Cloze test is an important topic of English section in bank exams. It forms around 5-7 questions in exams like IBPS Clerk Pre, IBPS PO Pre, IBPS SO Pre, SBI PO Pre, SBI Clerk Pre, IBPS RRB Office Assistant Pre and IBPS RRB Scale 1 Officer Pre. In other exams like IBPS Clerk Mains, IBPS PO Mains, IBPS SO Mains, SBI PO Mains, SBI Clerk Mains, IBPS RRB Office Assistant Mains and IBPS RRB Scale 1 Officer Mains. , 8-10 questions are featured from cloze test. Cloze test is a combination of vocabulary and grammar ability of an individual. The one who has good vocab along with decent grammar skills can attempt cloze test questions with maximum accuracy.
Let us enhance our grammar ability and vocabulary by going through some practical examples and the technique to solve them faster.
Old pattern cloze test questions
Pattern 1 of cloze test asked in IBPS PO Mains 2016, IBPS Clerk Mains 2016, SBI PO Mains 2016, IBPS Clerk Pre 2017, SBI Clerk Pre 2018
Directions: In the following passage, some of the words have been left out, each of which is indicated by a letter. Find the suitable word from the options given against each letter and fill up the blanks with appropriate words to make the paragraph meaningful.
The Centre has reportedly recommended a new model ____ A ____ to replace the restrictive Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act that makes it mandatory for farmers to sell only to ____ B ____ middlemen, who then control trade in farm produce and corner the benefit of higher prices. An overhaul of the law to create a barrier-free single market is long overdue. State APMC Acts have created thousands of ____ C ____ and inefficient markets. Bihar scrapped the law. Some states have modified it, but changes have been patchy because of the political influence of the middlemen. Reform would enable organised retail to ____ D____ directly from farmers, giving them better incomes and the incentive to produce more.
The new model law suggests single-point ____ E ____ of a market fee and single registration or licence for trade in more than one market and delisting fruit and vegetables from the APMC Act. This makes sense. It also proposes to cap mandi taxes at 1% for food grain and 2% for vegetables, and pegs the commission agents’ levy at 2% of the total transaction cost. At present, mandi taxes vary from 14.5% in Punjab to 10.5% in Haryana, driving the private trade out and eating up the Centre’s food subsidy subvention. The procurement price must ____ F ____ all taxes and the Food Corporation of India must stop paying such huge levies. Rightly, the model law also has provisions to declare warehouses and cold storages as market sub-yards to provide better access and linkages to farmers. This is welcome, and investments must be stepped up. A vast network of regulated warehouses, whose receipts are negotiable instruments, will also make middlemen ____ G ____. The need is to develop marketing infrastructure and make the supply chain that links the farmer and the consumer efficient.
A
(A) Scheme (B) Measure
(C) Proposal (D) Law
(E) Plan
Explanation:
Here, we can observe that in second paragraph it is clearly mentioned that “The new model law”, this confirms that the blank should be filled with “Law” and no other options, this is the contextual application.
Now let us check its grammatical implications also, grammatically article ‘the’ is used before a noun when it is also used previously, this clarifies the relation between
a new model___ and
the new model law.
Hence option A is correct.
Tips to solve the cloze test questions speedily
1. Thorough reading of the passage
Read the whole passage thoroughly and understand the theme of the passage, some of the blanks are of such sort , answers of which are hidden in the given passage only and that can be picked correctly without putting grammar knowledge, if you have understood the passage and read it carefully.
2. Apply grammar knowledge
Then the most important part i.e. Grammar knowledge. Application of grammar rules at right time and right place is the undisputable mantra of getting success in cloze test questions. Keep revising the golden rules of subject-verb agreement, this helps in choosing the right alternative.
3. Balance between context and grammar
Sometimes some words are contextually fitting into the space but are grammatically inappropriate. So, always chose the answer keeping in mind that it should stand on both the parameters of context as well as grammar.
