yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com New Pattern English Practice Questions with Explanation Odd One Out in Sentence of Paragraph Direction (1-10): Ten statements are given below, labelled a, b, c, d and e Among these, four statements are in logical order and form coherent paragraph From the given options, choose the option the does not fit into the theme of the paragraph 1) a) To gain some perspective on the Centre’s decision to divest 25% of its stake in five public sector general insurers, consider these numbers b) Last year, the gross premium income of four of these companies - New India Assurance, United India Insurance, Oriental Insurance and National Insurance - increased by over 12% c) The companies whose stake would be offloaded, as per stock market watchdog Securities and Exchange Board of India’s listing norms, are The New India Assurance Company, United India Insurance Company, Oriental Insurance Company, National Insurance Company, and General Insurance Corporation of India d) But their profits after tax fell by more than half from a year earlier, from Rs.3,094 crore in 2014-15 to just Rs.1,499 crore in 2015-16 e) A closer scrutiny reveals that high underwriting losses, which increased 55% in the year, were largely responsible for profits falling at these firms even as revenues rose Answer: c) Explanation: Option c) is the one which is not part of the coherent paragraph as we see that other options are talking about the disinvestment in rebooting in public sector insurers But option c) is defining the list of five insurance companies 2) a) The world has turned the page on 2016 with the worrying revelation that it was the warmest year on the instrumental record since the late 19th century, and the hottest of three record-breaking years in a row b) While the rise in global average surface temperature by about 1.1º C last year over the pre-industrial era was aggravated by the El Nino phenomenon of 2015-16, the trend is a warning to all countries that they cannot afford to rely on carbon-intensive growth any longer c) Explaining the scientific view, NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies points to the rise in temperature as being driven “largely by increased carbon dioxide and other human-made emissions into the atmosphere.” d) The global average temperature last year was 1.69°Fahrenheit (0.94°C) above the 20th century average, and 0.07°F (0.04°C) warmer than in 2015, the last record-setting year, according to NOAA A separate analysis by the U.S space agency NASA also found that 2016 was the hottest on record e) The warming pattern must be seen in the context of declining sea ice cover in the Arctic, compounding the loss of ice sheets in Greenland and the Antarctic Answer: d) Explanation: Option d) is the one which is not part of the coherent paragraph as we see that other options are talking about the living in the place which is hotter in the world But option d) is defining the record of the hottest year 2016 3) a) Mr Obama said on Wednesday that he granted clemency to Ms Manning because she had gone to trial, taken responsibility for her crime and received a sentence that was harsher than other leakers have received b) Chelsea Manning, the American whistle-blower slapped with a 35-year sentence for leaking classified State Department documents to the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, has had her sentence commuted by the outgoing President, Barack Obama c) Earlier known as Bradley, she has gender dysphoria, is undergoing hormone therapy for gender reassignment, and has twice attempted suicide while being held at a men’s prison www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com d) She has served more than six years of her sentence and, assuming Mr Obama’s commutation is implemented, could hope to be freed by May 2017 e) Even as White House officials underscored that the 44th President had commuted the sentence, not pardoned her, and thus had not removed a federal crime from her record, Mr Obama insisted that “justice has been served” Answer: a) Explanation: Option a) is the one which is not part of the coherent paragraph as we see that other options are talking about the deserved commutation by Chelsea Manning But option a) is defining the defending by Obama over Chelsea Manning 4) a) The Tamil Nadu government may have had few political options but to go in for an ordinance to facilitate the conduct of jallikattu once the surge in popular sentiment in favour of the traditional bull-taming sport gathered an enormous, unstoppable momentum b) The State amendment to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, seeks to exempt jallikattu from the purview of the law c) With the implacable mass movement demanding a legal Explanation to overcome the judicial ban on jallikattu on the one side, and related litigation pending in the Supreme Court on the other, there was little that the Union government could have done on its own d) For the Centre to bring in an amendment would have incurred the wrath of the Supreme Court, which stayed a January 2016 notification and will rule on its validity soon e) Youths protesting at Tamukkam ground here are determined to continue with their agitation till permanent measures for the regular conduct of jallikattu are taken Answer: e) Explanation: Option e) is the one which is not part of the coherent paragraph as we see that other options are talking about the permanence of jallikattu But option e) is defining the about the protesters 5) a) President Xi Jinping’s message to the World Economic Forum in Davos was timely and perhaps visionary as well, in this time of extraordinary global uncertainty b) There is "no point in blaming economic globalisation for the world's problems," he said, saying that the process was not at the root of the Syrian refugee situation or the 2008 financial crisis c) It is no surprise if, as in the case of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s