TOPIC: Cloze test
Directions (1-7): Read the passage given below and fill in the
blanks with the suitable option.
Even in the early 1960s, when there were no mobile phones, no
computers and no internet, Sarabhai was globally ________ (1). He could
lift a phone and call anyone who ________ (2). It, of course, helped
that he came from a very wealthy and ________ (3) family of businessmen
and freedom fighters. The Sarabhais played host to Rabinranath Tagore, and
Mahatma Gandhi was a personal friend.
In 1961, Vikram got equipment from NASA to ________ (4)
telemetry signals from the American satellite Explorer II. He thus became the
first Indian to receive live signals from a satellite.
When Sarabhai, with support from his mentor Homi Bhabha,
approached Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru with a ________ (5) to launch
a space programme, the situation in the country was grim. No one had any
experience in any branch of space technology (space science was a different
matter). There was no relevant industrial infrastructure; people and policymakers
were equally ________ (6) about the practical benefits of space
technology. The general mood of the people was one of despair, caused by food
shortages and a ________ (7) border clash with China.
Q1.
(a) Barred
(b) Vindicated
(c) Formidable
(d) Networked
(e) Blatant
Q2.
(a) Mattered
(b) Induced
(c) Enervated
(d) Scurried
(e) Assuaged
Q3.
(a) Imminent
(b) Tardy
(c) Cultured
(d) Dismayed
(e) Scathed
Q4.
(a) Wary
(b) Receive
(c) Trenchant
(d) Deter
(e) Incline
Q5.
(a) Viable
(b) Explicable
(c) Inception
(d) Misbelief
(e) Proposal
Q6.
(a) Sceptical
(b) Scarcely
(c) Oppressive
(d) Augmentative
(e) Equitable
Q7.
(a) Confronting
(b) Execrating
(c) Poising
(d) Humiliating
(e) Pursuing
Directions (8-15): Read the passage given below and fill in
the blanks with the suitable option.
Veblen argued that wealthy individuals often ________ (8)
highly conspicuous goods and services in order to advertise their wealth,
thereby achieving greater social status.
of (wo)men, wealth must be put in evidence, for esteem is awarded only on
evidence”. By social custom, the evidence consists of ________ (9)
costly goods that fall into “accredited canons of conspicuous consumption, the
effect of which is to hold the consumer up to a standard of expensiveness and
wastefulness in his consumption of goods and his employment of time and
effort”.
(10) that conspicuous consumption reflects useful signalling for explaining
the behaviour of the leisure class or elite in a given economy. The need to
conspicuously consume luxury goods may increase more in deeply unequal
societies where the wealth/income gap between the top 10% and bottom 50% is ________
(11).
consuming conspicuous goods: “invidious comparison” and “pecuniary emulation.”
of a higher class consumes conspicuously to distinguish himself from members of
a lower class. While ‘pecuniary emulation’ occurs when a member of a lower
class consumes conspicuously so that he will be ________ (13) of as a
member of a higher class.
what explains elite-consumption behaviour amongst both upper and lower classes
(including in India). Members of higher classes voluntarily ________ (15)
costs to differentiate themselves from members of lower classes (invidious
comparison), knowing that these costs must be large enough to discourage
imitation (pecuniary emulation).
Q8.
(a) Consume
(b) Menace
(c) Requisite
(d) Inevitable
(e) Ostracise
Q9.
(a) Sporadic
(b) Fairly
(c) Unduly
(d) Dreadful
(e) Credibility
Q10.
(a) Ally
(b) Fervent
(c) Interpretation
(d) Whittle
(e) Radical
Q11.
(a) Mount
(b) Patent
(c) Stark
(d) Disconcerted
(e) Equilibrium
Q12.
(a) Incursion
(b) Neutralized
(c) Differential
(d) Reinforced
(e) Distinguished
Q13.
(a) Recurrent
(b) Retreat
(c) Under-pinned
(d) Thought
(e) Stringent
Q14.
(a) Undying
(b) Stockpile
(c)Essence
(d) Spur
(e) Levy
Q15.
(a) Slender
(b) Ridicule
(c) Abolish
(d) Exquisite
(e) Incur
Solutions:
S1.
Ans. (d)
Sol. Barred: closed or secured with a long rigid piece of
wood, metal, or similar material.
Vindicated: clear
(someone) of blame or suspicion.
Formidable: inspiring
fear or respect through being impressively large, powerful, intense, or
capable.
Networked: interact
with others to exchange information and develop professional or social
contacts.
Blatant: (of bad behaviour) done openly and unashamedly.
S2.
Ans. (a)
Sol. Mattered: be important or significant.
