SBI PO 2025 Prelims Memory-Based Paper 4 August Shift 1 with Answers

Answer: (E) momentous

The sentence calls fire control one of the most important advances in history, so a word meaning 'very significant' is needed: momentous. Trivial, negligible and marginal mean unimportant, and redundant means unnecessary.

Answer: (E) harnessed

Before they could make fire, early humans made use of naturally started fires, i.e. they harnessed them. Extinguished (put out), squandered (wasted), circumvented (avoided) and abolished do not fit the idea of early use.

Answer: (A) development

Chance contact with fire led to the creation of methods for lighting and keeping flames: the development of methods. The other words mean ending, cancelling or banning something.

Answer: (B) transform

Wildfires change the landscape dramatically, which is why the sight both frightened and fascinated people: they watched fires transform the land. Pacify, stabilise, decorate and irrigate describe calming or improving the land, which does not explain the fear.

Answer: (E) pivotal

Deliberate use of fire was a turning point in human development, so pivotal (crucial) fits. Perfunctory (careless), arbitrary (random), nominal (small) and sporadic (occasional) do not.

Answer: (D) master

Finding better ways to control fire is what changed civilisation, so our ancestors learned to master it. Relinquish and forfeit mean give up, contaminate means pollute and dismantle means take apart.

Answer: (B) B

With 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject. The nearer subject 'the players' is plural, so part (B) should read 'were informed about'.

Answer: (C) C

'Had he left' is a past (third) conditional, which takes 'would have + past participle' in the main clause. Part (C) should be 'would have caught'.

Answer: (D) D

The earlier action is in the past perfect ('had closed'), so the later action needs the simple past. Part (D) should be 'reached the bank'.

Answer: (A) A

When a sentence begins with 'Not only', the subject and auxiliary are inverted. Part (A) should be 'Not only did he apologise'.

Answer: (E) No error

'The committee' acting as one body takes the singular 'has decided'; 'to postpone' is the correct infinitive; 'until all the members return' correctly uses the present tense for a future event. The sentence has no error.

Answer: (B) submit the form before Friday

After 'It is necessary/essential that...', English uses the subjunctive: the base form of the verb, whatever the subject. So 'every applicant submit the form' is correct.

Answer: (A) escaped being caught

'Escape' is followed by a gerund, and here the passive gerund is needed: 'escaped being caught'. The infinitive 'to be caught' is wrong after 'escape'.

Answer: (D) came round to the proposal

The phrasal verb meaning 'to change one's opinion and accept something' is 'come round to'. 'Came across/upon' means found by chance and 'came about' means happened.

Answer: (C) It brings sudden revenue but does not by itself build the institutions and skilled workforce needed for lasting growth.

Paragraph 2: resource-rich nations 'may enjoy sudden surges in revenue, yet without sound institutions and a skilled, healthy workforce those gains are easily lost'. None of the other claims is made.

Answer: (B) It keeps people productive for longer by cutting absenteeism and the economic burden of disease.

Paragraph 2 says health care 'keeps citizens productive over a working lifetime, cutting absenteeism and easing the economic burden of disease'.

Answer: (C) Only C

The passage praises investment in people (A) and calls for 'consistent policies, transparent governance' (B). Dependence on a single export such as oil (C) is described as a weakness that countries like Angola are trying to reduce. So only C is not a source of strength.

Answer: (C) Both A and C

A is stated in paragraph 3. C matches the last sentence ('not merely a moral duty; it is a sound economic strategy'). B is the opposite of the author's view: an educated, healthy population is called the best insurance against uncertainty.

Answer: (D) obvious

A 'glaring lesson' is one that is impossible to miss, i.e. obvious. Hidden and subtle are opposites; trivial and moderate do not fit.

Answer: (A) halt

Shocks can 'stall' development plans, i.e. stop or halt their progress. Promote, accelerate, finalise and guarantee all suggest progress.

