ঢাকা ব্যাংক ট্রেইনি অ্যাসিস্ট্যান্ট ক্যাশ অফিসার (TACO) ২০২১: প্রশ্ন সমাধান ও ব্যাখ্যা

1. If 12 equally priced melons cost a total of $9.60, then what is the cost of 9 of these melons?

(a) $7.00 (b) $7.20 (c) $8.00 (d) $8.45

Answer: (b) $7.20

Explanation: Price of each melon = 9.60 ÷ 12 = $0.80. So, the cost of 9 melons = 0.80 × 9 = $7.20.

2. If 2a = 3b = 4c = 72, then what is the average (arithmetic mean) of a, b and c?

(a) 39 (b) 26 (c) 24 (d) 18

Answer: (b) 26

Explanation: 2a = 72 ⟹ a = 36; 3b = 72 ⟹ b = 24; 4c = 72 ⟹ c = 18. Average = (36 + 24 + 18) / 3 = 78/3 = 26.

3. Jenny notices a consistent, increasing pattern in the number of geese she sees flying over her house each day. If she sees 5 geese on Monday, 8 geese on Tuesday, 11 geese on Wednesday and 14 geese on Thursday and the next week starts on Sunday, on which of the following day of the next week will she see a prime number of geese if the pattern continues?

(a) Sunday (b) Monday (c) Thursday (d) Friday

Answer: (a) Sunday

Explanation: The pattern increases by 3 each day: Mon=5, Tue=8, Wed=11, Thu=14, Fri=17, Sat=20, Sun=23 (next week). Among these, only 17 (Friday, same week) and 23 (Sunday, next week) are prime. Since the question asks about "the next week," which starts on Sunday, the day counted is that Sunday itself, when she sees 23 geese — a prime number.

4. Set B contains only positive, even integers. Which of the following could be the median of set B?

(a) -2 (b) 0 (c) 1 (d) 3

Answer: (d) 3

Explanation: Since B contains only positive even integers, its median cannot be negative, zero, or an odd whole number less than its smallest element — ruling out (a), (b) and (c) as impossible medians of a set with an odd count of elements. However, when a set has an even number of elements, the median is the average of the two middle values. For example, if B = {2, 4}, the median = (2+4)/2 = 3. So 3 is a valid possible median.

5. A car manufacturer has 2,992 forklifts, which is approximately one forklift for every 48.9 employees. Which of the following is the closest approximation in thousands, of the number of employees employed by the manufacturer?

(a) 60 (b) 100 (c) 150 (d) 175

Answer: (c) 150

Explanation: Approximating, 2,992 ≈ 3,000 forklifts and 48.9 ≈ 50 employees per forklift. Total employees ≈ 3,000 × 50 = 150,000, which is 150 thousand.

6. In how many different ways can 3 identical green shirts and 3 identical red shirts be distributed among 6 children such that each child receives a shirt?

(a) 40 (b) 216 (c) 20 (d) 720

Answer: (c) 20

Explanation: Since each child gets exactly one shirt and the shirts within each color are identical, the distribution is decided purely by choosing which 3 of the 6 children receive a green shirt (the rest automatically receive red). Number of ways = ¹⁶C₃... i.e. ⁶C₃ = 6!/(3!×3!) = 20.

7. The volume V of a right circular cylinder is V = πr²h where r is the radius of the base and h is the height of the cylinder. If the volume of a right circular cylinder is 45π and its height is 5, what is the circumference of its base?

(a) 3 (b) 9 (c) 6π (d) 9π

Answer: (c) 6π

Explanation: 45π = πr²(5) ⟹ r² = 9 ⟹ r = 3. Circumference of the base = 2πr = 2π(3) = 6π.

8. If an investment of P dollars is made today and the value of the investment doubles every 7 years, what will be the value of the investment, in dollars, 28 years from today?

(a) 8P⁴ (b) P⁴ (c) 16P (d) 8P

Answer: (c) 16P

Explanation: 28 years ÷ 7 years = 4 doubling periods. The value after n doublings is P × 2ⁿ, so the value after 4 doublings = P × 2⁴ = 16P.

9. The greatest of the 21 positive integers in a certain list is 16. The median of the 21 integers is 10. What is the least possible average (arithmetic mean) of the 21 integers?

