English & General Awareness - 5 - SSC CGL MCQ

The correct answer is 'Gold.​'

Key Points

• Let us explore the last sentences of the first and last paragraphs:
  • " All along the way they traded the goods of the north such as fur, amber, iron and walrus tusks for goods they needed from other places. They also traded in slaves. Eventually, Viking traders obtained a great deal of trade silver and Arabic coins, which they used to buy goods.​"
• ​The passage conveys that all along the way, they traded northern goods like fur, amber, iron, and walrus tusks for goods they needed from other places." Slaves were also trafficked. Viking traders eventually got a large amount of trade silver and Arabic coins, which they used to purchase commodities.
• There is no mention of trade in Gold by the Vikings.
• Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

The correct answer is 'The power of nature'.

Key Points

• The sharks represent natural forces that challenge the old man's efforts, symbolizing the unpredictable and often overwhelming power of nature.
• Despite the old man's experience and determination, the sharks still succeed in taking a bite of his prize, illustrating nature's dominance.
• The struggle with the sharks underscores the theme that humans, despite their strengths and skills, are still vulnerable to nature’s power.
• The encounter with the sharks was a stark reminder of the ocean's dangers and the old man's smallness in comparison to the vast natural world.
• The old man’s inability to completely protect the marlin from the sharks highlights the persistent and uncontrollable aspects of nature.
• Nature's power is indifferent to human endeavor, as shown by the old man's struggle to preserve his catch.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

Additional Information

• The inevitability of death: This option suggests that the sharks symbolize a certain end, but the passage focuses more on the immense challenge posed by nature rather than death itself.
• The strength of the human spirit: While the old man's determination is notable, the sharks' role emphasizes nature's might rather than his resilience.
• The futility of human endeavor: This option implies total defeat and purposelessness, whereas the story acknowledges both achievement and struggle against natural forces.

The correct answer is It emphasizes his experience and wisdom.

Key Points

• Santiago is described as an old man who has been fishing for many years. His age and experience give him a deep understanding of the sea and its creatures. He knows where to find the fish, how to catch them, and how to survive in the harsh environment of the sea. His age also gives him a sense of perspective and patience that allows him to endure the long periods of waiting and the difficult battles with the fish.
• Throughout the story, Santiago's age is not portrayed as a weakness or limitation, but rather as a source of strength and wisdom. The other fishermen in the village may mock him for his age and lack of recent success, but Santiago's knowledge and experience ultimately prove to be invaluable in his battle with the marlin.
• In addition to emphasizing Santiago's experience and wisdom, his age also underscores his perseverance and determination. Despite his age and physical limitations, Santiago refuses to give up on his dream of catching a big fish. His age serves as a reminder that it is never too late to pursue one's goals and that determination and perseverance can overcome even the greatest challenges.
• Thus, option 2 is the correct answer.

The correct answer is The importance of perseverance.

Key Points

• The story is about an old fisherman named Santiago who has gone for 84 days without catching a fish. Despite this, he continues to persevere and go out to sea each day. On the 85th day, he finally catches a giant marlin, but the fish is so large that it drags him out to sea and he must battle it for three days.
• Throughout the ordeal, Santiago refuses to give up, even when he is exhausted and in pain.
• The story highlights the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity. Santiago's determination and endurance are central to the story, and it is through his perseverance that he is able to catch the marlin and return home with dignity.
• The story suggests that success often requires hard work and determination, even in the face of difficult circumstances.
• Thus, option 3 is the correct answer.

The correct answer is He develops a deep respect and admiration for the marlin.

Key Points

• The old man, experienced and knowledgeable about the sea, recognizes the marlin's strength and endurance.
• During the three-day struggle, the old man doesn't express frustration or anger; instead, he demonstrates perseverance and respect.
• The passage describes the old man's determination and effort to catch the marlin, indicating admiration for the marlin's tenacity.
• The old man's actions, such as not eating or sleeping for three days, highlight his commitment and respect for the challenge posed by the marlin.
• There is no indication of indifference; the old man is deeply involved in the struggle and invested in the outcome.
• The old man's focus is on catching the fish, not on revenge or anger, emphasizing a respectful battle rather than a vendetta.

Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.

The correct answer is 'Dim'.