Answer: (E) channelling

The countries are directing their earnings into schools and hospitals, so 'channelling' fits. Hoarding (storing up), concealing, exhausting and squandering (wasting) contradict the sense of investing.

Answer: (E) cheerful

'Grim' means bleak or depressing. Its opposite is cheerful. Harsh, bleak, gloomy and serious are close in meaning to grim.

Answer: (A) severe, evacuate

'Despite' signals a contrast: in spite of bad (severe) weather the team succeeded in getting the hikers out (evacuate). The other pairs give no contrast or describe a failure.

Answer: (B) retain, inspire

'Though written a century ago, still...' needs a positive verb: the essays retain (keep) relevance and continue to inspire readers. 'Lack', 'lose', 'deny' and 'seek' do not fit with 'still ... relevance'.

Answer: (C) insufficient, acquit

Without enough evidence a court must set the accused free, so 'insufficient, acquit' is the only logical pair. Conclusive or strong evidence would lead to conviction, and weak or missing evidence cannot force a conviction or sentence.

Answer: (C) DCAB

DCAB: The transport minister (D) announced a new scheme (C) for improving (A) road safety (B).

Answer: (D) CDBA

CDBA: The new rules had (C) a visible effect (D) on reducing pollution (B) levels in the river (A).

Answer: (B) ACBD

ACBD: The interviewer's question (A) was meant to draw out (C) honest answers (B) from the candidates (D).

Answer: (D) C

Correct order: C-F-A-E-B-D. C introduces both price rises; F explains coffee; A (‘a different set of troubles’) turns to orange juice; E draws the comparison; B (‘for instance’) illustrates the different recovery; D concludes with ‘this contrast’. First: C.

Answer: (D) F

Correct order: C-F-A-E-B-D. C introduces both price rises; F explains coffee; A (‘a different set of troubles’) turns to orange juice; E draws the comparison; B (‘for instance’) illustrates the different recovery; D concludes with ‘this contrast’. Second: F.

Answer: (C) A

Correct order: C-F-A-E-B-D. C introduces both price rises; F explains coffee; A (‘a different set of troubles’) turns to orange juice; E draws the comparison; B (‘for instance’) illustrates the different recovery; D concludes with ‘this contrast’. Third: A.

Answer: (E) B

Correct order: C-F-A-E-B-D. C introduces both price rises; F explains coffee; A (‘a different set of troubles’) turns to orange juice; E draws the comparison; B (‘for instance’) illustrates the different recovery; D concludes with ‘this contrast’. Fifth: B.

Answer: (B) D

Correct order: C-F-A-E-B-D. C introduces both price rises; F explains coffee; A (‘a different set of troubles’) turns to orange juice; E draws the comparison; B (‘for instance’) illustrates the different recovery; D concludes with ‘this contrast’. Last: D.

Answer: (A) BAC

Correct sentence: 'The flight was delayed by heavy rainfall at the city airport.' The marked words should appear as flight (B), rainfall (A), airport (C): BAC.

Answer: (D) CBA

Correct sentence: 'The farmers praised the new policy for raising the price of their crops.' Order of marked words: farmers (C), policy (B), crops (A): CBA.

Answer: (E) No rearrangement required

The sentence already makes sense: an engineer inspects a bridge before the monsoon arrives. No rearrangement is required.

Answer: (C) A-P, B-Q and C-R

A-P: 'Besides finishing the report on time, she also prepared the slides' (besides ... also). B-Q: 'prosperous in comparison with the drought-hit districts'. C-R: 'Having missed the last bus, we had to walk home'. All three pairs work, so A-P, B-Q and C-R.

Answer: (A) Both A-Q and B-P

A-Q is correct ('insisted that every employee attend' uses the subjunctive). B-P is correct ('No sooner had ... than'). C-R is wrong: with 'along with', the verb agrees with 'The scientist', so it should be 'was awarded'. Answer: A-Q and B-P.

