Paper : Practice Sample Paper for Bank Probationary Officer

Recruitment Exam English Language Proficiency Test

(This test is equally useful other candidates preparing for other entrance exams like
B. Ed., M. Ed., ETT, JET, Bank Clerical, MBA, XAT, MAT and CAT)

Directions (Q 1-5): The following sentences contain errors in grammar, usage,

diction (choice of words) or idioms and spellings. No sentence, however, contains
more than one error. Each sentence has been broken up into four parts sequentially
(1, 2, 3, 4). Choose the part that has the mistake and mark your answer.

1.We have no objection (1)/ to him participating in the debate (2)/ provided he cares (3)/
to observe the rules formulated by the expert committee (4).

2.There is the idea of competition, natural selection and the survival (1)/ of the fittest
which purpose to explain (2)/ the natural and automatic process (3)/ of evolution and
development (4).

3.In spite of their pressing into service several fire-fighters (1)/ they found it difficult (2)/
to put off (3)/ the fire which was spreading fast to the neighbouring buildings (4).

4.Rabindranath Tagore, the great Indian poet, born (1)/at a time (2)/ when there was a
confluence (3)/of three revolutionary movement (4).

5.The assistant engineer was advised to give (1)/the building contract to whomever (2)/
he believed (3)/ had a strong sense of responsibility (4).

Directions (Q 6 - 8): Out of the given choices marked 1-4, select the best substitute
for the leading sentence. Mark the correct choice as the answer.

6.One who is determined to take exact full vengeance for wrongs done to him:
1. vindictive

2. vengeful

3. Inductor

4. Candice

7.Custom of having many wives:

1. Homogamy

2. Polygamy

3. Matrogamy

4. Monogamy

8.A person who has no money to pay off his debts:

1. Insolvent

2. Beggar

3. Debtor

4. Creditor

Directions (Q 9-10): Give the correct antonyms of the following words out of the
given choices below the leading word.
9.AUTONOMY:

1. Independent

2. Independence

3. Dependence

4. Proudy

10.ONEROUS:

1. Tough

2. Difficult

3. Easy

4. Complicated

Directions (Q 11-15): Find out the correct choice no. as the answer after changing
the given sentences from Active voice to passive voice and vice versa.

11.A song will be sung by him.

1. He will be sing a song

2. He would sing a song

3. He will sing a song

4. He shall sing a song

12.They had already tried this plan.

1. This plan had already tried by them.

2. This plan had already being tried by him.

3. This plan had been already tried by them

4. This plan had already been tried by them

13.Can you please her?

1. Can she pleased by you?

2. Could she pleased by you?

3. Can she pleased by you?

4. Can she be pleased by you?

14.The child is not cutting teeth.

1. Teeth are not being cutting by the child

2. Teeth are not being cut by child

3. Teeth are not cut by the child

4. Teeth are not cutting by child

15.She was not paying the taxes.

1. The taxes not paid by her

2. The taxes are not being paid by her

3. The taxes were not being paid by her

4. The taxes is not being paid by her

Directions (Q 16-20): The questions that follow the passages are based on the text of
the passages. Point out the correct answers.

Liberty is not a personal affair only, but a social contract. It is an accommodation of

interests. In matters which do not touch anybody else’s liberty of course, I may be as
free as I like. If I choose to go down the Strand in a dressing-gown, with long hair and
bare feet, who shall say me nay? You have liberty to laugh at me, but I have liberty to be
indifferent to you. And if I have a fancy for dyeing my hair, or waxing my moustache
(which heaven forbid), or wearing a tall hat, a frock coat and sandals, or going to bed late
or getting up early, I shall follow my fancy and ask no man’s permission. I shall not
inquire of you whether I may eat mustard with my mutton. I may like mustard with my
mutton. And you will not ask me whether you may follow this religion or that, whether
you may marry the dark lady or the fair lady, whether you may prefer long fellow to
Wordsworth, or champagne to coca cola.

16.‘Not a personal affair’ means ______

1. not enjoyed in person.

2. not having individual affairs.

3. not concerned with individuals.

4. None of these

17.“Accommodation of interests” means

1. a place for living of interests

2. adjustment of individual interests

3. adjustment of personal ends

4. None of these

18.“Indifferent to” can be replaced by ______

1. having no interest in.

2. unconcerned about.

3. not worried about.

4. None of these

19.The word ‘fancy’ has been used twice in the passage. It means:

1. liking; liking

2. Imagination; Imaginative

3. liking; whim
4. None of these

20.‘Inquire of you’ means ______

1. Inquire from you

2. Inquire about you

3. Inquire into your views

4. None of these

Directions (Q 21-25): Fill in the blanks with suitable propositions/words given

below.

21.She was debarred ______ appearing in the exam.

1. for

2. of

3. from

4. None of these

22.His views did not coincide ______ those of his wife.

1. to

2. on
3. for

4. with

23.If you had come earlier, we ______ to see the movie.

1. would go

2. would be going

3. will have gone

4. would have gone

24.He lives ______ Andheri ______ Bombay.

1. in, in

2. at, at

3. in, at

4. at, in

25.I am astonished ______ her way of talking.

