Table of contents
1.
Introduction
2.
English Questions
3.
Frequently Asked Questions
4.
Conclusion
Last Updated: Mar 27, 2024
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English Part 2

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Introduction

English section in GATE is one of the significant sections to score marks in. In this article, we will have a look at some of the practice questions in the English language. These questions will help us improve our lexicon and our overall language skills.

Refer to the English Questions Part 1 for more questions.

English Questions

1. We __________ our friend’s birthday and we ________ how to make it up to him.

[GATE CS 2015 Set2]

  1. Completely forgot --- don’t just know
  2. Forgot completely --- don’t just know
  3. Completely forgot --- just don’t know
  4. Forgot completely --- just don’t know

 

Answer: C

Explanation: We Completely forgot our friend’s birthday and we just don’t know how to make it up to him.

2. Choose the statement where the underlined word is used correctly.

[GATE CS 2015 Set2]

  1. The industrialist had a personnel jet
  2. I write my experience in my personnel diary
  3. All personnel are being given the day off
  4. Being religious is a personnel aspect

 

Answer: C

Explanation: Personnel mean a body of persons employed in an organization or place of work.

3. A generic term that includes various items of clothing such as a skirt, a pair of trousers and a shirt is

[GATE CS 2015 Set2]

  1. fabric
  2. textile
  3. fibre
  4. apparel

 

Answer: D

Explanation: apparel means clothing.

4. Out of the following four sentences, select the most suitable sentence with respect to grammar and usage:

[GATE CS 2015 Set2]

  1. Since the report lacked needed information, it was of no use to them
  2. The report was useless to them because there were no needed information in it
  3. Since the report did not contain the needed information, it was not real useful to them
  4. Since the report lacked needed information, it would not had been useful to them

 

Answer: A

Explanation: Only option (A) seems correct. Option (B) - ‘were’ is wrong used here. In option (C) - real is wrong, should be really In option (D) - had is wrong. ‘would not have been’ is correct.

5. The Tamil version of ________ John Abraham-starrer Madras Cafe _____ cleared by the Censor Board with no cuts last week, but the film’s distributors ______ no takers among the exhibitors for a release in Tamil Nadu _________ this Friday.

[GATE CS 2015 Set3]

  1. Mr., was, found, on
  2. a, was, found, at
  3. the, was, found, on
  4. a, being, find at

 

Answer: C

Explanation: None of A, B and D makes sense. Only option C is related to the given information.

6. Extreme focus on syllabus and studying for tests has become such a dominant concern of Indian students that they close their minds to anything ________ to the requirements of the exam.

[GATE CS 2015 Set3]

  1. related
  2. extraneous
  3. outside
  4. useful

 

Answer: B

Explanation: extraneous: introduced or coming from without; not belonging or proper to a thing; external; foreign.

7. Select the pair that best expresses a relationship similar to that expressed in the pair: Children: Pediatrician

[GATE CS 2015 Set3]

  1. Adult: Orthopaedist
  2. Females: Gynaecologist
  3. Kidney: Nephrologist
  4. Skin: Dermatologist

 

Answer: B

Explanation: Pediatrician is a doctor for children. Gynaecologist is a doctor for Females.

8. A rewording of something written or spoken is a ______________.

[GATE CS 2016 Set1]

  1. paraphrase
  2. paradox
  3. paradigm
  4. paraffin

 

Answer: A

Explanation: Paraphrase - To express something in different words so that it becomes easy for the listener to understand.   Paradox - A statement which sounds logical, but proves to be illogical when investigated.   Paradigm - A way of looking or thinking (perception) about something.   Paraffin - A flammable substance used in candles, polishes, etc.   So, A is the correct choice.

9. Archimedes said, “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I will move the world.” The sentence above is an example of a ___________ statement.

[GATE CS 2016 Set1]

  1. figurative
  2. collateral
  3. literal
  4. figurine
     

Answer: A

Explanation: Here, we are talking about figure of speech So, figurative is figure of speech meaning: Use of metamorphic meaning of words to explain your thoughts instead of literal use of them. 

10. The man who is now Municipal Commissioner worked as ______________.

[GATE CS 2016 Set2]

  1. the security guard at a university
  2. a security guard at the university
  3. a security guard at university
  4. the security guard at the university

 

Answer: B

Explanation: University considered as an organization that's why article the used before university. And Post of security is a general post, so article a has been used for security guard. So, option (B) is true.

