English Quiz for SBI Clerk Mains 2020, 17th September- Practice Set

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Directions (1-5): For each of the below questions, fill the blank with an idiom-phrase.

Q1.Rekha always ____________________on her sister’s ideas and tries to belittle her.

(a) halcyon days

(b) throws cold water

(d) couch potato

(e) albatross around neck

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Q2. They thought that I would simply give up if my complaint had to go to court, but they’ll soon realize that they have ____________________.

(a) turned down

(b) cap in hand

(d) caught a tartar

(e) driven home

Q3. The three candidates exchanged insults and ____________________ yesterday as each one claimed to be heading for victory.

(a) blew their own trumpets

(b) old head on young soldiers

(d) a house of cards

(e) maiden speech

Q4. To ____________________ with the company bigwigs, Shrinivas allows them to use his apartment for their clandestine activities.

(a) give oneself airs

(b) end in smoke

(d) bring to light

(e) take to task

Q5. I’m glad Tihara started repaying the money she borrowed from me, but the five dollars she gave me yesterday is just ____________________compared to what she still owes.

(a) bark is worse than his bite

(b) on tenterhooks

(d) beating about the bush

(e) a drop in the bucket

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Directions (6-15): Given below is a passage consisting of blanks, some phrases are highlighted in bold and some phrases are being italicised. Answer the questions given below the passage.

The six-month waiver on sanctions granted by the U.S. to India and seven other countries importing oil from Iran highlights the importance of economic factors in the India-U.S. strategic partnership. The exemption also puts the spotlight on the link between economics and strategy.

(7) The waiver gives India a breathing space of sorts and will help maintain India-U.S. ties on an even keel. But the U.S. has not given any special treatment to India. China, India’s main Asian competitor and perceived by the U.S. as its main security threat, has also been granted a waiver. President Donald Trump’s explanation is that he is going slow on sanctions with the intent of avoiding a shock rise in global oil prices.

The waiver shows that Washington and New Delhi will cooperate on India’s oil and gas needs. Indeed, their Strategic Energy Partnership (April 2018) sees energy cooperation serving “as a _____(8)_____ in the bilateral relationship”. This is because the U.S. believes that it is the world’s leading producer of oil and gas. The U.S. National Security Strategy of November 2017 highlighted the importance of “energy dominance — America’s central position in the global energy system as a leading producer, consumer, and innovator”. India should entertain no illusions (9)due to rising temperatures around the globe that it should open up as a key energy market for the U.S. Indeed, since Mr. Trump became President last January oil exports from the U.S. to India have risen. (10) In 2017, India imported 8 million barrels of American crude. Until this July of 2018 it had imported more than 15 million barrels of U.S. crude.

But boasts about America’s energy dominance ignore the _____(11)_____ nature of today’s global energy market, and of relations between states. Unsurprisingly, India needs the help of both the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. is India’s main strategic partner. Indeed, American naval power is indispensable for preserving maritime freedom and security in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea.

At the same time, friendly ties with a politically stable Iran undoubtedly suit India. But the strengthening of commercial and political ties with Iran has been anuphill climb (12). In 2009, the International Atomic Energy Agency demanded that Iran stop uranium enrichment. India made it clear that it did not support Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions and voted against it.

At another level, India has had a bilateral trade deficit with Iran over many years. In 2017 it was $8.5 billion. India’s offer to pay for oil in rupees is unattractive to Iran. Tehran does not want to buy enough Indian goods to make acceptance of rupee payment for its oil worthwhile. But the use of any currency other than the U.S. dollar would mean that a cash-strapped Iran must extend more credit to India. The two countries must find a way out of this conundrum.

On the security front, India’s cooperation with Iran has to be seen against the broader context of its regional rivalries with Pakistan and China. India and Iran share regional interests. They could build a strategic partnership focussing on Afghanistan, Central Asia and West Asia. Together with Russia and some other countries, they are signatories to the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) agreement, using Iran as the trade route to Russia and northern Europe. INSTC transit routes enables India to bypass a hostile Pakistan by exporting goods via the sea(13).

Q6. How does the author view the US granting six-month waiver to India on sanctions relating to importing oil from Iran?

(a) US has not given any special treatment to India. Such waiver has also been given to China, perceived by the U.S. as its main security threat.

(b) The waiver highlights the link between economics and strategy.

(d) Options (a) & (b)

(e) None of the above

Q7. Choose an option among the options which correctly delineates the meaning of the sentence ‘The waiver gives India a breathing space of sorts and will help maintain India-U.S. ties on an even keel’ marked as (7).

(a) The waiver gives India no opportunity to decide what to do next and will help maintain India-U.S. ties to function abnormally.

(b) The waiver gives India an opportunity to decide what to do next and will help maintain India-U.S. ties to function normally after a period of difficulty.

