12. PUSHED
(A) Dominated
(B) Pressed
(C) Diverted
(D) Thrown
(E) Increased
Ans : (E)

Directions—(Q. 13–15) Choose the word / phrase which is MOST OPPOSITE in MEANING to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

13. PROACTIVE
(A) Quick
(B) Over powered
(C) Dormant
(D) Delicate
(E) Brittle
Ans : (C)

14. GLEE
(A) Disappointment
(B) Dishonour
(C) Appreciation
(D) Disillusion
(E) Defeat
Ans : (A)

15. MITIGATE
(A) Fright
(B) Decline
(C) Degeneration
(D) Worsen
(E) Deprivation
Ans : (D)

Directions—(Q. 16–25) Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence, the letter of that part will be the answer. If there is no error, mark (E) as the answer. (Ignore errors of punctuation, if any.)

16. The merchant counted (A) / the number of pearls (B) / to make sure that (C) / none of them were missing. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (D)

17. When deep sea diving, (A) / one should always take care (B) / that oxygen cylinder is (C) / tied to the back tightly. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (A)

18. As the salary (A) / did not match (B) / his expectations, he did not (C) / accept the job. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (B)

19. The reason behind his success (A) / in the recent past (B) / is due to hard-work (C) / and presence of mind. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (C)

20. No sooner did the students (A) / seen the principal approach (B) / than they ran (C) / from the playground. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (B)

21. My elder sister and I am (A) / interested in painting (B) / and therefore have joined (C) / the coaching classes. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (A)

22. Only after a lot of persuasion, (A) / did the illiterate villager allow (B) / himself’s girl child (C) / to study in the school. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (C)

23. The need for alternate (A) / sources of energy are (B) / essential to conserve (C) / the environment. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (B)

24. I have being working (A) / in that organization for five years (B) / but now I work (C) / for a different company. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (A)

25. There is no argument against (A) / the fact that (B) / humans are the most intelligent (C) / of all other species. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (E)

Directions—(Q. 26–30) Which of the phrases (A), (B) (C) and (D) given below each statement should replace the phrase printed in bold in the sentence to make it grammatically correct ? If the sentence is correct as it is given and ‘No correction is required’, mark (E) as the answer.

26. Many students waits anxiously at the college gate to know their results—
(A) student waited anxiously
(B) students waiting anxiously
(C) students waited anxiously
(D) students waited anxious
(E) No correction required
Ans : (C)

27. Through a fortuitous circumstance Rakhi met her childhood friend on the bus in which she was travelling.
(A) she was travelled
(B) she did travel
(C) she has travelling
(D) she were travelling
(E) No correction required
Ans : (E)

28. The opposition party has alleged that the prices of essential commodities are soaring like never before on the last three decades—
(A) before on the next
(B) before in the last
(C) before at the last
(D) previously in the next
(E) No correction required
Ans : (B)

29. The salaries and the perks of the employees in this institution are not in according with the rest of the industry—
(A) are not in accordance
(B) is not in accordance
(C) are not according
(D) is not on accordance
(E) No correction required
Ans : (A)

30. The soldiers deployed in the town were instructed exercising restraint and handle the situation
peacefully.
(A) was instructed to exercising
(B) were instructed for exercise
(C) were instructed to exercise
(D) was instructing to exercising
(E) No correction required
Ans : (C)

Directions—(Q. 31–35) Rearrange the following sentences (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6) to make a meaningful paragraph and then answer the questions which follow—
1. The only way in which this problem can be solved is by making artificial blood which has remained a distant dream for science.
2. Donation of blood is considered to be the most noble of all the charities.
3. If they succeed, it would be noted as one of the most important inventions in the history of mankind.
4. This is because this donated magic potion can give life to another person in an emergency.
5. A group of scientists, however, has dedicated themselves towards making this a reality.
6. A growing problem however is that the requirement for safe blood is increasing whereas the number of donors is decreasing.

