Critical Reading

Critical Reading is a Aptitude concept from the MPSC syllabus, tested in 19 past MPSC questions across 10 exam years between 2013 and 2025. Below are those real questions with their correct answers and explanations, plus the concepts worth being comfortable with first.

Real questions

Years tested

10 · 2013–2025

In context

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Asked in

2025 2024 2023 2021 2020 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013

What you need to know first

Familiarity with standard English idiomsAdvanced reading comprehensionComprehensionAdvanced comprehensionContextual reasoningLogical Reasoning Reading comprehensionVocabulary of emotions

What mastering this unlocks

Reading comprehension Statement EvaluationConceptual Generalizationphilosophy Central Idea Identification

Real questions that test this

सहानुभूतीला 'ट्वाइीस ब्लेसिंग' (दुहेरी आशीर्वाद) असे का म्हटले आहे ? Why is sympathy a twice blessing :

a)(1) कारण देणाऱ्याला याचं जास्त फळ मिळते. / Because it gives to the giver extra fruits

b)(2) कारण यामुळे देणाऱ्यामध्ये सहानुभूती आणखी वाढते. / Because it creates double sympathy in the giver

c)(3) कारण घेणारा हा देणाऱ्याला आशीर्वाद देतो. / Because the receiver blesses the giver

d)(4) वरीलपैकी कोणतेही नाही / None of the above✓ Correct

The concept of 'twice blest' (Shakespearean reference often implied) means mercy/sympathy blesses both the giver and the receiver, making none of the standard listed options correct.

“दुसऱ्यांसाठी स्वतःच अवघे विश्व बनणे म्हणजे प्रेम करणे,” असे लेखक लिहितो तेव्हा त्याला काय म्हणायचे असावे ? What may the writer be wanting to say when he writes, “to love means to become world in himself for the sake of another person” ?

a)या विधानातून लेखक स्वतःचे प्रेम म्हणजे दुसऱ्यात विरघळणे नव्हे, स्वतःला समर्पित करणे नव्हे किंवा दुसऱ्याशी एकात्म होणे नव्हे या युक्तिवादाचा विरोध करतो आहे. / Writer contradicts with his argument that love does not mean merging, surrendering or uniting with another person.

b)लेखक सुचवत आहे की व्यक्तीने स्वतःचे व्यक्तिगत जीवन दुसऱ्या व्यक्तीसाठी समर्पित केले तर तो किंवा ती कायम सुखी राहील. / Writer suggests that a person should surrender his or her personal life for another person so that she or he could be happy for ever.

c)लेखक सुचवत असावा की स्वतःचे परिप्रेक्ष्य व्यापक करून दुसऱ्या व्यक्तीवर विनाशर्त प्रेम करावे. / Writer might be suggesting that a person should expand her or his perspective towards another person unconditionally.✓ Correct

d)लेखकाचा युक्तिवाद असा आहे की जेव्हा व्यक्ती दुसऱ्या व्यक्तीवर प्रेम करते तेव्हा ती दुसऱ्या व्यक्तीला स्वतःची मानते आणि म्हणूनच ती या दुसऱ्या व्यक्तीला आयुष्यभर समाधानी ठेवू शकते. / Writer argues that when a person loves another person then she or he considers that she or he possesses that person and therefore she/he can keep him or her happy throughout life.

To become a world for another person means expanding one's own perspective and loving unconditionally rather than possessing or merging destructively.

The writer calls the idea of love among nations, business houses and strangers “absurd, unreal and dangerous” because __________ .

(a)the expectation is unnatural

(b)it leads to just feeling nice and nothing more

(c)it may create groupings

(d)it may lead to inactivity

1)Only a, b and c

2)Only b, c and d

3)Only a, b and d✓ Correct

4)All four

The author considers universal love among nations/strangers absurd and dangerous because the expectation is unnatural, leads to inactivity, and may create undesirable groupings.