MCQ Paragraph on for IBPS(Clerical) Exam Preparation

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MCQ Paragraph

English Language (IBPS CL) Reading comprehension (P)
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    Directions (Q.1 to 15) Read the following passage to answer the given questions based on it. Some words/phrases are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions. 

    Keshav and Yash lived in neighboring villages. Once, a fair was held nearby and they set off from their homes hoping to do some business there. Keshav filled his sack with cheap cotton, overlaid it with a layer of fine wool, and set off for the fair. Meanwhile Yash, collected some old clothes, put a layer of sheer cotton on top and made his way to the fair. Each stopped to rest under tree and got to talking. “I have the finest wool in my sack,” boasted Keshav. Not to be outdone. Yash said, “I have cotton of the most superior quality.

    The two struck a deal. They would exchange their goods and since wool was more expensive, Yash would pay Keshav an extra rupee. But Yash had no money on him. So after agreeing to pay Keshav later, they went home, laughing at each other’s folly. It did not take them long to discover that they had been duped. The next day, Keshav landed at Yash’s house, “You cheat! Give me my rupee at least.” Yash was untroubled by Keshav’s word, “Of course. But first help me find the treasure at the bottom of this well. We can divide it.” So Keshav went into the well. But each time Yash, hauled up the bucket Keshav had filled, he said, “Oh! No treasure here. Try again.” Keshav soon realised he was being used as free labour to clean the well. So he gave a loud shout, “Here is the treasure! Watch out it’s heavy !” Yash was amazed that there actually was treasure in the well. As soon as he pulled up the bucket he threw away the rope so that Keshav could not come up. But, what did he find in the bucket? Keshav covered in mud! They began fighting again. Soon it got too dark to continue and they left for their homes.

    But Keshav did not give up easily. He arrived at Yash’s house a few days later. Yash stopped him and told his wife, “I will pretend to be dead. Keshav will have to give up.” But when Keshav heard Yash’s wife wailing, rushed out to gather the villagers. “My friend has died. Let’s take his body of cremation.” Yash’s wife got scared, “Go away. I shall arrange for cremation Myself !” But the villagers thought she was too grief stricken. Once they reached the cremation ground, Keshav told the villagers, “It is getting dark. I shall watch over him during the night.” When the villagers had left, Keshav said to Yash, “Stop pretending. Give me my money !” Now, a gang of thieves came upon them and seeing one figure seated on the funeral pyre and another standing next to him talking, they assumed them to be ghosts and dropped their bag of stolen goods and left at top speed. The two, saw the bag full of gold and silver ornaments and divided it between themselves. Keshav made sure he got an extra gold coin and the account was settled at least!

    Question: 1

    Choose the word that is most OPPOSITE in meaning:

    FREE

    1. Occupied
    2. Paid
    3. Captured
    4. Busy
    5. Dependent

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (b).In the given context, the word that is most opposite of 'Free' is 'Paid'.

    Question: 2

    Choose the word that is most SIMILAR in meaning:

    TOP

    1. Height
    2. Lid
    3. Finest
    4. Upper
    5. Maximum

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (e).In the given context, the most similar word to 'Top' is 'Maximum' or 'Greatest'.

    Question: 3

    Choose the word that is most SIMILAR in meaning:

    STRUCK

    1. Reached
    2. Impacted
    3. Slapped
    4. Attacked
    5. Occurred

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (a).In the given context, the most similar word to 'Struck' is 'Reached' or 'Agreed on something'.

    Question: 4

    Choose the word that is most SIMILAR in meaning:

    DISCOVER

    1. Invent
    2. Explore
    3. Locate
    4. Realise
    5. Research

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (d).In the given context, the most similar word to 'Discover' is 'to reaslise' or 'to come to know'.

    Question: 5

    Which of the following NOT TRUE in the context of the passage?

