PUNJAB PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
COMBINED COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION (PMS) – 2005
PAPER: ENGLISH – II (SUBJECTIVE)
TIME ALLOWED: TWO HOURS MAXIMUM MARKS: 75
Q.1 Fill in the blanks with appropriate prepositions in any FIVE of the following sentences. (10)
1.This news will make him buck ____ a bit.
2.The sea is gaining ____ the land.
3.The emergency called ____reserves of energy which she possessed.
4.His scheme seemed to have fizzled ____.
5.We must try to eke ____our supply until help comes.
6.He was fiddling ____with the car engine.
7.They egged him ____to fight those other boys.
8. Causalities in Iraq are now tapering ____
Q.2 Rewrite any FIVE of the following sentences after correcting the grammatical error. (15)
1.He behaved cowardly.
2. The car needs painting badly and I must get it done.
3. Passing by the dilapidated house, a brick fell on my shoulder.
4.The vast extent of steppes of central Asia is enormous.
5. To be honest, lies must never be told.
6.They decide for starting on their journey.
7.I have reached only yesterday.
8. Having considered the high level of interests rates, depressed trading conditions are likely to prevail into next year.
Q.3 Construct sentences to distinguish between the meanings of any FIVE of the following pairs of words. (No credit will be given to single correct sentence. (10)
Apprise, Appraise
Ambiguous, Ambivalent
Corals, Chorals
Caret, Carat
Discrete, Discreet
Quartz. Quarts
Serge, Surge
Demean, Demented
Q.4. Use nay Five of the following idiomatic expressions in sentences. (15)
(1) At a premium
(2) To call it a day
(3) The Loaves and Fishes
(4) Pecuniary Aid
(5) Pith and Marrow
(6) A Hard Shoulder
(7) Expose to Odium
(8) To have Butterflies in one’s stomach
Q.5 A woman is talking to her next door neighbor about an elderly married couple she knows and about their personalities. Using only adjectives, complete the blanks according to the explanations she gives either before or afterwards. (Vague words like ‘good’, etc. will not be acceptable). (15)
“Well, yesterday I met old Mrs. Anwar, lovely old lady. She is always cheerful and helpful and ever so ________ which is more than I can say about that husband of hers. He is so ________, shouting and complaining at the time. I have never known any one so ________. But he is really ________. I mean he never thinks about her or what she wants. He has got no feelings at all the ________ old Devil? They are just so different, if you tell her about your problem, she listens and tries to understand and gives u advice, you know very ________. And it’s only because of her that children have turned so polite and charming, such ________ young people. He just gave them discipline, like some ________ school master. Still, Mrs. Anwar keeps smiling and happy. I don’t think I’d be that ________ and married to him.”
Q.6 Do as directed (Attempt any FIVE sentences) (10)
(1) The mist having cleared, the plane took off. (Turn into a complex sentence using the subordinate conjunction).
(2) We carried the umbrellas thinking it might rain. (Rewrite the sentence using ‘Last’).
(3) Could someone tell me whether a cat has nine lives is a proverb. (Punctuate the sentence).
(4) I have been to the Hanging Gardens four times. I won’t mind going there again. (Combine the sentences using an appropriate connector).
(5) If I don’t supervise less work is done by them. (Rewrite the sentence using noun form of supervise).
(6) A person who is over scrupulous about small details. (Give single word for the phrase).
(7) He resented (be) asked (wait). (Put the verbs in brackets in correct forms).
(8) When they have widened this street, the roar of traffic will keep residents awake all night. (Change the voice).