Dear Friends, SBI Clerk 2018 Notification has been released we hope you all have started your preparation. Here we have started New Series of Practice Materials specially for SBI Clerk / IDBI Executive 2018. Aspirants those who are preparing for the exams can use this “20-20” English Questions.
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Directions (Q 1-10): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it.
The recent furore over the magnitude of frauds at public sector banks has added to the pile of non-performing assets the banking sector is saddled with. Big-ticket welfare programmes like the National Health Protection Scheme – dubbed Modicare – and the ambitious plan to double farmers’ incomes by increasing the minimum support price to 1.5 times the cost of production were announced with much fanfare in the Budget speech. But if the system is not flush with funds for these schemes, the government has to go into debt; and that has a bearing on the economy. Economists keep an eye out for the numbers coming out of the bond market. So do policy makers, mutual fund managers, and traders in equities and commodities. Government securities or bonds, may not directly affect one’s personal finances, but the yield curve can be telling on the direction in which a country’s economy is headed. In November 2017, the international rating agency Moody’s upgraded India’s sovereign bond rating to Baa2 from Baa3 with a stable outlook. However, it also warned about high debt.
A bond is a debt instrument which acts as an IOU. It can be traded in financial markets like equities and other commodities. It is commonly used by governments to raise capital in order to fund domestic growth and development projects. Investors take on government debt, and in return, are assured a stream of revenue for the duration of the time it takes the bond to mature. Bonds issue coupons, which are interest payments made in part to the repayment of the capital that was borrowed. The final payment is made when the bond attains maturity. However, governments are not the only entities issuing bonds. Unlike equities, which are vulnerable to the vagaries of the stock market, investing in bonds is a relatively safer proposition since the capital is returned on maturity. The downside is that the returns on bonds may not be comparable to those of equities. Government bonds, also known as G-Sec, are issued by governments with maturity terms ranging from medium to long term.
Till recently, government bonds used to be bought and sold on the secondary market only by institutional investors like provident funds, mutual funds, insurance companies and banks. However, in 2017, the RBI changed the rules to allow retail investors, this is anybody with a PAN card, to buy government bonds in the primary market. The RBI is the institutional entity that has been mandated with selling sovereign debt securities, or government bonds. Corporations also issue bonds to fund expansions and projects, or tide over budgetary deficits. Bonds issued by corporations are generally safer than equities, but some bonds offer an option to convert the instrument into stocks. Non-convertible corporate bonds offer coupons and function like any other bond. Conventional metrics used by economists to diagnose the health of a country’s economy include inflation, lending rate of the central bank, growth rate, and national income. However, bond yields are also a very prescient means of gauging the trajectory of an economy. As investors sell government bonds, prices drop, and yields increase. A higher yield indicates greater risk. If the yield offered by a bond is much higher than what it was when issued, there is a chance that the company or government that issued it is financially stressed and may not be able to repay the capital. Enhanced risk with such bonds is offset by greater returns, adding to their appeal.
In developing countries like India where the government is among the biggest investors in the economy, bond yields can be a useful parameter in assessing economic health. It can be noted that at the height of the recession of 2008, the economy grew at only 3.89% while the yield on the benchmark 10-year government paper was 7.529%. This suggests that for FY2018, bond prices took a beating, but the government borrowed more in the form of bond issuance to tide over the slump in economic activity. However, the trend of loose correlation between economic growth and bond yield has held in the following years. Unlike in countries where private enterprise drives the engine of growth, the trend of high bond yields is worrying in the case of India since it reflects on investor sentiment that is not entirely favourable to the prospect of the government taking on more debt.