potential leadership of the Western alliance, questions have arisen at this juncture about Mr Xi’s willingness to take up cudgels on behalf of broader internationalism and against the rising tide of inward-looking nationalism d) His address at the opening plenary before captains of business and industry could not have been a more robust and reassuring defence of the current world economic order, perceived to be at its most fragile in the post-War era with the election of Donald Trump as U.S President e) Foremost is Mr Xi’s caution against attempts to prevent the free flow of goods, services, capital and people as running counter to the historical trend Answer: b) Explanation: Option b) is the one which is not part of the logical paragraph as we see that other options are talking about the conversation between President Xi Jinping and WEF But option b) is defining the message by Xi Jinping to the word 6) a) The split, and the retention of the election symbol, appear to have compensated in some measure for the party’s failings on the governance front over the last five years b) Mr Akhilesh Yadav is now able to seek a fresh mandate on his own terms; moreover, he can, with some degree of credibility, blame the shortcomings on the party’s old guard c) Also, an alliance with the Congress is now very much within the realm of possibility d) The Election Commission on Monday allotted the “bicycle” symbol to the Akhilesh faction of the Samajwadi Party as the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister enjoyed majority in the party’s organisational and legislative structures www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com e) Mr Mulayam Singh was averse to a tie-up, but Mr Akhilesh Yadav seems to enjoy a better rapport with the Congress leadership Answer: d) Explanation: Option d) is the one which is not part of the logical paragraph as we see that other options are talking about the communication that happened after the retention of election symbol But option d) is defining about the allocation of election symbol 7) a) The suspense over the timing of the Union Budget for 2017-18 finally ended on Monday with the Election Commission and the Supreme Court scotching calls, in the light of upcoming elections for five State Assemblies, to defer the February date proposed by the Centre b) The NDA government has been keen to abandon the tradition of presenting the next financial year’s Budget on the last working day of February, citing the potential benefits for the economy from faster spending of the approved public expenditure c) With a February-end Budget, transmission of funds, and thereby meaningful implementation, seldom starts before June, by which time the monsoon sets in d) This leaves just about two quarters to spend a whole year’s funding for projects involving physical infrastructure capacity-creation, for instance e) Noting that there is “nothing concrete” to back the notion that presentation of the annual budget can sway the minds of people during the State Assembly polls, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking the postponement of the Central budget till the Assembly elections in five States Answer: e) Explanation: Option e) is the one which is not part of the logical paragraph as we see that other options are talking about the budgeting in elections But option e) is defining about the budget before polling 8) a) Everybody loves a good protest — an orderly, self-limiting protest at iconic landmarks organised with state sanction and police protection b) But what began as a people’s protest on Chennai’s Marina beach against the ban on jallikattu quickly descended into chaos and confusion when the protesters stood their ground even after the government came up with a practical, legislative Explanation to the judiciary-imposed prohibition of the annual bull-taming ritual c) As the police resorted to force, violence broke out in several parts of Tamil Nadu d) Unfortunately, some in the police not only used excessive force but also tried to match the rioters in lawlessness by attacking two-wheelers and setting fire to auto rickshaws e) The State prepared itself for a shutdown on Friday as trade unions, traders, hoteliers and others in the service sector announced a dawn-to-dusk bandh in support Answer: e) Explanation: Option e) is the one which is not part of the logical paragraph as we see that other options are talking about the jallikattu protest and its ending But option e) is defining about the shutdown of power during the protest 9) a) The number of unemployed people in India is expected to rise by lakh in 2017 and another lakh in 2018, according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) b) The mismatch between the number of people who annually reach working age and the availability of jobs has been a matter of constant concern globally during the better part of the period since the global financial crisis of the last decade c) The International Labour Organisation’s latest forecast that a few more millions are set to join the pool of the jobless during this year and the next, is in line with its own previous estimates d) In any case, with the growth in global gross domestic product registering a six-year low in 2016, expectations of generation of new jobs were always going to be low www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com e) But a no-less-serious concern in the ‘World Employment and Social Outlook 2017’ pertains to the stubborn challenge of reducing the extent of vulnerability that currently affects about 42 per cent of the total working population Answer: a) Explanation: Option a) is the one which is not part of the logical paragraph as we see that other options are talking about the job market vagaries But option a) is defining about the jobless peoples in India 10) a) That India’s economic momentum has slowed down is now beyond doubt b) Advance GDP estimates and gross value added (GVA) for the current fiscal year from the Central Statistics Office clearly reveal the extent of the slowdown c) India’s gross domestic output is expected to grow at a slower pace of 7.1 per cent in 2016-17 compared to the 7.6 per cent clocked in the previous year, Chief Statistician TCA Anant said d) While GDP growth is now pegged at 7.1 per cent, compared with a 7.6 per cent pace in 2015-16, GVA is forecast to expand at per cent this year, easing from the 7.2 per cent posted 12 months earlier e) And as the Chief Statistician emphasised, these projections were based solely on data from the first seven months through October and not factor in the impact from the withdrawal of high-value banknotes and the consequent cash crunch Answer: c) Explanation: Option c) is the one which is not part of the logical paragraph as we see that other options are talking about the decreasing nature of economy But option c) is defining about the GDP growth Sentence Improvement Directions (11-20): Which of the words/phrases (a), (b), (c) and (d) given below should replace the words/phrases given in bold in the following sentences to make it meaningful and grammatically correct? If the sentence is correct as it is and ‘No correction is required’, mark (e) as the answer 11) In the U.S., German luxury brands has been succeeded in getting people who could once havethought the cars were out of their league towards buying and leasing some snazzy rides a) Has succeeded, once might have, in buying, leasing b) Have succeeded, should have once, for buying, leasing c) Have succeeded, might have once, to buy, lease d) Had succeeded, once should have, on the way to buy, leased e) No correction required 12) Denial of wages forced scientists and teachers at the agriculture universities throughout the country to go on strike, crippling crucial research that could help the state of agriculture in the country a) Strained, during, critical, condition b) Required, all over, vital, situation c) Worried, all through, essential, status d) Concerned, in the course of, important, position e) No correction required 13) After that the Tsunami had killed thousands of people beside the coasts of southern India; parliament approved a bill that proposed to set up an institutional mechanism to respond quickly to natural disasters a) Soon after, along, passed, promptly b) Later on, next to, accepted, swiftly c) Anon, alongside, permitted, rapidly d) In a while, adjacent to, established, punctually e) No correction required www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com 14) In an aim to boost their profits, many edible oil manufacturing companies have been engaging themselves in misinformation against commonly used oils and supporting exotic and expensive varieties of oils as more healthier options a) Effort to, making, party line, sustaining b) Plan to, creating, doctrine, encouraging c) Intend to, generating, cant, sponsoring d) Attempt to, producing, propaganda, promoting e) No correction required 15) During the days of the League when India's benefit were affected, such as in matters of trade or the place of Indians overseas, the Indian delegation did not falter to make known its autonomousposition, for what it was worth a) Advantage, situation of, vacillate to, sovereign b) Assistance, part of, dither to, hopeful c) Interests, position of, hesitate to, independent d) Support, state of, wane to, positive e) No correction required 16) Unless India and the US are signing a new extradition treaty or adjusting the existing one israther unclear, but there is no doubt that India's extradition requests have usually been turned by western democracies a) If, modifying, fairly, turned in b) Whether, amending, somewhat, turned down c) Because of, altering, a bit, turned up d) When, improving, not at all, turned on e) No correction required 17) When women are allowed to work in a profession of their choice, when they have access tofinancial services and when they are protected, by law, from domestic violence, they are not only economically empowered, they also live longer a) Permitted, contact to, confined, authorized b) Accepted, entrance to, cosseted, allowed c) Tolerated, way in, cramped, endorsed d) Established, aperture, curbed, certified e) No correction required 18) The force of technical improvement in armaments on man, have to be analyzed with a sanemind, and heart free from prejudices of any kind towards modernization a) Impact, advancement, needs to, rational b) Brunt, encroachment, wants to, coherent c) Collision, development, will, lucid d) Power, enlargement, should, cogent e) No correction required 19) The Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) approximates that America forgoes about $ 17 billion in retirement earnings annually as financial advisers suggest investments that generate profitablecommissions for themselves but shortchange their clients with high fees, not a hundred percentperformance and risky products a) Guessed, advocated, rewarding, not at best b) Calculated, advised, beneficial, in poor c) Educated, proposed, productive, meager d) Estimates, recommend, lucrative, below-par e) No correction required 20) The greater part of the poor remain in rural areas, and measures to rectify poverty must concentrate on striking both agricultural expansion and non-farm employment a) Majority, redress, enhancing, growth b) Most, correct, outstanding, development c) Large amount, resolve, prominent in, progress d) Mainstream, remedy, attraction in, enlargement e) No correction required Explanation: 11) Answer: c) Have succeeded – German luxury brands is plural So “have succeeded” will come Might have once – The sentence is explaining about the certainty i.e the people may or may not think about it So “might” will come To buy, lease – It will be the correct idiomatic www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com 12) Answer: e) Forced - produced or maintained with effort; Throughout – in