English Sample Practice Paper for IBPS, SBI, Bank PO and Clerk- 56

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Directions—(Q. 1–12) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words are printed in bold to help you to locate them while answering some of the questions.

Long ago, the country of Gandhara was ruled by a just and good king Vidyadhara. His subjects were very happy, but as the king grew older, everyone grew more and more worried because the king did not have any children who could take over the kingdom after him. The king was an avid gardener. He spent a lot of time tending to his garden, planting the finest flowers, fruit trees and vegetables. One day, after he finished working in his garden, he proclaimed, ‘I will distribute some seeds to all the children in the kingdom. The one who grows the biggest, healthiest plant within three months will become the prince or the princess.’

The next day there was a long queue of anxious parents and children outside the palace. Everyone was eager to get a seed and grow the best plant. Pingala, a poor farmer’s son, was among the children. Like the king, he too was fond of gardening and grew beautiful plants in his backyard. He took the seed from the king and planted it in a pot with great care. Some weeks passed and he plied it with water and manure, but the plant did not appear. Pingala tried changing the soil and transferred the seed to another pot, but even by the end of three months, nothing appeared.

At last the day came when all the children had to go to the king to show the plant they had grown. They went walking to the palace dressed in their best, holding beautiful plants in their hands. Only Pingala stood sadly, watching them go by. Pingala’s father had watched his son working hard with the seed and felt sorry for him. ‘Why don’t you go to the king with your empty pot ?’ he suggested. ‘At least he will know you tried your best.’ So Pingala too wore his best suit and joined the others outside the palace, holding his empty pot in his hand and ignoring the laughter around him. Soon the king arrived and began his inspection. The pots held flowers of different shades, beautiful and healthy, but the king did not look happy. At the end of the queue stood Pingala, and when the king reached him, he stopped in surprise.

‘My son, why have you come with an empty pot ? Could you not grow anything ?’ Pingala looked down and said, ‘Forgive me, your highness. I tried my best, I gave it the best soil and manure I had, but the plant would
not grow.’

Now the king’s face broke into a smile. He enveloped Pingala in his arms and announced, ‘This boy truly deserves to be crowned the prince ! I had given everyone roasted seeds, which would never grow. I wanted to see which child was the most honest one, and would admit he or she would not be able to grow anything. Only this young boy told the truth. I am sure he will rule this kingdom one day with truth and honesty.’

And indeed that was what happened. When the king grew old and died, Pingala, who had learnt everything from him, came to the throne and ruled Gandhara justly for many years.

1. Why did the king distribute seeds to all children in his kingdom ?
(A) It was part of one of the rituals of the kingdom, (B) He wanted to see who could grow the tallest plant
(C) He finished all his work in the garden and had extra seeds left
(D) He wanted to inculcate the hobby of gardening among the children of his kingdom, (E) None of these
Ans : (E)

2. Why was Pingala holding an empty pot in his hands ?
(1) He could not grow the seed the king gave him., (2) His plant did not survive after the second month.
(3) He wanted to be different from the other children.
(A) Only (1), (B) Only (2), (C) Only (3), (D) Only (1) and (2), (E) Only (1) and (3)
Ans : (A)

3. Why did Pingala’s father encourage him to go to the king with an empty pot ?
(1) He wanted the king to know that his son tried his best to grow the plant.
(2) He wanted his son to be noticed by the king.
(3) He wanted the king to realise that he had cheated his son.
(A) Only (1), (B) Only (2), (C) Only (3), (D) Only (1) and (2), (E) None of these
Ans : (D)

4. Which of the following word is most opposite to the word Admit printed in bold in the above story ?
(A) Reject , (B) Deny, (C) Dismiss, (D) Disclose, (E) Confess
Ans : (B)

5. Which of the following sentence/s is true of Pingala’s father ?
(1) He was a farmer by profession. (2) He was very encouraging towards his son.
(3) He was a poor man.
(A) Only (1), (B) Only (2) and (3), (C) Only (2), (D) Only (3), (E) All (1), (2) and (3)
Ans : (E)

6. The king crowned Pingala heir to the kingdom because—
(A) he enjoyed gardening, (B) he was taken aback by his plant
(C) he was the only child to have admitted the truth
(D) he had the most beautiful and healthy plant, (E) he was in awe of his upbringing
Ans : (C)

7. What kind of seeds did the king give to the children ?
(1) The finest seeds he had., (2) Roasted seeds that would never sprout.
(3) Vegetable and fruit seeds.
(A) Only (1), (B) Only (2), (C) Only (3), (D) Only (1) and (3), (E) None of these
Ans : (B)

8. Which of the following statements is false according to the passage ?
(A) Pingala was fond of gardening just like the king
(B) The king did not have any child who could take over the kingdom
(C) Pingala took great care of the seed the king gave him
(D) The seeds that the king gave to the children grew into beautiful and healthy plants
(E) The children were given three months to complete their assignment
Ans : (D)

9. Why did the king call for an inspection of the plants after three months ?
(A) He wanted to see which plant had the most beautiful flower
(B) He wanted to witness the joy on the children’s faces
(C) He wanted to see which plant would be the most useful to him
(D) He wanted to check the children’s gardening skills
(E) He wanted to see which child was honest and would admit the truth
Ans : (E)

