CLOZE TEST HANDOUT-2

(TIER-I)
Direction: In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage
carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
PASSAGE-1
Our beautiful ecosystem is being systematically (1)______ by industrial pollution
channelled into rivers like the Ganga and the Yamuna, nuclear wastes from atomic plants
routed into the world's oceans, and (2)______ gases such as carbon dioxide mixed with the
ozonosphere. Besides, tropical rainforests and green pastures are disappearing (3)______
the pressure of a proliferating population. Dams are being (4)______ over the rivers like the
Narmada to change nature's well-balanced surface equations between flora and fauna, and
sloping mountainous terrain is being converted into mini oceans to supply electricity to the
ever-starving industrial stomach of our age. Elephants, tigers, the wild rhinos of South
Africa and many other forest creatures have become (5)______ species.
[SSC CGL TIER-I 2022]
1. (a) Damaged (b) Designed (c) Oriented (d) Glorified
2. (a) Useful (b) Poisonous (c) Hygienic (d) Nuclear
3. (a) On (b) To (c) Under (d) In
Direction: In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage
carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
PASSAGE-1
Our beautiful ecosystem is being systematically (1)______ by industrial pollution
channelled into rivers like the Ganga and the Yamuna, nuclear wastes from atomic plants
routed into the world's oceans, and (2)______ gases such as carbon dioxide mixed with the
ozonosphere. Besides, tropical rainforests and green pastures are disappearing (3)______
the pressure of a proliferating population. Dams are being (4)______ over the rivers like the
Narmada to change nature's well-balanced surface equations between flora and fauna, and
sloping mountainous terrain is being converted into mini oceans to supply electricity to the
ever-starving industrial stomach of our age. Elephants, tigers, the wild rhinos of South
Africa and many other forest creatures have become (5)______ species.
[SSC CGL TIER-I 2022]
4. (a) Built (b) Detected (c) Associated (d) Validated
5. (a) Endangered (b) Specified (c) Accumulated (d) Granted
PASSAGE-2
Music can improve mood, decrease pain and anxiety, and facilitate opportunities for
emotional expression. Research (1)______ that music can benefit our physical and mental
health in numerous ways. Music can (2)______ the brain's production of the hormone
dopamine. This increased dopamine production helps (3)______ feelings of anxiety and
depression. Music is processed directly by the amygdala, which is the part of the brain
(4)______ in mood and emotions. By reducing stress levels and providing a strong
competing stimulus to the pain (5)______that enter the brain, music therapy can assist in
pain management. [SSC CGL TIER-I 2022]
1. (a) Focuses (b) Dreams (c) Suggests (d) Interprets
2. (a) Boost (b) Provide (c) Furnish (d) Exhaust
3. (a) Amend (b) Enhance (c) Intensify (d) Relieve
4. (a) Obsessed (b) Accompanied (c) Involved (d) Concerned
5. (a) Deform (b) Deter (c) Substance (d) Signals
PASSAGE-3
‘’Everything in Bhutan is chemical-free, all fruits and vegetables are (1)____ organically, so
whatever you buy is (2)____ farm produced as the (3)____ of the population indulge in
farming for (4)___ says my taxi driver Karma Chime. “We use turmeric on wounds, also to
dye (5)___ and it is added extensively in our cooking. Also, many believe it is anti-cancer
and can treat tumours. [SSC CGL TIER-I 2020]

1. (a) Grown (b) Grow (c) Grows (d) Grew

2. (a) Locally (b) Nearby (c) Closely (d) Nearly

3. (a) Common (b) Mass (c) Majority (d) Community

4. (a) Nutrition (b) Sustenance (c) Conservation (d) Provision

5. (a) Covering (b) Attires (c) Fashions (d) Garments

PASSAGE-4
Social media can have (1)___ effects on mental health, with studies suggesting that
excessive use can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. To combat these
negative effects, experts recommend setting (2)___ for social media use. Other strategies
include (3)___ with friends and family in person, engaging in hobbies or physical activity,
and seeking professional (4)___ if necessary. As such, it’s important to be (5)___ of its
potential drawbacks and take steps to use it in a healthy and balanced way. [SSC CGL-2023]

