SarkariPYQ

SSC CGL 2022 PYQ — Question 183

SSC CGL Tier II - English - 29th Jan 2022 • English • Q183

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in the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank

. In ancient times, Hieun Tsang, a Chinese traveller came to India during the (1)______ of King Harsha. He praised the Indians (2)______ ‘people with pure moral principles’. In 2014, India (3)______ 85th in the corruption perception index of the Transparency International. What (4)______ downfall! Isn’t it ironical that we Indians (5)______ by the ideals of honesty and integrity, self-denial and (6)______ but in practice willingly resort to the (7) ______ forms of corruption to promote our interests? The (8)______ of corruption is eating into the (9) ______ of our society and we have become helpless (10)______ of our own degradation.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no.8.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A

Explanation

The correct answer is Option 1 i.e. malaise.

  • The word 'malaise' means 'a general feeling of being ill or having no energy, or an uncomfortable feeling that something is wrong, especially with society, and that you cannot change the situation'.
  • The theme of the passage is the moral degradation of Indian society over a period of time.
  • The word malaise is the most appropriate word according to the meaning in the given context.

Let's see the meaning of other words:

  • Despair: the feeling that there is no hope and that you can do nothing to improve a difficult or worrying situation.
  • Deficiency: a state of not having, or not having enough, of something that is needed.
  • Melancholy: feeling or expressing sadness.

Hence, the correct answer is Option 1 i.e. malaise.