Mock Test 18 — SSC Stenographer CBT Pattern (100 MCQs)

This is a full-length practice test following the exact SSC Stenographer Combined Competitive Examination pattern: Section A (General Intelligence & Reasoning, 25 questions), Section B (General Awareness, 25 questions), and Section C (English Language and Comprehension, 50 questions).

Section A: General Intelligence and Reasoning (Q1–25)

1. Find the next term: 4, 6, 10, 16, 24, ?
2. If TRAIN is coded as USBJO, how is PLANE coded?
3. A is the father of B. C is the sister of B. D is the mother of C. How is D related to A?
4. Select the odd one: (a) Wheat (b) Rice (c) Maize (d) Sugarcane
5. Four friends A, B, C, D are sitting around a square table, one on each side. A is facing B. C is to the right of A. Who is to the left of A?
6. Statements: No birds are mammals. All parrots are birds. Conclusion: No parrots are mammals. Does this follow?
7. K is the son of L. L is the daughter of M. N is the husband of M. How is K related to N?
8. Find the missing term: 3, 9, 27, 81, ?
9. If in a code, HOUSE is written as IPVTF, how is CHAIR written?
10. A can complete a work in 12 days and B can complete it in 18 days. Working together, in how many days will they complete it?
11. Select the odd one, based on which city is NOT located on the coast: (a) Nagpur (b) Chennai (c) Mumbai (d) Kochi
12. In a row of 40 students, Priya is 16th from the left. What is her position from the right?
13. If Z = 1, Y = 2, X = 3, ..., A = 26, what is the value of "CAT"?
14. Complete the analogy: Bee : Hive :: Ant : ?
15. A sum becomes Rs. 800 in 3 years and Rs. 920 at simple interest in 5 years. Find the principal.
16. Find the missing number: 100, 50, 25, 12.5, ?
17. A is facing south. He turns 90° anticlockwise, then 90° anticlockwise again. Which direction is he facing now?
18. P is the mother of Q. R is the father of S. Q is the wife of R. How is P related to S?
19. Find the odd one: (a) Saturn (b) Jupiter (c) Neptune (d) Sun
20. Which word means the opposite of "Ephemeral": (a) Temporary (b) Permanent (c) Brief (d) Fleeting
21. In a code, DELHI is coded as 4-5-12-8-9. How is MUMBAI coded using the same rule?
22. In a row, Kiran is 10th from the left and 21st from the right. How many people are in the row?
23. The ratio of ages of A and B is 3:4. After 5 years, the ratio becomes 4:5. Find A's present age.
24. Statements: All metals are elements. Some elements are gases. Conclusion: Some metals are gases. Does this follow?
25. A person walks 15 km north, then turns and walks 8 km east, then turns and walks 15 km south. How far is he from the starting point?

Section B: General Awareness (Q1–25)

1. Which fundamental right guarantees freedom of religion in the Indian Constitution?
2. Which is the smallest bone in the human body?
3. The Mohiniyattam dance form is associated with which state?
4. Who was the first Deputy Prime Minister of India?
5. The Red Fort was built by which Mughal emperor?
6. Which planet is known for its prominent ring system?
7. The Poona Pact was signed between which two leaders?
8. Which mineral deficiency causes anaemia?
9. The headquarters of the World Health Organization is located in which city?
10. Who wrote "Anandamath," which contains "Vande Mataram"?
11. Which is the highest mountain peak in India?
12. The Battle of Haldighati was fought in which year?
13. Which gas is used in balloons because it is lighter than air?
14. The Khajuraho temples are located in which state?
15. Who was the first Indian woman to go to space?
16. Which is the largest island country in the world?
17. The Cripps Mission came to India in which year?
18. Which Indian state produces the most cotton?
19. The Paris Agreement is related to which global issue?
20. Who was the president of the Constituent Assembly of India?
21. Which Indian city is known as the "Manchester of India"?
22. The Amazon rainforest is located primarily in which country?
23. Which Indian festival celebrates the victory of good over evil, associated with Lord Rama?
24. The IRDAI regulates which sector in India?
25. Which is the smallest ocean in the world?

Section C: English Language and Comprehension (Q1–50)

Spot the Error (1–10):

1. He is one of the most brilliant student in the class.
2. The scenery of these hills are beautiful.
3. She is elder to me by four years.
4. I have lived in this city since ten years.
5. Each of the two brothers have a car.
6. He is intelligent enough to understand this.
7. The staff is divided in their opinion.
8. He asked me that why I was late.
9. Either of the roads are blocked.
10. This is the most correct answer.

Fill in the Blanks (11–20):

11. He is tired ___ waiting.
12. She is interested ___ music.
13. They objected ___ the proposal.
14. He is guilty ___ the crime.
15. She is popular ___ students.
16. He was relieved ___ his duties.
17. They boasted ___ their wealth.
18. She is angry ___ him.
19. He is famous ___ his honesty.
20. They believe ___ hard work.

