APPSC Group 1 2017: Group-I Services (Notification 36/2016) Main Examination, SAE-101 General English

No. of Printed Pages : 8                                                  SAE-101

                                       2017
                             GENERAL ENGLISH
Time : 3 hours                                                 Maximum Marks : 150

Instructions : Attempt all the questions.




1.   Write an essay on any one of the following.                                    20

     (a)   The Hazards of Urbanization

     (b)   Information Technology

2.   Write a covering letter for the post of Sales Manager              in ABC
     Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd.                                                      15

3.   Read the following passage and answer the questions given at the end of
     the passage.                                                       110=10

            The English language has shaped modern India’s development in
     many ways, here are a few... First, it helped establish a link with the West
     in the post colonial era whereby ideas and information could be exchanged
     easily, especially in the realm of higher education. Subsequently this
     enabled members of successive generations to emigrate to developed
     English speaking nations as professionals thereby helping India establish
     a people to people link with the West which has come in very handy after
     the economic liberalization. India’s fortunes changed radically in a very
     short period of time after it liberalized. This would not have been possible
     without the English language skills (as minimal as they might be). The
     fact of the matter is that possessing English skills as a young Indian today
     opens up a greater number of opportunities.

           Being proficient in one language doesn’t necessarily mean that the
     other is any less important. The fact is that multi-lingualism is very much
     possible as we see in Europe. In India however this problem exists because

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of a complicated inferiority complex (which I’m sure is heavily influenced
   by the colonial past) and the fact that the Indian society itself is extremely
   hierarchical in nature, where people constantly want to promote their
   social standing on the basis of caste, skin colour, language, Western
   lifestyle or whatever else comes handy. This however has nothing to do
   with the English language itself. The second thing to remember is that
   English is the common language for science and technology which makes it
   inherently progressive thereby attracting the youth from less progressive
   cultures, but here again, parental guidance comes into play which can help
   to bring about a balance.

          Despite all the aping, I don’t think the Indian society has a good
   understanding of Western culture, nor has it actually absorbed Western
   attributes in significant measure. The imitation is limited to superficial
   and superfluous things fuelled primarily by silly stereotyping; the two
   cultures however even now remain poles apart. It just so happens however
   that the West has become synonymous with modernity/progress/
   advancement and most of all – a higher standard of living. This is what
   most Indians seek to emulate (this is true even for people from any other
   underdeveloped nation/society). Again, I don’t think that English per se is
   responsible for this; rather it is the stagnation of the Indian society and the
   abysmal standard of living which has people running away. But as we see
   in the case of Japan and South Korea, this can be addressed.

          From a purely linguistics aspect, I have always felt that the most
   important factor is language proficiency; what language you speak is
   almost irrelevant. Mastery of a language is highly correlative with reading
   and writing, and this in turn has a huge impact upon the intellectual
   development of a person, which at the end of the day is a ticket to
   productivity. Even in India, there is a fair share of intellectuals or even
   professionals graduating from high end universities like IIT, IIM, medical
   schools, etc. who did their primary education in regional languages without
   suffering any setbacks. In my experience, most of these individuals are
   highly proficient with their regional language. I have observed the same
   thing on a global scale also in the USA. There are oodles of intellectuals,


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scientists, successful professionals, etc. who come here from all over the
     world for whom English isn’t the first or the strongest language; but
     despite that, their intellect or productivity is never really in question.

           The advantages of knowing the English language far outweigh the
     disadvantages. There is no reason why Indian children cannot grow up to
     be multi-lingual, provided they’re confident about their identity.

     (a)   Which aspect of modern         India is favourably influenced by the
           English language ?

     (b)   What enabled some Indians to emigrate to the developed countries ?

     (c)   How does English help the youth of India today ?

     (d)   What is the impact of colonial rule on some Indians ?

     (e)   How do some people in India misuse their knowledge of the English
           language ?

     (f)   Why is English considered a progressive language ?

     (g)   Why are people from underdeveloped countries attracted to the
           West ?

     (h)   What according to the passage is the way to productivity ?

     (i)   What makes some Indians run away from their country ?

     (j)   What language does the passage recommend to the Indian children ?


4.   Read the passage given below and make a précis of it by reducing it to
     one-third of its original length. Give an appropriate title to the passage.     15

           Probably the most worrying threat to our planet at the present time
     is global warming. The predominant factors resulting in the warming of
     the earth are the emissions of CO2 and deforestation. CO2, which damages
     the ozone layer, comes from several sources, but the most problematic are
     those coming from the burning of fossil fuels from power plants. This
     releases thousands of tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every year. Another
     cause of these emissions is the burning of gasoline for transportation,
     which continues to grow because of our demand for cars and also our

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increasing worldwide consumption, resulting in an escalating need to
     transport goods. Also, forests store large amounts of carbon, so
     deforestation is causing larger amounts of CO 2 to remain in the
     atmosphere.

