HPAS Mains 2025 English Question Paper

1. (a) Rewrite the following sentences after making necessary corrections, if any. Do not make unnecessary changes in the original sentences. 05

1. The grapes are too sour for eating.
2. One of the books I bought last week are about local history.
3. He passed the examination on the second attempt.
4. She ordered for a cup of tea.
5. He walks as if he was drunk.

1. (b) Do as directed 10

1. He said, “Let us wait for the award.” (Convert to indirect speech)
2. Who did this? (Turn into passive)
3. The postcard came this morning. It was from Harish. (Rewrite the sentence by using the relative pronoun ‘that’)
4. I am going to have a snack. I am not hungry. (Rewrite the sentence beginning with ‘Although’)
5. They knocked before opening the door. (Write a negative question)
6. I haven’t got a key, so I can’t get in. (Rewrite the sentence beginning with ‘If’ at the beginning)
7. According to the weather forecast, there _______________ (be) heavy rainfall all over the state tomorrow. (Complete the sentence with the correct form of the ‘verb’ given in the bracket)
8. Don’t tell us the answer to the puzzle. We can work it out for ______________. (Complete the answer to the question using the correct reflexive pronoun)
9. I’m very (confused/confusing) about what to do. (Choose the right option)
10. My new job is great. I like it (much/more) better than my old one. (Choose the right option)

1. (c) Fill in the blanks to complete the sentences. 05

1. I considered him to be _______________ (intelligence) (Fill up the blank with the right form of the word given in bracket)
2. Everybody is asleep, _______________? (Complete the sentence with a question tag)
3. _______________ books will make you a better human being. (Read) (Complete the sentence using the appropriate form of the verb given in the bracket)
4. Over half of our employees _______________ the flu. (has/have) (Choose the most appropriate word from the bracket to complete the sentence)
5. The consultants _______________ a proposal to reorganize the company. (put on/put off/put forward) (Fill in the blank with the correct phrasal verb given in the bracket)

2. Do as directed 04

(a) Give synonym for each of the following and make use of it in a sentence:

1. Abate
2. Meticulous
3. Lucid
4. Futile

(b) Give antonym for each of the following and make use of it in a sentence: 04

1. Barren
2. Eager
3. Strict
4. Lend

(c) Use the following expressions to make sentences that bring out their meaning clearly. Do not change the form of the words: 04

1. Do away with
2. Break in
3. Face the music
4. In leaps and bounds

(d) Give one word substitutions for the following expressions and use it in a sentence: 04

1. That which is suitable or safe for eating
2. A person of great learning in several languages
3. Scientific study of earthquakes
4. One who hates people

(e) Use the given pairs of words in a single sentence to bring out their meaning clearly. Do not change the form of the words. 04

1. Complement, compliment
2. Forward, foreword
3. Effect, affect
4. Quiet, quite

3. Letter  10

You are N. Mahesh and you have recently moved from 15 Vikas Enclave, Arya Road, New Delhi – 110036 to 43 Park Lane, Pune – 411004, contact number 7465433210. Write an official letter to the Station Master, New Delhi Railway Station complaining that your furniture has been damaged in transit and the Railway authorities should look into the matter and compensate the damages done during the transit as soon as possible. If they fail to compensate, you will take the help of the Consumer Court and file a suit against the Railway authorities.

OR

You are Pratap Singh of 45 Rajendra Nagar, Jammu with contact number: 8175477864. You have come across an advertisement in the Hindustan Times for the post of Assistant in a large Delhi publishing firm. Write a letter to the Manager of the firm responding to the advertisement stating your qualifications, past experiences and salary you deserve and send it to Box 175, The Hindustan Times.

4. Letter  10

You are Benny Madhav from Hyderabad. Write a letter to your father, who has been recently transferred to another city, giving him news about everyone at home and asking him to be cheerful and take care of his health. Tell him that the family members will visit him shortly and spend quality time with him.

OR

You are Deepika Sen of A-2/250, Saket, New Delhi 110017. Write a letter to the Manager of the Silver Oak Hotel, Srinagar 191101, saying that you want to book two rooms for three days for you and your family. Enquire about the rates, availability of rooms for the dates of your visit there and the kind of facilities available in the hotel including taxi service, etc.

5. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: 10

Throughout the world, roads are bustling with cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, mopeds and other types of two- and three-wheelers. By making the transportation of goods and people faster and more efficient, these vehicles support economic and social development in many countries. But while motorised travel provides many benefits, it can also do serious harm unless safety is made priority. Pedestrians and cyclists using roads are particularly at risk. Crashes are frequent. Deaths and injuries are common.

If current trends continue, the number of people killed and injured on the world’s roads will rise by more than 60% between 2020 and 2025. Most of these injuries will occur in developing countries where more and more people are using motorised transport. In these countries, cyclists, motorcyclists, users of public transport, and pedestrians are especially vulnerable to road traffic injuries.

