State Bank of India Clerk Exam-2008 Solved Paper

State Bank of India Clerk Exam-2008 Solved Paper

General English : Solved Paper

(Held on 6-7-2008)


Directions—(Q. 41–50) 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.

The yearly festival was close at hand. The store room was packed with silk fabrics. gold
ornaments, clay bowls full of sweet curd and platefuls of sweetmeats. The orders had
been placed with shops well in advance. The mother was sending out gifts to everyone.

The eldest son, a government servant, lived with his wife and children in far off lands.
The second son had left home at an early age. As a merchant he travelled all over the
world. The other sons had split up over petty squabbles, and they now lived in homes of
their own. The relatives were spread all across the world. They rarely visited. The
youngest son, left in the company of a servant, was soon bored and stood at the door all
day long, waiting and watching. His mother, thrilled and excited, loaded the presents on
trays and plates, covered them with colourful kerchiefs, and sent them off with maids and
servants. The neighbours looked on.

The day came to an end. All the presents had been sent off.

The child came back into the house and dejectedly said to his mother, "Maa, you gave a
present to everyone, but you didn't give me anything !"

His mother laughed, "I have given all the gifts away to everyone, now see what's left for
you." She kissed him on the forehead.

The child said in a tearful voice, "Don't I get a gift ?"

"But when I am close to you, don't I get something from your own hands ?"

His mother reached out her arms and drew him to her. "This is all I have in my own
hands. It is the most precious of all."

41. Why did the woman's second son travel ?
(A) He was restless by nature
(B) He did not want to stay at home
(C) He was rich and could afford to travel

(D) His job was such that he had to travel
(E) None of these

42. Why did the woman's eldest son not attend the festival ?
(A) He was not on good terms with his youngest brother who lived at home
(B) He had quarrelled with his mother
(C) His wife did not allow him to return home
(D) His job prevented him from taking leave
(E) None of these

43. How did the woman prepare for the festival ?
1. She bought expensive gifts for her children and neighbours.
2. She ordered her servants to prepare sweets and food well in advance.
3. She made sure that her youngest child was looked after so that he wouldn't be bored.
(A) None
(B) Only 1
(C) Only 2
(D) Both 1 and 2
(E) All 1, 2 and 3

44. What did the youngest child do while his mother was busy ?
1. He waited for a chance to steal some sweetmeats.
2. He pestered his mother to give him a present.
3. He stood at the door with servants.
(A) Only 1
(B) Only 2
(C) Both 1 and 3
(D) Only 3
(E) None of these

45. Which of the following can be said about the woman ?
(A) She was a widow who had brought up her children single handedly
(B) She was not a good mother since her children had left home at an early age
(C) She enjoyed sending her family gifts at festival time
(D) She gave expensive presents to show that she was wealthy
(E) She rarely visited her grand-children because they all lived abroad

46. What did the boy receive from his mother ?
(A) She taught him the value of patience
(B) She encouraged him to grow up and live independently like his brothers
(C) She showed him the importance of giving expensive gifts
(D) She gave him a hug to express her love
(E) None of these

47. Which of the following is TRUE in the context of the passage ?
(A) The woman usually ignored her youngest son

(B) The woman's eldest son lived abroad
(C) The members of the woman's family did not care about her
(D) The woman made all the preparations herself since she did not want to burden the
servants
(E) The woman sent gifts to her children to ensure that they visited her

Directions—(Q. 48–49) Choose the word which is most nearly the SAME in meaning as
the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

50. Choose the word which is most OPPOSITE in meaning of the word dejectedly as
used in the passage.
(A) Calmly
(B) Happily
(C) Willingly
(D) Fortunately
(E) Softly

Directions—(Q. 51–55) Read each sentence to find out whether there is any 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)

51. Many multinational companies (A) / have not been as (B) /successful in India (C)
/than we expected. (D) No error (E)

52. He has ruined (A) /his eyesight (B) /by not using (C) /his spectacles regularly. (D) No
error (E)

53. Mostly of the (A) /newly recruited officers (B) /have no experience (C) /in the
banking sector. (D) No error (E)

54. The resignation of (A) /one of our directors (B) /have caused the price (C) / of shares
to fall. (D) No error (E)

55. There are many (A) /ways of which (B) /inflation can (C) /be measured. (D) No error
(E)

Directions—(Q. 56–60) Which of the phrases (A), (B), (C) and (D) given below should
replace the phrase given in bold in the following sentence to make the sentence
grammatically meaningful and correct. If the sentence is correct as it is and 'No
correction is required.' mark (E) as the answer.

