TNPSC Grammar - Cloze Test
Exam Duration: 45 Mins Total Questions : 30
In the passage, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fillin the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
Just sixty-five million years ago our ancestors were the most unprepossessing of mammals-creatures with the size and intelligence of moles or tree shrews. The earth then was full of awesome, nightmarish lizards which filled virtually every ecological niche. Some of them had very large brains, an upright posture, and two little front legs very much ...... hands, which they used dexterously to catch small animals for dinner. But then dinosaurs did not survive. Sadly, in one catastrophic event, every one of them was destroyed. And no one knows what wiped out the dinosaurs.
- (a)
as
- (b)
like
- (c)
than
- (d)
about
Read the passage carefully and fill in the blanks with suitable words out of the four alternatives given
Parents tend to spoil their own children either by over-indulgence by deprivation. Childhood should be the time for shifting from primary selfishness to sharing. for learning to cope with deprivation and disappointment and learning to overcome failure. since breaking a toy and forgetting a homework assignment are far less serious than breaking a marriage or forgetting to prepare for career advancement. But............... deprivation. as is common in unprivileged families. leaves many children stuck in the stage of personal gratification. They lack resources for developing a sense of responsibility towards others and a wish to care for them. And children need not be poor to be underprivileged. The over-indulged are also deprived. cheated out of learning how to face life.
- (a)
much
- (b)
exhaustive
- (c)
excessive
- (d)
every
In the following passage some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer to each question out of the four alternatives and fill in the blanks.
A man stopped at a flower shop to order to be delivered to his mother who lived 200 miles away. As he got out of his car he noticed a young girl sitting on the curb sobbing.He asked her what was wrong and she replied, "I wanted to buy a red rose for my mother. But I only have seventy-five cents and a rose costs two dollars."The man smiled and said, "Come on in with me. I'll buy you a rose."He bought the little girl her rose and ordered his own mother's flowers.As they were leaving he offered the girl a ride home.She said "Yes please! You can take me to my mother."She directed him to a cemetery, where she placed the rose on a freshly dug grave.The man returned to the flower shop, cancelled the delivery order, picup a bouquet and ________the two hundred miles to his mother's house.
- (a)
driven
- (b)
drove
- (c)
driving
- (d)
drive
In the passage, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand and what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
A seminar is generally a form of informal interaction, either at an academic institution or commercial or professional organisation.It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is encouraged to participate. This is often ....... through an ongoing dialogue With a seminar member or instructor. Normally participants must not be beginners in the field under discussion.
- (a)
accomplished
- (b)
acquainted
- (c)
acquired
In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
Ants play an important part in the balance of nature. They eat a large number of insects and so help keep them from becoming too plentiful. In the tropics, ants eat more than half the termites hatched each year. Ants, in nature, are an important .... source for birds. Frogs, lizards and many other animals also feed on ants. Ants are both helpful and harmful to farmers. Some kinds of ants aid farmers by killing insects that damage crops. Ants that dig underground nests ruin the soil. They break up, loosen and mix the soil
- (a)
food
- (b)
energy
- (c)
treasure
- (d)
land
In the passages, some of the words have been left out. Read the passages carefully and choose the correct answer to each question out of the four alternative and fill in the blanks
A healthy body is necessary for the development of the intellect and wisdom. Every human being should exercise daily to maintain good health. Physical exercise ensures physical fitness. It makes human beings mentally alert physical exercise is required to ........... food properly.
- (a)
digest
- (b)
inhale
- (c)
assent
- (d)
apprise
In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
Ants play an important part in the balance of nature. They eat a large number of insects and so help keep them from becoming too plentiful. In the tropics, ants eat more than half the termites hatched each year. Ants, in nature, are an important food source for birds. Frogs, lizards and many other animals also feed on ants. Ants are both helpful and harmful to farmers. Some kinds of ants aid farmers by killing insects that damage crops. Ants that dig underground nests ..... the soil. They break up, loosen and mix the soil
- (a)
improverish
- (b)
improve
- (c)
ruin
- (d)
indulge
Read the passages carefully and choose the correct answer to each question out of the four alternatives and fill in the blanks.
