The situation of Columbus was daily becoming more and critical. In proportion as he approached the regions where he expected to find land, the impatience of the crew augmented. The favourable signs which increased his confidence were derided by them as delusive; and there was danger of their rebelling and obliging him to turn back, when on the point of realising the object of all his labours. They beheld themselves with dismay still wafted onward, over the boundless wastes of what appeared to them a mere watery desert surrounding the habitable world. What was to become of them should their provisions fail? Their ships were too weak and defective even for the great voyage they had already made, but if they still were to press forward, adding at every moment to the immense expanse behind them, how should they ever be able to return, having no intervening port where they might victual and refit? Were they to sail on until they perished, or until all return became impossible? In such case they would be the authors of their own destruction.
- The main fear of the crew was
(A) That once their stocks exhausted they would perish
(B) that Columbus would complain about them
(C) that they would never find land
(D) that Columbus would have them in the lurch
- 'In such case' in the last line in the passage refers to
(A) the weak and defective ship
(B) the destruction of the authors
(C) sailing on until they reached land
(D) sailing on until they perished or until all return became impossible
- As Columbus' crew approached the regions where he expected to find land.
(A) their impatience increased
(B) their impatience neither increased nor decreased
(C) their impatience vanished
(D) their impatience diminished
- The danger that Columbus faced from his crew was
(A) that they might desert him
(B) that they might revolt and force him to return
(C) that they might perish
(D) that they might throw him into the sea
- 'Victual and refit' means
(A) collect more men and material
(B) take refuge as long as the ship is unfit for use
(C) take rest and be fit for the voyage
(D) take food supply and repair the objects of the ship
The Printing Press has made knowledge available to the vast multitude of people. But what kind of knowledge is it? Is it of any permanent character? Books have become common and, we say that books like the Sexton Blake series sell like hot cakes, we have an index of the nature of knowledge which a typical person in a vast multitude seeks. Let me tell you of an incident that took place in American a few years ago. An American publisher printed a million copies of the works of Charles Dickens in the hope that he could easily sell them on the name of the author. But to his disappointment, not even the widest publicity and advertisement could enable him to sell the books. Being sorely tired, he hit on a plan. He tore off the cover pages, substituted covers containing sensational love headings for thetitles and again advertised the new books. In a week, all the books were sold out. We are not concerned here with the moral of the bookseller's action. What we have to note is that only books of a sensational type are really sought for by the ordinary folk who have a great aversion to serious study. So, you will se that the grand argument that the Printing Press has made knowledge available even to the masses is certainly fallacious and quite misleading. To put it correctly, it has created a taste for a low order of books.
- Sexton Blake series are big sellers because they
(A) disseminate knowledge
(B) are informative
(C) satisfy a typically serious reader
(D) are sensational
- The American publisher had chosen the works of Charles Dickens to
(A) give wide publicity to Dickens works
(B) offer the readers what best he could
(C) counter the trash
(D) make money easily
- What is the main contention of the passage?
(A) To stress the popularity of the printing press
(B) To point out the disappointment of serious readers
(C) To shed light on the morale of the publishers
(D) To bring out the evil impacts of the printing press
- The author's contention makes us feel that he
(A) is unilateral in his argument
(B) is balanced
(C) is a typical critic
(D) agues convincingly
- Who is Charles Dickens?
(A) A playwright
(B) An epic poet
(C) A short story writer
(D) A novelist
Man worked with his small tools until the advent of modern machinery....(11)....by steam and electricity. The small tools....(12)....defeat from the big machines, as....(13)....hands had....(14) ....to the hands....(15)....with tools. These machines operate only over large....(16)....of land and considerable....(17)......are needed for their procurement and use. But if therefore we give up all....(18)....saying that our peasantry cannot.....(19)....them, it will simply mean.....(20)....trouble.
