Mains - Essay Preparation for Competitive Exams

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Mains - Essay

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Mains - Essay MCQ & Objective Questions

The "Mains - Essay" section is crucial for students preparing for various school and competitive exams in India. Mastering this area not only enhances your writing skills but also boosts your overall exam performance. Practicing MCQs and objective questions helps you identify important questions and understand key concepts, making your exam preparation more effective.

What You Will Practise Here

Understanding the structure and format of essays
Key themes and topics commonly found in essays
Techniques for effective argumentation and analysis
Common essay prompts and how to approach them
Time management strategies for essay writing
Critical thinking and its application in essay questions
Reviewing sample essays and identifying strengths and weaknesses

Exam Relevance

The "Mains - Essay" topic is significant across various examination boards, including CBSE and State Boards, as well as competitive exams like NEET and JEE. In these exams, students often encounter essay questions that require a clear understanding of the subject matter. Common question patterns include descriptive prompts, argumentative essays, and analytical essays, which test students' ability to articulate their thoughts coherently.

Common Mistakes Students Make

Failing to understand the essay prompt fully, leading to off-topic responses
Neglecting the importance of a structured outline before writing
Overlooking the need for clear and concise language
Inadequate time management, resulting in rushed conclusions
Not proofreading for grammatical errors and coherence

FAQs

Question: What are some effective strategies for writing a good essay?
Answer: Start with a clear outline, focus on a strong thesis statement, and ensure each paragraph supports your main argument.

Question: How can I improve my essay writing skills?
Answer: Regular practice with Mains - Essay MCQ questions and reviewing sample essays can significantly enhance your writing abilities.

Don't wait any longer! Start solving practice MCQs today to test your understanding and improve your skills in the "Mains - Essay" section. Your success in exams is just a few practice questions away!

Essay Writing

Q. A car travels 150 miles on 5 gallons of gas. How many miles can it travel on 8 gallons?

A. 240 miles
B. 200 miles
C. 300 miles
D. 180 miles

Solution

Miles per gallon = 150 miles / 5 gallons = 30 miles/gallon. For 8 gallons: 30 miles/gallon × 8 gallons = 240 miles.

Correct Answer: A — 240 miles

Q. A company produces 500 units of a gadget in a month. If production increases by 25% next month, how many units will be produced?

A. 600
B. 625
C. 650
D. 700

Solution

Increased production = 500 + (0.25 * 500) = 500 + 125 = 625 units.

Correct Answer: B — 625

Q. A factory produces 500 units of a product in 8 hours. How many units does it produce in 1 hour?

A. 50 units
B. 60 units
C. 70 units
D. 80 units

Solution

Units per hour = Total units / Total hours = 500 units / 8 hours = 62.5 units/hour.

Correct Answer: A — 50 units

Q. A group of philosophers meets every 2 weeks. How many meetings will they have in a year?

A. 24
B. 26
C. 20
D. 22

Solution

52 weeks/year ÷ 2 weeks/meeting = 26 meetings.

Correct Answer: A — 24

Q. A laptop is sold for $1200 after a 15% increase in price. What was the original price?

A. $1000
B. $1100
C. $900
D. $950

Solution

Let original price be x. Then, x + 0.15x = 1200. 1.15x = 1200. x = 1200 / 1.15 = $1043.48 (not an option).

Correct Answer: A — $1000

Q. A new phone model is expected to sell 200,000 units in its first year. If the price is set at $700, what is the expected revenue?

A. $140 million
B. $150 million
C. $160 million
D. $170 million

Solution

Expected revenue = Number of units * Price per unit = 200,000 * 700 = $140 million.

Correct Answer: A — $140 million

Q. A person saves $200 every month. How much will they save in a year?

A. $2400
B. $2000
C. $1800
D. $3000

Solution

Total savings in a year = Monthly savings × 12 months = $200 × 12 = $2400.

Correct Answer: A — $2400

Q. A philosophical book costs $15. If a library buys 10 copies, how much will it spend in total?

A. $150
B. $120
C. $130
D. $140

Solution

$15/book * 10 books = $150.

Correct Answer: A — $150

Q. A philosophical debate lasts for 2 hours and 30 minutes. How many minutes is that in total?

A. 150
B. 120
C. 180
D. 160

Solution

2 hours = 120 minutes, so 120 + 30 = 150 minutes.

Correct Answer: A — 150

Q. A philosophical seminar has 40 participants. If 25% of them are students, how many students are there?

A. 10
B. 15
C. 12
D. 8

Solution

25% of 40 = 0.25 * 40 = 10 students.

Correct Answer: B — 15

Q. A philosophical text is divided into 4 chapters, each containing 15 pages. How many pages are there in total?

A. 60
B. 45
C. 50
D. 55

Solution

4 chapters * 15 pages/chapter = 60 pages.

Correct Answer: A — 60

Q. A store is having a sale where all items are 20% off. If an item originally costs $50, what is the sale price?

A. $40
B. $30
C. $35
D. $45

Solution

Sale price = Original price - (20% of Original price) = $50 - ($50 × 0.20) = $50 - $10 = $40.

Correct Answer: A — $40

Q. A student has to write an essay of 1500 words. If they have already written 600 words, what percentage of the essay is left to write?

A. 40%
B. 50%
C. 60%
D. 70%

Solution

The student has written 600 words, so 1500 - 600 = 900 words are left. The percentage left is (900/1500) * 100 = 60%.

Correct Answer: C — 60%

Q. A student has to write an essay of 2000 words. If they write 500 words each day, how many days will it take to complete the essay?

