Directions (Q.1-10): In the following passage, there are ten blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are given below the passage and against each, five words are suggested. Select the one that fits the bank appropriately.
Since 99, when Hugo Chavez __1___ to power, Venezuela has not had a single __2___moment. There was an election or a referendum every other year. There was even an attempted __3___. Chávez’s foreign policy __4___ the political map of the region and __5___ his Bolivarian Revolution. He died on March 5, 2013, of cancer, unable to recover __6___ to take the oath for a presidency he __7___ last October.
Chavez’s political __8___, Nicolás Maduro, has won the elections held to choose his successor, and has been __9___President. With his __10___ majority of 50.76 per cent, (7.5 million) against 49.07 per cent (7.27 million) for the Opposition candidate Henrique Capriles, the sensation in official circles in Caracas would probably be more relief than triumph.
1.  Â
(1) blame
(2) came
(3) frame
(4) tame
(5) escalate
2.  Â
(1) joy
(2) flair
(3) dull
(4) blame
(5) brunt
3.  Â
(1) coup           Â
(2) blunder        Â
(3) power          Â
(4) demonstrateÂ
(5) vain
4.  Â
(1) changes      Â
(2) sowed
(3) altered         Â
(4) trailed
(5) flowed
5.
(1) shrewd
(2) pump
(3) fry
(4) cried
(5) consolidated
6.Â
(1) abundantly
(2) seriously
(3) slowly
(4) brightly
(5) enough
7.Â
(1) regained      Â
(2) opened
(3) promised
(4) closed
(5) chosen
8.  Â
(1) son             Â
(2) brother
3) driver            Â
(4) heir
(5) frail
9.  Â
(1) removed
(2) candid
(3) thrown         Â
(4) declared      Â
(5) figured
10.  Â
(1) slow            Â
(2) hot
(3) burning                        Â
(4) amazed
(5) slender
1. 2Â Â ‘Came’ is the only word out of the given options which fits the blank both in a grammatically and contextually correct manner.
2. 3Â Â Option (3) is the only option which makes the blank grammatically correct.
3. 1Â Â A ‘coup’ is a forceful attempt to seize power from the government. This completes the sentence correctly.
4. 3Â Â We are looking for a word to the effect of changed. While ‘changes’ is grammaticallyincorrect, ‘altered’ fills is in blank correctly.
5. 5Â Â ‘Consolidated’ is the only word out of the given options which fits the blank both in a grammatically and contextually correct manner.
6. 5Â Â We need a word to the effect of ‘bare minimum amount’. Hence, ‘enough’ best fits that blank.
7. 1Â Â ‘Regained’ means obtained possession or use of (something, typically a quality or ability) again after losing it.
8. 4Â Â Out of the given options, the only word which can follow the word ‘political’ is ‘heir’. Therefore, option (4) is the correct answer.
9. 4Â Â Since he won the elections, ‘declared’ fills the blank correctly.
10. 5Â Â Â Â Â Going by the figures given in the sentence, ‘slender’ is the most suitable option.
