SSC CGL Previous Year Questions: Reading Comprehension - 4 - SSC CGL MCQ

DIRECTIONS: In question, you have a brief passage with 5 questions. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each questions out of the four alternatives and mark it by black ening the appropriate oval
"Something is very wrong. "says  the detective. "I know!" says Ms. Gervis. "It is wrong that someone has stolen from me!" The detective looks around Ms. Gervis' apartment. "That is not what I am talking about, ma'am. What is wrong is that I do not understand how the robber got in and out." Ms. Gervis and the detective stand in silence. Ms. Gervis' eyes are full of tears. Her hands are shaking. "The robber did not come through the window," says the detective. "These windows have not been opened or shut in months." The detective looks at the fireplace. "The robber did not squeeze down here."
The detective walks to the front door. He examines the latch. "And since there are no marks or scratches, the robber definitely did not try to or scratches, the robber definitely did not try to break the lock." " I have no idea how he did it." says a bothered Ms. Gervis. "It is a big mystery." "And you say the robber stole nothing else?" asks the detective. "No money, no jewellery, no crystal?" That's right, detective. He took only what was important to me," Ms. Gervis says with a sigh. "There is only one thing I can do now." And what is that?" the detective asks with surprise. "I will stop baking cakes," Ms. Gervis says. "They are mine to give away. They are not for someone to steal." "You can't do that!" says the detective with alarm. "Who will bake those delicious cakes?" "I am sorry. I do not know," says Ms. Gervis, "I must solve this case immediately!" says the detective.       (SSC CHSL 2014)

Q. What does the expression 'her hands are shaking' mean here?

DIRECTIONS: In question, you have a brief passage with 5 questions. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each questions out of the four alternatives and mark it by black ening the appropriate oval
"Something is very wrong. "says  the detective. "I know!" says Ms. Gervis. "It is wrong that someone has stolen from me!" The detective looks around Ms. Gervis' apartment. "That is not what I am talking about, ma'am. What is wrong is that I do not understand how the robber got in and out." Ms. Gervis and the detective stand in silence. Ms. Gervis' eyes are full of tears. Her hands are shaking. "The robber did not come through the window," says the detective. "These windows have not been opened or shut in months." The detective looks at the fireplace. "The robber did not squeeze down here."
The detective walks to the front door. He examines the latch. "And since there are no marks or scratches, the robber definitely did not try to or scratches, the robber definitely did not try to break the lock." " I have no idea how he did it." says a bothered Ms. Gervis. "It is a big mystery." "And you say the robber stole nothing else?" asks the detective. "No money, no jewellery, no crystal?" That's right, detective. He took only what was important to me," Ms. Gervis says with a sigh. "There is only one thing I can do now." And what is that?" the detective asks with surprise. "I will stop baking cakes," Ms. Gervis says. "They are mine to give away. They are not for someone to steal." "You can't do that!" says the detective with alarm. "Who will bake those delicious cakes?" "I am sorry. I do not know," says Ms. Gervis, "I must solve this case immediately!" says the detective.       (SSC CHSL 2014)

Q. Why does the detective say that the robber did not come through the front door? 

DIRECTIONS: Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question, out of the four alternatives.
Long ago in Mongolia there lived an emperor who feared growing old. One day, he saw an old man in the street. Upset at being reminded that someday, he too, would age, he ordered all the old people to leave his land.
One day, a violent storm swept the kingdom. Nothing was safe from its fury. It roared into the palace and blew away the emperor’s belongings, including his priceless golden pitcher. When the storm ended, the emperor ordered that the pitcher be found and brought back to him.
People went in search of the pitcher. They saw it in a lake nearby. But no matter who tried, no one could get a grip on the pitcher. All they got was a handful of water. Yet it could be plainly seen, glittering and just below the water’s surface.       (SSC CHSL 2013)