Directions—(Q. 10–12) Choose the word which is most nearly the SAME in meaning as the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

10. Avid: (A) Bright, (B) Intelligent, (C) Enthusiastic, (D) Lazy, (E) Amateur
Ans : (B)

11. Anxious: (A) Depressed, (B) Hopeless, (C) Carefree, (D) Doubtful, (E) Nervous
Ans : (E)

12. Finest: (A) Best, (B) Thinnest, (C) Ordinary, (D) Common, (E) Cheapest
Ans : (A)

Directions—(Q. 13–17) Which of the phrases (A), (B), (C) and (D) given below each sentence should replace the phrase printed in bold in the sentence to make it grammatically correct ? If the sentence is correct as it is given and ‘no correction is required’, mark (E) as the answer.

13. I am very keen to to learned about the town’s history.
(A) to learns, (B) to learn, (C) at learning, (D) to have learn
Ans : (B)

14. For the last three weeks the shop have been closed.
(A) is being closed, (B) has been closed, (C) are closed, (D) to have closed
Ans : (B)

15. If you had spoken to the receptionist, she would tell you where I was—
(A) would told you, (B) will tell you, (C) would have told you, (D) would be telling you
Ans : (C)

16. Many forests are facing the danger to be destroyed.
(A) of being, (B) to have been, (C) to being, (D) having being
Ans : (E)

17. The Science teacher seem to think that all the students in her class were lazy.
(A) to seem to think, (B) seem to be thinking, (C) seem to have thought, (D) seemed to think
Ans : (D)

Directions—(Q. 18–22) Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. The letter of that part is the answer. If there is ‘no error’, the answer is (E) i.e. ‘No error’. (Ignore the errors of punctuation, if any).

18. We had to (A) / hurry to the airport (B) / as the flight departures (C) / from Mumbai at 6 : 30 pm. (D) 
Ans : (C)

19. If you had (A) / watered the plant regularly, (B) / it would not (C) / have died. (D) 
Ans : (E)

20. I wonder if (A) / my colleague would (B) / like it to go to (C) / the conference with me. (D) 
Ans : (C)

21. We should focus (A) / our attention at (B) / the roads where accidents (C) / have already occurred. (D) 
Ans : (D)

22. My friends are (A) / not allowed to (B) / go out without (C) / their parents’ consenting. (D)
Ans : (D)

Directions—(Q. 23–27) In each question below, four words printed in bold are given. These are lettered (A), (B), (C) and (D). One of these words printed in bold may either be wrongly spelt or inappropriate in the context of the sentence. Find out the word that is inappropriate or wrongly spelt, if any. The letter of that word is your answer. If all the words printed in bold are correctly spelt and appropriate in the context of the sentence then mark (E) i.e., ‘All correct’ as your answer.

23. The tape (A) recordings contained (B) prove (C) of his involvement in the crime. (D) 
Ans : (B)

24. Despite (A) all the research, (B) there is still no cure (C) for the desease. (D) 
Ans : (D)

25. Just because something (A) is expansive, (B) it is not necessarily (C) superior. (D) 
Ans : (B)

26. Although (A) Goa is a small State, (B) it is very popular (C) with tourists. (D)
Ans : (C)

27. One does not appreciate (A) the importance (B) of good health (C) until one is ill. (D) 
Ans : (E)

Directions—(Q. 28–32) Rearrange the following five sentences/ group of sentences (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) in the proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph; then answer the questions given below them.
(1) “My horns are my weapons,” said the deer. “I’m sharpening them.”
(2) Frightened by the deer’s sharpened horns, he turned to the fox instead and shot him dead.
(3) The fox wondered why the deer was wasting time sharpening his weapons when there was no danger in sight.
(4) A wild deer was rubbing his horns against a tree. A fox passing by asked him what he was doing.
(5) Just then a hunter appeared at the scene.

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

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

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

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

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

Directions—(Q. 33–40) In the following passage, there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five words are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.

One day, it so happened that Emperor Akbar …(33)… on a rock in his garden. He was in a foul mood that day and the accident made him so …(34)… that he ordered the gardener’s arrest and execution. The next day when the gardener was …(35)… what his last wish would be before he was hanged, he …(36)… an audience with the emperor. His wish was …(37)…, but when the man neared the throne he loudly cleared his throat and spat at the emperor’s feet. The emperor was taken aback and …(38)… to know why he had done such a thing. The gardener had acted on Birbal’s advice and now Birbal stepped forward in the man’s defence. ‘Your Majesty,’ he said, “there could be no person more loyal to you than this unfortunate man. Fearing that people would say you hanged him for a trifle, he has gone out of his way to give you a …(39)… reason for hanging him.’’ The emperor, …(40)… that he was about to do great injustice to an innocent man, set the man free.

