SINDH PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, HYDERABAD
COMBINED COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION – 2024
ENGLISH
(PRECIS & COMPOSITION)
Tuesday 23rd December, 2025
Time. 09:00 am to 12:00 Noon Maximum Marks.100
NOTE: ATTEMPT ALL QUESTIONS. ALL QUESTIONS CARRY EQUAL MARKS.
Question No.01
Write a Precis of the given passage and suggest a suitable title.
20
An important part of management is the making of rules. As a means of regulating the functioning of an organization so that most routine matters are resolved without referring each issue to the manager they are an essential contribution to efficiency. The mere presence of carefully considered rules has the double-edged advantage of enabling workers to know how far they can go, what is expected of them and what changes of action to adopt on the one side, and, on the other, of preventing the management from behaving in a capricious manner. The body of rules fixed by the company for itself acts as its constitution binding both employer and employees. The conditions and needs change rules are made for people, not people for rules. It conditions and needs change the rules are made for people, not people for rules. It conditions and needs change the rules are made for people, not people for rules. It conditions and needs change the rules are made for people, not people for rules. It conditions and needs change the rules are made for people, not people for rules. It conditions and needs change the rules are made for people, not people for rules. Nothing is sadder than the mindless application of rules which are outdated and irrelevant. An organization suffers from mediocrity if it is too rule-bound. People working in will do the minimum possible. It is called “working to rule” or just doing enough to ensure that rules are not broken. But this really represents the rock bottom level of the employer-employee relationship and an organization affected by this is an unhappy condition indeed. Another important point in rule-making is to ensure that they are rules which can be followed. Some rules are so absurd that although everyone pays lip-service to them, no one really bothers to follow them. Often the management knows this but can do nothing about it. The danger of this, if a level of disrespect for one rule is created this might lead to an attitude of disrespect for all rules. One should take it for granted that nobody likes rules, nobody wants to be restricted by them, and given a chance, most people will try and break them. Rules which cannot be followed are not only pointless, they are actually damaging to the structure of the organization.
02
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given at the end.
20
Nature is the finest teacher of human kind. Every element in the natural world carries within it a lesson for those who are willing to observe. The rising sun teaches us the importance of new beginnings and hope; the flowing river shows us persistence and generosity as it carries life along its path; the tall mountains inspire us to stand firm and strong in the face of difficulties; and the changing seasons remind us that change is inevitable and should be accepted with grace. Even the delicate flower, though it blooms for a short span of time, spreads fragrance and beauty, teaches us to live meaningfully despite the brevity of life.
Sadly, in the pursuit of industrial growth and material wealth, human beings have ignored these teachings. Forests are cut down for profit, rivers are polluted with waste, and countless species of animals are driven to extinction. Such reckless exploitation has disturbed the balance of nature, giving rise to severe problems such as climate change, floods, droughts, and deadly heatwaves. The very system that sustains life on Earth is under threat because of human greed.
Yet, there is still hope. By adopting simple and responsible habits, mankind can restore harmony with nature. Planting trees, conserving water, reducing waste, and shifting towards renewable energy sources are steps within the reach of every individual. Small acts, such as avoiding plastic, and using bicycles can together make a huge difference. When humans live in harmony with nature, they not only protect resources for future generations but also experience inner peace and satisfaction.
Thus, nature is not merely a background for human activity; it is a living system that sustains us. Protecting it secures our survival and happiness.
Questions:
(i) What lessons do different elements of nature teach us?
(ii) What small steps can individuals take to live in harmony with nature?
(iii) Find four adjectives used in the passage: ______
(iv) Give the contextual meanings of these: Reckless, persistence, brevity, sustains, reach.
03 (A)
Add suitable adverbs from the given list to the following sentences:
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Usually Here Always Well
Hardly Never Sometimes Seldom
(i) Some leaders are forgotten.
(ii) You realize my difficulty.
(iii) My son has done in English.
(iv) Don’t put your shoes.
(v) She orders a chocolate cake.
03 (B)
Change the narration of the following:
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(i) Joe said, “Cricket is my favorite game.”
(ii) She said to you, “Are not you afraid of the society?”
(iii) I said to you, “Who reads the newspaper?”
(iv) The manager said to the employees, “How long will it take to complete the project?”
(v) My Grandmother said to me, “May you live long.”
04 (A)
Give the meaning of any Five of the following Pairs of words and use them in your own sentences:
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(i) Antics – Antique
(ii) Implicit – Explicit
(iii) Fain – Feign
(iv) Pail – Pale
(v) Spacious – Specious
(vi) Raised – Razed
(vii) Elusive – Illusive
(viii) Eminent – Imminent
04 (B)
Correct any Five of the following sentences:
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(i) She likes swimming, hiking, and to play tennis.
(ii) After he had finished his performance, he would go to the party.
(iii) The Arabian nights are a nice book.
(iv) Neither the teacher nor the students was present.
(v) After her retirement from international competition, tennis champion Maud Molesworth becoming one of the first women in Australia to coach tennis professionally.
(vi) She looks forward to meet you.
05 (A)
Write Synonyms for any Five of the following words:
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(i) Respite
(ii) Boisterous
(iii) Coax
(iv) Effigy
(v) Refute
(vi) Onerous
(vii) Sceptical
(viii) Inextricably
(ix) Utmost
(x) Coagulate
05 (B)
Write Antonyms for any Five of the following words:
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(i) Capacious
(ii) Disdain
(iii) Resilience
(iv) Indulge
(v) Fecund
(vi) Meagre
(vii) Pretentious
(viii) Redolent
(ix) Strident
(x) Wrath