Road deaths and injuries are preventable. There are solutions to the road safety problem. A wide range of effective interventions exist, and experience in countries with long histories of motorised travel has shown that a scientific systems approach to road safety is essential to tackling the problem. This approach addresses the traffic system as a whole and looks at the interactions between vehicles, road users and road infrastructure to identify solutions.

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions in the context of the passage:

1. Who are more vulnerable to road traffic injuries and why? 2
2. How do vehicles support development of a country? 2
3. How can science come into the picture for road safety? 1
4. Write the synonym of the word ‘bustling’ and use it in a sentence. 1
5. Write the antonym of the word ‘priority’ and use it in a sentence. 1
6. Make two sentences using the phrasal verb ‘look at’. Do not repeat the sentence from the passage. 2

6. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow: 10

Gandhi considered himself an ordinary man and held that anybody could, if only he wished, act like him. That is the major reason why he demanded that others should behave as he behaved. He once said, ‘I have never asked anybody to do anything which I cannot do myself’. This is what gives a special value to the discussion of his life and thought. Here was a man, who through his own effort and endeavour, through his devotion and yearning for truth, through constant attempts to live up to character, built himself up, a man who would not compromise on ends and means, a man who sought to transform the quality of his life and in the process changed the life of everyone who came into contact with him.

Gandhi believed that every individual has in him the capacity to respond to noble impulses. Every man can respond to the call of a higher duty provided he allows his conscience the freedom to receive such impulses. He, therefore, expected the highest standards of conduct from everyone who came into contact with him. It is also true that because he made this demand of his companions, they became better men. He placed before people high ideals and believed sincerely that they would work for his ideals. Trust begets trust; and Gandhi was able to raise the moral quality of his companions by his implicit faith in them. Just as he himself had overcome the weakness after another through effort, through endeavour, and through discipline, he believed everyone else could do the same.

Read the passage carefully and answer the questions in the context of the passage:

1. Why did Gandhi consider himself as an ordinary man? 2
2. What was the ‘special value’ Gandhi cherished and lived throughout his life? 2
3. How did Gandhi raise the moral quality of his companions? 2
4. Write the synonym of the word ‘devotion’ and use it in a sentence. 1
5. Write the antonym of the word ‘conscience’ and use it in a sentence. 1
6. Make two sentences of the phrasal verbs ‘live up to’. Do not repeat the sentence from the passage. 2

7. Make a précis of the following passage in about one third of its length and give a suitable title. The précis should be written in your own words: 20

A disaster or a calamity is an event that happens, in most cases, suddenly and unexpectedly, causing a severe disturbance in the normal pattern of people’s lives and adversely affecting their property and environment. It results in great suffering and generates a sense of helplessness and pessimism by affecting the socio-economic structure of a region or a country (sometimes, to such an extent that there is a need for immediate outside intervention or assistance).

Disasters can be of two types: natural disasters and manmade disasters. Natural disasters include floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.

Manmade disasters could be the result of wars, vehicular accidents (plane, ship, train, etc.), fire due to arson or negligence, acts of terrorism, oil spills, etc.

The effect of natural disasters on the normal course of life are usually more severe compared to that of manmade disasters. The loss of life due to earthquakes and tsunamis, for example, is beyond human control. Disasters such as these also affect property, livestock, commercial establishments, power and communication installations, and standing crops. The full extent of damage that natural disasters are capable of is sometimes beyond human reckoning. The aftermath of such disasters also pose great problems. Health and hygiene conditions tend to prove a great challenge to administrative systems. The problem of rehabilitation of displaced people and the re-establishment of business and other commercial concerns pose another great challenge to the national economy. The possibility of many unforeseen consequences at a later stage of the disaster cannot be overlooked. Threats to national integrity and the problem of law and order in society are real issues that cannot be ignored.

Managing such disasters is a skill that requires firm resolve, abundant patience, presence of mind, courage, optimism, a co-operative temperament, an attitude of selfless service, and a humanitarian outlook.

There must be immediate and smooth communication between the armed forces, police, fire and ambulance services, and rescue and relief personnel such as members of Red Cross, etc. Proper co-ordination between everyone involved in rescue and rehabilitation work is a must. Communication networks such as radio and television ought to be made use of to disseminate information and advice to both affected people as well as to relief workers.

People need to be evacuated from the affected area as quickly as possible. Cattle and other livestock should also be driven out to safer zones. Medical attention, food supplies and trauma counselling need to be provided to those affected. Systems would have to be set up to allow family members, friends and relatives to get in touch with one another. There are still many other measures required to tackle disasters effectively. It is absolutely important, for example, to maintain law and order (to prevent looting) and to ensure sanitation (to prevent the spread of infectious diseases).

One cannot foresee disaster. However, one can always be prepared for most of them. Disaster information systems should be strengthened through available technology. Community training and awareness programmes should be conducted through civil agencies such as the police and fire services. As a precaution, sufficient storage of essential commodities (such as food grains, clothing, first aid kits, life jackets, fire extinguishers, etc.) should be made mandatory near known danger zones such as coastal areas, power plants, nuclear reactors, and dams. Every responsible government needs to consider disaster management a priority and every nation should have disaster management systems in place. (567 words)