33. (A) fall , (B) faltered, (C) bruised, (D) trip, (E) stumbled
Ans : (E)

34. (A) imaginative , (B) troubled, (C) disturb, (D) angry, (E) unfortunate
Ans : (D)

35. (A) understanding, (B) question, (C) told, (D) requested, (E) asked
Ans : (D)

36. (A) willing , (B) requested, (C) said, (D) demand, (E) propose
Ans : (B)

37. (A) granted , (B) presented, (C) privileged, (D) judged, (E) weighed
Ans : (A)

38. (A) claimed , (B) asked, (C) demanded, (D) wanting, (E) seemed
Ans : (C)

39. (A) genuine , (B) some, (C) prized, (D) justly, (E) more
Ans : (A)

40. (A) understands , (B) realising, (C) foresee, (D) announced, (E) thinks
Ans : (D)

Directions–(Q. 41–50) In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given. Mark your answer in the Answer sheet.

Martin Luther King, Jr., was born Michael Luther King, Jr., …41… his grandfather had his name …42… to Martin. Martin Luther attended segregated public schools in Georgia, …43… from high school at the age of fifteen; he received the B.A. degree in 1948 …44… Morehouse college, a distinguished Negro institution of Atlanta from which both his father and grandfather had graduated. After three years of …45… study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania where he was elected president of a …46… white senior class, he was awarded the B.D. in 1951. …47… a fellowship won at Ebenezer he enrolled in graduate studies at Boston University, completing his residence …48… the doctorate in 1953 and receiving the degree in 1955. In Boston he …49… and married Coretta Scott, a young woman of …50… intellectual and artistic attainments.

41. (A) And, (B) So, (C) Since, (D) But
Ans : (A)

42. (A) Given , (B) Changed, (C) Become, (D) Made
Ans : (B)

43. (A) Graduating , (B) Finishing, (C) Graduated, (D) Finished
Ans : (C)

44. (A) In , (B) From, (C) By, (D) With,
Ans : (B)

45. (A) Theological, (B) Intellectual, (C) Educational, (D) Psychological
Ans : (A)

46. (A) Predetermined, (B) Predominantly, (C) Significantly, (D) Somewhat
Ans : (B)

47. (A) From , (B) By, (C) With, (D) Through
Ans : (C)

48. (A) For , (B) Of, (C) About, (D) To
Ans : (A)

49. (A) Saw , (B) Eloped, (C) Met, (D) Watched
Ans : (C)

50. (A) Common, (B) Particular, (C) Uncommon, (D) General
Ans : (C)

English Practice Paper for Bank PO Level 11

This is a English Sample Practice Paper for IBPS PO/SBI PO

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

Once upon a time, there lived a robber in a village. One day, he stole a temple bell and ran towards the forest. A Tiger heard the jingle of the bell and became curious to locate the sound. As soon as he saw the robber, he jumped upon him and killed him at once. The bell fell on the ground. After a few days, a group of monkeys passed through that way. They spotted the bell and carried it to their home in the forest.
They found the jingle of the bell very interesting. Subsequently every one of them became very fond of the bell and started playing with it. After every tiring day, the monkeys would sit on the top of a hill in the forest in the night and enjoy the melodious sound of the bell. The people of the village were afraid of the noise. Soon afterwards, the people from the village found the body of the robber and proclaimed, “Certainly there is an evil spirit around here that kills human beings and then rings the bell to celebrate”.
When the people heard this, they thought that a demon was haunting their village. Without giving any second thought, people started leaving the village in terror and settling in a new place. However, there was an intelligent and bold woman in that village. She thought to herself, “I don’t believe that a demon is haunting this village. I will find out who is ringing the bell”. Late in the night, she went into the forest bravely and found that a group of monkeys was playing about and ringing the bell.
Now as the woman knew the secret of the bell, she went to the King and said, “Your Majesty ! I’m sure there is no evil spirit in the village and the cause of all the trouble lies somewhere else. If you grant me some money, I will get rid of it and bring happiness to the village.” The King, who was also terrified of the hoax that prevailed in the village, granted the request of the woman.
The woman bought as much peas, groundnuts and fruits with that money as she could. She went into the forest, made a circle under a tree on the ground, placed all the eatables and hid herself at some distance. She kept a watch on the monkeys from a distance.
As and when the monkeys saw the eatables, they dropped the bell just as the old woman had expected of them. They ran to pick the eatables. The woman picked up the bell quickly and rushed towards the village. She gave the bell in the court of the King. The King was happy with the brave woman and everyone in the village admired her bravery. The pleased King rewarded the woman for her bravery. Since that day there was no sound of the bell in the village. People returned to their village and lived happily ever after.
1. What did the group of monkeys do with the bell ? (A) They used it to scare away the villagers
(B) They enjoyed its pleasant sound every night (C) They returned it to the temple
(D) They gave it to the king as they feared him (E) None of these
2. Why did the villagers move out of the village in search of a new place ?
(A) They were scared of frequent attacks of the maneating tiger (B) They were terrified of the king as he was an evil person
(C) The village was cursed by Gods as the villagers could not find the lost bell of the temple
(D) They were fed up of frequent robberies in the village (E) None of these
3. Why did the woman from the village go to the forest late in the night ? (A) To find out who was ringing the bell every night in the forest (B) To request the demon to leave village & live somewhere else (C) In order to hide from the demon present in the village (D) To hunt down evil monkeys who had been killing human. (E) None of these
4. How did the robber who stole the bell from the temple die ? (A) As bell belonged to a temple, he was cursed by Gods and died
(B) The group of monkeys killed him in order to take the bell from him
(C) A tiger in the forest spotted the rober due to the ringing bell and killed him
(D) The king had ordered the woman to find the robber and kill him (E) None of these
5. What did the villagers presume after finding the dead robber ? (A) That monkeys in the forest had been killing human beings
(B) That an evil spirit had been killing human beings and haunting the village
(C) That there was a man-eating tiger in the forest
(D) That the man had been killed of a curse as he had stolen a temple’s bell (E) None of these
6. Why is the woman referred to as intelligent and bold in the given story ?
(A) She was the only one in the entire village who had dared to confront the evil king
(B) She killed the troublesome group of monkeys all by herself
(C) She fooled the king and drew out a substantial amount of money from him
(D) She was not frightened of the hoax and was brave enough to find out the truth behind it (E) None of these
7. Why did the woman ask for some money from the king ? (A) She needed money for moving away from the haunted village
(B) In order to buy eatables to attract the monkeys (C) To pay the demon in exchange for leaving the village
(D) In order to buy a new bell for the temple and end God’s curse (E) None of these
8. Which of the following is true in context of the passage ?
(A) The king of the village bravely fought against the robber and killed him
(B) The monkeys informed the tiger that a robber had entered the forest
(C) Finally, all the villagers returned to their homes
(D) There was an evil spirit in the village which killed human beings (E) None is true