1. (a) Positive (b) Desirous (c) Delirious (d) Detrimental

2. (a) Standards (b) Goals (c) Principles (d) Rules

3. (a) Entrusting (b) Cooperating (c) Involving (d) Interacting

4. (a) Concern (b) Information (c) Advise (d) Guidance

5. (a) Sceptical (b) Ignorant (c) Cognizant (d) Indifferent

PASSAGE-5
Almost everyone in the present world is familiar with the term ‘Global Warming’. It (1)___
to the gradual rise in the overall temperature of the atmosphere (2)___ the planet Earth. It
is true that there are (3)___activities taking place which have been increasing the
temperature (4)___. The first impact of global warming is melting of (5)___in a rapid way.
This is extremely harmful to the earth as well as to its inhabitants.
[SSC CGL TIER-I 2020]

1. (a) Means (b) Refers (c) Seems (d) Connects

2. (a) On (b) In (c) Of (d) At

3. (a) Useful (b) Several (c) Sudden (d) Separate

4. (a) Gradually (b) Properly (c) Purposely (d) Frequently

5. (a) Glaciers (b) Rivers (c) Lakes (d) Mountains

PASSAGE-6
Since the 17th century, manure has been utilised in agriculture. In those days, they didn’t know
how plants got the (1)_____ they needed. They would toss wood debris, fish remains and other
sideeffects in an unfilled land to dispose of them. However, it wasn’t long before people began to
notice that the grass, bushes and shrubs there were beginning to (2)_____. They came to the
conclusion that the soil supplied the plants with the nutrients they needed, and that organic
remains could aid in this process. Because manure is (3)______ from animals and plants, it not only
provides a wide range of plant nutrients but also improves the structure of the soil. Farmers
gradually began using fertilisers as well because they understood that if their farmlands were
treated in a similar manner, the growth of their crops would also improve. It bonds the soil particles
together to form soil crumbs, which are necessary for cultivating soil. Additionally, the addition of
manure to the soil aids in the prevention of soil erosion and the loss of plant nutrients during
precipitation. Commercial fertilisers, in contrast to manure, are inorganic (4)______ that do not
alter the structure of the soil. Their function is to provide the sprouting plants with additional
nutrients. A farmer ought to know when and how to apply a particular kind of fertiliser. When the
plants require a particular nutrient the most, use it. If fertilisers haven’t been added correctly to the
soil, their roots won’t be able to take in a lot. Rainwater could wash away these fertilisers, or they
could end up (5)_____ the plants instead, costing the farmer money. [SSC CGL-2023]
1. (a) Ingredients (b) Items (c) Nutrients (d) Maintenance

