CUET UG English Previous Year Question Paper 2024: Check Previous Years Question Papers

CUET UG English Exam Overview 2024

The CUET UG English exam is a language proficiency test within the CUET framework. It assesses a candidate's command over the English language, focusing on comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, and verbal ability. The exam structure typically includes multiple-choice questions (MCQs) covering:

• Reading Comprehension: Passages followed by questions to test understanding and interpretation.
• Vocabulary: Questions on synonyms, antonyms, and word meanings.
• Grammar: Questions on sentence correction, fill-in-the-blanks, and rearrangement of sentences.
• Verbal Ability: Questions assessing overall language usage and proficiency.

CUET UG English Exam Analysis 2024

The CUET UG 2024 English exam was conducted on May 15, 2024, during the third shift from 3:00 PM to 3:45 PM. The paper consisted of 50 questions, out of which candidates were required to attempt 40. Each question carried 5 marks, making the total possible score 200 marks.

Difficulty Level:

The overall difficulty level of the English paper was reported to be easy. Students found the questions to be straightforward, with a significant number focusing on antonyms and synonyms. However, some candidates noted that the unseen passages were slightly tricky and time-consuming.

Question Distribution and Topics Covered:

The exam featured a mix of question types, including:

• Antonyms and Synonyms: A substantial portion of the paper focused on vocabulary, testing knowledge of word meanings.
• Unseen Passages: Reading comprehension sections that required careful reading and analysis.
• Grammar and Sentence Correction: Questions assessing grammatical accuracy and sentence structuring.

Student Reactions:

Candidates who appeared for the exam expressed that the paper was manageable within the allotted time. The straightforward nature of the questions allowed students to attempt them with confidence. However, the unseen passages required careful reading due to their slightly tricky nature.

CUET UG English Previous Year Question Paper 2024

Read the given passage and answer the six questions that follow.

When I was in my late teens and still undecided about which language I should write in, he told me that the language one is born into, one’s mother tongue, can be the only possible medium of creative expression.

For most of his life, my father, Sripat Rai, had been a Hindi editor and critic. Off and on, he translated writings into English from Hindi. He was fond of saying that a failed writer becomes a critic. The weight of his literary expectation came, eventually, to rest on me. He seemed happy that I was showing an inclination for writing. ‘‘She will go far,’’ he told my mother after reading the first story that I sent him from Melbourne.

My father’s pronouncement on the mother tongue stayed with me when I later started writing fiction in Hindi. Another thing that I barely acknowledged even to myself was that I felt something like shame whenever I thought of writing in English. It seemed wrong for a granddaughter of Premchand even to be thinking so. Our family had a certain linguistic pride. I knew that Premchand was famous, but I had not at that time realised the extent of his popularity.

The fact that I was the granddaughter of Premchand, followed me everywhere. Everyone had a story to tell about their personal engagement with his fiction — the shopkeeper, the long time cook in my father’s Delhi house, a tea vendor, etc. The list was long, for there was practically no one who had not read something by him that had moved them. However, it was this very ubiquity, the reverence and love that he inspired in people, that made of him something too large for me to comprehend in the early years of my life. It led also to the strange feeling that, without having read him and just by being related to him, I had somehow inhaled his writing. The reading happened much later.

1. The author grew up with the expectation that she would take up ______.

1. Editorship of a magazine

2. Translation of literary pieces

3. Creative writing

4. The job of a critic

Answer- 3. Creative writing

2. When her father said, "She will go far," he meant that ______.

1. she will travel widely

2. she will achieve great heights in life

3. she will go too far, one of these days

4. she will settle in a far-off place

Answer- 2. she will achieve great heights in life

3. Choose a statement which is not true with respect to the passage:

1. The author felt pressurized to write in Hindi because of her father.

2. She felt obligated to carry on the legacy of Premchand.

3. Her family was chauvinistic about the English language.

4. She was in awe of the extensive reach of her grandfather’s writings.

Answer-3. Her family was chauvinistic about the English language.

