CUET 2026 English May 26 Shift 2 Question Paper- Download Answer Key and Solution PDF

Passage:

My grandmother always held a certain stoic posture toward life’s erratic tides. Living in a small, weathered cottage, she looked back at a history filled with transient joys and lasting trials. Her penchant for storytelling transformed rainy afternoons into grand journeys. Though neighbors viewed her solitary lifestyle as ascetic, if not dangerously precarious given her failing health, she remained entirely loquacious whenever a guest crossed her threshold, speaking with an eloquent cadence that captivated anyone who listened. She often reminded us that lingering on past predicaments was a futile exercise, urging us instead to make peace with our conflicts and move forward without looking back.

Based on the passage, why did neighbors characterize the grandmother's lifestyle as “ascetic”?

• (A) Because she had an unpredictable, erratic pattern of welcoming visitors.
• (B) Because she lived a severe, self-disciplined, and simple life alone.
• (C) Because her penchant for grand storytelling was confusing.
• (D) Because she spent her time constantly worrying about her failing health.

Passage:

My grandmother always held a certain stoic posture toward life’s erratic tides. Living in a small, weathered cottage, she looked back at a history filled with transient joys and lasting trials. Her penchant for storytelling transformed rainy afternoons into grand journeys. Though neighbors viewed her solitary lifestyle as ascetic, if not dangerously precarious given her failing health, she remained entirely loquacious whenever a guest crossed her threshold, speaking with an eloquent cadence that captivated anyone who listened. She often reminded us that lingering on past predicaments was a futile exercise, urging us instead to make peace with our conflicts and move forward without looking back.

Which word used in the passage is closest in meaning to an “unstable, uncertain, or uncomfortable situation”?

• (A) Stoic
• (B) Transient
• (C) Precarious
• (D) Ascetic

One Word Substitution: A person who studies or collects postage stamps is called a/an:

• (A) Ornithologist
• (B) Philatelist
• (C) Numismatist
• (D) Graphologist

One Word Substitution: Identify the correct terms for the following two definitions respectively:

The study and analysis of handwriting.
An instrument that records heart/beat action.

• (A) Numismatics, Stethoscope
• (B) Graphology, Cardiograph
• (C) Ventriloquism, Cardiograph
• (D) Graphology, Stethoscope

Synonyms: Match the words in Column I with their correct meanings/synonyms in Column II.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• (A) 1-P, 2-R, 3-Q, 4-S
• (B) 1-R, 2-P, 3-S, 4-Q
• (C) 1-P, 2-Q, 3-R, 4-S
• (D) 1-S, 2-R, 3-Q, 4-P

Antonyms: Select the correct antonym for the word "Concise".

• (A) Brief
• (B) Loquacious
• (C) Verbose / Wordy
• (D) Meticulous

Spelling Check: Identify the option with the exact correct spelling.

• (A) Maintainance
• (B) Maintenance
• (C) Maintenence
• (D) Mentenence

Homophones: Complete the sentence using the correct set of homophones:

The actress wore a dark ______ to hide her face, but she could not suppress a loud ______ of grief when she saw the ______ state of the slum.

• (A) vail, wail, vile
• (B) veil, vail, vile
• (C) veil, wail, vile
• (D) vile, wail, veil

Match the Idioms in Column A with their meanings in Column B.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• (A) 1-R, 2-P, 3-Q, 4-S
• (B) 1-P, 2-R, 3-Q, 4-S
• (C) 1-R, 2-Q, 3-P, 4-S
• (D) 1-S, 2-P, 3-Q, 4-R

Complete the sentence:

“The candidate was completely ______ by the deceptive questions asked by the interview board.”

• (A) taken in
• (B) brushed off
• (C) ironed out
• (D) lashed out