NDA 2020 General English Questions

General English is Part A of General Ability Test. There are 50 questions. The exam was conducted on 6 September, 2020.

PREPOSITIONS

Directions: Each item in this section has a sentence with a missing preposition. Select the correct preposition from the given options and mark your response on your Answer Sheet accordingly.

1. Simulations of the 20th century by climate models that exclude the observed increase ______ greenhouse gases fail to simulate the increase in temperature over the second half of the 20th century.

(a) of
(b) in
(c) by
(d) to

2. In extremely poor societies, children can be put to work ______ a young age and are therefore a source of income.

(a) in
(b) on
(c) by
(d) at

3. People who are averse ______ hard work, generally do not succeed in life.

(a) to
(b) about
(c) at
(d) on

4. I have known her ______ a long time.

(a) since
(b) for
(c) at
(d) before

5. I accepted the offer ______ certain conditions.

(a) on
(b) in
(c) by
(d) within

6. She is a woman ______ humble origin.

(a) off
(b) of
(c) from
(d) within

7. There is no cure ______ the common cold.

(a) for
(b) of
(c) to
(d) on

8. I ran ______ John yesterday, and it was a pleasant surprise.

(a) by
(b) off
(c) beside
(d) into

9. My grandmother enjoyed boating ______ the lovely lake.

(a) in
(b) on
(c) beside
(d) within

10. He visits the needy to relieve them ______ their sufferings and poverty.

(a) from
(b) off
(c) of
(d) on

SPOTTING ERRORS

Directions: Each item in this section has a sentence with three underlined parts labelled (a), (b) and (c). Read each sentence to find out whether there is any underlined part and indicate your response on the Answer Sheet against the contending letter i.e.. (a) or (b) or (c). If you find no error, your response should be the as (d).

11. This building (a) / comprises of six houses, (b) / three parking lots and one basement (c) / No error (d)

12. I look forward (a) / to meet (b) / you. (c) / No error. (d)

13. I cannot (a) / cope up (b) / with this pressure. (c) / No error. (d)

14. I came (a) / to this place (b) / by walk. (c) / No error. (d)

15. What is (a) / the time (b) / in your watch? (c) / No error. (d)

16. The price of my dress (a) / is higher than that of (b) / yours. (b) / No error. (d)

17. My friend’s (a) / daughter-in-laws (b) / have come. (c) / No error. (d)

18. I prefer (a) /seafood (b) / than Mediterranean food (c) / No error. (d)

19. We were (a) / discussing about (b) / the issue. (c) / No error. (d)

20. Dispose off (a) / the garbage (b) / from the shelves. (c) / No Error. (d)

ANTONYMS

Directions: Each item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word followed by four words. Select the option that is opposite in meaning to the underlined word and mark your response on your Answer Sheet accordingly.

21. He nodded absently throughout the meeting.

(a) capably
(b) alertly
(c) agitatedly
(d) dreamily

22. I fully believe that the cornerstone of good policy is an electorate that is educated on the national issues.

(a) cerebral
(b) enlightened
(c) ignorant
(d) erudite

23. For important medical decisions, even finding a doctor you trust is not enough.

(a) significant
(b) trivial
(c) basic
(d) probable

24. Planets move in their orbits.

(a) push
(b) rotate
(c) stall
(d) flow

25. Temperature is a measure of internal energy of an object and is frequently expressed by physicists in units of Kelvin.

(a) found
(b) told
(c) distributed
(d) concealed

26. People argue about why Venus is so much warmer than the Earth.

(a) friendlier
(b) colder
(c) wilder
(d) heavier

27. Scientists are concerned whether the oceans and land biosphere will take up as much carbon in the future as they presently do

(a) worried
(b) indifferent
(c) curious
(d) puzzled

28. The biggest debate among scientists today is about cloud feedback.

(a) contend
(b) moot
(c) wrangle
(d) agreement

29. The Earth’s climate sensitivity is conventionally defined as the equilibrium temperature increase caused by a doubling of carbon dioxide

(a) imperiousness
(b) willingness
(c) responsiveness
(d) closeness

30. The oceans carry a huge amount of heat from the topics to the high latitudes.

(a) significant
(b) major
(c) tiny
(d) dormant

ORDERING OF WORDS IN A SENTENCE

Directions: Each of the following items in this section consists of a sentence(s) the parts of which have been jumbled. These parts have been labelled as P, Q, R and S Come below each sentence are four sequences namely (a), (b), (c) and (d). You are required to recharge the jumbled parts of the sentence and mark your response according.

