(Paper) SSC Tier II Exam Paper (English) : 2010

1. To pin one's faith-
(a) To be sure of some body's favour (b) To be unsure of favour
(c) To bother for friends
(d) To bother for one's relatives

2. To play fast and loose
(a) To be undependable
(b) To cheat people . (c) To hurt some body's feelings· (d) To trust others

3 To play on a fiddle-
(a) To play an important role
(b) To play upon a musical instrument (c) To be busy over trifles
(d) To be busy over important matter

4. Alma Mater- '
(a) Mother's milk
(b) Mother's concern for the child
(c) The learning that one receives from mother
(cl) Institution where one receives edu­cation

5. To be on the apex
(a) To scale a peak
(b) To be at the highest point
(c) To punish somebody
(d) To beat somebody

6. At one's beck and call
(a) To climb the back
(b) To call from behind
(c) To be always at one's service or command
(d) Not to care for anybody

7. At one's wit's end-
(a Completely confused
(b) To be very witty
(c) To have no sense of humour
(d) To confuse others

8. An axe to grind-
(a) To put an axe in the enemy's territory
(b) To put an axe in the ground
(c) Not to have any selfish motive
(d) To have a selfish motive

Direction(9-18): Read the following paragraph and answer: Edmunde Burke called the press the Fourth Estate of the realm. I think he did not use this title for the Press thoughtlessly as social ruling group or class. The three Estates or Realms (in England) Lords Spiritual (i.e., the Bishops in the House of Lords), the 'temporal, (i.e. other Lords) and Commons, i. e., the common people). The Press has been rightly called the Fourth Estate as it also. constitutes a ruling group or class like the Lords and Commons. It cannot be denied in a free country that the Press exercises good deal of influence in shaping public opinion and pointing out the weaknesses or defects of society or of Government, and 'in general bringing to light all those good or bad things in society which would have otherwise remained unnoticed. The power is not limited or put under any check. The Press, instead of, being controlled by anyone controls life and thought of a nation: Hence the Press consti­tutes an Estate by itself.

Obviously. thus power which the Press in an:)' country wields depends upon the number of newspaper readers. The opinions . and comments of newspapers can influence. the life of a nation only when they are read, by People. Reading in turn, requires that the general mass of people should be educated. Thus, the spread of education determines the extent of the newspapers. Where readers are few; newspapers must necessarily be few. Their influence, in that case can extend only to a small minority of population. In a country like India, the percentage of literacy is very low and the standard of journalism is n9t very high. So Press has to play the role of a teacher here.

9. Edmunde Burke called the Press
(a) Instrument of Public Opinion
(b) Distributor of news
(c) The Fourth Estate
(d) Lord Temporal

10. The term Fourth Estate stands for
(a) An area of land
(b) Landed Property
(c) Social ruling group or class
(d) Instrument of Power

11. Out of the following the one which is not included in the Three Estates is-
(a) Lords Spiritual
(b) Justices of Peace
(c) Lord Temporal
(d) Commons

12. The Free press docs not perform the function of-
(a) Shaping public opinion
(b) Supporting at all times the official policy
(c) Criticising Government
(d) Exposing social abuses

13. How much power does a Free Pres! possess?
(a) Only that much power which is allowed by the Government of the the country
(b) Unlimited power without any check
(c) Unlimited power subject to the maintenance of la wand order and public morality
(d) No power at all

14. The secret of the Press is-
(a) the money which the newspaper owners can wield
(b The number of newspaper readers
(c) the extent to which it supports official policy
(d) The patronage enjoyed by it of the Government

15. The number of newspaper readers is determined by -
(a) The low price of newspapers
(b) The patronage extended to it by the moneyed people
(c) Education of the general mass of people
(d) The availability of newsprint.

16. The Press exercises power by
(a) Enlisting the support of the people
(b) Keeping watch over the acts of the Government
(c) Controlling life and thought of a nation
(d) Because it is a great moneyed­concern

17. The state of journalism in India
(a) is upto the mark
(b) is rather low
(c) is in its infancy
(d) is not very high

18. The Press has the greatest chances of flourishing in a--
(a) Monarchy
(b) Aristocracy
(c) Democracy
(d) Limited Dictatorship

19. She has Dot recovered fully---the shock of his failure.
(a) off (b) of (c) from (d) against

20. The master dispensed---the services of his servant.
(a) of (b) with (c) off (d) for

21. I look---him as my close friend.
(a) OD (b)'up (c) after (d) to

22. My friend is really very good--­cricket.
(a) on (b) at (c) in (d) over

23. He has great affection---me.
(a) with (b) on (c) for (d) in

24. He always connives---with his superiors against his colleagues.
(a) on (b) with (c) about (d) at

25. I have been informed that the two bro­thers have fallen---.
(a) upon (bl through (c) in (d) out

26. Your friend has been convicted---the charge of murder.
(a) upon (b) for (c) on (d) of

Direction: 27-31 : Each word or phrase is followed by four words or phrases. Choose the word or phase which is most nearly the same

27. Pragmatism-
(a) Appearance (b) Obscurantism (c) Practicality (d) Reversion

28. Expeditiously­
(a) Rapidly b. easily (c) Vividly d. none of these

29. Precarious­
(a) Huge b. uncertain (c) Dangerous d. valuable

30. Vagrant-
(a) Wandering b. Not clear (c) Futile d. None of these

31. Valediction­
(a) Valid B. Farewell speech (c) Judgement d. None of these

Directions :- Each question is followed by four alternatives. Pick the one which best describe the statement

32. Capable of being approached-
(a) Accessory (b) Easy (c) Accessible (d) Adaptable

33. One who is liked by people-
(a) Samaritan (b) Popular () Philanthropist (d) Misanthrope­pist

34. No longer in use-
(a) Impracticable (b) Obsolete (c) Absolute (d) Useless

35. A child born after the death of his father-
(a) Posthumous (b) Bastard (c) Kiddy (d) Stepson.

36. One who is present everywhere-
(a) God (b) Omnipotent (c) Omnipresent (d) Visible

37. An office without salary-
(a) Honorary (b) Slavish (c) Sinecure (d) Voluntary

38. A document written by hand-
(a Script (b) Autobiography (c) Manuscript (d) Autography

39. Government by officials-
(a) Oligarchy (b) Bureaucracy (c) Autocracy (d) Democracy

40. A speech made off hand-
(a) Extempore (b) Maiden (c) Lecture (d) Gibberish