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UPMSP Intermediate English study materials
UPMSP Intermediate English study resources

UPMSP Intermediate English practice questions

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Question 1Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Read this sentence from an unseen passage: 'The villagers had barely finished repairing the embankment when the second flood arrived.' Which inference about the villagers is best supported by the sentence?

  1. They had abandoned the embankment long before the flood came.
  2. Their efforts were overtaken by events before they could take effect. Correct answer.
  3. They had completed their repairs just in time to prevent damage.
  4. They expected the second flood to be milder than the first.

Explanation

The word 'barely' signals that the repairing was only just done, and the arrival of 'the second flood' immediately afterwards shows the work was overtaken. Nothing in the sentence indicates success, abandonment, or expectations about severity, so only the idea of being overtaken is supported.

Question 2Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

An unseen passage states: 'The museum's new wing, which opened last spring, has already attracted more visitors than the main building.' Which conclusion follows most directly?

  1. The main building is older than the new wing.
  2. The new wing is more popular than the main building. Correct answer.
  3. The new wing contains more exhibits than the main building.
  4. The museum plans to close the main building.

Explanation

The comparison of visitor numbers is the only evidence given, and greater attendance is a direct measure of popularity. Age, future plans, and the number of exhibits are never mentioned, so they cannot be concluded from the sentence.

Question 3Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

In an unseen passage, the phrase 'a policy that pleased nobody and satisfied everybody's worst fears' is used. What does the writer most likely mean?

  1. The policy was ignored because people had no strong views.
  2. The policy was praised by experts but misunderstood by the public.
  3. The policy was unpopular and confirmed people's anxieties. Correct answer.
  4. The policy was widely welcomed as a sensible compromise.

Explanation

The contrast between pleasing 'nobody' and satisfying 'worst fears' shows the policy was disliked and made people's fears come true. The phrase is ironic, so it cannot mean the policy was welcomed or simply ignored.

Question 4Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Which of these is the best statement of the main idea of a passage that describes how a town replaced its diesel buses with electric ones, lists the savings in fuel costs, and notes the reduction in air pollution?

  1. Replacing diesel buses with electric ones brought financial and environmental benefits. Correct answer.
  2. Electric buses require more frequent maintenance than diesel buses.
  3. Diesel buses are cheaper to buy than electric buses.
  4. Air pollution is the most serious problem facing towns today.

Explanation

A main idea must cover all the supporting details, and here both the fuel savings and the cleaner air are summarised by financial and environmental benefits. The other options either contradict the passage or introduce claims it does not make.

Question 5Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Read the sentence: 'Although the scheme was praised in the capital, it was greeted with suspicion in the provinces.' The word 'Although' signals which relationship between the two clauses?

  1. Sequence in time
  2. Cause and effect
  3. Contrast Correct answer.
  4. Addition of a similar point

Explanation

'Although' introduces a clause that is set against the main clause, so the sentence contrasts praise in one place with suspicion in another. Cause, time order, and addition would each require different connectives such as 'because', 'after', or 'moreover'.

Question 6Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

In an unseen passage, a paragraph begins: 'Critics of the plan raise three objections.' What is the most probable function of the sentences that follow?

  1. They will conclude the whole passage.
  2. They will list the objections one by one. Correct answer.
  3. They will narrate a personal story about the writer.
  4. They will define an unrelated technical term.

Explanation

The topic sentence announces three objections, so the following sentences are expected to develop them in order. A topic sentence of this kind sets up an enumeration rather than a personal anecdote, a conclusion, or a definition.

Question 7Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Which word in this sentence from an unseen passage carries the strongest negative connotation? 'The committee produced a hasty report that ignored several key witnesses.'

  1. committee
  2. report
  3. witnesses
  4. hasty Correct answer.

Explanation

Connotation is the feeling a word carries beyond its literal meaning, and 'hasty' implies carelessness and lack of proper thought. The other words are neutral nouns that simply name people, a document, and individuals.

