PPSC Past Papers & Solved MCQs

This analogy question tests the understanding of a creator-creation relationship. A statue is a work of art that is created by a sculptor. The sculptor is the artist responsible for shaping and forming the statue from raw materials.

Following this same creator-creation relationship, a symphony is a complex musical composition. The person responsible for writing and arranging a symphony is a composer. Therefore, the composer is the creator of the symphony. Options A ("Chisel") and B ("Pen") are tools used in creation, not the creators themselves. Option D ("Canvas") is a surface used by a painter, not related to the creation of a symphony.

This question tests subject-verb agreement and the correct use of auxiliary verbs in elliptical clauses. An elliptical clause omits words that are understood from the context, often using an auxiliary verb to stand in for the main verb phrase.

• The correct answer is D: Do. The subject of the second clause is "they," which is a plural pronoun. In the present simple tense, the auxiliary verb "do" is used with plural subjects (I, you, we, they). The sentence implies "they do want to leave early."
• A: Does is incorrect because "does" is used with singular third-person subjects (he, she, it). It does not agree with "they."
• B: Might succeeded is grammatically incorrect. "Might" is a modal verb and must be followed by a base form of the verb (e.g., "might succeed"). "Succeeded" is a past tense form.
• C: Is is incorrect because "is" is a form of the verb "to be" and is used with singular subjects. It does not fit the context of replacing "want to leave early" as an auxiliary verb.

This question assesses the logical connection between two clauses using appropriate conjunctions. The first part, "Martha is very nice," establishes a positive characteristic.

• The correct answer is A: but she is also very strict. The conjunction "but" is used to introduce a contrasting idea or an unexpected element. Being "very nice" and "very strict" are often perceived as contrasting qualities, making "but" the most suitable connector to show this combination of traits.
• B: because she always helps others is plausible but less direct. "Because" introduces a reason. While helping others is a reason for being nice, the phrasing "Martha is very nice because she always helps others" would be more natural if the intent was solely to state the reason. Option A presents a common and grammatically sound contrast.
• C: if she has enough time is incorrect. "If" introduces a condition. Being nice is typically a character trait, not something conditional on having sufficient time, making this an illogical statement.
• D: and she never makes mistakes is incorrect. "And" adds similar or complementary information. While not making mistakes is positive, it doesn't create a strong, natural pairing or contrast with "very nice" in the same way "strict" does.

This question focuses on the correct use of adverbs versus adjectives. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, describing how, when, where, or to what extent an action occurs. Adjectives, conversely, modify nouns or pronouns.

• The correct answer is A: The goalkeeper played well. The word "played" is a verb, describing an action. To describe *how* the goalkeeper performed this action, an adverb is required. "Well" is the adverbial form of the adjective "good" and correctly modifies the verb "played."
• B: The goalkeeper play good is incorrect for two reasons. First, "play" should be in the past tense, "played," to match the context. Second, "good" is an adjective, not an adverb. It cannot modify the verb "play."
• C: The goalkeeper played beautiful is incorrect. "Beautiful" is an adjective. To modify the verb "played," the adverbial form "beautifully" should be used.
• D: Both A & B is incorrect because option B contains grammatical errors.

This question tests knowledge about the administrative location of a significant linguistic institution in Pakistan, the Urdu Lughat Board (Urdu Dictionary Board).

• The correct answer is A: کراچی (Karachi). The head office of the Urdu Lughat Board is indeed located in Karachi, Pakistan. Karachi, being a major metropolitan and cultural hub, has historically been a center for literary and educational activities, making it a fitting location for an institution dedicated to the development and preservation of the Urdu language.
• B: لاہور (Lahore) is incorrect. While Lahore is a prominent cultural and literary city in Pakistan, it is not the primary location of the Urdu Lughat Board's headquarters.
• C: اسلام آباد (Islamabad) is incorrect. Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan, but the Urdu Lughat Board's main office is not situated there.
• D: ان میں سے کوئی نہیں (None of these) is incorrect because Karachi is the accurate location.

This question asks for the meaning of a common Urdu idiom, "رال تپکنا" (Raal Tapakna).

• The correct answer is A: منہ سے پانی آتا (Saliva comes from the mouth / Mouth waters). The idiom "رال تپکنا" literally translates to "saliva dripping" or "mouth watering." It is used to describe a strong desire, craving, or longing for something, typically food, to the extent that one's mouth produces saliva in anticipation. It signifies intense appetite or covetousness.
• B: مشکل نظر آتا (Looks difficult) is incorrect. This phrase means "it appears difficult" and bears no relation to the idiom "رال تپکنا."
• C: التی کرنا (To vomit) is incorrect. This phrase means "to vomit" or "to throw up," which is a completely different physiological action and meaning from "mouth watering."
• D: ان میں سے کوئی نہیں (None of these) is incorrect because option A accurately defines the idiom.

