LIC ASSISTANT SOLVED PAPER

LIC ASSISTANT SOLVED PAPER

Directions—(Q. 1 to 10) Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words/phrases are printed in bold to help you to locate them while answering some of the questions.

Off the coast near Jeddah about six years ago I slipped a pair of flippers onto my feet, put on a face mask and gingerly poked my head beneath the placid surface of the Red Sea. I am not sure, now, exactly what I saw in that first glimpse; shafts of sunlight, probably, slanting off through clear blue water; a coral reef of fantastic beauty and, no doubt, many fish. But I do recall that by the time I surfaced I had already developed a need to return to that incredibly lovely world below. So I did. Indeed, it would not be much of an exaggeration to say that except for such periods as were necessary to earn a living, I have rarely been anywhere else. Diving became a passion and then a way of life—one, as you will gather, I totally endorse.

For the first year after that initial experience I amused myself by hunting fish with a spear gun. It was not at all difficult. Fish are so abundant there that divers do not need to use tanks to get down to where the fish are; they find them near the surface. Furthermore, the water of the Red Sea, like the
Caribbean, the South Seas and parts of the Indian Ocean, is so transparent that you can see upto 150 feet away. Thus, all you really need are a mask, a snorkel tube to breathe through, flippers and a spear gun.

Hunting, however, began to pall on me. I began to wonder if it wouldn’t be more interesting—and more sporting—to photograph some of these magnificent creatures rather than kill them. It was certainly an ideal place for underwater photography. In addition to hundreds of species of fish the Red Sea coast offers thousands of miles of what they call ‘fringing reefs’—great barriers of coral 10 to 200 miles wide that wind along the African shore from Egypt to Djibouti and down the Asian shore from Aqaba to the Babal-Mandab at the gate of the Indian Ocean. Although no more than the accumulation of billions of coral polyps—minute creatures that produce a calcareous deposit—the reefs have grown to fantastic sizes, the largest being the 1,200 mile-long Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

1. In what way is the Red Sea SIMILAR to the Caribbean Sea, the South Seas, etc.
(1) Variety of Fish
(2) Fantastic Reefs
(3) Clear and transparent water
(A) 1 only
(B) 2 only
(C) 3 only
(D) All the three
(E) None of these

2. Which of the following changes occurred in the author after the initial period of a year or so ?
(1) He got fed up with hunting
(2) He struck with the idea of shooting the fish with a camera rather than by spear gun
(3) Hunting became more interesting and sporting
(A) 1 only
(B) 2 only
(C) 1 and 3 only
(D) 1 and 2 only
(E) All the three

3. Fishing in the Red Sea off the coast near Jeddah was—
(A) Difficult because the water was transparent
(B) Risky because tanks are needed to spot the fish
(C) Easy because the fish are clearly visible near the surface itself
(D) Cumbersome because of the tools like mask, snorkel tube, flippers, etc.
(E) More difficult than at the Caribbean Sea, the South Sea and the Indian Ocean

4. What are ‘fringing reefs’ ?
(A) Calcareous deposit formation
(B) Collection of fish
(C) Sea-food accumulation
(D) Collection of minute creatures other than fish
(E) None of these

Directions—(Q. 5 to 7) Which of the following is most nearly the SAME in meaning as the word given in bold as used in the passage ?

5. GINGERLY
(A) Cautiously
(B) Recklessly
(C) Clearly
(D) Purposely
(E) Unintentionally

6. MAGNIFICENT
(A) Delicate
(B) Fragile
(C) Obvious
(D) Powerful
(E) Splendid

7. TRANSPARENT
(A) Opaque
(B) Glowing
(C) Dependable
(D) Visible
(E) Dark

Directions—(Q. 8 to 10) Which of the following is most OPPOSITE in meaning of the word given in bold as used in the passage.

8. RECALL
(A) Call up
(B) Recollect
(C) Forget
(D) Invite
(E) Send back

9. MINUTE
(A) Enormous
(B) Tiny
(C) Small
(D) Heavy
(E) Delay

10. FANTASTIC
(A) Incredible
(B) Plausible
(C) Unforgettable
(D) Imaginary
(E) Realistic

Directions—(Q. 11 to 15) In each question a sentence is given with a part printed in bold. That part may contain a grammatical error. Replace that part with the four choices given (A), (B), (C) and (D). If the sentence is correct and no correction is required, mark (E) as the answer.

11. In quick time she got acquainted with the new environment.
(A) In enough time
(B) In small time
(C) On time only
(D) In no time
(E) No correction required

12. The meeting was postponed due to lack of quorum.
(A) Due
(B) Because of
(C) For
(D) Against the
(E) No correction required

13. It was quite clear that the athlete can be able to improve upon his own record.
(A) Will be able to
(B) Should be able
(C) Would be able
(D) Be able
(E) No correction required

14. He has not written any book since his mother had died.
(A) Died
(B) Have died
(C) Has died
(D) Was dead
(E) No correction required

15. It was too cold to go out last evening, so we all stayed at home.
(A) Too cold for going
(B) Very cold to go
(C) Extremely cold for go
(D) So cold that to go
(E) No correction required

Directions—(Q. 16 to 20) Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical error or idiomatic error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. The letter of that part is the answer. If there is no error, the answer is (E).
(Ignore errors of punctuation, if any).