Synonyms (21–25):

21. Synonym of "Cordial"
22. Synonym of "Ponder"
23. Synonym of "Scarce"
24. Synonym of "Blunt"
25. Synonym of "Nurture"

Antonyms (26–30):

26. Antonym of "Expand"
27. Antonym of "Praise"
28. Antonym of "Sympathy"
29. Antonym of "Diligence"
30. Antonym of "Clarity"

One-Word Substitution (31–35):

31. A person who is unable to sleep.
32. A word derived from a proper noun.
33. One who rules without being elected.
34. Study of ancient societies through their remains.
35. A person who is new to a place or job.

Idioms (36–40):

36. To face the music
37. To be a fish out of water
38. To read between the lines
39. To throw in the towel
40. To kill two birds with one stone

Sentence Improvement (41–45):

41. He is more wiser than his friend.
42. She don't like coffee.
43. He is the most tallest boy in class.
44. I have visited Paris last year.
45. He asked me could he leave early.

Cloze Passage (46–50): Pollution is one of the most (46) ___ problems the world faces today. Air, water, and soil pollution all (47) ___ serious threats to human health and the (48) ___. Governments and individuals must take (49) ___ steps to reduce pollution levels before the damage becomes (50) ___.

46. (a) pressing (b) minor (c) amusing (d) rare
47. (a) pose (b) solve (c) hide (d) enjoy
48. (a) environment (b) economy (c) fashion (d) sports
49. (a) immediate (b) delayed (c) careless (d) no
50. (a) irreversible (b) reversible (c) profitable (d) invisible

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Answer Key with Explanations

Section A:

1.(a) The differences between terms increase by 2 each time: 4+2=6, 6+4=10, 10+6=16, 16+8=24, 24+10=34.

2.(a) Each letter shifts forward by one place in the alphabet, the same rule as TRAIN→USBJO; applying it to PLANE gives QMBOF.

3.(a) C is B's sister, and D is C's mother, meaning D is also B's mother; since A is B's father, D is A's wife.

4.(d) Sugarcane is a cash crop typically processed for sugar, while wheat, rice, and maize are all cereal food grains.

5.(a) With A facing B across the table and C to A's right, the person to A's left is D.

6.(a) Yes, this follows validly: no birds are mammals, and all parrots are birds, so no parrot can be a mammal.

7.(a) L is M's daughter, and N is M's husband, so N is L's father; since K is L's son, K is N's grandson.

8.(a) Each term is multiplied by 3: 3×3=9, 9×3=27, 27×3=81, 81×3=243.

9.(a) Each letter shifts forward by one place in the alphabet, the same rule as HOUSE→IPVTF; applying it to CHAIR gives DIBJS.

10.(a) Combined rate = 1/12 + 1/18 = 3/36 + 2/36 = 5/36; time taken together = 36/5 = 7.2 days.

11.(a) Nagpur is an inland city, while Chennai, Mumbai, and Kochi are all coastal port cities.

12.(a) Position from the right = 40 − 16 + 1 = 25th.

13.(a) Using the reverse alphabet code (Z=1, Y=2, ..., A=26): C=24, A=26, T=7; sum = 24+26+7 = 57.

14.(a) A bee lives in a hive just as an ant lives in an anthill.

15.(a) Simple interest for 2 years (from year 3 to year 5) = 920 − 800 = 120, so interest per year = 60; interest for 3 years = 180; principal = 800 − 180 = 620.

16.(a) Each term is halved: 100/2=50, 50/2=25, 25/2=12.5, 12.5/2=6.25.

17.(a) Starting from South, turning 90° anticlockwise gives East, and a further 90° anticlockwise gives North.

18.(a) R is S's father, and Q is R's wife, so Q is S's mother; since P is Q's mother, P is S's grandmother.

19.(d) The Sun is a star, while Saturn, Jupiter, and Neptune are all planets.

20.(b) "Ephemeral" means lasting for a very short time, so its opposite is "Permanent."

21.(a) Each letter is coded by its position in the alphabet; applying the same code, MUMBAI is written as 13-21-13-2-1-9.

22.(a) Total = (10−1) + (21−1) + 1 = 9 + 20 + 1 = 30 people.

23.(a) Let A's present age be 3x and B's be 4x; after 5 years, (3x+5)/(4x+5) = 4/5, giving 5(3x+5) = 4(4x+5), so 15x+25 = 16x+20, x = 5; A's present age = 3×5 = 15 years.

24.(a) No, this does not necessarily follow: the "some elements" that are gases may not include any metals specifically.

25.(a) The northward and southward legs cancel out (15 km north, 15 km south), leaving a net displacement of 8 km due east of the starting point.

Section B:

1.(a) Article 25 of the Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion.

2.(a) The stapes, located in the middle ear, is the smallest bone in the human body.

3.(a) Mohiniyattam is associated with Kerala.

