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

Concept: An archive is a collection of historical documents or records about a place, institution or group of people (also the place where they are kept).

1. Museum – a building displaying objects of historical, artistic or scientific interest, not mainly records.
2. Apostate – a person who abandons his religion or belief.
3. Asylum – shelter or protection given to a refugee; also an old word for a mental hospital.
4. Only Archive fits 'collection of historical documents or records'.

Trick: Archive = records/documents; Museum = objects/artefacts.

Answer: (D) Archive

Concept: Grist to the mill means something that can be used to one's advantage or that is useful for a purpose. The underlined part 'provides useful advantage' matches it.

1. Cost an arm and a leg – be very expensive.
2. Put something on ice – postpone or delay something.
3. Play it by ear – act according to the situation without a plan.
4. Statistics data being useful to players = grist to the mill.

Trick: Grist (grain) brought to a mill is always useful – so 'grist to the mill' = something useful/advantageous.

Answer: (B) Grist to the mill

Concept: 'Noise' is an uncountable noun here and begins with a consonant sound, so 'an' cannot be used before it.

1. 'An' is used only before a vowel sound (an apple, an hour). 'Noise' starts with the /n/ consonant sound.
2. As an uncountable noun 'noise' takes no article: 'not make noise' (or 'any noise').
3. Correct sentence: We should not make noise in the class.
4. Error lies in the part 'not make an noise'.

Trick: Before an article, check the sound of the next word: consonant sound → 'a', vowel sound → 'an'.

Answer: (D) not make an noise

Concept: Languid means slow, relaxed, lacking energy or spirit. Its opposite is animated – full of life, energy and excitement.

1. Look in the sentence for a word meaning 'lively/energetic'.
2. Animated infantry = lively, energetic soldiers → opposite of languid.
3. Infantry (foot soldiers), rehearsal (practice) and forward (direction) are not related to energy level.
4. Hence the antonym is animated.

Trick: Languid ≈ lazy, listless; Animated ≈ lively (think 'animation' = bringing to life).

Answer: (D) animated

Concept: Steer clear of someone or something means to avoid them, usually because they are dangerous or unpleasant.

1. 'Steer' = guide a vehicle; 'clear of' = away from – so you guide yourself away from danger.
2. Example: Steer clear of strangers who offer free gifts.
3. Losing temper, teaching someone a job, or being kind have no link with avoiding.
4. So the meaning is: avoid someone or something because it is dangerous for you.

Trick: Steer clear = 'steer' your boat 'clear' of the rocks → keep away.

Answer: (B) Avoid someone or something because it is dangerous for you

Concept: Malice means the intention or desire to harm others; ill will. Its opposite is goodwill or sympathy – feeling of care and concern for others.

1. Avarice – extreme greed for wealth (not opposite).
2. Oppression – cruel treatment; it is close to malice, not opposite.
3. Grace – elegance or courtesy; not the direct opposite of ill will.
4. Sympathy (kind feeling for others) is the best antonym.

Trick: Malice = ill will; Sympathy = good will.

Answer: (D) sympathy

Concept: 'Wish' is a main verb; it cannot be used with the base form after 'was'. Simple past of 'wish' is wished.

1. 'I was wish' combines the helping verb 'was' with the base form 'wish' – grammatically wrong.
2. Correct form: I wished to meet her on her birthday.
3. 'to meet her' (infinitive) and 'on her birthday' (preposition 'on' with a day) are correct.
4. So the error is in 'I was wish'.

Trick: 'Was/were' + verb needs -ing (continuous) or V3 (passive); never the base form.

Answer: (A) I was wish

Concept: With the dummy subject 'It' + time expression, we use the verb takes: 'It takes a couple of minutes…'. 'It is take' is wrong.

1. 'Is' (helping verb) cannot be followed by the base form 'take'.
2. Correct structure: It + takes + time + for someone + to do something.
3. Correct sentence: It takes a couple of minutes for the computer to boot up.
4. Error is in 'It is take'.

Trick: 'It takes' + time is a fixed pattern: It takes 10 minutes to reach school.

Answer: (D) It is take

Concept: The highlighted word is pervasive, meaning spreading widely through a group or area; present everywhere. Its synonym is widespread.

1. Retrospective – looking back at past events.
2. Longitudinal – running lengthwise, or a study done over a long time.
3. Equatorial – related to the equator.
4. 'A severe and widespread issue' keeps the meaning of 'pervasive'.

Trick: Pervade = spread through → pervasive = widespread.

Answer: (C) Widespread

Concept: The correct spelling is Abduct (to take someone away illegally by force). 'Abdact' is wrong.

