Directions (Q.1-10): In the following passage, there are 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.
The problem is, we never directly _(1)_ cause and effect. So if you _(2)_ something and _(3)_ sick, you will assume that the food _(4)_ the upset, even though you do not know whether it did so or not. The trouble is that this _(5)_ up a lot of false positives and _(6)_ all sorts of weird associations. You eat roast chicken and _(7)_ diagnosed _(8)_ a serious illness the next day and the meal _(9)_ forever tainted. Thirteen people gather, one _(10)_, and the number becomes unlucky.
1.
(1) watch
(2) thought
(3) seen
(4) understood
(5) observe
2.
(1) eat
(2) ate
(3) cook
(4) had
(5) tell
3.
(1) were
(2) turn
(3) have
(4) become
(5) fall
4.
(1) did
(2) caused
(3) had
(4) led
(5) lead
5.
(1) leads
(2) turns
(3) holds
(4) causes
(5) turn
6.
(1) meets
(2) results
(3) has
(4) creates
(5) make
7.
(1) are
(2) be
(3) were
(4) would
(5) should
8.
(1) for
(2) of
(3) with
(4) by
(5) through
9.
(1) was
(2) becomes
(3) will
(4) became
(5) become
10.
(1) died
(2) dies
(3) told
(4) discussed
(5) tells
1. 5 Since the sentence starts in present tense, the correct choice is ‘observe’ and not ‘understood’. ‘Thought’ and ‘watch’ are incorrect because one cannot ‘think’ or ‘watch’ cause and effect but can observe. ‘Seen’ again is in incorrect tense here. Hence, option (5) is correct.
2. 1 The passage is in present tense so, maintaining the tense consistency, ‘ate’ and ‘had’ can be negated. The entire sentence and the overall passage tell us that it is eating food that can cause health to fall. ‘Tell’ is incorrect in the context of the paragraph. Thus, option (1) is the correct answer.
3. 5 One can ‘fall’ sick, not ‘turn’ or ‘become’ sick. ‘Were’ is incorrect because ‘eating’ is followed by ‘sickness’, ‘were’ gives the sense that one was sick even before eating, which is not the case here. ‘Have’ is not the correct word according to the passage. Hence, option (5) fills the blank perfectly.
4. 2 ‘Caused’ is the correct answer. The meaning the author wants to convey is that the food is the reason for the sickness. ‘Lead’ makes the sentence grammatically incorrect.
5. 2 The correct phrasal verb is ‘turns up’ which means to happen unexpectedly.
6. 4 Only ‘creates’ makes the sentence grammatically correct.
7. 1 Since the sentence is in simple present tense, the correct verb is ‘are’.
8. 3 One gets diagnosed ‘with’ an illness.
9. 2 The sentence has to be in simple present tense, thus, ‘becomes’ is the correct answer.
10. 2 ‘Dies’ is the correct choice because the sentence is in present tense.