4. Premchand became too large for her to understand mainly because of ______.

1. the societal expectations around his legacy.

2. the complex language in his works.

3. his far-reaching influence and impact.

4. her emotional connection to his work.

Answer-3. his far-reaching influence and impact.

5." Inhaled his writing" refers to ______.

1. imbibing his style subconsciously

2. being compelled to write like him

3. being influenced by what people said about him

4. her father’s expectation from her

Answer-1. imbibing his style subconsciously

6. Choose the correct meaning of the word "Ubiquity" as it appears in the passage:

1. Occasional

2. Restricted

3. Omnipresence

4. Unwanted

Answer- 3. Omnipresence

Read the given passage and answer the six questions that follow.

Free will is the ability to decide and act free from any influence of past events or environment. It implies complete freedom to make any choice absolutely. We clearly don't have free will. Our decisions and actions are never divorced from our past.

We have a conditioned mind. Our memories, past impressions and experiences bias and shape our thoughts and actions in the present. It is our karmic imprint. Not just what we are born with, but also what we accumulate while living. We can consider it as the result of our genetic code, upbringing and environment. It's our backstory.

The only way to experience free will is to get rid of all such conditioning; to neutralise our karmic imprint; to be independent of our psychological coding. That’s possible only if we can purify our mind by letting go of all our ego, attachments and fixed beliefs. Then we can reside in the truth of our being.

The above is an exacting definition of free will. What we commonly mean by free will is that we have a choice in most situations like, who you choose to marry, what profession you pursue or how you react to someone’s aggression. Sounds reasonable. But here’s the catch. Our ability to make that choice too is significantly restricted, dictated by our predispositions.

This applies even to our ability to bring about change within ourselves. Despite a strong resolve to be calmer, kinder or less anxious, our ability to manifest that change depends, partly on our emotional and mental wiring. That’s why some people succeed in such efforts more than the others.

If you wish to expand the scope of your agency, explore ways to engage in sustained inner work, deepen your self-awareness, examine and reform your conditioned beliefs. But then, I wonder if your inclination to embark on that journey too depends on your current karmic coding.

7. The author argues that humans don’t have "free will" because ______.

1. our decisions are shaped by past events and environmental influences.

2. we are born with pre-determined choices that we are forced to make.

3. we are always dictated by our mind to make irrational choices.

4. human beings are born slaves of social constructs and expectations.

Answer- 1. our decisions are shaped by past events and environmental influences.

8."Karmic imprint" referred to in the passage implies ______.

1. the ability to bring about change in oneself.

2. our genetic code, upbringing, and environment.

3. the truth of our being, our individuality.

4. the wrongdoings and vices of our past lives.

Answer- 2. our genetic code, upbringing, and environment.

9."Free will" can be experienced if ______.

1. we embrace our past experiences and conditioning.

2. we make choices without considering the consequences.

3. we let go of our ego, attachments, and fixed beliefs.

4. we accumulate more and more karmic imprints.

Answer-3. we let go of our ego, attachments, and fixed beliefs.

10. The author proves that the idea of "free will" is a myth by suggesting that ______.

1. our ability to make a choice is restricted by our predispositions.

2. we are unable to bring a change in ourselves.

3. our choices are solely guided by the current environment.

4. our choices are completely independent of past events and our genetic code.

Answer- 1. Our ability to make a choice is restricted by our predispositions.

11. What does the author propose as a means to expand the scope of one’s agency?

1. Making choices frequently and impulsively.

2. Engaging in sustained inner work and self-awareness.

3. Holding on to fixed beliefs and stringent mindsets.

4. Ignoring one’s past experiences and dispositions.

Answer-2. Engaging in sustained inner work and self-awareness.

12. What do you think could be a suitable title for this passage?

1. Definition of "Free Will".

2. Our backstory – key to a successful life.

3. Do human beings really have "Free Will"?

4. Making Choices – Every Man’s Prerogative!

Answer-3. Do human beings really have "Free Will"?

Read the given passage and answer the six questions that follow.

