Directions (1-10): In each of the question given below a/an idiom/phrase is given in BOLD which is then followed by five options which then tries to decipher its meaning as used in the sentence. Choose the option which gives the meaning of the phrase most appropriately in context of the given sentence.
Q1. I’m banking on you to help with the charity event.
(a) pretend
(b) rely
(c) doubt
(d) faith
(e) inhibit
Q2. His plans to trek through South America fell through when he got sick.
(a) ascend
(b) overturn
(c) slip
(d) fail
(e) deteriorate
Q3. We hope they can iron out their differences and get on with working together.
(a) resolve
(b) question
(c) conclude
(d) facilitate
(e) upset
Q4. He finished his cup of tea and got on with the gardening.
(a) yield
(b) retrogress
(c) persist
(d) stay
(e) last
Q5. He’s never made an effort to keep up with current events.
(a) surpass
(b) deadlock
(c) measure
(d) work
(e) parallel
Q6. The company is expected to get around this problem by borrowing from the banks.
(a) lead
(b) deceive
(c) overcome
(d) divert
(e) detach
Q7. I think he’s trying to get back at her for those remarks she made in the meeting.
(a) pursue
(b) disprove
(c) acknowledge
(d) retaliate
(e) persuade
Q8. The city had to rebuild the bridge completely, because it was about to give out and fall down.
(a) conform
(b) reveal
(c) relent
(d) crash
(e) transmit
Q9. The lorry drivers’ strike has put back our deliveries by over a month.
(a) deferred
(b) dwindled
(c) retarded
(d) replaced
(e) conveyed
Q10. He was not emotionally stable enough to think through his decision.
(a) evaluate
(b) determine
(c) suspect
(d) estimate
(e) analyze
Solutions
S1. Ans. (b)
Sol. The phrasal verb “bank on” means “to base your hopes on something / someone”. Thus, the most appropriate meaning among the given options is “rely” which means “depend on with full trust or confidence”. Hence option (b) is the correct choice.
S2. Ans. (d)
Sol. The phrasal verb “fell through” means “to fail; doesn’t happen”. Thus, the most appropriate meaning among the given options is “fail”. Hence option (d) is the correct choice.
Ascend means rise or move up through the air.
S3. Ans. (a)
Sol. The phrasal verb “iron out” means to remove problems or find solutions, or to resolve by discussion, eliminate differences. Thus, among the given options, the most appropriate meaning is “resolve”. Hence option (a) is the correct choice.
S4. Ans. (c)
Sol. The phrasal verb “get on with” means to start or continue doing something, especially work. Thus, among the given options, the most appropriate meaning is “persist” which means “continue to exist; be prolonged”. Hence option (c) is the correct choice.
Retrogress means go back to an earlier state, typically a worse one.
S5. Ans. (e)
Sol. The phrasal verb “keep up with” means “to continue to be informed about something”, or “move or progress at the same rate as someone or something else.”. Thus, among the given options, the most appropriate meaning is “parallel”. Hence option (e) is the correct choice.
Deadlock means a situation, typically one involving opposing parties, in which no progress can be made.
S6. Ans. (c)
Sol. ‘get around’ means to release or to avoid something unpleasant or laborious.
S7. Ans. (d)
Sol. ‘get back at’ means take revenge on.
S8. Ans. (d)
Sol. ‘give out’ means to stop working.
S9. Ans. (a)
Sol. ‘put back’ means to delay it or arrange for it to happen later than you previously planned.
S10. Ans. (e)
Sol. ‘think through’ means to carefully consider the possible results of doing something.