Question 8Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

A passage on study habits states: 'Students who reviewed their notes within a day of the lecture remembered more a month later than those who waited a week.' Which question is best answered by this finding?

  1. Which subject is easiest to review?
  2. Does the timing of review affect later memory? Correct answer.
  3. How long should a lecture last?
  4. Why do some students take better notes than others?

Explanation

The finding compares two review timings and their effect on later recall, so it directly addresses whether timing matters. The other questions concern note quality, subject difficulty, and lecture length, none of which the sentence examines.

Question 9Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Read this extract: 'The old bridge groaned under the weight of the cart, and the driver urged the horse on, glancing nervously at the swollen river below.' What is the main purpose of this description?

  1. To persuade readers to avoid rivers
  2. To compare two different drivers
  3. To explain how bridges are constructed
  4. To create a sense of tension and danger Correct answer.

Explanation

The groaning bridge, the urging of the horse, and the nervous glance at the swollen river all combine to build tension. The extract does not explain engineering, argue a position, or compare characters, so atmosphere is its clear function.

Question 10Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

In an unseen passage, the writer says: 'The government's promise of cheaper electricity proved, in the end, to be a castle in the air.' What does the idiom 'a castle in the air' mean here?

  1. A building project that was completed
  2. A promise that was kept exactly
  3. A plan that was carefully costed
  4. A hope that could never be realised Correct answer.

Explanation

'A castle in the air' refers to an unrealistic scheme or daydream with no foundation in reality. In context, the promise of cheaper electricity is presented as something that did not come true, so the idiom signals an unrealisable hope.

Question 11Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Which sentence from an unseen passage best serves as evidence that the writer supports the new library?

  1. 'Some residents complained about the noise during construction.'
  2. 'The library cost more than the original estimate.'
  3. 'The library was built on the site of the old market.'
  4. 'Few towns can boast a reading room that stays open until midnight.' Correct answer.

Explanation

The word 'boast' implies pride, and the detail about late opening hours presents the library as an asset, which reveals the writer's approval. The other sentences are neutral factual statements or mention drawbacks without evaluative language.

Question 12Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

A passage says: 'Unlike her brother, who spoke to everyone at the party, Meera stayed by the window.' What contrast is the writer drawing?

  1. Meera arrived later than her brother.
  2. Meera is more sociable than her brother.
  3. Meera is more reserved than her brother. Correct answer.
  4. Meera dislikes the host of the party.

Explanation

The structure 'unlike her brother, who spoke to everyone' sets his sociability against her staying by the window, which implies reserve. No information is given about her feelings towards the host or about arrival times.

Question 13Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

In an unseen passage about an ancient city, the writer mentions 'coins bearing the same symbol found on pottery in a distant port'. Why is this detail included?

  1. To describe the artistic style of the pottery
  2. To explain how pottery was fired in kilns
  3. To prove that the coins were made of gold
  4. To suggest that the two places traded with each other Correct answer.

Explanation

A shared symbol appearing on objects from two distant locations is the kind of evidence historians use to argue contact between them, so the detail supports a claim about trade. It says nothing about material, kiln technique, or artistic style for its own sake.

Question 14Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Which of the following best describes the tone of a passage that begins: 'Once again, the council has discovered a problem only after it has grown too large to ignore.'

  1. Warm and admiring
  2. Neutral and factual
  3. Critical and ironic Correct answer.
  4. Anxious and uncertain

Explanation

The phrase 'once again' implies a repeated failure, and 'discovered a problem only after it has grown too large' is a sarcastic criticism of the council's timing. The tone is therefore critical and ironic rather than neutral, admiring, or hesitant.

Question 15Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

A passage about a mountain village notes that 'the road, completed in 1998, cut the journey to the market from six hours to forty minutes'. Which effect of the road is emphasised?