9. Why did the monkeys drop the bell before the woman picked it up and took it to the village ?
(A) They wanted to collect all the eatables kept under the tree
(B) The woman threatened them to drop the bell or face the consequences
(C) They were scared as the king had ordered them to return the bell to the temple
(D) The tiger threatened to kill them if they refused to return his bell (E) None of these
10. Which of the following best describes the woman as mentioned in the passage ?
(A) Evil (B) Cruel (C) Superstitious (D) Generous (E) Courageous
Directions (11 to 13) Choose the word/group of words which is/are most similar in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
11.  SPOTTED (A) Patched (B) Supplied (C) Spoiled (D) Noticed (E) Provided
12.  GRANT  (A) Assign (B) Reward (C) Give (D) Generate (E) Request
13.  WATCH  (A) Observation (B) Impression (C) Record (D) Period (E) Timepiece
Directions–(Q. 14 and 15) Choose the word/group which is/ are most opposite in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
14.  DROPPED (A) Selected (B) Raised (C) Increased (D) Maintained (E) Picked up
15.  ADMIRED (A) Neglected (B) Criticised (C) Disagreed (D) Punished (E) Feared
Directions—(Q. 16 to 20) Which of the phrases below should replace the phrase printed in bold in the sentence to make it grammatically correct ? If the sentence is correct as it is given and ‘No correction is required’, mark (E) as the answer.
16. I looked everywhere as my keys, but I couldn’t figure out where I had put them.
(A) For my key (B) As mine keys (C) For my keys (D) Finding my key
17. The new restaurant is doing good business because it serves food of good quality at lower rates than other restaurants in the area.
(A) Of serving food in (B) It serves food for (C) They serve food of (D) It serves food in
18. The president was extremely popular on the world stage but is dislike in his own country.
(A) But was disliked (B) Rather is disliked (C) Because of dislike (D) But is liked
19. In an attempt to change its old fashioned image, the newspaper must created a section aimed at younger leaders.
(A) Will create few (B) Is creating few (C) Should creates a (D) Has created a
20. As her neighbour have loud parties every night, she does not complain. She prefers to put up with it—
(A) Because her neighbour (B) Even though her neighbours, (C) Despite of neighbours, (D) Instead of her neighbour
Directions—(Q. 21 to 25) In each Q below a sentence with four words printed in bold type is given. One of these four words printed in bold may be either mis-spelt or inappropriate in the context of the sentence. Find out the word which is wrongly spelt or inappropriate if any. The letter of that word is your answer. If all words are correctly spelt and appropriate, mark (E) i.e., ‘All correct’ as your answer.
21. Drivers (A) who exceed (B) the speed limit (C) are duly find (D) by the traffic police personnel.
22. This project (A) is in its final faze (B) of completion and is expected (C) to be ready (D) by the end of this year.
23. The bored (A) of governors meets (B) once every month to discuss (C) the organisation’s  policy. (D)
24. There was a slight (A) reduction (B) in his wait (C) after almost a week (D) of strict dieting.
25. He has not been able to attend (A) the office (B) for last four (C) days because he is suffering (D) from fever. All correct (E)
Directions—(Q. 26 to 30) Rearrange the followingin the proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph; then answer the Q.
(1) He instructed his stable master to give him the fastest of all the horses he had.
(2) Akbar was embarrassed and in turn gifted the Sage a horse cart and made the stable master its driver in order to punish him.
(3) After a few days Akbar saw the Sage walking again and asked him where the horse was.
(4) Once Akbar saw a sage walking and decided to gift him a horse.
(5) The Sage answered “My Lord, the horse gifted to me was so fast that it crossed the distance from earth to heaven in one night.”
(6) However, it so happened that the stable master gave him a frail and sick horse which died the same night it was gifted to the Sage.
26. Which of the following should be the FIRST sentence after rearrangement ? (A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 (E) 5
27. Which of the following should be the SECOND sentence after rearrangement ? (A) 2 (B) 1 (C) 4 (D) 6 (E) 5
28. Which of the following should be the THIRD sentence after rearrangement ? (A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 (E) 6
29. Which of the folloiwng should be the FOURTH sentence after rearrangement ? (A) 3 (B) 5 (C) 4 (D) 2 (E) 6
30. Which of the following should be the LAST (SIXTH) sentence after rearrangement (A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 (E) 6
Directions—(Q. 31 to 35) In each of the following questions six words are given which are denoted by (1), (2), (3) (4), (5) and (6). By using all the six words, each only once, you have to frame a meaningful and grammatically correct sentence. The correct order of words is the answer. Choose from the five alternatives, the one having the correct order of words and mark it as your answer on the answer sheet.
31. (1) WAS (2) HER (3) IMPRESSED (4) I (5) HONESTY (6) BY
(A) 412635 (B) 615324 (C) 316425 (D) 413625 (E) 642351

