Important Rules: Cloze Test | English Language & Comprehension for SSC CGL PDF Download

Read The Entire Passage Carefully

Carefully go through the entire passage, as questions related to the Cloze Test Passage can be tricky. Each paragraph maintains its own consistency and theme. Thus, it's essential to approach the cloze test by thoroughly reading the entire text at least once. Take your time with each line, avoid rushing, and develop a collective understanding of the paragraph. Once you have a general idea, you can then select the most suitable choice for every blank accordingly.

Read The Options Thoroughly

Thoroughly review all the available options for the blanks, usually around 4-5 choices. Carefully reading through these options is crucial. The options might appear similar, making it important to invest time and patience in selecting the correct one.

Choose the Right Word

Select the most appropriate word by carefully analyzing the passage and considering potential words that could fill the blank. While reading slowly and understanding each sentence's meaning, think about the word that best fits the context. The answer might belong to any part of speech—noun, pronoun, verb, preposition, conjunction, adjective, or article.

Maintain Clarity in Comprehension

When responding to cloze test paragraph questions, it's crucial to preserve the original reliability and tone of the text. Select an answer that seamlessly integrates with the passage without altering its tone or meaning.

Consider the Passage Tone

The cloze test passage comprises a blend of nouns, articles, pronouns, adjectives, and more. Identify the fundamental tone and pattern of the entire comprehension. Some prevalent tones include:

• Narrative
• Descriptive
• Humorous
• Critical...and so forth.

Avoid Repetition

To avoid repetition, it's imperative to eliminate irrelevant options that don't align with the context. Despite similarities and potential confusion among options, filtering them out is vital for reaching a definitive answer.

Establish Connections

Some blanks may have multiple fitting answers. To resolve this, try connecting options to the sentence. Experimenting with suitable words and assessing their appropriateness within the sentence structure can aid in finding the most suitable answer.

Identify Keywords

Scanning for specific keywords in the passage aids in deciphering the main theme. This helps in selecting a more suitable word that aligns or corresponds with the central theme without conflicting with it.

Understand Common Jargon

Understanding jargon specific to a field can be beneficial. Jargon represents concepts related to particular domains, sometimes termed as 'lingo.' For instance:

• Due diligence: A business term involving research conducted before critical business decisions.

Review Upon Completion

After answering the question, it's essential to re-read the entire passage to ensure coherence in tone and context. Skipping proofreading might result in inaccuracies, so take the time to review before moving to the next question.

Practice Diligently

Consistent practice is essential. Similar questions might appear in exams or practice materials, such as workbooks, past questionnaires, or online and offline quizzes. Practicing extensively aids in understanding how to approach cloze tests flawlessly.

Solved Example

Example 1: Mr. Jones enjoys his tea steaming ____.
(a) Cold
(b) Hot
(c) Warm
(d) Lukewarm
Ans: (b)
The word hot is mostly paired with steaming, therefore, the correct option is B.

Example 2: Every month, scientists (i) ___ new devices/gadgets and different methods to make technology advanced and better. Our homes are occupied with hardware and (ii) ___ such as computer games and MP3s.
Fill in the blanks (i)
(a) Found
(b) Invent
(c) Estimate
(d) Discover
Ans: (b)
Scientists invents new technology, therefore, the word that fits the context is option B.

Fill in the blanks (ii)
(a) Gadgets
(b) Laptops
(c) Software
(d) Screens
Ans: (c)
As per the hint, hardware and software go hand in hand. Thus, the correct answer is C.

Example 3: ____ to the famous myth, most of the accidents are not caused by drunkenness and speeding.
(a) Contrary
(b) Complying
(c) Cursory
(d) Commissioning
Ans: (a)
Complying and commissioning do not fit in the context, therefore, the situation is best suited with the word Contrary.

Example 4: (i) [On the first time] ____ it seems like a handy tool. We all have been in situations where we (ii) [wandered] _____ whether the important mail we sent to the Boss or Professor was read or not.
Fill in the blanks (i)
(a) In the first instance
(b) A first look
(c) Looking through
(d) No change
Ans: (a)
Other options do not fit grammatically, hence option A is the best suited.

Fill in the blanks (ii)
(a) Wandered
(b) Roaming
(c) Did
(d) Wondered
Ans: (d)
The above words are closely linked. The sentence contains a sense of curiosity, thus, option A is appropriate.

Example 5: The (i) [nuances] ___of using basic services such as email need to be understood, especially by professionals in the workspace.
(a) Variety
(b) Examples
(c) Mood
(d) No change
Ans: (d)
No change is required as nuance is the best-suited word as per the context.

Example 6: A person who sends mail using this software can (i) [tract] ___ on the time and date at which the mail was viewed, the number of times it was viewed.
(a) An eye catcher
(b) Keep an eye
(c) No change
(d) An apple of my eye
Ans: (b)
Tract means an area, and the options given in A and D have no relevance to the same. Therefore, B is an appropriate option.