FEDERAL PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION – 2022 FOR RECRUITMENT TO POSTS IN BS-17 UNDER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
ENGLISH (PRECIS & COMPOSITION)
TIME ALLOWED: THREE HOURS
PART-I(MCQS): MAXIMUM 30 MINUTES
PART-I (MCQS) MAXIMUM MARKS = 20
PART-II MAXIMUM MARKS = 80
NOTE:
- (i) Part-II is to be attempted on the separate Answer Book.
- (ii) Attempt ALL questions from PART-II.
- (iii) All the parts (if any) of each Question must be attempted at one place instead of at different places.
- (iv) Write Q. No. in the Answer Book in accordance with Q. No. in the Q.Paper.
- (v) No Page/Space be left blank between the answers. All the blank pages of Answer Book must be crossed.
- (vi) Extra attempt of any question or any part of the question will not be considered.
PART-II
English P & C – CSS 2022
Q. 2. Write a precis of the following and suggest a suitable title:
The fear of human beings when faced with the mysteries of life and their weakness by comparison with the vastness of nature created in them a need to communicate with the divine, with the superior powers which they believed regulated the universe and determined their own fates. Knowledge of wishes of the gods was always a sure guide for human behavior. In ancient Greece, the precise nature of these wishes was *decoded’ by the art of giving oracles, practiced by soothsayers who had the gift of understanding the signs or signals sent by the gods.
The soothsayers uttered their oracles by interpreting flashes of lightening, rolls of thunder or the flights of certain birds of prey (omens); alternatively, they might observe the direction in which the fire burned when a sacrifice was made, examine the entrails of animals which had just been sacrificed, or base judgments on the sacrificial beast’s willingness to approach the altar. The interpretation of dreams was popular too, and so was palmistry. The most notable soothsayers of ancient Greece were Tiresias, Calchas, Helenus, Amphiaraus and Cassandra.
However, there were abundant instances in which the gods did not manifest themselves to the faithful in the forms of signs but spoke directly to an intermediate who for a short time was overcome by a “divine mania’ and transcended his own human essence. Here the prophet- or more usually the prophetess- entered a state of ecstasy in which he or she delivered the message from the gods to the suppliants
These practices for foreseeing the future were the basis on which the ancient Greek oracles operated. Each oracle was located within a properly-organized sanctuary and was directly associated with one or other of the gods. Apollo was the archetypal soothsayer for the Greeks, the god who was responsible for conveying to mortals the decisions pronounced by Zeus. The most important of all the oracles, that at the Delphi, delivered the messages with the intervention of Apollo, while the oldest that of Dodona, functioned with the assistance of Zeus.
Q. 3. Read the following passage carefully and answer the question given ate the end.
Civil society refers to all of the places where individuals gather together to have conversations, pursue common interests and, occasionally, try to influence public opinion or public policy. In many respects, civil society is where people spend their time when they are not at work or at home. For example, a group of people gather at a local park every Thursday afternoon for a game of football. Most of them arrive well before the game begins and stay for some time after it ends. Some of them go out for dinner or a drink after the game. In the course of their meetings they talk about a wide range of topics, including football but also extending to include issues such as work, family, relationships, community events, racial issues and politics. This kind of solidarity can be found in a variety of other places in civil society – such as sports clubs, bowling leagues, reading groups and social movements – where individuals get together to associate on the basis of some shared interest fostering more effective forms of citizenship. Even though people may come together on the basis of an interest they all share in common, they eventually have to develop productive strategies for dealing with conflicts and differences that emerge within the association. Team mates in a bowling league discover, on certain issues, significant differences of opinion. And yet, because they value the association and look forward to participating in its activities, they do not respond to these differences by exiting the scene. Instead, they search for the ways of interacting that will not threaten the solidarity of the group. In the process, they learn to appreciate and to tolerate social differences, a valuable skill to have in an increasingly multicultural nation. They also develop a general sense of social trust and mutual obligation, which makes society function more efficiently (this is what political scientists and sociologists are talking about when they refer to the importance of social capital). Gathering together in an association, people begin to think about their shared private interest as a collective public interest, and they try to make sure that this public interest is safe and secured. For example, the group that gets together for a weekly football game begins to talk about the park as an important community resource; if feel that the park is being mistreated or mismanaged, will organize a “save the park’ campaign to try to influence their local politicians and the other residents of the community. Recently, there has been growing concern that civil society is weaker than it used to be, because people are losing interest in joining associations. As citizens become increasingly disconnected from voluntary associations, they will experience less trust and less social connection, and as a result political institutions will function less efficiently. However, some scholars opine that many people are simply choosing to participate in different kinds of associations with fewer face-to-face meetings but supplemented with ‘virtual’ interactions facilitated by resources.
Questions: (4 marks each)
- How does the author characterize the concept of civil society?
- Why does civil society strive towards better socialization driven by tolerance?
- What do you understand by the term ‘Social Capital’ used in this passage?
- Why does a civil society assume the role of a public stake holder?
- What impact is feared by the weakening state of civil society?
Q. 4. Correct only FIVE of the following:
(i) I must walk two miles to school every morning when I was a child.
(1) After the storm, we had got to pick up some fallen branches..
(in) Guitar is most popular instrument among teen age boys, but not girls.
(iv) You are not well and I wish you feel better soon.
(v) The grass not looking green now because it is not raining since last month.
(vi) The cold air made me shiver a little when I was waiting for him.
(VIl) I offered my seat to an older woman who just smiled me.
(vili) She packed her bags, carried downstairs and put the back seat of her car.
Q. 5. (a) Punctuate the following text, where necessary.
unfortunately we often miss a basic school lesson every big task consists of several small ones done
precisely and perfectly as a nation we acutely need to learn the art of breaking down our moonlit goals into small accomplishable tasks it will reduce frustration anxiety depression in society and embarrassment for the government machinery too as they dont have to defend their unkept promises.
(b) Rr-write the following sentences (ONLY FIVE) after filling in the blanks with appropriate Prepositions.
(i) Despite regular practice he never seems to win ——– tennis.
(u)
luck, we should be in Islamabad by 5 p.m.
(ti) He went.
- his own accord: nobody forced him to go.
- (iv)
My husband brought me some flowers today. He must be ______ something! - (v)
My younger son tripped ______ the cat and fell downstairs. - (Vi)
You look really ______ the weather. Are you ill? - (vii) The car went ______ the brow of the hill and was soon out of sight.
- (vin) He told that his career was ______ ruins because of pandemic.
- The knavish wolf was able ______ convince the pig to let him ______ his home.
- I looked this word ______ in the dictionary, but I still don’t understand it.
- I need to learn these verbs ______ heart ______ tomorrow.
- The morgue is redolent ______ the odor of deceased individuals.
- He is cogitating ______ some means of revenge.
- He was reticent ______ do anything about the problem.
- His body is impervious ______ moisture.
- Ahmad applied ______ the bank for loan.
Q. 6. Use only FIVE of the pairs of words in sentences clearly illustrating their meanings.
- Annalist, Analyst
- Gest, Jest
- Sleigh, Slay
- Shoot, Chute
- Coign, Coin
- Key, Quay
- Wile, While
- Leek, Leak
Q. 7. Translate the following into English by keeping in view figurative/idiomatic expressions.
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