SSC CPO Paper II 2021, 2025 PYQs

Concept: Find the reason given in paragraph 2.

1. The passage says fibres ‘have the property of holding water and because of it, these get swollen and behave like a sponge’.
2. Trace metals, motility and craving are other effects, not the reason for the sponge-like behaviour.

Yaad rakhein: Look for ‘because of it’ – the cause is stated just before.

Answer: (A) can absorb water and swell up

Concept: The first line of the passage gives the definition.

1. ‘The term dietary fibres refers collectively to indigestible carbohydrates present in plant foods.’
2. They are NOT digested by stomach enzymes, so options C and D are wrong.

Trick: Definition questions → check the opening sentence.

Answer: (B) Indigestible carbohydrates in plant foods

Concept: Match the options with the list of fibre-rich foods in paragraph 2.

1. Listed: cereals and grains, legumes, citrus fruits, carrots, cabbage, green leafy vegetables, apples etc.
2. Glucose is a simple sugar; the passage mentions it only as blood-glucose level, not as a fibre source.

Trick: ‘NOT’ question – strike off each option found in the list.

Answer: (A) Glucose

Concept: Check each statement against the passage.

1. Fibres decrease post-meal glucose, prevent heart disease and make stools soft (relieve constipation) – A, B, C are true.
2. Last paragraph: fibres bind trace metals like calcium and zinc, ‘preventing their proper absorption’ – so D is false.

Yaad rakhein: Adverse-effect paragraph = the trap; fibres block, not help, absorption.

Answer: (D) Dietary fibres help in absorption of trace metals.

Concept: The theme covers the whole passage, not one paragraph.

1. The passage defines fibres, lists sources, explains benefits (heart, diabetes, obesity), adverse effects and the desirable 40 g daily intake.
2. All this shows why fibres matter → importance of dietary fibres. ‘Sources’ is only one paragraph; balanced diet and intestines are too broad/narrow.

Trick: Theme = the idea every paragraph supports.

Answer: (D) Importance of dietary fibres

Concept: Look for what the ticket meant to the child near the end.

1. ‘the need for a ticket has… become interwoven with the pride of a small child.’
2. ‘To be able to purchase self-esteem with twenty cents…’ – the ticket = self-esteem.

Trick: The passage itself names it: ‘purchase self-esteem’.

Answer: (A) self esteem

Concept: Read the mother’s thoughts just before she asks for two tickets.

1. Xiao Ye’s face was ‘raised up like a half-open blossom, waiting to receive his promise’.
2. ‘…no mother can resist an opportunity to make her son happy. I would like to buy two tickets.’

Yaad rakhein: Motive is stated in the final lines – her son’s happiness.

Answer: (B) To make her son happy.

Concept: ‘Shrinks’ is used figuratively – he feels small.

1. The conductor publicly says the child is one centimetre short of needing a ticket.
2. His wish for a ticket was tied to his pride, so the remark humiliates and hurts him – he ‘shrinks’ in spirit.

Trick: Figurative ‘shrink’ = feel small / embarrassed.

Answer: (A) He feels humiliated and hurt

Concept: A ticket was required only for children 1.10 m or taller.

1. A: true – ‘Today she is with her son’. B: true – ‘Twenty cents is not to be scoffed at’. C: true – ‘She follows him onto the bus’.
2. Xiao Ye was ‘still one centimetre away’ from 1.10 m, so only one ticket was really needed → D is NOT true.

Trick: ‘Actually needed’ ≠ ‘chose to buy’.

Answer: (D) Tao Ying actually needed to buy two tickets.

Concept: Why does a child insist on a ticket?

1. ‘Children are often more conscious of rituals… Without a ticket in his hand, the ride doesn’t count as a proper ride.’
2. He shouts ‘I’m tall enough!’ – he wants to be treated like a grown-up passenger. He had not grown past 1.10 m (C is false).

Yaad rakhein: Ticket = proof of being ‘big’.

Answer: (B) wanted to feel like a grown up

Concept: The purpose is stated in paragraph 1.

1. ‘It was important in their religion to preserve the dead body in as life-like a manner as possible.’
2. Nothing is said about finding the cause of death or testing natron.

Trick: Purpose question → look for ‘important’ / ‘in order to’.

Answer: (B) preserve dead bodies in a life-like manner

Concept: Follow the order of steps given in the passage.

1. ‘The first step in the process was the removal of all internal parts that might decay rapidly.’
2. Drying with natron, wrapping in linen and placing the mask came later.

Trick: Signal words: first → next → at last.

Answer: (D) Removal of the internal parts

Concept: Anatomy = knowledge of body structure and organs.

1. Priests ‘needed a detailed knowledge of human anatomy’ because the first step was removing the brain and the organs of the abdomen and chest.
2. They had to know where each organ lay and to leave the heart in place.

Yaad rakhein: Organs ↔ anatomy.

Answer: (A) To remove internal organs from the body

Concept: List what was placed in the tomb/with the mummy.

1. Canopic jars ‘were buried with the mummy’; amulets were placed among the wrappings; perfumes were put in the tomb.
2. Embalmers were the priests who did the work – they were not buried.

Trick: Embalmers = the workers, not the objects.

Answer: (D) Embalmers

Concept: Locate ‘hooked instruments’ in paragraph 2.

1. ‘The brain was removed by carefully inserting special hooked instruments up through the nostrils.’
2. Other organs were removed through a cut on the left side of the abdomen; the heart was left in place.

Trick: Nostrils → brain; abdomen cut → other organs.

Answer: (B) brain

Concept: Scan the passage for dates.

1. ‘They rounded the Cape of Good Hope on 22 November.’
2. July 1497 = departure from Lisbon; May 1498 = reached India; August = left India.

Yaad rakhein: Date questions – make a quick timeline.

Answer: (C) November

Concept: Verify each statement with the passage.

1. A: ‘Da Gama commanded the Sao Gabriel’ – true. B: scurvy is ‘caused by lack of Vitamin C’ – true. D: São Rafael was ‘a three mast ship’ – true.
2. C: ‘the king of Calicut was not impressed with da Gama, and the gifts he brought’ – so C is false.

Trick: ‘NOT true’ – watch for a negative changed into a positive.

Answer: (C) Vasco da Gama impressed the King of Calicut with his gifts.

Concept: Find who held the trade routes during Portugal’s search for a sea route.

1. ‘The Ottoman Empire controlled almost all European trade routes to Asia’ and charged high prices.
2. Manuel I was King of Portugal; Paulo da Gama was a ship commander.

Trick: Ottoman control was the reason Portugal wanted a new sea route.

Answer: (C) Ottoman Empire

Concept: ‘Embark’ = start a journey; find the starting point.

1. ‘On 8 July 1497, Vasco da Gama sailed from Lisbon with a fleet of four ships.’
2. Canary Islands, Cape of Good Hope and Mossel Bay came later on the route.

Yaad rakhein: sailed from = embarked from.

Answer: (C) Lisbon

Concept: Read the sentence right after Rio dos Bons Sinais.

1. ‘They stayed here for a month because much of the crew were sick from scurvy.’
2. Erecting a statue was something they did there, not the reason for the long stay; storms delayed them earlier, near Cape Verde.

Trick: ‘because’ marks the reason.

Answer: (B) Several crew members were suffering from scurvy.