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Directions (Q. 186- 195) In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five words/phrases are suggested, one of which best fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word/phrase in each case.

Rapid urbanization led by __(186)__ cities might have done well in terms of economic growth, but it has significantly fallen __(187)__ in terms of __(188)__ the needs of the poor. It is disquieting to note that informal settlements occupy one-third of the area in large urban centres such as Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai and the population __(189)__ in urban slums is set to climb __(190)__ to reach about 105 million in another five years – a 40 per cent increase over the 2001 level. Against this background, the recent ‘Delhi Declaration,’ a resolution __(191)__ at the end of the international conference on Inclusive Urban Planning, organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation in __(192)__ with the World Bank and UNDP, offers hope but also __(193)__ doubts. Hope is in the form of the expert group’s affirmation that the urban poor would be recognized as important stakeholders and __(194)__ in the process of urban planning. This decision gives reason to believe the spatial marginalisation caused by the current form of urban planning, and the suffering it __(195)__ on vulnerable groups, would end. However, doubts arise because promises made in the past, such as making Indian cities slum free by 2014, have been way off mark.

186.

(1) impractical
(2) loud
(3) proud
(4) expanding
(5) weird

187.

(1) long
(2) short
(3) ill
(4) sick
(5) well

188.

(1) addressing
(2) playing
(3) fooling
(4) blowing
(5) slowing

189.

(1) hiding
(2) sleeping
(3) drooling
(4) living
(5) helping

190.

(1) cruelly
(2) bravely
(3) steeply
(4) drowsily
(5) clumsily

191.

(1) drafted
(2) threaded
(3) craft
(4) acted
(5) compile

192.

(1) plot
(2) collusion
(3) conspiracy
(4) partnership
(5) in league with

193.

(1) raise
(2) rises
(3) raises
(4) pose
(5) revolves

194.

(1) preclude
(2) involve
(3) included
(4) biased
(5) prejudiced

195.

(1) conflicts
(2) inflicts
(3) inflict
(4) give
(5) provides

186. 4 We are looking for an adjective for the word ‘cities’. ‘Expanding’ is the correct word to be used in front of cities as it explains the reason for economic growth, that has been talked about in the sentence.

187. 2 The word ‘but’ earlier in the sentence gives an indication that the city has not lived up to the needs of the poor. Thus, ‘short’ suits the blank perfectly.

188. 1 ‘Addressing’ is the correct option as rest of the options make the sentence logically incorrect.

189. 4 Only ‘living’ fits in the blank. Rest of the options make the sentence logically incorrect.

190. 3 ‘Steeply’ means mounting or falling precipitously

191. 1 A resolution is ‘drafted’, and not ‘threaded’ or ‘acted’. ‘Craft’ and ‘compile’ are not in past tense and hence, incorrect.

192. 4 Apart from ‘partnership’ all the other words carry a negative connotation, which goes against the meaning implied by the sentence.

193. 3 Doubts are ‘raised’. The correct form to be used here is ‘raises’.

194. 3 ‘Biased’ and ‘prejudiced’ do not go with the idea the sentence wants to convey. ‘Involve’ and ‘preclude’ will make the sentence grammatically incorrect. ‘Involved’ fits in the blank perfectly.

195. 2 Suffering is ‘inflicted’ and the correct form of usage here is ‘inflicts’. None of the other words go with the idea the sentence wants to convey.