Key Points

• The most appropriate antonym of the word 'Luminous' is 'Dim'.
• Luminous: that shines in the dark. (अँधेरे में चमकने वाला)
  • Example: a luminous watch...
• Dim: not bright or easy to see; not clear. (मंद, धुँधला, अस्‍पष्‍ट)
  • Example: The light was too dim to read.

Correct Answer: Dim.

Additional Information

• Let's look at the meaning of other words:
  • Hunched: to bend your back and shoulders forward into a round shape. (पीठ और कंधों को गोलाकार आगे की ओर झुकाना, कूबड़ निकालकर चलना या बैठना)
  • Simple: easy to understand, do or use; not difficult or complicated. (समझने, करने या प्रयोग करने में आसान, सुबोध, सुकर; कठिन या जटिल नहीं, सरल)
  • Homespun: simple and unsophisticated. (सरल और अपरिष्कृत)

The correct answer is option 3) i.e. 'I say to him, "I will talk to the doctor about your health and take an appointment."'

Key Points

• The given sentence is in Indirect Speech. As per the given directions, we have to change it into Direct Speech.
• The process of transformation is as follows:
• The conjunction 'that' will be removed and comma and inverted commas will be added.
• In the direct speech 'tell' will be changed into 'say to' because reporting verb has an object, 'him.'
• The direct speech will begin like 'I say to him.'
• Now, let's focus on the reported speech.
• 'his health' will be changed into 'your health.'
• Here, 'I will talk to the doctor' is in the future indefinite tense and will remain the same.
• Finally, the direct speech is 'I say to him, "I will talk to the doctor about your health and take an appointment."'
• ​So, the correct answer is option 3.

Correct Sentence: I say to him, "I will talk to the doctor about your health and take an appointment."

The correct answer is "Enummerate".

Key Points

• Let's explore the options:
  • 'Enummerate': There is no such word in English or we can say that there is some spelling mistake in this word.

    The correct spelling is 'Enumerate' (गिनती करना), which means to name a list of things separately, one by one.

  • 'Dislike' (नापसन्द) means the feeling of not liking somebody/something.

    • Example: He dislikes being interviewed.

  • 'Sincere' (ईमानदार) means (used about a person) really meaning or believing what you say; not pretending.

    • Example: She has a sincere interest in painting.

  • 'Adore' (पसंदीदा) means to love someone very much, especially in a way that shows a lot of admiration or respect, or to like something very much:

    • Example: She also realizes how much she adores and still wants her mother.

Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

Additional Information

• The synonyms of the word 'Enumerate' is add (up), tally, total.
• Example of 'Enumerate' in a sentence:
  • Example: The teacher asked the students to enumerate the various after-effects of Industrial Revolution.

The correct answer is CBAD

Key Points

From the context of the sentence, we can see that it is talking about a report on the oil-related catastrophe that happened in Assam and the effect it had on the ecosystems.

• Let's look at the meaning of the words:

• Now let's assume that the emboldened words in the sentence are replaced by blanks:
  • A new report _________the damage ________by an oil disaster in Assam’s Baghjan village stated that _________even 70-80% of the __________ecosystems would take at least a decade.
• All the blanks require a verb, but the tense and the implication of the action matters here.
• The first blank must refer to an action that can be carried out by a report i.e. an inanimate object.
  • 'Convalesce' refers to the act of healing, thus it is something that a report cannot do or is not made with the objective of doing.
• The third blank must represent an action that can be carried out by the 'ecosystems' in Assam.
  • 'Gauging' means to assess something or understand the intensity of it, and this is not something that is usually associated with an 'ecosystem' and is not something that would usually take 10 years i.e. a decade.
• Hence, the terms 'gauging' and 'convalescing' need to be interchanged in order to make the sentence contextually and grammatically correct.

The correct sentence will be: A new report gauging the damage wreaked by an oil disaster in Assam’s Baghjan village stated that convalescing even 70-80% of the desecrated ecosystems would take at least a decade.

