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Question paper · SSC CGL

SSC CGL 2019 Tier I — 3 March 2020, Shift 3

3 March 2020 · 4:00 PM–5:00 PM49 of the paper’s 100 questions+2 for a correct answer, −0.5 for a wrong one

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51 questions of the original paper are not included: those that need a figure or formatting we cannot show, that have no answer in the response sheet, or that we could not check against a second copy of the paper.

Questions from the Staff Selection Commission’s paper of 3 March 2020, 4:00 PM–5:00 PM. Each question’s answer is under it, hidden until you open it, and the full answer key is at the end. Take the paper as a timed practice test to be scored.

General Awareness

1. The first ruler of Magadha from the Haryanka dynasty was _______.
- (a) Ajatshatru
- (b) Ashoka
- (c) Prasenajit
- (d) Bimbisara
Show answer
Answer: (d)
2. ________ became the Prime Minister of Bhutan in November 2018.
- (a) Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye
- (b) Lyonchhen Lotay Tshering
- (c) Lyonchhen Jigme Thinley
- (d) Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup
Show answer
Answer: (b)
3. The birth anniversary of ________ is celebrated as 'International Nurses Day' every year.
- (a) Mother Teresa
- (b) Clara Barton
- (c) Alice Walker
- (d) Florence Nightingale
Show answer
Answer: (d)
4. The city of _______ is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River.
- (a) Guangzhou
- (b) Lhasa
- (c) Shanghai
- (d) Beijing
Show answer
Answer: (c)
5. As of December 2019, _______ was the largest crude oil supplier to India.
- (a) United Arab Emirates
- (b) Iran
- (c) Iraq
- (d) Saudi Arabia
Show answer
Answer: (c)
6. The ________ helps in equalising the pressure on either sides of the eardrum.
- (a) incus
- (b) eustachian tube
- (c) cochlear nerve
- (d) malleus
Show answer
Answer: (b)
7. The process of coating grooves or engravings in ornaments with coloured enamels is called ________.
- (a) Meenakari
- (b) Chikankari
- (c) Phulkari
- (d) Zardozi
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Answer: (a)
8. Which of the following countries is NOT a member of the SAARC Association?
- (a) Bhutan
- (b) China
- (c) Nepal
- (d) Pakistan
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Answer: (b)
9. _______ is the largest city in Sri Lanka.
- (a) Negombo
- (b) Colombo
- (c) Jaffna
- (d) Kandy
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Answer: (b)
10. Name the Indian elected to the International Narcotics Control Board by the UN Economic and Social Council on 23 April 2014 and re-elected by the Council for a 5-year term (2020-2025) on 7 May 2019.
- (a) Jagjit Pavadia
- (b) Yasmin Ali Haque
- (c) Syed Akbaruddin
- (d) Sudhir Rajkumar
Show answer
Answer: (a)
11. The last recognised king of the Gupta line was _______.
- (a) Bimbisara
- (b) Vishnugupta
- (c) Ashoka
- (d) Samudragupta
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Answer: (b)
13. As of January 2020, which of the following countries had NOT independently launched a human into space?
- (a) India
- (b) Russia
- (c) China
- (d) USA
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Answer: (a)
14. Lucifer is another name for the planet ________.
- (a) Saturn
- (b) Venus
- (c) Mars
- (d) Jupiter
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Answer: (b)
15. Who was the first Indian to receive the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Blue Cross?
- (a) Gagan Narang
- (b) Abhinav Bindra
- (c) Vijay Kumar
- (d) Ronjan Sodhi
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Answer: (b)
16. Which of the following is NOT a part of the brain?
- (a) Medulla
- (b) Pons
- (c) Thalamus
- (d) Pinna
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Answer: (d)
17. Calcium sulphate dihydrate is commonly known as ________.
- (a) glass
- (b) asbestos
- (c) limestone
- (d) gypsum
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Answer: (d)
18. The Gupta rulers imposed a fine called _______ which was a plough tax paid by every cultivator owning a plough.
- (a) Halivakara
- (b) Hiranya
- (c) Kara
- (d) Sulka
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Answer: (a)
19. Who among the following publishes the Economic Survey of India?
- (a) Institute of finance
- (b) National Development Council
- (c) Indian Statistical Institute
- (d) Ministry of Finance
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Answer: (d)
20. Hiuen Tsang, hailed as the prince of pilgrims, visited India during the reign of king _____.
- (a) Vishnugupta
- (b) Samudragupta
- (c) Ashoka
- (d) Harsha
Show answer
Answer: (d)
21. 1 horsepower = approximately _____ watts.
- (a) 674
- (b) 647
- (c) 764
- (d) 746
Show answer
Answer: (d)
22. 'Kiribath' is a rice dish from _________.
- (a) Nepal
- (b) Sri Lanka
- (c) Myanmar
- (d) Bhutan
Show answer
Answer: (b)
23. In ________ economies, all productive resources are owned and controlled by the government.
- (a) mixed
- (b) dual
- (c) socialist
- (d) capitalist
Show answer
Answer: (c)
24. Who among the following was a famous 'Qawwali' singer?
- (a) Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
- (b) Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
- (c) Nazia Hassan
- (d) Begum Akhtar
Show answer
Answer: (b)
25. ________, the world's highest polo ground, is located in Pakistan.
- (a) Okara
- (b) Shandur
- (c) Kasur
- (d) Attock
Show answer
Answer: (b)

