SSC CGL Undated PYQs

Question 1

Which of the following statements about black soil is INCORRECT?

Accepted Answer

Black soil is known for its high clay content, which gives it a good capacity to hold moisture and leads to deep cracks during hot weather. It is formed from volcanic rocks in the Deccan trap region. However, black soil is generally poor in phosphoric content, making option 4 the incorrect statement.

Question 2

Select the option that will improve the underlined part of the given sentence. In case
no improvement is needed, select 'No improvement required'.
I don’t fancy to go out this evening.

Accepted Answer

The verb 'fancy' is typically followed by a gerund (V-ing), not an infinitive (to + V). Therefore, 'fancy going out' is the correct construction. The original sentence 'I don't fancy to go out this evening' is grammatically incorrect.

Question 3

Select the most appropriate ANTONYM of the given word.
Astound

Accepted Answer

The word 'astound' means to shock or greatly surprise. The most appropriate antonym would be a word that means to make something clear or understandable, which is 'clarify'.

Question 4

Eight friends, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V and W, are sitting in the same order anticlockwise
around a circular table at equal distances between them, with all facing the centre of
the table. If Q is sitting in the south-east, then in which direction is W sitting?

Accepted Answer

The friends are sitting in anticlockwise order. If Q is in the South-East, then moving anticlockwise, P would be to Q's immediate right. Following this pattern, W would be two positions anticlockwise from Q, placing W in the South-West direction.

Question 5

Select the correct combination of mathematical signs that can sequentially replace the
* signs and balance the given equation.
54 * 36 * 12 * 18 * 24 * 24

Accepted Answer

We need to test each option by substituting the mathematical signs into the equation and checking if it balances. Option 2: 54 ÷ 36 × 12 - 18 + 24 = 24. Following the order of operations (BODMAS/PEMDAS), 54 ÷ 36 = 1.5, then 1.5 × 12 = 18, then 18 - 18 + 24 = 24. This balances the equation.

Question 6

Select the INCORRECTLY spelt word.

Accepted Answer

The word 'Secratariat' is incorrectly spelled. The correct spelling is 'Secretariat'. The other words 'Heartbeat', 'Performance', and 'Tongue' are all spelled correctly.

Question 7

Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word.
Retaliate

Accepted Answer

To 'retaliate' means to make an attack or assault in return for a similar attack. Among the given options, 'react' is the closest synonym as it implies responding to an action, often in a similar or opposing manner.

Question 8

Hot water can be a pollutant if it comes from:
(a) A hot spring (b) A power plant (c) An industry

Accepted Answer

Hot water becomes a pollutant when it is discharged from human-made sources like power plants and industries, as it can significantly alter aquatic ecosystems. Natural hot springs, while hot, are part of the natural environment and do not introduce unnatural thermal changes. Therefore, both power plants and industries are sources of thermal pollution.

Question 9

Select the most appropriate option that can substitute the underlined segment in the
given sentence. If there is no need to substitute it, select ‘No substitution required’.
As it was getting late Lata leave the party midway.

Accepted Answer

The sentence describes a past event ('As it was getting late'), so the main verb 'leave' must be in the simple past tense, which is 'left'.

Question 10

The following sentence has been divided into parts. One of them may contain an error.
Select the part that contains the error from the given options. If you don’t find any
error, mark ‘No error’ as your answer.
The team won / very easily / at the recent sports event.

Accepted Answer

The sentence 'The team won very easily at the recent sports event' is grammatically correct. There is no error in any part of the sentence. The adverb 'easily' correctly modifies the verb 'won', and 'very' correctly modifies 'easily'.

Question 11

In a certain code language, BACHELOR is written as YZXSVOLI. How will EDUCATION
be written as in that language?

Accepted Answer

The pattern used is 'opposite letters' (A=Z, B=Y, etc.). Applying this pattern to EDUCATION, E becomes V, D becomes W, U becomes F, C becomes X, A becomes Z, T becomes G, I becomes R, O becomes L, N becomes M. Thus, EDUCATION becomes VWFXZGRLM.

Question 12

In the sentence identify the segment which contains the grammatical error. 
Lucy has already cut the cake when we reached the party hall.

Accepted Answer

The sentence describes two past actions. The action that happened first (cutting the cake) should be in the past perfect tense, and the action that happened later (reaching the party hall) should be in the simple past tense. Therefore, 'Lucy has already' should be corrected to 'Lucy had already'.

Question 13

Select the most appropriate option to substitute the underlined segment in the given
sentence. If no substitution is required, select No improvement. 
I wish if I was the Principal of my school.

Accepted Answer

The sentence expresses an unreal or hypothetical wish. In such cases, the subjunctive mood is used, which requires 'were' for all persons, including 'I'. Therefore, 'I were' is the correct substitution.

Question 14

Given below are four jumbled sentences. Out of the given options pick the one that gives
their correct order. 
A. There are many gadgets that are operated by a remote control and contain a silicon chip. 
B. This produces an infra-red beam, made up of electromagnetic waves. 
C. When a button is pressed on the remote control, the chip sets off an electronic vibration. 
D. The beam carries a coded signal for operating the systems.

Accepted Answer

Sentence A introduces the topic of remote controls and silicon chips. Sentence C logically follows by explaining what happens 'When a button is pressed on the remote control'. Sentence B describes the 'infra-red beam' produced by the electronic vibration mentioned in C. Finally, D explains the function of this 'beam'.

Question 15

Select the most appropriate word to ﬁll in the blank. 
Health should be our ﬁrst priority and should never be ______.

Accepted Answer

The sentence implies that health is important and should not be ignored or given less attention. 'Neglected' means to pay no attention to or disregard, which fits the context perfectly.

Question 16

Select the most appropriate word to ﬁll in the blank. 
A colour blind person is not able to ______ between colours.

Accepted Answer

The sentence describes the inability of a colour blind person to tell the difference between colours. 'Distinguish' means to recognize or point out a difference, which perfectly fits the context.

Question 17

In a certain code language, ‘MOHAN’ is coded as 39-45-24-3-42 and ‘KABIR’ is coded
as 33-3-6-27-54. How will ‘RAGHU’ be coded in that language?

Accepted Answer

The pattern involves multiplying the positional value of each letter by 3. For MOHAN, M(13)*3=39, O(15)*3=45, H(8)*3=24, A(1)*3=3, N(14)*3=42. Applying this to RAGHU: R(18)*3=54, A(1)*3=3, G(7)*3=21, H(8)*3=24, U(21)*3=63.

Question 18

Select the option that is related to the third number in the same way as the second
number is related to the first number.
13 : 1728 :: 17 : ?

Accepted Answer

The pattern is (Number - 1)^3. For the first pair, (13 - 1)^3 = 12^3 = 1728. Applying the same logic to the second pair, (17 - 1)^3 = 16^3 = 4096.

Question 19

Select the option that expresses the given sentence in active voice.
Tall promises were being made by each promoter.

Accepted Answer

The given sentence 'Tall promises were being made by each promoter' is in the past continuous passive voice. To convert it to active voice, we need to use the past continuous active form, which is 'Subject + was/were + verb-ing + Object'. Therefore, 'Each promoter was making tall promises' is the correct active voice conversion.

Question 20

Select the most appropriate synonym of the given word.
Livid

Accepted Answer

The word 'livid' can mean extremely angry or discolored, often with a bluish or grayish tinge. Among the given options, 'Furious' is the most appropriate synonym for the 'extremely angry' meaning of livid. 'Pale' is also a possible meaning, but 'Furious' is a more common and direct synonym in many contexts.