ENGLISH - SBI PO PRELIMINARY

            Directions (Q 1-5):  In each of the following questions an idiomatic expression and its four possible meanings are given.   Find out the correct meaning of the idiomatic expression and mark the number of that meaning as your answer on the answer sheet.   If you do not find any correct answer, mark ‘5’ i.e. None of these as your answer.

Q.1       To look high and low

1. To be very cautious    2. To have a catholic approach    3. To have a disdain for intellectuals

4. To look for in every possible place        5. None of these.

Q.2.      To get in a lather

1. To come out clean      2. To maintain a proper distance  3. To become unnecessarily upset

4. To praise and admire dishonestly                     5. None of these.

Q3.       To come a cropper

1. To have an embarrassing failure                       2. To appear briefly  3. To endure a problem

4. To make an indiscriminate attack                    5. None of these.

Q 4.      To catch one’s eye

1. To look intently at someone    2. To be infected with an eye disease

3. To watch carefully                  4. To be romantically attracted.   5. do something to attract one’s attention.

Q.5.      To dance to someone’s tune

1.  To allow oneself to be controlled by someone  2. To the extent of a particular amount

3. To be in agreement or sympathy with others     4. To watch someone on a television programme

5. None of these.

            Directions (Q.6-10):   Rearrange the following six sentences (A), (B0, (C), (D), (E) & (F) in a proper sequence so as to form a meaningful paragraph;  then answer the questions given below them.

            (A) A case in point is the programme involving the Sardar Sarovar Dam which would displace about 2,00,000 people.

            (B) Critics decry the fact that a major development institution appears to absorb more capital than it distributes to borrowers.

            ( C ) For all its faults, critics however concede that the bank remains a relatively efficient instrument for distribution of development-aid money.

            (D) One of the key complains focuses on this non-profit bank’s recent “profitability”.

            (E) Although the lives of millions of people around the globe have been improved by the bank’s activities, it is now under fire.

            (F) The bank is also being blamed for large-scale involuntary resettlement to make way for dams and other constructions projects.

Q 6.      Which sentence should come FOURTH in the paragraph?

1. F                  2. C                  3. E                  4. B                  5. A

Q 7.      Which sentence should come THIRD  in the paragraph?

1. B                  2. E                  3. A                  4. D                  5. F

Q.8.      Which sentence should come LAST in the paragraph?

1. E                  2. D                  3. B                  4. A                  5. C

Q.9       Which sentence should come SECOND  in the paragraph?

1. C                  2. A                  3. D                  4. F                  5. E

Q.10.    Which sentence should come FIRST in the paragraph?

1. D                  2. F                  3. C                  4. E                  5. B

            Directions (Q. 11-16):   Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. 

            Socialists prophesied this situation many years ago;  General  prosperity in a country under a capitalist regime depends not on the amount of wealth within the country, but on its ability to dispose of its surplus wealth.   Hence, when all countries are fully capitalized and there are fields for exploitation, no country will be able to dispose of its surplus wealth.   The capitalist system will, automatically crack.   Capitalism, therefore, contains within itself the seeds of it to replace the profit-making motive industry with the motive of service.      Things are valuable in use, not merely in exchange as the capitalist thinks.

            Socialism differs from communism in that it is a tendency not a body of dogmas, there is no authoritative statement of its ideals upon which all are agreed and it is possible for many who do not call themselves socialists to sympathise with some of their principles.     Whether under such conditions the theories can be put to practice is a policy advocating the ownership and control of the means of production.  It seems to balance a rigid discipline in what affects the individual himself.  It admits Mill’s distinction between self-seeking and other-regarding actions, but it claims that Mill mis-stated the problem by under estimating the part played by economics.      The aim of Socialism is the creation of equality, because it holds that liberty is not worth having without the security equality provides.

Q.11.    It is possible to infer from the passage that capitalism may be eradicated:

1. When the exploited proletariat rise in revolt.      2. Only if socialism is ushered in.

3. When global capitalism reaches its saturation point.

4. When people become more spiritually inclined. 5. None of these.

Q.12.    The postulate of Socialism, as opposed to that of Capitalism is this:

1. That all men must enjoy unbridled liberty.

2. Individual happiness and social well-being must necessarily be mutually exclusive.

3. Surplus wealth should be siphoned off in the form of increased wages for the working class.

4. Production of all goods should serve the purpose of social utility. 5.  None of these.

Q.13.    A question which cannot be answered on the basis of what has been said in the passage is this:

1. When does capitalism become self-annihilatory?

2. What makes it possible for socialism to permeate into even non-socialistic societies?

3.Could surplus wealth ensure stability in capitalistic society?

