ENGLISH LANGUAGE  PRACTICE FOR SBI


SET  - 1

Directions (1-10): In the given passage, answer the following questions according to the idea expressed in the passage.

Promotion of a digital economy is an integral part of Government’s strategy to clean the system and weed out corruption and black money. It has a transformative impact in terms of greater formalisation of the economy and mainstreaming of financial savings into the banking system. This, in turn, is expected to energise private investment in the country through lower cost of credit. India is now on the cusp of a massive digital revolution. 

A shift to digital payments has huge benefits for the common man. The earlier initiative of our Government to promote financial inclusion and the JAM trinity were important precursors to our current push for digital transactions. Already there is evidence of increased digital transactions. The BHIM app has been launched. It will unleash the power of mobile phones for digital payments and financial inclusion. 125 lakh people have adopted the BHIM app so far. The Government will launch two new schemes to promote the usage of BHIM; these are, Referral Bonus Scheme for individuals and a Cashback Scheme for merchants. 

Aadhar Pay, a merchant version of Aadhar Enabled Payment System, will be launched shortly. This will be specifically beneficial for those who do not have debit cards, mobile wallets and mobile phones. A Mission will be set up with a target of 2,500 crore digital transactions for 2017-18 through UPI, USSD, Aadhar Pay, IMPS and debit cards. Banks have targeted to introduce additional 10 lakh new PoS terminals by March 2017. They will be encouraged to introduce 20 lakh Aadhar based PoS by September 2017. Increased digital transactions will enable small and micro enterprises to access formal credit. Government will encourage SIDBI to refinance credit institutions which provide unsecured loans, at reasonable interest rates, to borrowers based on their transaction history.

The digital payment infrastructure and grievance handling mechanisms shall be strengthened. The focus would be on rural and semi urban areas through Post Offices, Fair Price Shops and Banking Correspondents. Steps would be taken to promote and possibly mandate petrol pumps, fertilizer depots, municipalities, Block offices, road transport offices, universities, colleges, hospitals and other institutions to have facilities for digital payments, including BHIM App. A proposal to mandate all Government receipts through digital means, beyond a prescribed limit, is under consideration. Government will strengthen the Financial Inclusion Fund to augment resources for taking up these initiatives. Government will consider and work with various stakeholders for early implementation of the interim recommendations of the Committee of Chief Ministers on digital transactions.

The Committee on Digital Payments constituted by Department of Economic Affairs has recommended structural reforms in the payment eco system, including amendments to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act,2007. Government will undertake a comprehensive review of this Act and bring about appropriate amendments. To begin with, it is proposed to create a Payments Regulatory Board in the Reserve Bank of India by replacing the existing Board for Regulation and Supervision of Payment and Settlement Systems. Necessary amendments are proposed to this effect in the Finance Bill 2017. As we move faster on the path of digital transactions and cheque payments, we need to ensure that the payees of dishonoured cheques are  able to realise the payments. Government is therefore considering the option of amending the Negotiable Instruments Act suitably.

Q1. What is the aim of digital economy according to this passage?
(a) to earn money in digits
(b) to energise private investment in the country through lower cost of credit.
(c) an economy where people borrow from government.
(d) a system that checks hawala money.
(e) None of the above

Q2. How many additional new PoS terminals will be introduced by Banks till March 2017.
(a) 20 lakh
(b) 5 lakh
(c) 15 lakh
(d) 10 lakh
(e) None of the above

Q3. What is the name of the App that has provided increased digital transactions?
(a) POCKETS
(b) SBI BUDDY
(c) UPI
(d) BHIM
(e) None of the above

Q4. How many people have adopted the BHIM app so far?
(a) 125 lakh
(b) 125 crore
(c) 125 million
(d) 15 lakh
(e) None of the above

Q5. Which of the following is inappropriate statement according to the given Passage?
(a) Aadhar Pay, a merchant version of Aadhar Enabled Payment System, will be launched shortly
(b) Digital Economy will help to weed out the corruption from the system
(c) Government is considering the option of amending the Negotiable Instruments Act suitably.
(d) The Increased digital transactions will disable small and micro enterprises to access formal credit.
(e) None of the above

Q6. What will be the appropriate Title for the given passage?
(a) Digital Money
(b) Online Transactions
(c) Digital Economy
(d) Economical Survey
(e) None of the above

Q7. Name the Scheme to be launched shortly by the government which will be beneficial for those who do not have debit cards, mobile wallets and mobile phones
(a) UPI
(b) Aadhar Pay
(c) Jan Dhan Yojna
(d) BHIM
(e) None of the above