Answer: (D) Both A and C

Counsel means advice (noun) or to advise (verb), so A and C are correct. In B the word needed is 'council' (an elected body).

Answer: (A) Only I

Gait means a manner of walking, so I is correct. In II and III the word needed is 'gate' (an opening in a wall or fence).

Answer: (A) 152.5%

First find p: (2p + 5) + 8 + p + 15 + 12 = 100, so 3p = 60 and p = 20. Populations: A = 45% of 1200 = 540, B = 96, C = 20% = 240, D = 180, E = 144. Males in F = 1.5 x 180 = 270. Average of B and E = (96 + 144)/2 = 120, so females = 0.8 x 120 = 96. F = 366. 366/240 x 100 = 152.5%.

Answer: (D) 192

First find p: (2p + 5) + 8 + p + 15 + 12 = 100, so 3p = 60 and p = 20. Populations: A = 45% of 1200 = 540, B = 96, C = 20% = 240, D = 180, E = 144. B + C = 96 + 240 = 336. 336 - 144 = 192.

Answer: (E) 25:36

First find p: (2p + 5) + 8 + p + 15 + 12 = 100, so 3p = 60 and p = 20. Populations: A = 45% of 1200 = 540, B = 96, C = 20% = 240, D = 180, E = 144. Men : women : children in C = 2 : 5 : 5 (12 parts) = 240, so one part = 20 and children = 100. Children : population of E = 100 : 144 = 25 : 36.

Answer: (C) 58.46%

First find p: (2p + 5) + 8 + p + 15 + 12 = 100, so 3p = 60 and p = 20. Populations: A = 45% of 1200 = 540, B = 96, C = 20% = 240, D = 180, E = 144. D + E = 180 + 144 = 324. A + C = 540 + 240 = 780. (780 - 324)/780 x 100 = 456/780 x 100 = 58.46% less.

Answer: (B) 219 less

First find p: (2p + 5) + 8 + p + 15 + 12 = 100, so 3p = 60 and p = 20. Populations: A = 45% of 1200 = 540, B = 96, C = 20% = 240, D = 180, E = 144. Total females = 35% of 1200 = 420. Females in D = 55% of 180 = 99. Females outside D = 420 - 99 = 321. Population of A = 540, so this is 540 - 321 = 219 less.

Answer: (A) 27

Only tea = 20/2 = 10, so only coffee = 10 x 3/5 = 6. Milk and tea only = 1.3 x 20 = 26. Let only milk = tea and coffee only = x: 10 + 6 + x + x + 26 + 20 + 16 = 100, so x = 11. Exactly one drink = 10 + 6 + 11 = 27.

Answer: (C) 225%

Only tea = 20/2 = 10, so only coffee = 10 x 3/5 = 6. Milk and tea only = 1.3 x 20 = 26. Let only milk = tea and coffee only = x: 10 + 6 + x + x + 26 + 20 + 16 = 100, so x = 11. Coffee and milk = 20 + 16 = 36. 36/16 x 100 = 225%.

Answer: (E) 19:2

Only tea = 20/2 = 10, so only coffee = 10 x 3/5 = 6. Milk and tea only = 1.3 x 20 = 26. Let only milk = tea and coffee only = x: 10 + 6 + x + x + 26 + 20 + 16 = 100, so x = 11. Exactly two = 11 + 26 + 20 = 57. Only coffee = 6. 57 : 6 = 19 : 2.

Answer: (A) 10

Only tea = 20/2 = 10, so only coffee = 10 x 3/5 = 6. Milk and tea only = 1.3 x 20 = 26. Let only milk = tea and coffee only = x: 10 + 6 + x + x + 26 + 20 + 16 = 100, so x = 11. Milk = 11 + 26 + 20 + 16 = 73. Tea = 10 + 11 + 26 + 16 = 63. Difference = 10.

