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
241
She is not only a talented singer ______ an accomplished dancer.
Answer:
but also
Rule: Correlative Conjunctions. The phrase 'not only' must be paired with 'but also' to form a standard correlative conjunction. This structure is used to connect two related pieces of information. 'Not only... but also...' is a fixed pair. Option (b) 'as well' would require different sentence construction (e.g., 'She is a talented singer and an accomplished dancer as well.'). Option (c) 'and' is too simple and doesn't complete the 'not only' structure. Option (d) 'but' is incomplete without 'also'.
242
The committee could not come to a decision and the meeting was ______ until the next week.
Answer:
put off
Rule: Phrasal Verbs. This question tests the meaning of different phrasal verbs with 'put'. The correct answer is 'put off', which means to postpone or delay. Option (a) 'put on' means to wear something or to stage an event. Option (c) 'put up' can mean to erect something or to provide accommodation. Option (d) 'put in' means to submit or install something. In the context of delaying a meeting, 'put off' is the only suitable choice.
243
Had I known about the traffic jam, I ______ a different route.
Answer:
would have taken
Rule: Third Conditional Sentences. This question tests the structure of the third conditional, which is used for hypothetical situations in the past. The structure is 'Had + subject + past participle, subject + would have + past participle'. The first clause 'Had I known...' sets up the past hypothetical condition. The main clause must follow the structure 'would have + past participle' to describe the imagined past result. Option (b) 'would take' is used in the second conditional for present/future hypotheticals. Option (c) 'will take' is for future intentions. Option (d) 'took' is simple past and doesn't fit the conditional structure.
244
The new CEO's policies were not conducive ______ a positive work environment.
Answer:
to
Rule: Prepositional Collocation. The adjective 'conducive' is always followed by the preposition 'to'. This is a fixed grammatical collocation. Therefore, 'conducive to' is the only correct phrasing. Options (a) 'for', (c) 'with', and (d) 'in' are grammatically incorrect pairings with the word 'conducive'.
245
Despite the initial setbacks, the team ______ to finish the project ahead of schedule.
Answer:
managed
Rule: Simple Past Tense for Completed Actions. This rule is used for actions that started and finished at a specific time in the past. The sentence describes a completed event (finishing the project). 'Managed' correctly places this action in the past. Option (b) 'had managed' is the past perfect tense, which is incorrect as it would require another past action to relate to (e.g., 'By the time the supervisor checked, the team had managed...'). Option (c) 'was managing' is the past continuous tense, suggesting an ongoing action in the past, which doesn't fit the context of a completed project. Option (d) 'manages' is in the simple present tense, which is incorrect for a past event.