SBI CLERICAL CADRE (MAIN) EXAM 2016
English Language
Directions (Q. 1–10)—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.
The window offered a view of the house opposite. The two
families did not speak to each other because of a property dispute. One day,
Ruchira’s textbooks lay untouched as the young girl’s gaze was on the
happenings in the house opposite. There were two new faces in the neighbouring
household–those of an elderly widow and a girl, aged sixteen. Sometimes the
elderly lady would sit by the window, doing young girl’s hair. On other days
she was absent.
The new young neighbour’s daily routine could be seen through the
work window-she cleaned the paddy; split nuts, put the cushions in the sun to
air them. In the afternoons while the men were all out some of the women slept
and others played cards. The girl sat on the terrace and read. Sometimes she wrote.
One day there was a hindrance. She was writing when the elderly woman
snatched the unfinished letter from her hands. Thereafter the girl was not to
be seen on the terrace. Sometimes during the day sounds came from the house
indicating that a massive argument was going on inside.
A few days passed. One evening Ruchira noticed the girl standing
on the terrace in tears. When evening prayer was in progress. As she did daily,
the girl bowed several times in prayer. Then she went downstairs. That night
Ruchira wrote a letter. She went out and posted it that very instant. But as
she lay in bed that night, she prayed fervently that her offer of friendship
wouldn’t reach its destination. Ruchira then left for Madhupur and returned
when it was time for college to start. She found the house opposite in
darkness, locked. They had left.
When she stepped into her room she found the desk piled with
letters–one had a local on it with her name and address in unfamiliar
handwriting. She quickly read it. They continued to write to each other for the
next twenty years.
1. Why
did Ruchira write a letter to her new neighbour ?
(A) She
wanted to offer her, her help
(B) She
wanted to be friends with her
(C) To
apologize for her family’s behaviour towards her family
(D) To
encourage her to continue learning to read and write
(E) None
of these
Answer : (B)
Explanation : Ruchira write a letter to her new neighbour
beacuse she wanted to be friends with her.
2. Which
of the following can be said about Ruchira ?
(1) She
used to spy on her neighbours because she didn’t trust them.
(2) She
was at home because she was studying.
(3) She
did not speak to her neighbours because they did not own property.
(A) None
of these
(B) Only
(2)
(C) Both
(1) and (2)
(D) Only (3)
(E) Both (1) and (3)
Answer : (A)
Explanation : None of the given option is correct about Ruchira.
3. How
did the new young neighbour spend her days ?
(A) She was busy writing letters to Ruchira
(B) She used to daydream about her past experiences
(C) She would attend to the needs of the widow
(D) She spent her time learning to read and write
(E) None of these
Answer : (E)
Explanation : The new young neighbour’s daily routine could be seen through the
work window-she cleaned the paddy; split nuts, put the cushions in the sun to
air them. In the afternoons while the men were all out some of the women slept
and others played cards.
4. Why was the young neighbour prevented from
sitting on the terrace ?
(A) She used to while away her time instead of
working
(B) The old woman could no longer keep an eye on
her
(C) She had not finished writing the letter she
was asked to
(D) She had been writing a letter which she
wasn’t supposed to
(E) As a punishment for being disrespectful and
arguing with her elders
Answer : (D)
Explanation : The young neighbour prevented from sitting on the terrace because
she had been writing a letter which she wasn’t supposed to.
5. What was the major argument in the house
about?
(A) There were too many people living there,
which resulted in arguments
(B) The young girl was insisting on attending
college
(C) The young girl had been wasting her time
instead of working
(D) The old woman did not guard the young girl
closely
(E) None of these
Answer : (E)
Explanation : None of the given option is correct about major argument in the house.
6. Which of the following is TRUE in the
context of the passage ?
(A) The young girl was very devout and prayed
everyday
(B) Only two letters were exchanged between the
two girls
(C) The new young neighbour was a servant
(D) The afternoon
was a time to relax for everyone
(E) The two families had fought because of the
letters the two girls wrote to each other
Answer : (A)
Explanation : The young girl was very devout and prayed everyday is true in
the context of the passage.
