SarkariPYQ

SSC CHSL 2023 PYQ — Question 5

SSC CHSL - 10 March 2023 - Shift 2 • English • Q5

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In the following passage some words have been deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given. Select the most appropriate option for each number.

Through the (1) _______ , lonely years of my childhood, when my father’s palace (2) ______to tighten its grip (3) _______ me until I couldn’t (4) _______, I would go to my nurse and ask for a story. And though she knew many wondrous and edifying tales, the one I made her tell me over and over was the (5) _______ of my birth.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank No. 1.

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Correct answer: A

Explanation

The correct answer is option 1 i.e. long.

The phrase "Through the long, lonely years of my childhood" emphasizes that the childhood period felt extended or drawn out, often a common way to express a difficult or emotionally heavy span of time.

"Long" here functions as an adjective modifying "years," indicating the length or duration of the period.

The use of "long" conveys a sense of enduring hardship or loneliness over an extended time.