every part of Crucial – decisive or critical, especially in the success or failure of something or of great importance State – the particular condition that someone or something is in at a specific time 13) Answer: a) Along - moving in a constant direction on Passed - approve or put into effect Promptly - with little or no delay 14) Answer: d) Attempt to - an act of trying to achieve something Producing - make or manufacture from components or raw materials Propaganda - information, especially of a biased or misleading nature Promoting - further the progress of (something, especially a cause, venture, or aim); support or actively encourage 15) Answer: c) Interests – the advantage or benefit of a person or group Position of – a place where someone or something is located or has been put Hesitate to - pause before saying or doing something, especially through uncertainty Independent - free from outside control; not depending on another's authority 16) Answer: b) Whether - expressing a doubt or choice between alternatives Amending - make minor changes in (a text) in order to make it fairer, Somewhat - to a moderate extent or by a moderate amount; Turned down - to decline to accept 17) Answer: e) Allowed - admit (an event or activity) as legal or acceptable Access to – a means of approaching or entering a place Protected - keep safe from harm or injury Empowered - give (someone) the authority or power to something 18) Answer: a) Impact – the action of one object coming forcibly into contact with another Advancement – the process of promoting a cause or plan Needs to – circumstances in which something is necessary, or that require some course of action; necessity Rational – based on or in accordance with reason or logic 19) Answer: d) Estimates – judgment of the value, number, quantity, or extent of something Recommend – put forward (someone or something) with approval as being suitable for a particular purpose or role Lucrative – producing a great deal of profit Below-par – better (or worse) than is usual or expected 20) Answer: a) Majority – the greater number Redress – remedy or compensation for a wrong or grievance Enhancing – intensify, increase, or further improve the quality, value, or extent of Growth - the process of increasing in physical size Fill Ups Directions (Q 21-30): In each of the following sentences there are two blank spaces Below each sentence there are four words denoted by numbers a), b), c) and d) Find out ONE word that to be fitted in both the sentences I and II to make it meaningfully complete In case no word is fit to these sentences, option 'e' is the answer 21) I The purpose of the audit is to all of the financial transactions made under the company umbrella to ensure fraud has not occurred II If you not _ your credit card statement each month, you may find yourself paying for charges you did not incur a) Scrutinize www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com b) c) d) e) Secure Analyze Intent None of the above fits to the sentence 22) I The 2000s saw the rise of commercially seeds created by trans-genesis, that is, the insertion of DNA from one species into another species II While there is a lot of institutional and financial support for other entertainment media; those who go into theatre generally have to struggle to make it a full-time job a) Alternative b) Successful c) Lucrative d) Viable e) None of the above fits to the sentence 23) I Environmental _ groups are upset at the government's plans to allow mining in the sensitive wilderness area II Maybe your approach is better for the of functional programming anyway makes it less intimidating a) Promotion b) Assertion c) Advocacy d) Support e) None of the above fits to the sentence 24) I The atmosphere outside the courtroom where the victim's parents the defendant's family was quite volatile but police were able to keep everything under control II The world is _ with environmental problems ranging from global warming to deforestation a) Exhausted b) Confronted c) Tackled d) Dealt e) None of the above fits to the sentence 25) I Leena recalled her long sad and severe look at those words and understood the meaning of the _ and despair in that protracted gaze II After learning the lawyer accepted a bribe, the committee decided to him and suspends his license a) Rebuke b) Censure c) Reproach d) Criticize e) None of the above fits to the sentence 26) I The presence of bedding or cleavage planes against the general slope reduces the for mass movements to grade the slope II Widening the differentials in the vehicle excise duty system could increase the to purchase very low emissions vehicles a) Character b) Quality c) Disposition d) Propensity e) None of the above fits to the sentence 27) I It's not uncommon to hide personal pain, because putting it on display for all to see can be embarrassing and even relationships II Those that so usually overeat at the next meal and _ the glycemic index and several other metabolismrelated factors a) Escalate b) Wreck c) Haunt d) Trouble e) None of the above fits to the sentence 28) I As a religious , we have to decide whether or not we want to merge with another church II Without hesitation, the brainwashed _ handed over their lifesavings to the cult leader www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com a) Staff b) Flock c) Congregation d) Audience e) None of the above fits to the sentence 29) I Since I had not studied for the exam, I was happy when the fire alarm went off in the _ of the test II In the of the strange surroundings he still preserved that air of knowing, and being master of, his fate, which was his chief attraction a) Nexus b) Midst c) Quagmire d) Position e) None of the above fits to the sentence 30) I A good leader will people to achieve their own forms of greatness rather than try to force them on a certain path II Even though I enjoy having you as a coworker, I you to accept the new job opportunity because it comes with a