Answer: (B) 73

Only tea = 20/2 = 10, so only coffee = 10 x 3/5 = 6. Milk and tea only = 1.3 x 20 = 26. Let only milk = tea and coffee only = x: 10 + 6 + x + x + 26 + 20 + 16 = 100, so x = 11. At least two = exactly two + all three = 57 + 16 = 73.

Answer: (D) 41

Graduates = (total + difference)/2, post graduates = (total - difference)/2. A: 112 and 108; B: 99 and 97; C: 130 and 94; D: 145 and 55; E: 150 and 54. Average graduates of B and D = (99 + 145)/2 = 122. Average post graduates of A and E = (108 + 54)/2 = 81. Difference = 41.

Answer: (B) 40

Graduates = (total + difference)/2, post graduates = (total - difference)/2. A: 112 and 108; B: 99 and 97; C: 130 and 94; D: 145 and 55; E: 150 and 54. Managers = 7/11 x 220 = 140, associates = 80. Male : female managers = 6 : 1, so male managers = 140 x 6/7 = 120. 120 - 80 = 40.

Answer: (C) 52:75

Graduates = (total + difference)/2, post graduates = (total - difference)/2. A: 112 and 108; B: 99 and 97; C: 130 and 94; D: 145 and 55; E: 150 and 54. X = (220 + 224 + 204)/3 = 216. Graduates in X = 112, so post graduates = 104. 104 : 150 = 52 : 75.

Answer: (E) 38.18%

Graduates = (total + difference)/2, post graduates = (total - difference)/2. A: 112 and 108; B: 99 and 97; C: 130 and 94; D: 145 and 55; E: 150 and 54. Male graduates in C = 130 - 50 = 80, so female post graduates = 60 and male post graduates = 94 - 60 = 34. Post graduates in D = 55. (55 - 34)/55 x 100 = 38.18% less.

Answer: (A) 32

Graduates = (total + difference)/2, post graduates = (total - difference)/2. A: 112 and 108; B: 99 and 97; C: 130 and 94; D: 145 and 55; E: 150 and 54. Graduates in F = 99 + 121 = 220. Total in F = 2.25 x 112 = 252. Post graduates = 252 - 220 = 32.

Answer: (D) x ≤ y

I gives x = 8, 11. II gives y = 11, 14. Comparing every pair: x is never more than y, and x = y when both are 11, so x ≤ y.

Answer: (B) x ≥ y

I gives x = 9, 13. II gives y = 2, 9. Comparing every pair: x is never less than y, and x = y when both are 9, so x ≥ y.

Answer: (E) x = y or no relation can be established

I gives x = 2, 3. II gives y = -2, 4. Comparing every pair: x = 2 is less than y = 4 but more than y = -2, so no relation can be established.

Answer: (D) 33⅓%

Milk = 112 L and water = 28 L. Removing one-fourth leaves milk 84 L and water 21 L. Adding 21 L water gives water 42 L out of 126 L. 42/126 = 1/3 = 33⅓%.

Answer: (E) 3

1/10 + 1/(5T) = 1/(2T). Multiply by 10T: T + 2 = 5, so T = 3. (Check: B alone takes 15 days, together 6 days = 2T.)

Answer: (B) 10

Education = Rs. 3,000, rent = Rs. 1,750, SIP = Rs. 10,250. Savings = 25,000 - 15,000 = Rs. 10,000 = 40% of salary. So 4x = 40 and x = 10.

Answer: (A) 24 years

In 4 years Y will be 32, so X will be 32 x 7/8 = 28 and X is 24 now. Z = 1.25 x 24 = 30, so six years ago Z was 24.

Answer: (C) 5 hours

A's downstream speed = 180/6 = 30 km/h, so A = 30 - 6 = 24 km/h. B = 24 x 5/4 = 30 km/h. B's upstream speed = 30 - 6 = 24 km/h, so 120 km takes 5 hours.