11. Find the odd one in the following group of words.

mock, deride, praise, jeer 

[GATE CS 2016 Set2]

  1. mock
  2. deride
  3. praise
  4. jeer

 

Answer: C

Explanation: mock: tease deride: poke/laugh at praise: gratitude jerk: fool So except praise, all others are describing negative things.

 

12. In the present-day world, no individual or organization even 

think to plough a lonely furrow.

The best meaning for the underlined phrase above is:

[GATE CS 2017 Mock]

  1. work secretly
  2. remain aligned
  3. do without the help of others
  4. remain non-aligned

 

Answer: C

Explanation: Meaning of the phrase-: Follow a course of action in which one is isolated or in which one can act independently.

13. I haven't worked as a mechanic before, ________ I've been fixing cars since I was a child.

[GATE CS 2018 Mock]

  1. always
  2. yet
  3. no longer
  4. already

 

Answer: B

Explanation: Always is an adverb of frequency, like never, often, frequently, and usually. Yet is a conjunction meaning nevertheless or however. Yet usually carries a sense of negation, so and yet means the same thing as but still. No longer means not now as formerly; not any more. We use it already to show that something has happened sooner than it was expected to happen. Therefore, "yet" is a most appropriate choice here. Option (B) is correct.

14. ____________ is usually used for something that was done in the past and still applies (multiple events).

[GATE CS 2018 Mock]

  1. Had/has/have been
  2. Was/were
  3. Had/was/were
  4. All of the above

 

Answer: A

Explanation: Had/has/have been is usually used for something that was done in the past and still applies (multiple events). Was/were usually applies to something done in the past that no longer applies (single event). So, option (A) is correct.

15. Ram is smarter than Mohan. Rakesh is smarter than Ramu and Mohini is smarter than Rakesh. Which of the following is a set(s) of additional information that can determine the smartest person?

(I) Mohini is smarter than Ram and Mohan is smarter than Rakesh.

(II) Mohan is smarter than Mohini.

(III) Ram is smarter than Mohini.

[GATE CS 2018 Mock]

  1. Only (II)
  2. Only (III)
  3. Either (I) or (II)
  4. None of these

 

Answer: C

Explanation: It is given that : Ram is smarter than Mohan, (i.e., Ram > Mohan). Rakesh is smarter than Ramu and Mohini is smarter than Rakesh (Mohni > Rakesh > Ramu). Our purpose is to add more possible set(s) of additional information that can determine smartest person. With the help of set (I), we can get Mohini as smartest person. With the help of set (II), we can get Ram as smartest person. But we can not conclude smartest person with set (III), because we have ambiguity (can be either Ram or Mohni). So, only set (I) or (II) can decide smartest person. Option (C) is correct.

16. The long, anxious, and frustrating wait by people outside banks and ATMs across the country over the last five days is an inevitable consequence of the decision to demonetize notes of Rs.500 and Rs.1,000. When 86 per cent of the value of notes in circulation turns suddenly invalid, as it did with Prime Minister Modi’s ‘surgical strike’ last week, a certain degree of disruption and pain is unavoidable. But the question is whether this chaos could have been anticipated and managed better than it has been. Replacement of the demonetized notes is a time-consuming exercise that requires planning of the highest order. The experience of the last few days shows that preparation was lacking and the transition could have been handled much better. Thankfully, the Centre has woken up to ease the pressure on the system by increasing withdrawal limits, allowing for petroleum outlets and hospitals to accept the old series of notes until November 24 and pushing more cash through post offices. Why do you think that the replacement of the demonetized notes is a time-consuming exercise?

[GATE CS 2018 Mock]

  1. It takes more than 50 days to replace demonized notes.
  2. Demonetization is a ‘futile exercise’ to target black money and fake currency
  3. The government was lazy enough to issue the decision of demonetization before.
  4. Replacement process requires planning of the highest order and careful implementation.

 

Answer: D

Explanation:  According to the passage, the demonetization process requires a careful thought process, well-chalked out implementation strategies and above all planning of the highest order from the policymakers as well as government. So, option (D) is the most appropriate choice.

17. The long, anxious, and frustrating wait by people outside banks and ATMs across the country over the last five days is an inevitable consequence of the decision to demonetize notes of Rs.500 and Rs.1,000. When 86 per cent of the value of notes in circulation turns suddenly invalid, as it did with Prime Minister Modi’s ‘surgical strike’ last week, a certain degree of disruption and pain is unavoidable. But the question is whether this chaos could have been anticipated and managed better than it has been. Replacement of the demonetized notes is a time-consuming exercise that requires planning of the highest order. The experience of the last few days shows that preparation was lacking and the transition could have been handled much better. Thankfully, the Centre has woken up to ease the pressure on the system by increasing withdrawal limits, allowing for petroleum outlets and hospitals to accept the old series of notes until November 24 and pushing more cash through post offices. Which of the following option is false ?

