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Vijaya Bank P.O. Exam held on March 2, 2008
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Q. 1-15. Read the following passage carefully and
answer the questions given below it. Certain
words/phrases have been printed in bold to help you
locate them while answering some of the questions.
Hiero, King of Syracuse, had commissioned from
a goldsmith of the town a crown of pure gold, but,
having taken delivery of the finished article, he was
suspicious. There was reason to believe that the
craftsman had mixed with the gold a certain amount
of other metal of inferior value. But how to find out?
There was no direct evidence, and it was therefore
obviously a case for the learned men of the city. And
who more learned than Archimedes?
The mathematician was therefore charged with
the task which would nowadays be considered a sim-
ple one, but was then a matter for serious thought.
Nothing known to science could be brought forward to
prove fraud or otherwise on the part of the goldsmith.
It is more than probable that the human side of
the problem interested Archimedes not at all, but the
scientific puzzle worried him intensely. This worry
pursued him everywhere he went for days, and per-
sisted through the routine acts of his daily round.
In the normal course of that routine, he went to
the public baths. We can imagine him standing at the
edge of the bath tub as he prepares to enter it, absent-
ly allowing the water to flow until he cannot help
noticing it. Suddenly, he splashed out of his tub,
shouting at the top of his voice : Eureka! Eureka! (I
have found it! I have found it!). Without waiting, or
even thinking of such a detail as clothes, he tore out
of the building and rushed through the streets of Syra-
cuse, still shouting: Eureka! Eureka!
Arrived at his house, the mathematician put his
newly found discovery to a practical test, and found
indeed that a body plunged in a fluid loses an amount
of its weight which is equal to the weight of the fluid
displaced by it. With this as a starting pointas it was
to prove the starting point of many subsequent dis-
coveries of importanceArchimedes was able to tell
his king how much pure gold was in his crown. Thus
was the first fundamental law in hydrostatics enunci-
ated.
Archimedes was by this time well known to his
fellow townsmen, and his sometimes strange appear-
ance and unusual actions probably met with indulgent
smiles. He came from a good family; his father Phei-
dias was an astronomer; he was on intimate terms
with, andaccording to somewas even a kinsman of
King Hiero himself.
1. Why could the king not punish the fraudulent
goldsmith?
(1) By that time Archimedes had not discovered
the law of hydrostatics.
(2) The king did not have concrete evidence to
prove the fraud.
(3) The finishing of the crown was perfect but
deceptive.
(4) The king had lot of faith in the goldsmith.
(5) None of these
2. Why was Archimedes charged with the task of
finding out if there was any impurity in the crown?
(1) Archimedes was famous as the most learned
man and mathematician.
(2) The king was worried that the goldsmith will
tell the truth to Archimedes.
(3) The goldsmith was one of the kins of the
craftsman.
(4) Archimedes was famous for interrogating the
criminals and exploring the truth.
(5) None of these
3. What was the kings suspicion?
(1) The goldsmith had made a crown with some
inferior metal instead of gold.
(2) The craftsman had replaced gold with a cheap-
er metal.
(3) The goldsmith had mixed a cheaper metal with
gold in the crown.
(4) The finishing of the crown was not upto the
mark.
(5) None of these
4. Which of the following statements is definite-
ly TRUE in the context of the passage?
(1) Archimedes action of running nude through
public places was not taken lightly by the
onlookers.
(2) Archimedes eccentric actions used to create
anguish among the public.
(3) The goldsmith had mixed inferior quality met-
al in the crown.
(4) Archimedes could prove that there was no
impurity in the gold used by the goldsmith in
the crown.
(5) Archimedes was not a mathematician.
