cloze test Model Questions & Answers, Practice Test for ssc mts paper 1

Directions:

In the following passage, there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five words are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.

There was once a poet who fell upon such hard times that he was no longer able to …(1)… his family. Hearing that the king greatly encouraged talent and was famed for his generosity, the poet set off for the Royal Palace. When brought…(2)… the king, he …(3)…. low and requested permission to recite a poem. On hearing his recitation, the king was well pleased and asked him to name his reward.

The poet, …(4)… to a chessboard before the king, said, "your highness, if you place just one grain of rice on the first square of this chess-board, and double it for every square, I will consider myself well …(5)…" "Are you sure ?" asked the king, greatly …(6)…. "Just grains of rice, not gold" ? "Yes, your highness,'' affirmed the poet. "So it shall be" ordered the king. His courtiers started …(7)… the grain on the chess-board. One grain on the first square, two on the second, four on the third, …(8)… on the fourth and so no. By the time they reached the tenth square they had to place five hundred and twelve grains of rice. The number rose to lakhs on the twentieth square. When they …(9)…. the half way mark, the grain count was over hundred crores ! Soon the count …(10)… to lakhs of crores and eventually the helpless king had to hand over his entire kingdom to the clever poet. And it all began with just one grain of rice.