  1. Higher prices for local produce
  2. Improved access to markets Correct answer.
  3. Reduced rainfall in the region
  4. Increased tourism in the village

Explanation

The detail compares travel times to the market, which shows that reaching the market became far easier. Tourism, rainfall, and prices are not mentioned, so improved access is the only effect the sentence supports.

Question 16Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Read the sentence: 'The scientist's caution was not timidity but a refusal to publish conclusions that the data could not support.' What does the sentence suggest about the scientist?

  1. She valued evidence over the appearance of boldness. Correct answer.
  2. She believed that data are rarely useful in research.
  3. She was slow to publish because she lacked confidence.
  4. She was afraid of criticism from other scientists.

Explanation

The sentence explicitly denies timidity and instead explains the caution as a refusal to publish unsupported conclusions, which shows a commitment to evidence. Fear, lack of confidence, and distrust of data all contradict this.

Question 17Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

In an unseen passage, the word 'modest' is used to describe a rise in wages: 'a modest rise of two per cent'. Which meaning of 'modest' is being used?

  1. Careful about dress
  2. Humble about one's abilities
  3. Unwilling to speak in public
  4. Small in size or amount Correct answer.

Explanation

When applied to measurable quantities such as a rise or an increase, 'modest' means limited or not large. The other meanings apply to people's character or behaviour, which does not fit the phrase 'a modest rise'.

Question 18Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

A passage presents two views on homework: some parents say it improves discipline, while others say it reduces family time. The writer then notes that research findings are mixed. What is the writer's approach?

  1. To dismiss the debate as unimportant
  2. To present both sides and note the uncertainty Correct answer.
  3. To describe only the parents' opinions
  4. To argue strongly for one side

Explanation

The writer reports both sets of parental views and then adds that research is mixed, which is a balanced presentation that acknowledges uncertainty. There is no strong advocacy, dismissal, or one-sided reporting.

Question 19Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Which sentence from an unseen passage contains a fact rather than an opinion?

  1. 'The stadium's design is dull and unimaginative.'
  2. 'The new stadium is the finest in the state.'
  3. 'Every city should build such a stadium.'
  4. 'The stadium seats forty thousand spectators.' Correct answer.

Explanation

A fact can be checked and verified, and a seating capacity is a measurable detail. The other sentences contain evaluative adjectives such as 'finest' and 'dull' or a recommendation with 'should', all of which express opinions.

Question 20Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Read the extract: 'For years the mill stood silent, its windows boarded, its wheel furred with moss. Then, one autumn, the boards came down.' What does the contrast between the two sentences mainly achieve?

  1. It marks a turning point from neglect to renewal. Correct answer.
  2. It shows that the writer dislikes autumn.
  3. It explains why the mill closed.
  4. It describes the mill's machinery in detail.

Explanation

The first sentence paints decay and stillness, while the removal of the boards signals change, so the contrast marks a turning point. The reason for closure, the machinery, and the writer's feelings about autumn are not given.

Question 21Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

An unseen passage argues: 'If the town wants cleaner air, it must reduce the number of cars entering the centre. Charging a daily fee has cut traffic by a third in comparable towns.' Which assumption underlies the argument?

  1. The experience of comparable towns is relevant to this town. Correct answer.
  2. Public transport in the town is already excellent.
  3. Cleaner air can be achieved without reducing traffic.
  4. All drivers will refuse to pay the fee.

Explanation

The argument relies on evidence from other towns, so it assumes that conditions there are similar enough for the result to transfer. If that assumption failed, the comparison would not support the conclusion; the other options are not required for the argument to work.

Question 22Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

A passage states: 'The report's recommendations were widely reported, but its central finding, that poverty had doubled in a decade, was rarely mentioned.' What does the writer imply about the media coverage?

  1. It rejected the report's recommendations entirely.
  2. It focused on secondary points and missed the main issue. Correct answer.
  3. It gave a complete picture of the report.
  4. It exaggerated the rise in poverty.

