TNPSC Group 2 2013 Preliminary Examination
General English Questions 1 to 25
1.
Choose the option denoting the speaker and the play from which these lines are taken :
"It droppeth as a gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath"
"It droppeth as a gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath"
A.
Brutus in 'Julius Caesar'
B.
Mark Antony in 'Julius Caesar'
C.
Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice'
D.
Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice'
Answer:
C.
Portia in 'The Merchant of Venice'
2.
Choose the option containing the author of the following line :
"Where words come out from the depths of truth".
"Where words come out from the depths of truth".
A.
Kamala Das in 'Punishment in Kindergarten'
B.
Deepa Agarwal in 'After the Storm'
C.
Dhar Gopal Mukherji in 'Kari - the Elephant'
D.
Rabindranath Tagore in 'Where the Mind is Without Fear'
Answer:
D.
Rabindranath Tagore in 'Where the Mind is Without Fear'
3.
Choose the option containing the right word that suits the context of the sentence given below :
The ___________ on the grass sparkled in the morning sunlight.
The ___________ on the grass sparkled in the morning sunlight.
A.
due
B.
dew
C.
do
D.
doe
Answer:
B.
dew
4.
Choose the option that contains the name of the speaker and the play from which these lines are taken :
"Believe me for mine honour,
and have respect to mine honour,
that you may believe".
"Believe me for mine honour,
and have respect to mine honour,
that you may believe".
A.
Bassanio in 'The Merchant of Venice'
B.
Brutus in 'Julius Caesar'
C.
Antonio in 'The Merchant of Venice'
D.
Antony in 'Julius Caesar'
Answer:
B.
Brutus in 'Julius Caesar'
5.
Find out the appropriate Superlative degree for the following sentence :
Very few boys in the class are as tall as Ramu.
Very few boys in the class are as tall as Ramu.
A.
Ramu is the tallest boy in the class.
B.
Ramu is a tall boy in the class.
C.
Ramu is one of the tallest boys in the class.
D.
No other boy in the class is as tall as Ramu.
Answer:
C.
Ramu is one of the tallest boys in the class.
6.
Which one of the following has the correct infinitive?
A.
Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast
B.
Music hath charms to soothing the savage beast
C.
Music hath charms to having soothe the savage beast
D.
Music hath charms to having soothing the savage beast
Answer:
A.
Music hath charms to soothe the savage beast
7.
Identify the sentence pattern :
Brutus is an honourable man.
Brutus is an honourable man.
A.
S V C A
B.
S V O C
C.
S V C
D.
S V IO DO
Answer:
C.
S V C
8.
Read the passage and choose the correct option that answer the given questions :
The life of a student is, comparatively speaking, a sheltered life. There are, of course, certain responsibilities; they are definite and they are assigned to you by those who are willing to take care of you and there is not much need to be constantly exercising your own judgements.
Which of the following sentence is false?
The life of a student is, comparatively speaking, a sheltered life. There are, of course, certain responsibilities; they are definite and they are assigned to you by those who are willing to take care of you and there is not much need to be constantly exercising your own judgements.
Which of the following sentence is false?
A.
Students have certain responsibilities
B.
Students need not exercise their own judgements
C.
Students are well-cared for
D.
Students are not assigned their work
Answer:
D.
Students are not assigned their work
9.
Freedom and power bring responsibility. That responsibility rests upon this assembly. Before the birth of freedom we have endured all the pains of labour and our hearts are heavy with the memory of sorrow. But the past is now over and the future beckons to us now. The ambition of the greatest man is to wipe every tear. As long as tears are there, so long our work will not be over.
Which statement is correct?
Which statement is correct?
A.
India became rich after Independence.
B.
Ignorance, poverty, inequality of opportunity are eradicated
C.
Our work will not be over till we wipe every tear
D.
Freedom means to live a life as we like
Answer:
C.
Our work will not be over till we wipe every tear
10.
Identify the right meaning of the idiom.
His Partner threw coldwater on his scheme.
His Partner threw coldwater on his scheme.
A.
encouraged
B.
discouraged
C.
appreciated
D.
disagreed
Answer:
B.
discouraged
11.
Identify the sentence with Hyperbole.
A.
He has fallen asleep
B.
Why man, if the river were dry I am able to fill it with tears
C.
The child is father of Max
D.
You are telling me a fairy tale
Answer:
B.
Why man, if the river were dry I am able to fill it with tears
12.