This question tests knowledge about the real name of a renowned Urdu literary figure, Ibn-e-Insha, who, like many writers, used a pen name (takhallus).

• The correct answer is A: شیر محمد خان (Sher Muhammad Khan). The real name of the celebrated Urdu poet, humorist, travelogue writer, and columnist, Ibn-e-Insha, was Sher Muhammad Khan. He adopted "Ibn-e-Insha" as his pen name, under which he achieved widespread fame and made significant contributions to Urdu literature with his distinctive style and wit.
• B: شبیر علی (Shabbir Ali) is incorrect. This is not the real name of Ibn-e-Insha.
• C: محمد الصفر (Muhammad Al-Safar) is incorrect. This is not the real name of Ibn-e-Insha. While "Safar" means travel, and Ibn-e-Insha was famous for his travelogues, this is not his given name.
• D: ان میں سے کوئی نہیں (None of these) is incorrect because option A correctly identifies his real name.

اس جملے میں "ذہین طلبہ" ایک مرکب توصیفی ہے۔ مرکب توصیفی دو یا دو سے زیادہ الفاظ کا ایسا مجموعہ ہوتا ہے جس میں ایک لفظ (صفت) دوسرے لفظ (موصوف یا اسم) کی خوبی یا خامی بیان کرتا ہے۔ یہاں "ذہین" صفت ہے جو "طلبہ" (اسم) کی صفت بیان کر رہی ہے کہ وہ ذہین ہے۔

• فعل (A) غلط ہے کیونکہ فعل کسی کام کا کرنا یا ہونا ظاہر کرتا ہے، جیسے 'پڑھنا' یا 'لکھنا'۔
• مرکب عطفی (B) غلط ہے کیونکہ مرکب عطفی میں دو اسموں یا صفتوں کو حرف عطف (جیسے 'اور') سے ملایا جاتا ہے، مثلاً 'دن اور رات'۔
• اسم (D) غلط ہے کیونکہ "ذہین طلبہ" صرف ایک اسم نہیں بلکہ ایک صفت اور اسم کا مجموعہ ہے۔

اردو ادب میں مولوی نذیر احمد کو اردو کا پہلا ناول نگار تسلیم کیا جاتا ہے۔ انہوں نے 1869 میں اپنا پہلا ناول "مراۃ العروس" لکھا، جسے اردو کا پہلا مکمل ناول مانا جاتا ہے۔ ان کے ناولوں کا مقصد معاشرتی اصلاح اور اخلاقی تعلیم دینا تھا۔

• مرزا اسد اللہ خان غالب (A) اردو کے عظیم شاعر تھے، لیکن وہ ناول نگار نہیں تھے۔ ان کا کمال شاعری اور خطوط نگاری میں تھا۔
• میر تقی میر (B) اردو کے کلاسیکی شاعروں میں سے ہیں اور انہیں 'خدائے سخن' کہا جاتا ہے، لیکن وہ ناول نگاری کے دور سے بہت پہلے گزرے تھے۔
• ان میں سے کوئی نہیں (D) غلط ہے کیونکہ مولوی نذیر احمد ہی درست جواب ہیں۔

The Hajar-e-Aswad (Black Stone) is a sacred stone located in the Kaaba in Mecca. It is positioned in the southeastern corner of the Kaaba. Therefore, its direction is towards the East. Pilgrims begin their circumambulation (Tawaf) of the Kaaba by facing the Hajar-e-Aswad and making an intention.

• West (B), North (C), and South (D) are incorrect directions. The Hajar-e-Aswad is specifically embedded in the eastern wall of the Kaaba, making East the accurate directional reference. Understanding its precise location is fundamental for performing the rituals of Hajj and Umrah correctly.

The book Nahjul Balagha is a renowned collection of sermons, letters, and narrations attributed to Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA), the fourth Caliph of Islam and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It was compiled by Sharif Razi in the 10th century and is highly revered for its eloquence and profound wisdom.

• Kashf al-Mahjub (B) was written by Ali Hujwiri (Data Ganj Bakhsh), a famous Sufi saint.
• Kitab al-Athar (C) is a collection of Hadith attributed to Imam Abu Hanifa.
• Raheeq Al Makhtoom (D) (The Sealed Nectar) is a comprehensive biography of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri.

