TOPIC: fillers, Phrase replacement
Directions (1-5): Each question below has two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Choose the set of words for the blanks that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
Q1. Drawing attention to the pitfalls of …………….. solely on uranium as a fuel for nuclear reactors, Indian scientists warned that uranium will not last for long and thus research on thorium as its …………………. must be revived.
(a) using, substitute
(b) believing, replacement
(c) depending, reserve
(d) reckoning, option
(e) relying, alternative
Q2. In an effort to provide ………………… for higher education to all, most of the universities have been providing education without adequate infrastructure, thus churning out …………………. graduates every year.
(a) chances, fresh
(b) platform, capable
(c) opportunities, unemployable
(d) prospects, eligible
(e) policy, incompetent
Q3. The move to allow dumping of mercury has …………………. an outcry from residents of the area who …………….. that high levels of mercury will affect their health and destroy ecologically sensitive forest area.
(a) resulted, insist (b) provoked, fear
(c) incited, determined (d) activated, accept
(e) angered, believe
Q4. ………………. has been taken against some wholesale drug dealers for dealing in surgical items without a valid licence and maintaining a stock of …………………. drugs.
(a) Note, overwhelming (b) Step, impressive
(c) Execution, outdated (d) Action, expired
(e) Lawsuit, invalid
Q5. Even as the ………………… elsewhere in the world are struggling to come out of recession, Indian consumers are splurging on consumer goods and to ………………….. this growth, companies are investing heavily in various sectors.
(a) economies, meet
(b) countries, inhibit
(c) governments, measure
(d) nations, inflict
(e) companies, counter
Directions (6-10): Which of the phrases (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) given below each statement should replace the phrase printed in bold in the sentence to make it grammatically correct? If the sentence is correct as it is given and ‘No correction is required,’ mark (e) as the answer.
Q6. It is a pity that a country that dreams of entering the digital age is now drawn into a debate in Parliament and splitting hairs over ways and means to sensitise its population to the evils to spitting.
(a) to sensitise their population to the evils of spitting.
(b) to sensitising its population to the evils of spitting.
(c) to sensitise its population to the evils of spitting.
(d) to sensitise its population of the evils of spitting.
(e) No correction required.
Q7. For long, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has been working in an opaque manner, almost becoming a den for a few elite, well-connected individuals.
(a) almost becoming a den to a few elite
(b) almost becomes a den for a few elite
(c) almost became a den for a few elite
(d) almost became a den to a few elite
(e) No correction required.
Q8. There is a marked mismatch between the understanding of the Constitution of the Governor as the dignified head of the State executive and the regular turnover of Governors depending on the party in power in the Centre.
(a) depending on the party in power at the Centre.
(b) depends on the party in power at the Centre.
(c) depends on the party at power at the Centre.
(d) depends on the party at power of the Centre
(e) No correction required.
Q9. Consecutive sentences are still permissible if one is a fixed term and the other is one of life, provided the term sentence is completed primer and the life sentence begins later.
(a) provided the term sentence was completed first
(b) provided the term sentence has completed first
(c) provided the term sentence has completed before
(d) provided the term sentence is completed first
(e) No correction required.
Q10. Even as the reverberations of the violence inflicted on a group of Dalit men by “cow protection” vigilantes near the small Gujarat town of Una were felt in Parliament, the protests continue to spread across the State.
(a) near the small Gujarat town in Una are
(b) near the small Gujarat town of Una are
(c) near the small Gujarat town at Una are
(d) near the small Gujarat town of Una was
(e) No correction required.
Directions (11-15) : Which of the phrases (a), (b), (c) and (d) given below each sentence should replace the phrase printed in bold type to make the sentence grammatically correct If the sentence is correct as it is, mark (e) as the answer.
Q11. People in underdeveloped countries are distressing because of the antagonistic attitude of developed countries.
(a) have been distressing
(b) are distressed because of
(c) are distressed by
(d) were distressing by
(e) No correction required
Q12. He had been behaved impolitely and suffered because of that.
(a) was behaved (b) had behaved
(c) have been behaved (d) would have behaved
(e) No correction required
Q13. It has become a commonly practice to talk about women liberation.
