IBPS Specialist Officer English Language Sample Question
Paper
IBPS Specialist Officer English Language Model Question Paper
Provided by>>Koushal Singh Kiroula
Directions—(Q.1–10) 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.
What Indian politicians and bureaucrats share with their scientist, engineer and carpenter counterparts
is their acceptance of mediocrity and lack of skill. The greatest moral failure of Indian institutions is the
tolerance of incompetence, …(1)… criminality or corruption. The tolerance of incompetence in …(2)… is a
result of a low cultural value attached to the creation and …(3)… of institutions.
Institution building is a hard work; it requires a combination of vision, commitment and performance.
Any institution involves a contract between those who …(4)… to the institution and those who support
it. The support can take the form of money or votes but that support must be …(5)… continuously. In a
properly functioning institutional system, the institutional contract …(6)… the institution members and
their supporters takes the form : you give me support and I will give you results. Competence is the
channel that sustains the flow of trust from supporters to institutions and back. If doctors don’t cure will
they not lose our trust ? While blaming individual politicians and babus for their corrupt ways, let us also
examine the system that accepts mediocrity and even lets it …(7)….
What we are seeing in India is a case of contract failure. The contractor who bribes an official and then
builds a leaky stadium is not just being …(8)…. He is sustaining a collusive system that subverts rules
regulating mutual co-operation between government institutions, market players and society as a
whole. In the case of endemic contract failure everyone …(9)…, including the contractor, for once the
public loses its trust in institution is even businessmen will …(10)… out on opportunities to make money.
The moral status of institutions is central to continued development and prosperity.
1. (A) as
(B) to
(C) never
(D) not
(E) for
Ans : (D)
2. (A) turn
(B) individual
(C) world
(D) partly
(E) importance
Ans : (B)
3. (A) destruction
(B) justification
(C) sustenance
(D) excess
(E) marginalization
Ans : (C)
4. (A) belong
(B) work
(C) help
(D) employed
(E) trust
Ans : (A)
5. (A) returned
(B) earned
(C) needed
(D) discouraged
(E) asked
Ans : (C)
6. (A) suggests
(B) akin
(C) twosome
(D) centered
(E) between
Ans : (E)
7. (A) question
(B) bolder
(C) thrive
(D) out
(E) kill
Ans : (C)
8. (A) variant
(B) trivial
(C) immature
(D) corrupt
(E) generous
Ans : (D)
9. (A) succeeds
(B) suffers
(C) proliferates
(D) responsible
(E) encompasses
Ans : (B)
10. (A) storm
(B) venture
(C) lose
(D) get
(E) walk
Ans : (E)
Directions—(Q.11–15) Rearrange the following five sentences (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) in the proper
sequence to form a meaningful paragraph; then answer the questions given below them.
(a) Thus, if we really value it, we will work hard to make it a reality.
(b) Inner peace is the most elusive thing that a human being can seek.
(c) The most important criterion in order to experience it is to value the importance of inner peace.
(d) To experience inner peace one doesn’t have to retreat to a Himalayan cave; rather, one can
experience inner peace seated exactly where they are by watching these thoughts.
(e) Nobody can gift the other inner peace at the same time it is only one’s own thoughts that can rob
them of their inner peace.
11. Which of the following should be the FIRST sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) (a)
(B) (b)
(C) (c)
(D) (d)
(E) (e)
Ans : (B)
12. Which of the following should be the THIRD sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) (a)
(B) (b)
(C) (c)
(D) (d)
(E) (e)
Ans : (D)
13. Which of the following should be the SECOND sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) (e)
(B) (d)
(C) (c)
(D) (b)
(E) (a)
Ans : (C)
14. Which of the following should be the FOURTH sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) (e)
(B) (d)
(C) (c)
(D) (b)
(E) (a)
Ans : (A)
15. Which of the following should be the FIFTH sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) (a)
(B) (b)
(C) (c)
(D) (d)
(E) (e)
Ans : (C)
Directions—(Q.16–20) Each question below has two blanks, each blank indicating that something has
been omitted. Choose the set of words for each blank which best fits the meaning of the sentence as a
whole.