Explanation

The contrast between the widely reported recommendations and the rarely mentioned central finding shows that coverage emphasised secondary material and neglected the key issue. The sentence does not say the recommendations were rejected or that poverty figures were exaggerated.

Question 23Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Read the sentence: 'Not that the committee was indifferent to the complaints; it simply had no power to act on them.' What is the function of 'Not that...' at the beginning?

  1. It concedes that the complaints were false.
  2. It signals that the sentence will end the passage.
  3. It introduces a list of the committee's powers.
  4. It corrects a possible misunderstanding before stating the real reason. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Not that...' is used to deny an interpretation the reader might form, here indifference, before offering the true explanation, which is lack of power. It does not list powers, question the complaints, or act as a closing signal.

Question 24Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

In an unseen passage, a writer describes a character as follows: 'He was generous with advice and equally generous with blame, distributing both with the same cheerful certainty.' What attitude does the writer show towards the character?

  1. Amused criticism Correct answer.
  2. Deep sympathy
  3. Unqualified admiration
  4. Complete indifference

Explanation

The parallel between advice and blame, combined with 'cheerful certainty', gently mocks the character's overconfidence, so the attitude is amused criticism. Admiration, sympathy, and indifference would each call for different wording.

Question 25Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

A passage compares two studies: one found that students who slept eight hours performed better, while another found no difference. The writer concludes that 'the evidence remains inconclusive'. Why is this conclusion reasonable?

  1. Because the studies reached conflicting results, so no firm claim can be made. Correct answer.
  2. Because sleep has no effect on performance at all.
  3. Because the second study was published later.
  4. Because both studies used the same method and sample.

Explanation

When credible studies point in different directions, the cautious conclusion is that the evidence does not yet settle the question. Publication order, identical methods, or a claim of no effect at all are not what the conflicting findings establish.

Question 26Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

An unseen passage on city transport opens: 'The new metro line was meant to ease congestion. Within a month, however, the platforms told a different story.' What is the most likely purpose of the second sentence in this context?

  1. To praise the engineers who designed the line
  2. To signal that the expected outcome did not occur Correct answer.
  3. To describe the architecture of the stations in detail
  4. To list the fares charged to daily commuters

Explanation

The phrase 'however' and the contrast between intention and the 'different story' told by the platforms indicate that the anticipated relief from congestion did not materialise. The sentence pivots from promise to disappointing reality, which is its rhetorical function in the opening.

Question 27Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

In an unseen passage, a writer remarks: 'The village fair, once the highlight of the year, now draws barely a hundred visitors.' Which inference is best supported by this sentence alone?

  1. The fair has been moved to a larger town
  2. The fair charges no entry fee
  3. The fair has lost much of its former popularity Correct answer.
  4. The fair was always poorly attended

Explanation

The contrast structure 'once the highlight... now draws barely a hundred' shows a decline in attendance and status. The comparison with its former standing is what supports the inference of reduced popularity.

Question 28Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Read this extract from an unseen passage: 'The teacher handed back the essays without a word. Ravi looked at the red marks crowding his page, then at the single sentence at the bottom: "Come and see me after class."' What does the final sentence most probably suggest?

  1. That Ravi's work needs to be discussed privately Correct answer.
  2. That Ravi has won a prize for his essay
  3. That the teacher has forgotten to grade the essay
  4. That the whole class must stay behind

Explanation

A brief written summons after a heavily marked essay conventionally implies a private discussion about the work. The surrounding details, the silent return and the crowded red marks, point to concern rather than celebration.

Question 29Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

An unseen passage contains the sentence: 'The museum's new wing, funded entirely by a single donor, opened to the public on Monday.' Which question is answered directly by this sentence?

  1. How many visitors came on Monday?
  2. Who paid for the new wing? Correct answer.
  3. How large is the new wing?
  4. Why did the donor choose the museum?

Explanation

The participial phrase 'funded entirely by a single donor' states the source of the money, so the sentence answers who financed the wing. The other questions require information the sentence does not provide.

