General English
Question 1 – 5 : Fill in the blanks with an appropriate word. Each question is followed by four alternatives. Choose the most appropriate one.
1. The terrorist’s attempt to ----------------- the bridge was foiled by the police.
a) blow down
b) blow out
c) blow over
d) blow up
2. In his budget speech, the Finance Minister may ------------------ many reforms in the insurance sector.
a) bring out
b) bring forward
c) bring round
d) bring forth
3. The suspects in the Mumbai serial blasts are still ----------------
a) under a cloud
b) at draggers drawn
c) at large
d) at sea
4. The dilapidated old building was not -----------------
a) habitation
b) habitat
c) habitant
d) habitable
5. The burglars ---------------- into his house last night.
a) broke down
b) broke into
c) broke in
d) broke with
Questions 6 – 10 : One of the four sentences given in each question is grammatically wrong. Choose that sentence as your answer.
6. a) He showed the utmost reluctance to have anything to do with the scheme.
b) There were less than twenty people present
c) He is the first novelist in Hindi today.
d) As to tea and coffee, I prefer the later.
7. a) We can decide it only after farther investigation.
b) Only an infantry man knows what war is.
c) I asked the boys not to play in the street.
d) When the atom is split, it releases immense energy.
8. a) Bombay is Manchester of India.
b) The more you speak, the less I understand.
c) The jury gave its unanimous verdict against the prisoner.
d) He ran faster than I
9. a) Neither Shyam nor Ram took his food today.
b) Neither he nor I was there.
c) Nobody but he was present.
d) John is as old as I am.
10. a) Between you and I, I don’t trust him. (should be me)
b) I have been asked to take you to the principal.
c) I found out that he was guilty.
d) None of his friends have come forward to help him.
Questions 11 – 15 : Against each key word are given four suggested meanings. Choose the one that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the keyword.
11. Garble
a) Jumble
b) Muddle
c) Clarify
d) Corrupt
12. Fortitude
a) Resilience
b) Grit
c) Timidity
d) Ambition
13. Pernicious
a) Spiteful
b) Malicious
c) Harmless
d) conservative
14. Anathema
a) Abomination
b) Contemptuous
c) Appreciation
d) Obstacle
15. Concur
a) Coincide
b) Harmonize
c) Conflict
d) Pertain
Questions 16 – 20 : In the following questions, each sentence has an underlined word or phrase followed by four alternatives. You are to choose the one that best keeps the meaning of the original sentence if it is substituted for the underlined word or phrase.
16. Before stitching up its wounds, the veterinary doctor gave the dog an anesthetic so that it doesn’t cry out in pain.
a) Gulp
b) Flip
c) Yelp
d) Purr
17. Before taxes can be calculated, an estimate of the value of one’s property has to be made.
a) appraisal
b) Forecast
c) Diagnosis
d) Outline
18. Although buses are scheduled to depart at a certain hour, they are often late.
a) Listed
b) Requested
c) Obligated
d) Loaded
19. Since light is faster than sound, thunder appears to go after lightning.
a) Succeed
b) Precede
c) Prolong
d) Repel
20. If students don’t have enough time to read a play, they must at least read an outline of the plot.
a) An article
b) A synopsis
c) A critique
d) An essay
Questions 21 – 23 : In the following questions four alternatives are given for the underlined idiom or phrase used in the sentence. Choose the one which best expresses its meaning.
21. He came of second best in the wrestling match.
a) he won
b) he lost
c) the match ended in a tie
d) none of these
22. He has his own axe to grind in this matter.
a) he has some vexed interests
b) he has no interest at all
c) he is eager to solve the issue
d) none of these
23. His decision to pull out of the match was taken on the spur of the moment.
a) suddenly
b) after much deliberation
c) foolishly
d) none of these
Questions 24 – 25 : Select a word from the given alternatives which has the same meaning as the underlined word in the given sentences.
24. One must not behave irrationally.
a) illogically
b) absurdly
c) foolishly
d) immaturely
25. Incensed by his rude behaviour, the manager suspended the worker.
a) provoked
b) upset
c) excited
d) enthused
Answers :
1. blow up , 2. bring forward , 3. at large , 4. habitable , 5. broke into
6. He is the first novelist in Hindi today. (The sentence should be ‘He is the foremost novelist in Hindi today.’)
7. We can decide it only after farther investigation. (It should be ‘We can decide it only after further investigation’.)
8. Bombay is Manchester of India. (It should be ‘the Manchester’.)
9. Nobody but he was present. (It should be ‘but him’. Pronouns used after prepositions have to be in the object case (e.g. him, her, them us etc.)
10. Between you and I, I don’t trust him. (It should be ‘Between you and me’. Pronouns used after prepositions have to be in the object case.)
11. clarify , 12. timidity , 13. harmless , 14. appreciation , 15. conflict
16. yelp , 17. appraisal , 18. listed , 19. succeed , 20. a synopsis
21. he lost , 22. he has some vexed interests , 23. suddenly , 24. illogically , 25. provoked
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