The Battle of Trench, also known as Ghazwat al-Khandaq or the Battle of the Confederates, was a pivotal defensive engagement in early Islamic history. This significant event occurred in the 5th year of the Hijrah calendar. During this battle, a large coalition of pagan Arab tribes and Jewish tribes besieged the city of Medina. The Muslims, under the leadership of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), successfully defended Medina by digging a massive trench around the vulnerable parts of the city, a strategy suggested by Salman the Persian. This innovative defense thwarted the attackers.

Option A, 3 Hijri, is incorrect as the Battle of Uhud took place then. Option B, 4 Hijri, saw other skirmishes but not the Battle of Trench. Option D, 7 Hijri, is incorrect as the Battle of Khaybar occurred in that year. Thus, 5 Hijri is the accurate historical date for the Battle of Trench.

The 9th year of Hijrah is famously known as the Year of Deputations (Aam al-Wufood). During this significant period, numerous delegations from various tribes across the Arabian Peninsula traveled to Madinah to declare their acceptance of Islam and pledge allegiance to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This marked a widespread conversion to Islam and the consolidation of the nascent Islamic state.

• 8 Hijrah (A) was the year of the Conquest of Makkah.
• 10 Hijrah (C) was the year of the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada'), which was the Prophet's last Hajj.
• 11 Hijrah (D) was the year of the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) demise.

Analogies test the ability to identify the relationship between a given pair of words and then find another pair that shares the same relationship. The relationship between "Top" and "Bottom" is that they are direct antonyms, meaning they are opposite in meaning. "Top" signifies the highest point, while "Bottom" signifies the lowest.

Following this antonymous relationship, "Knowledge" and "Ignorance" are also direct opposites. "Knowledge" refers to facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or education, whereas "Ignorance" denotes a lack of knowledge or information. Therefore, this pair perfectly mirrors the relationship of the original words. Options A (School: College) shows a sequential or related institutional relationship, and C (Patient: Hospital) shows a person-to-place relationship, neither of which are antonyms.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) began sending letters to various kings and rulers, inviting them to Islam, in the 6th year of Hijrah (6 AH). This pivotal initiative occurred shortly after the signing of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, which brought a temporary truce with the Makkans. This period of peace allowed the Prophet (PBUH) to expand the message of Islam beyond the immediate Arabian Peninsula.

• 5 AH (A) was the year of the Battle of the Trench (Khandaq), a defensive battle.
• 8 AH (C) was the year of the Conquest of Makkah, a major turning point.
• ان میں سے کوئی نہیں (D) is incorrect as 6 AH is the historically accurate year for this significant diplomatic outreach.

Punctuation marks are symbols used in written language to separate sentences and clauses, clarify meaning, and indicate pauses or emphasis. Understanding their function is crucial for clear communication. A hashtag (#) is primarily used on social media platforms to categorize content and facilitate searches by marking keywords or topics. While it is a symbol, it does not serve the grammatical function of separating or clarifying sentence structure in traditional writing.

In contrast, a hyphen (-) is a punctuation mark used to join words or parts of words. A comma (,) is used to separate clauses, items in a list, and introduce pauses. An exclamation mark (!) is used to indicate strong feelings or emphasis. All three are standard punctuation marks with specific grammatical roles, unlike the hashtag.

Prepositions are words that link a noun or pronoun to other words in a sentence, indicating relationships like direction, time, place, or purpose. The correct choice of preposition often depends on the verb and the context. When someone is vaccinated, the primary purpose is to protect them against a specific disease. The preposition "against" correctly conveys this protective action, meaning to prevent or combat the disease.

Therefore, "vaccinated against polio" is the grammatically correct and most logical phrasing. Using "for" would imply vaccination on behalf of polio, which is nonsensical. "By" would typically indicate the agent performing the vaccination (e.g., "vaccinated by the nurse"). "With" might imply the substance used (e.g., "vaccinated with a new serum"), but not the disease itself. Hence, "against" is the most appropriate preposition.

General Zia ul Haq tragically died in a plane crash on August 17, 1988. According to the Pakistani constitution, in the event of the President's death, the Chairman of the Senate assumes the office of President. The correct answer is Ghulam Ishaq Khan. At the time of Zia's death, Ghulam Ishaq Khan was serving as the Chairman of the Senate, and thus constitutionally stepped in as the acting President of Pakistan. He subsequently oversaw the general elections later that year.

