English
Language Practice Questions for IBPS Clerk – Set 2
Directions
(1 – 10): Read the passage given below and then answer the questions given
below the passage. Some words may be highlighted for your attention. Pay
careful attention.
Once upon a time, a
foolish donkey used to live in a small town. There was a forest near the town
where many wild animals lived. The king of the jungle—the lion also lived in
the forest along with his minister, a cunning fox. Now it so
happened, that a few days back, the lion had got into a fight with a wild
elephant and was badly injured. The lion was weak and wounded and was unable to
go and hunt for his prey himself. So, his minister, the fox was in charge of
bringing food for the lion.
Like every day, the fox
set out to hunt for prey, so that he could bring back food for his master. He
had not gone far when he saw the donkey. The donkey was looking nervous,
foolish and hungry. The fox walked up to him and said, “Hello! You seem to be
new here. Where have you come from?” The donkey replied hesitantly,
“Yes, I have come to the forest for the first time. I used to live in the
nearby town. My master, the washer man, used to make me do a lot of work and
gave me hardly anything to eat. So I have run away from his house in search of
a better place.”
The fox realized that this
was his chance. He said cheerfully, “You have come to the right place,
friend! I am a minister of this kingdom. Our king is looking for a bodyguard
for his palace. He wants to give the job to someone who has experienced town
life. You will have a very comfortable life here, living in the palace and
feeding on the fresh, soft grass that grows around the palace.”
The donkey was very happy
on hearing this and he agreed to follow the fox back to the palace at once.
When the lion saw the fox leading a donkey to the palace, he became very
impatient with hunger. He pounced upon the donkey immediately and grabbed him.
Due to his injuries and constant hunger, the lion had lost much of his strength
and so he could not overpower the donkey. The donkey freed himself and ran as
fast as he could. “My Lord,” the fox said to the lion, “You have scared away
your prey. You should not have attacked him in such a hurry.” The lion was
disappointed. “See if you can manage to bring him back,” he said to the fox.
1. Who was responsible for injuring the lion?
(a) Elephant
(b) Donkey
(c) Fox
(d) Villagers
(e) Washer man
2. How did the fox introduce himself to the
donkey?
(a) As a minister of the elephant.
(b) As a minister of the village.
(c) As the minister of the kingdom.
(d) As the minister of the forest.
(e) As the minister of the lion.
3. Why do you think the donkey was hesitant at
first?
(a) The donkey was hungry
(b) The donkey was nervous
(c) The donkey was foolish
(d) The donkey was new to the place and
did not know if he could trust the fox
(e) Cannot be inferred
4. What does the donkey like to feed on?
(a) Grass
(b) Fox
(c) Insects
(d) Trees
(e) Worms
5. What is the major concern for animals that can
be inferred from the passage?
(a) Comfort
(b) Hunger
(c) Death
(d) Predator
(e) Shelter
6. Which animal can be inferred to be the most
intelligent?
(a) Wild elephant
(b) Lion
(c) Donkey
(d) Fox
(e) Cannot be inferred
7. What is the moral of the story?
(a) Always be careful.
(b) Always say the truth.
(c) Never act in haste.
(d) Do not assume yourself to be the
strongest.
(e) A bird in hand is worth two in the
bush.
8. What is the synonym of the word 'cunning' as
used in the passage?
(a) Deceit
(b) Crafty
(c) Wily
(d) Intelligent
(e) Both 2 and 3
9. What is the opposite of the word 'hesitantly'
as used in the passage?
(a) Doubtful
(b) Unsure
(c) Undecided
(d) Spontaneously
(e) Carelesly
10. What is the meaning of the phrase 'this was
his chance' as used in the passage?
(a) Seize the opportunity
(b) Let go off the opportunity
(c) Try his luck
(d) Feel lucky
(e) None of the above
Directions
(11 – 15): In the following passage there are blanks each of which has been
numbered. The numbers are printed below the passage and against each five words
are suggested one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the
appropriate word in each case.
SRK's __ (A) __ and felicity with words and thoughts can only
be compared to the hand eye coordination of Virender Sehwag on a great day.
There's no question yet to be formulated that can't be tonked out of the park
by a smashing Shah Rukh Khan__ (B) __. Someday someone should come out with a
book with just his __ (C) __. And it is not just the gift of the __ (D) __.
Throw in some guts and gumption as well. Shah Rukh was the first one to come
out and speak about the __ (E) __ intolerance in the country.
11. Which one of the words most appropriately fits
the blank labelled (A)?
(a) Apt
(b) Suitability
(c) Ease
(d) Difficulty
(e) Talent
12. Which one of the words most appropriately fits
the blank labelled (B)?
(a) Reply
(b) Question
(c) Essay
(d) Prose
(e) Poetry
13. Which one of the words most appropriately fits
the blank labelled (C)?
(a) Essays
(b) Poems
(c) Proses
(d) Quotes
(e) Limericks
14. Which one of the words most appropriately fits
the blank labelled (D)?
(a) Oration
(b) Idioms
(c) Gab
(d) Words
(e) Phrases
15. Which one of the words most appropriately fits
the blank labelled (E)?
(a) Decreasing
(b) Diminishing
(c) Reducing
(d) Abating
(e) Growing
Answers with Explanations:
1. A) The lion was injured because he got
into a fight with a wild elephant in the forest.
2. C) The
fox introduced himself to the donkey as the minister of the kingdom.
3. D) The
donkey was hesitant at first when the fox came up to him because he had run
away from the village to a new place and did not know whom to trust.
4. A) The
fox lured the donkey by saying that he could feed on the grass growing around
the palace. From this we can infer the donkey likes to feed on grass.
5. B) The
major concern for the animals is hunger. The background of the story is such
that both the animals: the lion and the donkey got into trouble because of
their hunger.
6. D) The
fox is the most intelligent animal in the story as he could lure the prey away
and also give the lion good advice.
7. C) The
moral of the story is that you should never act in haste. The donkey took his
decision hastily and got into trouble. The lion was impatient and thus lost the
prey.
8. E) 'Cunning'
means having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit or trickery.
Thus the correct meanings are both 'crafty' and 'wily'.
9. D) The
meaning of the word 'hesitant' is 'in an unsure'. Thus the correct opposite is
'spontaneously' which means 'something done as a result of a sudden impulse and
without having decided before.'
10. A) In
the context of the passage, the phrase 'this was his chance' means to take
advantage of an opportunity or 'seize the opportunity'.
11. C) The
passage is about Shah Rukh Khan has a way with words. 'Felicity' means
suitability. Thus the first two options are ruled out. 'Difficulty' would mean
the opposite of the intended meaning. 'Talent' is a generic term and does not
go down well with 'words'. The best fit would be 'ease' as it also connotes
well with the comparison suggested.
12. A) We
are looking for a word that is synonymous to the meaning of 'answer to a
question' as the concerned sentence talks about the formulation of a 'question'
. Hence, 'reply' is the best fit.
13. D) The
passage speaks about Shah Rukh Khan being famous because he has a way with
words. Thus the book that would be published must be on his 'quotes'.
14. C) 'Gift
of the gab' is a common phrase that means to have the natural ability to talk in
a way that people find entertaining.
15. E) Since
someone spoke about something that needed courage to do so, the thing must not
have been 'decreasing' or reducing' in any way. Thus, 'intolerance' must be
growing in India and option (E) is the right word to fit the blank.