Q. The people saw the golden pitcher

DIRECTIONS: Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question, out of the four alternatives.
Long ago in Mongolia there lived an emperor who feared growing old. One day, he saw an old man in the street. Upset at being reminded that someday, he too, would age, he ordered all the old people to leave his land.
One day, a violent storm swept the kingdom. Nothing was safe from its fury. It roared into the palace and blew away the emperor’s belongings, including his priceless golden pitcher. When the storm ended, the emperor ordered that the pitcher be found and brought back to him.
People went in search of the pitcher. They saw it in a lake nearby. But no matter who tried, no one could get a grip on the pitcher. All they got was a handful of water. Yet it could be plainly seen, glittering and just below the water’s surface.       (SSC CHSL 2013)

Q. The emperor’s orders were that all the 

DIRECTIONS: Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question, out of the four alternatives.
Long ago in Mongolia there lived an emperor who feared growing old. One day, he saw an old man in the street. Upset at being reminded that someday, he too, would age, he ordered all the old people to leave his land.
One day, a violent storm swept the kingdom. Nothing was safe from its fury. It roared into the palace and blew away the emperor’s belongings, including his priceless golden pitcher. When the storm ended, the emperor ordered that the pitcher be found and brought back to him.
People went in search of the pitcher. They saw it in a lake nearby. But no matter who tried, no one could get a grip on the pitcher. All they got was a handful of water. Yet it could be plainly seen, glittering and just below the water’s surface.       (SSC CHSL 2013)

Q. What did the people who went to bring the pitcher get? 

DIRECTIONS: Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question, out of the four alternatives.
Long ago in Mongolia there lived an emperor who feared growing old. One day, he saw an old man in the street. Upset at being reminded that someday, he too, would age, he ordered all the old people to leave his land.
One day, a violent storm swept the kingdom. Nothing was safe from its fury. It roared into the palace and blew away the emperor’s belongings, including his priceless golden pitcher. When the storm ended, the emperor ordered that the pitcher be found and brought back to him.
People went in search of the pitcher. They saw it in a lake nearby. But no matter who tried, no one could get a grip on the pitcher. All they got was a handful of water. Yet it could be plainly seen, glittering and just below the water’s surface.       (SSC CHSL 2013)

Q. The emperor feared 

DIRECTIONS: Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question, out of the four alternatives.
Long ago in Mongolia there lived an emperor who feared growing old. One day, he saw an old man in the street. Upset at being reminded that someday, he too, would age, he ordered all the old people to leave his land.
One day, a violent storm swept the kingdom. Nothing was safe from its fury. It roared into the palace and blew away the emperor’s belongings, including his priceless golden pitcher. When the storm ended, the emperor ordered that the pitcher be found and brought back to him.
People went in search of the pitcher. They saw it in a lake nearby. But no matter who tried, no one could get a grip on the pitcher. All they got was a handful of water. Yet it could be plainly seen, glittering and just below the water’s surface.       (SSC CHSL 2013)

Q. The emperor was upset to see the old man because 

DIRECTIONS: You have a brief passage with 5 questions following the passage. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives and mark it by blackening the appropriate oval
Freedom has assuredly given us a new status and new opportunities. But it also implies that we should discard selfishness, laziness and all narrowness of outlook. Our freedom suggests toil and creation of new values for old ones. We should so discipline ourselves as to be able to discharge our new responsibilities satisfactorily. If there is any one thing that needs to be stressed more, than any other in the new set-up, it is that we should put into action our full, capacity, each one of us in productive effort - each one of us in his own sphere, however humble. Work, unceasing work, should now be our watch-word.
Work is wealth, and service is happiness. Nothing else is. The greatest crime in India today is idleness. If we root out idleness, all our difficulties, including even conflicts, will gradually disappear.        (SSC CHSL 2013)

