The CSS (Central Superior Services) Exam MCQs
Topic Notes: The CSS (Central Superior Services) Exam
MCQs and preparation resources for competitive exams, covering important concepts, past papers, and detailed explanations.
Plato
- Biography: Ancient Greek philosopher (427–347 BCE), student of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, founder of the Academy in Athens.
- Important Ideas:
- Theory of Forms
- Philosopher-King
- Ideal State
161
They took . . . . . . . . photograph of the rare comet.
Answer:
a
The noun 'photograph' begins with a consonant sound, so 'a' is appropriate. The photograph is mentioned for the first time, warranting an indefinite article. 'An' would be phonetically wrong. 'The' would require prior mention of a specific photograph.
162
He has . . . . . . . . unique perspective on the subject matter.
Answer:
a
Despite starting with 'u', 'unique' begins with a consonant 'yoo' sound. Therefore, 'a' is the correct article. 'An unique' would be phonetically incorrect. 'The' would suggest a previously identified perspective.
163
Please switch off . . . . . . . . lights when you leave the classroom.
Answer:
Given the shared physical environment, 'the lights' are identifiable to both speaker and listener. The definite article signals this situational definiteness. An indefinite article would be pragmatically odd. Hence, 'the lights' is correct.
164
He doesn’t drink . . . . . . . . tea in the evening anymore.
Answer:
When referring to 'tea' as a beverage category, no article is used. The noun is uncountable in this general sense. 'The tea' would signal a specific, identifiable batch, which is not intended. Indefinite articles are not used with uncountable nouns this way.
165
We visited . . . . . . . . Netherlands during our spring break.
Answer:
Country names that are plural or take a descriptive noun like 'Kingdom' or 'States' require 'the'. 'The Netherlands' follows this rule. Omitting the article would be incorrect. Thus, 'the' is necessary.
166
She is reading . . . . . . . . interesting article about marine biology.
Answer:
The adjective 'interesting' begins with a vowel sound, so 'an' is appropriate. The reference is non-specific and first-time. 'A' would be phonetically incorrect. 'The' would imply prior identification.
167
He placed . . . . . . . . order for two laptops and a monitor.
Answer:
The noun 'order' starts with a vowel sound, hence 'an' is correct. The order is first mentioned and non-specific. 'A' would clash with the vowel sound. 'The' would indicate a known order already in the discourse.
168
They watched . . . . . . . . eclipse from the rooftop last night.
Answer:
The noun 'eclipse' begins with a vowel sound, so 'an' is required. The eclipse is introduced for the first time, supporting the indefinite article. 'A' would be phonetically incorrect. 'The' would suggest a previously mentioned, specific eclipse.
169
He is . . . . . . . . historian specializing in medieval Europe.
Answer:
a
The word 'historian' begins with an audible 'h', a consonant sound, so 'a' is used. While some 'h' words are silent, 'historian' is not one of them. 'An historian' is archaic and nonstandard in most varieties of contemporary English. Therefore, 'a historian' is preferred.
170
She emailed . . . . . . . . report that summarizes the findings.
Answer:
The defining relative clause 'that summarizes the findings' identifies a specific report. Definite reference calls for 'the'. Using an indefinite article would not capture the specificity introduced by the clause. Hence, 'the report' is correct.