Please refer the below link for detailed explanation and more quizzes on cloze test old pattern questions
https://www.smartkeeda.com/General_English/Verbal_Ability/Cloze_Test/newest/all/passage/Ex_51/
Pattern 2 of cloze test asked in IBPS PO Mains 2017, IBPS Clerk Mains 2017, IBPS RRB Officer Scale 1 2017, IBPS SO Pre 2017
Directions: In the passage given below there are 10 blanks, each followed by a word/phrase given in bold. Each blank has four alternative words/phrases given in options A, B, C and D. You have to tell which word will best suit the respective blank. Mark E as your answer if the word given in bold after the blank is your answer i.e. “No change required.”
Email tracker is a third-party software that anyone can download and install for free. For certain
(A) detracted features one has to pay a fee but the basic version is free. A person who sends mail using this software can
(B) tract on the time and date at which the mail was viewed, the number of times it was viewed, the IP address of the device on which it was viewed, whether it has been forwarded to a third person or not.
(C) On the first time it seems like a handy tool. We all have been in situations where we
(D) wandered whether the important mail we sent to the Boss or Professor was read or not. And where there is demand, there is an entrepreneur willing to
(E) stunt on it. The tracking software
(F) embedded a small, invisible image in the sent mail, and when the receiver opens the mail, it is detected and this data is received by the software to inform the sender.
There is very little awareness around the issue of mail tracking. With data consumption increasing
(G) sluggishly in the past year itself, India is poised for a digital revolution.The
(H) nuances of using basic services such as email need to be understood, especially by professionals in the work space. Cyber-attacks are on the
(I) slump and developing countries are at the greatest risk since scant attention is being paid to issues of privacy and safety. So what you can do to stop being tracked? Change your settings and stop loading remote content on your mail. It will make your inbox a bit drab without all the pictures. This will stop most trackers but not the highly
(J) expertise ones. You can also download additional software for the purpose.
A
(A) second
(B) primary
(C) prominent
(D) additional
(E) No change required
Explanation:
'detracted' means less or subtracted. Thus it needs to be replaced as it is not fitting the context.
The theme of the passage is about two types of features- one is basic, which is for free and another is additional which are paid and the added ones over the basic features.
So, the word ‘additional’ is apt in all respects.
Hence option D is correct.
Tips to solve the cloze test questions speedily
1. Understand the context
First of all understand the context of the passage by reading it carefully. This will help in identifying the words that are to be used in the passage.
2. Check the validity of bold word
Then check the validity of given bold word whether it needs replacement or not. Identify the meaning of bold word in the context and decide whether to replace it or it is fitting the purpose in its original form.
3. Grammar and Context equilibrium
Never go with the words that follow only one of the two parameters. The word that is grammatically as well as contextually correct is the word that should be taken as a replacement to the current word.
4. Practice questions daily
And last but not the least, It’s practice that empowers perfection. Practice one set of cloze test questions daily to enhance not only your vocab skills but also the grammar knowledge.
For more exercises on cloze test please go through the below link
https://www.smartkeeda.com/General_English/Verbal_Ability/Cloze_Test/newest/all/passage/Ex_49/
Pattern 3 of cloze test asked in Syndicate Bank PO 2017, Canara Bank PO 2017, RBI Grade B Mains 2017
Directions: In the passage given below there are 10 blanks, each followed by a word given in bold. Each blank has four alternative words given in choices I, II, III and IV. You have to select which choice or combination of choices will best suit the respective blank. Mark E as your answer if the word given in bold after the blank is your answer i.e. “No change required.”
Odisha seems to have emerged as a preferred investment destination for a section of Indian companies seeking to remain cost competitive while aiming to expand their market.
Following an __A__ of the State’s industrial policy and moves by the administration to deliver on promises, a large number of companies from non-metal sectors are heading to the eastern state, the 13th largest contributor to the Indian economy. Two years ago, the State __B__ with a sector-specific Industrial Policy focusing on employment-intensive non-metal sectors with an aim to be among the top three investment __C__ in the country.
It __D__ its Vision 2025 at the Make In India Week in Mumbai last year.
Odisha had attracted more than 900 projects with live investments __E__ more than ?13 lakh crore as of FY17. Though it is ranked thirteenth in terms of its economic size and contribution to India’s economy, its economic growth has increased from 4.6% in FY13 to about 8% in FY17. The all-India economic growth rate was 5.5% in FY13, reaching just over 7% in FY17 as per the report.