Q. Anyone can free himself from the clutches of difficulties, if he 

DIRECTIONS: You have a brief passage with 5 questions following the passage. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives and mark it by blackening the appropriate oval
Freedom has assuredly given us a new status and new opportunities. But it also implies that we should discard selfishness, laziness and all narrowness of outlook. Our freedom suggests toil and creation of new values for old ones. We should so discipline ourselves as to be able to discharge our new responsibilities satisfactorily. If there is any one thing that needs to be stressed more, than any other in the new set-up, it is that we should put into action our full, capacity, each one of us in productive effort - each one of us in his own sphere, however humble. Work, unceasing work, should now be our watch-word.
Work is wealth, and service is happiness. Nothing else is. The greatest crime in India today is idleness. If we root out idleness, all our difficulties, including even conflicts, will gradually disappear.        (SSC CHSL 2013)

Q. What has freedom undeniably offered to the citizens of India?

DIRECTIONS: You have a brief passage with 5 questions following the passage. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives and mark it by blackening the appropriate oval
Freedom has assuredly given us a new status and new opportunities. But it also implies that we should discard selfishness, laziness and all narrowness of outlook. Our freedom suggests toil and creation of new values for old ones. We should so discipline ourselves as to be able to discharge our new responsibilities satisfactorily. If there is any one thing that needs to be stressed more, than any other in the new set-up, it is that we should put into action our full, capacity, each one of us in productive effort - each one of us in his own sphere, however humble. Work, unceasing work, should now be our watch-word.
Work is wealth, and service is happiness. Nothing else is. The greatest crime in India today is idleness. If we root out idleness, all our difficulties, including even conflicts, will gradually disappear.        (SSC CHSL 2013)

Q. One thing needs to be stressed more than anything else in this new set-up. It is that people should 

DIRECTIONS: You have a brief passage with 5 questions following the passage. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives and mark it by blackening the appropriate oval
Freedom has assuredly given us a new status and new opportunities. But it also implies that we should discard selfishness, laziness and all narrowness of outlook. Our freedom suggests toil and creation of new values for old ones. We should so discipline ourselves as to be able to discharge our new responsibilities satisfactorily. If there is any one thing that needs to be stressed more, than any other in the new set-up, it is that we should put into action our full, capacity, each one of us in productive effort - each one of us in his own sphere, however humble. Work, unceasing work, should now be our watch-word.
Work is wealth, and service is happiness. Nothing else is. The greatest crime in India today is idleness. If we root out idleness, all our difficulties, including even conflicts, will gradually disappear.        (SSC CHSL 2013)

Q. ______ Work should be the motto of our citizens. 

DIRECTIONS: You have a brief passage with 5 questions following the passage. Read the passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives and mark it by blackening the appropriate oval
Freedom has assuredly given us a new status and new opportunities. But it also implies that we should discard selfishness, laziness and all narrowness of outlook. Our freedom suggests toil and creation of new values for old ones. We should so discipline ourselves as to be able to discharge our new responsibilities satisfactorily. If there is any one thing that needs to be stressed more, than any other in the new set-up, it is that we should put into action our full, capacity, each one of us in productive effort - each one of us in his own sphere, however humble. Work, unceasing work, should now be our watch-word.
Work is wealth, and service is happiness. Nothing else is. The greatest crime in India today is idleness. If we root out idleness, all our difficulties, including even conflicts, will gradually disappear.        (SSC CHSL 2013)

Q. Nothing else can give us joy except ________. 

DIRECTIONS: Violence has played a great part in the world's history. It is today playing an equally important part and probably it will continue to do so for a considerable time. It is impossibe to ignore the importance of violence in the past and present. To do so is to ignore life. Yet violence is undoubtedly bad and brings an unending trail of evil consequences with it. And worse even than violence are the motives of hatred, cruelty, revenge and punishment which very often accompany violence. Indeed, violence is bad, not intrinsically, but because of these motives that go with it. There can be violence without these motives; there can be violence for a good object as well as for an evil object. But it is extremely difficult to separate violence from these motives, and therefore, it is desirable to avoid as far as possible.
In avoiding it, however, someone can not accept a negative attitude of submitting to bad and far greater evils. Submission to violence or the acceptance of an unjust regime based on violence is against the spirit of non-violence. The non-violent method, in order to justify itself, must be dynamic and capable of changing such a regime of social order.

