(Held on 15-5-2011)
English Language : Solved Paper
Directions-(Q. 1-15) 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.
In the city of Manmathapura, there lived a young man named Veeravara. He was brave and intelligent. He longed for adventure and when he was eighteen years old, he took up a job on a ship so that he could travel and see other countries. He traveled to many places on the ship and had many adventures. One day, a storm hit the sea, the ship tossed about and everyone was thrown overboard, including Veeravara. He managed to clutch on to a piece of wood and save his life. As he was floating in the sea, he lost consciousness. When at last he woke up, he found himself lying on the sandy shore of an unknown island, under the piercing rays of the sun.
Glad to be alive, he got up. He was on a large island, and some miles inland he could see a city. Veeravara started walking in that direction. When he reached the city, to his surprise, he was greeted by a great crowd that cheered him. He did not know what was happening. An elephant was brought forward and he was made to sit on his back. A sad looking man was also sitting there silently. The elephant marched towards a palatial building. Veeravara asked the old man, "Why do the people welcome a stranger like me in this grand fashion ? What are they celebrating, and where are they taking me ?"
The old man now looked sadder. "This is an unusual island," he explained. "The people here are very intelligent but they have some funny rules. They are prosperous but they don't have a king. They feel that if they choose a king from within themselves, he will be partial. So they wait for an unknown person to come to this island. When someone like you, a shipwrecked traveller, gets washed to the shore, they make him their king. They are taking us to the palace. You are our new king now ," "What happens to the previous king ? And who are you ?" Veeravara asked. "I was the king till you came along. The old king is given a day to teach the new one the ropes. Then he is sent off to the next deserted island, where he has to look after himself. That's the rule." Saying this, the old man pointed to an island. Veeravara could see it was covered with dense forest. Now he realised why the old man was sad.
Veeravara was crowned king with great pomp. He quickly learnt his new job and became a good and fair king. But deep inside, a little part of him remained unhappy. When would the next shipwrecked person show up and he be sent off to the other island to live till the end of his days with wild animals and other retired kings ?
As he thought about this, he came up with an idea. As long as he was the king, he had absolute power. He ordered his men to go to the island and clear a part of the forest. Then he ordered roads and houses to be built. Soon there were roads, shops and pretty little houses on the island. People would go to the forest and see the wild animals; they gathered honey and fruits from the trees there, and in a few years, the island was no longer deserted but a cheerful little town.
Now Veeravara was not worried at all. When the next king appeared, he would not have to fend for himself in the forest. Instead, he would live in a little cottage and grow vegetables. Years passed and he got older. The people loved him and were sad whenever they thought he would no longer be their king. Then one day Veeravara called his people and said, "It is good when you make a person from outside the island a king. He is fresh and unbiased. But this may not always be a good idea. What if the next person who comes here is a crook ? You will make him king without knowing anything about him. Instead, let's have a system where the cleverest people of this island are chosen and rule the place together. Then no one person will have absolute power, and if one of them turns out dishonest, you can always remove him from the council." The islanders liked the idea, and in a few days, chose their new rulers. Veeravara handed over the kingdom to them and retired happily to his cottage, where he stayed till the end of his days.
1. Why did Veeravara take up a job on the ship ?
(A) He enjoyed the sea
(B) It was the only job available
(C) He wanted to visit an island
(D) Jobs on the ship paid well and Veeravara needed the money
(E) Life on the ship was filled with adventure
Ans : (E)
2. How did Veeravara land on an unknown island ?
(I) He swam across to the nearest island after the shipwreck.
(2) The ship lost its way and docked on the island.
(3) He was unconscious while he floated across to the island.
(A) Only (1)
(B) Only (2)
(C) Only (3)
(D) Only (1) and (2)
(E) None of these
Ans : (C)
3. Why did the crowd cheer when they saw Veeravara approaching them ?
(A) They were happy he was saved
(B) They were expecting his visit
(C) They were going to make him their king
(D) They were happy Veeravara accepted their invitation to visit their island
(E) They wanted their present king to retire as soon as possible
Ans : (C)
4. Why was the old man who was accompanying Veeravara sad ?
(1) He was going to be sent off to a deserted island.
(2) He had no sons who were adventurous like Veeravara.
(3) He had no heir who could take over the kingdom after him.
