English Quiz - SBI Prelims

Directions (Q. 1-10): In the following passage, some of the words have been left out, each of which is indicated by a number. Find the suitable word from the options given against each number and fill up the blanks with appropriate words to make the paragraph meaningfully complete.

Last April, the Allahabad High Court allowed the farmers’ writ pleas and (1) the project. It (2) that farmers who had received (3) for their land should either return the money and take back the land or willingly hand it over for the project. Around 140 farmers did not accept compensation. Those who did are in no condition to repay the amount, causing an (4) which the administration is (5) to break. After the (6) violence, the (7) have been peaceful, but the farmers complain they are being (8) by local (9) and officials to give up their land and (10) the protests.

1. 

1) enquired 

2) stalled 

3) interrogated

4) inspected 

5) checked

2. 

1) framed 

2) prayed 

3) rebuked

4) stipulated 

5) questioned

3. 

1) fee 

2) compensation 

3) benefit

4) profit 

5) premium

4. 

1) importance 

2) end 

3) agreement

4) interest 

5) impasse

5. 

1) struggling 

2) attacking 

3) tackling

4) prohibiting 

5) labouring

6. 

1) final 

2) initial 

3) late

4) leading 

5) starting

7. 

1) gossip 

2) condition 

3) protests

4) riot 

5) turmoil

8. 

1) helped 

2) rescued 

3) intimidated

4) praised 

5) protected

9. 

1) hawkers 

2) workers 

3) goons

4) friends 

5) person

10. 

1) forbid 

2) prohibit 

3) check

4) enforce 

5) discontinue

Answer:-

Q. 1 (2)	Q. 2 (4)	Q. 3 (2)	Q. 4 (5)	Q. 5 (1)
Q. 6 (2)	Q. 7 (3)	Q. 8 (3)	Q. 9 (3)	Q. 10 (5)

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Schism(noun)

Definition: (noun) A separation or division into factions.

Synonyms: discord, split

Usage: Heretics were burned for attempting to create a schism in the Catholic Church.

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Mercurial (Adjective)

Definition: (adjective) Quick and changeable in temperament.

Synonyms: quicksilver, erratic, fickle, volatile

Usage: Her mercurial nature made it difficult to gauge how she would react.

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English Quiz On Spotting Error : SBI PO Tier 1

Directions (Q. 1-5): 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 number of that part is the answer. If there is ‘No error’, the answer is 5). (Ignore errors of punctuation, if any.)

1. 1) Singapore-headquarterd DBS Bank plans to open fifty branches in India / 2) over the next three years, / 3) a move aimed at benefit / 4) from the country’s new policy for foreign leaders. / 5) No error

2. 1) If the sky-high prices of gold and silver has stood / 2) in the way of your acquiring / 3) these precious metals, / 4) here is a way out. / 5) No error

3. 1) The telecom department has set a deadline / 2) for mobile phone companies to submit supporting documents / 3) failing which a peak penalty / 4) would apply for delays before 30 days. / 5) No error

4. 1) Inspired by the belief that the right kind of education can help overcome / 2) issues of poverty, citizenship, and employment development, / 3) Colbert’s model placed children at / 4) the very heart of education. / 5) No error

5. 1) Historically rich and culturally diverse, / 2) London will not only provide you a world-class education / 3) but also enrich your life / 4) in so much different ways. / 5) No error

Directions (Q. 6-10): In the following questions, a sentence has been given with some of its parts in bold. To make the sentence grammatically correct, you have to replace the bold part with the correct alternative given below. If the sentence is correct as it is, give 5) as your answer (ie No correction required).

6. It is historically false to ascribe to Patel achievements which were not his and absolve him from responsibility which indisputably fell on him.

1) absolving him from 

2) absolve him of

3) absolving him with 

4) absolve him by

5) No correction required

7. Government’s plan to construct law for communal violence runs into trouble as political parties and civil society groups question its provisions and timing.

1) frame law for 

2) make law about

3) enact law against 

4) form law at

5) No correction required

8. Though CBI has been unable to nail the accused, its invest igati ons have completely ruled out  t he possibility of outsiders have killed Arushi and domestic help Hermraj.