- (A) worked (B) controlled
(C) driven (D) moved
- (A) allowed (B) permitted
(C) agreed (D) acknowledged
- (A) bare (B) strong
(C) free (D) weak
- (A) yielded (B) created
(C) succeeded (D) produced
- (A) covered (B) painted
(C) full (D) equipped
- (A) tracts (B) divisions
(C) bits (D) pieces
- (A) funds (B) costs
(C) sums (D) moneys
- (A) intention (B) ambition
(C) hope (D) expectation
- (A) enable (B) inspire
(C) manage (D) afford
- (A) pleading (B) inviting
(C) asking (D) requiring
Directions: Fill in the blanks in the following sentences by selecting the most appropriate alternative from amongst the four choice given under each sentence.
- It was impossible for the over-worked mother to.....with so many yelling children.
(A) cope (B) deal
(C) live (D) continue
- In these days of inflation, the cost of consumer goods is....
(A) ascending (B) soaring
(C) climbing (D) raising
- Ajay is not well.....with the culture of this state.
(A) conducive (B) accustomed
(C) acquainted (D) addicted
- The most important task of the Air Force is to.....the country against an air attack by an enemy.
(A) protect (B) save
(C) defend (D) secure
- I was informed on phone but no written confirmation.... so far.
(A) has received (B) has been received
(C) had received (D) had been received
- He often..... to Delhi on business trips.
(A) goes (B) has gone
(C) is going (D) has been going
- Washing machines.... popular in India in the last ten years or so.
(A) became (B) are become
(C) have become (D) are becoming
- Finding fault....other is a bad habit.
(A) in (B) with
(C) of (D) about
- I arrived at the decision on consultation....my colleagues.
(A) to (B) by
(C) with (D) about
- Let's make ..... our quarrel and be friends again.
(A) up (B) off
(C) out (D) with
Directions: In each of the following questions, choose the most suitable "one word" for the given expressions.
- A tumour which is not likely to spread
(A) Benign (B) Localised
(C) Dead (D) Malignant
- Place where bankers exchange cheques and adjust balances.
(A) Exchequer (B) Clearing house
(C) Bank (D) Commerce house
- A person working in the same place with another
(A) Comrade (B) Colleague
(C) Assistant (D) Contemporary
- Interval between two events or two periods of time of different character
(A) Intermission (B) Interlude
(C) Interpolation (D) Appendix
- One who uses fear as a weapon of power.
(A) Terrorist (B) Militant
(C) Extremist (D) Anarchist
Directions: Pick out the word that is either most nearly the same in meaning or opposite of the word printed in capitals.
- Agitation
(A) Alliteration (B) Allegory
(C) Commotion (D) Excitement
- Analogous
(A) Vivacity (B) Dissimilar
(C) Unrelated (D) Comparable
- Ancillary
(A) Apathetic (B) Aquatic
(C) Animal (D) Auxiliary
- Arcane
(A) Astute (B) insightful
(C) Secret (D) common
- Anneal
(A) Accentuate (B) Appish
(C) Heating (D) Redress
- Accord
(A) Harmony (B) Apogee
(C) Dispute (D) Discussion
- Abrogate
(A) to claim (B) to permit
(C) to cancel (D) to question
- Assonance
(A) Assertion (B) Resemblance
(C) Apprentice (D) Obvious
- Aberrant
(A) Avaricious (B) Unusual
(C) Stern (D) Austere
- Acclimatize
(A) Adapt (B) Adroit
(C) Admonish (D) Adulterate
Directions: In the following questions, some of the sentences have errors and some have none. Find out which part of a sentence has an error. The letter corresponding to that part is your answer. If there is no mistake, the answer is 'No error'
- Experience has taught me (A)/ not to ignore any man, high or law (B)/not to ignore anything, great or small. (C)/ No error (D).
- Michael and Johnson always help (A)/ one another (B)/in times need. (C)/ No error (D).
- You are the man (A)/ who is held (B)/ in high esteem by everybody. (C)/ No error (D).
- The television (A)/ was discovered (B)/ by John Baird. (C)/ No error (D).
- Can I lend (A)/ your pencil (B)/ for a minute, please? (C)/ No error (D).
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