1. at

2. with

3. on
4. upon

Directions (Q 26-28): In each of the following questions an idiomatic expression,

followed by the possible meanings numbers 1 to 5 is given. From the given choices,
find the choice number which gives the correct meaning of the idiomatic expression
and mark the choice number as your answer.

26.To smell a rat

1. to see sings of plague epidemic

2. to get bad smell of a dead rat

3. to suspect foul dealing

4. to be in a bad mood

27.To have an axe to grind

1. a private end to serve

2. to fail to arouse interest

3. to have no result

4. to work for both sides

28.To eke out

1. To earn a living
2. To rush out

3. To finish oil

4. To go out of the way

Directions (Q 29-30): In the following sentences idioms/proverbs have been used,

followed by their meaning in choice number 1 to 5. Mark the correct choice number
as answer.

29.I raked my brains to solve this difficult problem.

1. I read number of books

2. I consulted several people

3. I used my common-sense

4. I subjected my mind to hard thinking

30 He was a king who ruled his subjects with a high hand.

1. sympathetically

2. kindly

3. democratically

4. oppressively
Directions (Q 31-33): Mark the correct choice number which is the meaning
(synonym) of the leading word.

31 Garnish:

1. to adorn

2. to worship

3. to garland

4. to excuse

32.Abhor:

1. repentance

2. love

3. hate

4. persistent

33.Panacea:

1. A universal agreement

2. A universal truth

3. A universal phenomenon

4. A universal medicine
Directions (Q 34-35): In each of the sentences given below a word has been
underlined and four choices marked 1 to 4 have been given. Choose the correct
word which is opposite word underlined in the sentence. Mark the choice number as
your answer.

34.His unscrupulous pursuit of wealth finally landed him in prison.

1. Conscientious

2. Dedicated

3. Single-minded

4. Superfluous

35.Let us not aggravate the sufferings of the poor.

1. Advocate

2. Appreciate

3. Alleviate

4. Abbreviate

Directions (Q 36-40): In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has
been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each,
five words are suggested, one which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the
appropriate word and mark the choice number as your answer.

Smoking is the biggest preventable ______ (186) ______ to mankind. Many serious
______ (187) ______ including lung cancer, bronchitis and heat attack are ______ (188)
______ to smoking habits. Smoking in any form whether cigarette, cigar, pipe, bidi or
tobacco chewing has been ______ (189) ______ as a major ______ (190) ______ factor
for heart attack.

36.

1. measure

2. tragedy

3. menace

4. solace

37.

1. debacles

2. diseases

3. practices

4. injuries

38.
1. caused

2. directed

3. averse

4. traced

39.

1. developed

2. explained

3. attributed

4. identified

40.

1. important

2. critical

3. risk

4. ailing

Directions (Q 41-42): Each of the following words is spelt in four different ways.
One of them is correctly spelt. Pick out the correctly spelt word and mark on the
OMR sheet.
41.

1. Leutinant

2. Lieutenant

3. Lieutinent

4. Lieutanant

42.

1. Charactar

2. Cheracter

3. Character

4. Characatar

Directions (Q 43-45): Mark the correct choice after changing the Narration of the
leading sentence.

43.The mother said to the teacher, “Do not punish my son.”

1. The mother told the teacher not to punished her son.

2. The mother requested the teacher that her son might not be punished.
3. The mother requested the teacher that not to punish her son.

4. The mother requested the teacher not to punish her son.

44.The Judge asked the prisoner if he has any thing to say.

1. The Judge said to the prisoner, “Have you any thing to say?”

2. The Judge said to the prisoner, “If you have anything to say?”

3. The Judge said to the prisoner, “You had anything to say?”

4. The Judge said to the prisoner, Have you anything to be said?”

45.She advised me not to trust him.

1. She said to me, “Not to trust you.”

2. She said to me, “Not to Trust him.”

3. She said to me, “Do not be trust by him.”

4. She said to me, “Do not trust him.”

Directions (Q 46-50): The questions that follow the passages are based on the text of
the passage. Point out the correct answers.

The third thing we must do is not to be content with mere political democracy. We must
make our political democracy a social democracy as well. Political democracy cannot last
unless there lies at the base of it social democracy. What does social democracy mean? it
means a way of life which recognizes liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of
life. These principles of liberty, equality and fraternity are not to be treated as separate
items in Trinity. They form a union of Trinity in the sense that to divorce one from the
other is to defeat the very purpose of democracy. Liberty cannot be divorced from
equality, equality be divorced from liberty. Nor can liberty and equality be divorced from
fraternity. Without equality, liberty would produce the supremacy of the few over the
many. Equality, without liberty, would kill individual initiative. Without fraternity,
liberty and equality would not become a natural course of things. It would require a
constable to enforce them.

46.The ‘third thing’ which the author wants us to do is ______

1. Not to be complacent with political democracy

2. Not to be happy with political democracy

3. Not to be dissatisfied with political democracy

4. None of these

47.Political democracy will end if ______

1. There is no social democracy

2. There is social democracy

3. There is political democracy

4. None of these
48.Social democracy means ______

1. Liberty, equality and fraternity

2. A way of life

3. Political democracy

4. None of these

49.The principles of liberty, equality and fraternity can be treated as ______

1. Separate

2. Unified

3. One

4. None of these

50.Liberty without equality would result in ______

1. Dictatorship

2. Supremacy of some

3. Tyranny of many

4. None of these