Directions (1-15): The sentences given below consist of an idiom given in bold. From the given alternatives identify the most suitable option reflecting the meaning of the idiom.
Q1. The loss of fertilizer proved to be a blessing in disguise as it forced us to use compost, which is better for the soil and crops.
(a) very straightforward
(b) someone who fails to meet expectations
(c) to lower standards or expectations
(d) to be better than what went before
(e) something that at first appears to be bad or unlucky but is actually good
Q2. I am advised to not put all my eggs in one basket and solely prepare for UPSC but also simultaneously do some courses.
(a) put all your effort or resources into doing one thing
(b) not retreat
(c) not sticking to the rules
(d) shock or surprise at something you see or hear
(e) neat and clean
Q3. Further investigations into that matter would surely bring to light a lot of controversial decisions, so past governments have just let sleeping dogs lie.
(a) the presence of something very bad in the best
(b) criticize, scold or lecture someone
(c) to ignore a problem because trying to deal with it could cause an even more difficult situation
(d) be the undisputed champion
(e) people who work in anonymity
Q4. Many people fear that the court’s latest ruling will open the floodgates to a host of new lawsuits.
(a) to remove something serving to restrain an outburst
(b) reach a particular place or condition
(c) neutral zone between two or more areas
(d) use courage, reserve, nerve or strength to achieve something
(e) refuse entry to somewhere
Q5. Pain and nausea swept over him in waves that left him hot and sticky and weak in the knees.
(a) practically identical in appearanc
(b) to agree by word of mouth only
(c) a problem that is difficult to solve
(d) so nervous or powerfully affected that it is difficult to stand
(e) to fight very fiercely
Directions (6-10) The following sentences contain two blanks which prevent them from forming a coherent sentence. Choose the pair of words which will be used to complete the sentence and make it meaningful. If none of the pairs fit in the blanks, then choose option (e) none of these as your answer.
Q6. In Milpa Alta, a region of twelve villages and towns to the south of Mexico City, ______________ are still very important and one of the most famous such events is a ________________ meal.
(a) authenticity, avenue
(b) controversial, comprehensive
(c) incidental, acquiesce
(d) traditions, community
(e) None of these
Q7. Critics of zoos would argue that animals often suffer physically and mentally by being ________________ and even the best _____________ environments can’t come close to matching the space, diversity, and freedom that animals have in their natural habitats.
(a) deposed, precision
(b) enclosed, artificial
(c) candid, fray
(d) desolated, omnipotent
(e) None of these
Q8. Many scientists, including the late Stephen Hawking, say that any comet or asteroid greater than 20km in ______________ that hits Earth will result in the complete destruction of ______________ life, including all animals and most plants.
(a) retention, transparent
(b) impartiality, hostile
(c) quirk, indifference
(d) diameter, complex
(e) None of these
Q9. Every time you ______________ for an online service, send an email, download a video or upload a photo, the information can be _____________ and your digital footprint can be revealed.
(a) register, accessed
(b) survive, modified
(c) rave, pacified
(d) appease, constrained
(e) None of these
Q10. At the University of Auckland in New Zealand, researchers asked 94 young people ________________ with depression to play a 3D fantasy game called SPARX and in many cases, the game reduced symptoms of depression more than ________________ treatment.
(a) indulged, innovative
(b) prescribed, potent
(c) diagnosed, conventional
(d) refuted, provocative
(e) None of these
Directions (11-15) Choose the option which contains the improvement that needs to be made for the highlight phrase. If the phrase needs no improvement, then select option none of these as your answer.
Q11. People who is very successful or famous tend to be narcissists and are liable to be ruthless, self-seeking workaholics.
(a) People who are very successfully
(b) People who are very successful
(c) People who can be very successful
(d) People who need very successful
(e) None of these
Q12. Researchers in Kenya have found that a fish could be an affective weapon in the fight to reduce the spread of malaria.
(a) an affective weapon to the fight
(b) a affective weapon in the fight
(c) an effective weapon in the fight
(d) an effective weapons in the fight
(e) None of these
Q13. The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is awarded every year for a novel written by a writer from the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland and it aimed to represent the very best in contemporary fiction.