Question 30Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

In an unseen passage, the writer states: 'The scheme was welcomed by shopkeepers, though many residents remained doubtful.' How is the information in this sentence organised?

  1. It explains the causes of the scheme's failure
  2. It balances two opposing reactions to the scheme Correct answer.
  3. It lists the stages by which the scheme was introduced
  4. It compares the scheme with an earlier one

Explanation

The conjunction 'though' sets the approval of shopkeepers against the doubts of residents, creating a balanced contrast of two groups' attitudes. The sentence does not narrate stages, causes of failure, or a comparison with another scheme.

Question 31Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Read this extract: 'She had rehearsed the speech a dozen times, yet standing before the assembly her voice betrayed her.' Which word in the extract most clearly indicates that her preparation did not have the intended effect?

  1. assembly
  2. rehearsed
  3. standing
  4. yet Correct answer.

Explanation

The conjunction 'yet' marks the reversal between careful preparation and the failure of her voice, so it carries the contrast on which the meaning depends. The other words describe circumstances without signalling an unexpected outcome.

Question 32Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

An unseen passage reports: 'The committee's decision, announced after a six-hour meeting, was greeted with silence.' What does the mention of the six-hour meeting most probably contribute to the passage?

  1. It suggests the decision was difficult or contentious Correct answer.
  2. It proves that the committee members were tired
  3. It indicates that the public had lost interest
  4. It shows that the decision was reached quickly

Explanation

A long meeting before an announcement implies prolonged debate or difficulty in reaching agreement. The detail is chosen to colour the reader's sense of how the decision was made, not to report mere fatigue or speed.

Question 33Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

In an unseen passage, the word 'harvest' appears in the sentence: 'The volunteers hoped to harvest support for the campaign before the vote.' What does 'harvest' mean here?

  1. To measure the size of a field
  2. To destroy before it can grow
  3. To cut down crops with a sickle
  4. To gather or collect gradually Correct answer.

Explanation

Used figuratively with an abstract object such as 'support', 'harvest' means to gather or accumulate it over time, echoing the gradual collection of a crop. The literal farming sense does not fit the political context.

Question 34Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

A passage on reading habits states: 'E-readers have made books cheaper and lighter to carry. What they have not done is make them any easier to finish.' What is the writer's attitude in the second sentence?

  1. Neutral and purely statistical
  2. Wryly sceptical about the benefits claimed for e-readers Correct answer.
  3. Enthusiastically supportive of digital reading
  4. Openly hostile to all printed books

Explanation

The second sentence concedes a benefit but undercuts it with a wry observation about finishing books, which is a gently sceptical stance rather than hostility or enthusiasm. The concessive 'what they have not done' frames the irony.

Question 35Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Read this extract from an unseen passage: 'The river, which had been the town's lifeline for centuries, was now crossed by a single rusting footbridge.' Which contrast does the sentence draw?

  1. The danger of the river against the safety of the bridge
  2. The town's wealth against the river's pollution
  3. The river's former importance against its present neglect Correct answer.
  4. The age of the bridge against the age of the town

Explanation

The relative clause 'which had been the town's lifeline for centuries' establishes past importance, while 'now crossed by a single rusting footbridge' conveys present decline. The contrast is temporal, between former significance and current shabbiness.

Question 36Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

An unseen passage argues: 'A library card costs nothing, yet it unlocks more than a dozen databases, thousands of books and free internet access. Few public services offer so much for so little.' Which claim is the writer making?

  1. The library service offers unusually good value to the public Correct answer.
  2. Databases are more useful than printed books
  3. Public services in general are poorly funded
  4. The library should begin charging for internet access

Explanation

The passage stresses the gap between zero cost and the range of benefits, then generalises that few services offer so much for so little. That is a claim about exceptional value, not about charging or about ranking formats.

Question 37Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

In an unseen passage, a sentence reads: 'The archaeologists, having catalogued every shard, were reluctant to leave the site.' Which statement about the archaeologists does the sentence support?