pay increase a) Exhort b) Weaken c) Sink d) Urge e) None of the above fits to the sentence Explanations: 21) Answer: a) Scrutinize - examine or inspect closely and thoroughly 22) Answer: d) Viable - capable of working successfully; feasible 23) Answer: c) Advocacy – public support for or recommendation of a particular cause or policy 24) Answer: b) Confronted – meet (someone or something) face to face with hostile or argumentative intent 25) Answer: a) Rebuke – an expression of sharp disapproval or criticism 26) Answer: d) Propensity – an inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way 7) Answer: e) Destabilize – upset the stability of; cause unrest in 28) Answer: c) Congregation – a group of people assembled for religious worship / a gathering or collection of people, animals, or things 29) Answer: b) Midst - the middle point or part 30) Answer: a) Exhort - strongly encourage or urge (someone) to something Sentence Filler Direction (Q 31 - 40): In each of the following questions, a short passage is given with one of the lines in the passage missing and represented by a blank Select the best out of the five answer choices given to make the passage complete and coherent 31) Indian officialdom has all but acknowledged what many suspected all along - that there is something amiss about the growth narrative _ The finance ministry expects a 50,000-crore shortfall in revenue collections, against the budgeted estimate of 14.5 lakh crore It has promised that the fiscal deficit target of 3.9 per cent of GDP will be adhered to, without serious cutbacks in expenditure a) But that may not be enough to spur investment, given the poor demand impulses, borne out by flat tractor and auto sales, and the stock of unsold homes www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com b) Indeed, while the Budget rightly prioritizes capital spending in infrastructure, setting aside some Rs 70,000 crore, it is worth considering whether a larger sum is needed to get the investment cycle going — even if this entails a small deviation from the fiscal deficit target c) There can be no better time than now to impart an intelligent, rather than populist, fiscal stimulus — with inflation under control and oil prices not posing pressures on the subsidy front d) A lowering of the projections made in the Economic Survey, from 8.1-8.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent, hardly comes as a surprise, given a 14 per cent deficient monsoon, persistently negative exports and indifferent industrial growth e) The RBI has “frontloaded” its rate cuts and is helping banks deal with stressed assets so that they can lend freely 32) For many years, the continent Africa remained unexplored and unknown The main reason was the inaccessibility to its interior region due to dense forests, wildlife, savage tribal, deserts and barren solid hills While others explored with the idea of expanding their respective empires, Livingstone did so to explore its vast and mysterious hinterland, rivers and lakes a) He was primarily religious man and a medical practitioner who tried to help mankind with it b) Livingstone was born in Scotland and was educated to become a doctor and priest c) He explored an unknown river in Western Luanda However, he was reduced to a skeleton during four years of travelling d) He discovered the origin of the River Nile in 1866 He again suffered many discomforts He became too sick and could not even walk e) Many people tried to explore the could not survive the dangers, David Livingstone is among those brave few who not only explored part of Africa but also lived among the tribals bringing them near to social milieu 33) _ Even the human body is a form of energy Call it prana or jivatma or simply vayu energy sustains the gross body and expresses it through sensory perceptions and the basic physical elements The three fundamental gunas- satvik, nijasik and tamasik which characterize the nature of the human being, very often in a combination, are further sub divided into many basic qualities commonly known as human values a) Energy is neither created nor destroyed; it is only recycled and recast in different forms b) Love, affection, integrity and truth, for instance, are values that are as important to life as breathing or eating c) Energy values are positive but in the course of practice and because they emanate from a mind that is susceptible to negative thoughts, they get corrupted d) Energy generates negativity and manifest in the form of tying cheating or causing others harm e) The very fact that human civilization has survived over centuries shows that despite all the negativity, the force of positive energy within all of us continues to expand and enrich 34) Over the next five years, India faces one of the world’s biggest financing challenges: bringing clean, affordable, reliable, water and energy to all, building the infrastructure for smart cities to thrive and investing in enterprises that will provide livelihoods for an extra 10 million jobseekers each year Through all of this and beyond, a sustainable financial system is both a necessity and an opportunity _ Actual practice suggests the reverse a) At IDFC, the business case for sustainable finance is real and multifaceted: reduced risk, increased market share, access to international finance, reduced reputational risks and enhanced brand value b) For too long, a myth has been allowed to take root in India that sustainability and finance are at odds – that taking account of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors raises costs, reduces returns and impedes development c) The fivefold increase in the country’s solar target to 100 GW of installed capacity by 2022 will require unprecedented volumes of investment, perhaps as much as $ 100 billion as per some estimates d) The Small Industries Development Bank of India has found, for example, that loans to energy – efficient companies have a much better loan recovery