English practice paper for DSC and TET

Baroda Rajasthan Gramin Bank Officers Exam., 2011

(Held on 13-3-2011)

General English : Solved Paper

English practice paper for DSC and TET

Directions–(Q. 1 to 10) 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/phrase in each case.

The chasm between India's flourishing cities and bleak rural hinterland is narrowing. Spread across 650,000 villages, with an average population of l,100, rural villagers were long ...(1)... by city dwellers as primitive, impoverished and irrelevant, something to drive past on the way to something else. That is no longer the ...(2) ... Anew prosperity is ...(3)... in rural India, with tens of millions entering the pressure-cooker-and-tele-vision-owning class and tens of thousands becoming sippers of Scotch, ...(4)... of premium tractors and drivers of multiple sedans.

The opening of this new frontier of consumer demand from 700 million people could tip India's role in the global economy from seller to buyer, from a vendor of outsourced skills to a source of consumers for the world's ...(5)....Mulinational corporations, appear increasingly ...(6)... to understand Indian villagers. Rural dwellers are now nearly twice as likely to be crorepatis as city dwellers in Bangalore, the high-technology hub, according to the National Council for Applied Economic Research. It may be a trickle, but India's urban prosperity is flowing to the countryside and well-to-do villages are early testing grounds of ...(7)... the benefits of India's economic makeover and opening to the world will flow to its villagers, many of them living in its poorest rural nooks. The ...(8)... of such villages will also add fuel to the debate over democracy's influence on economic development. India has been faulted for growing more lethargically than China, in part because of its democracy. But the new rural prosperity ...(9)... that the high cost democracy also has a hidden benefit. By compelling each politician to ...(10)... results to his own narrow constituency, democracy spreads economic change more thinly. But that in turn broadens the consensus in favour of change, perhaps making liberalization more sustainable in India than in China.

1. (A) wished
(B) awaited
(C) imagined
(D) abolished
(E) drawn
Ans : (C)

2. (A) question
(B) case
(C) feature
(D) issue
(E) views
Ans : (B)

3. (A) emerged
(B) visual
(C) associating
(D) sprouting
(E) instilling
Ans : (D)


4. (A) sellers
(B) owners
(C) makers
(D) marketers
(E) hirers
Ans : (B)

5. (A) price
(B) wares
(C) stuff
(D) commodity
(E) today
Ans : (E)

6. (A) aware
(B) disinterested
(C) keen
(D) intend
(E) tough
Ans : (C)

7. (A) really
(B) about
(C) since
(D) if
(E) whether
Ans : (A)

8. (A) transformation
(B) propensity
(C) downfall
(D) revolution
(E) decrease
Ans : (D)

9. (A) suggests
(B) narrates
(C) says
(D) show
(E) remarks
Ans : (E)

10. (A) derive
(B) distribute
(C) give
(D) seek
(E) deliver
Ans : (A)

Directions–(Q. 11 to 15) 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.

11. NA8ARD has the responsibility of lay down the policies for the RRBs, to oversee their operations, provide refinance facilities, to monitor their performance and to attend their problems.
(A) to laid down
(B) of laying down
(C) on lays down
(D) for lay downs
(E) No correction required
Ans : (B)

12. Groundwater and surface water are traditionally concerned of rural communities, as those communities are almost exclusively served by well water.
(A) a tradition of concern
(B) traditions of concerning
(C) traditionally concerns
(D) tradition for concerned
(E) No correction required
Ans : (E)

13. The very publicised mid day meal scheme meant to reduce dropout rates in schools seems to be not yielding the desired results.
(A) much publicised
(B) many publicity
(C) too public
(D) little publicity of
(E) No correction required
Ans : (A)

14. No like the urban schools and colleges, the schools in rural areas do not encourage the children to excel in extra-curricular activities.
(A) Similarly to
(B) Inspite of
(C) Unlike
(D) Despite
(E) No correction required
Ans : (C)

15. The government said that the iron levels in groundwater were higher than that prescribe in 254 districts.
(A) then those prescribe
(B) then that prescribed
(C) prescription
(D) than those prescribed
(E) No correction required
Ans : (D)

Directions–(Q. 16 to 20) Rearrange the following five sentences (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) in the proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph; then answer the questions given below them—
(1) Therefore, it is important to source a large part of economic growth in agriculture, in rural non-agricultural activities and in productive expansion of the informal sector which all have high employment elasticities, as well as in an export strategy based on labour intensive exports.
(2) It is important because it creates more resources and has the potential of creating more space for the involvement of the poor.
(3) If the growth is sourced upon those sectors of the economy or those activities that have a natural tendency to involve the poor in their expansion, such growth helps poverty eradication.
(4) Economic growth is important.
(5) But this involvement depends on the sources of growth and the nature of growth.

