English Mock Test for SSC CGL 2017
Directions (1 - 3): In the following questions, sentences are given with blanks to be filled in with an
appropriate word. Four alternatives are suggested
for each question. Choose the correct alternative out
of the four.
Q1. What a ……….. holiday!
(a) Momentous
(b) Memorable
(c) Momentary
(d) Immortal
ANS. (b)
Here ‘memorable’ is appropriate word.
Immortal means living forever
Q2. Many important projects have reached the
final stage of……….
(a) accomplishment
(b) initiation
(c) resolution
(d) implementation
ANS. (d)
Here ‘implementation’ is appropriate word
Implementation means the process of putting a decision or plan into effect.
Q3. …… you live long!
(a) May
(b) Might
(c) Shall
(d) Should
ANS. (a)
‘May’ is used to show desire in optative sentences.
Hence option (a) is correct.
Directions (4 - 6): Four alternatives are given for the
idiom/phrase bold in the sentence. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the
idiom/phrase.
Q4. Caught red-handed
(a) Caught by mistake
(b) Caught with a red handkerchief
(c) Found wounded
(d) Discovered in the act of doing
ANS. (d)
Caught red-handed – to be caught while committing
the act
Ex. John cannot deny what he did because he was
caught red-handed.
Q5. Gate crasher
(a) Invader
(b) Thief
(c) Uninvited guest
(d) Children
ANS. (c)
Gate crasher – a person who attends a party uninvited
Ex. My brother’s wedding became a social party
when my gate crashers got into.
Q6. Cat-nap
(a) Rest
(b) Fitful sleep
(c) Long sleep
(d) Short sleep
ANS. (d)
Cat-nap – Short sleep
Ex. I’ll solve this quiz after a cat-nap.
Directions (7): In these questions, out of the four
alternatives, choose the one which best expresses
the meaning of the word given in bold.
Q7. PANACEA
(a) PRAISE
(b) CURE ALL
(c) POISON
(d) AMBROSIA
ANS. (b)
PANACEA means a remedy for all diseases
Synonyms – Cure all, elixir
Antonyms – toxin, poison
Directions (8): In these questions, out of the four
alternatives, choose the one which is opposite in the
meaning of the word given in bold.
Q8. DETEST
(a) DENOUNCE
(b) IGNORE
(c) ADORE
(d) CASTIGATE
ANS. (c)
DETEST means dislike intensely
Synonyms – hate, abhor, abide
Antonyms – adore, cherish, love
Directions (9 - 11): In these questions, out of the
four alternatives, choose the one word which can be
substituted for the given words/sentence.
Q9. An exact copy
(a) Facsimile
(b) Twin
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(c) Mirror
(d) Clone
ANS. (a)
Q10. Someone who is incapable of being pacified
(a) Implacable
(b) Unflappable
(c) Insatiable
(d) Inexplicable
ANS. (a)
Pacify means bring someone in the state of calm.
Unflappable – showing calmness in a difficult situation
Insatiable – one who cannot be satisfied easily
Inexplicable – which cannot be expressed
Q11. The killing of a race
(a) Homicide
(b) Genocide
(c) Suicide
(d) Murder
ANS. (b)
Homicide – killing of someone
Suicide – killing of one’s own
Direction (12): In this question, four words are given out of which only one is correctly spelt. Find the
correctly spelt word.
Q12.
(a) Manoeuvre
(b) Manauvre
(c) Maneauvre
(d) Meneauver
ANS. (a)
Manoeuvre means movements which require skills
and care
Directions (13 - 15): In these questions, 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 number of that part is the answer. If there is no
error, the answer is (d).
Q13. The tour of the campus was so good.
(a) The tour
(b) of the campus
(c) was so good
(d) No error
ANS. (c)
Replace ‘So’ with ‘very’
Q14. He is an saint and as such must be respected.
(a) He is an saint
(b) and as such
(c) must be respected
(d) No error
ANS. (a) Use ‘a’ instead of ‘an’
Q15. Neither the captain nor his men are afraid of
fighting.
(a) Neither the captain
(b) nor his men are
(c) afraid of fighting
(d) No error
ANS. (d)
No error.
Directions (16 - 20): In these questions, a sentence
or a part of sentence is bold. Below are given alternatives to the underlined part which may improve the
sentence. Choose the correct alternative. In case no
improvement is needed, your answer is (D).
Q16. The trade union is hell bent at getting its demands fulfilled.
(a) hell bent in
(b) No improvement
(c) hell bent about
(d) hell bent on
ANS. (d)
To show firm stand or determination ‘on/upon’
preposition is used with ‘bent’.
Hell bent on means determined to do something.
Q17. The police had to break the door to get in.
(a) No improvement
(b) to break up
(c) to break in
(d) to break down
ANS. (d)
Break up – disruption, end of a relationship
Break in – forcefully entering into a place
Break down – break something into parts
Q18. After a hard days work, I just want to go home.
(a) No improvement
(b) hard day’s work
(c) hard days’ work
(d) hard day work
ANS. (b)
Hard day’s work
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Q19. Shall I sit between you at the concert?
(a) No improvement
(b) beside
(c) besides
(d) next
ANS. (b)
Here ‘beside’ will be used in place of ‘between’.
Beside means by the side of
Besides means apart from, in addition to
Q20. The plane landed and shot towards the airport.
(a) taxied
(b) drove
(c) wheeled
(d) No improvement
ANS. (a)
Taxied means move slowly along the ground before
take-off or after landing.
Directions (21 - 25): Read the following passage carefully and choose the best answer to each question out of the
four alternatives.
My mom grew up in a traditional Chinese family in which open expressions of love were never encouraged. When
she had me and my three siblings, she treated us with the same hard hand. It was not that she was a slave driver or
anything, but she never openly showed affection. Instead she demonstrated that she cared in more practical ways.
My parents couldn’t have been more different emotionally. My dad is a really open-hearted person who constantly
showers us with hugs and kisses no matter the occasion. After much persuasion from him, my mother did try to
change, but it was clear that she never felt quite right expressing her emotions. Eventually, she reverted to her old
self. The difference between my parents was never starker than whenever I brought home good test results from
school. My dad would practically jump with joy, offering warm and affectionate words of congratulations, and my
mother “Ah, good, good” she would typically say with a tense smile etched on her face. “Do better next time, ok?” I
tried not to hold a grudge against her for being so reserved. That was just her way. I reasoned.
Q21. Why did the narrator not bear a grudge
against her mother?
(a) She felt that her mother had that kind of nature
(b) She was satisfied her father’s love
(c) Her mother was Incapable of loving
(d) Her mother was angry with everyone
ANS. (a)
She felt that her mother had that kind of nature
Q22. The narrator’s mother reverted to her old
self because
(a) She fought with her husband
(b) She did not feel comfortable in revealing her emotions
(c) She was angry with children
(d) Her husband wanted her to be her old self
ANS. (b)
She did not feel comfortable in revealing her emotions
ANS. (c)
she wasn’t very expressive
Q24. How is the narrator’s dad different from her
mother?
(a) He is dark
(b) He expresses his feelings openly
(c) He dislikes children
(d) He is persuasive in nature
ANS. (b)
He expresses his feelings openly
Q25. Why was the narrator’s mother not expressive of her love?
(a) She was Chinese origin
(b) It was not her nature
(c) She was a harsh person
(d) The tradition at her home didn’t allow her
ANS. (d)
The tradition at her home didn’t allow her
Q23. The narrator’s mother didn’t appreciate the
narrator’s result because
(a) the marks were not good
(b) the marks could be better
(c) she wasn’t very expressive
(d) she was tense
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