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
531
The students asked the teacher where they could find the information for their project.
Answer:
"Where can you find… our project?"
** **Indirect → Direct (WH-question)** — restore **question order** and **pronouns**: **they→we**, **their→our**, **could→can**. (a) wrong **you/our** mix. (c) ungrammatical direct form. (d) different content. ---
532
My friends say that many young people are very active on social media now.
Answer:
… "were… now."
** **Present reporting ("say") → no backshift**; keep **are** and **now**. (a) & (b) use **were**; (b) also shifts **now→then** incorrectly. (d) mixes present **are** with **then**. ---
533
She said to her friend, "Will you take my dog for a walk?"
Answer:
… that if she will take…
** **Yes/No question → asked + if/whether + clause**, **will→would**, **my→her**. (a) "that if" is wrong and keeps **will**. (b) retains question order. (d) "asked to her friend" and wrong pronoun "my." ---
534
Amina said to Sajida, "You can stay with us whenever you are in Delhi."
Answer:
… whenever you were in Delhi.
** **Can → could**; **you→she**; **us→them**; present → past where appropriate. (b) keeps "you." (c) and (d) keep **present** and **us/you**, breaking person/tense shifts. ---
535
The yoga instructor said to us, "Doing yoga daily will help you to develop a healthy mind and body."
Answer:
… said to us that daily yoga will help us…
** **Said to → told + object**, **will → would** (backshift), **you → us** (audience shift). (a) keeps "will." (b) broken passive and pronouns. (c) awkward progressive **"will be helping"** not warranted. ---
536
Dr. Ayesha said, "I will definitely write about this case in the medical journal."
Answer:
Dr. Ayesha said that she would definitely write about this case in the medical journal.
** In reported speech, "will" changes to "would" when the reporting verb is in the past tense. Option (a) correctly applies this rule. Option (b) keeps "will," which is incorrect. Option (c) changes the meaning by using "might." Option (d) incorrectly shifts the tense to past perfect.
537
He said to his sister, "Please help me with my homework."
Answer:
His sister told him that he should help her with her homework.
** **Imperative with "please" → requested + object + to-infinitive**. Negative/affirmative command structure changes to "requested … to help." (a) flips roles. (c) clumsy passive and wrong "that"-clause. (d) "told … should" changes politeness and structure; **use infinitive** after "requested/told (to)." ---
538
They said that they would issue the certificate the following week.
Answer:
They said, "They issued the certificate the following week."
** **Backshift reversal (indirect → direct)** — Indirect "they would… the following week" becomes direct "we will… next week." Pronoun shifts **they→we** (speaker group), **would→will**, **following→next**. (a) wrong tense/time word; (b) wrong aspect and person; (c) converts statement to a question. ---
539
Netra says that the flowers look beautiful.
Answer:
Netra says, "The flowers looks beautiful."
** **Direct ↔ Indirect (present reporting verb)** — When the reporting verb is **in the present** ("says"), we **do not backshift** the tense. So "look" stays "look." Also ensure **subject–verb agreement**: "flowers look," not "flowers looks." (a) breaks S–V agreement. (b) changes aspect to **present continuous**, altering nuance. (d) uses **present perfect plural** with a singular noun "flower" and changes meaning. ---
540
"I am going to walk to the market to check which shops are open," said Afzal.
Answer:
fzal said that he is going to walk to the market to check which shops were open.
** Present continuous "am going" becomes past continuous "was going." Present "are open" becomes past "were open." Option (b) wrongly keeps "is." Option (c) changes meaning completely ("went for a walk"). Option (d) introduces "will be going," which alters tense. Hence, (a) is correct. ---