On a chilly winter evening, nothing warms you up better than a cup of hot cocoa. Chocolate was first consumed in liquid form by the Olmec people of northwestern Central America around 1500 BCE. It was even enjoyed by the Aztec Emperor Montezuma, and the Aztec word for it (xocolatl, pronounced shoh-kwah-tl) evolved into the English word Chocolate.

But the Aztecs didn’t serve their cocoa hot. And since sugar had not yet arrived from Europe, back then, the drink was often flavoured with peppers and spices. It may not have been quite as indulgent as today’s version, but it was more palatable if you believed, as the Aztecs did, that chocolate was a gift from the Gods and had healing properties.

After the Spanish arrived in the Americas in the 1500s, liquid chocolate made its way across the pond, where wealthy Europeans added sugar and drank it warm. In Chocolate: History, Culture and Heritage, author Bertram Gordon says hot chocolate became ‘‘the beverage of the aristocracy,’’ as sugar was still a luxury.

Soon enough, though, hot choclate caught on with the masses. Chocolate houses — a cross between cafes and casinos — started popping up around 17th-century Europe. In these lively places, hot chocolate was poured from gilded pots into elegant cups (for a posh experience, one can still find it today at the famed Parisian tearoom Angelina’s, which is also in New York City). But by the end of the 18th century, chocolate houses had mostly died off, partly because the cost of chocolate was much higher than that of coffee or tea.

Taking a tour of international cups of cocoa, Italians serve it like a thick pudding. Colombians serve it with a dollop of soft cheese while Mexicans punch it up with vanilla, chilli powder and cinnamon. And Filipinos serve it with mango chunks.

13. Cocoa was first introduced by the ______.

1. American people.

2. Olmec people.

3. Aztec people.

4. Spanish people.

Answer-2. Olmec people.

14. The Aztec people made their cocoa palatable by ______.

1. serving it cold.

2. adding sugar to the drink.

3. spiking it with spices.

4. drinking it as a medicine.

Answer- 3. spiking it with spices.

15. Why did hot chocolate become "the beverage of the aristocracy" in Europe?

1. The essential ingredient was out of reach of the commoners.

2. The Queen had a marked chocolate maker.

3. Only wealthy Europeans could buy it.

4. It was being consumed by the pharma companies.

Answer- 1. The essential ingredient was out of reach of the commoners.

16. The Chocolate Houses didn’t survive past the 18th century as ______.

1. people preferred tea/coffee to hot chocolate.

2. it catered to the not-so-elite of society.

3. chocolate was costlier than tea or coffee.

4. the supply of cocoa dwindled over the years.

Answer- 3. chocolate was costlier than tea or coffee.

17. Choose the correct statement from the following.

1. Italians serve hot chocolate flavored with spices.

2. Mexicans serve hot chocolate topped with a dollop of cream.

3. Colombians serve hot chocolate topped with a dollop of cheese.

4. Filipinos serve hot chocolate flavored with peppers.

Answer-3. Colombians serve hot chocolate topped with a dollop of cheese.

18. Choose the correct meaning of the underlined expression in the following sentence:

"Soon enough, though, hot chocolate caught on with the masses."

1. was readily available in cafes.

2. became popular among the commoners.

3. hot chocolate did not appeal to people.

4. masses got attracted to the rich experience of drinking hot chocolate.

Answer-2. became popular among the commoners.

Read the given passage and answer the six questions that follow.

Coffee’s genetic make-up is no trivial concern; 10 million tonnes of the crop were grown and sold in 2022–23. The coffee that we drink comes from two species: Coffea Canephora, which is also known as Robusta and Coffea Arabica, known as Arabica. In many cases, beans from the two species are blended to make a brew. But the beans of single species are also roasted and sold. Overall, Arabica beans represent around 56% of all coffee sold.

Most genetic variation in living organisms comes from hybridization with other species. However, this is a relatively rare event for Coffea Arabica because it has more than two copies of each chromosome — a phenomenon called polyploidy. Coffea Canephora has two copies of each chromosome, but Coffea Arabica contains multiple copies. This makes it much more difficult for Arabica to interbreed with other species.

