SSC CHSL 2023 PYQ — Question 1

SSC CHSL - 07 Aug 2023 - Shift 4 • English • Q1

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 5.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A

Explanation

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

The sentence suggests that the author had a brief meeting with the leopard but did not see it again.

The word "encounter" means a brief or unexpected meeting with someone or something, making it the best choice.

The incorrect options are:

Quarrel: Implies an argument or fight, which is not relevant here.
Meeting: Generally refers to a planned interaction, while "encounter" suits an unexpected event.
Exchange: Implies a two-way interaction or conversation, which did not happen here.

Hence, the chosen option is correct.