rate than the norm e) Sustainable finance is fundamentally about channeling capital to India’s real economy needs Take renewable 35) Central to the financial sector reforms would be the restructuring and financing of public sector banks (PSBs) _ Accordingly, it recommended that the minimum government holding in PSBs should be reduced from 51 per cent to 33 per cent It was argued that reducing the government holding to 33 per cent would not mean a loss of control over the social objectives of PSBs, but it would give a breather to these banks to meet minimum capital requirements a) The UPA government I and II swore by the 51 per cent minimum government holding and hence there was an impasse b) The Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission (2013) recommended a single Indian Financial Sector Code www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com c) The Narasimham Committee II on Banking Sector Reforms (1998) concluded that the fisc just could not meet the capital requirements of PSBs d) The pronouncements of the present BJP government, however, indicate that they would not deviate from the 51 per cent government holding in PSBs e) Under the NDA regime, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha made a valiant effort to get this recommendation accepted, but parliamentarians from his own party blocked the move 36) _ But the number of insured people is only around 20% which is very less compared to other countries There could be many reasons for this shortfall such as lack of awareness or the inability of companies to reach the masses But the government of India on its part has taken many steps to increase insurance penetration a) India with a population of over billion is the 2nd most populous country in the world b) The government has brought many reforms in the insurance sector, the above steps have helped more people to take up insurance policies c) In the coming years, we can be confident of seeing higher growth in insurance penetration among Indians d) The biggest step taken by the government in recent years was raising the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to 49% from the earlier 26% e) The amendment paved way for foreign insurance companies to start operations in India by partnering with existing entities & offer more products suited for Indian public 37) Capitalism is a great slave, but a pathetic master This truth unfortunately gets lost in our chase for that elusive dream Especially in the west, the land that has been marketed as the land of dreams - the great Western dream It’s the dream of being independent masters of our lives, of making big bucks and of being happy - even if that happiness is being bought by money, which all of them chase out there a) That is what has made the rest of the world mindlessly chase Westernism, not necessarily happiness or an ideal form of society b) All because the shop window looks very impressive and it has been marketed very well c) Thus, the shop window of Westernism looks lucidly attractive d) However, this has been achieved as a result of more than 200 years of unbridled growth and exploitation e) No doubt, the West, on its part, has been fairly successful in creating material comforts aplenty 38) A long-standing perspective on modernity - that a march toward it would lead progressively to lessening of religious and related affiliations – has been discredited over a period of time For example, even a product of the information revolution, the Internet, is used to hunt for marriage partners of a given caste Modern electoral politics is all about utilizing identities that predate this modernity for political gain a) We have assumed erroneously that we know what modernity is, thereby confusing its present character with what we wish it to be b) Confusing a wish with the reality on the ground might well be called the Great Nehruvian Conceit — we are all part of this c) It frequently goes back to the past and incorporates elements from long-forgotten eras into its unfolding present d) Modern technologies - such as television - feed growing religious appetites e) We have too easily assumed a linear narrative for modernity, even more so if we clearly observe that it consists of bits and pieces from different historical periods, and that it unfolds in a circular rather than linear manner 39) _ The vast majority of those who backed him, those who gave the BJP he led a clear mandate in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, bought his words of hope in to, and believed he could bring in much-needed change and put the country back on a trajectory of growth and development On the first anniversary, some of the promises remain as proposals and many others appear too remote with little or no chance of coming to fruition in the next four years a) As the previous Congress-led government ended its term entwined in scams and scandals, Mr Modi marketed himself as everything his predecessor Manmohan Singh was not, and sought to represent the varied aspirations of whole classes of people b) Having come to power on the strength of mega-promises centered on the prospect of ache din for all, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot but feel the weight of popular expectations on his government after an uneventful first year c) To the government’s credit, inflation is down d) PM Modi wanted to offer much more than a concrete programme of action; he wanted to present a vision of the future, a vision of India taking its place as an economic superpower in the first world www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com e) Falling international oil prices might have had a role as also the resoluteness of the Reserve Bank of India in not lowering interest rates, but the government kept a close watch on food prices 40) We today revel in the idea that we are living in a world of science and science can work wonders for us It is evident that science has revolutionized