SSC CHSL 2023 PYQ — Question 4

SSC CHSL - 07 Aug 2023 - Shift 4 • English • Q4

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

As I (1)________ the stream and began climbing the hill, the grunting and chattering increased, as though the langurs were trying to warn me of some hidden danger. I looked up and saw a great orange-gold leopard, sleek and spotted, (2)________ on a rock about twenty feet away from me. The leopard looked at me once, briefly and with an air of disdain, and then sprang into a dense thicket, making (3)________ no sound as it melted into the shadows. I had (4)________ the leopard in his quest for food. But a little later I heard the quickening cry of a barking deer as it fled through the forest. After that (5)________, I did not see the leopard again.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 2.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C

Explanation

The correct answer is option 3 i.e. poised.

The leopard is described as sleek and spotted, and it seems to be in a calm but ready position on the rock.

"Poised" means balanced or ready for action, which perfectly fits this context.

The incorrect options are:

Swinging: Implies motion, but the leopard is still.
Dancing: Does not fit the context.
Playing: Implies a fun, relaxed activity, which is not suitable here.

Hence, the chosen option is correct.