4.(a) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the first Deputy Prime Minister of India.

5.(a) The Red Fort was built by Shah Jahan.

6.(a) Saturn is known for its prominent ring system.

7.(a) The Poona Pact was signed between Mahatma Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar.

8.(a) Iron deficiency causes anaemia.

9.(a) The WHO is headquartered in Geneva.

10.(a) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote "Anandamath."

11.(a) Kangchenjunga is the highest mountain peak located entirely within India.

12.(a) The Battle of Haldighati was fought in 1576.

13.(a) Helium gas is used in balloons because it is lighter than air.

14.(a) The Khajuraho temples are located in Madhya Pradesh.

15.(a) Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian-born woman to go to space.

16.(a) Indonesia is the largest island country in the world.

17.(a) The Cripps Mission came to India in 1942.

18.(a) Gujarat is the largest producer of cotton in India.

19.(a) The Paris Agreement is related to climate change.

20.(a) Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the president of the Constituent Assembly of India.

21.(a) Ahmedabad is known as the "Manchester of India."

22.(a) The Amazon rainforest is located primarily in Brazil.

23.(a) Dussehra (Vijayadashami) celebrates the victory of good over evil, associated with Lord Rama's victory over Ravana.

24.(a) The IRDAI regulates the insurance sector in India.

25.(a) The Arctic Ocean is the smallest ocean in the world.

Section C:

1.(a) Correct: "one of the most brilliant students" — plural noun required after superlative "most brilliant."

2.(a) Correct: "The scenery...is beautiful" — "scenery" is an uncountable noun and takes a singular verb.

3.(a) This sentence is already correct as written.

4.(a) Correct: "I have lived in this city for ten years" — a duration takes "for," not "since."

5.(a) Correct: "Each of the two brothers has a car" — "each" takes a singular verb.

6.(a) This sentence is already correct as written.

7.(a) Correct: "The staff are divided in their opinion" — when referring to individual members acting separately, "staff" takes a plural verb.

8.(a) Correct: "He asked me why I was late" — "that" should not be used with an indirect question.

9.(a) Correct: "Either of the roads is blocked" — "either" takes a singular verb.

10.(a) Correct: "This is the correct answer" — "correct" is an absolute adjective and should not be modified by "most."

11.(a) "tired of waiting" is correct.

12.(a) "interested in music" is correct.

13.(a) "objected to the proposal" is correct.

14.(a) "guilty of the crime" is correct.

15.(a) "popular among students" is correct.

16.(a) "relieved of his duties" is correct.

17.(a) "boasted about their wealth" is correct, with "about" being the standard preposition following "boasted."

18.(a) "angry with him" is correct.

19.(a) "famous for his honesty" is correct.

20.(a) "believe in hard work" is correct.

21.(a) Cordial means warm and friendly, matching "friendly."

22.(a) Ponder means to think carefully, matching "reflect."

23.(a) Scarce means insufficient in supply, matching "rare."

24.(a) Blunt means direct and straightforward in speech, matching "frank."

25.(a) Nurture means to care for and encourage growth, matching "foster."

26.(a) Expand means to grow larger; its antonym is "contract."

27.(a) Praise means to express approval; its antonym is "criticise."

28.(a) Sympathy means compassion for others; its antonym is "indifference."

29.(a) Diligence means careful effort; its antonym is "laziness."

30.(a) Clarity means clearness; its antonym is "confusion."

31.(a) A person who is unable to sleep suffers from "insomnia."

32.(a) A word derived from a proper noun is called an "eponym."

33.(a) One who rules without being elected is a "dictator."

34.(a) The study of ancient societies through their remains is called "archaeology."

35.(a) A person new to a place or job is called a "novice."

36.(a) "To face the music" means to accept the consequences of one's actions.

37.(a) "To be a fish out of water" means to be in an unfamiliar or uncomfortable situation.

38.(a) "To read between the lines" means to understand the hidden meaning.

39.(a) "To throw in the towel" means to give up.

40.(a) "To kill two birds with one stone" means to achieve two things with a single action.

41.(a) Correct: "He is wiser than his friend" — "more wiser" is a double comparative; "wiser" alone already expresses comparison.

42.(a) Correct: "She doesn't like coffee" — third-person singular requires "doesn't," not "don't."

43.(a) Correct: "He is the tallest boy in class" — "most tallest" incorrectly doubles the superlative.

44.(a) Correct: "I visited Paris last year" — simple past, not present perfect, should be used with a specific past time marker like "last year."

45.(a) Correct: "He asked me if he could leave early" — indirect yes/no questions require "if" or "whether," not direct word order.

46.(a) "pressing" fits the context of a serious, urgent problem.

47.(a) "pose" fits the context of pollution creating threats.

48.(a) "environment" fits the context alongside human health.

49.(a) "immediate" fits the context of urgency in addressing pollution.

50.(a) "irreversible" fits the context of damage that cannot be undone if left unaddressed.