SSC Stenographer 2024 PYQ — Question 34

SSC Stenographer - 11/12/2024 (9:00 AM to 11:00 AM) • English • Q34

In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
It’s 1. _________ to have a conversation about health and wellness without talking about mental health. In the United States, nearly one in five adults has a mental illness or mental health condition. That’s nearly 52 million people. However, mental health isn’t just about having or not having a mental illness. Our wellbeing is 2. _________ by all aspects of our lives and that, in turn, affects how we experience life, work and time with our loved ones. Now, the conversation is more 3. _________ than ever. In 2021, the prevalent feeling of the year was languishing. Research found that more than 55% of workers weren’t mentally ill, but they weren’t thriving either. As the pandemic has brought physical health at the centre stage in an unprecedented way, it’s time 4. _________ look at the other major components of wellbeing. The conversation around mental health awareness has never been as public, as prevalent, or as important. After all, building 5. _________ is a critical ingredient to learning how to care for your mental health.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 3.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C

Explanation

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

Within the original passage, the sentence reads:

Now, the conversation is more ___ than ever.

Based on context and supported by recent research, this phrase refers to the urgency of openly discussing mental health. As noted in the BetterUp article:

“Now, the conversation is more critical than ever.”

Why “critical” is the best choice:

It conveys that discussing mental health has become essential and of high importance.

The other options—unnecessary, difficult, and irrelevant—either contradict the tone of necessity or do not align with the intended meaning.