(a) 4 (b) 5 (c) 8 (d) 6

Answer: (d) 6

Explanation: Arrange the 21 integers in increasing order; the 11th value (the median) is 10, and the 21st (largest) value is 16. To minimize the sum (and hence the average), make the ten smallest values as small as possible — each equal to 1 — and the nine values between the median and the largest as small as possible while still being ≥ the median — each equal to 10. So the minimum possible sum = (10 × 1) + 10 + (9 × 10) + 16 = 10 + 10 + 90 + 16 = 126. Minimum average = 126/21 = 6.

10. Of the students in a school, 20 percent are in the science club and 30 percent are in the band. If 25 percent of the students in the school are in the band but are not in the science club, what percent of the students who are in the science club are not in the band?

(a) 5% (b) 20% (c) 75% (d) 60%

Answer: (c) 75%

Explanation: Assume 100 students. Science club = 20, Band = 30, Band-only (not in science club) = 25. So students in both band and science club = 30 - 25 = 5. Science club students not in band = 20 - 5 = 15. Percentage of science club students not in band = (15/20) × 100 = 75%.

11. Fill in the blanks: Louis XIV was the _____ of _____ elegance because he wore a different outfit for practically every hour of the day.

(a) epitome, sartorial (b) paragon, tawdry (c) acme, gourmet (d) architect, gastronomic

Answer: (a) epitome, sartorial

Explanation: 'Epitome' means a perfect example of something, and 'sartorial' relates to clothing or style. Louis XIV, famed for wearing elaborate and varied outfits, is best described as the epitome of sartorial elegance.

12. Joan was abrasive and curt with her clients: as a result, her supervisor put a letter in her file citing her______ and______.

(a) enthusiasm, impertinence (b) lethargy, stamina (c) diligence, acumen (d) rudeness, abrasiveness

Answer: (d) rudeness, abrasiveness

Explanation: 'Abrasive' and 'curt' both describe harsh, unpleasant behaviour toward others. The blanks must logically continue this negative characterization, and 'rudeness' and 'abrasiveness' directly restate the described conduct.

13. The ship was in a(n)______ position, having lost its rudder: therefore, it was subject to the ____ of the prevailing winds.

(a) inexcusable, direction (b) unintended, riptides (c) dangerous, breezes (d) untenable, vagaries

Answer: (d) untenable, vagaries

Explanation: Having lost its rudder (steering control), the ship's situation becomes 'untenable' (impossible to sustain or defend), leaving it helplessly exposed to the 'vagaries' (unpredictable changes) of the wind.

14. Change the voice of the sentence: They greet me cheerfully every morning.

(a) Every morning I was greeted cheerfully. (b) I am greeted cheerfully by them every morning. (c) I am being greeted cheerfully by them every morning. (d) Cheerful greeting is done by them every morning.

Answer: (b) I am greeted cheerfully by them every morning.

Explanation: The sentence is in the present indefinite active voice (Subject + V1 + object). Its passive form follows: Object + am/is/are + V3 + by + subject. Hence: "They greet me" → "I am greeted by them."

15. Change the voice of the sentence: Who is creating this mess?

(a) Who has been created this mess? (b) By whom has this mess been created? (c) By whom this mess is being created? (d) By whom is this mess being created?

Answer: (d) By whom is this mess being created?

Explanation: The sentence is a present continuous active question ("Who is creating...?"). In passive voice, the question word 'Who' becomes 'By whom', and the auxiliary is inverted with the subject: "By whom is this mess being created?"

16. Synonym of 'disparity' is:

(a) argumentation (b) difference (c) belittlement (d) harmony

Answer: (b) difference

Explanation: 'Disparity' means a great inequality or difference between two or more things; its closest synonym among the options is 'difference'.

17. The antonym of COERCIVE is:

(a) Progressive (b) Opinionated (c) Promoting (d) Gentle

Answer: (d) Gentle

Explanation: 'Coercive' means using force, threats, or intimidation to compel someone. Its opposite is 'Gentle', meaning mild, kind and not forceful.

18. Identify the correctly worded version: "Like tree have rings to determine their age, so do growth ring on the scales of some fish."

(a) Like trees have rings to determine their age, so do growth rings on the scales of some fish. (b) Like trees have rings to determine their age, some fish have growth rings on their scales. (c) Trees, as some fish, have growth rings that determine their age. (d) Some fish, like trees, have growth rings that determine their age.

Answer: (d) Some fish, like trees, have growth rings that determine their age.

Explanation: The original sentence uses a faulty "Like X, so do Y" comparison along with subject-verb agreement errors ("tree have", "growth ring"). Option (d) restructures the comparison clearly and correctly: "Some fish, like trees, have growth rings that determine their age," making the parallel comparison grammatically sound.

