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Solved English Question Paper of National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Exam 2014 conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Directions (1-4):Each of the items in this section contains a blank followed by words listed as (a), (b), (c) and (d). Choose the most appropriate word to fill in the blank.

1. When the police arrived, the thief ________ away.

  • a) strolled
  • b) moved
  • c) galloped
  • d) ran


2. His _______ as an officer was not quite satisfactory.

  • a) acting
  • b) doing
  • c) deed
  • d) record


3. The two children stood at the ________ of the table.

  • a) conclusion
  • b) terminal
  • c) end
  • d) termination


4. The old man was _______ weak to open the door.

  • a) very
  • b) far
  • c) much
  • d) too


Directions (5-8):Each question in this section consists of a word printed in capital letters followed by words listed as (a), (b), (c) and (d). Choose from these the word that has most nearly the meaning opposite to the word in capital letters.

5. FRAIL

  • a) strong
  • b) big
  • c) old
  • d) weak


6. INDIGENOUS

  • a) genuine
  • b) foreign
  • c) indigent
  • d) indignant


7. POVERTY

  • a) prosperity
  • b) adversary
  • c) adversity
  • d) diversity


8. WHOLESOME

  • a) complete
  • b) unhealthy
  • c) incomprehensible
  • d) few


Directions (9-20):Look at the underlined part of each sentence. Below each sentence three possible substitutions are given for the underlined part. If one of them, i.e., (a), (b) or (c) is better then the underlined part, choose that part as your answer. If none of the substitutions improves the sentence, choose (d) as your response.

9. I don't remember exactly when did I go to Shimla last year.

  • a) when I did go
  • b) when I was going
  • c) when I went
  • d) No improvement


10. Even he worked hard, he failed in the examination.

  • a) Since
  • b) Although
  • c) For
  • d) No improvement


11. He was asked to arbitrate with two merchants in a dispute.

  • a) to arbitrate between
  • b) to arbitrate at
  • c) to arbitrate
  • d) No improvement


12. He is definitely the cleverer among the two.

  • a) in
  • b) of
  • c) than
  • d) No improvement


13. He is resembling his father.

  • a) has resembled
  • b) was resembling
  • c) resembles
  • d) No improvement


14. Would you mind closing the window?

  • a) to close
  • b) in closing
  • c) for closing
  • d) No improvement


15. I can be grateful if you could write to me about it.

  • a) would be
  • b) should be
  • c) must be
  • d) No improvement


16. A majority of the passengers could have been saved if the driver had applied the brakes in time.

  • a) had been saved
  • b) may have been saved
  • c) could have saved
  • d) No improvement


17. He is living in this house for the past ten years.

  • a) was living
  • b) had been living
  • c) has been living
  • d) No improvement


18. He is knowing the secret.

  • a) knows
  • b) has been knowing
  • c) was knowing
  • d) No improvement


19. The meeting has been put off to Friday next.

  • a) put on
  • b) put out
  • c) put for
  • d) No improvement


20. If you will come with me I shall be happy.

  • a) come with me
  • b) had come with me
  • c) came with me
  • d) No improvement


Directions (21-27):Read the following short passages. After each passage, you will find several questions based on what is stated or implied in the passages. Answer the questions that follow each passage.
Passage - I
In a free country, the man who reaches the position of leader is usually one of outstanding character and ability. Moreover, it is usually possible to foresee that he will reach such a position, since early in life one can see his qualities of character. But this is not always true in the case of a dictator; often he reaches his position of power through chance, very often through the unhappy state of his country. It is possible that Hitler would never have become the leader of Germany if that country had not been driven to despair.

