COMPREHENSION TEST
130. What does goal in this passage mean ? 131. Men frequently went out to the African Queen be-
(1) The place where the ball has to pass in the foot- cause
ball match. (1) it was a rare sight to see a sunken ship.
(2) The object of ambition. (2) they attempted to float the ship once again.
(3) A point scored by a particular team in a football (3) they wanted to take parts of the ship and sell them.
match. (4) it was an interesting exercise.
(4) The poles fitted at the end of a football field. 132. How did the two men propose to float the ship again ?
Directions (131-140) : Read the following passages (1) By sending divers to examine the damage.
carefully and choose the best answer to each question out (2) By closing the large hole in her side.
of the four alternatives.
(3) By joining a large number of steel sheets together.
(SSC Section Officer (Audit) Exam. 10.12.2006)
(4) By pumping air into the tanks.
PASSAGE-I
133. What was the danger which the divers faced ?
For months the old tanker, African Queen , lay
turned over on her side, stuck fast in the sands off the (1) The rough sea.
coast of Maryland. She had run aground so badly that her (2) The cold and dark situation underwater.
owners had decided to leave her to her fate. It was consid- (3) Having to contend with sharks.
ered impossible to refloat her and the ship began to rust (4) The cutting edges of the steel sheets.
and sink deeper and deeper into the sands. Men frequently 134. The two men felt proud because
came out in small boats and removed any parts that could (1) they could float the ship in three months.
be sold-until two men decided to attempt the impossible : (2) they had succeeded when everyone thought they
to float the African Queen once more. Both men were would fail.
engineers and had no experience of ships so that few people
(3) the African Queen was coming into the harbour.
thought they could succeed.
(4) the African Queen began to stir in the water.
The men began by studying the exact state of the
African Queen and came to the conclusion that she would 135. The part of the ship used for steering is called
float again if air was pumped into the tanks which were (1) rudder (2) bridge
now full of sea-water. A diver was sent down to examine (3) underside (4) tank
the underside of the ship. In the cold, dark water he found PASSAGE-II
an enormous hole in her side which had been torn when Speech is a great blessing but it can also be a great
the ship ran aground. It was plain that nothing could be curse for while it helps us to make our intentions and de-
done until the hole was repaired. As no single sheet of steel
sires known to our fellows, it can also, if we use it care-
would cover it, the men were obliged to order a great num-
lessly make our attitudes completely misunderstood. A slip
ber of sheets which had to be joined together. For several
of the tongue, the use of an unusual word or of an ambigu-
weeks divers worked continually to close the hole. At times,
ous word may create an enemy where we have hoped to
the sea was so rough that it was difficult to go down; and
win a friend. Again, different classes of people use differ-
on more than one occasion, they had to contend with sharks.
ent vocabularies and the ordinary speech of an educated
At last the hole was covered and the men began to
man may strike an uneducated listener as showing pride;
pump the sea-water out of the ship’s tanks. It seemed as if
unwillingly we may use a word which bears a different
they were bound to succeed, for when the tanks were full
of air, the African Queen began to stir in the water. The meaning to our listeners from what it does to men of our
men could not understand why she still would not float own class. Thus, speech is not a gift to use lightly without
until they discovered that her rudder was embedded in thought but one which demands careful handling. Only a
mud. Huge cranes were brought to haul the sunken rud- fool will express himself alike to all.
der out and the ship was again afloat. By this time, the
SOME IMPORTANT WORDS
men were almost exhausted. They had worked ceaselessly
slip of the
for three months to save the African Queen and had suc-
ceeded when everyone thought they would fail. Now they tongue : unintentional/careless use of words
stood on the bridge of the ship, tired but proud, as tugs ambiguous : having different meanings
brought the African Queen into the harbour.
136. Speech is a great blessing,
SOME IMPORTANT WORDS (1) if we use it indiscriminately.
contended : to have to deal with a problem or with a (2) if we use it carefully.
difficult situation or person. (3) if we use it to please others.
embedded : fixed firmly (4) if we use it to play one against the other.
aground : touching the ground in shallow water and
137. Speech can also be a great curse
unable to move (ship)
(1) if we express ourselves alike to all.
refloat : to make a boat/ship float again (2) if we adopt different vocabularies to different
afloat : floating on water classes of people.
ceaselessly : without stopping (3) if we always try to please every one with it.
tugs : small powerful boats for pulling ships (4) if we always try to win friends with it.
SEE–919