English Quiz IBPS Clerk Prelims: 18th September 2019

IBPS Clerk Prelims English Quiz

Directions (1-5): 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 the context of the given sentence.

Q1. The company is expected to get around this problem by borrowing from the banks.

(a) lead
(b) deceive
(c) overcome
(d) divert
(e) detach

Q2. 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

Q3. 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

Q4. The lorry drivers’ strike has put back our deliveries by over a month.

(a) deferred
(b) dwindled
(c) retarded
(d) replaced
(e) conveyed

Q5. He was not emotionally stable enough to think through his decision.

(a) evaluate
(b) determine
(c) suspect
(d) estimate
(e) analyze

Directions (6-10) In each of the questions given below a sentence is given in which an idiom (or some part) is given in bold. This sentence is then followed by five idioms. Choose the idiom which can fit here and make the sentence grammatically and contextually correct. If the given idiom is correct as it is and requires no correction then choose option (e) as your correct answer choice.

Q6. You don’t want to go into the NFL with some dime a dozen that you’re somehow a victim of a system that can’t stand you.
(a) chip on your shoulder
(b) piece of cake
(c) an arm and a leg
(d) bread and butter
(e) No improvement required

Q7. A pilot performing this manoeuvre would be on cloud nine for a second enemy aircraft.
(a) off-base
(b) a sitting duck
(c) spilling the beans
(d) scot-free
(e) No improvement required

Q8. Dark clouds are in the sky and it is usually at eleventh hour for rain to follow, so I need to hurry up and get my car inside the garage since it has a broken windshield.
(a) Draconian law
(b) par for the course
(c) Sword of Damocles
(d) once in a blue moon
(e) No improvement required

Q9. One of my roommates had an essay due in a couple of days, and you could tell because his fingers were moving across the keyboard as fast as head over heels!
(a) hands down
(b) goody-two-shoes
(c) a man of straw
(d) greased lightning
(e) No improvement required.

Q10. Both the members acknowledged that their campaign was on the ropes, and they could not possibly win the election.
(a) on the same page
(b) out of left field
(c) in the red
(d) in a pickle
(e) no improvement required

Directions (11-15): 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.

Q11. After two hours spent wandering in the snow, I realized we were on a wild goose chase.
(a) exuberant
(b) futile search
(c) fruitful errand
(d) target completion
(e) fecund emulation

Q12. The student was on thin ice because he was absent from class too many times.
(a) relaxed
(b) tortured
(c) prepared
(d) skated
(e) at risk

Q13. Often the interviewer will need to play devil’s advocate in order to get a discussion going.
(a) sophism
(b) exhibit
(c) consort
(d) opine
(e) counsel

Q14. She threw caution to the wind and married him even though she knew he was a professional thief.
(a) deliberately
(b) riskily
(c) decisively
(d) certainly
(e) trickily

Q15. Frances took her daughter walking every day, rain or shine.
(a) extravagant
(b) inaccurate
(c) regardless
(d) improvident
(e) considerate

Solutions
S1. Ans. (c)
Sol. ‘get around’ means to release or to avoid something unpleasant or laborious.

S2. Ans. (d)
Sol. ‘get back at’ means take revenge on.

S3. Ans. (d)
Sol. ‘give out’ means to stop working.

S4. Ans. (a)
Sol. ‘put back’ means to delay it or arrange for it to happen later than you previously planned.

S5. Ans. (e)
Sol. ‘think through’ means to carefully consider the possible results of doing something.

S6. Ans. (a)
Sol. Option (a) is the correct choice. “dime a dozen” means something is extremely common, inexpensive or available anywhere. Therefore, the correct idiom required here is ‘chip on your shoulder’ which means an ingrained feeling of resentment deriving from a sense of inferiority and sometimes marked by aggressive behaviour.
piece of cake is often used to describe a situation that was easy, or required little effort.
An arm and a leg phrase is used to refer something that is very expensive.
Bread and butter means used in reference to something every day or ordinary.

S7. Ans. (b)
Sol. Option (b) is the correct choice. ‘On cloud nine’ means being extremely happy making the sentence contextually incorrect. ‘A sitting duck’ means a person or thing with no protection against an attack or other source of danger. Thus, it makes the sentence logical.
Off base means mistaken; or relying on a mistaken premise.
Spilling the beans means to reveal secret information unintentionally or indiscreetly.
Scot-free means without suffering any punishment or injury.