(a) commonly practised talk about
(b) common practise to talk about
(c) common practise of talking with
(d) commonly practising to talk about
(e) No correction required
Q14. He is so brisk himself that he cannot tolerate any efficiency.
(a) tolerate hardly any inefficiency
(b) hardly tolerates lethargy
(c) tolerate any haste
(d) tolerate my delay
(e) No correction required
Q15. No person with a reasonably self-esteem would ever like to succumb to any pressure.
(a) reasonable self-esteem
(b) reasonable self-esteemed
(c) reasonably self-esteemed
(d) reasonably a self-esteem
(e) No correction required
Solutions:
S1. Ans. (e)
Sol. Only ‘depending’ and ‘relying’ will suit the first blank of (c) and (e), (c) has to be left out as the meaning of ‘reserve’ does not apply in the context of the sentence.
S2. Ans. (c)
Sol. Only (a) and (c) will suit the first blank. But ‘churning out fresh graduates’ does not make sense, as the graduates who emerge from universities every year are, needless to say, fresh graduates only.
S3. Ans. (b)
Sol. ‘Resulted’ (a) has to be followed by ‘in’. ‘Angered an outcry’ and ‘activated an outcry’ are not correct usage. We can say ‘incited’, meaning ‘cause to rise’, but then ‘determined’ does not suit the second blank.
S4. Ans. (d)
Sol. We cannot say, ‘Execution has been taken’ and ‘lawsuit has been taken’. So (c) and (e) are out. We can say ‘Note has been taken of ‘but not ‘against’ a thing. ‘Steps’ (meaning, ‘measures’) can suit the first blank but not ‘step’. So only ‘action’ fully suits the first blank. In this question, there is no need to study the options for the second blank once it is certain that only ‘action’ will apply in the first blank. This saves time during the exam.
S5. Ans. (a)
Sol. Most of the given options can suit the first blank. Note, however, that ‘counter’ (e) and ‘inhibit’ (b) do not suit in the context of the meaning conveyed by the sentence. ‘Measure’ and ‘inflict’ are not suitable either. Only ‘meet’ will be correct in the second blank.
S6. Ans. (c)
Sol. Replace ‘to sensitise its population to the evils to spitting’ with ‘to sensitise its population to the evils of spitting.’
S7. Ans. (e)
Sol. No correction required.
S8. Ans. (a)
Sol. Replace ‘depending on the party in power at the Centre’ with ‘depending on the party in power at the Centre’.
S9. Ans. (d)
Sol. Replace ‘provided the term sentence is completed before’ with ‘provided the term sentence is completed first’.
S10. Ans. (b)
Sol. Replace ‘near the small Gujarat town of Una were’ with ‘near the small Gujarat town of Una are’.
S11. Ans. (b)
Sol. Other than option (b), the other options are grammatically incorrect. Firstly, the sentence should ‘be in the present tense because it describes the present condition of the people. The gerundial form in “distressing” in option (c) is grammatically incorrect. Thus, option (b) is the answer.
S12. Ans. (b)
Sol. The correct option should be in the simple past perfect tense and hence, option (b) is the answer. The other options are grammatically incorrect.
S13. Ans. (b)
Sol. “practice” is a noun and so, “common” in the sentence acts as an adjective since it qualifies the noun. Hence, “commonly” which is an adverb is wrong. “To talk” is used as an infinitive form. Thus, option (b) is the correct response.
S14. Ans. (d)
Sol. Option (a) is incorrect because there are two negatives in the sentence – “cannot” and “hardly” and so, the sentence does not have any proper meaning. Same logic goes with option (b). “Cannot” and “hardly” both have a negative connotation. Option (c) is inappropriate because according to the statement he is brisk and so, it is impossible that he cannot tolerate any haste. Same logic goes with the statement. Since he is brisk, he should be able to tolerate and rather, appreciate efficiency. But the statement says otherwise – “he cannot tolerate any efficiency” which does not make any sense. Option (d) seems to be the most appropriate.
S15. Ans. (a)
Sol. Since “self-esteem” is a noun, reasonable should be an adjective form because it qualifies “self-esteem.” However, “reasonably” is an adverb and hence, incorrect. Option (b) is incorrect because “self esteemed” is not a noun. So, option (a) is correct.