modern life What our forefathers, half a century ago, could not even dream of, we have that on our beck and call _ A button is pressed, the room gets flooded with light; the fan moves, the A.C Cools or warms the room, water is boiled or cooled even is frozen, eatables can be preserved for days a) Artificial limbs can be fitted into the disabled bodies, even kidneys, and hearts are being performed b) Means of communication- The fax, The E-mail, The mobile smart phones are really wonderful means given to us by science c) Electricity is a wonder and what it is doing would have appeared to be a fairy tale for our forefathers d) Human labor has been minimized but that has led to a more luxurious living and lens of physical activity e) The worlds is getting exposed to the situations of great alarms and dangers GMOs are good for some crops and not so for others Wild varieties cannot be allowed to go extinct Explanation: 31) Answer: d) Option d) is correct answer since in the beginning of the passage it is explaining about the worst case of the economic situation So, option d) is explaining about negative growth of economic condition while others are explaining the ways to improve the economic state 32) Answer: e) Option e) is correct answer since in the beginning of the passage it is explaining about the Africa and its region So, option e) will give a coherent passage since others are describing about Livingstone 33) Answer: a) Option a) is correct answer since in the paragraph is explaining about the Energy So, option a) will be perfect choice for starting the passage 34) Answer: b) Option b) is correct answer since in the paragraph is describing about the financial status So, option a) is opt for the blank since it explains the myth of the financial situation and makes the paragraph complete 35) Answer: c) Option c) is correct answer since in the paragraph is giving details about the reformation of PSBs So, option c) is fit to the blank and makes the paragraph coherent 36) Answer: a) Option a) is correct answer since the paragraph gives details insurance scheme among people So, option a) will be a perfect sentence for starting the passage since it describe about the people which is followed in next sentence 37) Answer: e) Option e) is correct answer since the passage gives some facts about capitalism So, option e) will be a correct option for that blank since it makes the paragraph meaningful 38) Answer: d) Option d) is correct answer since the passage explains about the modernity So, option d) will be correct answer since it makes the paragraph coherent which gives the continuation of previous sentence 39) Answer: b) Option b) is correct answer since in the paragraph is describing about the development that was done during the past year by PM Narendra Modi So, option b) is a correct sentence which gives correct starting for the paragraph 30) Answer: c) Option c) is correct answer since in the paragraph is giving details about technology improvement in science So, option c) is exact sentence which makes the paragraph meaningful Error Spot Directions (41-50): Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in it The error, if any, will be in one or more sentence Then choose the sentence(s) without error as your answer If there is error in all the sentences, then your answer is E (Ignore the errors of punctuation, if any.) 41) A Locke's treatises on government toleration and education show a mind fully awake in the possibilities of social reconstruction B A large scale exchange of nuclear weapons will produce unprecedented amounts of radiation that can penetrate into the biological tissue www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com C The person who was recommended for the position did not fulfill the prescribed qualifications D The presumption that the average investor does not understand or take interest in the affairs of the company is not correct a) Only A b) Only D c) Both A & C d) Both C & D e) None of the sentence is correct 42) A At the moment the house was burgled the family attended a night party in the neighborhood B Though he stoutly persisted in denying his involvement in the case, the facts made it very clear that he had hand in the cruel murder of his wife C There was very heavy rain last night, and the rivers have overflown their banks causing severe hardship to the people living by them D Scarcely had I finished washing the car than the master came and asked me to clean the floor of the house a) Only B b) Only A c) Both B & C d) Both C & D e) None of the sentence is correct 43) A Few scientists have changed people's ideas as much as Darwin with his Theory of Evolution B The meeting adjourned abruptly by the Chairman after about three hours of deliberation C Another reason for pharmaceutical companies beefing up their OTC (Over the Country) divisions is that prescription drugs with proven safety records which have been reached the end of the their patent protection period are allowed to be sold without a prescription D Last month we celebrated the wedding of our sister for whom we have been looking for a suitable alliance for three years a) Only B b) Only A c) Both A & C d) Both C & B e) None of the sentence is correct 44) A Unless you stop making noise at once I will have no option but to bring the matter to the attention of the police B Since India gained Independence 49 years ago much progress has been made in almost every field C He wanted to work all night but we saw that he was completely worn out and so we persuaded him to stop D The party chief made it a point to state that the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister should also come and they see what his party men had seen a) Only A b) Only D c) Both A & B d) Both C & D e) None of the sentence is correct 45) A This questions force us to face the unpleasant truth that the policies of social justice have reached a dead end B The judge advised the government to have metered