Q. The word 'dynamic' in the concluding line of the passage means: 

DIRECTIONS: Violence has played a great part in the world's history. It is today playing an equally important part and probably it will continue to do so for a considerable time. It is impossibe to ignore the importance of violence in the past and present. To do so is to ignore life. Yet violence is undoubtedly bad and brings an unending trail of evil consequences with it. And worse even than violence are the motives of hatred, cruelty, revenge and punishment which very often accompany violence. Indeed, violence is bad, not intrinsically, but because of these motives that go with it. There can be violence without these motives; there can be violence for a good object as well as for an evil object. But it is extremely difficult to separate violence from these motives, and therefore, it is desirable to avoid as far as possible.
In avoiding it, however, someone can not accept a negative attitude of submitting to bad and far greater evils. Submission to violence or the acceptance of an unjust regime based on violence is against the spirit of non-violence. The non-violent method, in order to justify itself, must be dynamic and capable of changing such a regime of social order.

Q.Which of the following statements is incorrect? 

DIRECTIONS: Violence has played a great part in the world's history. It is today playing an equally important part and probably it will continue to do so for a considerable time. It is impossibe to ignore the importance of violence in the past and present. To do so is to ignore life. Yet violence is undoubtedly bad and brings an unending trail of evil consequences with it. And worse even than violence are the motives of hatred, cruelty, revenge and punishment which very often accompany violence. Indeed, violence is bad, not intrinsically, but because of these motives that go with it. There can be violence without these motives; there can be violence for a good object as well as for an evil object. But it is extremely difficult to separate violence from these motives, and therefore, it is desirable to avoid as far as possible.
In avoiding it, however, someone can not accept a negative attitude of submitting to bad and far greater evils. Submission to violence or the acceptance of an unjust regime based on violence is against the spirit of non-violence. The non-violent method, in order to justify itself, must be dynamic and capable of changing such a regime of social order.

Q. 'Violence without these motives' is possible only in : 

DIRECTIONS: Violence has played a great part in the world's history. It is today playing an equally important part and probably it will continue to do so for a considerable time. It is impossibe to ignore the importance of violence in the past and present. To do so is to ignore life. Yet violence is undoubtedly bad and brings an unending trail of evil consequences with it. And worse even than violence are the motives of hatred, cruelty, revenge and punishment which very often accompany violence. Indeed, violence is bad, not intrinsically, but because of these motives that go with it. There can be violence without these motives; there can be violence for a good object as well as for an evil object. But it is extremely difficult to separate violence from these motives, and therefore, it is desirable to avoid as far as possible.
In avoiding it, however, someone can not accept a negative attitude of submitting to bad and far greater evils. Submission to violence or the acceptance of an unjust regime based on violence is against the spirit of non-violence. The non-violent method, in order to justify itself, must be dynamic and capable of changing such a regime of social order.

Q. 'Indeed, violence is bad, not intrinsically, but because of these motives that go with it'. This suggests: 

DIRECTIONS: Violence has played a great part in the world's history. It is today playing an equally important part and probably it will continue to do so for a considerable time. It is impossibe to ignore the importance of violence in the past and present. To do so is to ignore life. Yet violence is undoubtedly bad and brings an unending trail of evil consequences with it. And worse even than violence are the motives of hatred, cruelty, revenge and punishment which very often accompany violence. Indeed, violence is bad, not intrinsically, but because of these motives that go with it. There can be violence without these motives; there can be violence for a good object as well as for an evil object. But it is extremely difficult to separate violence from these motives, and therefore, it is desirable to avoid as far as possible.
In avoiding it, however, someone can not accept a negative attitude of submitting to bad and far greater evils. Submission to violence or the acceptance of an unjust regime based on violence is against the spirit of non-violence. The non-violent method, in order to justify itself, must be dynamic and capable of changing such a regime of social order.