            Nevertheless, there are potential ways to solve these problems, or at
     least reduce the effects. Firstly, governments need to reduce our
     dependence on fossil fuels and promote alternatives. Plant-derived plastics,
     biodiesel, wind power and solar power are all things that are a step in the
     right direction, but governments need to enforce the limits on CO2
     emissions for the polluting industries in their countries for these to be
     effective. Also, individuals can play a part by making lifestyle changes.
     People should try to buy cars with the best fuel economy, and only use
     their car when really necessary. They can also switch to energy companies
     that use renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. Finally, small things
     like buying energy efficient light bulbs, turning off electricity in the house,
     and planting trees in the garden can help. To conclude, although global
     warming is a serious issue, there are steps that governments and
     individuals can take to reduce its effects. If we are to save our planet, it is
     important that this is treated as a priority for all concerned.



5.   Identify the part of speech of the underlined words in the following
     sentences.                                                         15=5

     (a)   A true friend is one who overlooks your failures and tolerates your
           success.

     (b)   A true friend is one who is not envious of your success.

     (c)   I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the
           light.

     (d)   The best way of defeating enemies is to make them friends.

     (e)   A friend may be waiting behind a stranger’s face.


SAE-101                                    4

6.   Fill the blanks in the following sentences with correct forms of the
     verbs.                                                           110=10
     (a)   He _____ just_______ (arrive) from America.
     (b)   I _____ (meet) him for the first time in 2010.
     (c)   My son _____ (ask) for a motor cycle since the time he passed his SSC.
     (d)   By this time next year I ______ (work) in a government office.
     (e)   By the time I went to the meeting, the chief guest _____ (start) his
           speech.
     (f)   Phosphorus burns if it _______ (expose) to air.
     (g)   If you request him, he _______ (help) you.
     (h)   If I were the Chief Minister, I _______ (abolish) liquor.
     (i)   If my father had money, he _________ (admit) me in medicine.
     (j)   If I do not get a job this year, I _______ (start) a business.

7.   Change the following sentences as directed without changing the
     meaning.                                                    210=20
     (a)   Rash driving causes many accidents. (change the voice)
     (b)   Call the police immediately. (change the voice)
     (c)   My teacher was pleased with my performance in the examination.
                                                           (change the voice)
     (d)   Why did the principal scold him ? (change the voice)
     (e)   Who informed the boss about my absence ? (change the voice)
     (f)   I do not understand what you mean by your statement.
                                              (change into a simple sentence)
     (g)   He can prove his innocence. (change into a complex sentence)
     (h)   Good students need not fear punishment.
                                            (change into a compound sentence)
     (i)   He cannot read without wearing glasses.
                                             (change into a complex sentence)
     (j)   The volume of work is so much that it cannot be done by one man.
                                                (change into a simple sentence)

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8.   Fill the blanks in the following sentences with appropriate articles.       15=5
     (a)   This is ____ pen I bought in Hyderabad.
     (b)   Amaravathi, the capital of Andhra Pradesh is ______ historic
           Buddhist site.
     (c)   My classmate is going on ______ expedition to Mansarovar.
     (d)   He is one of ______ five players selected from our college for the
           university team.
     (e)   Whatever ______ little money she had, she spent on her son’s education.

9.   Fill the blanks in the following sentences with appropriate prepositions. 15=5
     (a)   I am entrusted _______ the responsibility of looking after our
           business during my father’s travel abroad.
     (b)   Examinations act as an incentive _______ diligence.
     (c)   Today it is very difficult to get a job unless one is very good ______
           English.
     (d)   It is very hot in the day but quite cold _______ night.
     (e)   As he fell _______ debt, he decided to sell his house and live in a
           small hut.

10. Correct the following sentences without changing the meaning.            210=20
     (a)   Honest man is the noblest work of God.
     (b)   I do not like neither of the movies.
     (c)   I have been waiting for you since a long time.
     (d)   I will come to your house unless it does not rain.
     (e)   If you invited him, he would have come.
     (f)   I am sorry that I could not be able to come to your birthday party.
     (g)   My father joined me in engineering against my will.
     (h)   I am shocked by the utter ignorance of the educated youth about the
           history of our country.
     (i)   Of the two candidates, the second is the best.
     (j)   I do not understand why are you neglecting your studies.

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11. Make sentences using the following idiomatic expressions. Your
    sentence should bring out the meaning of the idiomatic expression
    clearly.                                                        15=5

    (a)   hot potato

    (b)   cut corners

    (c)   hit the sack

    (d)   go Dutch
    (e)   call off

12. Write one word substitutes to the following expressions.                   15=5

    (a)   A plan of a journey, including the route and the places that you visit

    (b)   An imaginary place or state in which everything is perfect

    (c)   A large building in which aircraft are kept

    (d)   The hobby of collecting postal stamps

    (e)   Mode of behaviour or way of thought peculiar to an individual

13. Write the synonyms of the following words.                                 15=5

    (a)   haggle

    (b)   remote
    (c)   candid

    (d)   intimidate

    (e)   generic

14. Write antonyms of the following words.                                     15=5

    (a)   amicable

    (b)   dearth
    (c)   ally

    (d)   virtue

    (e)   authentic

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15. Make sentences with the following pairs of words, clearly bringing out
    the difference in meaning between the two words.                     15=5

    (a)   career       –   carrier

    (b)   pedal        –   peddle

    (c)   hoard        –   horde

    (d)   desert       –   dessert

    (e)   compliment –     complement




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