Answer: (D) 9

B's share = Rs. 2,400, so profit ratio = 9 : 8 = 3t(A) : 4t(B). t(A) : t(B) = 3 : 2, a difference of one part = 3 months. So A invested for 9 months (B for 6).

Answer: (A) 40 sec

Speed = 400/16 = 25 m/s. Length of Q = 25 x 24 = 600 m. Crossing a 400 m platform = (600 + 400)/25 = 40 seconds.

Answer: (C) Rs. 1,050

X x 12 x 4/100 = 2,160, so X = 4,500. Scheme B: 5,000 x (1.1² - 1) = 5,000 x 0.21 = Rs. 1,050.

Answer: (D) 60

Girls weigh 18 x 25 = 450 kg, so boys weigh 960 kg and X = 960/40 = 24. 2.5X = 60.

Answer: (E) 2464

2π(4r - r) = 132, so 6πr = 132 and r = 7 cm. Radius of Q = 28 cm. Area = 22/7 x 28 x 28 = 2464 sq cm.

Answer: (B) Rs. 177

Selling price = 1.35 x 0.8 = 1.08 x CP, so profit = 0.08 CP = 96 and CP = Rs. 1,200. Marked price = Rs. 1,620. At 15% discount, SP = Rs. 1,377, profit = Rs. 177.

Answer: (A) 5 : 2

πr²h = 3 x (4/3)πr³ gives h = 4r. Cylinder TSA = 2πr(h + r) = 10πr². Sphere = 4πr². Ratio = 10 : 4 = 5 : 2.

Answer: (C) Box A

Final stack (top to bottom): B, H, C, F, I, E, A, G, D. Reasoning: E and G are two places apart and I is three above G; H is four above E; E is above D with as many boxes between D and E as between H and I. Testing the cases, only G at position 2, E at 4, I at 5, H at 8 and D at 1 works; then C-F must sit at 7-6 so that A (three below F) is at 3 and B (above A) takes the top. C is 7th from the bottom; four places below is the 3rd box, A.

Answer: (D) Five

Final stack (top to bottom): B, H, C, F, I, E, A, G, D. Reasoning: E and G are two places apart and I is three above G; H is four above E; E is above D with as many boxes between D and E as between H and I. Testing the cases, only G at position 2, E at 4, I at 5, H at 8 and D at 1 works; then C-F must sit at 7-6 so that A (three below F) is at 3 and B (above A) takes the top. E is 4th from the bottom, so 5 boxes (I, F, C, H, B) are above it.

Answer: (E) Two

Final stack (top to bottom): B, H, C, F, I, E, A, G, D. Reasoning: E and G are two places apart and I is three above G; H is four above E; E is above D with as many boxes between D and E as between H and I. Testing the cases, only G at position 2, E at 4, I at 5, H at 8 and D at 1 works; then C-F must sit at 7-6 so that A (three below F) is at 3 and B (above A) takes the top. From the bottom the stack is D, G, A, E, I, F, C, H, B. Alphabetical order puts F 6th and H 8th, exactly where they already are. So two boxes (F and H) keep their positions.

Answer: (C) Both II and III

Final stack (top to bottom): B, H, C, F, I, E, A, G, D. Reasoning: E and G are two places apart and I is three above G; H is four above E; E is above D with as many boxes between D and E as between H and I. Testing the cases, only G at position 2, E at 4, I at 5, H at 8 and D at 1 works; then C-F must sit at 7-6 so that A (three below F) is at 3 and B (above A) takes the top. Only A is between G and E, so I is false. H is 8th (just below B at the top), so II is true. D is at the bottom, so III is true.

Answer: (B) Box G

Final stack (top to bottom): B, H, C, F, I, E, A, G, D. Reasoning: E and G are two places apart and I is three above G; H is four above E; E is above D with as many boxes between D and E as between H and I. Testing the cases, only G at position 2, E at 4, I at 5, H at 8 and D at 1 works; then C-F must sit at 7-6 so that A (three below F) is at 3 and B (above A) takes the top. A is three places below F, and E is three places below C. Three places below I (5th) is the 2nd box, G.

