Q1. Improve the bracketed part: 'I [cannot help to laugh] at his jokes.'
Show answer
Answer: B. cannot help laughing
'Cannot help' in the sense of 'cannot stop oneself from' is followed by a gerund: 'I cannot help laughing at his jokes.'
SSC CGL English Comprehension Intermediate Practice Set 9
25 intermediate questions. Tap an option to check it, or open “Show answer” for the explanation.
Topics: Sentence Improvement, Active and Passive Voice, Direct and Indirect Speech, Synonyms, One-word Substitution, Antonyms, Fill in the Blanks, Idioms and Phrases, Error Spotting
Score: 0 / 0
Q2. Choose the correct active form of: 'The injured were taken to hospital by the villagers.'
Show answer
Answer: D. The villagers took the injured to hospital.
'Were taken' is simple past passive, so the active form uses the simple past 'took', with the agent 'the villagers' as subject.
Q3. Choose the correct indirect speech: The old man said to the child, "May you live long!"
Show answer
Answer: A. The old man prayed that the child might live long.
An optative sentence (a wish or blessing) is reported with 'prayed' or 'wished'. With a past reporting verb, 'may' becomes 'might' and 'you' becomes 'the child'.
Q4. Choose the correct indirect speech: Mother said to me, "Don't play in the sun."
Show answer
Answer: D. Mother told me not to play in the sun.
In a negative imperative, 'said to' becomes a verb like 'told', and 'Don't' + verb becomes 'not to' + verb.
Q5. Choose the synonym of 'ABHOR'.
Show answer
Answer: D. Detest
'Abhor' means to regard with disgust and hatred, which is what 'Detest' means. 'Admire' is the opposite.
Q6. Choose the correct indirect speech: She said, "What a beautiful garden it is!"
Show answer
Answer: B. She exclaimed that it was a very beautiful garden.
An exclamatory sentence is reported with 'exclaimed that'. 'What a' becomes 'very' and the tense shifts back: 'is' becomes 'was'.
Q7. A medicine that counteracts the effect of a poison is called:
Show answer
Answer: D. Antidote
An 'antidote' neutralises a poison. An antibiotic fights bacteria, an antiseptic prevents infection on skin or wounds, and an anaesthetic causes loss of sensation.
Q8. Choose the synonym of 'PROLIFIC'.
Show answer
Answer: D. Productive
'Prolific' means producing much or in large numbers, which is what 'Productive' means. 'Unfruitful' is the opposite.
Q9. Choose the antonym of 'COMPULSORY'.
Show answer
Answer: A. Optional
'Compulsory' means required; its opposite is 'Optional' (left to one's choice). 'Mandatory' and 'Necessary' are close in meaning to it.
Q10. Fill in the blank: Her research proved ___ in developing the vaccine, and she received a national award for it.
Show answer
Answer: C. instrumental
'Instrumental in' means playing an important part in bringing something about. 'Detrimental' means harmful, which does not fit a work that won an award.
Q11. Choose the correct indirect speech: She said, "I am cooking dinner now."
Show answer
Answer: D. She said that she was cooking dinner then.
With a past reporting verb, 'am cooking' becomes 'was cooking', 'I' becomes 'she' and 'now' becomes 'then'.
Q12. What does the idiom 'like a fish out of water' mean?
Show answer
Answer: C. Uncomfortable in an unfamiliar situation
'Like a fish out of water' describes someone who feels awkward because the surroundings are unfamiliar.
Q13. Identify the error: 'I did not know where was he going.'
Show answer
Answer: B. 'was he going' should be 'he was going'
In an indirect (embedded) question, the subject comes before the verb, as in a statement: 'I did not know where he was going.'
Q14. What does the idiom 'to have an axe to grind' mean?
Show answer
Answer: C. To have a private or selfish motive
'To have an axe to grind' means to have a personal interest or selfish reason for doing something.
Q15. Choose the antonym of 'ENCOURAGE'.
Show answer
Answer: A. Dishearten
'Encourage' means to give confidence or hope; 'Dishearten' means to cause someone to lose hope. The other three are synonyms.
Q16. Choose the correct indirect speech: The teacher said to the boy, "Why are you late?"
Show answer
Answer: C. The teacher asked the boy why he was late.
A 'wh-' question is reported with 'asked', keeps the question word without 'that', uses statement word order (he was) and shifts the tense back.
Q17. One who pretends to have virtues or beliefs that he or she does not actually possess is called:
Show answer
Answer: D. Hypocrite
A 'hypocrite' pretends to have moral standards he does not have. A heretic holds beliefs against accepted doctrine, a cynic distrusts others' motives and a sceptic doubts claims.
Q18. Improve the bracketed part: 'The price of vegetables [have risen] sharply this month.'
Show answer
Answer: D. has risen
The subject is 'The price' (singular), not 'vegetables'. The verb must agree with it: 'The price of vegetables has risen sharply this month.'
Q19. What does the idiom 'to spill the beans' mean?
Show answer
Answer: B. To reveal a secret
'To spill the beans' means to reveal secret information, often by accident.
Q20. Choose the synonym of 'BENIGN'.
Show answer
Answer: B. Kindly
'Benign' means gentle, kindly or harmless, so 'Kindly' is the closest in meaning. 'Harmful' is its opposite.
Q21. Identify the error: 'Both his brother-in-laws work in Mumbai.'
Show answer
Answer: B. 'brother-in-laws' should be 'brothers-in-law'
In compound nouns like this, the plural is formed on the main noun: 'brothers-in-law', 'passers-by', 'commanders-in-chief'.
Q22. Fill in the blank: The thief managed to ___ the police for several weeks before he was caught.
Show answer
Answer: C. elude
'Elude' means to escape or avoid capture. 'Allude' means to refer indirectly, 'intrude' to enter without welcome and 'collude' to conspire; none of them takes 'the police' in this sense.
Q23. Identify the error: 'He gave the beggar a ten-rupees note.'
Show answer
Answer: B. 'ten-rupees' should be 'ten-rupee'
When a number plus a noun is used as a hyphenated adjective, the noun stays singular: 'a ten-rupee note', 'a five-year plan'.
Q24. What does the idiom 'to let sleeping dogs lie' mean?
Show answer
Answer: A. To avoid stirring up an old problem
'To let sleeping dogs lie' means to avoid raising an issue that could cause trouble if disturbed.
Q25. Choose the correct passive form of: 'I know him.'
Show answer
Answer: A. He is known to me.
'Know' takes 'to' rather than 'by' in the passive, and the tense stays simple present: 'He is known to me.'