[GATE CS 2018 Mock]

  1. ‘Unconcerned’ is similar in meaning to the word ‘anxious’ as used in the passage.
  2. 'Disorder' is similar in meaning to the word ‘chaos’ as used in the passage.
  3. 'Hardship' is opposite in meaning to the word ‘ease’ as used in the passage.
  4. ‘Shift’ is opposite in meaning to the word ‘transition’as used in the passage.

Answer: A

Explanation: (A) ‘Unconcerned’ is opposite in meaning to the word ‘anxious’ as used in the passage. 
(B) ‘Disorder’ word implies that due to the demonetization, citizens all over the country were facing issues with the currency exchange. 
(C) ‘Hardship’ is the right choice.  
(D) ‘shift’ is the right choice. 
Only option (A) is false.

18. There was a man on the news last night who reckons we -------- visited by beings from other worlds.

[GATE CS 2018 Mock]

  1. were
  2. have been
  3. had been
  4. had

 

Answer: B

Explanation: Reckons is a verb, which means 'believe' or 'think'. The man on the news (last night) believes that we have been visited by beings from other worlds. So, only option (B) is suitable.

19. Choose the most closely related word for 'Paradox'

[GATE CS 2018 Mock]

  1. Certitude
  2. Enigma
  3. Explanation
  4. Derivative

 

Answer: B

Explanation: 'Paradox' is a noun, which can be related as Puzzle. In given options, Enigma (a puzzle) is the only closely related word to Paradox. So, option (B) is correct.

20. Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error in it. The error, if any will be in one part of the sentence. Choose the part of the sentence that has an error in it, if there is no error select 'D'.

[GATE CS 2018 Mock]

  1. An Indian ship
  2. laden with merchandise
  3. got drowned in the Pacific Ocean.
  4. No error.

 

Answer: C

Explanation: An Indian ship laden with merchandise got drowned in the Pacific Ocean.

21. "Three Gorges Dam crosses the Yangtze River in Hubei province, China. It is the world’s largest hydroelectric power station with a total capacity of 22,500 MW. A shift in a mass of that size will impact the rotation of the Earth due to a phenomenon known as “the moment of inertia”, which is the inertia of a rigid rotating body with respect to its rotation. The moment of inertia of an object about a given axis describes how difficult it is to change its angular motion about that axis. The longer the distance of a mass to its axis of rotation, the slower it will spin. Raising 39 trillion kilograms of water 175 meters above sea level will increase the Earth’s moment of inertia, and thus slow its rotation. However, the impact will be extremely small. NASA scientists calculated the shift of such a mass will increase the length of the day by only 0.06 microseconds, and make the Earth only very slightly more round in the middle and more flat on the top. It will also shift the pole position by about two centimetres (0.8 inches)." Choose the most relevant option based on the above paragraph:

[GATE CS 2018 Mock]

  1. This dam is a remarkable piece of engineering and increased the Earth’s moment of inertia very slightly.
  2. We can use 'the moment of inertia' to increase the length of day by making more such dams.
  3. Such projects should be made to slow the rotation of the earth.
  4. Such dams can make the shape of Earth flat, so should not be encouraged.

Answer: A

Explanation: By referring to the above paragraph, only option (A) is a relevant answer.

22. "From where are they bringing their books? _________ bringing _________ books from _________." The words that best fill the blanks in the above sentence are

[GATE CS 2018]

  1. Their, they're, there
  2. They're, their, there
  3. There, their, they're
  4. They're, there, there

Answer: B

Explanation: "From where are they bringing their books? Who bringing Whose books from Where." 
Who - A group as subject = They are 
Whose - of that group = their 
Where - from a place = there 
"From where are they bringing their books? They are bringing their books from there." 
So, option (B) is correct choice.

23. A __________ investigation can sometimes yield new facts, but typically organized once are more successful.

[GATE CS 2018]

A. Meandering

B. Timely

C. Consistent

D. Systematic

Answer: A

Explanation: The statement “Not all that glitters is gold” can be expressed as follows :

Meandering (as adjective) = proceeding in a convoluted or undirected fashion. 
Timely (as adjective) = done or occurring at a favourable or useful time; opportune. 
Consistent (as adjective) = acting or done in the same way over time, especially so as to be fair or accurate. 
Systematic (as adjective) = done or acting according to a fixed plan or system; methodical. 
Therefore, meandering is correct choice, all other options are similar to the word organized.