__F__the years, big names such as Tata Steel, Aditya Alumina, Vedanta, Jindal Steel & Power and Essar have invested in the state. But, this time around, companies from the non-metal sectors and MSMEs are coming in __G__. Shahi Exports, India’s largest apparel exporter had started production in the state in 2016 and has already applied for capacity __H__ to employ a total of 2,500 people.
Odisha is also __I__ in promoting food processing. ITC and Surya Foods, the makers of Priya Gold, are setting up units. Parle and Britannia already have a presence there and are expanding. Anmol Biscuits has invested in a factory to manufacture 5,000 tones of biscuits a month in Bhubaneswar and is also __J__ a cake factory.
A
I. overhaul II. revamping III. improvement IV. debugging
(A) Only I and II
(B) Only II and III
(C) Only I, II and III
(D) Only I and III
(E) Only II, III and IV
Tips to solve the cloze test questions speedily
1. Identify relation among the given alternative replacements
First of all identify the co-relation among the given alternatives. This will help in identifying the correct word(s) to the given blank.
2. Use elimination technique
After identifying the words that are opposite or similar to each other in meaning, use elimination technique. Rule out the alternatives basis on your observation. This is a time saving trick and very useful for bank exams like IBPS Clerk Pre, IBPS PO Pre, IBPS Clerk Mains, IBPS PO Mains, IBPS SO pre etc.
3. Practice one set daily
Practice each set a day, this will help in gaining momentum while solving these type of questions. This pattern is comparatively difficult than the others, thus this needs more practice.
Pattern 3 of cloze test
Directions: In the following passage five blanks have been given. For each blank, a number of phrases have been suggested, one of which is the correct one for that blank grammatically and contextually. Select the answer for each and mark that as your answer.
Kerala has ___ A ___ torrential rain and consequent flooding. With an average of 1,844.8 millimetres (mm) during August 2018, rainfall had been exceptionally high, about 170% above the normal range. This was one of the worst natural disasters in the state’s history, claiming about 483 human lives and affecting 775 villages. Until now, there is no official estimate ___ B ___ flood-hit Kerala. In addition to the immediate loss of life and property, the flood has affected and displaced more than 5 lakh people, who are now being rehabilitated. The local people in the affected regions themselves ___ C___ in the relief and rescue operations.
Soon, the state government deployed state police and fire forces. Assistance was provided by local fisherfolk and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the union government’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), air force, army, navy immediately after the floods for rescue and search operations, which were followed by distribution of relief materials. In fact, the fisherfolk rescued more persons than the army, navy, state and central forces. The relief efforts ___ D ___ other state governments, foreign governments like those of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, public and private sectors, and international organisations. Malayali diaspora ___ E ___ is also contributing to help rebuild the state.
A
(A) been bettered by
(B) been battered due
(C) being battered with
(D) been battered by
(E) None of the above
Explanation:
Here option A gives a meaning opposite to the required, because things can’t be bettered in a flood-like situation.
Option B is grammatically wrong as due is incomplete without ‘to’ which is present neither after the blank nor after due.
Option C is grammatically wrong, as with ‘has’ been is used always rather than being.
Option D is absolutely correct in all respects.
Hence option D is correct.
Tips to solve the cloze test questions speedily
1. Identify relevance of each alternative
First of all identify relevance of each alternative in the blank and find out whether it would suit the purpose or not. This will help in arriving at the nearest alternative.
2. Use elimination technique
After identifying the relevant options, use grammar skills to eliminate the wrong options and reach at the correct one.
3. Daily Practice
Practice each set a day, this will help to gain speed while solving these type of questions. This pattern is the newest one, thus requires extra practice to ace it.
For detailed solution and unmatched explanations, please refer to the below link
https://testzone.smartkeeda.com/Test/Solution/61006E006B0069007400610073006100780065006E00610036003900400067006D00610069006C002E0063006F006D002D003200340034003400340031002D00330039003500/Solution
Hope this article has helped you in improving your preparation for the upcoming exams like IBPS PO Pre, IBPS Clerk Pre, IBPS SO Pre, IBPS RRB Officer Scale 1 mains and IBPS RRB Office Assistant mains. For more updates and new pattern questions log on to
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