Induced: succeed in persuading or leading (someone) to do
something.
Enervated: drained of
energy or vitality.
Scurried: (of a person or small animal) move hurriedly with
short quick steps.
Assuaged: make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense.
S3.
Ans. (c)
Sol. Imminent: about to
happen.
Tardy: delaying or delayed beyond the right or expected time;
late.
Cultured: characterized by refined taste and manners and good
education.
Dismayed: cause
(someone) to feel concern and distress.
Scathed: harm; injure.
S4.
Ans. (b)
Sol. Wary: feeling or
showing caution about possible dangers or problems.
Receive: be given,
presented with, or paid (something).
Trenchant: vigorous or incisive in expression or style.
Deter: discourage
(someone) from doing something by instilling doubt or fear of the consequences.
Incline: be favourably disposed towards or willing to do
something.
S5.
Ans. (e)
Sol. Viable: capable of
working successfully; feasible.
Explicable: able to be
accounted for or understood.
Inception: the
establishment or starting point of an institution or activity.
Misbelief: a wrong or
false belief or opinion.
Proposal: a plan or suggestion, especially a formal or written
one, put forward for consideration by others.
S6.
Ans. (a)
Sol. Sceptical: not
easily convinced; having doubts or reservations.
Scarcely: only just;
almost not.
Oppressive: inflicting
harsh and authoritarian treatment.
Augmentative: (of an affix or derived word) reinforcing the
idea of the original word, especially by meaning ‘a large one of its kind’,
Equitable: fair and impartial.
S7. Ans. (d)
Sol. Confronting: come face to face with (someone) with hostile
or argumentative intent.
Execrating: feel or express great loathing for.
Poising: be or cause to
be balanced or suspended.
Humiliating: making
someone feel ashamed and foolish by injuring their dignity and pride.
Pursuing: follow or chase (someone or something).
S8.
Ans. (a)
Sol. Consume: use up (a
resource).
Menace: a person or
thing that is likely to cause harm; a threat or danger.
Requisite: made
necessary by particular circumstances or regulations.
Inevitable: certain to
happen; unavoidable.
Ostracise: exclude from a society or group.
S9. Ans. (c)
Sol. Sporadic: occurring
at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated.
Fairly: with justice.
Unduly: to an unwarranted degree; inordinately.
Dreadful: causing or
involving great suffering, fear, or unhappiness; extremely bad or serious.
Credibility: the quality of being trusted and believed in.
S10.
Ans. (c)
Sol. Ally: a state
formally cooperating with another for a military or other purpose.
Fervent: having or
displaying a passionate intensity.
Interpretation: the
action of explaining the meaning of something.
Whittle: reduce something in size, amount, or extent by a
gradual series of steps.
Radical: (especially of change or action) relating to or affecting
the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough.
S11.
Ans. (c)
Sol. Mount: climb up (stairs, a hill, or other rising
surface).
Patent: easily
recognizable; obvious.
Stark: severe or bare
in appearance or outline.
Disconcerted: unsettled
or confused.
Equilibrium: a state in which opposing forces or influences
are balanced.
S12. Ans. (e)
Sol. Incursion: an
invasion or attack, especially a sudden or brief one.
Neutralized: make
(something) ineffective by applying an opposite force or effect.
Differential: of,
showing, or depending on a difference; varying according to circumstances or
relevant factors.
Reinforced: strengthen
or support (an object or substance), especially with additional material.
Distinguished: recognize or
point out a difference.
S13. Ans. (d)
Sol. Recurrent: occurring often or repeatedly.
Retreat: (of an army) withdraw from enemy forces as a result
of their superior power or after a defeat.
Under-pinned: to give
support, strength, or a basic structure to something
Thought: the action or
process of thinking.
Stringent: (of regulations, requirements, or conditions)
strict, precise, and exacting.
S14. Ans. (c)
Sol. Undying: (especially of an emotion) lasting forever.
Stockpile: a large accumulated
stock of goods or materials, especially one held in reserve for use at a time
of shortage or another emergency.
Essence: the intrinsic
nature or indispensable quality of something, especially something abstract,
which determines its character.
Spur: a thing that prompts or encourages someone; an
incentive.
Levy: impose (a tax, fee, or fine).
S15. Ans. (e)
Sol. Slender: (of a person or part of the body) gracefully
thin.
Ridicule: the
subjection of someone or something to contemptuous and dismissive language or
behaviour.
Abolish: formally put
an end to (a system, practice, or institution).
Exquisite: extremely
beautiful and delicate.
Incur: become subject to (something unwelcome or unpleasant)
as a result of one’s own behaviour or actions.
English Quizzes For SBI PO Mains 2023 - ...