24. Raman is confident of speaking English _______ six months as he has been practising regularly _______ the last three weeks.

[GATE CS 2020]

  1. during, for
  2. for, since
  3. for, in
  4. within, for

Answer: D

Explanation:'Within' means ‘inside or not further than a particular area or space’. We can use within to refer to time. In ‘present perfect continuous tense’ to talk about a period of time:

  • We use 'since' to refer back to a previous point in time. We use 'since' as a preposition with a date, a time or a noun phrase.
  • We use 'for' with a period of time to refer to duration (how long something lasts).

After a negative we can use 'for' and 'in' with the same meaning. In is particularly common in American. We use 'in' to say how long it takes someone to do something. We use 'during' before nouns and noun phrases to refer to when something happens over a period of time. During can refer to the whole time of the event. We don’t use 'during' when we refer to numbers and lengths of time. In this case, we use 'for'. Option (D) is correct.

25. His knowledge of the subject was excellent but his classroom performance was _______.

[GATE CS 2020]

  1. extremely poor
  2. good
  3. desirable
  4. praiseworthy

 

Answer: A

Explanation: 'but' is used to indicate that something in the second part of the sentence will contradict something that was said in the first part of the sentence. Option (A) is correct.

26. Select the word that fits the analogy:

Cook : Cook :: Fly : _______ 

[GATE CS 2020]

  1. Flyer
  2. Flying
  3. Flew
  4. Flighter

 

Answer: A

Explanation: One who cooks is a cook and one who flies any aircraft is a flyer. Option (A) is correct.

27. The dawn of the 21st century witnessed the melting glaciers oscillating between giving too much and too little to billions of people who depend on them for fresh water. The UN climate report estimates that without deep cuts to man-made emissions, at least 30% of the northern hemisphere’s surface permafrost could melt by the end of the century. Given this situation of imminent global exodus of billions of people displaced by rising seas, nation-states need to rethink their carbon footprint for political concerns, if not for environmental ones. 

Which one of the following statements can be inferred from the given passage?

[GATE CS 2020]

  1. Nation-states do not have environmental concerns.
  2. Nation-states are responsible for providing fresh water to billions of people.
  3. Billions of people are responsible for man-made emissions.
  4. Billions of people are affected by melting glaciers.

 

Answer: D

Explanation:  Option (D) clearly explains the second last line of the passage.

28. Goods and Services Tax (GST) is an indirect tax introduced in India in 2017 that is imposed on the supply of goods and services, and it subsumes all indirect taxes except few. It is a destination-based tax imposed on goods and services used, and it is not imposed at the point of origin from where goods come. GST also has a few components specific to state governments, central government and Union Territories (UTs).

Which one of the following statements can be inferred from the given passage?

[GATE CS 2020]

  1. GST is imposed on the production of goods and services.
  2. GST includes all indirect taxes.
  3. GST does not have a component specific to UT.
  4. GST is imposed at the point of usage of goods and services.

 

Answer: D

Explanation: Second statement "It is a destination-based tax imposed on goods and services used, and it is not imposed at the point of origin from where goods come.". Option (D) is correct. 

29. Consider the following sentences:

(i) Everybody in the class is prepared for the exam.

(ii) Babu invited Danish to his home because he enjoys playing chess.

Which of the following is the CORRECT observation about the above two sentences?

[GATE CS 2020]

  1. (i) is grammatically correct and (ii) is unambiguous
  2. (i) is grammatically incorrect and (ii) is unambiguous
  3. (i) is grammatically correct and (ii) is ambiguous
  4. (i) is grammatically incorrect and (ii) is ambiguous

 

Answer: C

Explanation: 

Statement (i) is grammatically correct, (everybody is singular which uses singular verb). Statement (ii) is ambiguous because if "Babu invited Danish to his home and he enjoys playing chess" that does not mean Danish also enjoys playing chess. His purpose of invitation is not clear.

30.___________ is to surgery as writer is to ___________ Which one of the following options maintains a similar logical relation in the above sentence?

[GATE CS 2020]

  1. Plan, outline
  2. Hospital, library
  3. Doctor, book
  4. Medicine, grammar

 

Answer: C

Explanation: Doctor does surgery as writer writes book.

