UPSC NDA 2019 (1) General Ability Test Question Paper
NDA QuestionsThe question paper is divided into two parts. Part A is General English with 50 questions. Part B is General Knowledge with 100 questions. There are total 150 questions.

Part - A
SYNONYMS
11. Some people complain when they encounter a small misfortune in the course of their thoroughly happy life.
- (a) run into
- (b) run away
- (c) run down
- (d) run with
14. It is terrible for people to die of starvation.
- (a) starch
- (b) staple
- (c) plenty
- (d) hunger
17. Suddenly, the sky was darkened by a gigantic bird.
- (a) winged
- (b) small
- (c) tiny
- (d) enormous
19. The Arabs who are not in the cities live in the desert throughout the year, shifting from one oasis to another.
- (a) sandbank
- (b) mound
- (c) dune
- (d) spring
20. The various facets of life can be found reflected in a large city.
- (a) several
- (b) similar
- (c) valuable
- (d) singular
ANTONYMS
21. Ramesh is a very dubious character.
- (a) shady
- (b) suspicious
- (c) trustworthy
- (d) doubtful
24. He was born on a very auspicious day.
- (a) propitious
- (b) fortunate
- (c) ominous
- (d) opportune
27. Macbeth is a morally repulsive character.
- (a) abominable
- (b) attractive
- (c) obnoxious
- (d) ugly
29. Life is transient in nature.
- (a) brief
- (b) momentary
- (c) eternal
- (d) short-lived
IDIOMS AND PHRASES
31. A dark horse
- (a) a black coloured horse
- (b) a person who wins a race or competition although no one expected him to
- (c) a person who keeps secrets
- (d) an ignorant person
34. Fight tooth and nail
- (a) to quarrel with someone
- (b) to attack someone with a lot of force
- (c) to try hard to prevent something from happening
- (d) to try very hard to achieve something
35. Fair and square
- (a) in an honest way
- (b) in a critical way
- (c) neither very good nor very bad
- (d) in a foolish way
FILL IN THE BLANK
46. ___ forests prevent erosion.
- (a) Lean
- (b) Dense
- (c) Sparse
- (d) Tidy
47. Three people were arrested and an illegal arms unit was ___ by the police in a raid.
- (a) revealed
- (b) searched
- (c) discovered
- (d) busted
49. The lecture was not very interesting. In fact I ___ in the middle of it.
- (a) showed off
- (b) put off
- (c) dozed off
- (d) plugged off
Part - B
51. Which one of the following cell organelles does NOT possess nucleic acid ?
- (a) Nucleolus
- (b) Chloroplast
- (c) Ribosome
- (d) Plasma Membrane
56. Spring tides refer to
- (a) greatest difference in the sea level at high and low tides
- (b) lowest difference in the sea level at high and low tides
- (c) no difference in the sea level athigh and low tides
- (d) counteraction of gravitational pull of the Sun to that of Moon
57. Which one of the following energy is stored in the links between the atoms?
- (a) Nuclear energy
- (b) Chemical energy
- (c) Potential energy
- (d) Thermal energy
58. The light energy escaping from the Sun can be spread by
- (a) a shower of rain drops
- (b) a plane mirror
- (c) a convex lens
- (d) a combination of a convex lens and a concave lens
62. Which one of the following is an example of a clean fuel ?
- (a) Coke
- (b) Propane
- (c) Petrol
- (d) Wax
63. Which one of the following metals does NOT react with cold water?
- (a) Calcium (Ca)
- (b) Potassium (K)
- (c) Magnesium (Mg)
- (d) Sodium (Na)
65. Which one of the following is used as a binder in paints ?
- (a) Titanium dioxide
- (b) Novolac
- (c) Phthalocyanine
- (d) Silicones
70. "Shamal" warm and dry wind is a "Local" wind found in
- (a) East Asia
- (b) West Coast of Africa
- (c) Sahara of Africa
- (d) Mesopotamia
71. "Inversion of Rainfall" is associated with
- (a) Orographic rainfall
- (b) Convectional rainfall
- (c) Cyclonic rainfall (Tropical)
- (d) Cyclonic rainfall (Temperate)
72. Who was the author of the book "History of British India"?
- (a) Charles Grant
- (b) John Stuart Mill
- (c) James Mill
- (d) William Jones
73. The Azamgarh Proclamation of August 25, 1857 stressed on which one of the following issues ?
- (a) Hindu-Muslim divide
- (b) Support to the English Government
- (c) The return of the Badshahi
- (d) The imposition of heavy Jumas (revenue demand)
74. Which Viceroy had made the observation, "It's a beautiful world if it wasn't for Gandhi ... "?
- (a) Lord Irwin
- (b) Lord Wavell
- (c) Lord Mountbatten
- (d) Lord Willingdon
85. Who among the following has explained the phenomenon of photoelectric effect?
- (a) Max Planck
- (b) Albert Einstein
- (c) Neils Bohr
- (d) Ernest Rutherford
87. Which one of the following is NOT a west flowing river ?
- (a) Periyar
- (b) Bharatpuzha
- (c) Pamba
- (d) Tamraparni