31. several years ago, (P) / course on climate change at Texas A&M Universe (Q) / Professor Andrew Dessler created an introductory (R) / for freshmen and sophomores (S)

(a) PRQS
(b) QRPS
(c) SQRP
(d) PQRS

32. I realize that solving the climate change problem (P) / than solving (Q) / will be much harder (R) / the ozone depletion problem (S)

(a) PRQS
(b) QRPS
(c) SQRP
(d) PQRS

33. although the temperature of this layer of the (P) / when directly comparing the satellite (Q) / measurements of temperature (R) / atmosphere should generally track the surface temperature, we must be careful (S)

(a) PROS
(b) PSQR
(c) SQRP
(d) PORS

34. the element heats up, (P) / eventually reaching high temperatures (Q) / glowing like a dark orange that radiates (S) / the visible range (S)

(a) PQSR
(b) QPSR
(c) SORP
(d) QPRS

35. two people argue about why Venus is so much warmer (P) / to the Sun, so it absorbs more solar energy. The second argues (Q) / that it’s because Venus has a thick, greenhouse gas rich atmosphere (R) / than the Earth. The first argues that it’s because Venus is closer (S)

(a) PSQR
(b) QRPS
(C) SQRP
(d) PQRS

36. are now used by more than a thousand firms (P) / and are growing in popularity (Q) / in the United States and Europe (R) / gain sharing plans (S)

(a) PRQS
(b) QRPS
(c) PRSQ
(d) SPRQ

37. adversity without succumbing (P) / to the clouds of doubt and jealous (Q) / between friends which is subjected to both prosperity and (R) / the essay ‘Of Friendship’ by Francis Bacon celebrated the intimacy (S)

(a) PRQS
(b) QRPS
(C) SRPQ
(d) PQRS

38. friends without which the world is make friends (P) / and a person wills to want true (Q) / it is miserable solitude that compels a person to (R) / nothing other than a place of wilderness (S)

(a) PRQS
(b) QRPS
(c) RQPS
(d) PQRS

39. takes the longest (P) / that never started (Q) / the job (R) / to finish (S)

(a) PRQS
(b) RQPS
(c) SQRP
(d) PQRS

40. to what you can create (P)/ control, shift your energy (Q)/ instead of worrying about (R)/ what you cannot (S)

(a) PRSQ
(b) QRSP
(c) SQRP
(d) RSQP

SYNONYMS

Directions: Each item in this section consists of a sentence with an underlined word/words followed by four words. Select the option that is nearest in meaning to the underlined word and mark your response on your Answer Sheet accordingly.

41. She got the divorce within no time.

(a) detachment
(b) breaking down
(c) annulment
(d) punishment

42. He was known for his gentle disposition

(a) harmful
(b) amiable
(c) cunning
(d) adjusting

43. The harder we kick, the better the ball bounces back.

(a) recoils
(b) deflates
(c) inflates
(d) ascends

44. I plan and execute.

(a) desire
(b) debate
(c) accomplish
(d) discard

45. He listened to me with equanimity.

(a) carelessly
(b) excitedly
(c) patiently
(d) half-heartedly

46. The whole thing was a futile exercise.

(a) costly
(b) pointless
(c) indecisive
(d) successful

47. He was too cunning for her.

(a) capable
(b) fit
(c) intelligent
(d) dodgy

48. This decision is crucial for me.

(a) momentous
(b) natural
(c) primitive
(d) inept

49. The media went into a frenzy about the case.

(a) silent
(b) creative
(c) berserk
(d) wrong

50. He has been yearning to go home.

(a) declines
(b) demanding
(c) begging
(d) banking