7. Why did the young girl wish that the letter
would not reach its destination ?
(1) She was going away and would not be able to
see if her neighbour was glad to receive it
(2) She was afraid that it would lead to a
quarrel between the two families
(3) She was afraid that her neighbour would be
angry when she received her letter
(A) None
(B) Only (1)
(C) Only (3)
(D) Both (2) and (3)
(E) Only (2)
Answer : (D)
Explanation : The young girl wish that the letter would not reach its
destination because she was afraid that it would lead to a quarrel between the
two families and she was afraid that her neighbour would be angry when she
received her letter.
Directions (Q.
8 & 9)—Choose the word which is
most nearly the SAME in meaning as the word printed in bold as
used in passage.
8. hindrance
(A) handicapped
(B) delay
(C) interruption
(D) difficult
(E) bar
Answer : (C)
Explanation : Interruption is most nearly
the same in meaning as the word hindrance printed in bold as
used in passage.
9. offered
(A) forward
(B) willing
(C) volunteered
(D) provided
(E) put
Answer : (D)
Explanation : Provided is most nearly the same in meaning as the word offered
printed in bold as used in passage.
10. Choose the word which is MOST OPPOSITE in
meaning of the word piled as used in the passage—
(A) low
(B) empty
(C) blank
(D) nothing
(E) fell
Answer : (B)
Explanation : The word Empty is most opposite in meaning of the word piled
as used in the passage.
Directions (Q.
11–15)—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 letter of that
part is the answer. If there is no error, the answer is (E). (Ignore errors of
punctuation, if any.)
11. The price of
/ all petroleum products /
(A) (B)
is controlled / by
the Government.
(C)
(D)
No error
(E)
Answer : (E)
Explanation : The sentence is correct.
12. There is a / tax benefit for / the income of /
(A) (B) (C)
senior citizens. No
error
(D) (E)
Answer : (B)
Explanation : Write ‘on’ in place of ‘for’.
13. In my opinion / Vikas has / failed to follow /
(A) (B) (C)
none of the
instructions. No
error
(D) (E)
Answer : (D)
Explanation : Write ‘some’, in place of ‘none’.
14. At least of / three per cent of / those
who applied /
(A) (B) (C)
will be selected. No error
(D) (E)
Answer : (A)
Explanation : Delete ‘of’.
15. He was a / well known economist / who usual
(A) (B) (C)
wrote / for international journals.
(D)
No
error
(E)
Answer : (C)
Explanation : Write ‘usually’.
Directions (Q.
16–20)—Which of the phrases (A), (B), (C) and (D) given below should replace
the phrases given in bold in the following sentences to make the
sentence grammatically meaningful and correct. If the sentence is correct as it
is and no correction is required, mark (E) as the answer.
16. Occupying
by many meetings, he did not reach home till late.
(A) By occupying
(B) While occupied
(C) Occupation of
(D) Occupied with
(E) No correction required
Answer : (D)
17. We were nervous while the auditor was going
by the accounts—
(A) had gone through
(B) was going over
(C) gone through
(D) went by
(E) No correction required
Answer : (B)
18. Parents have to take some of this
precaution while allowing their children to use the internet ?
(A) each of these precaution
(B) every precautions
(C) all these precautions
(D) any of this precaution
(E) No correction required
Answer : (C)
19. An employee will get the incentive, only if he
deserves it—
(A) he himself deserves
(B) they deserving it
(C) he deserved for it
(D) he was deserving
(E) No correction required
Answer : (E)
20. Sunita has been posted in Chennai, where is
her birthplace—
(A) which is her
(B) that is her
(C) that she has
(D) there is her
(E) No correction required
Answer : (A)
Directions (Q.
21–25) — Rearrange the following Six sentences (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and
(6) in the proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph; then answer the
questions given below them—
(1) The old lady however refused to pay him and
was taken to court.
(2) The doctor, confident of his abilities,
agreed.
(3) Finally he cured her after all the valuable
furniture had been removed from her house.