4. Is Socialism inimical to the development of a man’s personality.  5.  None of these.

Q.14.    The concept of equality is given precedence over the concept of liberty in socialist doctrines because:

1. individual liberty is at variance with social equality.

2. liberty is an obstacle to the proper implementation of socialist doctrines.

3. liberty is under constant threat in the absence of equality.

4. equality is a more coveted privilege than liberty.

Q.15.    The inherent flaw in the capitalist system, leading to its ultimate downfall is, according to the socialists, this:

1. When there are no fields for exploitation and disposal of surplus wealth, the system will crack.

2. It cannot co-exist with Socialism.

3. It ignores the need foe equitable distribution of wealth.

4. Unlike Socialism, it is a body of dogmas.

Q.16.    Which of the following statements about Capitalism cannot be said to be true, in the light of the passage?

1. Capitalism will flourish as long as the capitalistic countries are able to dispose of their surplus wealth.

2. Project making is high up on the list of priorities as for as capitalists are concerned.

3. Capitalism contains within itself the seeds of its own destruction.

4. As long as per capital income keeps on increasing, Capitalism cannot be eradicated.

            Directions (Q.17-20): Pick up the correct SYNONYMS for each word in capital letters from the answer choices:

Qn.17.  INFINITE

1. verbal                        2. indefinite        3. endless         4. strange          5. vague.

Qn.18. FRUGALITY     

1. extravagance 2. ripening         3. thrift              4. resentment    5. miserliness

Qn.19.              FASTIDIOUS

1. speedy          2. precise          3. squeamish     4. hungry           5. slow

Qn.20.  GARRULOUS

1. laconic          2. strangling      3. ecstatic         4. frozen                        5. wordy.

            Directions: (Q.21-25) Pick from the answer choices, correct ANTONYMS for each of the following words in capital letters.

Q.21.    ADAMANT

1. yielding         2. primitive         3. elementary    4. primeval         5. inflexible

Q.22.    SYNTHETIC

1. cosmetic       2. artificial         3. plastic           4. viscous          5. natural

Q.23.    AUDACITY

1. quivering        2. cowardice      3. conciseness  4. patricide        5. bravado

Q.24.    CLANDESTINE

1. open             2. sunny                        3. swampy        4. pugnacious    5. banal

Q.25.    FLAMBOYANT

1. decorated      2. apparitional    3. plain              4. female           5. terse.

            Directions(Q.26-30):  Each question below has two blanks.  There are five pairs of words below the sentence.  Each pair is numbered.   Choose the pair of words which can be filled up in the blanks in the sentence in the same order so as to complete the sentence meaningfully.

Q.26.    Political differences  ____  cultural interaction and, in turn, the lack of non-government exchanges prevents popular sentiment from pushing politicians towards the ____ table.

1. hamper; negotiating    2. obviate; round                        3. promote; tea

4. ensure; billiards          5. enthuse; meeting

Q.27.    As a society, we are becoming increasingly _______ and draw _________ from se, shock and tragedy.

1. voyeuristic; sustenance          2. vigilant; inspiration      3. sporting; lessons

4. theatrical; line                        5. patriotic; fervour.

Q.28.    The greatest _______ that the nation can play to Mother Teresa is to carry on her noble _____serving the  poor and needy.

1. homage; work            2. tribute; mission          3. respect; cause           4. good; pursuit

5. admiration; institution

Q.29.    “Zealot” is a _____ term used in ______ with fundamentalism.

1. common; connection  2. punitive; relation         3. contagious; competition

4. double entendresque; touch    5. derogatory; conjunction.

Q.30.    AR Rahman’s  Vande Mataram  ______  a sense of patriotism into the young and the old ____ .

1. enters; both   2. infuses; alike 3. allows; akin   4. enjoins; together        5. indulges; all.

answers

01         4          02         3          03         1          04         5          05         1

06         1          07         1          08         5          09         3          10         4

11         3          12         4          13         4          14         3          15         1

16         4          17         3          18         3          19         3          20         5

21         1          22         5          23         2          24         1          25         3

26         1          27         1          28         2          29         5          30         2