16. It is very important to __________ that when the swine flu virus enters a human body, it takes a
minimum of one day to a maximum of eight days for the disease to develop _________
(A) gauge – extensively
(B) ascertain – further
(C) understand – fully
(D) verify – remarkably
(E) fathom – clearly
Ans : (C)
17. The varsity’s poll process for _________ of new candidates has _________ poor response with only
ten thousand applications being received till date.
(A) entrusting – seen
(B) registration – evoked
(C) entrance – made
(D) admission – visited
(E) experimenting – generated
Ans : (B)
18. Scientists, working to save the earth, have _______ ‘dry water’ that soaks carbon three times
better than water, and hence helps ______ global warming.
(A) aided – cut
(B) created – combat
(C) built – stop
(D) produced – increase
(E) invented – monitoring
Ans : (B)
19. After ________ payrolls and tightening perks to cope with the economic slowdown last year,
software companies are finding that a rising number of engineering and management graduates are
transferring their ________ to vocations such as manufacturing and banking.
(A) trimming – loyalties
(B) reducing – accounts
(C) hiking – services
(D) increased – affections
(E) dropped – potentials
Ans : (A)
20. The first round of the contest had the students _______ themselves and _______ about their
hobbies.
(A) introducing – talking
(B) sensitizing – sketching
(C) showcasing – planning
(D) acclimatizing – mentioning
(E) gearing – chalking
Ans : (D)
Directions—(Q.21–25) 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 no error, the answer is (E). (Ignore errors of punctuation, if any.)
21. A year after the global financial crisis saw (A) / students from the best B-schools across the world
struggling for a job, (B) / a survey on management education this year thrown (C) / up some rather
interesting findings. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (C)
22. The district authorities are making (A) / a last-ditch attempt to provide (B) / alternative solutions
to farmers but (C) / the options is clearly inadequate. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (D)
23. The results of the study showed that (A) / if the partners were willing to talk to each other (B) /
and arrive at a mutually agreeable decision, (C) / the joint decisions were more better than any one
person’s judgment. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (D)
24. Cleanliness drives will be (A) / conducted in various localities (B) / to opening the drains blocked
(C) / with polythene bags. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (C)
25. Initially, shop owners tried to (A) / offer some resistance to the demolition but (B) / seeing the
heavy presence of the police force, (C) / their resistance faded off. (D) No error (E)
Ans : (E)
Directions—(Q.26–30) 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.
At the time when the unfortunate incident of the ‘accidental’ exposure to radiation that affected
workers and waste collectors in Delhi as they handled radioactive material, took place, the issue of
waste disposal, particularly hazardous waste, made the headlines. The lives of those who live off
collecting and sorting waste came into out line of vision. But then the issue disappeared.
Long term policies that ensure that the safety and health of those who do such an essential job – “a
community of silent environmentalists” someone called them – are not such a high priority any more.
One reason is that the people affected are virtually invisible.
Waste collectors around India work silently, often late into the night, sorting out mountains of waste,
foraging for anything that can be sold. If you walk down some streets of Central Mumbai after 11 at
night, you will see an army of waste collectors. Men, women, children are all hard at work. They work
through the night and finally manage to get some sleep on the doorsteps of the shops on those streets.
By daylight they become invisible, having stowed their belongings in boxes behind the signs of the shops
on whose doorsteps they sleep. These are the people of the night, not noticed by those who inhabit the
areas in the day.
What is often not entirely appreciated is that a substantial percentage of waste collectors is women.