    1. Keshav was persevering by nature.
    2. There was no treasure buried in Yash’s well.
    3. Keshav guarded Yash’s body because he knew thieves lived there.
    4. Yash’s wife supported her husband in his crooked dealings.
    5. Neither Keasav nor Yash could be trusted to keep his word.

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (c).Keshav guarded Yash’s body because he knew thieves lived there.

    Question: 6

    What frightened the thieves?

    1. The sight of what they through were the spirits of the dead.
    2. The realisation that the villagers would soon return.
    3. Someone had discovered their hiding place.
    4. Their loot had been stolen by other thieves.
    5. The villagers had lit a funeral pyre for them.

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (a).The sight of what they through were the spirits of the dead.

    Question: 7

    What was Keshav’s reaction to Yash’s presumed death’?

    1. He immediately sent for the villagers to comfort Yash’s wife.  
    2. He was very upset because he realised that he would never recover his money.
    3. He paid for all Yash’s funeral arrangements.
    4. He could not be consoled and kept watch over Yash’s body all night.
    5. He knew Yash was pretending and decided to trick him too.

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (e).The last few lines of the last paragraph suggest the answer quite clearly.

    Question: 8

    Why did Keshav get an extra gold coin from the thieves treasure?

    1. as payment for digging the well
    2. it was the amount Yash owed Keshav for protecting him from the thieves.
    3. as repayment of the rupee that Yash owed him
    4. it was his idea to spend the night at the cremation ground
    5. he had proved to be cleverer than Yash

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (c).The answer to this can be inferred from the 2nd sentence of the 2nd paragraph.

    Question: 9

    Which of the following can't be said about the two young men?

    1. They were lazy and made their wives work.                             

    2. They were a match for each other in shrewdness.

    3. They were dishonest and tried to swindle each other

    1. only 1
    2. only 1 and 3
    3. only 2 and 3
    4. all 1, 2 and 3
    5. none of these

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (a).The passage implies that both the men were sly and always tried to trick the other one. Hence 2 and 3 are the correct options.

    Question: 10

    Why did Yash request Keshav to go down into the well?

    1. He knew Keshav was smart and would clean it thoroughly  
    2. He was in search of treasure that he had buried.
    3. To trick Keshav into cleaning it.
    4. His wife had refused to help him.
    5. To make Keshav earn the extra gold coin.

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (c).The answer could be easily inferred from the second half of the 2nd paragraph that Yash had tricked Keshav into cleaning the well by tempting him.

    Question: 11

    Why did the villagers gather at Yash’s house?

    1. Yash’s wife was very upset seeing Keshav and her husband arguing
    2. To help Yash’s wife carry Yash’s body home as night had fallen
    3. To give Yash’s wife the news of her husband’s death
    4. They wanted to keep watch over Yash’s wife during the night
    5. Villagers gathered to cremate Yash.

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (e).The answer can be inferred from the first few sentences of the last paragraph.

    Question: 12

    Why were the two men happy despite not going to the fair?

    1. They had managed to buy whatever they needed on the way
    2. They had got a good deal in exchange for a rupee
    3. They had become fast friends and had made a lot of money in the bargain.
    4. Each thought he had got the better deal and had swindled the other.
    5. None of these

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (d).The 3rd sentence in the 2nd paragraph states that both of them tricked one another, and thus were happy about it.

    Question: 13

    What were Keshav and Yash quarrelling about?

    1. The cost of wool
    2. The interest on the loan Yash had taken
    3. Dividing the thieves’ treasure equally
    4. The money Yash owed Keshav
    5. The wages for digging the well

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (d).Kindly refer to the 2nd sentence of the 2nd paragraph.

    Question: 14

    What made the two young men decide to visit the fair?

    1. They thought they could get jobs and support themselves.
    2. They wanted to trade their goods at the fair and earn some money.
    3. To sell the produce they had grown for a handsome profit
    4. Being unemployed they thought they could entrain people at the fair.
    5. Not clearly mentioned in the passage

    Explanation

    Correct Answer is (b).The answer can be inferred from the 2nd sentence of the 1st paragraph.

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