5. When Archimedes was entrusted with the
task, he was curious because:
(1) he was thrilled by the human side of the
problem
(2) he used to forget all his routine matters and
concentrate on the problem
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ENGLISH LANGUAGE
(3) he had never worked on such scientific
challenges in the past
(4) it was a challenge to unearth scientific fact
(5) None of these
6. Eureka! Eureka! as spelt out by archimedes
was:
(1) an outburst of unreasonable pride of inventing a
novel principle
(2) a spontaneous reaction of excitement due to a
discovery
(3) an immature expression of a half-baked idea
(4) an exhibition of encouragement for a useful
discovery
(5) None of these
7. What was the impact of Archimedes tremen-
dous mental involvement in solving the kings riddle?
(1) He was worried but able to take care of his
daily routine.
(2) The involvement ultimately led to a failure in
completing the assignment
(3) He was not able to think of the details of the
problem entrusted to him
(4) Because of his involvement he forgot to put the
discovery to a practical test
(5) None of these
8. A body submerged in a liquid loses its weight
equal to:
(1) the weight of the liquid in which it is submerged
(2) the volume of the liquid in which it is
submerged
(3) the weight of the body which is submerged in
the liquid
(4) the weight of the liquid displaced by it
(5) None of these
9. Which of the following is FALSE in the context
of the passage?
(A) Archimedes father was a relative of King Hiero.
(B) Before Archimedes discovery, science had limi-
tation to detect the goldsmiths fraud.
(C) Archimedes discovered his principle while he
was in the tub for bath.
(1) A and B (2) B and C
(3) A and C (4) A only
(5) B only
Q. 10-12. Choose the word/group of words which is
most nearly the SAME in meaning as the word/group of
words given in bold as used in the passage.
10. enunciated
(1) framed
(2) lost
(3) implemented
(4) concocted
(5) applied
11. charged
(1) suspected
(2) accused
(3) filled
(4) encouraged
(5) entrusted
12. tore out
(1) came out gently
(2) pushed out
(3) walked out
(4) rushed out forcefully
(5) destroyed angrily
Q. 13-15. Choose the word which is most OPPOSITE
in meaning of the word given in bold as used in the
passage.
13. subsequent
(1) successive
(2) preceding
(3) pre-determined
(4) consequent
(5) pre-requisite
14. unusual
(1) ordinary
(2) remarkable
(3) abnormal
(4) curious
(5) odd
15. intensely
(1) powerfully
(2) deeply
(3) mildly
(4) hugely
(5) extremely
Q. 16-30. Read each sentence to find out whether
there is any error in it. The error, if any, will be in one
part of the sentence. The number of that part is the
answer. If there is no error, the answer is (5). (Ignore
errors in punctuation, if any).
16. Having lifted the heavy weight,(1) the boy
suffered(2) a severe pain in(3) his elbow joint.(4) No
error.(5)
17. Without waiting for(1) the instructions from
the government,(2) some cable operators in(3) the city
had block the news.(4) No error.(5)
18. The authorities have instructed(1) that brief
notes must be prepared(2) on all the issues related(3) to
customer grievances.(4) No error.(5)
19. In absolutely terms,(1) the damage may not(2)
be very serious,(3) but it should not be ignored.(4) No
error.(5)
20. The complainants in their complaint(1) have
been alleged that(2) they were forced to leave(3) their
belongings unattended(4). No error. (5)
21. The long gap needs(1) to be bridged soon(2)
because it has created(3) a lot of unpleasant.(4) No
error.(5)
22. He asked the same question(1) that why he was
not selected(2) and everyone responded saying(3) that
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ENGLISH LANGUAGE
he had failed.(4) No error.(5)
23. If they are found(1) guilty during investiga-
tion,(2) a complaint will be(3) lodged against them.(4)
No error.(5)
24. They have already put(1) the proposal for to be
approved(2) in the ensuing meeting(3) before the Union
Cabinet.(4) No error.(5)
25. They had been hired a taxi(1) to roam around
the city(2) but their plan failed(3) as the taxi met with an
accident.(4) No error.(5)
26. On a number of occasions,(1) we had noticed
that(2) those two employees(3) were often in state of
confused.(4) No error.(5)
27. Hindi films are certainly(1) popular in the last
decade(2) but in these days our regional films(3) have
attained more popularity.(4) No error.(5)
28. Most politicians predict(1) that the same mem-
bers will(2) be elected despite of(3) their failure to
perform.(4) No error.(5)
29. He was selected for that post(1) because of he
was familiar(2) with both urban as well as(3) rural way
of life.(4) No error.(5)
30. The tribal people have(1) high regard for him
because(2) he donated large number of(3) money for
their upliftment.(4) No error.(5)
Q. 31-35. Rearrange the following six sentences (A),
(B), (C), (D), (E) and (F) in the proper sequence to form a
meaningful paragraph; then answer the questions given
below them.