Q8. What are the two new schemes to be launched by The Government to promote the usage of BHIM?
(a) unlimited free transactions for pregnant women and cashback for merchants
(b) cashback for senior citizens and free download for kids
(c) Referral Bonus Scheme for individuals and a Cashback Scheme for merchants.
(d) Referral Bonus Scheme for merchants and a Cashback Scheme for individuals.
(e) None of the above

Q9. What is the meaning of the phrase ‘Weed out’ as used in the given passage?
(a) to eliminate anything unwanted
(b) To smoke weed
(c) to reprimand
(d) to demolish
(e) None of the above

Q10. What is the name of the board that will replace Regulation and Supervision of Payment and Settlement Systems in the Reserve Bank of India?
(a) a Supervisory board
(b) a demonization board
(c) a Payments Regulatory Board
(d) an online payment board
(e) None of the above

SET - 2

Directions (1-10): In the following passage, there are some blanks to be filled by appropriate word from the given options. Choose the correct word and mark it as your answer.

Demonetisation of high denomination bank notes was in ----1---- of a series of measures taken by our Government during the last two years. It is a bold and decisive---2----. For several decades, tax evasion for many has become a way of life. This compromises the larger public interest and creates unjust enrichment in favour of the tax evader, to the detriment of the poor and---3----. This has bred a parallel economy which is unacceptable for an inclusive---4----. Demonetisation seeks to create a new ‘normal’ wherein the GDP would be bigger, cleaner and real. This exercise is part of our Government’s ---5---- to eliminate corruption, black money, counterfeit currency and terror funding. Like all reforms, this measure is obviously---6-----, as it seeks to change the retrograde---7----. Drop in economic activity, if any, on account of the currency squeeze during the remonetisation ---8-----is expected to have only a ---9------ impact on the economy. I am reminded here ---10-----what the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, had said: “A right cause never fails”.

Q1.

(a) continue

(b) continuation

(c) contribute

(d) contrive

(e) console

Q2.

(a) marigold

(b) manner

(c) meagre

(d) measure

(e) merrier

Q3.

(a) deprived

(b) decided

(c) deciduous

(d) detrimental

(e) diminish

Q4.

(a) sonorous

(b) socio-economic

(c) sociology

(d) social

(e) society

Q5.

(a) repetition

(b) repulsive

(c) resolve

(d) reprimand

(e) ruckus

Q6.

(a) dissolute

(b) dissolve

(c) disbursal

(d) disturbing

(e) disruptive

Q7.

(a) carte blanche

(b) status quo

(c) bona fide

(d) faux pas

(e) ad nauseam

Q8.

(a) period

(b) paranoid

(c) parabola

(d) panoramic

(e) pandemonium

Q9.

(a) intransitive

(b) transitive

(c) transient

(d) transverse

(e) travesty

Q10.

(a) with

(b) off

(c) about

(d) of

(e) around

SET - 3

Directions (1-5): Some questions have a sentence with two blanks followed by five pairs of words as choices. Others have a single blank followed by five words as choices. From the choices, select the word/pair of words that can best complete the given sentences and mark its number as your answer.

Q1. This oven helps in ________ the essential vitamins in the food and ________ cooking faster.

(a) saving . . . provides

(b) determining . . . accelerates

(c) estimating . . . enhances

(d) retaining . . . makes

(e) controlling . . . allows

Q2. There can be no ________ that blind beliefs will have to be ________.

(a) denial . . . erased

(b) cause . . . removed

(c) reason . . . undermined

(d) dispute . . . forgotten

(e) doubt . . . restored

Q3. Romans generously sprinkled pepper on their food to ________ their wealth, as only the rich could ________ it.

(a) value . . . bear

(b) flaunt . . . afford

(c) exhibit . . . endure

(d) squander . . . gain

(e) preserve . . . collect it

Q4. The ancient Greeks were known for their ________ health.

(a) elegant

(b) pristine

(c) robust

(d) enduring

(e) radiating

Q5. On view are ________ works by various artists from different cities.

(a) segregated

(b) amalgamated

(c) coherent

(d) assorted

(e) displayed

Directions (6-15): In the following passage, there are blanks each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each five words have been suggested, one of which fills the blanks appropriately, Find out the appropriate word in each case.