32. (1) ABANDON  (2) WE (3) SHIP (4) TO (5) THE  (6) HAD

(A) 264153 (B) 213645 (C) 261354 (D) 546132 (E) 513642
33. (1) TO (2) WAS (3) LEAVE (4) IMMEDIATELY, (5) TOLD (6) SHE
(A) 621543 (B) 351642 (C) 164253 (D) 351624 (E) 625134
34. (1) WEATHER (2) TODAY  (3) IS (4) HOT (5) THE (6) VERY

(A) 416352 (B) 513642 (C) 512436 (D) 541632 (E) 412356
35. (1) IGNORED (2) WARNING (3) MANY (4) SIGNS (5) PEOPLE (6) THE 
(A) 351462 (B) 326154 (C) 351624 (D) 254361 (E) 261345
Directions—(Q. 36 to 40) Pick out the most effective word from the given words to fill in the blank.
36. Sadly, tomorrow’s cricket match will have to be …………… due to bad weather.
(A) played (B) unorganised (C) cancelled (D) won (E) rained
37. The dumping of waste products is carefully done by the company in order to ………… any harm to the environment.
(A) avoid (B) cause (C) expect (D) intend (E) do
38. No matter where that prisoner tries to …………, the police will find him sooner or later.
(A) imprison (B) arrest (C) find (D) stops (E) hide
39. I do not know where Neha lives because we have been ………… of touch for quite some time.
(A) not (B) out (C) hardly (D) never (E) ever
40. It is a shame that many people in the world have to live …… basic necessities such as food and shelter.
(A) along (B) including (C) despite (D) without (E) short
Directions—(Q. 41 to 50): In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five words are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.

Once upon a time there lived a Brahmin. He was …(41)… for his miserliness. Every day, he would go out begging and save some flour people gave him as alms. He …(42)… the flour in an earthen pot. When it was full he hung the pot to a peg above his bed so that he could keep an …(43)… on it.
One day he returned home very tired and immediately fell …(44)… and began dreaming : “This pot is full of flour and if there is a famine it would …(45)… me a very high price. With that money. I will buy a big herd of goats. I will sell them for a huge …(46)… and buy cows with that money. Then I will buy buffaloes and later horses. And, when the stables are full of horses I will sell them and buy lots of gold.”
“With this gold, I will build a huge house with four floors. Seeing my riches one Brahmin will offer the hand of his beautiful daughter to me. I will play with my children. I will go and hide in the stable and call out to them to look for me. But when they drift dangerously …(47)… to the horses, I will pick up a stick and throw it towards the horses to distract them and save my children. I will become a hero in my wife’s eyes. While …(48)… he picked a stick lying close to him and sprung it towards the pot. The stick …(49)… the pot hanging from the peg and …(50)… all its contents over his body. He now looked like a white ghost.
41. (A) respected (B) begging (C) proud (D) upset (E) known
42. (A) ate (B) stored (C) hung (D) threw (E) kneaded
43. (A) watch (B) attention (C) observation (D) eye (E) attachment
44. (A) down (B) badly (C) asleep (D) resting (E) lying
45. (A) fetch (B) profit (C) sell (D) gain (E) exchange
46. (A) money (B) loss (C) wealth (D) profit (E) cash
47. (A) near (B) close (C) towards (D) attached (E) front
48. (A) playing (B) riding (C) beating (D) saving (E) dreaming
49. (A) wasted (B) burst (C) shattered (D) spread (E) injured
50. (A) spilled (B) fell (C) stored (D) poured (E) release
ENGLISH Answers : 1. (B) 2. (E) 3. (A) 4. (C) 5. (B) 6. (D) 7. (B) 8. (C) 9. (A) 10. (E)
11. (D)12. (C)13. (A) 14. (E) 15. (B) 16. (C)17. (E) 18. (A) 19. (D) 20. (B)
21. (D) 22. (B) 23. (A) 24. (C) 25. (E) 26. (D)27. (B) 28. (C) 29. (B) 30. (E)
31. (D)32. (A) 33. (E) 34. (B) 35. (C) 36. (C)37. (A) 38. (E) 39. (B) 40. (D)
41. (E) 42. (B)43. (D) 44. (C) 45. (A) 46. (D)47. (B) 48. (E) 49. (C) 50. (A)

