Section – IV : English Language
Each question below has two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Choose the set of words for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
1. There is a strong undercurrent in the Global South that the international legal regime does not apply uniformly, but sustains the _________ of developed states to the _________ of developing ones.
- bigeminy…. damage
- impotence….disadvantage
- hegemony….detriment
- hierarchy….felicity
- prowess….benevolence
2. _________ isn’t a healthy democratic trait; nor is _________. We’ll need to be wise and specific to make much of the saga unrolling as Made in the UK and Made in Europe comes down the tracks, with nobody feeling the least bit good.
- Immorality…..veracity
- Reluctance…..sagacity
- Impotence…..naivety
- Imbecility…..sapience
- Preposterousness…..discernment
3. Repositioning your company can be an/a _________ move – it’s exciting to take a fresh approach and go after new opportunities. But change is also risky and over time, the momentum behind it can _________.
- enervating…..alleviate
- invigorating…..wane
- insalubrious…..soar
- rejuvenating…..stoke
- vital…..escalate
4. . Signs of ________discontent have been visible in Kashmir since early 2007 after a series of civilian killings in _______ encounters by security forces and in the Amarnath land row agitation of 2008.
- sluggish…..bogus
- simmering…..fake
- abeyant…..hoax
- alive…..sham
- rapid…..counterfeit
5. _________ the success enjoyed by the _________, dumbed-down versions of the game, cricket spread over five long days remains the truest measure of genuine sporting skill.
- In spite…..mundane
- Despite…..abridged
- Respite…..lax
- Irrespective…..small
- Though…..gruff
In each of the following questions four words are given, of which two words are most nearly the same or opposite in meaning. Find the two words which are most nearly the same or opposite in meaning and indicate the number of the correct letter combination, by darkening the appropriate oval.
6. (A) Whet (B) Blow (C) Sharpen (D) Dry
- A-D
- B-D
- A-C
- B-A
- C-D
7. (A) High (B) Plough (C) Vent (D) Opening
- C-D
- A-B
- B-C
- A-C
- B-D
8. (A) Brand (B) Brisk (C) Slow (D) Spy
- A-B
- B-C
- C-D
- D-A
- B-D
9. (A) Create (B) Pry (C) Spill (D) Snoop
- B-D
- A-C
- B-C
- A-D
- A-B
10. (A) Buy (B) Send (C) Sell (D) Bore
- A-C
- B-C
- D-C
- A-D
- B-D
Explanations
1. 3 The sentence talks about the lack of uniformity so we need words that compare the developed and developing countries. ‘Hegemony’ means preponderant influence or authority over others. ‘Detriment’ means a cause of injury or damage. So, option (3) helps us to draw out the correct meaning from the given sentence that the legal regime helps to sustain the authority of the developed countries to the disadvantage of the developing countries. ‘Prowess’, which means extraordinary bravery or ability, and ‘benevolence’, which means kindness, fail to convey any meaning and are negated. ‘Hierarchy’, which means a body of persons in authority, may be suitable for the first blank but ‘felicity’, which means happiness, fails to impart any meaning to the sentence. ‘Impotence’, which means weakness, and ‘bigeminy’, which means the state of having a pulse characterized by two beats close together with a pause following each pair of beats, are easily negated.
2. 3 ‘Veracity’, which means truthfulness and ‘sagacity’, ‘sapience’ and ‘discernment’, which mean wisdom, are positive qualities and are always considered to be good democratic traits. Hence, option (1), (2), (4) and (5) are negated. ‘Impotence’,which means lack of strength and power, is suitable for the first blank. ‘Naivety’, which means artlessness, is the most apt word for the second blank. Hence, option (3) is the correct answer.
3. 2 We need a positive word for the first blank. ‘Exciting’, ‘fresh’ and ‘new’ are positive words, so one of options (2), (4) and (5) will be the correct answer. ‘But’ introduces a contrast.So we need a negative word for the second blank. ‘Stoke’, which means to stir up or feed and ‘escalate’, which means increase, are positive words and are negated. ‘Invigorating’, which means ‘giving life and energy’, and ‘wane’, which means ‘to decrease in size, extent, or degree’ are apt for the first and second blank respectively
4. 2 ‘Simmering’, which means to be in a state of subdued or restrained activity, development or anger, is apt for the first blank. ‘Fake encounters’ justifies the reason for discontent. Hence, option (2) is the correct option.
5. 2 The word ‘despite’ brings out the required contrast between the dumbed down versions of cricketmatches and five-day cricket matches. ‘Abridged’, which means shortened, describes the one day match aptly. Hence, option (2) is the correct option. ‘In spite’ is incorrect because of the absence of the preposition ‘of’.
6. 3 ‘Whet’ means to ‘sharpen’. Thus the correct pair of synonyms is A-C.
7. 1 ‘Vent’ means a crack or an opening. Hence, the correct pair is C-D.
8. 2 ‘Brisk’ means at a good pace. Its opposite is slow. Therefore, the correct pair is B-C.
9. 1 ‘Pry’ means to be nosy, which is the same as snooping. Hence, the correct pair is B-D.
10. 1 ‘Buy’ and ‘Sell’ are the clear pair of opposite words in this question. Hence, the correct pair is A-C.