My parents immigrated to Canada in 1990 in order to escape the tyranny of the Chinese Government and to build a better life in Canada. After listening to their stories of hardships and frustrations. I realized how fortunate I was to be living in the country. now called home. When the day came to revisit my homeland. I felt uncertain and nervous. There were many. concerns racing through my .................
- (a)
feelings
- (b)
ideas
- (c)
mind
- (d)
thoughts
In the passage some of the words have been left out.First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about.Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
Civilization. like empires, fall, not so much because of strength of the enemy outside, as through the weakness and ..... within, Rome fell not because of the Romans, they merely knocked down something that was already dead. The heart of Rome had ceased beating when the arms and legs were cut off. We see something of this spectacle in India and China and in the case of the Arabs. The downfall of Arabian civilization was sudden even as their rise had been. In India and China the process is long drawn out and it is not easy to spot it.
- (a)
disease
- (b)
decease
- (c)
decay
- (d)
fortitude
The passage, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
Hawthorne had not expected this sudden dismissal. He had thought they would scold him as usual, but now he had no job. What is he to tell Sophia? Sophia ......... Hawthorne's wife. He had not told her anything about his troubles at the office. How was he going to support her and himself from now on? He walked home slowly. When his wife saw him, he looked miserable.
- (a)
is
- (b)
and
- (c)
be
- (d)
was
The passage, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
Hawthorne had not expected this sudden dismissal. He had thought they would scold him as usual, but now he had no job. What is he to tell Sophia? Sophia is Hawthorne's wife. He had not told her anything about his troubles at the office. How was he going to support her and himself from now on? He walked home slowly. When his wife saw him, he ........... miserable.
- (a)
pretended
- (b)
behaved
- (c)
looked
- (d)
showed
In the two passages some of the words have been left out. First read the passage overand try to understand what it is about. Then fillin the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
Iam delighted to see here the dignitaries representing their great countries. Their presence among us is a symbol of solidarity in our efforts towards creating a sense ofbrotherhood among man. Our primary objectiveis promoting love and harmony We have to work towards ........... fear and mistrust. It is an admitted fact that violence is not sustainable in the present world. Peace and love are major ingredients of life. They are interdependent upon each other.Each is incomplete without the other. Peace cannot possibly be achieved without awakening in man, the subtle feelings of real love for his fellowhuman beings. Andthis is not possible unless man becomes aware of hisrwnplace in the universe. Human selfs a highly important aspect of humaniature.
- (a)
stamping
- (b)
eradicating
- (c)
terminating
- (d)
abolishing
In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fillin the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
The educational institutions established by the British and the Christian missionaries were primarily designed to propagate and promote the English language and the Western culture Their aim was also to produce such Indians who could man the lower levels of the British administrative hierarchy and remain ever loyal to the British rulers. The British educational policy ____ with eminent success in the matter of achieving its objectives. The majority of people from middle classes who went to these educational institutions, did acquire some knowledge and skill which were sufficient enough to work as babus in these government offices.
- (a)
served
- (b)
met
- (c)
planned
- (d)
started
Read the passages carefully and choose the correct answer to each question out of the four alternatives and fill in the blanks.
The presence of certain quantities makes friendship a special relationship. A true friend is consistent and honest. A friend is not afraid to give an honest opinion and does not say things for the sake of getting ................... A friend provides companionship and continuous support. There is no room for pride, jealousy or rivalry in friendship.
- (a)
approval
- (b)
approve
- (c)
appear
- (d)
disapproval
In the passage, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand and what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
When Anil passed his final university examination and got his degree he decided to celebrate invited all his friends to a party to be held the following Sunday. He spent most of that Saturday getting things ready and at 7.40 the first guest arrived. After that a steady stream of people turned up and Anil was busy chatting to people and introducing them to one another. Anil had a wide circle of friends and not everyone at the party knew everyone else 'A party is always a good way to break the .......... and get people talking', Anil thought. The party soon got going and there was a feeling of relief at the fact that the examinations were over and that a long summer'holiday lay ahead.
- (a)
silence
- (b)
atmosphere
- (c)
monotony
- (d)
ice
In the passage, there are blanks each of which has been numbered. Against each, four words are suggested. Find out the appropriate word in each case.
