SBI Clerk Mains 2020 English Language Practice PDF - Questions

Directions (1-8): Read the following passage and answer the following questions based on the given
passage.

In the 19th century, more and more people began crowding into America’s cities, including thousands of
newly arrived immigrants seeking a better life than the one they had left behind. In New York City–where
the population doubled every decade from 1800 to 1880–buildings that had once been single-family
dwellings were increasingly divided into multiple living spaces to accommodate this growing population.
Known as tenements, these narrow, low-rise apartment buildings–many of them concentrated in the city’s
Lower East Side neighborhood–were all too often cramped, poorly lit and lacked indoor plumbing and
proper ventilation. By 1900, some 2.3 million people (a full two-thirds of New York City’s population) were
living in tenement housing.
In the first half of the 19th century, many of the more affluent residents of New York’s Lower East Side
neighborhood began to move further north, leaving their low-rise masonry row houses behind. At the same
time, more and more immigrants began to flow into the city, many of them fleeing famine in Ireland or
revolution in Germany. Both of these groups of new arrivals concentrated themselves on the Lower East
Side, moving into row houses that had been converted from single-family dwellings into multiple-
apartment tenements, or into new tenement housing built specifically for that purpose.
A typical tenement building had five to seven stories and occupied nearly all of the lot upon which it was
built (usually 25 feet wide and 100 feet long, according to existing city regulations). Many tenements began
as single-family dwellings, and many older structures were converted into tenements by adding floors on
top or by building more space in rear-yard areas. With less than a foot of space between buildings, little air
and light could get in. In many tenements, only the rooms on the street got any light, and the interior rooms
had no ventilation (unless air shafts were built directly into the room). Later, speculators began building
new tenements, often using cheap materials and construction shortcuts. Even new, this kind of housing
was at best uncomfortable and at worst highly unsafe.
New York was not the only city in America where tenement housing emerged as a way to accommodate a
growing population during the 1900s. In Chicago, for example, the Great Fire of 1871 led to restrictions on
building wood-frame structures in the center of the city and encouraged the construction of lower-income
dwellings on the city’s outskirts. Unlike in New York, where tenements were highly concentrated in the
poorest neighborhoods of the city, in Chicago they tended to cluster around centers of employment, such
as stockyards and slaughterhouses.
Nowhere, however, did the tenement situation become as dire as it
was in New York, particularly on the Lower East Side. A cholera
epidemic in 1849 took some 5,000 lives, many of them poor people
living in overcrowded housing. During the infamous “draft riots” that
tore apart the city in 1863, rioters were not only protesting against
the new military conscription policy; they were also reacting to the
intolerable conditions in which many of them were living. The
Tenement House Act of 1867 legally defined a tenement for the first
time and set construction regulations; among these were the
requirement of one toilet (or privy) per 20 people.

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The existence of tenement legislation did not guarantee its enforcement, however, and conditions were
little improved by 1889, when the Danish-born author and photographer Jacob Riis was researching the
series of newspaper articles that would become his seminal book “How the Other Half Lives.” Riis had
experienced firsthand the hardship of immigrant life in New York City, and as a police reporter for
newspapers, including The Evening Sun, he had gotten a unique view into the grimy, crime-infested world
of the Lower East Side. Seeking to draw attention to the horrible conditions in which many urban
Americans were living, Riis photographed what he saw in the tenements and used these vivid photos to
accompany the text of “How the Other Half Lives,” published in 1890.
The hard facts included in Riis’ book–such as the fact that 12 adults slept in a room some 13 feet across,
and that the infant death rate in the tenements was as high as 1 in 10–stunned many in America and around
the world and led to a renewed call for reform. Two major studies of tenements were completed in the
1890s, and in 1901 city officials passed the Tenement House Law, which effectively outlawed the
construction of new tenements on 25-foot lots and mandated improved sanitary conditions, fire escapes
and access to light. Under the new law–which in contrast to past legislation would actually be enforced–
pre-existing tenement structures were updated, and more than 200,000 new apartments were built over
the next 15 years, supervised by city authorities.