The correct answer is: Only A and C

Key Points

• Statement A:​
  • "Wolf pack" is a collective noun and it sounds like a plural subject.
  • But when all the members of a collective noun are performing an action as a unit, we use a singular verb.
  • In this given sentence "hunting" is an action.
  • Therefore, the sentence is grammatically correct.
• ​Statement B:
  • The word "cattle" is a plurale tantum.
  • A plurale tantum is a noun that appears only in the plural form and does not have a singular variant for referring to a single object.
  • So, Cattle can only be used in the plural and not in the singular.
  • The verb form "is" must replace by "are" to agree with the subject.
  • Therefore, the statement is grammatically incorrect.
  • The correct sentence should be: The cattle are grazing in the ground.
• Statement C:
  • Some nouns are singular in meaning, but they are used as plural nouns and always take a plural verb.
  • Police is a noun that describes a collection of police officers.
  • This means it has no singular form and always uses a plural verb.
  • The verb form (have) agrees with the subject in this sentence.
  • Hence, the statement is grammatically correct.

Therefore, the correct answer is: Option 3, Only A and C

The correct answer is: Option 2 i.e. bury.

Key Points

• The word "exhume" means to dig out something from the ground, especially a corpse. (खोद निकालना)
  • Example: The archaeologists exhumed ancient artifacts from the burial site.
• "Bury" refers to placing something in the ground and covering it with earth, typically a corpse. (दफनाना)
  • Example: They decided to bury the time capsule in the schoolyard.
• Hence, we can infer that the opposite of 'exhume' is 'bury'.

Therefore, the correct answer is: Option 2 i.e. bury.

Additional Information

Here are the other options explained along with their Hindi meanings and example sentences:

• Unearth (खोजना): To discover something hidden, lost, or kept secret by investigation or searching.
  • Example: The detective managed to unearth crucial evidence in the case.
• Dig (खोदना): To break up and move earth with a tool or machine, or to make a hole in the ground.
  • Example: We need to dig a hole for the new tree.
• Build (निर्माण करना): To construct by putting parts or materials together.
  • Example: They plan to build a new bridge over the river.

The word “guilletine” has been misspelled.
The correct spelling of the word is “guillotine”.
The other words are correctly spelled.
Macabre: Gruesome; gory
Dandy: a man unduly concerned with looking stylish and fashionable; fop
Guillotine: an apparatus designed for efficiently carrying out executions by beheading
Innocuous: harmless
Hence, option C is the correct answer.

“If in the administration of justice, we feel some people have to be transferred, the Collegium does so…” and “…collegium recommendations for appointment to the higher judiciary...”
It is clear that the collegium is responsible for the transfer of judges. They also recommend candidates for the position of judges in higher judiciaries, which is to be cleared by the government. It is implied that when cleared by the government, the collegium appoints these judges to their new positions.
Option D is hence the correct answer.

“Honestly, in this the role of the government is very limited.”
Since the government’s part in the appointment of the judges is very small, the process of clearing the collegium’s recommendations should be quick.
Option D is hence the correct answer.

1^st paragraph, 2^nd sentence
The duty of the state is not only to protect life and liberty but goes further, to enable the people to live in a measure of physical and mental comfort.
The above statement clearly indicates that to take care of the overall social welfare of the people is the duty of state.
Hence, option C is the correct answer.

1^st paragraph, 3^rd sentence
Democracy is a government by the citizens themselves.
There is a difference between citizens and electorate. Any person either below or above the age of 18 yrs. is citizen, but the electorate is the person above 18 yrs. of age. Thus, option A stands cancelled.
1^st paragraph, 8^th sentence
In mature democracies, a person who changes his party affiliation or crosses the floor, seldom gets re-elected by the electorate. They do not trust him to stand firm by the policies and programmes proposed by him. In India a person who was in the Congress Government and immediately thereafter in the Janata Government and then in Chandrashekhar Government was re-elected and came once again into the Congress Government!
The above statements denote a contradiction between indian democracy and mature democracy.
Thus, option B is also eliminated.
Similarly, option C is also contradicted here, which says that leaders changing their political party face hurdle in getting re-elected.
2^nd paragraph, 8t^h sentence

The given sentence is in ‘simple past tense’ which changes as follows from active to passive voice:
(Subject + verb 2 + object) -> (Object + was/were+ verb 3+ by + subject)
Also, when ‘enter’ means ‘get in a place’, it takes no preposition with it.
Following this rule, option A is correct.
Hence, option A is the correct answer.

In the given sentence, option A contains error.
Whenever a sentence begins with ‘it’s time’ and is followed by a subject, then use of ‘verb 2’ should be done in the sentence instead of ‘verb 1.’
‘It’s time you got’ should be used in place of ‘It’s time you should get.’
Hence, option A is the correct answer.