1) being kill 

2) has killed 

3) having killed

4) was killed 

5) No correction required

9. The murder of five girls has puzzled police, who is now investigating into all angles in the case.

1) who are now investigating

2) who is now investigating

3) who is now investigating about

4) which is now investigating regarding

5) No correction required

10. India declared a five-day state mourning as a marks of respect to Nelson Mandela.

1) sign of regards 

2) a mark for respect

3) an emblem of honour 

4) a mark of respect

5) No correction required

Answer:-

1. (3); Replace ‘benefit’ with ‘benefitting’

2. (1); Replace ‘has’ with ‘have’

3. (4); Replace ‘before’ with ‘beyond’

4. (5);


5. (4); Replace ‘much’ with ‘many’

Q. 6 (2)

Q. 7 (3)

Q. 8 (3)

Q. 9 (1)

Q. 10 (4)

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SBI PO 2015 : letter to your Branch Manager For Leave

Hello Readers,

As we all know, SBI PO 2015 was announced for the post of Probationary Officer. So, we are presenting to an Formal Letter on

Write a leave letter to your Branch Manager.

ABC,

Canara Bank, R. K. Puram Branch

New Delhi-22

6 November, 2008.

Branch Manager,

Canara Bank, R. K. Puram Branch

New Delhi-22.

Subject- Application For leave

Sir,

As my mother is admitted in a hospital at Agra for an operation, I have to be with her. Hence, it

would not be possible for me to attend office for two weeks. Kindly grant me special permission

to take 15 days leave.

Thank you,

Yours Truly,

ABC

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English Quiz - SBI PO Mains 2015

Directions (Q. 1-5): 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 number of that part is the answer. If there is ‘No error’, the answer is 5). (Ignore errors of punctuation, if any.)

1. 1) In fact, the human civilisation is / 2) the history of man’s growth / 3) control over / 4) the sources of energy. / 5) No error

2. 1) We all know that steam engine / 2) marks an epochal change in the production capacity / 3) and thus the beginning / 4) of modern capitalist world. / 5) No error

3. 1) United States of America has not blacklisted India as a priority foreign country / 2) in its report on the intellectual property regime / 3) of trading partner despite strong demands / 4) from its pharmaceutical companies. / 5) No error

4. 1) In Beijing recently, smog had become / 2) so thick that virtual sunrise / 3) was arranged on huge TV screens / 4) across the city. / 5) No error

5. 1) It is said that Prometheus gave the power / 2) over fire to man after creating him / 3) from water and earth because he had become fond of men / 4) than the king of gods, Zeus, had anticipated. / 5) No error

Directions (Q. 6-10): Each question below has two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Find out which option can be used to fill up the blank in the sentence in the same sequence to make it meaningfully complete.

6. Indian policy makers have a difficult task of ________ Indian economy ________ a higher growth.

1) recoiling, on 

2) reviving, across

3) recuperating, about 

4) backfiring, for

5) rebounding, along

7. The industrial, agricultural, commercial and public services ________ a significant proportion of electricity for ________ their demand for final energy.

1) exhaust, accomplishing

2) consume, meeting

3) utilise, conforming

4) expend, completing

5) absorb, meeting

8. The ________ of three pill ars of sustainable development in public policies in a balanced measure is a difficult ________.

1) collection, duty           

2) association, function

3) integration, exercise   

4) combination, undertaking

5) group, act

9. Apart from reviewing the party’s _______ showing, ________ would be fixed on those who worked against the party’s interest.

1) dismal, accountability

2) formal, responsibility

3) outstanding, culpability

4) national, reasons

5) brilliant, answerability

10. The regulatory agencies must be knowledge-based, _______, independent and ________ for their actions to Parliament. 

1) clear, culpable

2) functional, obliged

3) active, innocent

4) transparent, accountable

5) questionable, unreliable

Answer:-
1. (2); Replace ‘growth’ with ‘growing’

2. (2); Replace ‘marks’ with ‘marked’

3. (1); Add ‘The’ before ‘United’

4. (5)

5. (3); Replace ‘fond’ with ‘fonder’

Q. 6 (5)

Q. 7 (2)

Q. 8 (3)

Q. 9 (1)

Q. 10 (4)

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Moire (adjective) - English Word

Definition: (adjective) Having a wavy or rippled surface pattern. Used of fabric.

Synonyms: watered

Usage: As the lady sat down, the folds of her moire silk dress rustled about her.

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English Quiz On Close Set | SBI PO Mains 2015

Directions (Q. 1-10): In the following passage, some of the words have been left out, each of which is indicated by a number. Find the suitable word from the options given against each number and fill up the blanks with appropriate words to make the paragraph meaningful.