(A) Only (1)
(B) Only (2)
(C) Only (3)
(D) Only (1) and (3)
(E) All (1), (2) and (3)
Ans : (A)
5. What was the rule put forth by the people of the island ?
(A) Every stranger would get a warm welcome
(B) No one was allowed to clear the forest area
(C) The retired king would be sent off to a deserted island to look after himself
(D) The island would be ruled by a council of rulers
(E) The king had absolute power and could do as he wished
Ans : (D)
6. Which of the following statements about Veeravara is false in the context of the passage ?
(A) He was responsible for bringing about a change in the island
(B) He cleared the dense forest and built roads and cottages for his people
(C) He wanted to have a comfortable retirement
(D) He introduced the concept of a council
(E) He was envious of the previous king
Ans : (E)
7. Why did the villagers wait for an unknown person to arrive to their island in order to make him their king ?
(A) They wanted their king to be someone who was not from among them
(B) They did not have any young boys who were capable of carrying out the duties of a king
(C) The people of the village were not educated
(D) They found it easier to disrespect unknown people
(E) Nobody in the island was willing to take up the responsibility of governance
Ans : (A)
8. Although Veeravara was a successful king, there was an element of unhappiness because–
(A) He knew that he would not be able to stay on the island as he would have to return home one day
(B) He always felt that he was a foreigner on the island
(C) He felt responsible for the dethronement of the previous king
(D) He was not sure when he would be sent off to the deserted island
(E) He lost his companions after the shipwreck
Ans : (D)
9. What advise did Veeravara give to the people of his kingdom ?
(A) To choose a king fro within the island
(B) To send all the retired kings to the farthest deserted island
(C) To have a system where a council of rulers could rule the island
(D) To place complete trust in their king
(E) None of these
Ans : (A)
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. Piercing
(A) Intense
(B) Loud
(C) Vibrant
(D) Violent
(E) Full
Ans : (A)
11. Deserted
(A) Secured
(B) Inhabited
(C) Isolated
(D) Protected
(E) Safe
Ans : (C)
12. Dense
(A) Dark
(B) Thick
(C) Tall
(D) Natural
(E) Lively
Ans : (B)
Directions-(Q. 13-15) Choose the word which is most OPPOSITE in meaning of the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
13. Fair
(A) Unjust
(B) Unlucky
(C) Honest
(D) Sensible
(E) Dark
Ans : (A)
14. Remove
(A) Indulge
(B) Adjust
(C) Derive
(D) Include
(E) Eliminate
Ans : (D)
15. Partial
(A) Complete
(B) Unbiased
(C) Favourable
(D) Unfamiliar
(E) Prejudiced
Ans : (B)
Directions-(Q. 16-25) 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).
16. I cannot able to teach you (A) / how to learn the guitar (B) / if you do not (C) / show any interest in music. (D) No Error (E)
Ans : (A)
17. The researcher could not (A) / speak the local language (B) / of the state and so, (C) / found it difficult to study on the people. (D) No Error (E)
Ans : (D)
18. Since it was (A) / a very cold and windy day (B) / I asked my friend (C) / to off the fan. (D) No Error (E)
Ans : (D)
19. Not only do (A) / the nurses want a pay increase, (B) / but they want reduce (C) / working hours as well. (D) No Error (E)
Ans : (C)
20. You cannnot expect the students (A) / to blame on the teacher (B) / for getting low marks (C) / in the examination. (D) No Error (E)
Ans : (B)
21. I live very (A) / close by to the train station, (B) / so travelling to work (C) / is very convenient for me. (D) No Error (E)
Ans : (B)
22. There is appearing (A) / to be a shortage (B) / of skilled staff (C) / in the organisation. (D) No Error (E)
Ans : (A)
23. The patient lodged (A) / a complaint against (B) / the doctor for / its negligence. (D) No Error (E)
Ans : (D)
24. My colleague informed (A) / to her boss that (B) / she needed more time (C) / to complete the assignment. (D) No Error (E)
Ans : (B)
25. At first, (A) / I would like to (B) / thank you all (C) / for inviting me here today. (D) No Error (E)
Ans : (A)
Directions-(Q. 26-30) Pick out the most effective word from the given words to fill in the blanks to make the sentence meaningfully complete in the context of the sentence.
26. In her first book, the author ………….her experiences as a child.
(A) describes
(B) talks
(C) feels
(D) understands
(E) claims
Ans : (A)
27. Mr. Nair has been awake ………….6 O'clock.
(A) until
(B) since
(C) by
(D) at
(E) before
Ans : (B)
28. Frequent news of terrorist activity in the area has ………….most tourists away.
(A) caused
(B) worried
(C) frightened
(D) moved
(E) scare
Ans : (C)
29. On a Saturday, neither the bank ………….the post office is open.
(A) nor
(B) and
(C) also
(D) neither
(E) or
Ans : (A)
30. My youngest child, ………….is only three years old, has started going to kindergarten.
(A) that
(B) whom
(C) just
(D) which
(E) who
Ans : (E)
Directions-(Q. 31-35) In each question below, four words printed in bold type 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 .