English Comprehension

1. Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom. Blow one's own trumpet
- (a) Be self-reliant
- (b) Follow others
- (c) Condemn others
- (d) Praise oneself
Show answer
Answer: (d)
2. Select the INCORRECTLY spelt word.
- (a) Nuisance
- (b) Negociate
- (c) Negligible
- (d) Necessary
Show answer
Answer: (b)
3. Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select No improvement. My shoes were worn out so I had to buy a new one.
- (a) the new one's
- (b) No improvement
- (c) new ones
- (d) a new ones
Show answer
Answer: (c)
4. Select the option that expresses the given sentence in reported speech. She said to me," What time is your flight tomorrow?"
- (a) She asked me what time is my flight the next day.
- (b) She asked me what time my flight was the following day.
- (c) She asked me what time my flight will be the next day.
- (d) She asked me that what time was my flight tomorrow.
Show answer
Answer: (b)
5. Select the INCORRECTLY spelt word.
- (a) Patrner
- (b) Piteous
- (c) Pierce
- (d) Pursue
Show answer
Answer: (a)
6. In the sentence identify the segment which contains the grammatical error. Deepa walked down the road slowly without looking anybody.
- (a) down the road
- (b) Deepa walked
- (c) looking anybody
- (d) slowly without
Show answer
Answer: (c)
PassageFor questions 7–11
In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Select the most appropriate option to fill each blank.
Watermelon is thought to have originated in Africa's Kalahari Desert. Believe it (1)______ not, the first recorded watermelon harvest (2)______ nearly 5000 years ago in Egypt and is (3)______ in Egyptian hieroglyphics on the walls of their (4)______ buildings. This fruit was often placed (5)______ the burial tombs of kings to provide nourishment in the afterlife.
7. Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank 1.
- (a) but
- (b) or
- (c) if
- (d) and
Show answer
Answer: (b)
8. Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank 2.
- (a) contained
- (b) discovered
- (c) produced
- (d) occurred
Show answer
Answer: (d)
9. Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank 3.
- (a) depicted
- (b) diverted
- (c) directed
- (d) distributed
Show answer
Answer: (a)
10. Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank 4.
- (a) elderly
- (b) outdated
- (c) ancient
- (d) obsolete
Show answer
Answer: (c)
11. Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank 5.
- (a) in
- (b) with
- (c) after
- (d) along
Show answer
Answer: (a)
12. Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. The government has warned the traders not to ______ onions.
- (a) gross
- (b) bulk
- (c) hoard
- (d) combine
Show answer
Answer: (c)
13. Select the most appropriate antonym of the given word. VIGILANT
- (a) Wary
- (b) Alert
- (c) Rash
- (d) Cautious
Show answer
Answer: (c)
14. Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word. IMPLORE
- (a) Command
- (b) Plead
- (c) Refuse
- (d) Honour
Show answer
Answer: (b)
15. Select the most appropriate one word substitution for the given group of words. A place where clothes are kept
- (a) Coffin
- (b) Hangar
- (c) Wardrobe
- (d) Shaft
Show answer
Answer: (c)
16. Select the most appropriate antonym of the given word. FLEXIBLE
- (a) Stiff
- (b) Soft
- (c) Supple
- (d) Stale
Show answer