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

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

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

19. Which of the following should be the FOURTH sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 5
(6) 4
(C) 3
(D) 2
(E) 1
Ans : (C)

20. Which of the following should be the FIFTH sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 1
(6) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) 5
Ans : (A)

Directions–(Q. 21 to 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. A model-based approach has been …………….to identify the factors that are …………….for the problems faced by the rural areas.
(A) pursued, guilty
(B) placed, accountable
(C) approved, made
(D) identified, liable
(E) adopted,. Responsible
Ans : (E)

22. Farm living is dependent on …………….environmental conditions, and in times of drought, flood or pestilence, survival becomes extremely …………….
(A) irregular, simple
(B) sedentary, dangerous
(C) erratic, easy
(D) unpredictable, problematic
(E) impulsive, tough
Ans : (D)

23. It is also a …………….of industrialization that farms become more mechanized, putting many labourers out of …………….
(A) result, work
(B) point, city
(C) idea, labour
(D) consequence, bounds
(E) cause, employment
Ans : (A)

24. since their inception, regional rural banks (RRBs) have taken …………….roots and have become a sort of. …………….part of the rural credit structure in India.
(A) many, frivolous
(B) to, vital
(C) several, small
(D) all, essential
(E) deep, inseparable
Ans : (E)

25. Any new proposal in the education sector should …………….the chances for the rural poor to have a …………….education at par with their urban counter parts in their villages themselves.
(A) increase, well
(B) improve, good
(C) search, standard
(D) glorify, better
(E) lessen, regular
Ans : (B)

Directions–(Q. 26 to 35) Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical 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) i. e. 'No error'. (Ignore the errors of punctuation, if any.)

26. Neither the opera singers or (A) the general public had seen as (B) much glitter (C) in years as they did during Turandot, the finale (D) of the opera season. No error (E)
Ans : (A)

27. His story about the strange beings (A) in a space ship was so (B) incredulous (C) that (D) no one believed him. No error (E)
Ans : (C)

28. The hot air ballon had burst as they were preparing (A) for launch, (B) and the platform had broke (C) as a result. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (C)

29. I fail to understand (A) why (B) you are seeking my council (C) after the way you ignored (D) my advice last week. No error (E)
Ans : (C)

30. Ann Landers, whose (A) name is a household word to millions of (B) readers, are (C) well-known (D) for family advice. No error (E)
Ans : (C)

31. Between you and I, (A) the highway department must review bridge construction across the country (B) in order to (C) avoid major catastrophes resulting from (D) mental fatigue. No error (E)
Ans : (A)

32. Child custody in surrogate mother cases is just one of the many (A) controversial issues which (B) are (C) currently being decided upon (D) in the courts. No error (E)
Ans : (D)

33. John usually eats a quick lunch, ignoring (A) the question of whether (B) what (C) he eats is healthy or (D) not. No error (E)
Ans : (E)

34. If (A) you continue to drive so recklessly, (B) you are likely (C) to have a serious accident in the very (D) near future. No error (E)
Ans : (E)

35. The general along with (A) the members of his general staff (B) seem (C) to favour immediate retaliation (D) at this time. No error (E)
Ans : (C)

Directions–(Q. 36 to 43) Read the passage carefully and answers the questions correctly.

This is a time when the demography of our population is changing significantly to drive organized retail growth. India now has a large young working population with a median age of 24. The number of nuclear families in urban areas is growing fast. Then there is the increase in working women population. Add to these the emerging opportunities in the service sector. Lifestyle habits are shifting from austerity to complete self-indulgence and Indians are now unapologetic about spending lavishly on non-essential goods such as luxury watches, cars, and hi-tech products.

India can be said to have entered the second phase of retail growth when there is high-speed growth. There are retail chains along with global players which are trying to tap the country's vast potential. Bringing all these under one roof are mega malls. Now, top names in inter-national malls are also eyeing the Indian market. It is only later that the retailing scene will move to the other phases when the fruits of rapid growth will result in economies of scale and greater efficiency leading finally to consolidation through mergers and acquistions. Thus, retailing in India has a very long haul ahead.

In India for a long time a large chunk of retail outlets were grocery shops. This pattern had been changing in recent years, in urban and rural markets. Of late, India's largely rural population has also caught the eye of retailers looking for new areas of growth. A slew of supermarket chains are set to storm the rural areas of the country as corporates realize the huge potential of the untapped market. A well-known brand launched the country's first rural mall, offering a diverse product range from FMCG to electronic appliances to automobiles, attempting to provide farmers a one-stop destination for all of their needs. Other companies are launching 'one-stop shops' for farmers and their communities too.

As clear from the story of some of the companies already established, organized retail sector can bring a revolutionary change in rural India unless it goes for quick short-term gains. With Walmart famous for its 'Always Low Prices' coming to India, Indian farmers and rural craftsmen can hope for a better direct deal. Retailing does not benefit just the consumer. It can give huge benefits to other industries, to government, and to the entire economy.

The rural market is no longer a non-player in the retail game. It is now accounting for about one-third of the market for most durable and non-durable products. Even manufacturers are developing new products with the rural consumer in mind besides using village-oriented marketing strategies for brand promotions. Whether it is an actress promoting a chocolate of a cricketer wowing village lads with a soft drink, both ad makers as well as top company honchos know where to put their money and how. The rural market is no longer of hypothetical empirical value but is well researched and reached by most companies looking to tap India's vast and abundant bounty.

