CDS (II) 2021 — English (Full Question Paper)

Completion of Sentences · Questions 1–10

1.Completion of Sentences

I asked two people the way to the station

(a)but neither of them could help me
(b)however none of them could show me the way
(c)yet they had doubts about the station
(d)nevertheless they couldn't guide me

Answer: (a) but neither of them could help me

'But' joins two contrasting ideas, and 'neither of them' fits two people. The other options misuse 'none' or add a new idea.

2.Completion of Sentences

The room was very warm

(a)because the AC was set to moderate temperature
(b)though the AC was set to very cold
(c)since the AC was not very warm in its temperature setting
(d)since the AC was in a very low temperature setting

Answer: (a) because the AC was set to moderate temperature

The key gives (a): a moderate AC setting explains a warm room. Option (b) is also a possible reading, though the official key gives the marked answer.

3.Completion of Sentences

We could leave today or we could leave tomorrow

(a)preferring what you want
(b)as you prefer one of the two
(c)depending on what you prefer
(d)whichever you prefer

Answer: (c) depending on what you prefer

The key gives (c). 'Depending on what you prefer' leaves the choice to the listener. Option (d) 'whichever you prefer' is also natural, though the official key gives the marked answer.

4.Completion of Sentences

Mohan and I couldn't get into the house because

(a)neither of us had the keys
(b)both of us do not have the keys
(c)either of us did not have the keys
(d)neither of us did have the keys

Answer: (a) neither of us had the keys

'Neither of us' takes a singular verb and carries the negative meaning. 'Neither of us had the keys' is correct.

5.Completion of Sentences

There are many good hotels, you can choose to stay in

(a)many of them
(b)any one of them
(c)either of them
(d)all of them

Answer: (b) any one of them

'Any one of them' means you may pick one. 'Either' is for two items, and the sentence has many hotels.

6.Completion of Sentences

The bus service is very good; there is a bus

(a)after ten minutes
(b)in ten minutes
(c)before ten minutes
(d)every ten minutes

Answer: (d) every ten minutes

A good service means buses run at regular gaps. 'Every ten minutes' shows that.

7.Completion of Sentences

We live near a busy airport; the planes fly

(a)near our house
(b)by our house
(c)over our house
(d)around our house

Answer: (c) over our house

Planes in the air pass 'over' a house. 'Over our house' is the natural phrase.

8.Completion of Sentences

Dan was very quiet. He didn't say a word

(a)all the evening
(b)the entire evening
(c)all the entire evening
(d)entire evening

Answer: (b) the entire evening

'The entire evening' is correct. 'All the entire' is repeated, and 'entire evening' lacks 'the'.

9.Completion of Sentences

I don't like stories

(a)which can have unhappy endings
(b)which had sad endings
(c)that have unhappy endings
(d)which are unhappy endings

Answer: (c) that have unhappy endings

The sentence states a general dislike, so the present tense 'that have unhappy endings' fits.

10.Completion of Sentences

Not everything

(a)that happened was my fault
(b)which happen was my fault
(c)what happened was my fault
(d)whatever happened was my fault

Answer: (a) that happened was my fault

'Everything' takes the relative pronoun 'that'. The verb 'happened' agrees with it in the past tense.

Comprehension · Questions 11–20

Passage I
As to happiness, I am not so sure. Birds, it is true, die of hunger in large numbers during the winter, if they are not birds of passage. But during the summer they do not foresee this catastrophe, or remember how nearly it befell them in the previous winter. With human beings the matter is otherwise. I doubt whether the percentage of birds that will have died of hunger during the present winter (1946-47) is as great as the percentage of human beings that will have died from this cause in India and central Europe during the same period. But every human death by starvation is preceded by a long period of anxiety, and surrounded by the corresponding anxiety of neighbours. We suffer not only the evils that actually befall us, but all those that our intelligence tells us we have reason to fear. The curbing of impulses to which we are led by forethought averts physical disaster at the cost of worry, and general lack of joy. I do not think that the learned men of my acquaintance, even when they enjoy a secure income, are as happy as the mice that eat the crumbs from their tables while the erudite gentlemen snooze. In this respect, therefore, I am not convinced that there has been any progress at all.

11.Comprehension

The birds die of hunger in winter because

(a)they do not move to warmer places
(b)people do not feed them
(c)they do not get the food of their choice
(d)they are too young to get the food

Answer: (a) they do not move to warmer places

The passage says birds die of hunger in winter 'if they are not birds of passage'. Birds of passage move away, so the ones that stay die.

12.Comprehension

The birds do not foresee the catastrophe because they

(a)cannot predict an accident
(b)overlook a difficult situation
(c)cannot expect a sudden disaster
(d)ignore the problems

Answer: (c) cannot expect a sudden disaster

In summer the birds do not foresee the winter disaster or recall how near it came. They cannot expect it. So (c) is the key.

13.Comprehension

Human beings cannot be happy because they

(a)do not get time to enjoy
(b)worry too much about their work
(c)are not healthy
(d)worry too much about future

Answer: (d) worry too much about future

The writer says we suffer evils we have reason to fear. Forethought brings worry and a lack of joy.

14.Comprehension

Which one of the following is the antonym of the word 'erudite' in the passage?

(a)Qualified
(b)Ill-educated
(c)Logical
(d)Learned

Answer: (b) Ill-educated

'Erudite' means very learned. The opposite is 'ill-educated'. 'Learned' is its synonym.

15.Comprehension

Which one of the following is the central theme of the passage?