In a survey conducted by a library, it was recently revealed that parents wish their children to read books with high moral content. Around two thousand parents were Interviewed and most of them recommended Dickens 'The Christmas Carol' as a must-read for children. This Christmas tale involving the filthy rich, stingy Scrooge and the poor contented Cratchit family offers lessons in moral duties. Another book which many parents marked out as a ........... read was Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'. The choice of this book was rather unexpected, because, this romantic novel is more likely to attract teenagers, than children. Since Elizabeth's final choice of Darcy is deeply rooted in strong moral consideration, the parents, probably thought, she offers a good example for the girl child to follow.
- (a)
reconciliatory
- (b)
mandatory
- (c)
conclusive
- (d)
credible
In the questions. in the passage some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer to each question out of the four alternatives and fill in the blanks.
Smile. they say, and soon there willbe miles and miles of smiles. Ifwe keep to ourselves and do not mix with others. we shall be left alone to ponder over the misfortunes of life. Nobody likes to come across a glum and self-centred person. People like gregarious and outgoingsouls whoare prepared to share their joys and sorrows and have the .......to laugh at their problems and miseries. Laughter brings people closer whereas keeping to oneself distances people.It has however been rightly said that laughter is the shortest distance betweentwopersons. Once they come together. the circle of acquaintance.and consequentlyfriendship grows.thus making the world a happy place to livein.
- (a)
feeling
- (b)
intension
- (c)
sense
- (d)
capacity
The passage, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
When we visited the volcano it was in a state of eruption. We stood near tip of the summit on an irregular plane. It was heaped with stones and cinders and curving rocks which had been regularly flung out from the volcano.
During the volcanic eruption, large quantities of rocks and stones were hurled out from the summit in terrible speed. From the summit volumes ........ smoke and fountains of liquid fire oozed forth continuously. The smoke now white, now impenetrably black was accompanied by a deep fiery roar. Stones poured down and the molten lava moved on with a horrible sound.
- (a)
in
- (b)
about
- (c)
of
- (d)
with
In the three passage, some of the words have been left out. First, read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
No communication has ever provided so many people with as large a range of new experiences as television has. Without leaving their homes, people can watch Government officials perform important functions and see how people in far off lands look and live. Television takes it's audience to deserts, jungles, and even the sea floor.Television gives us a glimpse of real-life tragedy as when it comes to the ....... of war, natural disasters, and poverty. It also captures moments of great triumphs, such as when the astronaut just set his foot on the moon
- (a)
wounded
- (b)
army
- (c)
victims
- (d)
soldiers
The two questions, you have following two brief passages with 10 questions in passage - I and 5 questions in passage - II. Read the passages carefully and fill in the blanks with suitable words out of the four alternatives given.
There is an enemy beneath our feet. He recognises no national boundaries. no political parties. Everyone in the world is threatened by him. The enemy is the Earth itself. The strength of a quake is greater than ......... man himself can produce. But. Today scientists are directing more of their efforts into finding some way of combating earthquakes and it is possible that at some time in the near future. scientists will have discovered a means of protecting itself from it.
- (a)
everything
- (b)
nothing
- (c)
something
- (d)
anything
In the passage some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given and indicate the correct alternative.
Pythons are huge non-venomous snakes found mostly in damp places or rocky ledges near marshes or in dense jungles. They are considered to be the most primitive among the living snakes, ..... they retain the traces of hind limbs of a by gone era in the form of horny claw-like spurs, which are present on either side of the anus. These hind limbs are functionless in female pythons.
- (a)
so
- (b)
because
- (c)
and
- (d)
but
In the question in the passage some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer to each question out of the four alternatives and fill in the blanks.
If you want to be free from all physical aches and pains and enjoy perfect physical harmony, then put your mind in order and harmonize your thoughts. Think joyful thoughts. think loving thoughts; Let the ........ of goodwill run through your veins, and you willneed no other medicine. throw off your jealousies. your suspicions. your worries, your hatred. your selfish indulgences. and you will put away your Indigestion. your sickness. your worries and mercy. If you will continue to clinging to these unhealthy and demoralizing habits of minds. then do not complain when your body is laid low with sickness.
- (a)
elixir
- (b)
sweetness
- (c)
generosity
- (d)
potion
In the passage some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given and indicate the correct alternative.