(A) One of them said, I never buy imported goods.
(B) Patriotism was the topic of discussion.
(C) Well, said the third, I havent passed the
foreign language i.e. English since I started my
schooling.
(D) Some students were discussing among
themselves.
(E) I never see foreign films, said another.
(F) In the discussion, everyone was trying to prove
how he was more patriotic than the rest of them.
31. Which of the following will be the SECOND
statement after rearrangement?
(1) (A) (2) (B) (3) (C) (4) (D) (5) (E)
32. Which of the following will be the FOURTH
statement after rearrangement?
(1) (A) (2) (B) (3) (C) (4) (D) (5) (E)
33. Which of the following will be the SIXTH
(LAST) statement after rearrangement?
(1) (A) (2) (B) (3) (C) (4) (D) (5) (E)
34. Which of the following will be the FIRST state-
ment after rearrangement?
(1) (A) (2) (B) (3) (C) (4) (D) (5) (E)
35. Which of the following will be the FIFTH
statement after rearrangement?
(1) (A) (2) (B) (3) (C) (4) (D) (5) (E)
Q. 36-40. Which of the phrases (1), (2), (3) and (4)
given below should replace the phrase given in bold in
the following sentence to make the sentence grammati-
cally meaningful and correct. If the sentence is correct as
it is and no correction is required, mark (5) as the
answer.
36. How does a photograph looks depends upon
what parts of the scene you include or exclude.
(1) does a photograph look
(2) a photograph looks
(3) a photograph does look
(4) will be a photograph looking
(5) No correction required
37. In less than two days the missing dog was
back home.
(1) For fewer than (2) For lesser than
(3) In lesser than (4) Within lesser than
(5) No correction required
38. Generally people are easily fools by statistical
data and figures?
(1) Generally people are easy tools
(2) Generally for people it is easy to fool
(3) General people are easy to fool
(4) Generally people are easily fooled
(5) No correction required
39. Integrity can best taught to children when
they are small.
(1) is best taught (2) can be best teaching
(3) is taught better (4) should be best teaching
(5) No correction required
40. A shy person devised a trick that worked
wondering for him.
(1) which is worked wondering with
(2) that is working wonderful of
(3) that worked wonders for
(4) than works wonderful about
(5) No correction required
ANSWERS
1. (2) 2. (1) 3. (3) 4. (3) 5. (4)
6. (2) 7. (5) 8. (3) 9. (4) 10. (1)
11. (5) 12. (4) 13. (2) 14. (1) 15. (3)
16. (3) severe pain in
17. (4) the city had blocked the news
18. (5) No error
19. (1) In absolute terms
20. (1) have alleged that
21. (4) a lot of unpleasantness
22. (2) Why he was not selected
23. (5) No error
24. (2) the proposal for approval
25. (1) They had hired a taxi
26. (4) ...in state of confusion.
27. (1) Hindi films were certainly
28. (3) be elected despite
29. (2) because he was familiar
30. (3) he donated large amount of
31. (2) 32. (1) 33. (3) 34. (4) 35. (5)
36. (1) 37. (5) 38. (4) 39. (1) 40. (3)
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