Reading Comprehension Tips and Practice for SBI CBO Exam 2025

Reading Comprehension (RC) is a key part of the English Language section in the SBI Circle Based Officer (CBO) Exam 2025. Scoring well in RC can make a big difference in your overall marks, as this section tests your ability to understand, analyse, and interpret written information quickly and accurately. SBI has initiated the recruitment to recruit 2964 vacancies for the Circle Based Officers. After the written exams, shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview round, making it important to score well in each section, including Reading Comprehension.

Reading Comprehension for SBI CBO Exam 2025

The SBI CBO Recruitment 2025 is structured to test candidates’ analytical and language abilities through both an Objective Test and a Descriptive Test. The objective section includes four main areas, English Language, Banking Knowledge, General Awareness/Economy, and Computer Aptitude, with a total of 120 questions to be completed in 2 hours. The English Language section, where Reading Comprehension is an important topic, consists of 30 questions to be solved in 30 minutes. A key advantage for candidates is that there is no negative marking in the objective test, so you can attempt all questions without worrying about penalties.

Tips to Crack Reading Comprehension in SBI CBO Exam

1. Read the Passage Carefully: Read the passage once to get a general idea. Don’t try to memorise everything; focus on the main theme and tone.

2. Identify the Main Idea: Ask yourself: What is the passage mainly about? Look for the author’s opinion or the central argument.

3. Read the Questions First (Optional): Some candidates find it helpful to read the questions before the passage. This way, you know what information to look for.

4. Scan for Keywords: While answering, scan the passage for keywords from the questions. This helps you locate answers quickly.

5. Don’t Assume, Stick to the Passage: Answer only based on the information given in the passage. Do not use outside knowledge or assumptions.

6. Improve Your Vocabulary: A strong vocabulary helps you understand the passage and questions better. Learn common banking and economic terms, as passages may be related to these topics.

7. Practice Time Management: Don’t spend too much time on a single question. If stuck, move on and return later if time allows.

8. Practice Regularly: Solve at least 1-2 RC passages daily from previous year papers and mock tests.

Reading Comprehension Practice Questions for SBI CBO Exam 2025

Directions (01-05): Read the passage carefully and answer the questions based on the passage. Some of the words have been highlighted which will be required to answer some of the questions.

There is a fairly universal sentiment that the use of nuclear weapons is clearly contrary to morality and that its production probably so, does not go far enough. These activities are not only opposed to morality but also to law if the legal objection can be added to the moral, the argument against the use and the manufacture of these weapons will considerably be reinforced. Now the time is ripe to evaluate the responsibility of scientists who knowingly use their expertise for the construction of such weapons, which has deleterious effect on mankind.

To this must be added the fact that more than 50 percent of the skilled scientific manpower in the world is now engaged in the armaments industry. How appropriate it is that all this valuable skill should be devoted to the manufacture of weapons of death in a world of poverty is a question that must touch the scientific conscience.

A meeting of biologists on the Long-Term Worldwide Biological consequences of nuclear war added frightening dimension to those forecasts. Its report suggested that the long biological effects resulting from climatic changes may at least be as serious as the immediate ones.

Sub-freezing temperatures, low light levels, and high doses of ionizing and ultraviolet radiation extending for many months after a large-scale nuclear war could destroy the biological support system of civilization, at least in the Northern Hemisphere. Productivity in natural and agricultural ecosystems could be severely restricted for a year or more. Post war survivors would face starvation as well as freezing conditions in the dark and be exposed to near lethal doses of radiation. If, as now seems possible, the Southern Hemisphere were affected also, global disruption of the biosphere could ensue. In any event, there would be severe consequences, even in the areas not affected directly, because of the interdependence of the world economy. In either case the extinction of a large fraction of the earth’s animals, plants and microorganism seems possible. The population size of Homo sapiens conceivably could be reduced to prehistoric levels or below, and extinction of the human species itself cannot be excluded.

Q01. According to the passage, the argument against use and manufacture of nuclear weapons

(a) Does not stand the test of legality

(b) Possesses legal strength although it does not have moral standing

(c) Is acceptable only on moral grounds

(d) Becomes stronger if legal and moral considerations are combined

(e) All the given options are incorrect.

Q02. The scientists possessing expertise in manufacturing destructive weapons are

(a) Very few in number

(b) Irresponsible and incompetent

(c) More than half of the total number

(d) Engaged in the armaments industry against their desire

(e) not conscious of the repercussions of their actions.

Q03. The author of the passage seems to be of the view that

(a) Utilization of scientific skills in manufacture of weapons is appropriate.

(b) Manufacture of weapons of death would help eradication of poverty.

(c) Spending money on manufacture of weapons may be justifiable subject to the availability of funds.

(d) Utilization of valuable knowledge for manufacture of lethal weapons is inhuman.

(e) The evaluation of the scientific skills in manufacture of weapons is appropriate.

Q04. Which of the following is one of the consequences of nuclear war?

(a) Fertility of land will last for a year or more.

(b) Post-war survivors being very few will have abundant food.

(c) Lights would be cooler and more comfortable.

(d) Southern Hemisphere would remain quite safe in the post-war period.

(e) None of these.

Q05. Choose the word from the given alternatives which is most similar in the meaning of the given word in bold. DEVOTED

(a) apathetic

(b) habituated

(c) articulated

(d) committed

(e) toughen

Directions (06-10): In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, some words are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.

India has quadrupled its imports of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries and more than tripled its import bill on the product, vital for _____ (06) _____ a range of devices from cellphones to electric vehicles, from 2016-2018, the Union Science Ministry said in the Lok Sabha last Friday. Responding to a query, the Ministry said 175 million _____ (07) _____ batteries were imported in 2016, 313 million in 2017, 712 million in 2018 and 450 million from January 1, 2019, till November 30 of that year. The cost of these imports rose from $383 million (₹2,600 crore approx) in 2016 to $727.24 million (₹5,000 crore approx.) in 2017, $1254.94 million (₹8,700 crore) in 2018 and $929 million (₹6,500 crore) in 2019. Indian manufacturers source Li-ion batteries from China, Japan and South Korea and the country among the largest importers in the world. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) manufactures such batteries but _____ (08) _____ are limited and they are restricted for use in space applications. In June 2018, Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI) in Tamil Nadu’s Karaikudi, under the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and RAASI Solar Power Pvt Ltd signed a Memorandum of Agreement for transfer of technology for India’s first lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery project. To promote _____ (09) _____ development of such batteries, the Union Cabinet in 2019 approved a programme, called a National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage in the NITI Aayog to “drive clean, connected, shared, sustainable and holistic mobility initiatives.” China dominates the Li-ion battery market. According to a report by BloombergNEF “… Around three-quarters of battery cell manufacturing capacity is in China, and Chinese companies have ___(10)___ control of required domestic and foreign battery raw materials and processing facilities.”

Q06.

(a) Destroyable

(b) Dwindle

(c) Prosperity

(d) Powering

(e) Alleviation

Q07.

(a) Such

(b) Solace

(c) Decrease

(d) Task

(e) Boom

Q08.

(a) Destitutions

(b) Complex

(c) Volumes

(d) Abstract

(e) Complicated

Q09.

(a) Effortless

(b) Ambiguous

(c) Vulnerable

(d) Definitive

(e) Indigenous

Q10.

(a) Implied

(b) Unparalleled

(c) Expressed

(d) Specified

(e) Fragile

Why is Reading Comprehension Important in SBI CBO?

• RC questions check your understanding of the passage, vocabulary, inference skills, and ability to find key details.
• This section usually has around 10 questions based on a single passage.
• Topics can include banking, economy, social issues, or general topics.