Allahabad Bank (Clerk) Exam., 2009English Language : Solved Paper
(Held on 15-3-2009)
Directions—(Q. 1–12) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
One day Nandu rode his horse to the village fair. On his way back he met Somendra, the merchant. The merchant was a crafty man, ready to do anything to earn some money. The villagers knew this. In fact no one knew what trick he would be up to next. Now, Nandu was poor and had no one in the world to call his own except a beautfiul, white horse. He loved it more than anything else in the world. The merchant had his eye on the horse for a long time and tried to think of a way to get it for himself. Seeing Nandu, the merchant thought, “Nandu is a simpleton. Let me see if I can trick him out of his horse. “So he said to Nandu, “You live all alone. How do you manage ? What does a young boy like you need with a horse ? Sell it to me and I shall make you rich in return.” Nandu replied, “No I don’t want to sell my horse.”
But the merchant refused to give up so easily. He offered Nandu more money. Finally, when the offer reached five hundred gold coins, Nandu paused and said, “Five hundred gold coins seems like a good price. But I have a condition. If you agree to it, I shall give you my horse.” What is it ?” The merchant asked impatiently. “Give me the money right now and I shall give you my horse when I have given you ten lashes,” said Nandu. “Is that all ?” asked the merchant. He could easily bear ten lashes. After all he would resell the horse for over a thousand gold coins in the market. He would take twenty lashes for such a gain. He agreed instantly. He ran home and got the money for Nandu and brought along his whip as well. Nandu counted the money carefully. He then took the whip and the lashes fell on the merchant’s back in quick succession. By the eighth lash the merchant was almost in tears but he told himself that there were only two lashes to go and the horse would be his ! The merchant held his breath waiting for the final lash. But Nandu had mounted his horse and was riding off. “Wait !” shouted the merchant in anger. “What about the tenth lash ? Where are you going with the horse ? We had a deal.”
Nandu stopped and said, “I agreed to give you the horse only after I had given you ten lashes. But it is upsetting my horse. I’ll give you the last lash later. Till then goodbye !” “Come back you cheat !” the merchant shouted. But the crowd that had gathered around agreed with Nandu. A deal was a deal. Till the last lash was given the horse could not belong to the merchant. Nandu rode away richer by five hundred gold coins and Somendra waited in vain for several days for the final lash which never came !
1. Why did the merchant offer to buy Nandu’s horse ?
(A) He was very fond of horses and Nandu’s horse was rare breed
(B) It was his way of helping Nandu who was poor
(C) The horse would be useful for carrying goods to the market
(D) He hated Nandu and wanted to deprive him of something he loved
(E) None of these
2. Which of the following is TRUE in the context of the passage ?
(1) Nandu was an orphan
(2) The marchant was very persevering
(3) The merchant was fonder of Nandu’s horse than Nandu was
(A) None
(B) Only (1)
(C) Both (1) & (2)
(D) All (1), (2) & (3)
(E) None of these
3. Why did Nandu set the condition of giving the merchant ten lashes ?
(A) To discourage the merchant from buying his horse
(B) To demonstrate how painful a whipping was so that the merchant would never hit the horse
(C) To bargain with the merchant to offer more money
(D) To outwit the merchant who was trying to cheat him
(E) None of these
4. Why did the bystanders take Nandu’s side in the argument ?
(1) They hoped that Nandu would give them a reward from the five hundred gold coins he had earned.
(2) They were sure that the merchant would ill treat the horse and wanted to prevent that from happening.
(3) They knew that Nandu would be miserable without his horse of whom he was very fond.
(A) None
(B) Only (1)
(C) Both (1) & (3)
(D) Only (3)
(E) None of these
5. What reason did Nandu cite for not giving the merchant the final lash ?
(A) He was tired and not in the mood
(B) He realised that the merchant was in great pain and took pity on him
(C) He was following the advice of the people around
(D) His horse was distressed by the whipping
(E) He had changed his mind about selling his horse
6. Which of the following can be said about Nandu ?
(1) He was very cunning.
(2) He needed moeny.
(3) He was cruel to people but loved animals.
(A) Only (1)
(B) Both (1) & (2)
(C) Both (2) & (3)
(D) All (1), (2) & (3)
(E) None of these
7. What made the merchant agree to Nandu’s strange condition for buying the horse ?
(A) He wanted to show Nandu how brave he was
(B) The thought of the profit he would make on selling the horse
(C) The fear that Nandu would raise the price of his horse otherwise
(D) He did not think that Nandu would actually whip him
(E) None of these
8. Why did Nandu consider selling his horse to the merchant ?
(A) He had no real use for the horse
(B) The merchant’s offer was more than what the horse was worth
(C) He had not managed to sell it at the village fair
(D) He could no longer afford to feed his horse
(E) None of these
9. Which of the following best describes the merchant’s reputation in the village ?
(A) He was enterprising and had made a lot of money
(B) He was dishonest and would do anyting to get what he wanted
(C) He would squander his money on things he liked
(D) He was generous and helped the less fortunate
(E) He was successful because he was courageous and stubborn
Directions—(Q. 10–11) Choose the word which is MOST SIMILAR in MEANING to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
10. return
(A) reject
(B) profit
(C) settle
(D) replace
(E) exchange
11. paused
(A) halted
(B) relaxed
(C) ended
(D) stuck
(E) interval
Directions—Choose the word which is MOST OPPOSITE in MEANING to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
12. gathered
(A) dissolved
(B) collected
(C) dispersed
(D) melted
(E) distributed
Directions—(Q. 13–17) In each question below a sentence with four words printed in bold type is given. These are lettered as (A), (B), (C) and (D). One of these four words printed in bold may be either wrongly spelt or inappropriate in the context of the sentence. Find out the word which is wrongly spelt or inappropriate if any. The letter of that word is your answer. If all the words printed in bold are correctly spelt and also appropriate in the context of the sentence, mark (E) i.e., ‘All correct’ as your answer.