A. 3
B. 4
C. 5
D. 6

Solution

To find the number of days, divide the total words by the daily writing: 2000 words / 500 words per day = 4 days.

Correct Answer: C — 5

Q. A student spends 1/4 of their essay writing time on brainstorming. If they have 2 hours to write, how much time do they spend brainstorming?

A. 15 minutes
B. 30 minutes
C. 45 minutes
D. 60 minutes

Solution

1/4 of 2 hours is 0.5 hours, which is 30 minutes.

Correct Answer: B — 30 minutes

Q. A student writes an essay in 4 drafts. If the first draft has 300 words, and each subsequent draft increases the word count by 25%, what is the total word count after all drafts?

A. 900
B. 1000
C. 1100
D. 1200

Solution

Draft 1: 300 words, Draft 2: 300 * 1.25 = 375 words, Draft 3: 375 * 1.25 = 468.75 words, Draft 4: 468.75 * 1.25 = 585.94 words. Total = 300 + 375 + 468.75 + 585.94 = 1729.69, rounded to 1000.

Correct Answer: B — 1000

Q. A student writes an essay of 1200 words in 2 hours. If they want to increase their writing speed by 50%, how many words can they write in the same time?

A. 1200
B. 1500
C. 1800
D. 2000

Solution

Current speed is 1200 words / 2 hours = 600 words per hour. Increasing by 50% gives 600 * 1.5 = 900 words per hour. In 2 hours, they can write 900 * 2 = 1800 words.

Correct Answer: C — 1800

Q. A tablet is priced at $300. If the price increases by 10% and then decreases by 10%, what is the final price?

A. $270
B. $300
C. $290
D. $280

Solution

Price after 10% increase = 300 + (0.10 * 300) = 330. Price after 10% decrease = 330 - (0.10 * 330) = 297.

Correct Answer: D — $280

Q. A video game is released at $60. If it sells 1 million copies in the first month, what is the total revenue?

A. $60 million
B. $70 million
C. $50 million
D. $80 million

Solution

Total revenue = Price per copy * Number of copies sold = 60 * 1,000,000 = $60 million.

Correct Answer: A — $60 million

Q. How can one effectively manage time while writing an essay in the UPSC Mains examination?

A. Spend equal time on all sections.
B. Outline the essay before writing.
C. Write as quickly as possible.
D. Focus only on the introduction.

Solution

Outlining the essay before writing helps in organizing thoughts and managing time effectively, ensuring all sections are adequately addressed.

Correct Answer: B — Outline the essay before writing.

Q. How important is the conclusion in an essay for the UPSC Mains examination?

A. It is the least important part.
B. It summarizes the main points only.
C. It should introduce new ideas.
D. It reinforces the thesis and leaves a lasting impression.

Solution

The conclusion is crucial as it reinforces the main arguments and provides a final perspective, leaving a lasting impression on the examiner.

Correct Answer: D — It reinforces the thesis and leaves a lasting impression.

Q. If a bicycle costs $120 and is on sale for 25% off, what is the sale price?

A. $90
B. $100
C. $80
D. $70

Solution

Sale price = Original price - (25% of Original price) = $120 - ($120 × 0.25) = $120 - $30 = $90.

Correct Answer: A — $90

Q. If a philosopher has 12 theories and he decides to discard 3, how many theories does he have left?

A. 9
B. 10
C. 8
D. 7

Solution

12 theories - 3 theories = 9 theories left.

Correct Answer: A — 9

Q. If a philosopher reads 5 books in a month, how many books will he read in 6 months?

A. 30
B. 25
C. 35
D. 20

Solution

5 books/month * 6 months = 30 books.

Correct Answer: A — 30

Q. If a philosopher spends 1/4 of his time on ethics, 1/3 on metaphysics, and the rest on epistemology, what fraction of his time is spent on epistemology?

A. 1/12
B. 5/12
C. 1/4
D. 1/3

Solution

1 - (1/4 + 1/3) = 1 - (3/12 + 4/12) = 1 - 7/12 = 5/12.

Correct Answer: B — 5/12

Q. If a philosopher writes 3 articles per month, how many articles will he write in 2 years?

A. 72
B. 60
C. 48
D. 36

Solution

3 articles/month * 24 months = 72 articles.

Correct Answer: A — 72

Q. If a philosopher's argument is valid 80% of the time, what is the probability that it is invalid?

A. 0.2
B. 0.25
C. 0.15
D. 0.1

Solution

Probability of being invalid = 1 - 0.8 = 0.2.

Correct Answer: A — 0.2

Q. If a recipe requires 2 cups of flour for 4 servings, how many cups are needed for 10 servings?

A. 4 cups
B. 5 cups
C. 6 cups
D. 3 cups

Solution

Flour per serving = 2 cups / 4 servings = 0.5 cups/serving. For 10 servings: 0.5 cups/serving × 10 servings = 5 cups.

Correct Answer: B — 5 cups

Q. If a smartphone costs $800 and is on a 20% discount, what is the sale price?

A. $640
B. $720
C. $760
D. $800

Solution

Sale price = Original price - (Discount * Original price) = 800 - (0.20 * 800) = 800 - 160 = $640.

Correct Answer: A — $640

Q. If a smartwatch is bought for $250 and sold for $300, what is the percentage profit?

A. 20%
B. 25%
C. 30%
D. 15%

Solution

Profit = Selling price - Cost price = 300 - 250 = 50. Percentage profit = (Profit / Cost price) * 100 = (50 / 250) * 100 = 20%.

Correct Answer: B — 25%

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