On a mission

Updated on: Monday, September 20, 2010

The CDSE, which attracts lakhs of applicants every year needs serious preparation. Held twice a year (February and September), CDSE is a written examination comprising three papers –– English, General Knowledge and elementary Mathematics of 100 marks each. CDSE II will admit aspirants for permanent commission to the IMA, Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy for their courses commencing in July next year and to the OTA for its October 2011 batch for a subsequent five-year Short Service Commission.

Speed and accuracy are two keys important to pass this examination. Analysing the past five year’s papers will also help. With the countdown on, it is very important for you to prepare by practising answering mock papers within the time limit. The exam starts at 9 in the morning and ends by 5 in the evening. Here are some mock questions from the General Knowledge and English sections to help you ace this exam.

General Knowledge

1. Prabeer Kumar Basu was appointed as which of the following recently?
(1) CEO of Prasar Bharti
(2) Chief Statistician of India
(3) Deputy Governor of RBI
(4) Agriculture Secretary
(5) Chairman of Law Commission

2. Pran Nath Lekhi, who passed away recently, was known for achievements in which field?
(1) Diplomacy (2) Theatre (3) Banking (4) Journalism (5) Law

3. Where was India’s first ‘International Tourism Police Station’ inaugurated to cater to the needs of domestic and foreign tourists recently?
(1) Goa (2) Delhi (3) Rajasthan
(4) Himachal Pradesh (5) Kerala

4. Which of the following institutions has selected ten journalists for its Inclusive Media Fellowship for rural communities recently?
(1) Institute for Social Engineering
(2) Tata Institute of Social Sciences
(3) Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (4) Institute for Social and Economic Change (5) Centre for Studies in Social Sciences

5. Who among the following Nobel Prize winners in Economics was in news for his recently released book Freefall — Free Markets and the Sinking of the Global Economy?
(1) Paul Krugman (2) Robert Aumann
(3) Joseph E Stiglitz (4) George Akerlof (5) Kenneth Arrow
English

Directions for Questions 1-2
Each of the following items consists of a word in capital letters followed by four words or groups of words. Select the word or group of words that is most
similar in meaning to the word in capital letters.

1. SEDENTARY
(a) poor (b) routine (c) sitting (d) lax

2. EXTROVERT
(a) sociable (b) talkative
(c) trickster (d) selfish

Directions for Questions 3-4
Each of the following items consists of a word in capital letters followed by four words or groups of words. Select the word or group of words that is farthest in meaning to the word in capital letters.

3. BARBAROUS
(a) humble (b) mild
(c) civilised (d) graceful

4. ACQUIT
(a) leave (b) hate
(c) condemn (d) trap

Directions for Questions 5-7
Read the passage below and answer the questions based on the contents of the passage and opinion of the author.

A woman’s role has been circumscribed within a narrow domain where she is in just the lead role of a wife and a mother. Her individuality begs expression. Comparatively no man’s mission is to be a father or a husband alone. Why does society have such double standards? If both sexes share the responsibility of bringing up their children why is the woman alone assigned to play the key role? This leads to an exaggeration of the sentiment and display of feminism. A life, hence, devoid of love seems a failure and deprivation of marriage: a shortcoming. But is the emotion (love) we recall so often, present in all marriages?

5. In what context does the author use the phrase ‘double standards’ in the passage?
(a) Society denying the woman power to dominate.
(b) Society endorsing man’s supremacy in the upbringing of the progeny.
(c) Society making family relations an ‘end’ for the lady and ‘means’ for the man.
(d) Society denying freedom to women in many cases

6. Which of the following is the central theme of the passage?
(a) Discrimination is somewhat prevalent in society
(b) Duality exists in the social scenario for both sexes.
(c) Social laws are unjust for both sexes.
(d) Society considers ‘love’ as a ‘feminine’ sentiment.

7. A woman’s personality remains
(a) altered (b) subordinated
(c) secluded (d) masked

Directions for Questions 8-9
In the following items each passage consists of six sentences. The first sentence (S1) and the final sentence (S6) are given in the beginning. The middle four sentences in each have been removed and jumbled up. These are labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences.

8. S1 : The good thing about India is nothing remains secret for long.
S6 : This is how it has come to be.
P : These are the few saving graces of our democracy.
Q : And thus, some bad and malafide decisions are mercifully thwarted.
R : And then a heated discussion begins.
S : Somehow, word gets out and into the media.
The correct sequence should be:
(a) R S Q P (b) P S R Q
(c) P Q S R (d) S R Q P

9. S1 : Government expenditure on health and education is absolutely vital.
S6 : But the private sector will not engage in these activities
P : Consider the future savings in hospital bills.
Q : It brings enormous benefits to the country.
R : All these are tangible effects.
S : Or the gains from a more productive workforce.

The correct sequence should be:
(a) P S Q R (b) P S R Q
(c) Q P S R (d) Q S P R

Directions for Questions 10-11
The sentences below are underlined in three separate parts and each one is labelled (a), (b) and (c). Select the part that bears an error. If there is no error, mark (d).

10. One should, therefore (a), be careful not to (b) make himself obnoxious to others (c). No error (d)

11. The nine-men committee (a) had a two-hour long (b) deliberation on the disinvestment issue (c). No error (d)

Directions for Questions 12-13
In the following items, some parts of the sentence have been jumbled up. Rearrange these parts and choose the proper sequence.

12. Who is better (P) for the governor’s post (Q) of the two candidates (R) do people think (S)?

The correct sequence should be:
(a) Q S R P (b) P S R Q
(c) P Q S R (d) S P R Q

13. I am to bail him out (P) who wishes (Q) the person (R) of the problem (S).

The correct sequence should be
(a) Q R S P (b) R Q P S
(c) Q R P S (d) P Q R S

Directions for Questions 14-15
You are given four alternative meanings to each of the following idioms/phrases. Choose the most appropriate one.

14. HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD
(a) make tidy
(b) do the right thing
(c) meet by chance
(d) get the logic

15. SIT ON FENCE
(a) remain neutral (b) show contempt
(c) enjoy the surroundings
(d) become fond of

ANSWERS
English
1. (C) 2. (A) 3. (C) 4. (C) 5. (C)
6. (A) 7. (C) 8. (D) 9. (C) 10. (C)
11. (A) 12. (B) 13. (B) 14. (B) 15. (A)

On a mission

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