Traditional bank architecture is based on bank branches. These branches ensure the physical …(6)… of a customer’s savings. A customer may go there to deposit and withdraw money, …(7)… loans and …(8)… in other financial transactions. In the past two decades banking architecture has changed. The Automated Teller Machine (ATM) has been a big …(9)… and credit and debit cards have created new financial spaces. …(10)… the bank branch has remained the bedrock of the banking system–after  all a person needs a bank account in a branch before he can operate a debit or ATM card. This may be about to change as technocrats now …(11)… cell phones as the new architecture of virtual banks. This has the potential to make branches …(12)… Cell phone banking looks especially relevant for India since it can penetrate the countryside cheaply and …(13)…. The world over cell phones are spreading at a …(14)… rate and in India alone new cell phone connections are growing at the rate of six million a month a rate of customer …(15)… that no bank can dream of.

Q6.

(a) knowledge

(b) security

(c) presence

(d) confidentiality

(e) guarantee

Q7.

(a) negotiate

(b) advance

(c) credit

(d) disburse

(e) sanction

Q8.

(a) pursue

(b) interact

(c) operate

(d) enable

(e) engage

Q9.

(a) drawback

(b) hurdle

(c) consequence

(d) luxury

(e) innovation

Q10.

(a) Despite

(b) Although

(c) Even

(d) Yet

(e) Until

Q11.

(a) view

(b) realise

(c) display

(d) engineer

(e) assess

Q12.

(a) essential

(b) obsolete

(c) extant

(d) retreat

(e) expired

Q13.

(a) moderately

(b) occasionally

(c) compulsorily

(d) indiscriminately

(e) effectively

Q14.

(a) phenomenal

(b) gradual

(c) proportionate

(d) competitive

(e) projected

Q15.

(a) discount

(b) base

(c) expansion

(d) satisfaction

(e) relationship

 SOLUTION

 SET - 1

S1. Ans.(b) 

Sol. to energise private investment in the country through lower cost of credit.

S2. Ans.(d) 

Sol. 10 lakh

S3. Ans.(d) 

Sol. BHIM

S4. Ans.(a) 

Sol. 125 lakh

S5. Ans.(d) 

Sol. The Increased digital transactions will disable small and micro enterprises to access formal credit.

S6. Ans.(c) 

Sol. Digital Economy

S7. Ans.(b) 

Sol. Aadhar Pay

S8. Ans.(c) 

Sol. Referral Bonus Scheme for individuals and a Cashback Scheme for merchants.

S9. Ans.(a) 

Sol. to eliminate anything unwanted

S10. Ans.(c) 

Sol. a Payments Regulatory Board 

 SET - 2

S1. Ans (b)

Sol. continuation -the action of carrying something on over time or the state of being carried on.

S2. Ans (d)

Sol. measure-assess the importance, effect, or value of (something).

S3. Ans (a)

Sol. deprived-suffering a severe and damaging lack of basic material and cultural benefits.

S4. Ans (e)

Sol. Society- is correct word.

S5. Ans (c)

Sol. resolve-settle or find a solution to (a problem or contentious matter).

S6. Ans (e)

Sol. disruptive-innovative or groundbreaking.

S7. Ans (b)

Sol. status quo- the existing state of affairs, especially regarding social or political issues.

S8. Ans (a)

Sol. period-a length or portion of time.

S9. Ans (c)

Sol. transient- lasting only for a short time; impermanent.

S10. Ans (d)

Sol. Preposition ‘of’ is correct.

 SET - 3

S1. Ans.(d) 

Sol. retaining . . . makes – fit in the context correctly.

S2. Ans.(a) 

Sol. denial . . . erased– fit in the context correctly.

S3. Ans.(b) 

Sol. flaunt . . . afford – fit in the context correctly.

S4. Ans.(c) 

Sol. robust – fit in the context correctly.

S5. Ans.(d) 

Sol. assorted- of various sorts put together; miscellaneous. – fit in the context correctly.

S6. Ans.(b) 

Sol. security- fits in the context of the sentence correctly.

S7. Ans.(a) 

Sol. negotiate-obtain or bring about by discussion.

S8. Ans.(e) 

Sol. Engage - fits in the context of the sentence correctly.

S9. Ans.(e) 

Sol. Innovation- fits in the context of the sentence correctly.

S10. Ans.(d) 

Sol.  Yet - fits in the context of the sentence correctly.

S11. Ans.(a) 

Sol.  View- fits in the context of the sentence correctly.

S12. Ans.(b) 

Sol.  Obsolete- fits in the context of the sentence correctly.

S13. Ans.(e) 

Sol.  Effectively- fits in the context of the sentence correctly.

S14. Ans.(a) 

Sol.  Phenomenal- fits in the context of the sentence correctly.

S15. Ans.(c) 

Sol.  Expansion- fits in the context of the sentence correctly.