Q1. Which of the following options best defines the term “tenements”?
(a) a room or a set of rooms forming a separate residence
(b) a piece of land held by an owner
(c) Buildings divided into multiple living spaces to accommodate a large population
(d)Both (a) and (c)
(e) None of the above

Q2. What was the reason that most of the immigrants incoming had to settle down themselves in
the Lower East Side (LES) of New York City?
(a) As there were a plenty of resources of food and job in Lower East Side (LES) of New York City
(b) As there were plenty of the low-rise masonry row houses left behind by prosperous residents of New
York’s Lower East Side
(c) As they were forced by the government to settle down in the Lower East Side of the
(d) Both (b) and (c)
(e) None of the above

Q3. What was the reason that the newly constructed tenements were highly uncomfortable and
unsafe?
(a) The new tenements area was encompassed by various terrorists groups
(b) The new tenements were designed by the poor architect
(c) The new tenements had used cheap materials and construction shortcuts
(d) Both (b) and (c)
(e) None of the above

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Q4. Out of the followings what were the drawbacks of multiple-apartment tenements?
(a) There was less than a foot of space between buildings
(b) Little air and light could get in
(c) only the rooms on the street got any light, and the interior rooms had no ventilation
(d) All (a) (b) and (c)
(e) None of the above

Q5. Which of the following statements is definitely false according to the passage?
(a) In the 19th century, fewer people began crowding into America’s cities, including hundreds of newly
arrived immigrants seeking a better life than the one they had left behind.
(b) By 1900, some 2.3 million people were living in tenement housing.
(c) A typical tenement building had five to seven stories and occupied nearly all of the lot upon which it
was built.
(d) In Chicago the Great Fire of 1871 led to restrictions on building wood-frame structures in the center of
the city.
(e) None of the above

Q6. Based on the given information how one can differentiate between the tenements in New York
City than that of in Chicago?
(a) With less than a foot of space between buildings, little air and light could get in on the other side the
buildings in Chicago were well constructed and designed
(b) The tenements in Chicago were located in the outskirts of the city whereas in NYC tenements were
located within the city.
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) The tenements were highly concentrated in the poorest neighborhoods of the New York City, in Chicago
they tended to cluster around centers of employment
(e) None of the above

Q7. What were the reasons that the tenement situations in 18th century in New York got worsen as
compare to the other areas?
(a) Outbreak of the cholera
(b) The infamous “draft riots” against the new military conscription policy
(c) The riots against the intolerable conditions in which many of them were living
(d) All (a) (b) and (c)
(e) None of the above

Q8. What were the things that the Danish-born author and
photographer Jacob Riis observed about the world of the Lower
East Side while writing his famous book, “How the Other Half
Lives”?
(a) He observed the horrible conditions in which many urban
Americans were living
(b) The infant death rate in the tenements was as high as 1 in 10
(c) Observed the fact that 12 adults sleep in a room some 13 feet across
(d) All (a) (b) and (c)
(e) None of the above

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Directions (9-10): In each of the given questions a statement is given in bold which is then followed
by three paragraphs. You have to find the paragraph(s) from where it is inferred. Choose the option
with the best possible outcome as your choice.

Q9. Rupee as a currency performed better this month.

[I] Oil’s price collapse is driving India’s sovereign bonds to their best quarter in more than a year. India
meets her 86% oil requirement through oil imports for which she must make payments in dollar making
the strength of rupee inversely proportional to the amount of oil import and/or oil prices. Expectations of
rate increases by the central bank have weakened after the slump in the price of Brent crude -- India’s top
import -- and the easing in retail inflation to a 13-month low. The debt-buying support from the Reserve
Bank of India has given investors another reason to cheer the end of the longest stretch of losses since
2011.
[II] The RBI in October held rates after back-to-back hikes since June, and is due to review policy next
month. A report on Nov. 30 may show economic growth in the July-September period was the slowest in
three quarters, according to a Bloomberg News survey. There’s optimism the data would prompt the
central bank to keep financial conditions a bit easier.
[III] To be sure, the political uncertainty because of ongoing state polls and their impact on the national
election in mid-2019 may inject some anxiety from time to time, said Choudhary, who’s bullish on five-year
sovereign bonds.
(a) only (I)
(b) only (II)
(c) only (III)
(d) Both (I) and (III)
(e) All (I), (II) and (III)

Q10. Evolution of European Union is important for the future of both world trade and politics
[I] The common currency—the euro— arrived first as a virtual currency in 1999 and then as bank notes
and coins in 2002. Today, 19 of the EU-28 use the euro as their home currency. With 20-25% of the world’s
reserves being held in euros, it is the second most important reserve currency in the world after the dollar.
Modelled after the Bundesbank, the European Central Bank administers monetary policy with the primary
mandate of price stability
[II] The EU has now become a well-established supra-national entity. A critical assessment of the EU’s first
25 years must indicate a decidedly mixed grade. On the one hand, it has been successful in increasing intra-
EU trade, maintaining price stability and keeping ultra-nationalism in check. On the other, it looks more
and more like a clunky federal state with a byzantine bureaucracy in Brussel
[III] The conception and birth were anything but immaculate. The gestation period was long, arguably
dating back to the end of World War II and put into full motion by the Treaty of Rome in 1957. The final
steps began with the Treaty on European Union first signed in Maastricht and adopted by members of the
European Community 18 months later on 1 November 1993.
(a) only (II)
(b) Both (I) and (II)
(c) only (III)
(d) only (I)
(e) All (I), (II) and (III)

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Directions (11-16): Read the following passage and answer the following questions based on the
given passage.