• Muhammad Khan Junejo was the Prime Minister under Zia ul Haq but had been dismissed earlier in 1988.
• Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari became President much later, in 1993.

The smallest continent in the world by both land area and population is Australia. It is unique in that it is a continent, a country, and a large island all in one. Its landmass is significantly smaller compared to the other six continents, making it distinct in its geographical scale.

• Asia is incorrect; it is the largest continent in the world, covering approximately 30% of Earth's land area.
• Europe is incorrect; while it is the second smallest continent, it is still larger than Australia in terms of landmass.
• North America is incorrect; it is the third largest continent, considerably larger than Australia.

The shortcut key Ctrl+F2 is widely used in many applications, including Microsoft Word, to access the Print Preview function. This feature allows users to visualize exactly how a document will appear when printed, enabling them to check for formatting issues, page breaks, and overall layout before committing to printing. This helps save paper and ink by identifying errors beforehand.

• Ctrl+F2 is the correct shortcut for Print Preview.
• Ctrl+F3 is often associated with the 'Spike' feature in Word, which allows cutting multiple items to paste them as a group.
• Ctrl+F9 is used to insert an empty field code in Word, which is a placeholder for dynamic content.
• Ctrl+F10 is typically used to maximize or restore a window in many Windows applications, not for print preview.

Understanding these shortcuts enhances efficiency in document preparation.

The Kashmir dispute emerged immediately after the partition of British India in 1947, leading to the First Indo-Pakistani War. The correct answer is 1948. India formally took the Kashmir dispute to the United Nations Security Council on January 1, 1948. India sought the UN's intervention to resolve the conflict with Pakistan over the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, which had become a flashpoint between the newly independent nations.

• 1947 was the year of partition and the beginning of the conflict, but the formal appeal to the UN occurred the following year.
• 1955 and 1973 are incorrect as they represent later periods in the dispute's history or other significant events, not the initial UN appeal.

The second highest mountain in the world is K2, also known as Mount Godwin Austen, standing at an elevation of 8,611 meters (28,251 feet). K2 is located in the Karakoram mountain range, specifically on the border between Pakistan and China. However, its most accessible and frequently used routes, including the primary base camps for climbers, are situated within Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region, making Pakistan the most appropriate answer for its location.

• India is incorrect; while it has high peaks, K2 is not primarily located within its borders.
• Nepal is incorrect; it is home to Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, but not K2.
• China is partially correct as K2 is on its border with Pakistan, but Pakistan is often cited as the country where it is predominantly located or accessed.

In Microsoft PowerPoint, the F5 key is the standard and most direct shortcut to initiate a slideshow. When pressed, it starts the presentation from the very first slide, allowing the presenter to begin their delivery immediately. This function is crucial for presenting content to an audience in a full-screen, dynamic format.

• F5 is the correct key to start a slideshow from the beginning.
• F6 is generally used to move between panes in a program window, such as cycling through the ribbon, document, and status bar in Word, and does not control slideshows.
• F8 is commonly associated with booting Windows into Safe Mode or extending a selection in Word, and has no function for starting a PowerPoint slideshow.
• Therefore, 'None of these' is incorrect as F5 is the designated key.

Knowing this shortcut is fundamental for efficient PowerPoint usage.

The tragic attack in 2021 on a school in Afghanistan specifically targeted Sayed Ul-Shuhada High School in Kabul. This devastating bombing occurred in May 2021, primarily affecting female students leaving the school, resulting in numerous casualties and injuries. The incident drew widespread international condemnation, highlighting the ongoing violence and insecurity in the region.

Regarding the incorrect options:

• Afghan Yaar High School, Abdul Hadi Dawi High School, and Amani High School are not associated with this particular 2021 bombing incident. While they may be educational institutions in Afghanistan, they were not the specific target of the attack referenced in the question. The Sayed Ul-Shuhada High School attack remains a significant and tragic event from that year.

China is currently the largest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas in the world. This status is primarily due to its vast industrial output, large population, and significant reliance on coal as a primary energy source. Rapid economic growth and urbanization over recent decades have propelled China to the forefront of global CO2 emissions.

• India is incorrect; while it is a major emitter and its emissions are rising, it ranks below China and the USA in total CO2 emissions.
• USA is incorrect; historically a top emitter, the USA has been surpassed by China, though it remains one of the largest contributors globally.
• Russia is incorrect; it is a significant emitter, but its total CO2 emissions are considerably lower than those of China and the USA.