Man's basic aggressiveness is a fact and is the emotional factor for all the bloody violence that has marked human history since the beginning. His technology has never been as perfectly implemented as in the weapons he makes to kill his brothers. The plough has changed very ..... in design from the time man took to cultivation. But swords have not become penknives and the rifle,with which one man kills another, is a masterpiece in comparison with the stone and battleaxe with which he used to slaughter his adversaries in the earliest stage of civilisation. Nuclear weaponry has designs that nature can never emulate. They are wonders of technological creation.
- (a)
much
- (b)
little
- (c)
slighty
- (d)
radically
The question, in the following passage a some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer to each question out of the four alternatives and fill in the blanks.
Meeting old school friends can be a strange experience. Some have changed so much that you can hardly recognize them. They speak with a different accent, are interested in different things, and all you can do is make little talk and hope they'll go soon. Others, though you might have been out of touch with them for years, are just the same as they always were; it's ........ if you saw them yesterday.
- (a)
just
- (b)
like
- (c)
so
- (d)
as
In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. First read the passageover and try to understand what it is about. Then fillin the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
Everyone considers food .shelter. clothing and medical care to be the basic needs for a comfortable living. Even the government accepts this and assures to provide all these. But very few people know that energy required for cooking and heating is also one of ours basic needs. We are all aware that our country has achieved self-sufficiency in food but we have to go a ............... way yet in order to achieve sufficiency in the field of energy
- (a)
some
- (b)
all
- (c)
long
- (d)
hard
In the following passage. some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
The language problem is not solved by deciding the medium of instruction in the educational institutions. The problem of communication between State Governments still ______. At present. each State Government is in the process of adopting the regional language as the medium for administrative purposes. Then the need for a stable language for inter-state communication comes up. Moreover. the Central Government shall have to adopt a particular language for its own official work.
- (a)
stays
- (b)
remains
- (c)
resides
- (d)
rests
Read the passages carefully and choose the correct answer to each question out of the four alternatives and fill in the blanks.
Rajan is a salesman. He goes from door to door .................... vacuum cleaners. On his first day of work, the decided to sell his goods by knocking on the doors of a private housing estate. "My first customer ." he thought as he pressed the doorbell of the first house. Amiddle-aged woman with curlers in her hair opened the door. Rajan began to explain who he was and the product he was selling. The next minute, the door was slammed shut. "Not interested I" John heard her shout behind the closed door.
- (a)
purchasing
- (b)
buying
- (c)
gifting
- (d)
selling
In the passage, some of the words have been left out. First of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
Contrary to the common belief, the ostrich does not bury its head in the sand to avoid danger. An ostrich can run at a speed of forty - five miles ............... hour. kick powerfully and peck aggressively with its beak. As the largest and fastest bird in the world. It doesn't need to bury its head.
- (a)
one
- (b)
per
- (c)
a
- (d)
every
Read the passages carefully and choose the correct answer to each question out of the four alternatives and fill in the blanks.
Besides looking after the health aspect of the team, Dr.Alka also attended to a few emergency cases that included a suspected spinal injury due to a fall from an oil tanker. She herself had a close .......... with death when she was taking pictures of the scenery atop a German ship. A blizzard could have swept her away had the radio officer not pulled her inside a room. Also being the only woman in a 24-member team. she missed the company of women.
- (a)
victory
- (b)
brush
- (c)
bruise
- (d)
fight
In the passage, some of the words have been left out. First of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
Experts are beginning to suspect that one of the major causes of crime in modern cities is the actual design of the city. Oscar Newman. a professor of architecture, in his book titled "Defensible Space" has published the results of his research on this question. The effect of environment ................ crime is two fold.
Prof. Newman's research shows that some buildings may encourage people not only to interfere but to allow crimes to happen. Crowded apartments in a huge block bring people physically together but Isolate them mentally. People living in what is accidentally one building with a common entry fell isolated within their own apartments.
They are unconcerned with their neighbours. Some years ago, a girl was stabbed to death over a period of half an hour, while hundreds of people living in the block watched without interfering, without even calling the police.
The other obvious effect of the design of buildings is that it affords room for crimes. Hidden nooks and comers. spaces between buildings out of sight are convenient spots where crimes can be committed without the fear of detection.
- (a)
on
- (b)
in
- (c)
over
- (d)
about