  1. They had found nothing of value at the site
  2. They had abandoned the site in a hurry
  3. They had completed a thorough examination of the finds Correct answer.
  4. They were eager to begin work elsewhere

Explanation

The perfect participle 'having catalogued every shard' shows that the detailed recording was finished before their reluctance to leave. It indicates thoroughness, not failure or haste.

Question 38Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

An unseen passage notes: 'The novelist's early work sold poorly; her later novels, by contrast, were bestsellers.' Which assumption is required for the contrast in this sentence to be meaningful?

  1. That the same author produced both sets of novels Correct answer.
  2. That the novelist wrote only two books
  3. That early work is always of higher quality
  4. That bestsellers are usually badly written

Explanation

The possessive 'her later novels' and the semicolon contrast presuppose a single author whose early and late work are being compared. Without that shared authorship the contrast between poor sales and bestseller status would lose its point.

Question 39Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

Read this extract: 'Some blame the decline of the high street on online shopping; others point to rents that have tripled in a decade. The truth, as usual, is less tidy than either camp admits.' What does the last sentence imply about the writer's view?

  1. The decline has no identifiable cause at all
  2. The causes of the decline are multiple and not easily separated Correct answer.
  3. One of the two explanations is entirely correct
  4. Both explanations are completely mistaken

Explanation

By calling the truth 'less tidy than either camp admits', the writer implies that both single-cause explanations are too simple and that reality involves a mixture. The phrase does not dismiss both views entirely, only their neatness.

Question 40Reading Comprehension (Unseen Passages)

An unseen passage describes a proposal: 'Its supporters call it bold; its critics call it reckless. Both words, in this case, describe the same refusal to test the plan on a small scale first.' What is the writer doing in the second sentence?

  1. Supporting the critics' position without qualification
  2. Rejecting both labels as factually inaccurate
  3. Reconciling two apparently opposite labels by identifying a shared cause Correct answer.
  4. Describing the plan's financial cost in detail

Explanation

The writer shows that 'bold' and 'reckless' are opposite in tone but refer to the same underlying behaviour, the refusal to pilot the plan. The sentence therefore unites the two labels rather than taking sides.

Question 41Writing Skills (Essay, Letter, Report, Notice, Advertisement)

In the UPMSP Intermediate English writing section, a formal letter to the District Magistrate should normally close with which salutation?

  1. Yours ever
  2. Yours sincerely
  3. Yours lovingly
  4. Yours faithfully Correct answer.

Explanation

A formal letter addressed to an official whose name is unknown opens with 'Dear Sir/Madam' and closes with 'Yours faithfully'. When the name of the addressee is known, the matching close is 'Yours sincerely'. The two must agree with each other.

Question 42Writing Skills (Essay, Letter, Report, Notice, Advertisement)

A notice for the school notice board must above all answer which set of questions?

  1. What, when, where, who and whom to contact Correct answer.
  2. Who wrote it, how long it is and how it is typed
  3. How many words it has and where it was printed
  4. Why the writer likes the event and what it cost

Explanation

A notice is a short public announcement, so it must give the essential details of event, date, place and the person to contact. Personal opinion and length statistics are not part of the notice's purpose. Brevity and clarity are valued over decoration.

Question 43Writing Skills (Essay, Letter, Report, Notice, Advertisement)

Which opening line is most appropriate for a report on an inter-house debate for the school magazine?

  1. Debates are a wonderful thing for students everywhere.
  2. The inter-house debate was held on 12 August in the school auditorium. Correct answer.
  3. Please come to the debate if you can manage it.
  4. I really enjoyed the debate and hope you did too.

Explanation

A report opens with factual, third-person information stating what happened, when and where. It avoids personal reactions and general opinions. The first line gives the reader the event, date and venue at once.

Question 44Writing Skills (Essay, Letter, Report, Notice, Advertisement)

A classified advertisement for a lost article should begin with which element?