16. Since the online education system (A) / has been poorly designed there (B) / are not many
institute (C) / that offer this facility.(D) No error (E)

17. Unless the new resolution is (A) / completely reviewed it (B) / will cause a great deal of (C) / trouble for new employees. (D) No error (E)

18. After careful scrutiny of the report (A) / variety mistakes that had been (B) / made by the research (C) / department were found. (D) No error (E)

19. His industrious nature (A) /and calm temperament (B) / have endeared him (C)/ to his colleagues and one’s superiors. (D) No error (E)

20. The celebrities that organized (A)/the marathon were aiming (B)/ to create an awareness (C)/ about the treatment of diabetes. (D) No error (E)

Directions—(Q. 21 to 23) Choose the word/phrase which is most nearly the SAME in meaning as the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

21. Incurred
(A) collected
(B) included
(C) spent
(D) experienced
(E) adjusted

22. Prevailing
(A) popular
(B) implemented
(C) existing
(D) persuading
(E) winning

23. Hurdles
(A) bars
(B) defects
(C) rejections
(D) protests
(E) obstacles

Directions—(Q. 24 and 25) Choose the word/phrase which is most OPPOSITE in meaning of the word printed in bold as used in the passage.

24. Vital
(A) practical
(B) voluntary
(C) negative
(D) worthless
(E) minimum

25. Flourishing
(A) drooping
(B) declining
(C) fluctuating
(D) opposing
(E) lacking

Directions—(Q. 26 to 30) In each sentence below, one word has been printed in bold. Below the sentence five words are suggested, one of which can replace the word printed in bold without changing the meaning of the sentence. Find out the appropriate word in each case.

26. The professor requested the Dean to visit his house.
(A) get in
(B) welcome
(C) see
(D) call on
(E) call at

27. She knew that he will not be able to slip past the watchful custom officials.
(A) fall
(B) run
(C) hide
(D) chit
(E) escape

28. At night Romesh complained of severe pain in his stomach.
(A) serious
(B) deep
(C) bad
(D) biting
(E) intense

29. Shivaji always excelled in the use of the sword.
(A) surpassed
(B) speeded
(C) ahead
(D) skilled
(E) defeated

30. You must stay with your son when he is ill.
(A) reside
(B) remain
(C) stop
(D) occupy
(E) rest

Directions—(Q. 31 to 35) In each question below, a sentence is given with a part of it printed in bold type. That part may contain a grammatical error. Each sentence is followed by phrases (A), (B), (C) and (D). Find out which phrase should replace the phrase given in bold to correct the error, if there is any, and to make the sentence grammatically meaningful and correct. If the sentence is correct as it is and no correction is required mark (E) as the answer.

31. Fishing and swimming are two different activities, independence of one another.
(A) independent of the other
(B) independence of the other
(C) independent of each other
(D) interdependence on each other
(E) No correction required

32. An early action on our suggestion, preferably before the elections are announced, will be appreciative.
(A) would be appreciate
(B) would have been appreciate
(C) would have been appreciated
(D) will be appreciated
(E) No correction required

33. He is the man whose advice is difficult in following.
(A) advice is not easy in following
(B) advice is difficult to follow
(C) advice has difficult to follow
(D) advice has difficulty to follow
(E) No correction required

34. He told me that he only had a little money.
(A) tells me that he only has a little
(B) told me that only he has a little
(C) only told me that he has little
(D) told me that he had only a little
(E) No correction required

35. You must ensure that I get my cheque encash before Saturday.
(A) my cheque cashed
(B) cash my cheque
(C) my cheque cash
(D) encash my cheque
(E) No correction required

Directions—(Q. 36 to 40) Pick out the most effective word from the given words to fill in the blank to make the sentence meaningfully complete.

36. He tends to …… to any suggestion I make in meetings.
(A) differ
(B) agree
(C) accept
(D) act
(E) cooperate

37. We were shocked by the young man’s …… for money.
(A) greed
(B) acumen
(C) versatility
(D) projection
(E) indifference

38. Let us cultivate a strong will, a …… mental desire and determination to achieve our ideals.
(A) tall
(B) sure
(C) sardonic
(D) keen
(E) cutting

39. He … children to open their eyes and ears to the beauty of life.
(A) admonished
(B) promised
(C) exhorted
(D) complemented
(E) reprimanded

40. We must work hard towards …… of the underprivileged people of our country.
(A) proliferation
(B) emancipation
(C) contribution
(D) association
(E) unification

Answers
1. (C) 2. (A) 3. (C) 4. (A) 5. (A) 6. (E) 7. (D) 8. (C) 9. (A) 10. (E)
11. (D) 12. (C) 13. (C) 14. (A) 15. (E) 16. (C) 17. (D) 18. (B) 19. (D) 20. (C)
21. (C) 22. (C) 23. (E) 24. (D) 25. (B) 26. (C) 27. (B) 28. (E) 29. (A) 30. (A)
31. (C) 32. (D) 33. (B) 34. (D) 35. (D) 36. (B) 37. (A) 38. (D) 39. (C) 40. (B)