English Quiz For IBPS SO Prelims: 18th December 2018 |

English Language Quiz For IBPS SO Prelims

IBPS SO Exam is a g and a lot of aspirants are heading towards new hopes with this upcoming opportunity. Thus, the English Language can be an impetus for their success by helping them save crucial time and score good points in lesser time and effort. So, instead of boiling the ocean, try building up a strong vocabulary, an effective knowledge of grammar, and efficient comprehension skills so as to be on the ball to face this particular section. Here is a quiz on English Language being provided by Adda247 to let you practice the best of latest pattern English Questions for upcoming IBPS SO Exam.

Directions (1-7) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.

A sanctuary may be defined as a place where Man is passive and the rest of Nature active. Till quite recently Nature had her own sanctuaries, where man either did not go at all or only as a tool-using animal in comparatively small numbers. But now, in this machinery age, there is no place left where man cannot go with overwhelming forces at his command. He can strangle to death all the nobler wild life in the world to-day. To-morrow he certainly will have done so, unless he exercises due foresight and self-control in the mean time.

There is not the slightest doubt that birds and mammals are now being killed off much faster than they can breed. And it is always the largest and noblest forms of life that suffer most. The whales and elephants, lions and eagles, go. The rats and flies, and all mean parasites, remain. This is inevitable in certain cases. But it is wanton killing off that I am speaking of to-night. Civilized man begins by destroying the very forms of wild life he learns to appreciate most when he becomes still more civilized. The obvious remedy is to begin conservation at an earlier stage, when it is easier and better in every way, by enforcing laws for close seasons, game preserves, the selective protection of certain species, and sanctuaries.

I have just defined a sanctuary as a place where man is passive and the rest of Nature active. But this general definition is too absolute for any special case. The mere fact that man has to protect a sanctuary does away with his purely passive attitude. Then, he can be beneficially active by destroying pests and parasites, like bot-flies or mosquitoes, and by finding antidotes for diseases like the epidemic which periodically kills off the rabbits and thus starves many of the carnivores to death. But, except in cases where experiment has proved his intervention to be beneficial, the less he upsets the balance of Nature the better, even when he tries to be an earthly Providence.

Q1. The author implies that his first definition of a sanctuary is?

Too relative

Unadulterated

Too submissive

Partial

Uncertain

Solution:

According to the passage the author has used ‘too absolute’ for describing his previous definition of sanctuaries. Considering the options only ‘unadulterated’ means the same as ‘too absolute’.

Q2. According to the passage, what can man do in the machinery age?

There is no place left where man cannot go with overwhelming forces at his command.

He cannot build sanctuaries for birds and animals.

He can strangle to death all the nobler wild life in the world to-day.

Both (b) and (c)

Both (a) and (c)

Solution:

Refer to paragraph 1 in the passage. ‘But now, in this machinery age, there is no place left where man cannot go with overwhelming forces at his command. He can strangle to death all the nobler wild life in the world to-day.’

Q3. What should be the most appropriate central idea of this passage?

Author argues that man kills big animals but saves mosquitoes & other parasites.

In view of the author man should not intervene in natural environments.

Man is selfish by nature so he is up against the wild life which is harmful for his survival.

Ecological balance, if not maintained by man will be harmful in long run.

Author proposes a program for not disturbing the balance of nature as it is beneficial for mankind.

Solution:

The central idea of the passage is Ecological balance, if not maintained by man will be harmful in long run.

Q4. Tone of the Author as expressed in the passage can be best described as?

Analytical

Sarcastically critical

Suggestive

Both (b) and (c)

All (a), (b) and (c)

Solution:

Considering all the paragraphs, the tone of the passage is sarcastically critical and suggestive as well. ‘Sarcastically critical’ means to have a critical tone but at the same time being sarcastic.

Q5. Why has man become active in his nature rather than being passive like before in preserving sanctuaries?

Fact that man has to protect a sanctuary does away with his purely passive attitude.

Fact that man has to destroy pests does away with his purely passive attitude.

Fact that man has to find antidotes for diseases makes him active.

Fact that man has to kill rabbits makes him active.

None of the above

Solution:

Refer paragraph 3 of the passage. ‘The mere fact that man has to protect a sanctuary does away with his purely passive attitude.’

Q6. Which of the following options is OPPOSITE in meaning to the word ‘overwhelming’ given in BOLD?

swamp

submerge

inspirit

inundate

deluge

Solution:

‘Overwhelming’ means to show strong emotion and ‘inspirit’ is the antonym of it which means to have a low emotion.

Q7. Which of the following options is SIMILAR in meaning to the word ‘enforcing’ given in BOLD?

overlook

coerce

repress

give

loose

Solution:

‘enforcing’ means to impose (a course of action) upon a person and ‘coerce’ also means to impose a course of action upon a person forcefully.

Directions (8-15): In each of the questions given below a/an idiom/phrase is given in bold which is then followed by five options which then try to decipher its meaning. Choose the option which gives the correct meaning of the phrases.

Q8. Every cloud has a silver lining

Every cloud is coated with silver metal.

Bursting clouds

Think about the present and not about the past.

Be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.

To have an impressive personality

Solution:

Every cloud has a silver lining to be optimistic, even difficult times will lead to better days.

Q9. Last straw

Last hour of the day

To seize the last opportunity

The final problem in a series of problems.

To stand last in the queue

None of the above

Solution:

Last straw means the final problem in a series of problems.

Q10. Method to my madness

An assertion that, despite one's approach seeming random, there actually is structure to it.

To get unconscious

To irritate someone

Crazy, demented, out of one's mind, in a confused or befuddled state of mind, senile.

Overwhelmed by what is happening in the moment.

Solution:

Method to my madness means an assertion that, despite one's approach seeming random, there actually is structure to it. A specific, rational purpose in what one is doing or planning, even though it may appear crazy or absurd to another person.

Q11. On the ball

When someone does not understand the situation well

When someone seizes the opportunity

Playing with the ball

Throwing a ball at someone

When someone understands the situation well.

Solution:

On the ball means when someone understands the situation well.

Q12. To hear something straight from the horse's mouth

To speak foul language

To hear something from the authoritative source.

To face defeat

This means not to take what someone says too seriously.

To have no idea, do not know the answer to a question

Solution:

To hear something straight from the horse's mouth means to hear something from the authoritative source.

Q13. Lose your touch

To lose the ability to touch and feel

To not be in conscious state of mind

To lose an opportunity

To lose an ability or talent you once had when dealing with things, people or situations.

None of the above

Solution:

Lose your touch means to lose an ability or talent you once had when dealing with things, people or situations.

Q14. Go cold turkey

To have an unusual behaviour

To have cold turkey at Thanksgiving Day

To suddenly quit or stop addictive or dangerous behavior such as smoking or drinking alcohol.

To quit

Apprehension or doubt strong enough to prevent a planned course of action

Solution:

Go cold turkey means to suddenly quit or stop addictive or dangerous behavior such as smoking or drinking alcohol. To stop doing or using something abruptly and completely.

Q15. Cut somebody some slack

Don't be so critical

Don’t be so overwhelmed

Don’t be so kind

Do the thing you've been wanting to do so you can move on

None of the above

Solution:

Cut somebody some slack means don't be so critical. To be lenient with one.