(d) Options (a) & (c)

(e) None of the above

Q8. Which of the following words would fill the blank marked ‘(8)’?

(a) centerpiece

(b) hindrance

(d) decline

(e) pettiness

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Q9. Which of the following phrases, upon replacing the bolded phrase marked (9), would make a coherent sentence satisfying the contextual and grammatical requirements?

(a) based on the latest base year

(b) to declare the bank a public-sector undertaking

(d) ahead of Kumbh Mela, in Allahabad on Thursday

(e) No correction required

Q10. Which of the followings could NEVER be inferred from the italicized sentences marked as (10): ‘In 2017, India imported 8 million barrels of American crude. Until this July of 2018 it had imported more than 15 million barrels of U.S. crude.’?

(a) India is buying more barrels of U.S. crude.

(b) America has increased her production of crude oil.

(d) Only (a) & (b)

(e) Only (b) & (c)

Q11. Which of the following words could fill the blank marked as (11)?

(a) fake

(b) interdependent

(d) bearish

(e) nuclear

Q12. Which of the following sentences correctly explain the meaning of the bolded phrase in the sentence marked as (12)?

(a) But the strengthening of commercial and political ties with Iran has been easy.

(b) But the strengthening of commercial and political ties with Iran has been jovial.

(d) But the strengthening of commercial and political ties with Iran has been difficult.

(e) But the strengthening of commercial and political ties with Iran has been facile.

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Q13. Which of the followings correctly illustrates the dichotomy in India-Iran relationship?

(a) India’s offer to pay for oil in rupees is unattractive to Iran. But the use of any currency other than the U.S. dollar would mean that a cash-strapped Iran must extend more credit to India.

(b) India did not support Iran’s nuclear weapons ambitions, but both share regional interests.

(c) Iran and India could build a strategic partnership focusing on Afghanistan, Central Asia and West Asia and both are signatories to the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

(d) Both (a) & (b)

(e) None of the above

Q14. Which of the following parts of the sentence marked as (14) has an error in it?

(a) INSTC transit routes enables

(b) India to bypass a hostile

(d) goods via the sea

(e) No error

Q15. Which of the following words has/have a meaning which is SIMILAR to the meaning of ‘conundrum’?

(a) intercession

(b) quandary

(d) Both (b) & (c)

(e) archipelago

Solutions

S1. Ans. (b)

Sol. Halcyon days means ‘A tranquil period of happiness, especially in the past’;

Throw cold water means ‘to discourage’;

In the blues means ‘to feel sad’;

Couch potato means ‘a person who prefers to watch television’;

Albatross around neck means ‘A heavy burden that prevents one from achieving success’;

Among the given options, the idiom mentioned in the option (b) satisfies the grammatical and contextual requirements.

Hence, the option (b) is the correct answer.

S2. Ans. (d)

Sol. Turned down means ‘to reject’;

Cap in hand means ‘in a respectful manner’;

Beyond the pale means ‘unreasonable or unacceptable’;

Caught a tartar means ‘to catch or encounter a dangerous person’;

Drive home means ‘emphasise’;

The tone of the sentence suggests that according to the speeker, the ‘they’ are underestimating it.

Among the given options, the idiom mentioned in the option (d) satisfies the grammatical and contextual requirements of the sentence. Hence, the option (d) is the correct answer.

S3. Ans. (a)

Sol. Blow one’s own trumpets means ‘praise oneself’;

Old head on young soldiers means ‘to be wise beyond his years’;

A wild-goose chase means ‘a pointless search’;

A house of cards means ‘an insecure scheme’;

Maiden speech means ‘first speech’;

The candidates are exchanging insult. It would be more appropriate if they would also be praising oneselves.

Among the given options, the idiom mentioned in the option (a) satisfies the grammatical and contextual requirements of the sentence. Hence, the option (a) is the correct answer.

S4. Ans. (c)

Sol. The following idioms have the following meaning:

To give oneself airs means behaving arrogantly;

To end in smoke means to fail;

To curry favour means ‘to seek favourable attention’;

To bring to light means ‘to reveal’;

To take to task means ‘to reprimand someone’;

For what in return will Shrinivas used to allow his company bigwigs to use his apartment for clandestine activities?

The most appropriate answer, among the given option, is ‘to gain favourable attention’.

Among the given options, the idiom mentioned in the option (c) satisfies the grammatical and contextual requirements of the sentence. Hence, the option (c) is the correct answer.

S5. Ans. (e)

Sol. Bark is worse than his bite means ‘threat is worse than the action taken’;

On tenterhooks means ‘in suspense and anxiety’;

A maiden speech means ‘first speech’;

To beat about the bush means ‘to talk about irrelevant things’;

A drop in the bucket means ‘a very insignificant amount’;

The speaker is glad that Tihara is repaying the money what she owes to the speaker but yesterday he was five dollars. The tone of the sentence suggests that according to the speaker Tihara giving her five dollars would be an insignificant amount.

