Directions (1-5) There are certain words missing in the
passage given below. The given options contain an answer that will fit in those
given blanks. Choose the correct word to be used to make the sentence coherent
and grammatically correct.
Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote a very famous story called
Tarzan of the Apes. This story involves a 1)_________________ on the
West coast of Africa. The passengers on the ship include a certain Lord and
Lady Greystoke from England. Lord and Lady Greystoke are the only 2)________________
of the accident. Lord Greystoke builds a kind of shelter high up in the trees –
a treehouse – for his pregnant wife and does his best to make them comfortable
in their new jungle home. Lady Greystoke gives birth to a boy. They call the
boy John. Unfortunately, she dies and leaves Lord Greystoke to take care of the
baby on his own. Lord Greystoke is killed by an 3)__________________ ape
that comes to investigate the strange house in the trees. The baby is left all
alone. 4)__________________, a female ape, whose baby has recently died,
finds the human baby alone in the treehouse. Even though the baby is white and
hairless, she feels a mother’s love for it and begins to feed and take care of
it. She becomes John’s mother. John – who later takes the name Tarzan, never
having known his real 5)_________________ – grows strong and powerful
living among the apes. He has the advantage of human intelligence and
eventually grows up to be leader of the apes and, eventually, lord of the
jungle.
Q1.
(a) ruse
(b) decorum
(c) shipwreck
(d) juxtaposition
(e) orator
Q2.
(a) altercations
(b) apologists
(c) pacifists
(d) survivors
(e) nuances
Q3.
(a) enormous
(b) bland
(c) jolly
(d) nonchalant
(e) poised
Q4.
(a) inquisitively
(b) selfishly
(c) bitterly
(d) punctually
(e) fortunately
Q5.
(a) salient
(b) identity
(c) objectivity
(d) pinnacle
(e) prompt
Directions (6-10) There are certain words missing in the
passage given below. The given options contain an answer that will fit in those
given blanks. Choose the correct word to be used to make the sentence coherent
and grammatically correct.
The samurai (the word means ‘one who serves’) were the 6)________________
warrior class of Japan for nearly seven hundred years. In the tenth century,
the imperial court in Kyoto tried and failed to organise a conscript army. If
the court had succeeded in this, the wealthy landowners might not have decided
to 7)__________________ private soldiers and the samurai might never
have existed. The original samurai were 8)__________________ warriors
who went into battle on horseback, challenging opponents to ritualised combat.
Their customs would have seemed familiar to the medieval European knights if
they had ever met each other. Later, as the armies became larger and the
fighting more savage, most samurai trained for hand-to-hand 9)_________________.
However, during a long period of peace in Japan things didn’t go well for the
samurai and eventually, in the 1860s, they lost their position of power in
Japanese society. The sword of a samurai symbolises the authority and luxury of
the warrior class. It was both a weapon and an art object. This double identity
mirrored the samurai themselves. As well as being warriors, they used to
socialise with painters, playwrights and intellectuals. Samurai generals
practised 10)_____________________, did flower arranging and went to the
theatre.
Q6.
(a) scattered
(b) elite
(c) irksome
(d) zealous
(e) defiant
Q7.
(a) adjoin
(b) radiate
(c) advertise
(d) employ
(e) rationalize
Q8.
(a) chivalrous
(b) abundant
(c) abysmal
(d) reversible
(e) inadvisable
Q9.
(a) unilateral
(b) piety
(c) retention
(d) combat
(e) sentiment
Q10.
(a) unadorned
(b) epitome
(c) prelude
(d) antithesis
(e) calligraphy
Directions (11-15) There are certain words missing in the
passage given below. The options given contain an answer that will fit in those
given blanks. Choose the correct word to be used to make the sentence coherent
and grammatically correct.
Over the centuries, people have created many rituals to
accompany the 11)_______________ of their favourite drinks, tea and
coffee. Just think of the Japanese tea ceremony, British afternoon tea or the
morning coffee ritual in countless societies. Why are these drinks so popular?
The answer is their secret 12)__________________ – caffeine. In the
modern world, the new caffeine ‘delivery systems’ are canned ‘energy’ drinks.
And the more modern our world gets, the more we seem to need caffeine. People
have known for years that caffeinated drinks make you less tired and more 13)________________.
This dual power of caffeine to 14)__________________ physical fatigue
and increase alertness is part of the reason why it is the world’s most popular
mood-altering drug. It is the only habit-forming psychoactive drug we routinely
serve to our children (in all those soft drinks and chocolate bars). In fact,
most babies in the developed world are born with traces of caffeine in their
bodies.
Most people don’t think twice about their caffeine 15)_________________.
However, it raises blood pressure and thus increases the risk of heart disease.
So, the widespread use of caffeine is now a cause for concern among scientists
and public health authorities.
Q11.
(a) dissection
(b) consumption
(c) epoch
(d) behemoth
(e) utopia
Q12.
(a) ingredient
(b) masquerade
(c) dispatch
(d) premise
(e) complacency
Q13.
(a) affirm
(b) aggravate
(c) exploit
(d) repel
(e) alert
Q14.
(a) fluctuate
(b) reprimand
(c) resurrect
(d) counteract
(e) constitute
Q15.
(a) intake
(b) urge
(c) temperament
(d) reform
(e) principle
SOLUTIONS:
S1. Ans (c)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is shipwreck.