1) What do you mean by the phrase “tide over” in the sentence – but the government borrowed more in the form of bond issuance to tide over the slump in economic activity?
a) to impede someone or something
b) to help to get through a period of difficulty
c) to trammel out
d) to get in the way
e) none of these
2) According to the passage which of the following characteristics that are mentioned are true about the bond?
a) Only iii
b) i and ii
c) all except ii
d) iii and iv
e) all are mentioned
3) According to the passage which of the following has been permitted by RBI to buy and sell the government bonds in secondary market?
a) Banks
b) Mutual funds
c) Insurance companies
d) Retail investors
e) Provident fund
4) Which of the following is true in the context of the passage?
a) i and iii
b) only ii
c) i and ii
d) ii and iii
e) all are correct
5) Which of the following parameter is not used to examine the condition of country’s economy?
a) Inflation
b) Higher yield through bonds
c) Lending rate of the central bank
d) Growth rate and National income
e) All are correct
6) Which of the following is not true in the context of the passage?
a) i and ii
b) ii and iii
c) all except ii
d) i and iii
e) all are correct
7) Which of the following has/ have been mentioned true regarding government bonds?
a) i and iv
b) ii and iii
c) i and ii
d) all except ii
e) all are mentioned
8) Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning as the word “saddled” printed in bold as used in the passage.
a) Offload
b) Encumber
c) Protrude
d) Supersede
e) Accommodate
9) Choose the word which is most nearly the same in meaning as the word “furore” printed in bold as used in the passage.
a) Tranquilness
b) Serenity
c) Placidity
d) Commotion
e) Repose
10) Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning of the word “prescient” printed in bold as used in the passage.
a) Judicious
b) Farsighted
c) Prophetic
d) Oracular
e) Undiscerning
Directions (Q 11-15): In each of the following sentences there is one blank space. Below each sentence there are four words denoted by a), b), c) d) and e). Find ONE word that to be fitted in both the sentences I and II and another word that to fit in sentence III and to make it meaning fully complete.
11)
a) Decelerated, abstention
b) Detained, foray
c) Assisted, invasion
d) Apprehend, onset
e) Confine, irruption
12)
a) Spirited, bolster
b) Stirred, fortify
c) Rousing, braced
d) Dampening, reinforced
e) Invigorating, availed
13)
a) Modernized, caliber
b) Renovated, fortitude
c) Rejuvenate, timidity
d) Antiqued, temperament
e) Refurbish, mettle
14)
a) Ruffle, whirls
b) Bristled, flurry
c) Raged, delay
d) Infuriate, outbreak
e) Fumed, blows
15)
a) Exhorted, impasse
b) Persuaded, dilemmas
c) Incite, standoff
d) Dissuaded, predicament
e) Preached, agreement
Directions (Q 16-20): In each of the following questions on phrase has been given and it has been followed by four sentences. You have to find out on which sentences phrase has been used properly according to its meaning and mark your answer from the options denoted a), b), c), d). Mark e) as your answer of you find that the phrase has been applied properly in all sentences.
16) Alight on
a) ii and iii
b) all except iii
c) i and iv
d) ii and iv
e) all are correct
17) Crawl with
a) i and iii
b) ii and iv
c) i and ii
d) iii and iv
e) all are correct
18) Pick at
a) ii and iv
b) i and iii
c) i and ii
d) iii and iv
e) all are correct
19) Rattle off
a) i and ii
b) ii and iv
c) i and iii
d) all except ii
e) all are correct
20) Set through
a) ii and iv
b) all except i
c) i and iii
d) iii and iv
e) all are correct
Answers:
Direction (1-10)
1) Correct Answer is: b)
To help to get through (a period of difficulty, distress, etc)
2) Correct Answer is: c)
It is mentioned in para 2 – A bond is a debt instrument which acts as an IOU. It can be traded in financial markets like equities and other commodities. It is commonly used by governments to raise capital.
3) Correct Answer is: d)
It is mentioned in para 3 -Till recently, government bonds used to be bought and sold on the secondary market only by institutional investors like provident funds, mutual funds, insurance companies and banks. However, in 2017, the RBI changed the rules to allow retail investors.
4) Correct Answer is: c)
it is mentioned in para 3&4 -However, in 2017, the RBI changed the rules to allow retail investors, this is anybody with a PAN card, to buy government bonds in the primary market, it can be noted that at the height of the recession of 2008, the economy grew at only 3.89%.