Answer: (B) Only conclusion II follows

Docks and boats are linked only through 'some' statements, so no definite relation exists between them; I does not follow (they may or may not overlap). Nothing rules out ports overlapping boats, so II (a possibility) follows. Only II.

Answer: (E) Both conclusions I and II follow

The funds that are shares can never be bonds, so I follows. 'Only a few assets are funds' does not stop assets from being bonds; all assets (including the asset-funds, which need not be shares) can be bonds, so II is possible. Both follow.

Answer: (A) Only conclusion I follows

Some notices are bills and all bills are taxes, so those notices are taxes: I follows. Profits and bills have no definite relation, so 'No profit is a bill' is not certain: II does not follow. Only I.

Answer: (D) Three

The pairs are N-O (adjacent in both), S-T (adjacent in both) and O-I (five letters between them in the word, S T A L G, and five in the alphabet, J K L M N). So there are three pairs.

Answer: (B) I

The letters are B (3rd), C (6th), A (7th), I (9th) and N (10th). The only word that can be made is CABIN, whose fourth letter is I.

Answer: (A) U

Final arrangement: January P (reading), March Q (dancing), April S (yoga), June U (hiking), July T (camping), August V (meditation), November R (cycling). Key steps: P and V need more than three persons between them; cycling must be in April, June or November and four places from S; the persons-after-T rule fixes yoga's position, and only the arrangement above satisfies every clue. June: U (hiking).

Answer: (B) Meditation

Final arrangement: January P (reading), March Q (dancing), April S (yoga), June U (hiking), July T (camping), August V (meditation), November R (cycling). Key steps: P and V need more than three persons between them; cycling must be in April, June or November and four places from S; the persons-after-T rule fixes yoga's position, and only the arrangement above satisfies every clue. August: V, meditation.

Answer: (C) U - Cycling

Final arrangement: January P (reading), March Q (dancing), April S (yoga), June U (hiking), July T (camping), August V (meditation), November R (cycling). Key steps: P and V need more than three persons between them; cycling must be in April, June or November and four places from S; the persons-after-T rule fixes yoga's position, and only the arrangement above satisfies every clue. U goes hiking; R goes cycling. So 'U - Cycling' is incorrect.

Answer: (E) Two

Final arrangement: January P (reading), March Q (dancing), April S (yoga), June U (hiking), July T (camping), August V (meditation), November R (cycling). Key steps: P and V need more than three persons between them; cycling must be in April, June or November and four places from S; the persons-after-T rule fixes yoga's position, and only the arrangement above satisfies every clue. Q is in March and T in July; S (April) and U (June) are between them: two persons.

Answer: (C) R, November

Final arrangement: January P (reading), March Q (dancing), April S (yoga), June U (hiking), July T (camping), August V (meditation), November R (cycling). Key steps: P and V need more than three persons between them; cycling must be in April, June or November and four places from S; the persons-after-T rule fixes yoga's position, and only the arrangement above satisfies every clue. R goes cycling in November.

Answer: (A) Three

Final arrangement (seats 1-7 from the west end): Row 1 (facing north): C, G, B, E, A, F, D. Row 2 (facing south): R, V, U, T, P, Q, S. Facing pairs: C-R, G-V, B-U, E-T, A-P, F-Q, D-S. (Remember that for south-facing persons, right is towards the west.) Only this placement meets every clue. R is at seat 1 and P at seat 5 of Row 2; V, U and T sit between them: three.

Answer: (E) S

Final arrangement (seats 1-7 from the west end): Row 1 (facing north): C, G, B, E, A, F, D. Row 2 (facing south): R, V, U, T, P, Q, S. Facing pairs: C-R, G-V, B-U, E-T, A-P, F-Q, D-S. (Remember that for south-facing persons, right is towards the west.) Only this placement meets every clue. D (seat 7, Row 1) faces S.