Among the given options, the idiom mentioned in the option (e) satisfies the grammatical and contextual requirements of the sentence. Hence, the option (e) is the correct answer.

S6. Ans. (d)

Sol. The answer to the question can be derived from the last sentence of the first paragraph and the second sentence of the second paragraph.

One of the sentences says that the waiver highlights the link between economics and strategy, and the other says that the U.S. has not given any special treatment to India.

Option (c) is wrong.

Hence, the option (d) is the correct answer.

S7. Ans. (b)

Sol. The phrase ‘breathing space’ means ‘an opportunity to pause, relax, or decide what to do next’, and the phrase ‘on an even keel’ means ‘(of a person or situation) functioning normally after a period of difficulty’.

From above, it could be understood that the sentence ‘the waiver gives India an opportunity to decide what to do next and will help maintain India-U.S. ties to function normally after a period of difficulty.

Hence, the option (b) is the correct answer.

S8. Ans. (a)

Sol. triviality [noun] means ‘lack of seriousness or importance’; ‘insignificance’;

Pettiness [noun] means ‘undue concern with trivial matters’;

The first sentence of the third paragraph says that the waiver shows that Washington and New Delhi will cooperate on India’s oil and gas needs. The second sentence, where the blank marked with (3) is present, starts with the word ‘indeed’ which emphasis on the importance on energy cooperation in the Strategic Energy Partnership. Among the given options, option (a) ‘centerpiece’ is the most appropriate word which could fill the blank.

Hence, option (a) is the correct answer.

S9. Ans. (c)

Sol. The given passage is based on India-US relationship and the waver on sanction given by the US to seven nations including India on importing oil from Iran. The highlighted phrase is talking about ‘rising temperature around the globe’ which is not related to the theme of the passage and hence, needs to be changed. Among the given options, only option (c) seems to be talking about Trump’s administration which is related to the theme of the current passage.

‘India should entertain no illusions about the Trump administration’s wish that it should open up as a key energy market for the U.S.’

Hence, the option (c) is the correct answer.

S10. Ans. (e)

Sol. The given sentences are ‘In 2017, India imported 8 million barrels of American crude. Until this July of 2018 it had imported more than 15 million barrels of U.S. crude’. So, India has increased import of oil from America, meaning is buying more barrels of U.S. crude. Why India is buying more oil from America? The answer hasn’t been given in the italicized sentences. The options (b): ‘America has increased her production of crude oil’ and option (c): ‘America is selling her crude oil at cheaper rates as compared to her competitors’, at max, are valid assumptions, not inference and cannot be inferred with certainty from the italicized sentences.

Hence, the option (e) is the correct answer.

S11. Ans. (b)

Sol. Interdependent [adjective] means ‘(of two or more people or things) dependent on each other’;

Bullish [adjective] means ‘aggressively confident and self-assertive’;

Bearish [adjective] means ‘resembling or likened to a bear, typically in being rough, surly, or clumpsy’;

Nuclear [adjective] means ‘relating to, or powered by the energy released in an vey slow raced

The hint for the answer can be derived from the phrase ‘of relations between states’.

Among the given options, only the option (b) ‘interdependent’ has the requirement talking about relations between states. Hence, the option (b) is the correct answer.

S12. Ans. (d)

Sol. Jovial [adjective] means ‘cheerful and friendly’;

Facile [adjective] means ‘easily achieved; effortless’;

‘Climbing an uphill’ is a difficult task.

‘an uphill climb’ is a phrase meaning ‘a difficult task’;

Hence, among the given options, the sentence (d) correctly illustrates the meaning of the phrase given in bold part.

Hence, option (d) is the correct answer.

S13. Ans. (d)

Sol. Dichotomy [noun] means ‘a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different’;

Each of the options (a) & (b) present two contrasting information, present in the passage, about India-Iran relationship. The option (c) present two aspects but they are not contrasting each other.

Hence, the option (d) is the correct answer.

S14. Ans. (a)

Sol. There is an error in the phrase ‘INSTC transit routes enables…’ The noun ‘routes’ is a plural noun while the verb ‘enables’ is used for singular noun. So, the option (a) is erroneous.

The other options (b), (c) & (d) have no error in them.

Hence, the option (a) is the correct answer.

S15. Ans. (d)

Sol. Conundrum [noun] means ‘a confusing and a difficult problem or question’;

Intercession [noun] means ‘the action of intervening on behalf of another’;

Quandary [noun] means ‘a difficult situation; a practical dilemma’;

Archipelago [noun] means ‘an extensive group of Islands’;

From above, we can deduce that both options (b) ‘quandary’ and option (c) ‘dilemma’ have meanings SIMILAR to the meaning of ‘Conundrum’.

Hence, the option (d) is the correct answer.