UPSC Prelims 2011·CSAT·Reading Comprehension·Passage Comprehension

Passage - II I opened the bag and packed the boots in; and then, just as I was going to close it, a horrible idea occurred to me - Had I packed my toothbrush? I don't know how it is, but I never do know whether I've packed my toothbrush. My toothbrush is a thing that haunts me when I'm travelling, and makes my life a misery, I dream that haven't packed it, and wake up in a cold perspiration, and get out of bed and hunt for it. And, in the morning, I pack it before I have used it, and it is always the last thing I turn out of the bag; and then repack and forget it, and have to rug upstairs for it at the last moment and carry it to the railway station, wrapped up in my pocket- handkerchief. When he was going to close the bag, the idea that occurred to him was

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Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. AunpleasantCorrect
  2. Bsad
  3. Cfantastic
  4. Damusing

Explanation

The correct answer is A) unpleasant. Explanation: The passage describes the idea of not having packed his toothbrush as something that "haunts me," "makes my life a misery," and causes him to "wake up in a cold perspiration." These are all strong indicators of an unpleasant feeling or thought. Analysis of options: A) unpleasant: This aligns perfectly with the narrator's description of the idea causing misery, haunting him, and leading to cold perspiration. B) sad: While misery can involve sadness, the primary emotions conveyed are anxiety, dread, and distress, which fall under the broader category of unpleasantness rather than just sadness. C) fantastic: This means extraordinarily good or attractive. The idea is clearly a source of distress, not something good. D) amusing: This means causing laughter or entertainment. The narrator finds the idea distressing and a source of misery, not amusing.
Reading Comprehension: Passage - II I opened the bag and packed the boots in; and then, just as I was going to close it, a horrible idea occurr

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