  1. A short heading naming the item, such as 'LOST: WRIST WATCH' Correct answer.
  2. A long description of the owner's family
  3. A poem about the lost object
  4. The writer's full life history

Explanation

Classified advertisements are charged by space, so they begin with a brief heading that names the category or item. The body then gives essential facts such as place, time and contact. Emotional or narrative content wastes space and money.

Question 45Writing Skills (Essay, Letter, Report, Notice, Advertisement)

Which sentence best states the thesis of an essay on 'The Value of Discipline'?

  1. Some people are disciplined and some are not.
  2. In this essay I will write about discipline.
  3. Discipline is a word I have heard many times before.
  4. Discipline gives direction to effort and is the foundation of lasting achievement. Correct answer.

Explanation

A thesis states a clear, arguable position that the rest of the essay will support. It should be specific and claim something about the topic. Merely announcing the subject or making a vague observation does not guide the essay.

Question 46Writing Skills (Essay, Letter, Report, Notice, Advertisement)

In a formal letter of complaint to a shopkeeper, which tone is most appropriate?

  1. Angry and insulting, blaming the shopkeeper personally
  2. Pleading and apologetic, as if the writer were at fault
  3. Polite but firm, stating facts and requesting action Correct answer.
  4. Joking and casual, treating the matter lightly

Explanation

A formal complaint should be courteous yet clear, setting out the facts and the remedy sought. Insults damage the writer's case and may offend the reader. Apologetic pleading weakens a legitimate claim.

Question 47Writing Skills (Essay, Letter, Report, Notice, Advertisement)

Which element is normally placed at the top of a notice for a school notice board?

  1. The signature of every student
  2. A list of the writer's hobbies
  3. The price of the school magazine
  4. The name of the issuing institution Correct answer.

Explanation

A notice is issued by an authority, so the name of the school or organisation appears at the top, followed by the word NOTICE and the date. This establishes who is speaking and gives the announcement official weight. Personal details and prices are not standard notice elements.

Question 48Writing Skills (Essay, Letter, Report, Notice, Advertisement)

Which sentence uses the correct format for a display advertisement headline?

  1. grand opening sale, 50% off all books.
  2. The grand opening sale is offering 50% off all books.
  3. GRAND OPENING SALE - 50% OFF ALL BOOKS Correct answer.
  4. Grand Opening Sale, which offers 50% off all books.

Explanation

Display advertisement headlines are short, use capitals for emphasis and omit unnecessary words to catch the eye. Full sentences and small letters reduce visual impact. A dash or similar device separates the offer clearly.

Question 49Writing Skills (Essay, Letter, Report, Notice, Advertisement)

Read this notice line: 'All students are informed that the annual sports meet will be held on 20 November.' Which revision makes it more concise without losing meaning?

  1. Students, please note, the annual sports meet, on 20 November, will be held.
  2. The annual sports meet will be held on 20 November. Correct answer.
  3. All students are hereby informed that the annual sports meet is going to be held on 20 November.
  4. It is to be informed to all students that on 20 November the annual sports meet will be held.

Explanation

The phrase 'All students are informed that' is a redundant formula because a notice is by definition addressed to students. Removing it leaves the essential fact intact. Concise notices are read faster and remembered better.

Question 50Writing Skills (Essay, Letter, Report, Notice, Advertisement)

An essay paragraph opens: 'Moreover, the scheme has reduced unemployment in rural districts.' Why is 'Moreover' appropriate here?

  1. It signals that the sentence adds a further supporting point to the argument. Correct answer.
  2. It introduces a contrast with the previous point.
  3. It gives an example of the previous claim.
  4. It states the conclusion of the whole essay.

Explanation

'Moreover' is an additive connective that links a new point to one already made. It tells the reader that the argument is being extended, not reversed or concluded. Contrast needs 'however' and example needs 'for instance'.