Answer: (C) Both II and III

Final arrangement (seats 1-7 from the west end): Row 1 (facing north): C, G, B, E, A, F, D. Row 2 (facing south): R, V, U, T, P, Q, S. Facing pairs: C-R, G-V, B-U, E-T, A-P, F-Q, D-S. (Remember that for south-facing persons, right is towards the west.) Only this placement meets every clue. P faces A, not G, so I is false. A sits between E and F, so II is true. R is at seat 1, an end, so III is true.

Answer: (D) T - B

Final arrangement (seats 1-7 from the west end): Row 1 (facing north): C, G, B, E, A, F, D. Row 2 (facing south): R, V, U, T, P, Q, S. Facing pairs: C-R, G-V, B-U, E-T, A-P, F-Q, D-S. (Remember that for south-facing persons, right is towards the west.) Only this placement meets every clue. R-C, V-G, Q-F and S-D are facing pairs. T faces E, not B, so T - B is the odd one.

Answer: (B) Only F

Final arrangement (seats 1-7 from the west end): Row 1 (facing north): C, G, B, E, A, F, D. Row 2 (facing south): R, V, U, T, P, Q, S. Facing pairs: C-R, G-V, B-U, E-T, A-P, F-Q, D-S. (Remember that for south-facing persons, right is towards the west.) Only this placement meets every clue. Row 1 from the left is C, G, B, E, A, F, D. Alphabetical order puts F 6th, which is its present seat. Nobody else stays. Answer: only F.

Answer: (D) Five

Ages in 2025: 70, 64, 53, 38, 27, 19 and 8; the cubes are 64, 27 and 8. N - Q = 32 fits only 70 and 38, so N was born in 1955 and Q in 1987. M (a cube) and K differ by 11: M = 64, K = 53; or M = 27, K = 38 (not possible, Q is 38); or M = 8, K = 19. If M = 8 and K = 19 (2006), P must be three places away, i.e. 1961 (age 64), leaving L only 27, which is just 8 years from K: not allowed. So M = 64 (1961) and K = 53 (1972). Three persons between K and P puts P in 2017 (age 8), so L = 27 (1998), more than 10 years from K, and O takes 2006. Final: N 1955, M 1961, K 1972, Q 1987, L 1998, O 2006, P 2017. Only P is younger than O, so five persons are older.

Answer: (B) 17 years

Ages in 2025: 70, 64, 53, 38, 27, 19 and 8; the cubes are 64, 27 and 8. N - Q = 32 fits only 70 and 38, so N was born in 1955 and Q in 1987. M (a cube) and K differ by 11: M = 64, K = 53; or M = 27, K = 38 (not possible, Q is 38); or M = 8, K = 19. If M = 8 and K = 19 (2006), P must be three places away, i.e. 1961 (age 64), leaving L only 27, which is just 8 years from K: not allowed. So M = 64 (1961) and K = 53 (1972). Three persons between K and P puts P in 2017 (age 8), so L = 27 (1998), more than 10 years from K, and O takes 2006. Final: N 1955, M 1961, K 1972, Q 1987, L 1998, O 2006, P 2017. N is 70 and K is 53, a difference of 17 years.

Answer: (E) K

Ages in 2025: 70, 64, 53, 38, 27, 19 and 8; the cubes are 64, 27 and 8. N - Q = 32 fits only 70 and 38, so N was born in 1955 and Q in 1987. M (a cube) and K differ by 11: M = 64, K = 53; or M = 27, K = 38 (not possible, Q is 38); or M = 8, K = 19. If M = 8 and K = 19 (2006), P must be three places away, i.e. 1961 (age 64), leaving L only 27, which is just 8 years from K: not allowed. So M = 64 (1961) and K = 53 (1972). Three persons between K and P puts P in 2017 (age 8), so L = 27 (1998), more than 10 years from K, and O takes 2006. Final: N 1955, M 1961, K 1972, Q 1987, L 1998, O 2006, P 2017. K was born in 1972.

