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
201
The team leader said to us, "Congratulations! You have prepared a very good presentation." **Options:**
Answer:
The team leader congratulated us and said that we had prepared a very good presentation. Correct
Interjection Congratulations! → reporting verb congratulated. Present perfect in direct (have prepared) backshifts to had prepared**. (a)/(c) have tense/pronoun errors; (b) flips speakers.
202
The women exclaimed that the kids were making too much noise. **Options:**
Answer:
The woman said, "How much noise are the kids making!" Correct
Exclamatory sense (“too much noise”) → How much + noun…! In direct form we restore present reference (are), not backshifted were**. (a) wrong structure “How the kids are…”, (b) loses exclamation, (c) turns it into a question.
203
He asked me to wait there until I got my turn. **Options:**
Answer:
He said to me, “Wait here until you get your turn.”
asked + object + to + V1 (indirect imperative) → direct command with quotes. Reverse the deictics: there → here, my → your. (b) ungrammatical “told to me” before a quote; (c) wrong verb form “are wait”; (d) mixes pronouns your/my** and keeps “to” inside quotes incorrectly.
204
“Hurry up, get in the bus” the conductor said to us. **Options:**
Answer:
The conductor told us to hurry up and get in the bus.
Two imperatives join with and; both convert to to + V1. said to → told. (b) wrong tense; (c)/(d) break parallelism by switching the second verb to past got**.
205
The teacher said to me, "Stand here next to the podium." **Options:**
Answer:
The teacher told me to stand there next to the podium.
Imperative → infinitive (“to + V1”) in indirect speech. said to → told when an object is present. here → there (place shift). Present/habitual reporting like tells (a) is wrong; (b)/(d) misuse perfect infinitive to have stood and tense (had told**) that don’t match a simple command.
206
My friend told me I could stay at his place in Dehradun whenever I wished.
Answer:
My friend said, “You can stay at my place in Dehradun whenever you wish.”
Indirect permission/offer (“could stay whenever I wished”) → Direct: “can stay whenever you wish.” Modal backshifts reverse (could → can; I → you**). Others add awkward futures or odd aspect.
207
“Don’t overspeed at night,” I said to Iram.
Answer:
I warned Iram not to overspeed at night.
Negative imperative → warned/told + object + not to + verb**. Others change tense/aspect or are unidiomatic.
208
My boss said, “Do you think you can complete the report within five days?”
Answer:
My boss asked me whether I thought I could complete the report within five days.
Yes/No → asked whether/if; embed Do you think as I thought; can → could**. (a)(c) wrong embedding; (d) wrong reporting tense.
209
Saniya says, “I love the monsoons.”
Answer:
Saniya says that she loves the monsoons.
Reporting verb present (“says”) → no backshift; keep simple present** for habitual love. (c)(d) incorrect progressive for stative verb “love.”
210
The teacher said to Rayyan, “Have you completed the project?”
Answer:
The teacher asked Rayyan whether he had completed the project.
Yes/No question → asked whether/if + past perfect (from present perfect). Pronoun you → he**.