According to a study, 85 per cent of waste collectors in the city are women, five per cent are children
and 10 per cent are men. The majority of them are poor and landless people who came to the city
because of drought in their villages. The age group ranges from 7 to 70 years and 98 per cent of them
are illiterate. A survey of 60,000 waste collectors found a similar proportion : 60 per cent women, 20 per
cent men and 20 per cent children. Studies have revealed that 90 per cent of the women waste pickers
are primary bread-winners, often widowed or deserted. It is interesting how the gender division of
labour plays out even in the business of waste. While women, and children, do the more hazardous job
of sorting and separating the waste, the men deal with the dry garbage, which they transport to
wholesalers and factories. As a result, it is the women who are exposed to hazardous waste – none of
them wear any kind of protective gear – and also face the physical problems of constantly bending and
carrying head loads of the waste. Look at any group of waste collectors and you will spot the bent old
women who have been performing this function for decades.
In the slum-city of Mumbai, waste collectors experience the most acute degree of homelessness. While
poor people in other kinds of jobs somehow manage to find some shelter in a slum, irrespective of
whether it is legal or illegal, waste collectors sleep next to the garbage they have sorted. This is their
“wealth”, something they have to protect after they have collected and sorted it until they can monetize
it. Hence, near many garbage dumps, even in the better off localities of cities like Mumbai, you see
families of waste pickers asleep in the morning. And most often you see only women and children.
Why bring up waste collectors at a time when the main environmental issues being debated are the
larger issues of global warming, or environmental disasters such as the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico ?
This is because one cannot speak of the environment without considering its impact on the lives of
people. We have hundreds of small-scale and continuing environmental disasters taking place all around
us. But we overlook them so long as they do not impact our lives or our lifestyles. Millions of waste
pickers in India, who play a crucial role in dealing with the perennial environmental crisis of waste, risk
their lives and their health every single day. This is an on-going environmental issue that requires as
much attention from ordinary people, the media and policy makers as the larger macro issues.
26. Why, according to the author, is the issue of waste collectors as important as the issue of global
warming ?
1. As most waste collectors in big cities are children who are ultimately the future of our nation.
2. As without the waste collectors sorting waste the phenomenon of global warming would increase
exponentially.
3. As waste collectors deal with wastage which impacts the people’s everyday lives and is also
environmentally significant.
(A) Only (2) and (3)
(B) Only (1)
(C) Only (1) and (2)
(D) Only (3)
(E) All (1), (2) and (3)
Ans : (D)
27. Which of the following is possibly the most appropriate title for the passage ?
(A) The General Public’s Apathetic ways
(B) The Unorganized Sector
(C) The Invisible Waste
(D) Waste Collectors – The World Over
(E) Recognizing the ‘Work’ in ‘Dirty Work’
Ans : (B)
28. Why are women waste collectors at a disadvantage as compared to the men waste collectors as
mentioned in the passage ?
(A) The men sell the waste collected by the women to wholesalers and keep all the money to
themselves without sharing it with the women.
(B) The women do the more dangerous and physical work of sorting through the garbage whereas men
mostly transport dry garbage.
(C) Men wear protective gear while sorting through the garbage thereby shielding themselves from the
ill effects of being exposed to the waste.
(D) The men force their wives and children to work for them whereas the women do not have this
luxury.
(E) The men are not as affected by the waste as the women waste collectors because of the difference in
their physical constitution.
Ans : (B)
29. Which of the following is true about waste collectors as given in the passage ?
1. Majority of waste collectors are people who have migrated from their village because of some
natural calamity.
2. Waste collectors prefer to sleep next to the garbage they have sorted.
3. Most waste collectors are not literate.
(A) Only (2)
(B) Only (1) and (2)
(C) Only (3)
(D) Only (2) and (3)
(E) All (1), (2) and (3) are true.
Ans : (E)
30. Why are long term policies favouring waste collectors not high priority ?
(A) The Government is currently contemplating over the effects of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and
does not have time for other issues.
(B) The plight of these people is not evident as they work late into the night and are not seen much
during the day.
(C) The Government is unable to see these people at all and thus is not aware of their existence.
(D) These waste collectors themselves are not in favour of being brought into the organized sector
because of the numerous complications involved.
