UPSC Indian Economic Service Indian Statistical Service Examination 2024 General English Previous Year Question Paper PDF Download

General English Previous Year Question Paper

1. Write an essay on any one of the following topics in about 800 words : 30

(a) Investing in women accelerates progress(b) Sustainable development is a contradiction in terms(c) Motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going(d) Leisure is an industry today(e) Home is a state of mind

2. Write a précis of the following passage in your own words in about one-third of the original length : 30

The concern about the relationship between people and food supply is not new. Agriculture is the most important production practice of the world. Despite the fact that during last five decades world food production has increased almost threefold, population has increased at such a rate in less developed countries that it overtripped the food production. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that about 840 million people remain chronically hungry, nearly 800 million of them living in developing countries. Every year hunger kills 12 million children worldwide. Although the number of people suffering from hunger has been decreasing, 2:5 million per year over the last decade, but the World Food Summit's 1996 target of cutting half the number of world's chronically hungry and undernourished people by 2015, will be met 100 years late if the present trend of increase in population coupled with poverty continues. There is enough food in the world to provide at least 2 kg per person, including 1 kg of grains or its substitute per day and other eatables to make people fit, but the problem is that many people are too poor to buy readily available food. The global problem of food insufficiency is causing undernourishment and malnutrition.

UPSC Indian Economic Service Indian Statistical Service Examination 2024 General English Previous Year Question Paper PDF Download

Undernourishment refers to the lack of sufficient calories in available diet, so that one has little or no ability to move or work. The reason being, the body begins to break down its own stored fats and proteins. Undernourishment is more common in poor countries. People receiving less than 90 percent of their minimum dietary intake, on a long- term basis, are considered as undernourished. While not starving to death, such people do not have enough energy for an active and productive life. These people are more susceptible to diseases and deficiency diseases like beriberi and anaemia due to lack of nutrients. Such people are weak and cannot work because of poor diet. On account of inadequate income they cannot afford good food. Since they cannot work, they cannot buy food for their dependent children. Thus, their children fail to grow properly and are likely to face impoverishment in their adulthood. Those receiving less than 75 percent of their minimum daily caloric intake requirements are considered seriously undernourished. The undernourished children are likely to suffer from permanently stunted growth, mental retardation and other development disorders.

Malnourishment refers to lack of specific components of food, such as proteins, vitamins or certain essential elements, required for the sound health and development of human body. Malnourishment can be caused both by over- nourishment to have excess food without a proper nutritional balance caused by lack of a specific dietary constituents or an inability to absorb or utilize essential nutrients from the food. Poor diet may result in faulty nutrition causing lack of appetite and abnormal absorption of nutrients by the gastrointestinal tract. Poor nutrition and ill- health, in the long run, result in overall drop in quality of life and in the levels of development of human potential. Since people get afflicted by nutritional or related disorders, there is lowering of working capacity and productivity potential resulting in economic losses. The children become weak or sick and their educational career is affected. Malnourished and underweight children, surviving their childhood, face their future as adults with compromised abilities and ill- health.

Malnutrition and its ill effects can be avoided by consuming balanced and varied diet that includes all essential groups of foods. In general, the balanced diet includes plenty of whole grains, pulses, vegetables, fat, sugar, milk, fruit, etc., for vegetarians and meat and egg in addition or as a replacement, for non- vegetarians. Cereals like wheat and rice, the staple food of mankind, provide a fraction of nutrient supply and need to be supplemented with other foods that provide proteins, fats and traces of minerals, vitamins and amino acids. A balanced diet simply means a diet that will supply all the nutrients necessary for the growth and development of the body. The healthiest combination for a balanced diet, in general, is that about 50 percent of calories should come from complex carbohydrates, about 30 percent from all fats and about 20 percent from proteins. Conclusively, a balanced diet in a suitable proportion and variation in menu in our daily meals will prove better for the health. (710 words)

3. Write a paragraph, in about 200 words, on any of the following expressions/ statements : 10

(a) Scientific temper strengthens democracy.

(b) Doubt is important for faith.

(c) Success is counted sweetest by those who never succeed.

(d) Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can.

(e) A day without laughter is a day wasted.

4. Use the following words, each in a single sentence. Bring out the meaning clearly without changing the form of the word. No credit will be given for a vague or ambiguous sentence : 2 × 5 = 10

(a) Austere

(b) Preposterous

(c) Provision

(d) Kudos

(e) Foresight

5. Use the following idioms/phrasal verbs in sentences, so as to bring out their meaning clearly : 2 × 5 = 10

(a) blessing in disguise

(b) at the drop of a hat

(c) far cry from

(d) the last straw

(e) out of hand

6. Correct the following sentences without changing their meaning. Do not make unnecessary changes in the original sentence : 1 × 10 = 10

(a) Book you want is out of print.

(b) You have not seen this play, haven't you?

(c) Neither the patient nor the doctor were in the ward.

(d) Two and two makes four.

(e) Let me give you some advise.

(f) Where are your luggages?

(g) Trees fell like nine pines in the strong wind.

(h) We scored as many goals as they.

(i) Petroleum is a clean fuel as compared to coal, as it burns completely and leaves no residue.

(j) She has been living in Delhi since the past twenty years.

UPSC Indian Economic Service - Indian Statistical Service Examination, 2024-GENERAL ENGLISH

Other Question Paper :

UPSC Indian Economic Service Indian Statistical Service Examination 2024 Statistics Paper I II III and IV

UPSC Indian Economic Service Indian Statistical Service Examination 2024 General Economics Paper I II and III

UPSC Engineering Services (Main) Examination 2024 Mechanical Engineering Paper I & II