COMPREHENSION TEST
yet, as a whole, they are rather on the outskirts of the English goods stopped credit to me. The boy’s method of account-
language than actually within its borders. keeping was so chaotic that I did not know whether I was
Different occupations, however, differ widely in the moving forward or backward. He produced cash from the
character of their special vocabularies. In trades and counter in a haphazard manner, and there were immense
handicrafts and other vocations like farming and fishing gaps on the shelves all over the shop. The complaint by the
that have occupied great numbers of men from remote times, public was that nothing one wanted was ever available.
the technical vocabulary is very old. An average man now Suddenly the railways gave me notice to quit. I pleaded
uses these in his own vocabulary. The special dialects of with the old stationmaster and porter, but they could do
law, medicine, divinity and philosophy have become familiar nothing; the order had come from high up. The shop was
to cultivated persons. given to a new contractor.
I could not contemplate the prospect of being cut off
SOME IMPORTANT WORDS from the railways. I grew desperate and angry. I shed tears
(1) designate (V.) : give a specified status/name to at seeing a new man in the place where I and my father
(2) nomenclature (N.) : a system of naming things had sat. I slapped the boy on the cheek and he cried, and
(science) his father, the porter, came down on me and said, ‘this is
(3) dialects (N.) : the form of a language that is spoken what he gets for helping you! I’d always told the boy – He
in one area with grammar, words and pronunciation was not your paid servant, anyway.’
that may be different from other forms of the same
language MEANING OF WORDS/PHRASES
(4) jargons (N.) : words/expressions that are used by a (1) clamorous (Adj.) : noisy
particular profession/group of people, and are (2) pedlars (N.) : someone who travels about selling
difficult for others to under stand his wares (on the streets/at carnivals)
(5) precision (N.) : the quality of being exact, accurate (3) chaotic (Adj.) : in a state of complete confusion
and careful and lack of order
(6) cultivated (Adj.) : having a high level of education (4) contemplate (V.) : think about/of
and showing good manners (5) cut off (Phr. V.) ; to be separate from others
1034. Special words used in technical discussion 1038. Why does the speaker say that his sales were poor ?
(1) may become part of common speech (1) Because his cash receipts were going down.
(2) never last long (2) Because the boy at the shop was becoming more
(3) should resemble mathematical formula clamorous.
(4) should be confined to scientific fields (3) Because the railways were admitting more pedlars
1035. The writer of this article is on the platform.
(1) a scientist (2) a politician (4) Because there were no buyers.
(3) a linguist (4) a businessman 1039. How did the boy’s method of account-keeping affect
the speaker ?
1036. This passage is primarily concerned with.
(1) His worries increased.
(1) various occupations and professions
(2) He produced cash from the counter in a haphazard
(2) technical terminology
manner.
(3) scientific undertakings
(3) His sales were poor.
(4) a new language
(4) He did not know if he was moving forward or
1037. It is true that. backward.
(1) various occupations and professions often 1040. Why did the public complain?
interchange words.
(1) Because his credit at the wholesalers’ was gone.
(2) there is always a non-technical word that may be
(2) Because nothing one ever wanted was available.
substituted for the technical word.
(3) Because there were gaps on the shelves all over
(3) the average man often uses his own vocabulary
the shop.
what was once technical language not meant for
him. (4) Because the railways gave him notice to quit.
(4) everyone is interested in scientific findings. 1041. Where did the order to quit come from?
Directions (1038–1042) : A passage is given with 5 (1) From the old station master.
questions following it. Read the passage carefully and choose (2) From high up.
the best answer to each question out of the four alternatives. (3) From the railway authorities.
(SSC CGL Tier-I (CBE) (4) From the contractor.
Exam. 02.09.2016 (IInd sitting) 1042. Why did the speaker shed tears?
My worries were increasing. The boy at the shop was (1) Because he saw a new person, where he and his
becoming more clamorous. My sales were poor, as the father had sat.
railways were admitting more pedlars on the platforms. My (2) Because he was cut off from the railways.
cash receipts were going down and my credit sales alone
(3) Because he grew desperate and angry.
flourished. The wholesale merchants who supplied me with
(4) Because he slapped the boy on the cheek.
SEE–1007