Answer: (a)
17. Select the option that expresses the given sentence in passive voice. Martin drew a picture of the snow-capped mountains.
- (a) A picture of the snow-capped mountains has been drawn by Martin.
- (b) A picture of the snow-capped mountains is being drawn by Martin.
- (c) A picture of the snow-capped mountains was drawn by Martin.
- (d) A picture of the snow-capped mountains is drawn by Martin.
Show answer
Answer: (c)
18. Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word. GLORIOUS
- (a) enormous
- (b) gentle
- (c) splendid
- (d) unusual
Show answer
Answer: (c)
19. Given below are four jumbled sentences. Out of the given options pick the one that gives their correct order. A. He then called out to the people but by then only a red glow was visible in the sky. B. At first, he thought it was a stuck kite. C. Bheema was visiting his fields when he spotted a rising disc shaped object. D. But when it started rising higher and emitted light, he was shocked.
- (a) BACD
- (b) CDAB
- (c) CBDA
- (d) BDAC
Show answer
Answer: (c)
20. In the sentence identify the segment which contains the grammatical error. Everything that I like to eat are fattening.
- (a) are fattening
- (b) Everything that
- (c) to eat
- (d) I like
Show answer
Answer: (a)
21. Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom. Spill the beans
- (a) Work hard
- (b) Perform magic
- (c) Give away a secret
- (d) Waste money
Show answer
Answer: (c)
22. Given below are four jumbled sentences. Out of the given options pick the one that gives their correct order. A. It requires physical endurance, which can be built with training and exercise. B. Truly strong personalities meet challenges of life bravely and face hardships with equanimity. C. However, strength of character is a personality trait or a quality. D. Physical strength is the ability to cope with a physically challenging task.
- (a) CBAD
- (b) BACD
- (c) DBCA
- (d) DACB
Show answer
Answer: (d)
23. Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select No improvement. He sing always when he is having a shower.
- (a) Always he is singing
- (b) No improvement
- (c) He always sings
- (d) He always sing
Show answer
Answer: (c)
24. Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank. The students went to their ______ classes after the morning assembly.
- (a) respective
- (b) respected
- (c) respectable
- (d) respectful
Show answer
Answer: (a)
25. Select the most appropriate one word substitution for the given group of words. A person very reserved in speech
- (a) Eloquent
- (b) Adamant
- (c) Reticent
- (d) Confident
Show answer
Answer: (c)

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Answer key

Answer key as marked in the Staff Selection Commission’s response sheet. “—” means the sheet did not show it clearly.

General Awareness

Q 1: (d)
Q 2: (b)
Q 3: (d)
Q 4: (c)
Q 5: (c)
Q 6: (b)
Q 7: (a)
Q 8: (b)
Q 9: (b)
Q 10: (a)
Q 11: (b)
Q 13: (a)
Q 14: (b)
Q 15: (b)
Q 16: (d)
Q 17: (d)
Q 18: (a)
Q 19: (d)
Q 20: (d)
Q 21: (d)
Q 22: (b)
Q 23: (c)
Q 24: (b)
Q 25: (b)

English Comprehension

Q 1: (d)
Q 2: (b)
Q 3: (c)
Q 4: (b)
Q 5: (a)
Q 6: (c)
Q 7: (b)
Q 8: (d)
Q 9: (a)
Q 10: (c)
Q 11: (a)
Q 12: (c)
Q 13: (c)
Q 14: (b)
Q 15: (c)
Q 16: (a)
Q 17: (c)
Q 18: (c)
Q 19: (c)
Q 20: (a)
Q 21: (c)
Q 22: (d)
Q 23: (c)
Q 24: (a)
Q 25: (c)