SSC CGL 2025 PYQs

Concept: Match the idiom whose meaning is “wasting time on small things while disaster strikes”.

1. Fiddle while Rome burns – stay busy with trifles during an emergency (from the story of Emperor Nero).
2. Bark up the wrong tree – blame or chase the wrong thing.
3. Burn the midnight oil – study/work late; Hit the nail on the head – say exactly the right thing.

Trick: “Burns” + “fiddle” (play music) = careless amusement amid disaster – the picture explains the meaning.

Answer: (A) Fiddle while Rome burns

Concept: Spot the word that needs no correction.

1. Serendipitous (found by lucky chance) – correct.
2. Serenitty → Serenity; Sentimentall → Sentimental; Sensasion → Sensation.

Trick: Doubled letters at the end (-tty, -ll) and “-sion” for “sensation” are the usual traps.

Answer: (A) Serendipitous

Concept: Choose the word for listless dissatisfaction caused by lack of excitement.

1. Ennui – weariness and discontent from having nothing interesting to do.
2. Languor – pleasant laziness/tiredness; Torpor – sluggish inactivity.
3. Boredom is general; ennui adds the sense of dissatisfaction.

Yaad rakhein: Ennui is a French loanword; pronounced “on-WEE”.

Answer: (B) Ennui

Concept: was/were being + V3 (passive) ↔ was/were + V-ing (active).

1. Agent “millions” becomes the subject.
2. Plural subject → were reading.
3. Millions worldwide were reading the classic novel.

Trick: Keep the tense: options with “are reading” (present) or “was read” (no continuity) go out.

Answer: (D) Millions worldwide were reading the classic novel.

Concept: “Had + subject + V3” = If + subject + had + V3 → main clause takes would have + V3.

1. “Had he arrived on time” = If he had arrived on time (past, unreal).
2. Result clause: he would have caught the beginning.

Trick: “Had” at the start of a clause = past imagination → look for “would have”.

Answer: (B) would have caught

Concept: A verb is described by an adverb, not an adjective.

1. The word describes how she ran → adverb needed.
2. quick (adjective) → quickly (adverb).
3. She ran very quickly to catch the bus.

Trick: Ask “ran how?” – the answer word usually ends in -ly.

Answer: (C) quickly

Concept: In reported questions: no question form, past → past perfect, time words change.

1. “did you go” → I had gone (past simple → past perfect; you → I as the listener is the reporter).
2. yesterday → the previous day.
3. He asked where I had gone the previous day.

Trick: Two checks only: “had gone” + “the previous day” – only option B has both.

Answer: (B) He asked where I had gone the previous day.

Concept: “Although” shows the second part goes against the first: planned carefully, yet results suffered.

1. Undermined = weakened gradually – fits “reliability … undermined”.
2. Bolstered = strengthened (no contrast); exasperated = annoyed (for people); ramified = branched out.

Trick: Contrast word + positive first clause → the blank must be negative.

Answer: (D) undermined

Concept: Rise is intransitive (no object); raise is transitive (takes an object).

1. “concerns” is the object of the verb.
2. So it should be raises concerns, not “rises concerns”.
3. Error in part (3).

Trick: If something is being lifted/brought up → raise; if it goes up by itself → rise.

Answer: (C) (3)

Concept: The verb agrees with the main subject, not with a noun inside a phrase after it.

1. Real subject: its interpretation (singular).
2. “by the junior analysts” is only a modifying phrase.
3. So was overly optimistic, not “were” – error in part (2).

Trick: Strike out the “of/by …” phrase and read: “its interpretation … were” – the mismatch is obvious.

Answer: (B) (2)

Concept: Modal + V1 (active) → same modal + be + V3 (passive).

1. Object “all network traffic” becomes the subject.
2. can monitor → can be monitored.
3. All network traffic can be monitored internally by the security team.

Trick: The modal never changes in voice change – keep “can” and reject could/will/might.

Answer: (A) All network traffic can be monitored internally by the security team.

Concept: Oppugn = to question or argue against (an idea, claim).

1. Contest, Dispute, Challenge all mean the same as oppugn.
2. Opposite: Defend = support, argue in favour of.

Trick: Three options are synonyms of each other – the odd one out is the antonym.

Answer: (B) Defend

Concept: Find the misspelt word.

1. Correct: Occasionally – double c, single s.
2. “Occassionally” wrongly doubles the s.
3. Maniacal, Bureaucracy, Survival are all correct.

Trick: Occasion: “2 c's, 1 s” – oc-CA-sion.

Answer: (B) Occassionally

Concept: Start with the general statement, then follow the process in time order.

1. 2 introduces respiration (topic sentence).
2. 4 “It begins with…” – inhalation, oxygen reaches alveoli.
3. 1 “This essential gas” = oxygen → into blood; 3 “Simultaneously” CO₂ goes out.
4. Order: 2-4-1-3.

Trick: “It” and “This” need something before them – so 4 and 1 can't open; only 2 can.

Answer: (A) 2, 4, 1, 3

Concept: Locate the phrase “critical necessity” in the opening part of the passage.

1. The passage says the unstable environment makes adaptability “not merely an option but a critical necessity”.
2. Static models and avoiding all risk go against the passage.

Trick: Search the exact keyword of the question in the passage – the answer sits next to it.

Answer: (B) Adaptability.

Concept: The passage divides causes into “Externally…” and “Internally…” blocks.

1. External block: geopolitical events (trade wars, sanctions, instability), technology, consumer preferences.
2. Labour market, wage demands and financial instability fall under the internal block.

Trick: Three options belong to one (internal) group – the remaining one is external.

Answer: (D) Geopolitical events.

Concept: A double-edged sword has one good side and one harmful side.

1. Good side: technology offers immense opportunities.
2. Harmful side: rapid innovation can make existing products obsolete.
3. Option B states exactly these two sides.

Trick: Reject options with words the passage never uses with technology – “jobs”, “regulatory scrutiny”, “always”.

Answer: (B) They offer opportunities but can make existing products obsolete.

Concept: Read the “Internally, companies face…” section.

1. First internal challenge listed: labour market fluctuations (skill shortage, wage demands).
2. Consumer preferences, sanctions and supply-chain disruptions are external.

Trick: This is the mirror of the previous question – what was rejected there is the answer here.

Answer: (C) Labour market fluctuations.

Concept: The final part says volatility “mandates a strategic shift towards resilience”.

1. Firms build risk management frameworks, diversify supply bases and develop agility.
2. Options A, B, D state the opposite of what the passage recommends.

Trick: Options with “limiting”, “avoiding”, “resisting” sound negative – the passage's advice is positive and active.

Answer: (C) Building resilience through risk management and agility.

Concept: Topic → problem (However) → effect (This …) → solution (therefore).

1. 1 – forests as natural regulators (introduction).
2. 2 – “However”, deforestation disturbs the balance.
3. 3 – “This degradation” gives the results; 4 – “therefore” protect forests.
4. Order: 1-2-3-4.

Trick: “However” can never open a paragraph – that rules out options starting with 2.

Answer: (C) 1, 2, 3, 4