The Indian retail scenario is poised for a quantum leap. Not only are newer names set to dot the retail landscape but also new and emerging retail formats will drive the diversity of the fast-changing retail backdrop. Organized Retail means 'Big Stores' a common myth. ..nothing can be further from the truth. In its very essence, organized retailing is about "aggregating value" and what shape, size and configuration your customer facing entity takes is largely a function of your offer and proposition. A growing population, a young workforce and zooming consumer confidence will fuel the expansion of the retail sector. As organized retail in rural India awaits the arrival of known companies, current majors are expanding their retail operations by setting up more stores, entering new states and offering newer product categories. A shift from selling agri-inputs will help these stores target the non-farming segments. It is a little known fact that, while 25% of the rural population is not engaged in agriculture, it earns 50% of the rural income. The retail
market is the next growth frontier for corporate India. It offers an opportunity for a large player to build a Rs. 40,000 cr retail business spanning multiple categories by 2015 (at current prices). However, to capitalize on the opportunity, a player needs to be aggressive in his outlook and build scale quickly.

36. What according to the author is 'Organized Retailing' ?
(A) Setting up a number of stores in a short span of time in order to achieve visibility
(B) Selling the same products under different names
(C) Assigning a higher value to all products so that a greater margin of profit is attained in a shorter span of time
(D) Adapting one's strategy of selling or making products according to customer needs and demands
(E) Building bigger stores to attract more number of people
Ans : (D)

37. What according to the author, is not well known ?
(A) Encouraging the retail industries to set up stores in the rural areas will lead to disaster
(B) Half of the income in rural areas comes from people engaged in non-agricultural activities
(C) People in the rural areas are unwilling to spend on products other than those related to
agriculture
(D) People in the rural areas have a very limited spending capacity because of low incomes
(E) Rural areas have a high potential for success of retail industries
Ans : (B)

38. Which of the following, according to the author, is/are the reason/s for the change in the spending habits of Indians ?
(1) Increase in the number of youngsters securing jobs
(2) Increase in the number of employed women
(3) Increase in the number of nuclear families
(A) Only (1)
(B) Only (1) and (3)
(C) Only (3)
(D) Only (1) and (2)
(E) All (1), (2) and (3)
Ans : (E)

39. Which of the following can aptly replace the phrase 'caught the eye of' as used in the passage ?
(A) made a demand for
(B) been painful to
(C) been noticed by
(D) paid attention to
(E) sought approval of
Ans : (C)

40. Which of the following is possibly the most appropriate title for the passage ?
(A) Retail Industry – The Way Ahead For Farmers
(B) Retail Industry – Growth Opportunities
(C) Walmart and the Retail Industry
(D) Challenges faced by the Retail Industry
(E) The History of Retail Industry
Ans : (B)

41. Which of the following is true about rural market, as given in the passage ?
(1) Product are being designed to suit rural requirements.
(2) Companies are taking into account rural settings while conceptualizing advertisements.
(3) It forms around 33 per cent of the consumers of most retail products.
(A) Only (1) and (3)
(B) Only (1) and (2)
(C) Only (1)
(D) Only (2) and (3)
(E) All (1), (2) and (3)
Ans : (E)

42. Which of the following is true about Walmart, as given in the passage ?
(1) Walmart achieved a fair amount of success in smaller towns of the US.
(2) Walmart has presence in all the countries.
(3) Goods sold at Walmart are priced low.
(A) Only (1) and (3)
(B) Only (1) and (2)
(C) Only (1)
(D) Only (2) and (3)
(E) Only (3)
Ans : (E)

43. What is the present situation of retail growth in India ?
(A) The growth of the retail sector is progressing at a medium pace and India lacks the resources to capitalize on the potential market
(B) India's growth in the retail sector can be compared to the growth of the US in the same
(C) India has a huge untapped market for the retail sector which at present only the international companies are using to their advantage
(D) India is witnessing rapid growth in the retail sector with most companies trying to make maximum of the available market
(E) India is witnessing a lot of mergers and acquisitions in the retail sector
Ans : (C)

Directions–(Q. 44 to 47) 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.

44. NUCLEAR
(A) One
(B) Central
(C) Single
(D) Extended
(E) Joint
Ans : (C)

45. ZOOMING
(A) Fast
(B) Whizzing
(C) Increasing
(D) Burning
(E) Quick
Ans : (B)

46. AGGRESSIVE
(A) Forceful
(B) Hostile
(C) Violent
(D) Antagonistic
(E) Destructive
Ans : (C)

47. DURABLE
(A) Perishable
(B) Existing
(C) Settlement
(D) Long-lasting
(E) Ever-lasting
Ans : (D)

Directions–(Q. 48 to 50) 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.

48. DIVERSITY
(A) Fairness
(B) Uniformity
(C) Reliability
(D) Difference
(E) Equality
Ans : (B)

49. UNAPOLOGETIC
(A) Guilty
(B) Reformed
(C) Unrepentant
(D) Ignorant
(E) Accountable
Ans : (A)

50. UNTAPPED
(A) Over-insistent
(B) More frequent
(C) Available
(D) Intact
(E) Over-exploited
Ans : (E)