19. Identify the correct form of the underlined part: "Fossil discoveries suggest that an extinct river turtle survived the meteorite which killed off dinosaurs 65 million years ago."

(a) meteorite, which killed off dinosaurs 65 million years ago. (b) meteorite that had killed off dinosaurs 65 million years ago. (c) meteorite that killed off dinosaurs 65 million years ago. (d) meteorite, which had killed off dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

Answer: (c) meteorite that killed off dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

Explanation: The clause identifying which meteorite is essential (restrictive) to the meaning of the sentence, so it should use 'that' without a comma, not 'which' with a comma. Also, since both events (the turtle surviving and the meteorite killing the dinosaurs) occurred at the same point in the past, the simple past tense 'killed' is correct rather than the past perfect 'had killed'.

20. Identify the correct form of the underlined part: "The market forces to which the movements of a stock price are subjected are sufficient to surprise even the most experienced stockbrokers."

(a) to which the movements of a stock price are subjected are (b) to which the movements of a stock price is subjected is (c) to which the movements of a stock price are subjected is (d) to which the movements of a stock price is subjected are

Answer: (a) to which the movements of a stock price are subjected are

Explanation: The subject 'movements' is plural, so it requires the plural verb 'are' in the relative clause ('are subjected'). Likewise, the main clause subject 'market forces' is plural, requiring the plural verb 'are' ('are sufficient'). Option (a) is therefore already correct as written.

21. Which country changed its national anthem recently?

(a) Denmark (b) Portugal (c) South Africa (d) Australia

Answer: (d) Australia

Explanation: In January 2021, Australia amended the lyrics of its national anthem "Advance Australia Fair," changing the phrase "for we are young and free" to "for we are one and free," in recognition of the country's Indigenous history.

22. Who is the current Secretary of State of the USA?

(a) Mike Pompeo (b) Antony J. Blinken (c) Mark Esper (d) William Bary

Answer: (b) Antony J. Blinken

Explanation: Antony Blinken was confirmed as the U.S. Secretary of State on 26 January 2021, under President Joe Biden's administration, shortly before this examination was held.

23. QANTAS is an airline of-

(a) Sri Lanka (b) Afghanistan (c) China (d) Australia

Answer: (d) Australia

Explanation: Qantas (Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Limited), founded in 1920, is the flag carrier and largest airline of Australia.

24. In MS Word, pressing F8 key for three times selects-

(a) whole page (b) a sentence (c) a word (d) a paragraph

Answer: (d) a paragraph

Explanation: In MS Word, the F8 key activates "Extend Selection" mode. Pressing it repeatedly extends the selection progressively — once selects a word, twice a sentence, and three times a paragraph.

25. Which of the following is not a binary number?

(a) 101 (b) 202 (c) 001 (d) 110

Answer: (b) 202

Explanation: A binary number can only contain the digits 0 and 1. Since '202' contains the digit 2, it cannot be a valid binary number.

26. Which of the following is the banking company act of Bangladesh?

(a) Bank Company Act 1991 (b) Bank Company Act 2010 (c) Bank Company Act 2015 (d) Bank Company Act 2019

Answer: (a) Bank Company Act 1991

Explanation: The Bank Company Act, 1991 is the principal legislation governing the licensing, regulation and supervision of banking companies in Bangladesh; it has since been amended several times, most notably in 2013.

27. The free trade area comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela is called-

(a) CAPTA (b) COMPCON (c) MERCOSUR (d) SACU

Answer: (c) MERCOSUR

Explanation: MERCOSUR (Mercado Común del Sur, or Southern Common Market) is a South American trade bloc established in 1991 by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, with Venezuela joining later (its membership has since been suspended).

28. Which country re-joined the Paris Agreement recently?

(a) United States (b) Russia (c) China (d) United Kingdom

Answer: (a) United States

Explanation: President Joe Biden signed an executive order on his first day in office (20 January 2021) to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, and the U.S. officially rejoined on 19 February 2021, reversing the previous administration's withdrawal.

29. Who is the current secretary general of United Nations?

(a) Javier Perez de Cuellar (b) Kofi Annan (c) Antonio Guterres (d) Ban Ki-Moon

Answer: (c) Antonio Guterres

Explanation: António Guterres, former Prime Minister of Portugal, has served as the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations since January 2017.

30. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be hosted in-

(a) Canada, Mexico and United States (b) China and Japan (c) France and Germany (d) Brazil and Argentina

Answer: (a) Canada, Mexico and United States

Explanation: The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, marking the first time the tournament has been co-hosted by three nations.