13. We are now facing stiff (A) competing (B) from foreign companies manufacturing (C) similar (D) products. All correct (E)
14. I have mentioned (A) this case to indicate (B) how deliberate (C) it will be to achieve our goal. (D) All correct (E)
15. Today, thank (A) to our support (B) she has managed (C) to purchase (D) her own house. All correct (E)
16. As per your request (A) this is a detail (B) list of our basic (C) requirements. (D) All correct (E)
17. The final decision (A) of whether (B) to go ahead (C) or not does not rest (D) with the manager. All correct (E)
Directions—(Q. 18–25) 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 of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.
Initially, the Grameen Bank did not …(18)… to get involved with the education of its borrowers. But as time went by, they began to feel the …(19)… for it. Most of the borrowers had no formal education …(20)… the ability to read and write. The borrowers had difficulty in expanding their business. They …(21)… to be able to keep accounts, read …(22)… about business, health, new ways of farming etc. They …(23)… their children to school and their children in turn helped their parents to keep accounts, read instructions and …(24)… else needed to be read.
But this is not enough for the future. So the bank has set out to make sure that their borrowers …(25)… a hundred per cent literacy rate with five years.
18. (A) meant
(B) deserve
(C) plan
(D) intent
(E) realise
19. (A) concern
(B) need
(C) duty
(D) relevance
(E) value
20. (A) except
(B) having
(C) besides
(D) unless
(E) without
21. (A) tried
(B) must
(C) knew
(D) wanted
(E) discovered
22. (A) knowledge
(B) awareness
(C) information
(D) fact
(E) circular
23. (A) sent
(B) enrolled
(C) insisted
(D) urge
(E) encourage
24. (A) above
(B) nothing
(C) anything
(D) whatever
(E) something
25. (A) acquire
(B) qualify
(C) collect
(D) reaching
(E) fulfilling
Directions—(Q. 26–30) Which of the phrases (A), (B), (C) and (D) given below each sentence should replace the phrase printed in bold in the sentence to make it grammatically correct ? If the sentence is correct as it is given and ‘No correction is required’, mark (E) as the answer.
26. He has visited many places all over the city looked at the perfect location to set up his factory.
(A) looking out
(B) looking for
(C) looking after
(D) looked forward to
(E) No correction required
27. No traffic will be allowed in this area since the minister visit scheduled today.
(A) minister’s visit
(B) minister is visiting
(C) minister’s visit is
(D) visit of the Minister
(E) No correction required
28. Medical treatment here is very expensive that they had to sell off their land to pay for it.
(A) quite expensive and
(B) too expensive for
(C) so expensive but
(D) more expensive
(E) No correction required
29. To be successful it is important to know why your failure in the past and ensure that it doesn’t happen again.
(A) why you had failed
(B) because you have failed
(C) that your failure
(D) where you were failed
(E) No correction required
30. These hand woven shawls are much in demand in many European countries.
(A) were much demand
(B) are lots of demand
(C) demanded much
(D) will be lot to demand
(E) No correction required
Directions—(Q. 31–35) Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error or idiomatic error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. The letter of that part is the answer. If there is not error, the answer is (E). (Ignore errors of punctuation, if any.)
31. Some of our staff is worried (A) / that as soon as (B) / the project is over they (C) / will lose their jobs. (D) No error (E)
32. If you decide to hold (A) / the function in Kolkata (B) / not much of us (C) / will be able to attend. (D) No error (E)
33. In case you need five people (A) / to run a branch you (B) / should be selected (C) / ten since some may leave. (D) No error (E)
34. Although he approached (A) / many private businessess to invest (B) / in his printing business (C) / nobody of them was interested. (D) No error (E)
35. How can you give up (A) / this job when you are (B) / just about to be (C) / appointed for General Manager ? (D) No error (E)
Directions—(Q. 36-40) Rearrange the following six sentences (1), (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6) in the proper sequence to form a meaningful paragraph; then answer the questions given below them.
1. Such was his down to earth nature.
2. He placed the album before the President saying, “Sir, please do us the honour of attending the prize distribution ceremony of our Institute.
3. Hearing this, the man asked the photographer to take a photo of him placing a shawl around the President’s shoulders as a momento.
4. He entered the room with a photographer, holding an album and a shawl.
5. The President glanced through it and said, “I shall not be able to make it but may God bless the children.”
6. The man then left and I angrily pointed out that he had taken the shawl with him, to which the President replied, “I do not need it. Perhaps he does.”
36. Which of the following should be the FIRST sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) 5
37. Which of the following should be the SECOND sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) 5
38. Which of the following should be the THIRD sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 2
(B) 3
(C) 4
(D) 5
(E) 6
39. Which of the following should be the FIFTH sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 2
(B) 3
(C) 4
(D) 5
(E) 6
40. Which of the following should be the LAST (SIXTH) Sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) 5
Answers:
1. (E) 2. (C) 3. (D) 4. (A) 5. (D) 6. (A) 7. (B) 8. (E) 9. (B) 10. (E)
11. (A) 12. (C) 13. (B) 14. (C) 15. (A) 16. (B) 17. (E) 18. (D) 19. (B) 20. (A)
21. (D) 22. (C) 23. (A) 24. (D) 25. (A) 26. (B) 27. (C) 28. (A) 29. (A) 30. (E)
31. (A) 32. (C) 33. (C) 34. (D) 35. (E) 36. (D) 37. (B) 38. (D) 39. (E) 40. (A)
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