5) Correct Answer is: b)
it is mentioned in para 4&5-Conventional metrics used by economists to diagnose the health of a country’s economy include inflation, lending rate of the central bank, growth rate, and national income. Bond yields can be a useful parameter in assessing economic health
6) Correct Answer is: d)
it is mentioned in para 1, 2&3-But if the system is not flush with funds for these schemes, the government has to go into debt; and that has a bearing on the economy, Non-convertible corporate bonds offer coupons and function like any other bond, Unlike equities, which are vulnerable to the vagaries of the stock market, investing in bonds is a relatively safer proposition since the capital is returned on maturity
7) Correct Answer is: d)
It is mentioned in para 2&3-As investors sell government bonds, prices drop, and yields increase. A higher yield indicates greater risk, Government bonds, also known as G-Sec, are issued by governments with maturity terms ranging from medium to long term. The RBI is the institutional entity that has been mandated with selling sovereign debt securities, or government bonds.
8) Correct Answer is: b)
The meaning of word saddled is burden (someone) with an onerous responsibility or task.
9) Correct Answer is: d)
The meaning of word furore is an outbreak of public anger or excitement.
10) Correct Answer is: e)
The meaning of word prescient is having or showing knowledge of events before they take place.
Directions (Q 11-15):
11) Correct Answer is: b)
The meaning of “detained” is to keep (someone) in official custody or officially seize and hold and it is suitable for i and ii blanks and the meaning of “foray” is push or access so it is appropriate for iii blank.
12)Correct Answer is: c)
The meaning of “rousing” is to exciting; stirring or enthusiastic and it is suitable for i and ii blanks and the meaning of “braced” is to give support or strengthen so it is appropriate for iii blank.
13) Correct Answer is: e)
The meaning of “refurbish” is to renovate and redecorate and it is suitable for i and ii blanks and the meaning of “mettle” is spirit, courage or determination so it is appropriate for iii blank.
14) Correct Answer is: b)
The meaning of “bristled” is typically as a sign of anger or fear and it is suitable for i and ii blanks and the meaning of “flurry” is flow or surge so it is appropriate for iii blank
15) Correct Answer is: a)
The meaning of “exhorted” is to strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something and it is suitable for i and ii blanks and the meaning of “impasse” is a deadlock or difficult situation so it is appropriate for iii blank
Directions (Q 16-20):
16) Correct Answer is: b)
The meaning of “alight on” is to discover or arrive at something by chance or to land on something and the phrase has been applied properly in i, ii and iv sentences.
17) Correct Answer is: a)
the meaning of “crawl with” is to covered with or full of something or to be swarming or covered with moving things and the phrase has been applied properly in i and iii sentences
18) Correct Answer is c)
The meaning of “pick at” is to nag at; find fault with or to make criticisms of in a niggling or petty manner and the phrase has been applied properly in i and ii sentences
19) Correct Answer is e)
The meaning of rattle off is – To say or recite something very quickly, without much thought or consideration and the phrase has been applied properly in all the sentences
20) Correct Answer is: b)
The meaning of “see through” is to follow through on something until it is completed or to understand or detect the true nature of someone or something and the phrase has been applied properly in ii, iii and iv sentences.
Daily Practice Test Schedule | Good Luck
| Topic | Daily Publishing Time |
| Daily News Papers & Editorials | 8.00 AM |
| Current Affairs Quiz | 9.00 AM |
| Logical Reasoning | 10.00 AM |
| Quantitative Aptitude “20-20” | 11.00 AM |
| Vocabulary (Based on The Hindu) | 12.00 PM |
| Static GK Quiz | 1.00 PM |
| English Language “20-20” | 2.00 PM |
| Banking Awareness Quiz | 3.00 PM |
| Reasoning Puzzles & Seating | 4.00 PM |
| Daily Current Affairs Updates | 5.00 PM |
| Data Interpretation / Application Sums (Topic Wise) | 6.00 PM |
| Reasoning Ability “20-20” | 7.00 PM |
| English Language (New Pattern Questions) | 8.00 PM |
| General / Financial Awareness Quiz | 9.00 PM |
This post was last modified on September 16, 2020 11:56 am