Civil Services (Main)

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Examination-2025 SLPM-G-ENG

Time Allowed : Three Hours

ENGLISH

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(Compulsory)

Маximum Marks: 300

Question Paper Specific Instructions

Please read each of the following instructions carefully before attempting questions :

All questions are to be attempted.

The number of marks carried by a question is indicated against it.

Answers must be written in ENGLISH only.

Word limit in questions, wherever specified, should be adhered to and if answered in much longer

or shorter than the prescribed length, marks will be deducted.

Any page or portion of the page left blank in the Question-cum-Answer Booklet must be clearly

struck off.

Q1. Write an essay in about 600 words on any one of the following topics: 100

(a) The raw material of cinema is life

(b) No man is an island

(c) Eating habits and lifestyle in Contemporary India

(d) Folklore as a knowledge system

Q2. Read carefully the passage giyen below and write your answers to

the questions that follow in clear, correct and concise language. 15×5=75

In proportion as a book is more loosely constructed, the paragraphs

tend to become more diffuse. You often have to search through all the

paragraphs of a chapter to find the sentences you can construct into a

statement of a single argument. Some books make you search in vain, and

some do not even encourage the search.

A good book usually summarizes itself as its arguments develop. If the

author summarizes his arguments for you at the end of a chapter, or at the

end of an elaborate section, you should be able to look back over the preceding

pages and find the materials he has brought together in the summary. In

The Origin of Species, Darwin summarizes his whole argument for the reader

in a last chapter, entitled "Recapitulation and Conclusion." The reader who

has worked through the book deserves that help. The one who has not cannot

use it.

Incidentally, if you have inspected the book well before beginning to

read it analytically, you will know whether the summary passages exist and if

they do, where they are. You can then make the best possible use of them

when interpreting the book.

Another sign of a bad or loosely constructed book is the omission of

steps in an argument. Sometimes they can be omitted without damage or

inconvenience, because the propositions left out can be generally supplied

from the common knowledge of readers. But sometimes their omission is

misleading, and may even be intended to mislead. One of the most familiar

tricks of the orator or propagandist is to leave certain things unsaid, things

that are highly relevant to the argument, but that might be challenged if they

were made explicit. While we do not expect such devices in an honest author

whose aim is to instruct us, it is nevertheless a sound maxim of careful

reading to make every step in an argument explicit.

Whatever kind of book it is, your obligation as a reader remains the

same. If the book contains arguments, you must know what they are, and be

able to put them into a nutshell. Any good argument can be put into a

nutshell. There are, of course, arguments built upon arguments. In the course

of an elaborate analysis, one thing may be proved in order to prove another,

and this may be used in turn to make a still further point. The units of

reasoning, however, are single arguments. If you can find these in any book

you are reading, you are not likely to miss the larger sequences.

This is all very well to say, you may object, but unless one knows the

structure of arguments as a logician does, how can one be expected to find

them in a book, or worse, to construct them when the author does not state

them compactly in a single paragraph?

The answer is that it must be obvious that you do not have to know

about arguments "as a logician does." There are relatively few logicians in the

world, for better or for worse. Most of the books that convey knowledge and

can instruct us contain arguments. They are intended for the general reader,

not for specialists in logic.

No great logical competence is needed to read these books. To repeat

what we said before, the nature of the human mind is such that if it works at

all during the process of reading, if it comes to terms with the author and

reaches his propositions, it will see his arguments as well.

There are, however, a few things we can say that may be helpful to you

in carrying out this rule of reading. In the first place, remember that every

argument must involve a number of statements. Of these, some give the

reasons why you should accept a conclusion the author is proposing. If you

find the conclusion first, then look for the reasons. If you find the reasons

first, see where they lead.

In the second place, discriminate between the kind of argument that

points to one or more particular facts as evidence for some generalization and

the kind that offers a series of general statements to prove some further

generalizations. The former kind of reasoning is usually referred to as

inductive, the latter as deductive; but the names are not what is important.

What is important is the ability to discriminate between the two.

In the literature of science, this distinction is observed whenever the

difference is emphasized between the proof of a proposition by reasoning and

its establishment by experiment. Galileo, in his Two New Sciences, speaks of

illustrating by experiment conclusions that have already been reached by

mathematical demonstration. And in a concluding chapter of his book

On the Motion of the Heart, the great physiologist William Harvey writes: "It

has been shown by reason and experiment that blood by the beat of the

ventricles flows through the lungs and heart and is pumped to the whole

body." Sometimes it is possible to support a proposition both by reasoning

from other general truths and by offering experimental evidence. Sometimes

only one method of argument is available.