Brexit is an abbreviation for "British exit," which refers to the June 23, 2016, referendum whereby British
citizens voted to exit the European Union. The referendum roiled global markets, including currencies,
causing theBritish pound to fall to its lowest level in decades.Prime Minister David Cameron, who
supported the United Kingdom remaining in the European Union, resigned on July 13 as a result. Home
Secretary Theresa May, leader of the Conservative Party, became Prime Minister.
Supporters of Brexit based their opinions on a variety of factors, from the global competitiveness of British
businesses to the European debt crisis to concerns about immigration. Britain had already opted out of the
European Union's monetary union – meaning that it uses the pound instead of the euro – and the Schengen
Area, meaning that it does not share open borders with a number of other European nations. "Out"
campaigners argued that Brussels' bureaucracy is a drag on the British economy and that European Union
laws and regulations threaten British sovereignty.
At least one influential voice suggested that a British exit from the European Union (EU) could actually be
good for the political bloc. For former Pimco executive and current economic adviser at Allianz, Mohamed
El-Erian, a Brexit may be just what the EU needs to stabilize and secure its future. In an article published
in The Guardian, El-Erian proposed that Brexit could actually solve a fundamental problem currently
plaguing the EU. That problem is a fundamental difference of opinion amongst EU member states as to
what the purpose of the EU actually is supposed to be.
On the one side, the British view holds that the purpose of the EU is to exist as a “super free-trade zone,”
whereas the German-French view is that the political bloc exists to facilitate greater integration. The
divergence is ultimately a roadblock that El-Erian argued could be removed if the U.K. simply left. If such a
roadblock were removed, then it could actually have a number of positive economic and political
implications.
Because the exit process could stretch over two years once Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty is invoked (and
there is no deadline for invoking it), predictions about Brexit's future impact on British citizens are mostly
speculation; however, experts suggest that Brexit is likely to mean slower economic growth for the country.
A slowdown in investments may also lead to fewer jobs, lower pay and higher unemployment rates. Britain
relies on the EU for export far more than the EU depends on Britain.The absence of seamless access to
European markets also may mean fewer exports and foreign investments. Additionally, consumers and
employers reacting to "doom and gloom" news about Brexit's potential fallout alone may contribute to an
economic slowdown as companies hire fewer people and consumers spend less money.
In particular, slowed growth in Britain would translate to contraction in Ireland, since exports of goods to
the United Kingdom account for nearly one-third of Ireland’s total output. The flow of Irish labor to the
United Kingdom might be curbed, which would in turn exert pressure
on Irish wages as more people compete for fewer jobs.
Michael R. Bloomberg, former mayor of New York City and founder of
Bloomberg News, pointed out the EU could penalize Britain, imposing
harsh limitations, to deter other member states from following its
example.Capital Economics, a research consultancy, stated that
Britain’s exit could result in “looser monetary conditions” around the
world. According to the firm, Britain’s exit could prolong the ECB’s
bond buying program and even increase its size. “The Bank of England
is likely to keep interest rates low for longer and, if necessary, may
even announce further policy easing,” an analyst at the firm wrote in a
note, adding that the European Central Bank (ECB)’s purchase
program could potentially increase in size in the future.
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The pound could continue to take a pounding. If Britain can no longer rely on continental Europe for
barrier-free trade and mobility, there is a strong chance that capital will leave the country to avoid getting
stuck there. In other words, investors may sell pounds (or pound-denominated assets) to purchase those
denominated in dollars, euros, or francs. A sharp fall could last for longer than anticipated as politicians
and deal makers try to establish new trade agreements and economic pacts that can take many months or
even years to ratify.
Furthermore, if the domestic economy of the U.K. does slip into recession, it will keep the Bank of England
(BoE) from raising interest rates to protect the currency, further compounding the problem.

Q11. What does the author mean by the phrase “doom and gloom” in the context of the passage?
(a) Optimistic situation
(b) A situation that is pessimistic or despondent
(c) Vivacious situation
(d) Both (a) and (c)
(e) None of these.