The economic history of India shows a number of distinct phases over the period it fell under the colonial control to the modern times when it ( 1 ) on economic reforms. Before the formal onset of the British colonial rule in India after the Battle of Plassey in 1757, India was among

the richest ( 2 ) of the world. According to some ( 3 ), during the Mughal period India was the second-largest economy having a share of almost 25 per cent of the world economy. Two centuries of the ( 4 ) British colonial rule led to India’s wealth being ( 5 ) away and the process of ‘deindustrialisation’ taking a heavy ( 6 ) on the people of India. The great nationalist leader Dadabhai Naoroji was the first person to systematically highlight this ( 7 ) of the colonial ( 8 ).His analysis laid the theoretical ( 9 ) for the freedom struggle ( 10 ) in India’s independence in 1947.

1. 

1) ceased 

2) dissented 

3) embarked

4) launched 

5) stopped

2. 

1) metropolitan 

2) continents 

3) provinces

4) states 

5) countries

3. 

1) appraisal 

2) estimates 

3) evaluation

4) belief 

5) thought

4. 

1) crafty 

2) unworthy 

3) scandalous

4) exploitative 

5) sinister

5. 

1) drained 

2) depleted 

3) hacked

4) dragged 

5) washed away

6. 

1) demand 

2) taxation 

3) toll

4) price 

5) cost

7. 

1) face 

2) demeanour 

3) attitude

4) countenance 

5) aspect

8. 

1) payoff 

2) exploitation 

3) corruption

4) offence 

5) nepotism

9. 

1) basement 

2) groundwork 

3) justification

4) foundation 

5) authority

10. 

1) culminating 

2) crowning 

3) converting

4) sustaining 

5) dreaming

Answer:-

Q. 1 (3)	Q. 2 (5)	Q. 3 (2)	Q. 4 (4)	Q. 5 (1)
Q. 6 (3)	Q. 7 (5)	Q. 8 (2)	Q. 9 (4)	Q. 10 (1)

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Sentient (adjective)

Definition: (adjective) Endowed with feeling and unstructured consciousness.

Synonyms: animate

Usage: The living knew themselves just sentient puppets on God's stage.

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Smarmy (Adjective)

Definition: (adjective) Hypocritically, complacently, or effusively earnest.

Synonyms: fulsome, oleaginous, unctuous

Usage: His smarmy speech left no doubt that he actually felt superior to those he was meant to be praising.

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English Quiz on Reading Comprehension for SBI PO Mains 2015

Directions (Q. 1-10): Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words/phrases are given in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

The Expert Committee formed under the supervision of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor, Urjit Patel, released their report to revise and strengthen the monetary policy framework, earlier this year. Since then, the report has been heavily discussed and debated in academic and policy circles. It recommends a fundamental change in the way monetary policy is conducted in India. The one recommendation that has been the main talking point so far is the adoption of a flexible inflation target. Here we attempt to analyse this particular recommendation of the committee against the backdrop of the current Indian economic scenario.

Monetary policy in independent India has evolved substantially over the past several decades. India adopted widespread liberalisation, privatisation, and deregulation reforms in the early 1990s. During the post-liberalisation period running up to the present time, the RBI has been following a multiple-indicator approach for executing monetary policy. In this approach, information is gathered on various macroeconomic indicators such as output, trade, credit, inflation rate, exchange rate, capital flows etc. Thereafter, monetary policy is designed to fulfil the multiple objectives of increasing employment, closing the gap with potential output, moderating inflation, stabilising exchange rate and so on.

This kind of multiple-indicator approach, however, lacks a nominal anchor or a specific target perse and hence it may be argued that it is less likely to be effective in achieving all the objectives at the same time. Such an approach makes the monetary policy highly discretionary and runs the risk of sending confusing signals to market participants as well as corporations.

In India, the multiple-indicator approach of the monetary policy worked relatively well, especially between the late 1990s and late 2000s when Indian GDP was growing at a healthy and robust rate of close to 10 per cent or more, and inflation (measured by the wholesale price index or WPI) was moderate at around 5-6 per cent. This was also the time when all was apparently well in the global economy, which was going through a phase of relatively low output volatility.

1. Which of the following statements is contrary to the facts mentioned in the given passage?

1) The Urjit Patel committee report has expressed resentment with the way monetary policy is conducted in India. 

2) India’s economy experienced a much better GDP growth rate between the late 1990s and late 2000s.