auto rickshaws across the state while recounting his personal experience where an auto- rickshaw driver made him to wait and also demanded Rs 100 C India’s largest corporate house may be forced to review the selection parameters after struggling to shortlist potential candidates for the past eight months D Australian scientists have developed a new anti-venom treatment that could save household pets from deadly snakebites a) Only C b) Only D c) Both A & B d) Both C & D e) None of the sentence is correct 46) A Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will leave for New Delhi on Friday evening to attend the Inter-State Council meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi the previous day B Besides, the jallikattu ban is hardly enforceable as benign cultural practices enjoying widespread support can’t be curbed through fiat www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com C Astronomers have found two exo-planet that are potentially habitable, as they not have hydrogen-dominated atmospheres that smother life D Researchers have discovered that a deadly bacteria, which can be picked up by a simple sniff, can travel to the brain and spinal cord in just 24 hours a) Only B b) Only A c) Both B & D d) Both C & D e) None of the sentence is correct 47) A The idea ought to be to move to a competitive market price rather then a distorted subsidized price that is perverse incentive for arbitrage and artificial shortages B The broker plays an important part as a matchmaker enabling buyer and seller to agree to terms which would spark a transaction C Other investments planned in sectors like public transport (namely, low-floor buses) and railways also need to be expediting to reap immediate benefits D A good broker is aware that without strong logistics support, transactions could take longer to transpire, in some cases might never happen a) Only A b) Only B c) Both A & B d) Both C & D e) None of the sentence is correct 48) A With theatrics such as these, both the Government and the Opposition have left an question hanging in the politically charged air: what was the point? B It also failed to end the session on a note of federal cooperation to set on the shift to Budget day to February from next year C With the Opposition parties mustering all its disruptive tactics to stall the functioning of both Houses, insisting on maximalist demands on just how the debate on demonetization should be structured, hopes for any substantive work had diminished D Basic self-interest demands that government and opposition avert the possibility for the Budget session meeting the same fate as this one a) Only C b) Only D c) Both A & B d) Both C & D e) None of the sentence is correct 49) A My all hopes were dashed to the ground when I came to know that my son had fallen in bad company B Although he only earns eight hundred rupees a month, he manages to support his family adequately C Though the first portion of the book was dull, but the later part was quite interesting D The current economic scenario could possibly undo the growth that had followed the economic liberalization of 1991 a) Only D b) Only A c) Both A & B d) Both C & D e) None of the sentence is correct 50) A The Renaissance was a time to ‘reawakening’ in both the arts and the sciences B While luminaries of the dance world have a dearth of opportunities to display their art upcoming dancers suffer from an unfortunate lack of exposure C Motivating employees with traditional authority and financial incentives have become increasingly difficult D Our neighbors would have repeated the same illogical sequence of activities if we had not brought the facts to their notice a) Only B b) Only D c) Both B & D d) Both C & D e) None of the sentence is correct Explanation: www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE NAMAKKAL | www.ibpsguide.com 41) Answer: d) In A, replace ‘awake in’ by ‘alert to’; In B, remove “into”; 42) Answer: e) In A, remove “at”; In B, replace ‘hand’ by “involved”; In C, replace ‘overflown’ by “overflowed”; In D, replace ‘ than’ by “when” 43) Answer: b) In B, ‘adjourned abruptly’ should be replaced by “was abruptly adjourned”; In C, remove ‘been’; In D, replace ‘have’ by “had” 44) Answer: c) In C, replace by ‘was completely’ by “had completely been”; In D, remove ‘they’ 45) Answer: a) In A, Use “These” in place of ‘This’; In B, ‘made him to wait’ should be replaced by “made him wait”; In D, replace “could” with “can”; 46) Answer: c) In A, it should be “the next day” instead of “the previous day” Because first part of sentence is in future tense so meeting should be held on the next day; In C, it should be “exo-planets” instead of “exo-planet” 47) Answer: b) In A, Replace “then” with “than” - Rather…than is correct sequence; In C, Replace “expediting” with “expedited”; In D, Replace “might” with “may” 48) Answer: e) In A, it should be “a question” instead of ‘an question’; In B, Replace “on” with “up”; In C, it should be “their” instead of ‘its’; In D, Replace “for” with “of”; 49) Answer: a) In A, Put ‘all’ before ‘my’; In B, Change the position of ‘only’ Put it before ‘eight hundred rupees’; In C, Substitute ‘but’ by ‘yet’ or delete ‘but’; 50) Answer: d) In A, “of” should come instead of ‘to’; In B, “no” should come in place of ‘a’ www.ibpsguide.com www.ibpsguide.in www.sscexamguide.com mock.ibpsguide.in ... utilizing identities that predate this modernity for political gain a) We have assumed erroneously that we know what modernity is, thereby confusing its present character with what we wish it to be... about it So “might” will come To buy, lease – It will be the correct idiomatic www .ibpsguide. com www .ibpsguide. in www.sscexamguide.com mock .ibpsguide. in yoursmahboob.wordpress.com BASE INSTITUTE... vehicles a) Character b) Quality c) Disposition d) Propensity e) None of the above fits to the sentence 27) I It' s not uncommon to hide personal pain, because putting it on display for all to see