SSC CPO Paper I 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024 PYQs

Concept: Uniformity means sameness – everything being alike. Its opposite is difference or diversity.

1. In the sentence, variety means a number of different kinds (of birds).
2. Variety = diversity, the exact opposite of uniformity.
3. Great, found and sanctuaries have no opposite relation with uniformity.

Trick: Uniform = one form; variety = many forms.

Answer: (B) Variety

Concept: Hit the sack is an informal idiom: 'sack' refers to a bed (old straw-filled mattress).

1. To hit the sack = to go to bed / go to sleep.
2. Example: I was so tired that I hit the sack at 9 p.m.
3. Running, cracking exams and making money have nothing to do with bed.

Yaad rakhein: Hit the sack = hit the hay = go to sleep.

Answer: (C) Going to sleep

Concept: Check each word letter by letter for the standard spelling.

1. Mountan is wrong – correct spelling is Mountain (–ain, like 'captain').
2. Weekend, Dessert (sweet dish) and Journey are spelt correctly.

Yaad rakhein: Mountain, captain, certain – all end in –ain.

Answer: (A) Mountan

Concept: Doubling rule: a final consonant is doubled before –ed when the last syllable is stressed (oc-CUR).

1. occur + ed → occurred (double r).
2. So Occured is misspelt.
3. Equally, Unwilling and Argument (argue drops 'e') are correct.

Trick: Stress on last syllable → double the consonant: occurred, preferred, referred.

Answer: (D) Occured

Concept: A person or thing trying to appear more important or talented than it really is is called pretentious.

1. Pretentious = showy, claiming undeserved importance – exact match.
2. Imperious = arrogant and domineering (giving orders).
3. Airy = light/spacious or casual; Glorious = deserving great honour.

Trick: Pretentious comes from 'pretend' – pretending to be greater.

Answer: (A) Pretentious

Concept: The French-origin word for rules of polite behaviour is spelt etiquette.

1. Correct: e-t-i-q-u-e-t-t-e (one t at the start, double t at the end).
2. Given 'ettiquete' reverses this, so it is misspelt.
3. Rationalisation, elopement and occasion are correct.

Yaad rakhein: Etiquette – single t first, 'tt' + e at the end.

Answer: (A) ettiquete

Concept: Stative verbs (understand, know, believe, like, love) express a state of mind and are not used in continuous tenses.

1. 'I am understanding' is wrong.
2. Correct: I understand (that) you like her because she has a generous nature.
3. The other segments are correct.

Trick: Mental-state verbs → no –ing: know, understand, believe, prefer.

Answer: (B) I am understanding;

Concept: Monotonous = dull because of being the same all the time (boring).

1. Its opposite is something that holds attention – interesting.
2. Pious = religious; Precarious = unstable/risky; Threatening = menacing – none is the opposite of boring.

Trick: Mono-tone = one tone = boring ↔ interesting.

Answer: (B) Interesting

Concept: The adverb from 'scarce' is formed by adding –ly, keeping the 'c-e'.

1. scarce + ly → scarcely (= hardly).
2. 'scarely' drops the 'c', so segment (C) has the spelling error.
3. Correct sentence: Joe was so tired that he could scarcely stand.

Yaad rakhein: Scarcely = scarce + ly.

Answer: (C) scarely stand.

Concept: Marriage terms: poly = many, andr = man/husband, gyny = woman.

1. Polyandry = a woman having more than one husband at the same time.
2. Monogamy = one spouse; Endogamy = marrying within one's own group; Polymathy = wide learning in many subjects.

Trick: Andro = male → polyandry (many husbands); polygyny (many wives).

Answer: (C) Polyandry

Concept: 'Very much perplexed' means extremely confused and not knowing what to do.

1. At one's wit's end = so worried/confused that one cannot think what to do – exact fit.
2. At any rate = anyway; At loggerheads = in strong disagreement; At his disposal = available for his use.

Trick: Wit = intelligence; wit's end = thinking power exhausted.

Answer: (B) At his wit’s end

Concept: Skating on thin ice = doing something risky that could lead to trouble, like skating on ice that may crack.

1. Going for a movie just before final exams is risky for the result.
2. So it means being in a risky situation.
3. Hard work, enjoying the moment and hill stations do not convey danger.

Trick: Thin ice may break → danger/risk.

Answer: (B) being in a risky situation

Concept: Useful, comfortable features or services provided by a society, hotel or company are called amenities.

1. Amenities = conveniences such as parking, gym, pool, lift.
2. Facilitate is a verb (to make easy); Equipment = tools; System = organised method.

Trick: Hotel/society ads list 'amenities' – conveniences offered.

Answer: (D) Amenities

Concept: Profound = very deep, showing great insight or feeling.

1. Its opposite is shallow = lacking depth of thought or feeling.
2. Deep is a synonym; Inventive = creative; Occult = mysterious/supernatural.

Yaad rakhein: Profound ↔ shallow (deep vs. not deep).

Answer: (C) Shallow

Concept: Ruthlessly = without pity or mercy, cruelly.

1. Inhumanly = cruelly, without human kindness – closest meaning.
2. Unexpectedly = suddenly; Weirdly = strangely; Politely is nearly the opposite.

Trick: Ruth = pity; ruth-less = pitiless = inhuman.

Answer: (B) Inhumanly

Concept: The highlighted word is exert; to exert oneself = to make a great physical or mental effort.

1. Opposite of working hard/straining is to relax (rest, ease off).
2. Crouch = bend low; Emerge = come out; Stress = strain (close to exert, not opposite).

Trick: Exert = effort ↔ relax = rest.

Answer: (C) relax

Concept: In clauses of condition/time/relative clauses referring to the future, English uses the simple present, not 'will'.

1. Main clause: '...will take away the cash prize' – future.
2. The relative clause should be simple present: who scores the highest point.
3. 'can/could score' change the meaning to ability; 'settles scores' is meaningless here.

Trick: Future in main clause → simple present in the dependent clause (no double 'will').

Answer: (B) who scores the highest point

Concept: A journey that covers many places all over the globe is a trip around the world.

1. 'Around the world' = travelling to places across the whole world – fixed phrase.
2. 'to the world' is wrong because we are already in the world.
3. 'in/by/within the world' do not express a round journey.

Yaad rakhein: Trip/tour/travel around the world.

Answer: (D) around the world

Concept: Yeoman's service = very good, loyal and useful work, especially in a time of need.

1. Yeomen were loyal, hardworking farmers/soldiers in old England.
2. So the idiom means excellent work done.
3. It does not mean thankless, cruel or fraudulent service.

Trick: Yeoman = loyal hard worker → excellent service.

Answer: (A) Excellent work done

Concept: Fair and square = honestly, according to the rules, without cheating.

1. A 'fair and square deal' = an honest and straightforward deal.
2. Exclusive and unreal, violent and immoral, forward and backward do not fit the meaning.

Trick: Fair = just, square = straight → honest and straightforward.

Answer: (B) honest and straightforward