3) A lot of monetary policy changes have taken place in post-independent India.

4) Between the late 1990s and the late 2000s, contrary to India, the global economy was passing through a phase of financial crisis.

5) All the above

2. Why was the Urjit Patel committee set up? Reply in the context of the passage.

1) The Urjit Patel Committee was set up to provide expert opinion on how to cut rates to strengthen the economy.

2) The Urjit Patel committee was set up to receive suggestions for issuing banking licences to private players.

3) The Urjit Patel Committee report was set up to provide expert opinion on how to contain inflation in a short time.

4) The Urjit Patel Committee was set up to suggest steps to restructure the monetar y policy to strengthen the economy.

5) None of these

3. What is the meaning of the phrase ‘flexible inflation target’ as used in the given passage?

1) Flexible inflation target means to calculate core inflation on the basis of variable CPI for certain goods and services.

2) Flexible inflation target means the policy rate set up by the central bank so as to stablilise inflation around the targeted rate and also stabilise the real economy.

3) Flexible inflation target means the target set by the central bank by which it tries to bring inflation back to the targeted rate after a deviation.

4) Flexible inflation target is a forecast published by the RBI in respect of the policy rate and inflation for bringing real economic stability.

5) None of these

4. Which of the following is not true on the basis of the given passage?

(A) The economic growth pick-up in India began a full decade prior to the liberalising reforms in the 1990s.

(B) The current monetary policy is based on the information collected about many different

macroeconomic indicators.

(C) Monetary policy is designed to collect a huge amount of revenue to meet  various govt

expenditures.

1) Only (A) and (B) 

2) Only (B) and (C)

3) Only (A) and (C) 

4) Only (B)

5) Only (A)

5. What is/are the reasons for criticism against multiple-indicator approach?

(A) Multiple-indicator approach is based on the information about many indicators.

(B) Multiple-indicator approach has very little chance of achieving all the fixed goals.

(C) Multiple-indicator approach is likely to send confounding signals to stakeholders.

1) Only (A) and (B) 

2) Only (A) and (C)

3) Only (B) and (C) 

4) Only (B)

5) All (A), (B) and (C)

Directions (Q. 6-8): 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.

6. Perse

1) by word 

2) mentioned 

3) as such

4) accordingly 

5) together

7. Volatility

1) dryness

2) effervescence 

3) levity

4) insecurity 

5) instability

8. Backdrop

1) framework 

2) circumstances 

3) credentials

4) drawbacks 

5) tradition

Directions (Q. 9-10): Choose the word/group of words which is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning of the word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage.

9. Moderating

1) rising 

2) subsiding 

3) allaying

4) easing off 

5) lessening

10. Discretionary

1) elective 

2) facultative 

3) open to choice

4) restricted 

5) optional

Answer:-

Q. 1 (4)	Q. 2 (4)	Q. 3 (2)	Q. 4 (3)	Q. 5 (3)
Q. 6 (3)	Q. 7 (5)	Q. 8 (2)	Q. 9 (1)	Q. 10 (4)

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English Quiz For SBI Preliminary Exam 2015

Directions (Q. 1-10): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words/phrases in the passage are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

Over the past thousands of years, we have generated an enormous amount of wealth. Living standards have improved dramatically. It is clear that the key driver behind all of this wealth is technological  innovation that started with the ability to use tools.

There are three broad steps in wealth creation: invent a new method, perfect it, apply it. Indian businesses and industry in general have generated most of their wealth from the last step, a little from the second and almost nothing from the first. We tend to go backwards and end up with severely limited opportunities compared with those who start from the first step. That is a fundamental difference between Indian businesses and businesses of the highly developed world. Many of the things that define modern life were invented by Europeans and Americans. They created wealth not only from the first step, they also established first claim on the second and third steps.

Unsurprisingly, then, their share dominates the global wealth. The Chinese, Japanese and Koreans excelled in perfecting production techniques; as a result they have managed to corner a substantial chunk of the wealth.

Once things like roads, electricity,  televisions, cars, malls, toasters, soaps and so on have been invented and their use or  implementation defined, it is possible to create wealth simply by making more of them and selling them to the population neglected by the inventors and the improvisers. That has largely been the market for Indian companies. But  they have just not focused on innovation.

In terms of valuation, India’s largest companies are in the region of about $40-45 billion depending upon the stock market.