In the third place, observe what things the author says he must

assume, what he says can be proved or otherwise evidenced, and what need

not be proved because it is self-evident. He may honestly try to tell you what

all his assumptions are, or he may just as honestly leave you to find them out

for yourself. Obviously, not everything can be proved, just as not everything

can be defined. If every proposition had to be proved, there would be no

beginning to any proof. Such things as axioms and assumptions or postulates

are needed for the proof of other propositions. If these other propositions are

proved, they can, of course, be used as premises in further proofs.

Every line of argument, in other words, must start somewhere.

Basically, there are two ways or places in which it can start: with

assumptions agreed on between writer and reader, or with what are called

self-evident propositions, which neither the writer nor reader can deny. In the

first case, the assumptions can be anything, so long as agreement exists. The

second case requires some further comment here.

In recent times, it has become commonplace to refer to self-evident

propositions as "tautologies”; the feeling behind the term is sometimes one of

contempt for the trivial, or a suspicion of legerdemain. Rabbits are being

pulled out of a hat. You put the truth in by defining your words, and then pull

it out as if you were surprised to find it there. That, however, is not always

the case.

For example, there is a considerable difference between a proposition

such as "a father of a father is a grandfather," and a proposition such as "the

whole is greater than its parts." The former statement is a tautology; the

proposition is contained in the definition of the words; it only thinly conceals

the verbal stipulation, "Let us call the parent of a parent a 'grandparent'." But

that is far from being the case with the second proposition.

(a) What are the observations of the essayist on books in the passage? 15

(b) Enumerate the points of comparison between a writer and a logician, as

proposed in the passage. 15

(c) What are the helpful rules of reading discussed in the essay? 15

(d) What does the essayist mean by the phrase 'self-evident propositions'? 15

(e) According to the essay, what are 'tautologies'? 15

Q3. Make a precis of the following passage in about one-third of its

length. Do not give or suggest a title to it. The precis should be

written in your own words. 75

Every individual soul is an undeveloped entity, which though not

wholly emancipated from the animal instincts, is yet capable of transmuting

them. By a willing acceptance of the commanding claims of spirit and

discipline of our nature into conformity with its law, we achieve growth: A

redirection of interest and re-education of the unconscious mind alone can

transform us from carnal-mindedness into spiritual-mindedness. It means

restraint and discipline. There is real temptation, genuine struggle involved

in every transcendence of the natural man. But this transcendence is the

condition of the fulfilment of personality. Though the effort is costly, the

reward is great. This transcendence is a phenomenon common to all progress.

From the pursuit of its prey by the amoeba to the spiritual struggles of the

striving soul, we have a continuously graded series of purposive efforts. We

choose the goal everywhere and adapt the means. Only at the human level we

can do so consciously and deliberately.

Man is neither the slave of circumstances nor the blind sport of the

gods. The impulse to perfection working in the universe has become

self-conscious in him. Progress happened in the subhuman world; it is willed

in the human. Conscious purpose takes the place of unconscious variations.

Man alone has the unrest consequent on the conflict between what he is and

what he can be. He is distinguished from other creatures by his seeking after

a rule of life, a principle of progress.

It is by transforming ourselves that we shall be able to transform the

world. The soul of all improvement, it has been rightly said, is the

improvement of the soul. We need not leave the building of the new

civilization to luck - it is a matter for cunning also. There is a good deal to be

done yet. The world is unfinished in several respects. It lies with us to retard

or hasten the progress. The lesson of evolution is clear. Life does not work

according to any set programme, reaching satisfying climaxes in the progress.

It wanders, hesitates, sometimes breaks off abruptly, and often returns upon

itself. The processes of nature are by no means economical. The history of the

past tells us that, if we choose wrongly, we shall sooner or later be eliminated.

Each of us can participate in the process of creating a better world, by

understanding the purpose of the universe and identifying ourselves with it.

Every individual is a unique entity possessing specific features and capable of

contributing a distinctive good to the world. Self-finding is the essence of all

perfection. By seeing life steadily and whole, we find our place in it. Each

human individual is an association of qualities and functions whose focus can

be variously situated and according as this centre is higher or lower, the

person's character is superficial or deep. Whatever be the empirical

foundations, the choice of the centre redeems them. It is by means of

reflection and meditation that we seek a centre which can unify our nature,

realize our specific place in the universe, and acquire the strength to play our

parts, however humble and however arduous they may be. Hence the

necessity for quiet contemplation and solitude.