(4) He then saw her furniture, realized its value
and decided to delay curing her till he could steal it.
(5) A blind old lady promised to pay the doctor a
large sum of money if she was cured and nothing if she wasn’t.
(6) She was asked why she refused to pay by the
judge. “I am not cured. I cannot see all my furniture !” was the reply.
21. Which of the following should be the SIXTH
(LAST) sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) (2)
(B) (3)
(C) (4)
(D) (5)
(E) (6)
Answer : (E)
22. Which of the following should be the THIRD sentence
after rearrangement ?
(A) (2)
(B) (3)
(C) (4)
(D) (5)
(E) (6)
Answer : (C)
23. Which of the following should be the FIFTH sentence
after rearrangement ?
(A) (1)
(B) (2)
(C) (3)
(D) (4)
(E) (5)
Answer : (A)
24. Which of the following should be the SECOND
sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) (1)
(B) (2)
(C) (3)
(D) (4)
(E) (5)
Answer : (B)
25. Which of the following should be the FIRST sentence
after rearrangement ?
(A) (2)
(B) (3)
(C) (4)
(D) (5)
(E) (6)
Answer : (D)
Directions
(Q. 26–30)—In each question below a sentence with four words printed in bold
type is given. These are lettered as (A), (B), (C) and (D). One of
these four words printed in bold may be either wrongly spelt or
inappropriate in the context of the sentence. Find out the word, which is
wrongly spelt or inappropriate, if any. The letter of that word is your
answer. If all the words printed in bold are correctly spelt and also
appropriate in the context of the sentence, mark (E) i.e. ‘All correct’
as your answer.
26. There were many objectives from
employees
(A)
to the proposal to
amend the regulations.
(B) (C) (D)
All
correct
(E)
Answer : (A)
Explanation : Write ‘objections’.
27. Since he has provided over halve the
finance
(A) (B)
for the infrastructure
he should be in charge.
(C) (D)
All
correct
(E)
Answer : (B)
Explanation : Write ‘half’.
28. The scheme permits investors to buy the
(A) (B)
shares from foreign
companies at a ficsed
(C) (D)
price. All correct
(E)
Answer : (D)
Explanation : Write ‘fixed’.
29. A leader who relies on his team members
(A) (B)
for advice is
respected. All
correct
(C) (D) (E)
Answer : (E)
30. He is
in complete agreement with your analyze
(A) (B) (C)
of the situation.
(D) All correct
(E)
Answer : (C)
Explanation : Write ‘analysis’.
Directions
(Q. 31–40)—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.
Most of the employees had no …(31)… in the oil industry.
Employees were paid a …(32)… salary but they were loyal and hardworking.
They often worked without breaks-they once worked …(33)… for 72 hours to
discharge oil from a Russian tanker. …(34)… made the difference was the
support they …(35)… from their bosses. On …(36)… occasions the
barrier between boss and subordinate vanished. We all worked like a team and …(37)…
unexpected results. The air force …(38)… presented a letter of …(39)…
to the company for the work done by us. Thus these determined …(40)…
poorly paid employees have built the company into what it is today.
31. (A) practices
(B) contact
(C) discipline
(D) experience
(E) knowledge
Answer : (D)
32. (A) minor
(B) low
(C) less
(D) cheaper
(E) little
Answer : (B)
33. (A) continuously
(B) fully
(C) running
(D) near
(E) slowly
Answer : (A)
34. (A) which
(B) they
(C) what
(D) there
(E) that
Answer : (C)
35. (A) showed
(B) taken
(C) wanted
(D) needed
(E) received
Answer : (E)
36. (A) any
(B) many
(C) couple
(D) regularly
(E) this
Answer : (B)
37. (A) achieve
(B) seen
(C) given
(D) contribute
(E) produced
Answer : (E)
38. (A) was
(B) yet
(C) even
(D) instead
(E) still
Answer : (C)
39. (A) compliment
(B) thank
(C) regret
(D) appreciation
(E) reward
Answer : (D)
40. (A) though
(B) not
(C) enough
(D) beside
(E) despite
Answer : (A)