31. Which of the following sentence should be the FIRST after rearrangement ?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) 5
Ans : (B)

32. Which of the following sentence should be the SECOND after rearrangement ?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) 6
Ans : (D)

33. Which of the following sentence should be the THIRD after rearrangement ?
(A) 1
(B) 4
(C) 3
(D) 5
(E) 6
Ans : (E)

34. Which of the following sentence should be the FIFTH after rearrangement ?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 5
(E) 6
Ans : (D)

35. Which of the following sentence should be the SIXTH (LAST) after rearrangement ?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) 5
Ans : (C)

Directions—(Q. 36–40) Each question below has two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Choose the set of words for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

36. One of the TV cameramen was …… in the leg by a bullet when he was …… in the middle of a gun fight between two gangs.
(A) hurt, entered
(B) shot, caught
(C) injured, came
(D) stabbed, trapped
(E) beaten, engulfed
Ans : (B)

37. Although the fire was very small everyone …… and rushed out of the cinema hall …… complete chaos.
(A) shouted, leading
(B) died, producing
(C) injured, resulting
(D) scared, making
(E) panicked, causing
Ans : (E)

38. The …… of pesticides and fertilizers while growing the vegetables and fruits is one of the greatest …… to the health these days.
(A) production, dangers
(B) consumption, problem
(C) overuse, threats
(D) application, rewards
(E) amount, injury
Ans : (C)

39. The group’s mission is to ………… peace between the nations and help different people ………… each other better.
(A) maintain, understand
(B) remain, address
(C) keep, interact
(D) advise, find
(E) communicate, friendly
Ans : (A)

40. History ………… the Kings and influential leaders whereas the real battle was ………… by the soldiers who remain little known and celebrated in the texts.
(A) remembers, played
(B) highlights, underwent
(C) biased, lead
(D) glorifies, fought
(E) writes, done
Ans : (D)

Directions—(Q. 41–50) In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five words are suggested one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.

Without doubt there is one thing (…41…) to all of us-We have played a game at some time in our lives. Most of us play to relax or have fun, but for many playing a game or a sport is a way to (…42…) poverty behind. Infact, in many African countries, playing a sport professionally can (…43…) the lives of a person’s entire family.

For example, in the samll town of Bekoji, in Ethiopia (…44…) than a hundred boys and girls can be seen running at dawn everyday. Each of these youth is (…45…) and serious and their coach is (…46…) that one of them will be a world champion. This seems like an idle (…47…) but it is virtually a guarantee in this small community (…48…) mainly farmers. Many of the fastest male and female distance runners in the world hail from this small town. A small handpainted sign which greets visitors outside Bekoji (…49…) “Welcome to the Village of Athletes”. Children here start running at an early age, (…50…) great distance to fetch water and firewood or to reach, school. At the Olympics, runners from this small town are likely to win more medals than those from developed countries. It will give their families a way out of poverty.

41. (A) accepted
(B) common
(C) alike
(D) similar
(E) popular
Ans : (B)

42. (A) alleviate
(B) forgot
(C) prevent
(D) reduce
(E) leave
Ans : (E)

43. (A) changes
(B) arrange
(C) control
(D) transform
(E) shift
Ans : (D)

44. (A) further
(B) more
(C) greater
(D) over
(E) larger
Ans : (B)

45. (A) concentrated
(B) rival
(C) focused
(D) playful
(E) performed
Ans : (C)

46. (A) convince
(B) optimist
(C) intended
(D) privilege
(E) confident
Ans : (E)

47. (A) boast
(B) suspicion
(C) risk
(D) worship
(E) precaution
Ans : (A)

48. (A) existing
(B) that
(C) comprising
(D) consisting
(E) for
Ans : (C)

49. (A) warn
(B) inform
(C) notices
(D) reads
(E) wish
Ans : (D)

50. (A) covering
(B) driving
(C) measuring
(D) following
(E) competing
Ans : (A)