Canara Bank PO English Practice Paper 19

This is also a sample practice paper for SBI PO

English Language (Exam Held on 25-7-2010) Based on memory

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

A few weeks ago, a newspaper article quoted a well known scientist saying, “IT has destroyed Indian science”. One can speculate about the various ways in which the growth of the IT sector and other similar knowledge industries such as biotechnology has led to a decline in basic scientific research in India.

The most obvious reason is money; pay scales in IT and BT are much higher than one can aspire to in academia. The argument goes : why should a bright B. Tech. or M.Sc. student enroll in a Ph.D. programme when she can make a lot more money writing code ? Not only does a fresh IT employee make a lot more than a fresh M.Tech. student, her pay will rise much faster in IT than in academia. A professor’s pay at a government-run university, even after the Sixth Pay Commission, tops out at far less than a senior executive's salary in a major industry.

Second, the social status of IT and BT jobs equal or even exceed the social status of corresponding academic positions, since they are seen as knowledge industries, which plays to best and worst instincts of the societal order. As quintessential white collar professions, neither do they compel a successful entrepreneur to resort to violence and corruption, nor do they demand any physical labour. Unlike real estate or road construction, it is felt that IT workers can become rich while staying honest and sweat-free.

Assuming that the labour pool for academia and IT is roughly the same, the difference in our collective preferences biases the labour market towards IT and away from academia. Further, when the imbalance between IT and academia continues for years and even decades, a destructive loop, from academia’s point of view, is created. When our best and brightest take IT jobs over academic ones for a decade or more, faculty positions in our universities and research centres are no longer filled by the best candidates.

As faculty quality goes down, so does the capacity to train top-class graduate students who, after all, are teachers in training. In response to decreasing faculty quality, even those students who would otherwise choose an academic profession, decide to join industry or go abroad for their studies. These foreign trained graduates prefer to come back to corporate India—if at all they do come back—and the downward cycle replicates itself in each generation. In other words, academia is trapped within a perfect storm created by a combination of social and economic factors.

In this socio-economic calculus, the members of our societal classes should prefer an IT job to an academic one. Or, to put it another way, the knowledge economy, i.e., the creation of knowledge for profit, trumps the knowledge society, i.e., the creation of knowledge for its own sake or the sake of the greater good. As is said, “knowledge is power, but money is even more power.” Perhaps the scientist was alluding to this victory of capitalism over the pursuit of pure knowledge when he accused IT of having a negative influence on Indian science.

Surely, knowledge has become a commodity like any other and as a result, knowledge workers are like any other labourers, who will sell their wares to the highest bidder. One solution is to accept and even encourage the commoditization of knowledge; if so, Indian universities and research centres should copy their western counterparts by becoming more and more like corporations. These centres of learning should convert themselves into engines of growth. In this logic, if we increase academic salaries and research grants to match IT paycheques we will attract good people into academia, where, in any case, it is rumoured that a certain elusive feeling called ‘the quality of life’ is better.

1. According to the passage, what did the scientist actually mean when he said, “IT has destroyed Indian Science ?”
(A) The centres meant for Scientific research are being utilized by IT industries
(B) The IT industry does not employ people pursuing higher studies
(C) As information is readily available on the internet because of IT, there is no need to seek further information
(D) IT has distorted the truth as stated by Indian science
(E) The desire for money has overshadowed the search for knowledge
Ans : (B)

2. Which of the following is possibly the most appropriate title for the passage ?
(A) Is the Future of IT Bright ?
(B) The IT Industry and the World Economy
(C) Research and Academics – Losing the Battle Against IT
(D) Scientific Research and the Need for Well – Trained Faculty
(E) Information Technology and its Advantages
Ans : (C)

3. Why does the author say that knowledge has become a commodity ?
(A) As it is no longer desirable in any professional field
(B) As there are too many educational institutes in the country which do not provide quality education
(C) As knowledge is now available easily as compared to the past
(D) As knowledgeable people sell their services for the highest price possible
(E) Like commodities knowledge too becomes stale after a certain period
Ans : (D)


4. What, according to the author, is a destructive loop ?
(A) Many people quit their existing jobs to work in the IT industry which in turn leads to the downfall of the other industries
(B) The fact that the best minds do not want to become teachers and this in turn leads to good students seeking knowledge elsewhere
(C) The fact that people working in the IT industry do not pursue higher studies which in turn leads to the deterioration in quality of employees
(D) The unending use of resources by the IT industry leading to a dearth of resources in the country
(E) Less grants are being provided by the Government to academic institutes which in turn leads to poor quality students joining the same
Ans : (C)