Answer: (C) 35 years

Ages in 2025: 70, 64, 53, 38, 27, 19 and 8; the cubes are 64, 27 and 8. N - Q = 32 fits only 70 and 38, so N was born in 1955 and Q in 1987. M (a cube) and K differ by 11: M = 64, K = 53; or M = 27, K = 38 (not possible, Q is 38); or M = 8, K = 19. If M = 8 and K = 19 (2006), P must be three places away, i.e. 1961 (age 64), leaving L only 27, which is just 8 years from K: not allowed. So M = 64 (1961) and K = 53 (1972). Three persons between K and P puts P in 2017 (age 8), so L = 27 (1998), more than 10 years from K, and O takes 2006. Final: N 1955, M 1961, K 1972, Q 1987, L 1998, O 2006, P 2017. L is 27 and P is 8, total 35 years.

Answer: (A) 2017

Ages in 2025: 70, 64, 53, 38, 27, 19 and 8; the cubes are 64, 27 and 8. N - Q = 32 fits only 70 and 38, so N was born in 1955 and Q in 1987. M (a cube) and K differ by 11: M = 64, K = 53; or M = 27, K = 38 (not possible, Q is 38); or M = 8, K = 19. If M = 8 and K = 19 (2006), P must be three places away, i.e. 1961 (age 64), leaving L only 27, which is just 8 years from K: not allowed. So M = 64 (1961) and K = 53 (1972). Three persons between K and P puts P in 2017 (age 8), so L = 27 (1998), more than 10 years from K, and O takes 2006. Final: N 1955, M 1961, K 1972, Q 1987, L 1998, O 2006, P 2017. O was born in 2006; the next younger person is P, born in 2017.

Answer: (A) B

Final arrangement, going round to each person's left starting from A: A (Ranchi), B (Jaipur), G (Surat), D (Agra), F (Pune), E (Meerut), C (Bhopal). So, for example, B is immediately left of A and C is immediately right of A. Only this arrangement satisfies all the clues. The Meerut person is E. Counting to E's right: F (1st), D (2nd), G (3rd), B (4th). Answer: B.

Answer: (D) C - Bhopal

Final arrangement, going round to each person's left starting from A: A (Ranchi), B (Jaipur), G (Surat), D (Agra), F (Pune), E (Meerut), C (Bhopal). So, for example, B is immediately left of A and C is immediately right of A. Only this arrangement satisfies all the clues. C is from Bhopal. E is from Meerut, F from Pune, G from Surat and D from Agra.

Answer: (E) Second to the left

Final arrangement, going round to each person's left starting from A: A (Ranchi), B (Jaipur), G (Surat), D (Agra), F (Pune), E (Meerut), C (Bhopal). So, for example, B is immediately left of A and C is immediately right of A. Only this arrangement satisfies all the clues. The Surat person is G. To A's left come B (1st) and G (2nd), so G is second to the left of A.

Answer: (C) G is from Surat.

Final arrangement, going round to each person's left starting from A: A (Ranchi), B (Jaipur), G (Surat), D (Agra), F (Pune), E (Meerut), C (Bhopal). So, for example, B is immediately left of A and C is immediately right of A. Only this arrangement satisfies all the clues. G is from Surat. Checking the others: third to the right of D is A; third to the left of E is B (not the Agra person D); C's neighbours are E and A, not F (Pune); immediately right of G is B, not A.

Answer: (B) Surat

Final arrangement, going round to each person's left starting from A: A (Ranchi), B (Jaipur), G (Surat), D (Agra), F (Pune), E (Meerut), C (Bhopal). So, for example, B is immediately left of A and C is immediately right of A. Only this arrangement satisfies all the clues. The Agra person is D and the Jaipur person is B. Only G sits between them on the shorter side, and G is from Surat.