31. The actress' Participation (A) in the play (B) came as a surprise (C) to all her fans. (D) All Correct (E)
Ans : (A)
32. Children (A) have a natural (B) curiosity (C) about the world around (D) them. All Correct (E)
Ans : (E)
33. The poet's writings (A) reflect on the little abcences (B) and distractions (C) of mankind. (D) All Correct (E)
Ans : (B)
34. After more (A) than a day's journey (B) we finally arrived (C) at our destination. (D) All Correct (E)
Ans : (E)
35. My friends chose (A) to stay home rather (B) than play with colours, (C) during the festivhal (D) of Holi. All Correct (E)
Ans : (D)
Directions-(Q. 36-40) Rearrange the following seven sentences / group of sentences (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) in the proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph; then answer the questions given below them–
(1) One day a zamindar decided to test his capacity and invited him to lunch.
(2) Just then a servant was passing by with a plate of mango slices, Gopal took the plate from the servant and ate all the slices.
(3) "The mango being the king of fruits, all the food in my stomach made way for it."
(4) Gopal had a large appetite and was known to eat enormous quantities of food especially when invited to feasts.
(5) "Very simple", said Gopal. "What happens when you walk into a crowded room ? Every-body steps aside to let a royal person like you pass. Something similar happened here."
(6) Gopal ate to his hearts content and declared that there was no more place left for even a grain of rice.
(7) "You said you did not have place for even a single grain of rice yet you devoured almost three mangoes. How do you explain that ?" asked the zamindar.
36. Which of the following should be the FIRST sentence after the rearrangement ?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 6
(D) 4
(E) 7
Ans : (A)
37. Which of the following should be the SECOND sentence after the rearrangement ?
(A) 4
(B) 6
(C) 1
(D) 2
(E) 7
Ans : (C)
38. Which of the following should be the THIRD sentence after the rearrangement ?
(A) 5
(B) 2
(C) 7
(D) 3
(E) 6
Ans : (E)
39. Which of the following should be the FIFTH sentence after the rearrangement ?
(A) 3
(B) 5
(C) 2
(D) 1
(E) 7
Ans : (E)
40. Which of the following should be the SEVENTH (LAST) sentence after the rearrangement?
(A) 3
(B) 5
(C) 6
(D) 2
(E) 7
Ans : (A)
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.
A farmer was ...(41)... home from his fields one evening when suddenly two women ...(42)... in front of him. "1 am the goddess of poverty ," said one of them. " And I .am the goddess of wealth," said the other. "What do you want from me ?" (43)... the man, his voice faint ...(44)... fear.
"Tell us who ...(45)... the two of us is more beautiful," said the goddess of wealth, giving him an enchanting smile. The man ...(46)... he was in a dangerous position. If he favoured one, it would displease the other. But he was a clever man and ...(47)... fast he said to the goddess of wealth: "When you are ...(48)... a house, you are certainly more beautiful. "Then turning quickly to the other deity said: "But there is ...(49)... one to compare you with, when you are leaving a house. In circumstances like these, it is you who are more beautiful." The deities beamed with joy and disappeared, and the fanner heaved a ...(50)... of relief and hurried home.
41. (A) returning
(B) exiting
(C) travel
(D) joining
(E) went
Ans : (A)
42. (A) comes
(B) standing
(C) appeared
(D) reaching
(E) seemed
Ans : (C)
43. (A) replied
(B) order
(C) question
(D) asked
(E) request
Ans : (A)
44. (A) by
(B) with
(C) inside
(D) under
(E) within
Ans : (B)
45. (A) of
(B) between
(C) which
(D) inspite
(E) including
Ans : (B)
46. (A) observe
(B) thinks
(C) finds
(D) knew
(E) feel
Ans : (D)
47. (A) pretending
(B) telling
(C) seeing
(D) seeking
(E) thinking
Ans : (E)
48. (A) coming
(B) going
(C) entering
(D) into
(E) looking
Ans : (C)
49. (A) neither
(B) few
(C) many
(D) some
(E) no
Ans : (E)
50. (A) burden
(B) shower
(C) act
(D) posture
(E) sigh
Ans : (E)