5. Which of the following mentioned below is/are the author’s suggestion/s to promote interest in Indian academia ?
(1) Research centres should adopt the corporate culture as is done in the West
(2) Lessening the number of research grants given
(3) Making academic salaries equivalent to those paid in IT industries.
(A) Only (3), (B) Only (1), (C) Only (2) and (3), (D) Only (1) and (3), (E) None of these
Ans : (D)

6. Which of the following is NOT TRUE in the context of the passage ?
(1) It is believed that the quality of life is better when pursuing scientific research
(2) People currently seek knowledge only for the greater good of the society.
(3) Money is not perceived to be as powerful as knowledge.
(A) Only (1) and (3), (B) Only (2), (C) Only (1) and (2), (D) Only (2) and (3), (E) All (1), (2) and (3)
Ans : (D)

7. Which of the following, according to the author, are factors responsible for the declining interest in scientific research ?
(1) Slower progress of work in research
(2) Lesser monetary compensation in research related activities
(3) Societal perception towards research
(A) Only (1), (B) Only (3), (C) Only (2) and (3), (D) Only (1) and 2), (E) All (1), (2) and (3)
Ans : (C)

8. Which of the following is true about the perception towards IT jobs as given in the passage ?
(1) They are physically tiring. (2) They are considered to be managerial level jobs.
(3) They require usage of dishonest means.
(A) Only (2), (B) Only (1) and (2), (C) Only (3), (D) Only (2) and (3), (E) All (1), (2) and (3) are true
Ans : (B)

Directions—(Q. 9–12) Choose the word/group of words which is MOST SIMILAR in MEANING to the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage.

9. CAPACITY: (A) volume, (B) capability, (C) voltage, (D) quantity, (E) qualification
Ans : (B)

10. ALLUDING: (A) referring, (B) breaking, (C) escaping, (D) imposing, (E) clinging
Ans : (A)

11. SPECULATE; (A) visit, (B) contemplate, (C) remark, (D) argue, (E) regulate
Ans : (B)

12. QUINTESSENTIAL; (A) typical, (B) different, (C) necessary, (D) unique, (E) excellent
Ans : (D)

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

13. BRIGHT; (A) soft, (B) dark, (C) dull, (D) vivid, (E) dim
Ans : (C)

14. ELUSIVE; (A) definite, (B) happy, (C) mysterious, (D) worthwhile, (E) remarkable
Ans : (A)

15. FRESH: (A) used, (B) stale, (C) tired, (D) experienced, (E) aged
Ans : (B)

Directions—(Q. 16–20) Which of the phrases (A), (B), (C) and (D) given below each sentence should replace the word/phrase printed in bold in the sentence to make it grammatically correct ? If the sentence is correct as it is given and no correction is required, mark (E) as the answer.

16. The poor Brahmin led a hand to mouthful existence and could use any job which paid him a little—
(A) handful to mouthful existence, (B) hand to mouth existence
(C) handing for mouthful existing, (D) hand and mouth exist
Ans : (B)

17. In order earning decent living we need to have a good job which pays a substantial amount of money—
(A) earned decency life, (B) earning decency live
(C) earn a decent living, (D) earned decently life
Ans : (C)

18. We went to the famous restaurant to eat and were served piped hot food—
(A) served piping hotter, (B) serving pipe hot
(C) served piping hot, (D) serve pipe hotten
Ans : (C)

19. Akshay considered Suresh a complete pain in the neck as he kept asking baseless questions—
(A) paining in the neck, (B) painless neck
(C) painful necks, (D) pain in necking
Ans : (B)

20. I jump through hoop to finish this project in time but was not rewarded adequately—
(A) jumped through hoops, (B) jumping for hooping
(C) jumped on hoop, (D) jumping from hoop
Ans : (A)

Directions—(Q. 21–25) Each question below has two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Choose the set of words for each blank which best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

21. Adding to a growing body of research …… cutting back on sweetened beverages it is now found that drinking …… sugary drinks may help lower blood pressure.
(A) for, all, (B) sustaining, increased
(C) against, lesser, (D) behind, more, (E) supporting, fewer
Ans : (E)

22. The blame game for the air tragedy is already in full …… with the authorities involved making attempts to …… for themselves.
(A) sway, defend, (B) view, try, (C) fledged, protect
(D) swing, cover, (E) roll, hide
Ans : (D)

23. The actress, wearing a dark gray suit and open necked shirt, sat …… the proceedings looking nervous throughout, occasionally frowning as her lawyer …… with the judge.
(A) through, spoke, (B) on, argued, (C) for, addressed
(D) with, discussed, (E) along, lectured
Ans : (B)

24. It was an excellent social evening with people from all ……… of life getting a chance to let their hair ………
(A) areas, drop, (B) realms, flow, (C) arena, undone
(D) walks, down, (E) types, loose
Ans : (D)

25. There can be no denying the fact that in sports, star coaches have the …… to get something extra out of their ………
(A) apprehension, work, (B) ability, teams, (C) fear, member
(D) capability, house, (E) desirous, players
Ans : (B)

Directions—(Q. 26–30) Rearrange the following Six sentence (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6) in the proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph; then answer the questions given below them—
(1) It is therefore a contributing factor to the growth of landfills and waterway pollution, both of which are costly and energy intensive to solve.
(2) Making an effort to use those resources and avoid polystyrene ones can help to decrease your environmental impact.
(3) Non-biodegradable essentially means that any polystyrene that makes its way into a landfill will stay there indefinitely, never breaking down and returning to the earth.
(4) Polystyrene, as a product, is very convenient to use, but it has some important effects we should consider when making choices as consumers.
(5) While recycling polystyrene material can cushion the environmental blow of its use, alternatives are available that are created from renewable resources and biodegrade more readily.
(6) For example, while polystyrene has some excellent uses and is, technically, recyclable, it is not a substance that biodegrades.