Q. Non-violence, according to the writer, means: 

DIRECTIONS: It is not luck but labour that makes good luck, says an American author, is ever waiting for something to turn up; labour with keen eyes and strong will power turns up something. Luck lies in bed and wishes the postman would bring him news of a legacy, labour turns out at six and with busy pen and ringing hammer lays the foundation of competence. Luck whines, labour watches, luck relies upon chance, labour upon character. Luck slips downwards to self-indul-gence ; labour strides upwards and aspires to independence. The conviction, therefore, is extending that diligence is the mother of good luck. In other words, a man's success in life will be proportionate to his efforts, to his industry, to his attention to small things.      (SSC SI 2013)

Q. Which one of the following words in the passage indicates that the writer does not ultimately reject the element of luck?

DIRECTIONS: It is not luck but labour that makes good luck, says an American author, is ever waiting for something to turn up; labour with keen eyes and strong will power turns up something. Luck lies in bed and wishes the postman would bring him news of a legacy, labour turns out at six and with busy pen and ringing hammer lays the foundation of competence. Luck whines, labour watches, luck relies upon chance, labour upon character. Luck slips downwards to self-indul-gence ; labour strides upwards and aspires to independence. The conviction, therefore, is extending that diligence is the mother of good luck. In other words, a man's success in life will be proportionate to his efforts, to his industry, to his attention to small things.      (SSC SI 2013)

Q. Which pair of words means the same thing?

DIRECTIONS: It is not luck but labour that makes good luck, says an American author, is ever waiting for something to turn up; labour with keen eyes and strong will power turns up something. Luck lies in bed and wishes the postman would bring him news of a legacy, labour turns out at six and with busy pen and ringing hammer lays the foundation of competence. Luck whines, labour watches, luck relies upon chance, labour upon character. Luck slips downwards to self-indul-gence ; labour strides upwards and aspires to independence. The conviction, therefore, is extending that diligence is the mother of good luck. In other words, a man's success in life will be proportionate to his efforts, to his industry, to his attention to small things.      (SSC SI 2013)

Q. Which one of the following statements sums up the meaning of the passage?

DIRECTIONS: It is not luck but labour that makes good luck, says an American author, is ever waiting for something to turn up; labour with keen eyes and strong will power turns up something. Luck lies in bed and wishes the postman would bring him news of a legacy, labour turns out at six and with busy pen and ringing hammer lays the foundation of competence. Luck whines, labour watches, luck relies upon chance, labour upon character. Luck slips downwards to self-indul-gence ; labour strides upwards and aspires to independence. The conviction, therefore, is extending that diligence is the mother of good luck. In other words, a man's success in life will be proportionate to his efforts, to his industry, to his attention to small things.      (SSC SI 2013)

Q. Labour turns out at six and with busy pen and ringing hammer lays the foundation of competence. What does this statement mean? 

DIRECTIONS: It is not luck but labour that makes good luck, says an American author, is ever waiting for something to turn up; labour with keen eyes and strong will power turns up something. Luck lies in bed and wishes the postman would bring him news of a legacy, labour turns out at six and with busy pen and ringing hammer lays the foundation of competence. Luck whines, labour watches, luck relies upon chance, labour upon character. Luck slips downwards to self-indul-gence ; labour strides upwards and aspires to independence. The conviction, therefore, is extending that diligence is the mother of good luck. In other words, a man's success in life will be proportionate to his efforts, to his industry, to his attention to small things.      (SSC SI 2013)

Q. Which one of the statements is true about the passage? 

DIRECTIONS: Self directed learning, in its broadest meaning, describes a process in which individuals take the initiative with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs formulating learning goals, identifying resources for learning, choosing and implementing learning strategies and evaluating learning outcomes. Thus, it is important to attain new  knowledge easily and skillfully for the rest of his or her life.
What is the need for self directed learning? One reason is that there is convincing evidence that people, who take the initiative in learning, learn more things and learn better than people who sit at the feet of teachers passively waiting to be taught. The second reason is that self-directed learning is more in tune with our natural processes of psychological development; an essential aspect of maturing is developing the ability to take increasing responsibility of our own lives to become increasingly self-directed. The third reason is that many of the new developments in education put a heavy responsibility on the learners to take a good deal of initiative in their own learning. To meet the challenges in today's instructive environment, self-directed learning is most essential.

