fillers
Directions (1-15): In each of the following questions,
a sentence is given with a blank followed by five words. Choose the most
suitable word to fill in the blank and make the sentence contextually
meaningful and grammatically correct in each case.
Q1. Prepare to expect the unexpected as each episode
sets out to _______________ the brain and tickle the funny
bone.
(a) Sultry
(b) Pinion
(c) Retinue
(d) Spook
(e) Imbibe
Q2. The brothers ended their _______________ relationship
with the corporate giant in a mutual agreement just hours ago.
(a) Exploitation
(b) Ignominious
(c) Tumultuous
(d) Amicability
(e) Onset
Q3. Overexpansion has its consequences, but the
company should have been able to curb the current extreme level of _______________ .
(a) Impetus
(b) Imposition
(c) Auspices
(d) Sonorous
(e) Fallout
Q4. After flying a little way out, he brought the ship
about and slowed to the lowest _______________ setting.
(a) Inscrutable
(b) Tenacious
(c) Throttle
(d) Thrall
(e) Disconsolate
Q5. Police say they are winning the war against
violent drunks who cause _______________ in the West End of
the city at weekends.
(a) Mayhem
(b) Extol
(c) Fraught
(d) Inculcate
(e) Nettle
Q6. The developments in Afghanistan will have wider _______________ to
the Central Asia region, particularly the possible growth in international
terrorism.
(a) Cavaliers
(b) Banters
(c) Ramifications
(d) Blusters
(e) Retainers
Q7. Anyone who violates the
rule is liable to lawsuits or may even _______________ his or
her position.
(a) Encumber
(b) Uncouth
(c) Petulant
(d) Jeopardize
(e) Expiate
Q8. The ads are geared to _______________ voter
emotions and fears to hammer a candidate on a controversial issue.
(a) Seethe
(b) Stoke
(c) Scrutinize
(d) Execrate
(e) Pique
Q9. The Government
suffered a/an _______________ in the local and European
elections because of the ailing health service.
(a) Demoralize
(b) Convalesce
(c) Alacrity
(d) Waive
(e) Backlash
Q10. A firmer currency would
make it cheaper for the country to _______________ oil
reserves and other commodities.
(a) Sate
(b) Amass
(c) Ravel
(d) Infest
(e) Actuate
Q11. We are left with a deep
and _______________ sense of the class hatred that gained
momentum in the lead-up to the coup.
(a) Docile
(b) Palpable
(c) Patronized
(d) Estranged
(e) Warble
Q12. Politicians have a/an _______________ for
going round the houses when answering tough questions.
(a) Penchant
(b) Erode
(c) Fitful
(d) Erode
(e) Unaffected
Q13. Events pile up to their
wrenching conclusion with a slow, terrible _______________ .
(a) Inevitability
(b) Raiment
(c) Intrepid
(d) Espouse
(e) Allay
Q14. It seems the fresco was
intended as a/an _______________ warning to potential business
competitors.
(a) Propensity
(b) Reticent
(c) Craven
(d) Ostensible
(e) Draconian
Q15. They are expected to help
secure supply lines and reinforce _______________ forces
approaching the capital of five million people.
(a) Capricious
(b) Deign
(c) Chaff
(d) Reverie
(e) Coalition
SOLUTION
S1. Ans. (d)
Sol. Imbibe: take in liquids
Retinue: the group following and attending to some important
person
Pinion: restrain or bind
Sultry: characterized by oppressive heat and humidity
Spook: frighten; unnerve
S2. Ans. (c)
Sol. Exploitation: an act that victimizes someone
Ignominious: deserving or bringing disgrace or shame
Tumultuous: excited, confused, or disorderly.
Amicable: characterized by friendship and good will
Onset: the beginning or early stages
S3. Ans. (e)
Sol. Impetus: a force that makes something happen
Imposition: an uncalled-for burden
Auspices: kindly endorsement and guidance
Sonorous: full and loud and deep
Fallout: the adverse results of a
situation or action
S4. Ans. (c)
Sol. Inscrutable: difficult or impossible to
understand
Tenacious: stubbornly unyielding
Throttle: a device controlling the flow of fuel or
power to an engine.
Thrall: the state of being under the control of
another person
Disconsolate: sad beyond comforting; incapable of
being soothed
S5. Ans. (a)
Sol. Mayhem: violent or extreme disorder; chaos.
Extol: Praise, glorify or honor
Fraught: Filled with or attended with
Inculcate: teach and impress by frequent repetitions
or admonitions
Nettle: disturb, especially by minor irritations
S6. Ans. (c)
Sol. Ramifications: a complex or unwelcome consequence
of an action or event.
Cavaliers: a horseman, especially a cavalryman.
Banters: exchange remarks in a good-humoured teasing
way.
Blusters: talk in a loud, aggressive, or indignant way
with little effect.
Retainers: a thing that holds something in place.
S7. Ans. (d)
Sol. Encumber: hold back, impede, or weigh down
Uncouth: lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
Petulant: easily irritated or annoyed
Jeopardize: put
(someone or something) into a situation in which there is a danger of loss, harm,
or failure.
Expiate: make amends for
S8. Ans. (b)
Sol. Seethe: be
in an agitated emotional state
Stoke: encourage or incite (a strong emotion or
tendency).
Scrutinize: look at critically or searchingly, or in
minute detail
Execrate: curse or declare to be evil or anathema
Pique: sudden outburst of anger
S9. Ans. (e)
Sol. Demoralize: lower someone’s spirits; make
downhearted
Convalesce: get over an illness or shock
Alacrity: liveliness and eagerness
Waive: do without or cease to hold or adhere to
Backlash: a
strong negative reaction by a large number of people, especially to a social or
political development.
S10. Ans. (b)
Sol. Amass: gather together or accumulate (a large
amount or number of material or things) over a period of time.
Sate: fill to contentment
Ravel: disentangle or separate out
Infest: occupy in large numbers or live on a host
Actuate: give an incentive for doing something
S11. Ans. (b)
Sol. Palpable: (of a feeling or atmosphere) so intense
as to seem almost tangible.
Docile: easily handled or managed
Patronized: treat condescendingly
Estranged: aroused hostility or indifference in
Warble: sing or play with trills
S12. Ans. (a)
Sol. Penchant: a strong or habitual liking for
something or tendency to do something.
Erode: become ground down or deteriorate
Fitful: occurring in spells and
often abruptly
Erode: become ground down or deteriorate
Unaffected: free of artificiality; sincere and genuine
S13. Ans. (a)
Sol. Inevitability: the quality of being certain to happen.
Raiment: especially fine or decorative clothing
Intrepid: invulnerable to fear or intimidation
Espouse: choose and follow a theory, idea, policy, etc.
Allay: lessen the intensity of or calm
S14. Ans. (e)
Sol. Draconian: (of laws or their application)
excessively harsh and severe.
Ostensible: Appearing as such but not necessarily so
Craven: Lacking even the rudiments of courage;
abjectly fearful
Reticent: not inclined to talk or provide information
Propensity: an inclination to do something
S15. Ans. (e)
Sol. Coalition: a temporary alliance for
combined action, especially of political parties forming a government.
Capricious: determined by chance or impulse rather
than by necessity
Deign: do something that one considers to be below
one’s dignity
Chaff: material consisting of seed covering and pieces
of stem
Reverie: an abstracted state of absorption