Those companies took generations to get there, and not to forget, many of them were generously helped by what is euphemistically called crony capitalism. On the other hand, a 17-year-old student in the US named Mark Zuckerberg built a company in 10 years that had an IPO valued at $100 billion! (Facebook, in spite of a lower valuation now, is still bigger than Reliance or DLF.) Consider

Google, founded barely 15 years ago by two students. It now stands at a whopping $300 billion. Then there are more mature companies such as Apple that are worth over $400 billion. These achievements are entirely to the credit of the founders.

Many Indian ‘experts’ in business and finance tend to dismiss these companies as vapourware, paper money, mere websites, luck or even as companies that do no real work. However, if we examine our daily living standards, it would be hard to find any contribution from Indian companies.

Virtually everything around us, from the internet to lighting to healthcare, was invented by the developed countries. If they had not been, we would have still been living in the Stone Age; on the other hand, if Indian industry had not been there, no one would have noticed.

While this comparison may seem odious, it highlights the one-way relationship as far as innovation is concerned. 

Government at various levels periodically exhorts scientists and engineers to push the boundaries. But focusing on technologists is like putting the cart before the horse. Innovation is not the domain of technologists. They are one link in the chain. US companies such as Intel, IBM and Google routinely outsource the development of their latest technologies to Indian engineers; yet these cannot be called Indian innovations. In the same way if an Indian company were to innovate and if the work related to

technology were outsourced to American engineers, that would still be Indian innovation. 

The most crucial element of innovation is building a business case, funding it and commercialising it. That is the domain of businessmen and finance experts; it is also the weakest link in India. There is little knowledge of how to assess the risks and rewards of innovation.

1. How have Indian businesses generated most of their wealth?

1) By selling their products at low margin 

2) By applying new methods

3) By inventing new methods

4) By setting up industries in foreign countries

5) All the above

2. What  is the basic difference between Indian businesses and businesses of the highly developed world?

(A) Indian businesses depend mostly on following the methods invented by the highly developed world whereas the highly developed world believes in inventing a new method.

(B) Indian businesses are mostly agriculture-based whereas businesses of the highly developed world depend mostly on technological innovation.

(C) Indian businesses are still in a primitive stage whereas businesses of the highly developed world are in an advanced stage.

1) Only (A) 

2) Only (B) 

3) Only (C)

4) Only (A) and (C) 

5) Only (A) and (B)

3. Find the incorrect statement on the basis of the given passage.

1) The Chinese, the Japanese and the Koreans have excelled in perfecting production techniques.

2) A lot of things used in modern life were invented by Americans and Europeans.

3) Europeans and Americans not only created wealth by inventing new methods but also established claim on perfecting and applying these methods.

4) Despite technical excellence, China, Japan and Korea have failed to accumulate a substantial chunk of the wealth.

5) Europeans and Americans  share a major part of the global wealth.

4. Which of the following is not based on the facts mentioned in the given passage?

1) The net worth of India’s largest companies is not more than USD 45 billion.

2) In monetary terms Facebook is bigger than DLF or Reliance.

3) As per the latest valuation, Apple is smaller than Google.

4) Had the developed countries not invented what they have, we would have still been living in the Stone Age.

5) None of these

5. What is the main intention of the writer behind writing the given passage?

1) To show that Indian industries are in a developed stage

2) To establish that India’s businesses are based on applications, not on innovations

3) To prove that we don’t have brain to innovate anything

4) To establish that only foreign companies know how to commercialise innovations

5) To prove that America and European countries together are wealthier than all other countries of

the world

Directions (Q. 6-8): 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.

6. Chunk

1) record 

2) package 

3) heap

4) part 

5) size

7. Exhorts

1) discharges 

2) advises 

3) orders

4) rebukes 

5) overlooks

8. Barely

1) lastly 

2) hardly 

3) strongly

4) frequently 

5) openly

Directions (Q. 9-10): Choose the word/group of words which is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning of the word/ group of words printed in bold as used in the passage.

9. Crony

1) friendly 

2) hypothetical 

3) helping

4) real 

5) rival

10. Odious

1) dull 

2) natural 

3) attractive

4) pungent 

5) repulsive

Q. 1 (2)	Q. 2 (4)	Q. 3 (4)	Q. 4 (3)	Q. 5 (2)
Q. 6 (4)	Q. 7 (2)	Q. 8 (2)	Q. 9 (5)	Q. 10 (3)

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