Q. In  self-directed learning, an individual

DIRECTIONS: Self directed learning, in its broadest meaning, describes a process in which individuals take the initiative with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs formulating learning goals, identifying resources for learning, choosing and implementing learning strategies and evaluating learning outcomes. Thus, it is important to attain new  knowledge easily and skillfully for the rest of his or her life.
What is the need for self directed learning? One reason is that there is convincing evidence that people, who take the initiative in learning, learn more things and learn better than people who sit at the feet of teachers passively waiting to be taught. The second reason is that self-directed learning is more in tune with our natural processes of psychological development; an essential aspect of maturing is developing the ability to take increasing responsibility of our own lives to become increasingly self-directed. The third reason is that many of the new developments in education put a heavy responsibility on the learners to take a good deal of initiative in their own learning. To meet the challenges in today's instructive environment, self-directed learning is most essential.

Q. There is need for self-directed learning because

DIRECTIONS: Self directed learning, in its broadest meaning, describes a process in which individuals take the initiative with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs formulating learning goals, identifying resources for learning, choosing and implementing learning strategies and evaluating learning outcomes. Thus, it is important to attain new  knowledge easily and skillfully for the rest of his or her life.
What is the need for self directed learning? One reason is that there is convincing evidence that people, who take the initiative in learning, learn more things and learn better than people who sit at the feet of teachers passively waiting to be taught. The second reason is that self-directed learning is more in tune with our natural processes of psychological development; an essential aspect of maturing is developing the ability to take increasing responsibility of our own lives to become increasingly self-directed. The third reason is that many of the new developments in education put a heavy responsibility on the learners to take a good deal of initiative in their own learning. To meet the challenges in today's instructive environment, self-directed learning is most essential.

Q. Which word best describes self-directed learning? 

DIRECTIONS: Self directed learning, in its broadest meaning, describes a process in which individuals take the initiative with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs formulating learning goals, identifying resources for learning, choosing and implementing learning strategies and evaluating learning outcomes. Thus, it is important to attain new  knowledge easily and skillfully for the rest of his or her life.
What is the need for self directed learning? One reason is that there is convincing evidence that people, who take the initiative in learning, learn more things and learn better than people who sit at the feet of teachers passively waiting to be taught. The second reason is that self-directed learning is more in tune with our natural processes of psychological development; an essential aspect of maturing is developing the ability to take increasing responsibility of our own lives to become increasingly self-directed. The third reason is that many of the new developments in education put a heavy responsibility on the learners to take a good deal of initiative in their own learning. To meet the challenges in today's instructive environment, self-directed learning is most essential.

Q. The modern environment according to the author is 

DIRECTIONS: Self directed learning, in its broadest meaning, describes a process in which individuals take the initiative with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs formulating learning goals, identifying resources for learning, choosing and implementing learning strategies and evaluating learning outcomes. Thus, it is important to attain new  knowledge easily and skillfully for the rest of his or her life.
What is the need for self directed learning? One reason is that there is convincing evidence that people, who take the initiative in learning, learn more things and learn better than people who sit at the feet of teachers passively waiting to be taught. The second reason is that self-directed learning is more in tune with our natural processes of psychological development; an essential aspect of maturing is developing the ability to take increasing responsibility of our own lives to become increasingly self-directed. The third reason is that many of the new developments in education put a heavy responsibility on the learners to take a good deal of initiative in their own learning. To meet the challenges in today's instructive environment, self-directed learning is most essential.

Q. The synonym of the word "diagnosing" is