The given sentence is in ‘simple past tense’ which changes as follows from active to passive voice:
(Subject + verb 2 + object) -> (Object + was/were+ verb 3+ by + subject)
Also, when ‘enter’ means ‘get in a place’, it takes no preposition with it.
Following this rule, option C is correct.
Hence, option C is the correct answer.

The correct answer is Santhal Rebellion.

Key Points

Santhal Rebellion:

• Among the numerous tribal revolts, the Santhalhool or uprising was the most massive one.
• The Santhal, who lived in the area between Bhagalpur and Rajmahal, known as Daman-i-Koh, rose in revolt; made a determined attempt to expel the outsiders- the dikus- and proclaimed the complete ‘annihilation’ of the alien regime.
• With the introduction of permanent settlement in Bengal in 1793, the Santhals were employed as labourers with the promise of wages or rent-free lands.
• However, they were forced to become agricultural serfs, exploited at will.
• The first rebellion of messianic character erupted in 1854 under Bir Singh of Sasan in Lachimpur.
• The second Santhal rebellion of 1855-56 was marked by some of the worst features of elemental tribal passion and open denunciation of British rule.
• The rebellion covering the districts of Birbhum,

The correct answer is The President of India.

Key Points

• The Speaker is chosen by newly elected Members of Parliament from the Lok Sabha.
• The Speaker should be someone who knows how the Lok Sabha works and is respected by both the government and opposition parties.
• MPs nominate a candidate for Protem Speaker. The President of India is notified of these names.
• The election date is announced by the President's adviser, the Secretary-General and is fixed by President. Hence option 1) is correct.
• The Speaker is elected without a formal vote if just one name is presented.
• A division (vote) is called if more than one nomination is received. On a date set by the President, MPs vote for their candidate.
• The winner of the election becomes the Speaker of the Lok Sabha until the next general election.
• All Lok Sabha Speakers have been elected so far.

The correct answer is option 2.

Key Points

• Parallel Governments during Quit India Movement:
  • ​Apart from mass agitations and violent actions during the Quit India Movement people in various states besieged temporary control over a number of towns, cities and villages.
  • In some places, they successfully established autonomous governments.
  • These governments might not have survived for long, but they bore the evidence of the capability of the Indians to manage government and administration on their own.
  • They demonstrated that the people of India were prepared to carry forward the fight for independence.
  • Four major parallel governments were established in Balliya (Uttar Pradesh), Tamluk (Bengal), Satara (Maharashtra) and Talcher(Orissa).

Additional Information

• Quit India Movement:
  • ​On 8th August 1942, Mahatma Gandhi gave a clarion call to end British rule and launched the Quit India Movement at the session of the All-India Congress Committee in Mumbai.
  • Gandhiji gave the call “Do or Die” in his speech delivered at the Gowalia Tank Maidan, now popularly known as August Kranti Maidan.
  • The slogan ‘Quit India’ was coined by Yusuf Meherally, a socialist and trade unionist who also served as Mayor of Mumbai.

The correct answer is Claudia Goldin.

In News

• Nobel Economics Prize 2023 awarded to Claudia Goldin for work on women’s labour market outcomes

Key Points

• The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences 2023, officially known as The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel has been awarded to Claudia Goldin “for having advanced our understanding of women’s labour market outcomes.”
• Over the years, spanning from 1969 to 2022, a total of 54 Nobel Prizes in Economic Sciences have been awarded.
• Out of 92 laureates, 25 have had the honour of receiving this prestigious award as sole recipients
• Goldin becomes the third woman to be acknowledged in this field

The correct answer is Coelenterata.

Key Points

• Hydra is an example of the phylum Coelenterata.
• Coelenterates are a group of animals that have radial symmetry, a gastrovascular cavity, and stinging cells called nematocysts.
• Hydras are small, freshwater animals that have cylindrical body with tentacles around their mouth.
• They feed on small animals that they capture with their tentacles.
• Hydras reproduce both sexually and asexually.
• Hydras have radial symmetry, which means that they have the same number of parts arranged around a central axis from any point.
• Hydras have a gastrovascular cavity, which is a single cavity that serves both for digestion and for circulation.
• Hydras have stinging cells called nematocysts, which they use to capture prey.
• Hydras are small, freshwater animals.
• Hydras reproduce both sexually and asexually.