As a result, Coffea Arabica’s main source of single nucleotide variation is mutation, which occurs at a steady rate over time. However, the species is also relatively young, having formed as a hybrid of Robusta and Coffea Eugenioides — another coffee species that is not widely cultivated — within the past 50,000 years. From that single plant, which has basically no variation, you create the whole species, and then the variation is only the novel mutations that have occurred since that event.

Despite this, there is substantial variation in the physical characteristics of the Arabica coffee plant, including different flavour profiles in the beans and variations in disease resistance, says emeritus geneticist Juan Medrano at the UC Davis Coffee Center at the University of California, Davis. “We’re always talking about low variability at the DNA level, but there is variability at the structural level, at the chromosomal level, at the level of deletions … and insertions,” Medrano says.

19.Which of the following varieties of coffee is the most sold in the world?

1. Coffea Canephora

2. Coffea Arabica

3. Coffea Eugenioides

4. A blend of Coffea Canephora and Coffea Arabica

Answer-2. Coffea Arabica

20.Which of the following species of coffee has more than two copies of each chromosome?

1. Arabica

2. Robusta

3. Coffea Eugenioides

4. A blend of Arabica and Robusta

Answer-1. Arabica

21. Which of the following statements is true about Coffea Arabica?

1. Hybridization is the main source of its genetic variation.

2. It has only two copies of each chromosome.

3. It displays the phenomenon of polyploidy.

4. It is easily interbred with other species.

Answer- 3. It displays the phenomenon of polyploidy.

22. Which of the following species of coffee developed only in the last 50,000 years?

1. Coffea Canephora

2. Coffea Eugenioides

3. Arabica

4. Robusta

Answer-3. Arabica

23. Which of the following types of variability is not very high for Coffea Arabica?

1. Variability at the structural level.

2. Variability at the chromosomal level.

3. Variability at the level of deletions and insertions.

4. Variability at the DNA level.

Answer- 4. Variability at the DNA level.

24. Choose the statement that is factually incorrect from the options given below.

1. It is possible to roast the beans of a single species of coffee.

2. Two species of coffee can be blended to make a brew.

3. Due to its genetic make-up, novel mutations do not occur in the species Coffea Arabica.

4. Variations in disease resistance can be seen in the Arabica coffee plant.

Answer- 3. Due to its genetic make-up, novel mutations do not occur in the species Coffea Arabica.

25. Re-arrangethe following phrases in the correct sequence to form a meaningful sentence.

(A) created by human
(B) collective cultural heritage
(C) all languages
(D) communities are our

1. (A), (B), (D), (C)

2. (B), (A), (D), (C)

3. (C), (A), (D), (B)

4. (D), (B), (C), (A)

Answer-3. (C), (A), (D), (B)

26. Fill in the blank with the correct option to form a meaningful sentence.

The Principal addressed us in the assembly and ______ the rumors of an early summer break.

1. defended

2. quashed

3. cleared

4. rebuked

Answer-2. quashed

27.Complete the sentences given in List-I with the appropriate phrasal verbs given in List-II.

(A) She was very ______ with him for his offensive remarks on women in politics.

(B) I have plenty of interesting books to ______ to book lovers.

(C) Strange that people easily ______ to temptation and ruin their reputation!

(D) Rahul is trying to ______ on his smoking.

List-II (Phrasal Verbs):

(I) give away

(II) cut down

(III) cut up

(IV) give in

1. (A) - (III), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II)

2. (A) - (II), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (III)

3. (A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (IV), (D) - (III)

4. (A) - (III), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II)

Answer-1. (A) - (III), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II)

28. Complete the sentences given in List-I with the appropriate adverbs given in List-II.

(A) I thought the restaurant would be expensive but it was ______ affordable.

(B) It was a serious accident. But the car was ______ damaged.

(C) The meeting was a disaster as it was very ______ organized.

(D) Mira is gifted; she has the ability to learn any language ______.