(E) As previous such favourable policies failed to improve the conditions of these waste collectors as
they were not implemented effectively.
Ans : (B)
Directions—(Q.31–32) Choose the word/group of words which is most opposite in meaning to the
word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage.
31. CONSIDERING
(A) Untying
(B) Remembering
(C) Understanding
(D) Disregarding
(E) Condemning
Ans : (D)
32. HAZARDOUS
(A) Pleasant
(B) Efficient
(C) Important
(D) Risky
(E) Harmless
Ans : (E)
Directions—(Q.33–35) Choose the word/group of words which is most similar in meaning to the
word/group of words printed in bold as used in the passage.
33. INHABIT
(A) Reside in
(B) Encompass
(C) Infest
(D) Submerge
(E) Are used to
Ans : (A)
34. FORAGING
(A) Penetrating
(B) Incising
(C) Probing
(D) Begging
(E) Searching
Ans : (E)
35. MONETIZE
(A) Currency
(B) Buy
(C) Encash
(D) Regulate
(E) Pay
Ans : (C)
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. However if this happens it will cause problems for the elderly who mainly use cheques.
2. The use of cheques has fallen dramatically in the past few years.
3. Thus cheques may be phased out gradually making sure that the needs of all consumers including the
elderly are met.
4. This is because more and more consumers are transferring money electronically by direct debit or
credit cards.
5. Without cheques they are likely to keep large amounts of cash in their homes making them vulnerable
to theft.
6. British banks have thus voted to phase cheques out in favour of these more modern payment methods.
36. Which of the following should be the FIFTH sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) 5
Ans : (C)
37. Which of the following should be the FIRST sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 2
(B) 3
(C) 4
(D) 5
(E) 6
Ans : (A)
38. Which of the following should be the SECOND sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 1
(B) 2
(C) 3
(D) 4
(E) 6
Ans : (D)
39. Which of the following should be the LAST (SIXTH) sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 2
(B) 3
(C) 4
(D) 5
(E) 6
Ans : (E)
40. Which of the following should be the THIRD sentence after rearrangement ?
(A) 2
(B) 3
(C) 4
(D) 5
(E) 1
Ans : (E)
Directions—(Q. 41–50) 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.
I was born and …(41)… up in a village by my grandparents. We had two granaries to …(42)… the rice that
we grew. …(43)… the better quality ‘white’ rice was kept in the granary in the front of the house, the
…(44)… quality ‘red’ rice was kept in the granary at the back. We never had …(45)… money in the house,
so those who came to ask for alms were given rice. My grandmother would send me to the front granary
to bring rice for them, but when she cooked for …(46)… of us she would use the red rice. I was …(47)…
by her behaviour. One day, I asked her why she did this ? She …(48)… and said something I will never
forget. “…(49)… whenever you give something to somebody, give the best in you, never the second
best.” …(50)… director of a foundation, if I help people today, it is because of this lesson she taught me.
41. (A) raised
(B) adopted
(C) grown
(D) brought
(E) grew
Ans : (D)
42. (A) pick
(B) save
(C) supply
(D) cultivate
(E) store
Ans : (E)
43. (A) Instead
(B) While
(C) Yet
(D) Therefore
(E) For
Ans : (B)
44. (A) less
(B) worse
(C) defective
(D) inferior
(E) best
Ans : (D)
45. (A) plenty
(B) vast
(C) lots
(D) sufficiently
(E) much
Ans : (E)
46. (A) all
(B) remaining
(C) gathering
(D) none
(E) those
Ans : (A)
47. (A) puzzled
(B) confusing
(C) worrying
(D) frightened
(E) angry
Ans : (A)
48. (A) pleased
(B) shouted
(C) smiled
(D) advised
(E) hugged
Ans : (C)
49. (A) remember
(B) pray
(C) memorise
(D) think
(E) appeal
Ans : (A)
50. (A) when
(B) since
(C) only
(D) perhaps
(E) as
Ans : (E)
