UPSSSC PETQuestion 77 of 78 · Reading Comprehension
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UPSSSC PET 2026 (30 Oct Shift 1)

Directions

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions (74 and 75) that follow : Mount Everest stands as a monument of beautiful duality. From a distance, its snow-capped peak looks majestic and peaceful, touching the clouds like a sleeping giant. Up close, however, it is a brutal and unforgiving environment where hurricane-force winds and freezing temperatures test the limits of human endurance. On this mountain, breathtaking majesty and deadly danger are perfectly combined. While it inspires thousands of climbers to achieve their greatest dreams, it also claims the lives of those who make even the smallest mistake. Unlike smaller mountains that offer a fun, relaxing weekend hike, Everest requires months of gruelling preparation and a willingness to face extreme hardship.

The phrase “sleeping giant” is used in the passage to describe Everest’s :

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Answer: Option D — peaceful, calm and towering appearance

Detailed Solution

In the passage, Everest is described as touching the clouds like a sleeping giant when it is seen from a distance, with its snow-capped peak looking majestic and peaceful. So the phrase stands for its peaceful, calm and towering appearance, which makes option D correct. The inspiring effect on climbers in option A comes from a later sentence about dreams, the sudden and deadly hazards in option B are never mentioned in the passage, and the brutal, unforgiving conditions in option C belong to the contrast marked by the words 'up close, however'. Identifying such a contrast word helps to separate what an author says about appearance from what the author says about reality.

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Reading Comprehension — UPSSSC PET Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Reading Comprehension, a key topic in the UPSSSC PET English Language section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

Reading comprehension (RC) questions give a passage followed by questions that test how well you understood it. Question types include the main idea or title of the passage, specific details, inferences, the author's tone and purpose, and the meaning of words as used in the passage. Passages cover topics such as the economy, science, environment, society and history. A good approach is to read the questions quickly first so you know what to look for, then read the passage actively, noting the main point of each paragraph. Answer only from what the passage says or clearly implies, never from outside knowledge. For inference questions, the right answer is supported by the passage even though it isn't stated directly. Options that are too extreme or go beyond the passage are usually wrong. Regular reading of newspapers and editorials is the best long-term preparation. Practise the reading comprehension passages below. Every question has an explanation pointing to the relevant line in the passage.