21. In a free country, one who becomes a leader

  • a) must be of outstanding character and ability
  • b) must show qualities of character from an early age
  • c) is generally of a remarkable character and ability
  • d) must see that his country is free form despair


22. Hitler became a leader because

  • a) he exhibited a leadership qualities
  • b) Germany was a free country
  • c) Germany was in despair
  • d) Germans wanted a dictator


23. The passage seems to suggest that

  • a) despair sometimes leads to dictatorship
  • b) Hitler was no leader
  • c) a leader is chosen only by a free country
  • d) a leader forsees his future position


Passage-II
The dog is a very intelligent animal and it can be trained for many duties. Some dogs work with the police and the army as sentries and trackers, and there are medals that are awarded to dogs for bravery in action. Other dogs act as seeing-eyes for the blind, and some breeds are specially trained for rescue work among mountains and snow. Jobs like herding sheep and cattle and guarding homes are also done by them. Whenever man lives and works in the Arctic Circle, in the desert, in the jungle, in the moors or mountains, the dog is his faithful companion and help. A common mongrel may possess these qualities just as much as the aristocratic bloodhound.

24. The passage tells us that dogs

  • a) can be trained to do different kinds of work
  • b) are capable of difficult work
  • c) are of different types
  • d) alone are a great help to man


25. Medals are awarded to some dogs for

  • a) their brave deeds
  • b) working with the police
  • c) serving as sentries
  • d) being able to perform difficult work


26. The passage implies that

  • a) only dogs are faithful but not man
  • b) man would have felt helpless without dogs
  • c) the dog has certain qualities that make it man's trustworthy companion
  • d) dogs can do almost anything


27. The phrase 'aristocratic bloodhound' in the passage means

  • a) the dog kept by wealthy people
  • b) a pedigree dog
  • c) a dog fond of blood
  • d) any big dog


Directions (28-39):In the following passage, there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, three words/phrases are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word/phrase in each case.

English Passage:

Drobny defied the critics. He had played through the Wimbledon fortnight and reached the final. Could he win just one more match and take the crown, or would he fail again at the last test and justify those who said that he lacked that little extra something that makes the champions? His opponent was the Australian Ken Rosewall, (28)........... brilliant youngster and already a master (29)........... worldwide experience behind him. Jaroslav Drobny (30)............. son of a Czech carpenter who (31)............. started the boy off at the (32)............. of five with a wooden 'bat' in lieu (33)............. a racquet, went on (34)............ the famous Centre Court at Wimbledon (35)............. day with the full knowledge that this (36)........... be the game of his (37)............. . He had kept on trying, and (38)............ could keep on trying, but (39)............. would become fewer and fewer. He knew that he had to gain an advantage from the start, and he had this young rival set off against him.

28.

  • a) that
  • b) a
  • c) the


29.

  • a) with
  • b) of
  • c) for


30.

  • a) a
  • b) that
  • c) the


31.

  • a) had
  • b) was
  • c) has


32.

  • a) age
  • b) stage
  • c) career


33.

  • a) for
  • b) of
  • c) to


34.

  • a) to
  • b) for
  • c) with


35.

  • a) in
  • b) on
  • c) that


36.

  • a) can
  • b) must
  • c) would


37.

  • a) life
  • b) age
  • c) day


38.

  • a) he
  • b) one
  • c) you


39.

  • a) games
  • b) matches
  • c) opportunities


Directions (40-50):In the following questions, spot errors in the sentences given below. Read each sentence to find out whether there is any error in any underlined part. Errors, if any, are only in the underlined parts. No sentence has more than one error. If there is any error in the underlined part select (a), (b) or (c) as your response. If there is no error select (d).

40. The pile of books (a) / are (b) / missing. (c) / No error (d)



41. Either he (a) / or I (b) / are wrong. (c) / No error (d)



42. Please (a) / tell to him (b) / to do his work. (c) / No error (d)



43. Though he is good (a) / he is (b) / mischievous. (c) / No error (d)



44. The thief (a) / hit me (b) / suddenly and hardly. (c) / No error (d)



45. The number of books (a) / in our library (b) / is less. (c) / No error (d)



46. The general said, (a) / "Soldiers, do not fire (b) / till I will give the order." (c) / No error (d)



47. Neither of the candidates (a) / is (b) / good. (c) / No error (d)



48. This machine (a) / is more efficient (b) / than any other equipments in the workshop.



49. The tin deposits in that area (a) / would probably be exhausted (b) / in to near future. (c) / No error (d)



50. The operation of this machine (a) / is different (b) / to that of the other. (c) / No error (d)