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

27. Which of the following should be the FOURTH sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 5, (B) 6, (C) 1, (D) 4, (E) 2
Ans : (C)

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

29. Which of the following should be the SECOND sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 2, (B) 3, (C) 4, (D) 5, (E) 6
Ans : (E)

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

Directions—(Q. 31–40) Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error or idiomatic error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. The letter of that part is the answer. If there is no error, the answer is (E). (Ignore errors of punctuation, if any).

31. Sugar-sweetened drinks does not (A) /pose any particular health risk, and (B) / are not a unique risk factor (C) / for obesity or heart disease (D) No error (E)
Ans : (A)

32. Airline managements should note (A) / that the ultimate passenger unfriendliness (B) / is to have their planes crash (C) / due to the adopted of unsafe procedures (D) No error (E)
Ans : (D)

33. Celebrating its ten long years (A) / in the industry, a private entertainment channel (B) / announce a series of (C) / programmes at a press conference (D) No error (E)
Ans : (C)

34. The award ceremony ended (A) / on a note of good cheer (B) / with audiences responding warmly (C) / to its line up of film (D) No error (E)
Ans : (C)

35. The actress was ordered for (A) / wear an alcohol monitoring bracelet and (B) / submit to random weekly drug testing after (C) / she failed to appear for a court date last week (D) No error (E)
Ans : (A)

36. Coaches have the advantage of (A) / draw on their personal experiences (B) / and providing their players (C) / with unique inputs (D) No error (E)
Ans : (B)

37. The actor loves to think (A) / never enjoys stick to one kind of role (B) / and finds it difficult to (C) / fulfil everyone’s expectations (D) No error (E)
Ans : (B)

38. A major computer security firm urged (A) / the social networking site to set up (B) / an early-warning system after hundreds of users were (C) / hit by a new wave of virus attacks (D) No error (E)
Ans : (E)

39. The finding may help doctors (A) / to give more personalised care to patients (B) / and to modify the amount of powerful drugs (C) / administered over their patients (D) No error (E)
Ans : (D)

40. The actress made a rare appearance (A) / at the party and was (B) / overheard talking in (C) / her next big project (D) No error (E)
Ans : (C)

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

Hundreds of plants and animals are (…41…) every-day due to deforestation and urbanization, what might happen if this continues in the future ? The last mass extinction of plant and animal species occurred 65 million years ago with the Dinosaurs. In all, five mass extinctions have occurred and scientists (…42…) earth is in the sixth mass extinction. The world as it is now is threatened, including people, who are responsible for earth’s (…43…). Pesticides contaminating water; overharvesting of animals and plants; air pollution; illegal fishing and the clearing of land are direct results of urbanization and deforestation. People have (…44…) and damaged almost half of earth’s land, at a very unsustainable rate.

Global warming is having a serious impact as well. A six-degree Celsius increase in global temperature killed 95% of all species on Earth 251 million years ago. An increase of six-degrees Celsius is forecast this century if a change is not made to (…45…) the damage done to earth. Humans will be one of the 95% of species lost. Noticeable changes of global warming include migration (…46…) and the change in season timings. Migrating birds are migrating earlier, which in turn is causing them to hatch eggs and (…47…) young earlier than they did at the beginning of this century. While this is just the tip of the iceberg, many other (…48…) regarding the extinction of plant and animal species need addressing. It is more important now than ever before to pull our heads out of the sand and make changes for the (…49…) of the earth. Future generations are (…50…), as they are a species as well.

41. (A) killing, (B) alive, (C) born, (D) left, (E) lost
Ans : (E)

42. (A) speak, (B) told, (C) estimation, (D) believe, (E) consider
Ans : (D)

43. (A) shape, (B) development, (C) deterioration, (D) warmth, (E) expansion
Ans : (C)

44. (A) altered, (B) created, (C) produced, (D) made, (E) brought
Ans : (A)

45. (A) void, (B) dissipate, (C) augment, (D) reverse, (E) increase
Ans : (D)

46. (A) delay, (B) birds, (C) slowdown, (D) hasten, (E) acceleration
Ans : (E)

47. (A) spare, (B) bear, (C) destroy, (D) amend, (E) generation
Ans : (B)

48. (A) animals, (B) difficulty, (C) issues, (D) humans, (E) problem
Ans : (C)

49. (A) extinction, (B) better, (C) wealth, (D) stigma, (E) demand
Ans : (B)

50. (A) endangered, (B) threaten, (C) evaluated, (D) living, (E) compared
Ans : (A)