List-II (Adverbs):

(I) badly

(II) reasonably

(III) quickly

(IV) hardly

1. (A) - (II), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (III)

2. (A) - (IV), (B) - (II), (C) - (III), (D) - (I)

3. (A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (IV), (D) - (III)

4. (A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II)

Answer-1. (A) - (II), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (III)

29. Choose the appropriate word pair to complete the sentence.

I didn’t know Rahul was in the hospital. If I ______, I would ______ him.

1. knew, go

2. had known, have visited

3. have known, be going

4. know, had gone

Answer-2. had known, have visited

30. Identify the option closest in meaning to the underlined word.

The movie star’s biography is a glossy, sycophantic portrayal.

1. cowardly

2. domineering

3. flattering

4. insolent

Answer-3. flattering

31. Choose the correct antonym of the underlined word.

The Minister unleashed a compliment against the newspaper for its biased editorial on illiteracy among women in his constituency.

1. denunciation

2. endorsement

3. regulation

4. speculation

Answer-1. denunciation

32. Choose the correct synonym for "redoubtable" from the options given below.

1. flimsy

2. perplexing

3. formidable

4. voluble

Answer-3. formidable

33. Choose the correct antonym for "sullen" from the options given below.

1. morose

2. reticent

3. timid

4. genial

Answer-4. genial

34. Re-arrange the following parts in the correct sequence to make a meaningful sentence.

(A) are inborn but our
(B) constituents of flavour, are learned
(C) our responses to basic tastes
(D) perceptions of smells, the main

1. (B), (D), (A), (C)

2. (A), (C), (B), (D)

3. (C), (A), (D), (B)

4. (C), (B), (D), (A)

Answer-3. (C), (A), (D), (B)

35. Match the words in List-I with their definitions in List-II.

(A) Theocracy

(B) Megalomania

(C) Apothecary

(D) Antiquarian

List-II (Definitions):

(I) One who keeps drugs for sale and puts up prescriptions

(II) One who collects and studies objects or artistic works from the distant past

(III) A government by divine guidance or religious leaders

(IV) A morbid delusion of one’s power, importance, or godliness

1. (A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II)

2. (A) - (IV), (B) - (III), (C) - (II), (D) - (I)

3. (A) - (I), (B) - (III), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II)

4. (A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (II), (D) - (I)

Answer-1. (A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II)

36. Fill in the blank with the correct option.

A small ______ between two children ended up as a group fight.

1. altercation

2. match

3. contest

4. race

Answer-1. altercation

37. Re-arrange the following phrases in the right sequence to form a meaningful sentence.

(A) for seven hours but was hardly
(B) because of the absence of any motivation
(C) able to decide who the murderer was
(D) she worked on the case

Choose the correct answer from the options given below :

1. (A), (C), (D), (B)

2. (D), (A), (C), (B)

3. (D), (C), (B), (A)

4. (A), (B), (C), (D)

Answer-2. (D), (A), (C), (B)

38. Fill in the blank with the correct option.

The candidate assured the interviewers that the dip in her grades during her second semester was an ______ since she had always been a top scorer in the first semester.

1. anomaly

2. allay

3. adage

4. abatement

Answer-1. anomaly

39. Replace the underlined word with the most appropriate SYNONYM.

For some time now, we’ve been toying with the idea of transferring all our business from physical to online sales only.

1. launch

2. showing

3. considering

4. careful

Answer-3. considering

40. Select the word opposite in meaning to the underlined word.

At first the workers were agreeable to the proposals of their Manager, but later they were reconciled to the new proposals.

1. resistant

2. estranged

3. cooperate

4. agreed

Answer-1. resistant

41. Complete the sentences given in List-I with the appropriate words given in List-II.

(A) She was able to give a ______ explanation in the court for her presence near the crime scene.

(B) The Rockland Hospital ______ with AIIMS to conduct a free cancer screening camp.

(C) Though she has shown only 4% improvement in achieving her target yet her efforts are ______.

(D) The doctors give the prognosis by ______ their diagnosis with several tests.