2. (a) Tend (B) Cherish (c) Flourish (d) Raise

3. (a) Extracted (b) Constructed (c) Derived (d) Build

4. (a) Compositions (b) Contents (c) Substances (d) Essences

5. (a) Harming (b) Replicating (c) Hurting (d) Wounding

PASSAGE-7
The modern world (1)______ around technology. It has advanced dramatically in the
beyond twenty years and presently, we can’t envision a world without PCs and cell phones.
The last century saw fast progressions in innovation and science which were unfathomable
previously. The internet is perhaps the most significant of these. Today, it is no longer a
science fiction concept to communicate with people anywhere in the world. While smart
phones keep us constantly connected to the virtual world, wireless internet has eliminated
the need to use a physical wire to connect with this world. Today, we rely on the internet to
pay our bills, book tickets, travel and conduct banking transactions. Li-Fi, a new technology
that uses light signals to (2)______ data and reduces external interference, is currently in
development. On the other hand, such rapid progress comes with some (3)______ .
Another sort of wrongdoing, known as digital wrongdoing, is the greatest danger to
security today. WannaCry was one of the biggest recent cyberattacks.
PASSAGE-7
It infected more than 230,000 computers in over 150 countries and threatened to erase
valuable data unless ransom payments were made. Personal and (4)_______ data continue
to be stolen frequently, and our country’s cyber security is still lacking. It’s also possible to
say that people miss out on important experiences in the real world because they spend so
much time in the virtual world. The distinction between the real and online worlds
sometimes appears to blur, especially as social media grows in popularity. For instance, the
internet was said to have become so addictive in China that programs were established to
help people get off of it. However, technology’s benefits (5)_______ its drawbacks. It all
comes down to what we do with it. One thing to keep in mind is that technology can serve
us well but not completely.
[CGL-2023]
1. (a) Rotates (b) Revolves (c) Circles (d) Squares

2. (a) Disturb (b) Transmit (c) Communicate (d) Lay

3. (a) Hitch (b) Drawbacks (c) Liabilities (d) Snag

4. (a) Secret (b) Regular (c) Confidential (d) Common

5. (a) Insides (b) Balances (c) Shadows (d) Outweigh

PASSAGE-8
Adventure sports play an important role in shaping and developing the personality of
(1)______ individual. They involve great physical and mental (2) ______ along with
discipline and decision making. Participation in adventure sports (3)_______ the
confidence level, strength, stamina and fitness. Besides, (4)______ sports also teach one to
work in unity and improve social interaction along with group (5) ______ and leadership.
[SSC CHSL 2020]

1. (a) Many (b) An (c) Some (d) One

2. (a) Endure (b) Enduring (c) Endured (d) Endurance

3. (a) Enhances (b) Decreases (c) Values (d) Grows

4. (A) This (b) Those (c) That (d) These

5. (a) Games (b) Dynamics (c) Actions (d) Feelings

PASSAGE-9
The ongoing fight for social justice and equality continues to be a significant global (1)____.
Movements advocating for racial, gender and LGBTQ+ equality, as well as addressing
systemic discrimination and injustice, have (2)____ momentum in recent years. People are
increasingly recognising the importance of dismantling structures that (3)____ inequality
and fostering inclusivity in all aspects of society. Calls for justice, representation and equal
opportunities have sparked conversations and initiatives aimed at creating a more
equitable world. It is crucial to (4)_____ in meaningful dialogue, challenge biases and
actively promote diversity and to build a society where everyone has equal rights and
opportunities. [SSC CGL TIER-II 2023]
1. (a) Drift (b) Divergence (c) Focus (d) Dispersion
2. (a) Scattered (b) Invoked (c) Gained (d) Provided
3. (a) Perpetuate (b) Refract (c) Cease (d) Terminate
4. (a) Coincide (b) Manifest (c) Engage (d) Evolve
PASSAGE-10
The most powerful and the most perfect (1)____ of thought and feeling through the
medium of oral language must be traced to the mastery of words. (2)____ is better suited
to lead speakers and readers (3)____ English into an easy control of this language than the
command of the phrase that perfectly expresses the thought. Every speaker’s aim is to be
heard and (4)____. A clear, crisp (5)____ holds an audience as by the spell of some
irresistible power. [ SSC CGL TIER-II 2017]

1. (a) express (b) expressive (c) expressings (d) expression

2. (a) no (b) not (c) none (d) nothing

3. (a) for (b) of (c) from (d) at

4. (a) understand (b) understandable (c) understood (d) understandably

5. (a) articulate (b) articulates (c) articulations (d) articulation

PASSAGE-11
Girls have been the (1)_____ of many crimes in India for years. The most fearful crime was
female foeticide,in which girls were killed in the (2)____ of the mother after sex
determination through ultrasound. ‘Save the Girl Child’ (3)_____ has been launched by the
government to end genderselective abortions of female foetuses as well as other crimes
(4)___ the girl child.
[CHSL TIER-II 2023]