Important Points

The correct answer is Vote on account.

Key Points

• The interim budget is approved before the vote-on-account.
• In the little time before the elections, it enables the government to cover its expenses.
• Unlike a full budget, which is approved only after talks, the vote-on-account is approved as a convention without any debate.
• Similar to a grant-in-advance, it enables the government to run smoothly up until the votes on grant requests, the approval of the Finance Bill, and the passage of the Appropriations Bill.
• This grant's amount represents 1/6th of the projected annual expenses for all grant requests combined. Typically, the vote-on-account is good for two months. For a whole year, the budget is in effect.
• While an interim budget covers both receipts and expenditures, a vote-on-account solely includes government spending.
• For the entire fiscal year, a normal budget is published. When the government lacks the time to provide a comprehensive budget or there are upcoming general elections, an interim budget is presented.
• R K Shanmukham Chetty, who was the finance minister at the time, presented the first interim budget (from August 15, 1947, to March 31, 1948). Since the Constituent Assembly's budget was no longer in effect after the country was divided, the interim budget was approved.

The correct answer is Black soil

Key Points

• Chemically, the black soils are rich in lime, iron, magnesia, and alumina.
• They also contain potash.
• But they lack phosphorous, nitrogen, and organic matter.
• The color of the soil ranges from deep black to grey.
• Black soil covers most of the Deccan Plateau which includes parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and some parts of Tamil Nadu.
• In the upper reaches of the Godavari and the Krishna, and the Northwestern part of the Deccan Plateau, the black soil is very deep.
• These soils are also known as the ‘Regur Soil’ or the ‘Black Cotton Soil’.
• The black soils are generally clayey, deep, and impermeable.
• They swell and become sticky when wet and shrink when dried.
• So, during the dry season, these soil develop wide cracks.
• Thus, there occurs a kind of ‘self-plowing’.

Additional Information

Arid soil

• Arid soils range from red to brown in color.
• They are generally sandy in structure and saline in nature.
• In some areas, the salt content is so high that common salt is obtained by evaporating the saline water.
• Due to the dry climate, high temperature, and accelerated evaporation, they lack moisture and humus.
• Nitrogen is insufficient and the phosphate content is normal.

Laterite soil

• Laterite has been derived from the Latin word ‘Later’ which means brick.
• The laterite soils develop in areas with high temperatures and high rainfall.
• These are the result of intense leaching due to tropical rains.
• With rain, lime and silica are leached away, and soils rich in iron oxide and aluminum compounds are left behind.
• The Humus content of the soil is removed fast by bacteria that thrive well in high temperatures.

Alluvial soil

• Alluvial soils are widespread in the northern plains and the river valleys.
• These soils cover about 40 percent of the total area of the country.
• They are depositional soils, transported and deposited by rivers and streams.
• Through a narrow corridor in Rajasthan, they extend into the plains of Gujarat.
• In the Peninsular region, they are found in deltas on the east coast and in the river valleys.

The correct answer is Nucleoid and Chromatin.

Key Points

• The genetic material of prokaryotes and eukaryotes is DNA.
• DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) combines to form the polynucleotides and thus form the chromosomes.
• Prokaryotes do not contain a well-defined nucleus. It has nucleoids inside the cell.
• It is this nucleoid that contains its genetic material.
• Eukaryotes have true nuclei.
• Its nucleus represent chromatin.
• The chromatin consists of DNA and proteins.
• Nucleoid and Chromatin correctly represent the genetic material in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.

Additional Information

Mrinalini Sarabhai has trained over 18,000 students in Bharatnatyam and Kathakali
Hence, option D is correct.

The Swadeshi movement was a self-sufficiency movement that was part of the Indian independence movement and contributed to the development of Indian nationalism. Before the BML Government's decision for the partition of Bengal was made public in December 1903, there was a lot of growing discontentment among the Indians. In response the Swadeshi movement was formally started from Town Hall, Calcutta on 7 August 1905 to curb foreign goods by relying on domestic production.
Hence option B is correct.

Glycogen is a polysaccharide of glucose that serves as a form of energy storage in fauna kingdom.It is a readily mobilized storage form of glucose. It is polymer of glucose residues that can be broken down to yield glucose molecules when energy is needed. Most of the glucose residues in glycogen are linked by α-1, 4-glycosidic bonds.
Hence option B is correct.