31. Some people suggest anti-obesity measures (AOM) such as displaying calorie information in restaurant menus. Such measures sidestep addressing the core problems that cause obesity: poverty and income inequality. Which one of the following statements summarizes the passage?

[GATE CS 2021]

  1. The proposed AOM addresses the core problems that cause obesity
  2. If obesity reduces, poverty will naturally reduce, since obesity causes poverty
  3. AOM are addressing the core problems and are likely to succeed
  4. AOM are addressing the problem superficially

 

Answer: D

Explanation: The problems mentioned are poverty and inequality. But AOMs are not addressing the main problems directly. But it is a kind of site step taken to address obesity. So AOMs are only addressing the obesity problem superficially but not addressing the real problems.

32. Gauri said that she can play the keyboard __________ her sister.

[GATE CS 2021]

  1. as well as
  2. as better as
  3. as nicest as
  4. as worse as

 

Answer: A

Explanation: ‘worse’, ‘better’ are comparative words which need the word ‘than’ for comparison. Out of the remaining two options ‘as well as’ is the correct answer. Correct Option (A).

33. Pen : Write :: Knife : _______ 

Which one of the following options maintains a similar logical relation in the above?

[GATE CS 2021]

  1. Vegetables
  2. Sharp
  3. Cut
  4. Blunt

 

Answer: C

Explanation: A pen is used to write. Similarly, a knife is used to cut. Correct Option (C)

34. Listening to music during exercise improves performance and reduces discomfort. Scientists researched whether listening to music while studying can help students learn better and the results were inconclusive. Students who needed external stimulation for studying fared worse while students who did not need any external stimulation benefited from music. Which one of the following statements is the CORRECT inference of the above passage?

[GATE CS 2021]

  1. Listening to music has no effect on learning and a positive effect on physical exercise
  2. Listening to music has a clear positive effect both in physical exercise and on learning
  3. Listening to music has a clear positive effect on physical exercise. Music has a positive effect on learning only in some students
  4. Listening to music has a clear positive effect on learning in all students. Music has a positive effect only in some students who exercise  

 

Answer: C

Explanation: 

From the first statement “Listening to music during exercise improves exercise performance and reduces discomfort. “ It is clear that listening to music has a positive effect on physical exercise. From the statement “Scientists researched whether listening to music while studying can help students learn better and the results were inconclusive. “ it is clear that only on some students music has a positive effect.

35. Let G be a connected undirected weighted graph. Consider the following two statements.

S1: There exists a minimum weight edge in G which is present in every minimum spanning tree of G.

S2: If every edge in G has distinct weight, then G has a unique minimum spanning tree.

Which one of the following options is correct?

[GATE CS 2021]

  1. Both S1 and S2 are true
  2. S1 is true and S2 is false
  3. S1 is false and S2 is true
  4. Both S1 and S2 are false

 

Answer: C

Explanation: 

  • S1: False because when we change the number of edges in the minimum spanning tree. That minimum edge would be swapped by some other edge. Also, there may be a case if all the edges have similar weight then you can choose any edge.
  • S2: True because if edge weights are unique only one unique MST is possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is GATE?
    The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is an examination held in India that primarily assesses a student's complete mastery of numerous undergraduate engineering and scientific disciplines in preparation for a master's degree program and work in the public sector.
     
  2. How do we apply for GATE?
    GATE Online Application Processing System is where candidates must register and fill out the application form (GOAPS). You can visit the official site GATE for getting information on registration dates and deadlines.
     
  3. For what do we apply for GATE?
    GATE is used to test students for admission to M.E./M. Tech/Ph.D. programs at IITs, NITS, IIITs, and CFTIs, as well as for PSU recruitment.
     
  4. What are the other exams you can apply to?
    Postgraduate Entrance Examination (PGEE) 
    IIIT Delhi M.Tech Entrance Exam 
    IIIT Bangalore M.Tech Entrance Exam 
    IIIT Bhubaneswar M.Tech Entrance Exam 
    Vellore Institute of Technology Master's Entrance Exam (VITMEE) 
    SRM Graduate Engineering Test (SRMGEET) 
    BITSAT Entrance Exam
     
  5. What is an English paper pattern?
    In GATE, The English questions are one of the most scoring sections. The questions are mainly general English language grammar and comprehension based questions.

Conclusion

In this article, we had a look at some of the practice questions in the English language. These questions will help us improve our lexicon and our overall language skills. 

Refer to the English Questions Part 1 for more questions.

Apart from this, you can also expand your knowledge by referring to the blog- Gate Prep

For more information, refer to Gate Resources.

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