Select the correct option to complete the given sentence :
If the sun had not been bright ____________
If the sun had not been bright ____________
A.
the pictures would have come out well
B.
the pictures would not have come out well
C.
the pictures would have been come out well
D.
the pictures would come out well
Answer:
B.
the pictures would not have come out well
13.
Which of the following lines does not occur in William Shakespeare's works?
A.
The evil that men do lives after them
B.
My deeds upon my head! I crave the law
C.
O judgement! Thou art fled to breetish beasts
D.
Was it cowardice, that I dared not kill him?
Answer:
D.
Was it cowardice, that I dared not kill him?
14.
Mention the poem in which the following lines occur.
Your eagle pinion is chained down at last
And gravelling in the lowly dust are you.
Your eagle pinion is chained down at last
And gravelling in the lowly dust are you.
A.
Laugh And Be Merry
B.
The Apology
C.
To India - My Native Land
D.
A Tiger in the Zoo
Answer:
C.
To India - My Native Land
15.
How many lines are there in a Sonnet?
A.
Eight lines
B.
Eleven lines
C.
Fourteen lines
D.
Sixteen lines
Answer:
C.
Fourteen lines
16.
A poem of two lines is called a
A.
Couplet
B.
Monologue
C.
Ballad
D.
Ode
Answer:
A.
Couplet
17.
Match the following characters in Column A with their roles in Column B and select the correct code:
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (a) Portia | 1. A Jewish Money Lender |
| (b) Jessica | 2. A Merchant of Venice |
| (c) Shylock | 3. Shylock's daughter |
| (d) Antonio | 4. A Wealthy Lady in Belmont |
A.
4 1 2 3
B.
2 3 1 4
C.
4 3 1 2
D.
2 4 3 1
Answer:
C.
4 3 1 2
18.
Match the characters in Column A with their association in Column B as seen in Julius Caesar and select the correct code given below:
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (a) Calphurnia | 1. Eloquence of speech |
| (b) Decius Brutus | 2. Caesar's wife |
| (c) Marcus Brutus | 3. One of the conspirators |
| (d) Mark Antony | 4. Beloved friend |
A.
1 3 4 2
B.
2 3 4 1
C.
3 4 2 1
D.
2 4 3 1
Answer:
B.
2 3 4 1
19.
Match the following Phrasal verbs given under Column A with their meanings under Column B:
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (a) pick on | 1. to select |
| (b) pick up | 2. to criticize |
| (c) pick over | 3. to check carefully |
| (d) pick out | 4. to improve |
A.
1 2 3 4
B.
4 2 1 3
C.
2 4 3 1
D.
3 1 2 4
Answer:
C.
2 4 3 1
20.
This process goes on and the nation climbs steps of glory and gains higher strength.
Pick out a suitable word from the extract which means "fame".
Pick out a suitable word from the extract which means "fame".
A.
strength
B.
steps
C.
glory
D.
nation
Answer:
C.
glory
21.
Match the lines under Column A with the poets under Column B:
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (a) Art is long and Time is fleeting | 1. V.K. Gokak |
| (b) And I like a second comer, waiting | 2. H.W. Long fellow |
| (c) O' tongues of fire | 3. Thomas Hardy |
| (d) Or help to half a crown | 4. D.H. Lawrence |
A.
3 2 1 4
B.
1 3 2 4
C.
4 1 3 2
D.
2 4 1 3
Answer:
D.
2 4 1 3
22.
Which of the following is not true?
A.
Chawla always spoke about travelling to the states
B.
Chawla travelled about 760 hours in space
C.
Chawla was assigned as Mission Specialist
D.
Chawla's inspiration to take up flying was JRD Tata
Answer:
A.
Chawla always spoke about travelling to the states
23.
I told them
I'm not going to be a DJ.
Here DJ refers to :
I'm not going to be a DJ.
Here DJ refers to :
A.
A journalist who collects information in a district
B.
Someone who is the judge of a particular district
C.
Someone who plays CDS and records in a club or restaurant
D.
Someone whose job is to introduce speakers at a public event
Answer:
C.
Someone who plays CDS and records in a club or restaurant
24.
"It was really only a little 'linnet' singing out side the window"
What does the word "linnet" indicate?
What does the word "linnet" indicate?
A.
seed
B.
dragon fly
C.
bird
D.
lizard
Answer:
C.
bird
25.
Find the odd pair from those given below :
A.
The Apology - Ralph Waldo Emerson
B.
Is life, but a dream? - H. W. Longfellow
C.
The flying wonder - Stephen Vincent Benet
D.
English words - V. K. Gokak
Answer:
B.
Is life, but a dream? - H. W. Longfellow