1. (a) Victors (b) Scapegoats (c) Sites (d) Victims

2. (a) Kidney (b) Womb (c) Intestine (d) Liver

3. (a) Campfire (b) Enterprise (c) Undertaking (d) Campaign

4. (a) Across (b) Through (c) For (d) Against

PASSAGE-12
Each child deserves love and care. The child who is (1)____ for what he is even if he is slow
or (2)____ will grow with confidence in himself. He will (3)____ the ability to make the best
use of the (4)____ which come his way and make light of any (5)____ that may pose
difficulties in his path.
[ SSC CHSL 2018]

1. (a) Appreciated (b) Thanked (c) Rebuked (d) Jeered

2. (a) Clumsy (b) Capable (c) Clever (d) Courteous

3. (a) Maintain (b) Develop (c) Conceal (d) Consider

4. (a) Opportunities (b) Dreams (c) Favours (d) Threats

5. (a) Consequences (b) Intrusions (c) Prohibitions (d) Handicaps

PASSAGE-13
Drug addiction is the continued use of a particular drug (1)____ harmful consequences.
Drug addiction not only affects an individual’s health and relationship, but also (2)____ the
society and the environment. Prevention of a particular list of drugs can be possible by
(3)____ their sale without a prescription. Drug addicts should be given proper medical
treatment and (4)____ facilities. Motivational and awareness camps should be organized to
scale down the consumption (5)____ drugs. [SSC CGL TIER-I 2019]

1. (a) Despite of (b) Though (c) Inspite (d) Despite

2. (a) Imparts (b) Impacts (c) Reflects (d) Reduces

3. (a) Conducting (b) Restricting (c) Performing (d) Promoting

4. (a) Regeneration (b) Resignation (c) Rehabilitation (d) Regression

5. (a) For (b) Of (c) From (d) By

PASSAGE-14
Increasing levels of air pollution are (1)____ for higher incidence of respiratory diseases
and other illnesses. Various studies carried out in Delhi reflect the correlation between air
pollution and its (2)_____ impacts. To tackle the problem of air pollution, a number of
measures have been taken in the past, such as switching to (3)____ fuels, tightening
vehicular emission limits, phasing out of old vehicles and maintenance of in-use vehicles,
closing or relocating (4)____ industries, plantation activities etc. However, a lot more still
needs to be done if the capital desires to (5)______ clean air. [SSC CHSL TIER-I 2020]
1. (a) Responsive (b) Responsible (c) Responsibility (d) Responding

2. (a) Rough (b) Long (c) Health (d) Illness

3. (a) Guiltless (b) Righteous (c) Immaculate (d) Cleaner

4. (a) Pollution (b) Pollute (c) Polluting (d) Polluted

5. (a) Breathes (b) Breather (c) Breathe (d) Breathed

PASSAGE-15
There were other stories (1)_____ Krishna. How (2)______ been born in a dungeon where his uncle
Kamsa had imprisoned his parents with the intention of killing him at birth. How, in spite of the
many prison guards, he had been miraculously spirited (3)______ to safety in Gokul. How, in
infancy, he killed a (4)_____ who tried to poison him with her breast milk. How he lifted up Mount
Govardhan to shelter his people from a (5)______ that would have drowned them.
[ SSC CGL TIER-II 2022]

1. (a) Belonging to (b) With respect (c) Upon (d) About

2. (a) He has (b) He had (c) He have (d) He was

3. (a) Together (b) Gone (c) Away (d) Around

4. (a) Satan (b) God (c) Demon (d) Demoness

5. (a) Earthquake (b) Drought (c) Deluge (d) Snowfall

PASSAGE-16
The Amazon is the world’s largest tropical rainforest. It is (1)____the size of the continent
of Australia and covers (2)____ area of nearly 8 million square miles. The Amazon
rainforest gets its life from the (3)____ Amazon River which runs through the heart (4)___
the region. The rainforest is simply the drained basin for the river and its (5)___. The vast
forest consists of four layers, each featuring its own ecosystems and specially adapted
plants and animals. [SSC CPO-2020]