It means the destruction of a ship at sea by sinking or
breaking up, for example in a storm or after striking a rock.
Ruse- an action intended to deceive someone; a trick.
Decorum- behaviour in keeping with good taste and
propriety.
Juxtaposition- the fact of two things being seen or placed
close together with contrasting effect.
Orator- a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or
skilled.
S2. Ans (d)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is survivors.
It means a person who survives, especially a person
remaining alive after an event in which others have died.
Altercations- a noisy argument or disagreement, especially
in public.
Apologists- a person who offers an argument in defence of
something controversial.
Pacifists- a person who believes that war and violence are
unjustifiable.
Nuances- a subtle difference in or shade of meaning,
expression, or sound.
S3. Ans (a)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is enormous.
It means very large in size, quantity, or extent.
Bland- lacking strong features or characteristics and
therefore uninteresting.
Jolly- happy and cheerful.
Nonchalant- (of a person or manner) feeling or appearing
casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm.
Poised- having a composed and self-assured
manner
S4. Ans (e)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is fortunately.
It means happening because of good luck.
Inquisitively- inclined to ask questions especially;
inordinately or improperly curious about the affairs of others.
Selfishly- with a lack of consideration for other people
due to concern with one’s own personal profit or pleasure.
Bitterly- in an angry, hurt, or resentful way.
Punctually- at the agreed or proper time; promptly.
S5. Ans (b)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is identity.
It means the fact of being who or what a person or thing
is.
Salient- most noticeable or important.
Objectivity- lack of favouritism toward one side or another.
Pinnacle- the most successful point; the culmination.
Prompt- (of an event or fact) cause or bring about (an
action or feeling).
S6. Ans (b)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is elite.
It means the choice or best of anything considered
collectively, as of a group or class of persons.
Scattered- occurring or found at intervals or various
locations rather than all together.
Irksome- irritating; annoying.
Zealous- having or showing zeal.
Defiant- full of or showing a disposition to challenge,
resist, or fight.
S7. Ans (d)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is employ.
It means give work to (someone) and pay them for it.
Adjoin- be next to and joined with (a building, room, or piece
of land).
Radiate- emit (energy, especially light or heat) in the
form of rays or waves.
Advertise- describe or draw attention to (a product,
service, or event) in a public medium in order to promote sales or attendance.
Rationalize- attempt to explain or justify (behaviour or an
attitude) with logical reasons, even if these are not appropriate.
S8. Ans (a)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is chivalrous.
It means courteous and gallant, especially towards women
(typically used of a man or his behaviour).
Abundant- existing or available in large quantities;
plentiful.
Abysmal- extremely bad; appalling.
Reversible- able to be turned the other way round.
Inadvisable- likely to have unfortunate consequences;
unwise.
S9. Ans (d)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is combat.
It means a fight, especially during a war.
Unilateral- (of an action or decision) performed by or
affecting only one person, group, or country involved in a situation, without
the agreement of another or the others.
Piety- the quality of being religious or reverent.
Retention- the ability to keep or hold.
Sentiment- a view or opinion that is held or expressed.
S10. Ans (e)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is calligraphy.
It means the art of producing decorative handwriting or
lettering with a pen or brush.
Unadorned- lacking embellishment or decoration; plain,
simple.
Epitome- a person or thing that is a perfect example of a
particular quality or type.
Prelude- an action or event serving as an introduction to
something more important.
Antithesis- a person or thing that is the direct opposite
of someone or something else.
S11. Ans (b)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is consumption.
It means the action of using up a resource.
Dissection- the action of dissecting a body or plant to
study its internal parts.
Epoch- a particular period of time in history or a person’s
life.
Behemoth- a huge or monstrous creature.
Utopia- an imagined place or state of things in which
everything is perfect.
S12. Ans (a)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is ingredient.
It means a food that is used with other foods in the
preparation of a particular dish.
Masquerade- a false show or pretence.
Dispatch- the sending of someone or something to a
destination or for a purpose.
Premise- a previous statement or proposition from which
another is inferred or follows as a conclusion.
Complacency- a feeling of calm satisfaction with your own
abilities or situation that prevents you from trying harder
S13. Ans (e)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is alert.
It means quick to notice any unusual and potentially
dangerous or difficult circumstances; vigilant.
Affirm- validate, confirm.
Aggravate- make (a problem, injury, or offence) worse or
more serious.
Exploit- make full use of and derive benefit from (a
resource).
Repel- drive or force (an attack or attacker) back or away.
S14. Ans (d)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is counteract.
It means act against (something) in order to reduce its
force or neutralize it.
Fluctuate- rise and fall irregularly in number or amount.
Reprimand- to tell someone, esp. officially, that his or
her behaviour is wrong and not acceptable.
Resurrect- revive or revitalize (something that is
inactive, disused, or forgotten).
Constitute- be (a part) of a whole.
S15. Ans (a)
Sol. The only word which will fit the blank to make the
sentence coherent is intake.
It means an amount of food, air, or another substance taken
into the body.
Urge- a strong desire or impulse.
Temperament- a person’s or animal’s nature, especially as
it permanently affects their behaviour.
Reform- the action or process of reforming an institution
or practice.
Principle- a fundamental truth or proposition that serves
as the foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of
reasoning.
English Quiz For NIACL AO Mains 2024 Exa...