S8. Ans. (b)
Sol. Option (b) is the correct choice. ‘at eleventh hour’ means the last moment or almost late. Thus, the idiom given fails to make the sentence meaningful and logical. It should be replaced with the idiom ‘par for the course’ which means what is normal or expected in any given circumstances.
Draconian law means measures which are extremely harsh or severe.
Sword of Damocles means situation threatening imminent harm or disaster.
Once in a blue moon means very rarely.

S9. Ans. (d)
Sol. Option (d) is the correct choice. The idiom “head over heels” means falling deeply in love with another person. Thus, it doesn’t make the sentence comprehensible. However, “greased lightening” is an expression that’s used to describe someone or something that is very fast. Therefore, the idiom “greased lightening” provides the correct context to the sentence.
Hands down means anything that’s easy or has no difficulty; something that has a certainty.
Goody-two-shoes means a virtuous person.
A man of straw means someone who has a weak character:

S10. Ans. (e)
Sol. Option (e) is the correct choice, as the given idiom is contextually and grammatically correct. “on the ropes” means being in a rough situation that looks difficult to recover from.
On the same page means thinking alike or understanding something in a similar way with others.
Out of left field means something that’s surprising or unexpected
In the red means losing money or Being in debt.
In a pickle means being in a difficult predicament; a mess; an undesirable situation.

S11. Ans. (b)
Sol. The idiom ‘a wild goose chase’ means a search that is completely unsuccessful and a waste of time because the person or thing being searched for does not exist or is somewhere else. Therefore, the phrase “futile search” perfectly depicts the context of the idiom. All the other phrases fail to provide the meaning of the given idiom. Hence, option (b) is the most suitable answer choice.
Exuberant means full of energy, excitement, and cheerfulness.
Fruitful errand means a short successful journey
Fecund emulation means producing many achievable ideas

S12. Ans. (e)
Sol. The idiom ‘on thin ice’ means in a precarious or risky situation. Therefore, the word “at risk” perfectly reflects the meaning of the idiom. All the other phrases fail to provide the meaning of the given idiom hence, option (e) is the most suitable answer choice.
Relaxed means free from tension and anxiety.
Tortured means inflict severe pain on.
Skated means move on ice skates or roller skates in a gliding fashion.

S13. Ans. (a)
Sol. Option (a) is the correct answer choice. ‘devil’s advocate’ means someone who pretends, in an argument or discussion, to be against an idea or plan that a lot of people support, in order to make people discuss and consider it in more detail. Therefore, the word ‘sophism is perfectly depicting the meaning of the given idiom. ‘Sophism’ means a clever but false argument, especially one used deliberately to deceive. All the other words fail to express the meaning of the given idiom.
Exhibit means manifest clearly (a quality or a type of behaviour).
Consort means habitually associate with (someone), typically with the disapproval of others.
Opine means hold and state as one’s opinion.
Counsel means give advice to (someone).

S14. Ans. (b)
Sol. Option (b) is the correct answer choice. ‘throw caution to the wind’ means to do something without worrying about the risk or negative results. Therefore, the word ‘riskily’ is perfectly depicting the meaning of the given idiom. ‘riskily’ is an adverb which means the possibility that something unpleasant or unwelcome will happen. All the other words fail to express the meaning of the given idiom.
Deliberately means consciously and intentionally; on purpose.
Decisively means in a manner that settles an issue convincingly or produces a definite result.
Trickily means (of a task, problem, etc.) requiring care and skill because difficult or awkward.

S15. Ans. (c)
Sol. Option (c) is the correct answer choice. ‘rain or shine’ means to do it regularly, without being affected by the weather or other circumstances. Therefore, the word ‘regardless’ is perfectly depicting the meaning of the given idiom. ‘Regardless’ is an adverb which means despite the prevailing circumstances. All the other words fail to express the meaning of the given idiom.
Extravagant means lacking restraint in spending money or using resources.
Inaccurate means not accurate
Improvident means not having or showing foresight; spendthrift or thoughtless.
Considerate means careful not to inconvenience or harm others.