56. Each of the loan must be approved by the Branch Manager—
(A) Every loan
(B) Each one of the loan
(C) Any of the loan
(D) All of the loan
(E) No correction required

57. The issue was taken before the Municipal Corporation meeting last week—
(A) Taking place at
(B) Taken after
(C) Being taken in
(D) Taken up at
(E) No correction required

58. He has asked for the names of those employees involved in the project.
(A) had asked
(B) having asked about
(C) was asked that
(D) is asking
(E) no correction required

59. Considerate the traffic, it is better to leave for the airport an hour early—
(A) While considering
(B) Consideration of
(C) Considering
(D) Being considerate to
(E) No correction required

60. He is a good leader, knowing that to motivate his employees to achieve—
(A) That known when
(B) Who knows how
(C) Which knows how
(D) Knowing what
(E) No correction required

Directions—(Q. 61–65) Rearrange the following six sentences (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and
(6) in the proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph; then answer the questions

(1) The able bodied men of the tribe gathered to discuss how to climb the mountain.
(2) As part of their plundering they kidnapped a baby of one of the families.
(3) One day the mountain tribe invaded those living in the valley.
(4) "We couldn't climb the mountain. How could you?", they asked, "It wasn't your baby
!" she replied.
(5) There were two tribes in the Andes–one lived in the valley and the other high up in
the mountains.
(6) Two days later they noticed the child's mother coming down the mountain that they
hadn't yet figured out how to climb.

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

62. Which of the following should be the FIFTH sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) (6)
(B) (5)
(C) (4)
(D) (3)
(E) (2)

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

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

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

Directions—(Q. 66–70) In each question below a sentence with four words printed in
bold type is given. These are lettered (A), (B), (C) and (D). One of these four words
printed in bold may be either wrongly 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 the words printed in bold are correctly spelt and also
appropriate in the context of the sentence mark (E) i.e., all correct as your answer.

66. The income (A) of many people in rural (B) India is not adequate (C) to satisfy (D)
their basic needs. All correct (E)

67. He is always (A) prompt (B) in caring (C) out instructions. (D) All correct (E)

68. The revized (A) rates (B) of interest will be effective (C) immediately. (D) All
correct (E)

69. Such transactions (A) are quiet (B) expensive (C) and time consuming (D) for
customers. All correct (E)

70. The guidelines (A) of the new scheme (B) are expected (C) to be finally (D) soon.
All correct (E)

Directions—(Q. 71–80) 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/
phrases are suggested one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate
word in each case.

I used to look …(71)… to the holidays. I was usually …(72)… to my uncle's house
where I …(73)… his children. I did not get paid a salary for …(74)… What I received in
return however, was far more …(75)… My uncle was an avid reader. During the time I
spent with his family I had an …(76)… to read the vast amount of books and magazines
that he possessed. This improved my English to some …(77)… Reading became my new
…(78–79)… spending my pocket money on a ticket to the cinema I began to …(80)…
books. This has benefited me greatly.


71. (A) forward
(B) towards
(C) backward
(D) up
(E) around

72. (A) went
(B) sent
(C) visited
(D) travelled
(E) gone

73. (A) cared
(B) occupy
(C) guarded
(D) taught
(E) played

74. (A) them
(B) whom
(C) this
(D) now
(E) which

75. (A) expensive
(B) deserving
(C) helping
(D) demanding
(E) valuable

76. (A) opportunity
(B) ability
(C) use
(D) encouragement
(E) achievement

77. (A) distance
(B) extent
(C) time
(D) limits
(E) degrees

78. (A) activity
(B) hope
(C) hobby
(D) duty
(E) worship

79. (A) despite
(B) though
(C) by
(D) instead of
(E) while

80. (A) sell
(B) read
(C) exchange

(D) invest
(E) buy

Answers:
41. (D) 42. (E) 43. (A) 44. (D)
45. (C) 46. (D) 47. (B)
48. (C) 49. (A) 50. (C)
51. (D) Replace 'than' with 'as'.
52. (E)
53. (A) Change 'Mostly' to 'Most'.
54. (C) Change 'have' to 'has'.
55. (B) Replace 'of' with 'in'.
56. (A) 57. (D) 58. (E) 59. (C) 60. (B)
61. (C) 62. (A) 63. (E) 64. (D) 65. (B)
66. (E) 67. (C) 68. (A) 69. (E) 70. (D)
71. (A) 72. (B) 73. (D) 74. (C) 75. (E)
76. (A) 77. (B) 78. (C) 79. (D) 80. (E)

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