1. Adjourn – to postpone a meeting: correct.
2. Addict – a person dependent on a substance: correct.
3. Advise – to give advice (verb): correct.
4. Abdact → correct form Abduct (ab + duct, as in 'conduct', 'product').

Trick: '-duct' family: conduct, product, deduct, abduct – always 'u'.

Answer: (C) Abdact

Concept: Be over and done with means to be completely finished. It can replace 'finish' in the sentence.

1. Be over one's head – too difficult to understand.
2. Over and over – repeatedly.
3. Over a barrel – in a helpless situation, forced to accept terms.
4. The boss wanted to get the case over and done with before the inspection team arrived.

Trick: 'Over and done with' = finished completely, nothing left.

Answer: (A) be over and done with

Concept: Cruise means a journey by sea on a ship, especially for pleasure. Its synonym is voyage (a long journey by sea or in space).

1. Bounce – to spring back after hitting a surface.
2. Fall – to drop down.
3. Distance – the length between two places, not a journey.
4. Hence Voyage is the synonym.

Trick: Cruise ship, voyage ship – both are sea journeys.

Answer: (D) Voyage

Concept: Let bygones be bygones means to forget past quarrels or problems and move on; to ignore the past.

1. 'Bygones' = things that are past.
2. Nancy held a grudge, but finally decided to forget it – she chose to ignore the past.
3. 'Change the past' is impossible; 'take revenge' is the opposite; 'flatter someone' is unrelated.
4. So the meaning is: Ignore the past.

Trick: Bygone = gone by → let what is gone stay gone.

Answer: (D) Ignore the past

Concept: 'Whatever labour that was available' means the labour was not plentiful – only what little was there. This idea is best expressed as limited labour.

1. 'Whatever … that' is also redundant; the sentence needs a crisp phrase.
2. Amalgamated / united labour – combined labour; meaning changes.
3. Dispersed labour – scattered labour; meaning changes.
4. Correct: Farmers have harvested wheat by using limited labour.

Trick: Keep the meaning of the original; 'whatever was available' = limited.

Answer: (B) by using limited labour

Concept: To eat humble pie means to admit one's mistake and apologise, often feeling humiliated.

1. Rahim started a quarrel over a trifle (small matter), so later he had to accept his fault.
2. The idiom has nothing to do with food – 'remain without food' and 'take simple food' are literal traps.
3. 'Be punished' is different from admitting and apologising.
4. Meaning: to feel sorry and apologise for a mistake.

Trick: Humble = modest; eating humble pie = being made humble by saying sorry.

Answer: (D) To feel sorry and apologise for a mistake

Concept: A verb ('does') is modified by an adverb, not an adjective. 'Good' is an adjective; its adverb form is well.

1. 'She does it ___' – the blank describes how she does the job → adverb needed.
2. 'Better' and 'best' are comparative/superlative forms – no comparison here.
3. 'Nice' is an adjective, same error as 'good'.
4. Correct: Malati has a difficult job, but she does it well.

Trick: Good → noun (a good job); Well → verb (does well).

Answer: (B) well

Concept: Fierce means violent, aggressive or very intense. Its synonym is furious (extremely angry, violent or intense).

1. Lame – unable to walk properly; weak (as an excuse).
2. Lavish – rich, expensive, generous.
3. Strange – unusual.
4. A fierce storm = a furious storm → Furious.

Trick: Fierce lion, furious lion – both wild and violent.

Answer: (D) Furious

Concept: Faithful means remaining true and constant to a person, cause or duty. Its synonym is loyal.

1. Daring – bold, brave.
2. Unfaithful – the opposite (antonym) of faithful – a trap option.
3. Cheerful – happy.
4. A faithful dog = a loyal dog → Loyal.

Trick: Watch out for antonym traps (Unfaithful) in synonym questions.

Answer: (D) Loyal

Concept: Make it big means to become very successful and famous.

1. Yamini is a great singer – her talent will bring her success and fame.
2. 'Financially sound' covers only money; 'educated and rich' adds education, not implied.
3. 'Migrate and settle' is unrelated.
4. Meaning: Succeed and become famous.

Trick: Make it big = hit the big time = become a star.

Answer: (A) Succeed and become famous

Concept: Malice means the desire to harm others; ill will or spite. Its opposite is kindness.

1. Torsion – twisting of an object.
2. Haughtiness – arrogance, pride.
3. Tremor – a shaking movement.
4. Only Kindness (goodwill towards others) is the opposite of malice.

Yaad rakhein: Malice ↔ Kindness / Benevolence.

Answer: (C) Kindness