English Language Practice Questions for IBPS Clerk – Set 14
Directions
(1 – 10): In the passage given below there are 10 blanks, each followed by a
word given in bold. Each blank has four alternative words given in options A,
B, C and D. You have to tell which word will best suit the respective blank.
Mark E as your answer if the word given in bold after the blank is your answer
i.e “No change required”.
In
a prime time national address on August 21 from the Fort Myer military base,
U.S. President Donald Trump (1) captured his long awaited
strategy for “Afghanistan and South Asia”. After 16 years, Afghanistan remains
America’s longest war. It has spent more than $800 billion and nearly 2,400
U.S. soldiers have lost their lives. The American people are now (2)
weary of this long war without victory — and Mr. Trump has
characteristically promised, in the end, we will win!
Launched
with the full support of the international community in 2001 after 9/11 by
President George Bush, the war in Afghanistan got derailed as the U.S. shifted
focus and resources towards Iraq from 2003 onwards. The end objective of a
stable and peaceful Afghanistan began to (3) recuperate further
and further as the Taliban launched their insurgency in 2005 after they had
recovered, regrouped, refinanced and re-equipped themselves from their (4)
sanctuary in Pakistan. Since then, the insurgency has gathered
momentum and also exposed the U.S.’s policy weaknesses.
After
taking over in 2009, President Barack Obama (5) often had
undertaken a major policy review describing the Afghan war as “a war of
necessity”, “a war that we must win”. He went on to authorise a surge in U.S.
troop presence from 55,000 in early 2009 reaching 100,000 in 2010. The objective
was to gain a decisive victory over the insurgency. The simultaneous
announcement that the (6) upsurge would commence in 2011, and
by 2014 the Afghan security forces would take charge of all combat operations,
however, only encouraged the Taliban insurgency and also exposed the (7)
valour of the Afghan army and the police forces, in terms of numbers,
training and equipment to deal with the post 2014 situation.
In
2014, Mr. Obama realised that the bitterly contested Afghan presidential
election had led to a politically (8) stable situation.
He and Secretary of State John Kerry engaged in personal diplomacy to create
the compromise of a National Unity Government, with Ashraf Ghani becoming
President and his rival, Abdullah Abdullah, taking over as CEO, a newly created
position that was to be converted into a prime-ministership though a
constitutional (9) enactment within a two-year
time-frame. Having announced the pull-back, Mr. Obama withdrew the bulk of U.S.
soldiers (the other allies were equally eager) and Operation Enduring Freedom
formally concluded on December 28, 2014. Approximately 8,400 U.S. soldiers and
another 5,000 from other allies stayed behind to “advise, train and assist” the
Afghan security forces under Operation Resolute Support. Initially, this too
was to conclude by end-2016 but faced with a difficult political and security
situation, Mr. Obama decided to (10) bequeath this
decision to his successor.
1. a) laid
out b) requested c) proceeded d) Resumed e) No change required
2. a) Apologetic
b) Concerned c) Desperate d) Exulted e) No change required
3. a) Advance
b) Recede c) Prioritize d) Started off e) No change required
4. a) Work b) Barracks
c) Headquarters d) Terrorism e) No change required
5. a) too b) between
c) along d) kindly e) No change required
6. a) Plummet
b) Declined c) Spurred d) Drawdown e) No change required
7. a) Vigil b)
Cowardice c) Shortcomings d) Mistakes e) No change required
8. a) puzzled
b) favourable c) opulent d) Fragile e) No change required
9. a) Amendment
b) Law c) Design d) Hearing e) No change required
10. a) Relieve
b) Hold c) Dilute d) Contract e) No change required
Directions
(11 – 15): In this question, a paragraph has been given with a sentence of it
in bold. To make this sentence
grammatically and idiomatically correct you have to replace it with the correct
alternative given below.
11. The
planet's average surface temperature has risen about 2.0 degrees Fahrenheit
since the late 19th century, a change driving largely by increased carbon dioxide and other
human-made emissions into the atmosphere.
a) drive
largely by
a) driven
largely by
c) driven
largely to
d) driven
largely with
e) No
correction required
12. By
building dams across rivers, which create ponds and eventually change the
rivers into wetlands, beavers help species to flourishing that would otherwise struggle.
a) to
flourish
b) to
flourished
c) to be
flourished
d) to be
flourish
e) No
correction required
13. Recreation is a well known factor as far as improving physical and
mental health is concerned and also a major variable in stress reduction.
a) Recreation
being well known factor as far as
b) Knowing
recreation as a well known factor as far as
c) Knowing
of recreation is a well known factor for
d) Recreation
while being known as an important problem as far as
e) No
improvement required
14. There
has been a lot of furore ever since the disclosure by them who maintain that it was an unauthorised
act.
a) ever
since the disclosure by those whom are maintaining that
b) ever
since the disclosure by those who maintain that
c) ever
since the disclosure because those who maintain that
d) ever
since the disclosure by those who have been maintaining that it
e) No
improvement required
15. Informal
social control is the internalization of social norms and behavior standards that allow a person to get along in their own society.
a) that
allows a person to get along in
b) which
allows a person to get along among
c) that
allows a person getting along in
d) dissuading
a person to get along in
e) No
improvement required
Answers with Explanations:
1. A) ‘Laid out’ means to present a plan
clearly and carefully. It is most suitable and sensible improvement to the
given word.
2. E)
3. B) ‘Recede’
means to become gradually weaker or smaller. Hence ‘recuperate’ would be
replaced by ‘recede’ in the sentence.
4. E)
5. A) The context
goes in the continuation of afghan policy by Barack Obama and considering
Afghan war as a serious issue. ‘Kindly’, ‘between’ and ‘along’ are illogical.
Only
‘too’ which means also and as well is perfect adverb to be placed here.
6. D) ‘Drawdown’
which means reduction in the supply of something that has been created over a
period of time is the perfect word for the blank.
7. C) ‘Mistakes’
could be a possibility here but it comes across as unsuitable in comparison to
‘shortcomings’.
8. D) The adverb
‘bitterly’ is always used in a negative context. Hence it gives us a suggestion
that the presidential election wouldn’t lead to a politically stable or diplomatic
situation. Also, the circumstances prevailing in Afghanistan are not desirable
as mentioned in the whole passage. ‘Fragile’ which means weak and uncertain
would fit here perfectly.
9. A)
10. E)
11. B)
12. A) According
to grammar rule, the base form of the verb 'flourish' must be used with the
infinitive 'to'.
13. E)
14. B) The phrase
given should use the demonstrative pronoun those instead
of them.
15. E)