1. (a) specially (b) similarly (c) roughly (d) totally

2. (a) an (b)a (c) some (d) one

3. (a) magnetic (b) majestic (c) major (d) minor

4. (a) on (b)at (c)in (d) of

5. (a) rainforests (b) tributaries (c) tributes (d) continents

PASSAGE-17
The Matryoshka doll is also called the Russian nesting doll. It is a set (1)______ wooden
dolls decreasing in size and (2)______ inside one another. The first such set (3)______ in
1890. The figures inside may be of (4)______ gender. The smallest doll is the baby, made
from (5)______ single piece of wood.
[SSC CGL TIER-I 2020]

1. (a) By (b) Of (c) For (d) In

2. (a) Situated (b) Occupied (c) Located (d) Placed

3. (a) Made (b) Is made (c) Was made (d) Has been made

4. (a) Some (b) Every (c) Either (d) Neither

5. (a) Each (b) A (c) An (d) The

PASSAGE-18
He looks out of the window at the (1)____ snow, then turns and takes his wife in his arms,
feeling grateful to be here even as he wonders what he is going to do with his life in strictly
practical terms. For years, he had (2)____ himself to do one thing, and he did it well, but he
doesn't know whether he wants to keep doing it for the rest of his life, for that matter,
whether anyone will let him. He is still worrying when they go to bed. They've been
learning to get by with less, and they'll keep learning. It seems to him as if they're taking a
course in loss lately. And as he feels himself falling asleep he has an (3)_____ he believes is
important, which he hopes he will remember in the morning, although it is one of those
thoughts that seldom (4)_____ translation to the language of daylight hours.
[CHSL TIER-II 2023]
1. (a) Falling (b) Dashing (c) Praying (d) Blazing
2. (a) Trained (b) Mesmerised (c) Penalised (d) Abstained
3. (a) Insight (b) Implication (c) Insurance (d) Instance
4. (a) Proliferate (b) Survive (c) Install (d) Fabricate
PASSAGE-19
The Sun is the star at the center of (1)____ Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot
plasma. The Sun has inspired us since ancient times. It’s central to mythology and religion
in (2) ____ around the world. It keeps our planet warm enough for living things to grow. It
gives us light so we can see. It is by far the most important (3) ____ of energy for life on
Earth. It is about a hundred times as wide (4)____ the Earth. If there were no sun, many
things wouldn’t occur like photosynthesis or the presence of oxygen, which would have
caused no existence of life.
[SSC CGL TIER-II 2022]

1. (a) Huge (b) Typical (c) A (d) The

2. (a) Scenes (b) Processes (c) Cultures (d) Types

3. (a) Control (b) Gesture (c) Source (d) Symbol

4. (a) Like (b) As (c) Than (d) About

PASSAGE-20
The Maasais live in (1)____ very beautiful part of Africa. They live on the wide plains in
southern and northern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The area (2)____ of miles of rolling
grass land, on which you can find thorny bushes and rocky hills. The people move from one
place to another according to the seasons, looking for grasses and other plants (3)____
which their cattle can graze. They have no permanent home. When they want to settle in a
place for some time, they build a kind of camp called a ‘Manyatta’, where a few families
live for a (4)____ weeks or months. Then they move on again, taking their few belongings
with them, and burning the old ‘Manyatta’ to the ground. [SSC CGL TIER-II 2022]

1. (a) That (b) A (c) Their (d) Some

2. (A) Consists (b) Surrounds (c) Measures (d) Considers

3. (a) With (b) At (c) On (d) By

4. (a) Little (b) Least (c) Few (d) Significant