(a)Life of the birds and the mice
(b)Starvation in India and central Europe
(c)Progress of mankind
(d)Disasters in 1946-47

Answer: (c) Progress of mankind

The writer ends by saying he is not convinced there has been any progress at all. The theme is the progress of mankind.

Passage II
More than eight months after the national lockdown was announced in late March, urban India is learning to live with the Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, indicating a positive outlook for the future, many survey respondents in a recent survey say they plan to return to pre-lockdown levels of shopping, personal grooming, going to cinemas and socializing as pandemic fears continues to recede.

The survey findings highlight that the suppression of consumer demand because of fears of job losses and salary cuts could be coming to an end. Increasingly, urban Indians are showing increased confidence about the future of the economy. This could be an indicator of the possible 'pent-up demand' that several economists have been talking about – a demand that could be unleashed once a vaccine is developed and distributed, or when there are signs of the pandemic's spread reducing to negligible levels or vanishing totally.

Around 65 percent of respondents said they had settled into new routines, or that they saw signs of the situation improving, or they had come to terms with the pandemic and were moving on with their lives. And since the survey was conducted before the news of the successful trials of the Pfizer vaccine for the coronavirus was announced, it is likely that the consumers are now even more positive in their outlook about the future.

16.Comprehension

The general tone of the passage is that of

(a)Optimism
(b)Pessimism
(c)Fatalism
(d)Defeatism

Answer: (a) Optimism

The passage speaks of a positive outlook and rising confidence. The tone is optimistic.

17.Comprehension

The willingness of consumers to go back to normal lifestyle indicates their

(a)Casual attitude
(b)Change of moods
(c)Desire for future plans
(d)Sense of economic security

Answer: (d) Sense of economic security

The passage links the return to shopping and outings with fading fears of job loss. So it shows a sense of economic security.

18.Comprehension

Which statement in the passage/phrase indicates that 'Life must go on'?

(a)They settled into their new routines
(b)Salary cuts could be coming to an end
(c)People are moving on with their lives
(d)'Pent-up demand'

Answer: (c) People are moving on with their lives

'Moving on with their lives' says that people carry on despite the pandemic. It matches 'Life must go on'.

19.Comprehension

What does the author mean by 'pent-up demand'?

(a)Desire (suppressed) to spend money once pandemic is controlled
(b)Economic normalcy of consumers
(c)Flamboyant shopping by consumers
(d)Criticism of the public on the pay-cuts

Answer: (a) Desire (suppressed) to spend money once pandemic is controlled

The passage calls it a demand that could be unleashed once the pandemic is controlled. So it is suppressed demand to spend.

20.Comprehension

What, according to the author, is the reason behind suppression of consumer demands?

(a)The lack of vaccine till date
(b)Professional insecurity
(c)Motive to save up some money
(d)Careful and calculative attitude of the general public

Answer: (b) Professional insecurity

The passage says demand was suppressed by fears of job losses and salary cuts. That is professional insecurity.

Spotting Errors · Questions 21–30

21.Spotting Errors

Everything is going well; we didn't have any problem.

(a)(a)
(b)(b)
(c)(c)
(d)No error

Answer: (b) (b)

The first clause is in the present. The matching form is 'we haven't had'. So part (b) has the error.

22.Spotting Errors

Lavanya hasn't gone to work yesterday.

(a)(a)
(b)(b)
(c)(c)
(d)No error

Answer: (a) (a)

'Yesterday' is a finished time, so the past tense is needed: 'Lavanya didn't go'. The present perfect is wrong here. So part (a) has the error.

23.Spotting Errors

Look! The boy over there wears the same sweater as you.

(a)(a)
(b)(b)
(c)(c)
(d)No error

Answer: (b) (b)

'Look!' points to what is happening now. The sentence needs 'is wearing'. So part (b) has the error.

24.Spotting Errors

It begins to turn dark: shall I switch on the lights?

(a)(a)
(b)(b)
(c)(c)
(d)No error

Answer: (a) (a)

The darkness is coming on now. The natural form is 'It is beginning to turn dark'. So part (a) has the error.

25.Spotting Errors

Raman and Mitali have been married for twenty years.

(a)(a)
(b)(b)
(c)(c)
(d)No error

Answer: (d) No error

Each part is correct. 'Have been married for twenty years' is the right tense with 'for'. The sentence has no error.

26.Spotting Errors

I have played basketball for the past three hours.

(a)(a)
(b)(b)
(c)(c)
(d)No error

Answer: (a) (a)

An action that has gone on for three hours takes the present perfect continuous: 'I have been playing'. So part (a) has the error.

27.Spotting Errors

Jamila had a book in front of her, but she didn't read it.

(a)(a)
(b)(b)
(c)(c)
(d)No error

Answer: (c) (c)

She had the book in front of her at that moment. The continuous past fits: 'she wasn't reading it'. So part (c) has the error.

28.Spotting Errors

When she heard the news she hasn't been very pleased.

(a)(a)
(b)(b)
(c)(c)
(d)No error

Answer: (b) (b)

'Heard' is the past tense, so the main clause must be past too: 'she wasn't'. So part (b) has the error.

29.Spotting Errors

Where are you coming from? Are you an American?

(a)(a)
(b)(b)
(c)(c)
(d)No error

Answer: (a) (a)

To ask a person's origin we say 'Where do you come from?'. The continuous form is wrong. So part (a) has the error.

30.Spotting Errors

I went to Canada a few years ago for a holiday.

(a)(a)
(b)(b)
(c)(c)
(d)No error

Answer: (d) No error

Each part is correct. 'A few years ago' goes with the simple past 'went'. The sentence has no error.

Ordering of Words · Questions 31–40

31.Ordering of Words