List-II (Words):

(I) collaborated

(II) corroborated

(III) credible

(IV) creditable

1. (A) - (III), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II)

2. (A) - (I), (B) - (II), (C) - (III), (D) - (IV)

3. (A) - (III), (B) - (II), (C) - (IV), (D) - (I)

4. (A) - (II), (B) - (III), (C) - (I), (D) - (IV)

Answer-1. (A) - (III), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II)

42. Fill in the blank with the correct option.

Most of the guests arrived for the concert ______.

1. by

2. with

3. from

4. through

Answer-1. by

43. Choose the word closest in meaning to the underlined word.

Why did you make that flippant remark about her choice of clothes?

1. sarcastic

2. disrespectful

3. casual

4. indifferent

Answer-2. disrespectful

44. Select the word opposite in meaning to the underlined word.

The thief showed his disbelief when informed that his partner had been arrested.

1. displayed

2. concealed

3. battled

4. marked

Answer-2. concealed

45. Fill in the blank with the correct option.

The President finally had to ______ the demands of the public for his resignation.

1. ignore

2. initiate

3. accede to

4. condone

Answer-3. accede to

46. Re-arrange the following parts of a sentence in their correct sequence to form a meaningful sentence.

(A) for organizations which provide
(B) services to customers on a face-to-face basis,
(C) employees with whom they deal is very important
(D) the quality of the relationship between customers and

Choose the correct answer from the options given below :

1. (A), (B), (D), (C)

2. (C), (A), (B), (D)

3. (B), (D), (A), (C)

4. (D), (A), (C), (B)

Answer-4. (D), (A), (C), (B)

47. Re-arrange the following parts of a sentence in their correct sequence to form a meaningful sentence.

(A) as a concept fundamental to
(B) especially with the injunction to treat equals equally
(C) justice is associated with the notion of equity and equality,
(D) ethical theory and political philosophy,

Choose the correct answer from the options given below :

1. (D), (B), (C), (A)

2. (C), (A), (B), (D)

3. (B), (A), (D), (C)

4. (A), (D), (C), (B)

Answer-2. (C), (A), (B), (D)

48. Match the idioms in List-I with their meanings in List-II.

(A) blow the gaff

(B) at the end of your tether

(C) be full of beans

(D) want to curl up and die

List-II (Meanings):

(I) feel unable to deal with something

(II) feel terribly ashamed and embarrassed

(III) divulge a secret

(IV) be full of energy

1. (A) - (III), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II)

2. (A) - (II), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (III)

3. (A) - (IV), (B) - (I), (C) - (II), (D) - (III)

4. (A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II)

Answer-1. (A) - (III), (B) - (I), (C) - (IV), (D) - (II)

49. Match the blanks in List-I with the prepositions in List-II.

(A) The edited version of her article is indistinguishable ______ her first version.

(B) I just don’t feel any affinity ______ his prose style. It’s too caustic.

(C) Her ideas are not all that dissimilar ______ mine.

(D) It would be wrong to mistake his diffidence ______ his arrogance or coldness.

List-II (Prepositions):

(I) with

(II) to

(III) for

(IV) from

1. (A) - (IV), (B) - (II), (C) - (I), (D) - (III)

2. (A) - (I), (B) - (III), (C) - (II), (D) - (IV)

3. (A) - (IV), (B) - (I), (C) - (III), (D) - (II)

4. (A) - (III), (B) - (IV), (C) - (I), (D) - (II)

Answer-1. (A) - (IV), (B) - (II), (C) - (I), (D) - (III)

50. Re-arrange the parts in their correct sequence to form a meaningful sentence.

(A) students with tools for critical thinking
(B) cooperative learning is an
(C) that enhances creativity and provides
(D) eclectic and unique teaching method

Choose the correct answer from the options given below :

1. (A), (C), (B), (D)

2. (B), (D), (C), (A)

3. (B), (A), (D), (C)

4. (C), (B), (D), (A)

Answer-2. (B), (D), (C), (A)