Moral life is one of significance and social value. Mere instinctive

reaction or impulsive activity is not moral conduct which must embody an

idea or be significant. Crude materials of human nature must be shaped to

spiritual ends. It is the form given to the material that matters. All

expressions of human life are significant and every one of them is judged by

its meaning and purpose. We cannot have any one conventional type or

pattern. Each man sees the world from a different angle from that of his

fellow. Whatever ideal we choose, we must recognize its nature and believe in

its possibility, devise a plan of action, and with suffering and self-sacrificing

ardour strive to realize it. Besides, the line of conduct to be moral must

contribute to social preservation and harmony, which the progress of

evolution aims at. Any line of conduct which is destructive of the human race

or promotes discord cannot be regarded as moral. Moral life requires us to

respect the dignity of every individual. It is the enrichment of life that comes

from the recognition of others and adaptation to them.

Uniqueness is a quality which all of us share. The goal of the world

process is a harmonious unity in which each individual finds his specific

realization.

The law of moral progress may best be expressed as one of acceptance

and adventure. When we take up the individual unit, we find that there are

so many passions and impulses as the raw material of human nature. Any

ethical code, which calls upon us to repudiate this given endowment and

destroy it, is not a satisfactory one. The given has to be accepted and on the

basis of it we have to build higher. Man is never satisfied with mere

acceptance or adjustment. There is an urge in his breast that makes him

forward and upward. The ultimate aim of life is not simply to maintain but to

elevate the place.

(863 words)

Q4. (a) Rewrite the following sentences after making the necessary

corrections. Do not make unnecessary changes in the original

sentence.                                                                                         1×10=10

(i) Meera have a phone that cannot fit into the pocket of her jacket.

(ii) Despite the heavy rains yesterday, the children was able to reach

the school on time.

(iii) May I have another form!

(iv) I catch them taking flowers from my garden yesterday.

(v( The location of the film alternates from Mumbai and Chennai.

(vi) We cannot put of taking a decision any longer.

(vii) He is a honourable man.

(viii) Sameer had food poisoning and had to had his stomach pumped.

(ix) The local council is doing everything to help solved the water

problem.

(x) What have you did to the laptop?

(b) Supply the missing words: 1x5=5

(i) He was the best player the pitch in the first half of

the match.

(ii) She broke the window to climb it.

(iii) We got the train just in time.

(iv) They cycled India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari.

(v) I stopped the shop on the way home.

(c) Use the correct form of the verb given in the brackets: lo    1x5=5

(i) The storm a lot of damage to the standing crops. (do)

(ii) She an hour ago. (leave)

(iii) The crowd _ growing restless as the delay prolonged. (is)

(iv) He that the grass needed to be cut. (say)

(v) As I walked through the gates the dog

towards me. (come) running

(d) Write the antonyms of the following: 1x5=5

(i) Feeble

(ii) Scarce1

(iii) Query

(iv) Captivity

(v) Despair

Q5. (a) Rewrite the following sentences as directed without changing

the meaning: 1×10=10

(i) Ram cannot swim, ? (Add a question tag)

(ii) Defend the status quo. Rethink the status quo.

(Combine the sentences using 'either-or')

(iii) Scarcely had the police gone, than a thief entered the house.

(Remove 'than' and put 'when')

(iv) My heart is much full of words.

(Rewrite the sentence using 'too')

(v) One of the Professors recommended us to do this at the University.

(Change into Passive Voice)

(vi) He may be innocent. I do not know.

(Combine the sentences using 'whether')

(vii) It was the girl's idea to protest.

(Change from singular to plural form)

(viii) She said, 'I have passed the examination.'

(Change into Indirect Speech)

(ix) It all happened quickly. We hardly noticed it.

(Combine the sentences using 'so')

(x) I cannot see. It is very dark.

(Combine the sentences using 'for')

(b) Use the following words to make sentences that bring out the

meaning clearly. Do not change the form of the words. (No

marks will be given for vague and ambiguous sentences) 1x5=5

(i) Cease

(ii) Surreal

(iii) Grim

(iv) Puppet

(v) Image

(c) Choose the appropriate word to fill in the blanks: 1x5=5

(i) He looked very about his success in the examination.

(compliment/complacent)

(ii) Car crashes are in factories. (simulated/stimulated)

(iii) One must not allow the fear of failure to

(inhabit/inhibit)

(iv) She has written a book on the effects of slavery.

(pernicious/pretentious)

He is known for his _ play. (foul/fowl)

(d) Use the following idioms/phrases in sentences of your own to

bring out their meaning clearly: 1x5=5

(i) A piece of cake

(ii) Out of the blue

(iii) Draconian law

(iv) On a razor's edge

(v) The rat race