Q12. What will be the future impact of Brexit on British citizens?

(A) There would be economic slowdown that might lead to fewer jobs, lower pays and higher
unemployment rates.
(B) Fewer exports and foreign investments.
(C) It would lead to better monetary conditions around the country.
(a) Only (A) is true
(b) Only (B) is true
(c) Both (B) and (C) are true
(d) Both (A) and (B) are true
(e) All are true.

Q13. Which of the following sentences is NOT TRUE in the context of the passage?
(a) The divergence is ultimately a roadblock that El-Erian argued could be removed if the U.K. simply left.
(b) The flow of Irish labor to the United Kingdom might be curbed, which would in turn exert pressure on
Irish wages as more people compete for fewer jobs.
(c) Investors may sell pounds to purchase those denominated in dollars, euros, or francs.
(d) The Bank of England is likely to keep interest rates low for longer and, if necessary, may even announce
further policy easing.
(e) All are true.

Q14. How does Brexit affect Ireland?

(a) The flow of Irish labor to the United Kingdom might be curbed, which would in turn exert pressure on
Irish wages as more people compete for fewer jobs.
(B) The Irish investors would not invest in U.K.
(c) Domestic economy of the Ireland would slip into recession, it would keep the Bank of Ireland (BoI) from
raising interest rates to protect the currency, further compounding the problem.
(d) Both (a) and (c)
(e) None of these

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Q15. Which of the following is TRUE in context of the passage?
(A) Britain had already opted out of the European Union's monetary
union – meaning that it uses the pound instead of the euro.
(B) Britain’s exit could result in “looser monetary conditions” around
the world.
(C) Home Secretary Theresa May, leader of the Conservative Party,
became Prime Minister of Britain after the resignation of David
Cameron on July 3, 2016.
(a) Only (A) is correct
(b) Only (B) is correct
(c) Both (B) and (C) are correct
(d) Both (A) and (B) are correct
(e) All are correct

Q16. Which of the following words means nearly the same to the word PROLONG as used in the passage?
(a) Abbreviate
(b) Expedite
(c) Halt
(d) Advance
(e) Protract

Directions (17-19): There are three sentences given in each question. Find the sentence(s) which
is/are grammatically correct and mark your answer choosing the best possible alternative among
the five options given below each question. If all the sentences are correct, choose (e) as your
answer.

Q17. (i) The last project of the company was equally as successful as the first project.
(ii) The English teacher said that we should work regularly if we wanted to improve our English.
(iii) Both of them have not turned up in this court.
(a) Only (i) is correct
(b) Only (iii) is correct
(c) Both (i) and (ii) are correct
(d) Both (ii) and (iii) are correct
(e) All are correct

Q18. (i) He put his sign at the foot of the letter and posted it without delay.
(ii) The reason why most of the people commit crime is because they have not been properly educated.
(iii) I took a day’s leave to attend a dear departed friend’s funeral service which was to be conducted by
his family priest.
(a) Only (i) is correct
(b) Both (i) and (ii) are correct
(c) Both (ii) and (iii) are correct
(d) None is correct
(e) All are correct

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Q19. (i) No sooner we entered than he got up and left the room.
(ii) It being a fine day, we went out for a picnic at Okhla.
(iii) Yesterday I met an old friend when I was going to the market.
(a) Only (iii) is correct
(b) Both (i) and (ii) are correct
(c) Both (ii) and (iii) are correct
(d) None is correct
(e) All are correct

Direction (20): The sentences given in each of the following questions, when properly sequenced,
form a coherent paragraph. Each sentence is labeled with a letter. From among the five choices
given below each question, choose the most logical order of sentences that construct a coherent
paragraph.

Q20. (A) In the U.S., in November, a court ordered a popular cryptocurrency platform to hand over
information related to 14,000 accounts to the Internal Revenue Service, undermining the anonymity the
digital currencies offer.
(B) Global tech firms such as IBM are developing their own cryptocurrency platforms to speed up cross-
border transactions in a secure and transparent manner.
(C) The use value of cryptocurrencies — both as a medium of exchange and as a store of value — is still
being explored.
(D) In all this, India must be careful to differentiate between cryptocurrencies and the blockchain
technology they are based on.
(E) South Korea, where bitcoin became something of a craze, recently proposed legislation to either heavily
regulate exchanges or ban them.
(F) At the same time, countries like South Korea and the U.S. are intensifying regulatory scrutiny of the
market.
(a) CBFEAD
(b) BDCEAF
(c) DBCAEF
(d) FBEDAC
(e) ABDECF

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