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Question

Read the given passage carefully and select the best answer to each question out of the four given alternatives.

He was a vendor of sweets. He had his own peculiar method of advertising and doing business. He never depended upon others for help and worked hard all alone. I speak of Murali--- the man who sold sweets. His customers were children, the future citizens of the world. At the stroke of nine in the morning, Murali would stand in front of the school with his tray of sweets. Till about eleven, the sale would be brisk. After that, he moved off to other places. Even when the sweets became sticky in the heat, his business never slackened. There was a period of depression in his business when the holidays came.

Complete the sentence.

Till about eleven, the sale would be ________.

This question was previously asked in
SSC Stenographer 2017 Previous Year Paper (14-Sep-2017) (Shift 1)
The correct answer is

Brisk

Reading Comprehension: Analyzing the Passage

This question requires us to complete a sentence based on the information given in the passage about Murali, the sweet vendor. We need to find the part of the passage that describes the sale activity during a specific time period mentioned in the sentence.

Locating Information in the Passage

The passage describes Murali's business day. It mentions:

  • Murali starts selling sweets at 9 in the morning in front of the school.
  • The passage explicitly states: "Till about eleven, the sale would be brisk."

This sentence directly answers how the sale was till about eleven.

Analyzing the Options Provided

The question asks to complete the sentence "Till about eleven, the sale would be ________." Let's examine the given options and compare them with the information from the passage.

  • Option 1: High. While a 'brisk' sale usually means high activity, the passage uses the specific word 'brisk'.
  • Option 2: Worse. The passage says the sale was 'brisk', which means active and quick. This is the opposite of worse.
  • Option 3: Brisk. This is the exact word used in the passage to describe the sale until about eleven.
  • Option 4: Low. The word 'brisk' implies high activity, not low. This contradicts the passage.

Selecting the Correct Completion

Since the passage states "Till about eleven, the sale would be brisk," the most accurate and direct answer is 'Brisk'. Reading comprehension questions often test our ability to extract specific details or exact phrasing from the text.

Understanding the Term 'Brisk'

In a business context, 'brisk' means active, lively, and quick. A brisk sale indicates that many transactions are happening in a short period, showing a good flow of business.

Conclusion

The passage clearly states that the sale until about eleven was 'brisk'. Therefore, the correct word to complete the sentence is 'Brisk', which corresponds to Option 3.

Revision Table: Key Facts About Murali's Business

Vendor's Name Product Sold Morning Location Sales from 9 AM to 11 AM
Murali Sweets In front of the school Brisk

Additional Information: Mastering Reading Comprehension

To improve your reading comprehension skills and perform well on passage-based questions, consider these tips:

  • Read the passage carefully to understand the main idea and key details.
  • Read the questions thoroughly before looking for answers in the text.
  • For direct questions, scan the passage to find the sentence or phrase that contains the answer.
  • Pay attention to specific words and phrases used in the passage, as questions often test your recall of exact information.
  • Eliminate options that are clearly incorrect or contradict the passage.
  • Choose the option that is best supported by the text, even if other options seem plausible in general terms.

Practicing with different types of passages and questions will help you become more efficient and accurate in finding information and understanding texts.

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Similar Questions

  1. What does the writer mean when he/she says: slaying her own sphere bit by bit

  2. Approximately half of India's 1.2 billion people are under the age of ________.

  3. What are the reasons for high number of suicide rates among the youth in India?

  4. By which year will India become the youngest country in the world?

  5. The ________ within families is an important factor.

  6. Who was Murali?

  7. Who were his customers?

  8. At what time would he go to the school?

  9. When did the period of depression come in his business?

  10. How can we prevent youth from committing suicide?


Important Questions from Reading Comprehension

  1. Which framework globally guides national policies on Community Centered Disaster Risk Reduction?
  2. In the context of disaster governance, which principle emphasizes empowering local to take the lead in risk mitigation strategies?
  3. What distinguishes participatory disaster management from top-down approaches?
  4. Which of the following is a major barrier to effective local disaster risk reduction implementation in developing countries?
  5. How can technology most effectively support community-based disaster resilience?
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