(a) it was aiming to represent the very best
(b) it aimed for represent the very best
(c) they aimed to represent the very best
(d) it aims to represent the very best
(e) None of these
Q14. The University of Manchester study used a powerful supercomputer to calculate the running speeds of five meat-eating dinosaurs and used data taken directly from dinosaur fossils, rather than referring to previous work on modern animals.
(a) supercomputering to calculate the running speeds
(b) supercomputer to calculate them running speeds
(c) supercomputer to calculated the running speeds
(d) supercomputer to be calculate the running speeds
(e) None of these
Q15. Cubism is an artistic movement that emerged below the early 20th century wherein objects are analyzed, broken up and reassembled in an abstracted form.
(a) emerged concerning the early 20th century
(b) emerged during the early 20th century
(c) emerged without the early 20th century
(d) emerged excluding the early 20th century
(e) None of these
Solutions
S1. Ans (e)
Sol. Blessing in disguise: an apparent misfortune that eventually has good results.
Hence, option (e) is the only correct answer out of all the options
S2. Ans (a)
Sol. Put all his eggs in one basket: to depend for your success on a single person or plan of action.
Hence, option (a) is the only correct answer out of all the options.
S3. Ans (c)
Sol. If someone tells you to let sleeping dogs lie, they are warning you not to disturb or interfere with a situation, because you are likely to cause trouble and problems.
Hence, option (c) is the only correct answer out of all the options.
S4. Ans (a)
Sol. If events open the floodgates to something, they make it possible for that thing to happen much more often or much more seriously than before.
Hence, option (a) is the only correct answer out of all the options.
S5. Ans (d)
Sol. Weak at the knees: If you go weak at the knees, you feel an emotion so strongly that it makes you feel unstable on your feet.
Hence, option (d) is the only correct answer out of all the options
S6. Ans (d)
Sol. The correct pair of words that will be make the sentence coherent are traditions and community.
Traditions- the handing down of information, beliefs, or customs from one generation to another.
Community- a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
Avenue: a way of approaching a problem or making progress towards something.
Acquiesce: accept something reluctantly but without protest
S7. Ans (b)
Sol. The correct pair of words that will be make the sentence coherent are enclosed and artificial.
Enclosed- surrounded or closed off on all sides.
Artificial- made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally, especially as a copy of something natural.
Deposed: remove from office suddenly and forcefully.
Desolated: make (a place) appear bleakly empty.
Omnipotent: (of a deity) having unlimited power.
Fray: unravel or become worn at the edge, typically through constant rubbing.
S8. Ans (d)
Sol. The correct pair of words that will be make the sentence coherent are diameter and complex.
Diameter- a straight line passing through the centre of a circle or sphere and meeting the circumference or surface at each end.
Complex- complicated, intricate, involved, knotty mean having confusingly interrelated parts.
Retention: the continued possession, use, or control of something.
Hostile: showing or feeling opposition or dislike; unfriendly.
S9. Ans (a)
Sol. The correct pair of words that will be make the sentence coherent are register and accessed.
Register- enter or record on an official list or directory.
Accessed- obtain or retrieve (computer data or a file).
Rave: an extremely enthusiastic recommendation or appraisal.
Appease: pacify or placate (someone) by acceding to their demands.
S10. Ans (c)
Sol. The correct pair of words that will be make the sentence coherent are diagnosed and conventional.
Diagnosed- to recognize (as a disease) by signs and symptoms / to diagnose a disease or condition in diagnosed the patient.
Conventional- following the usual or widely accepted way of doing things.
Potent: having great power, influence, or effect.
Refuted: prove (a statement or theory) to be wrong or false; disprove
S11. Ans (b)
Sol. The correct option containing the right replacement is option (b).
Since people is plural, the correct word to be used is – are.
If the noun is singular, use is. If it is plural or there is more than one noun, use are.
S12. Ans (c)
Sol. The correct option containing the right replacement is option (c).
Affective describes something that has been influenced by emotions, is a result of emotions, or expresses emotion.
Effective describes something that produces a desired result. Effective comes from the noun effect, which means result.
S13. Ans (d)
Sol. The correct option containing the right replacement is option (d).
The given sentence is informing us about the Man Booker Prize For Fiction and is written in the simple present tense. Hence, the verb will take the form of aims.
S14. Ans (e)
Sol. There is no error in the highlighted phrase.
Hence, it needs no improvement.
S15. Ans (b)
Sol. The correct option containing the right replacement is option (b).
During is the correct choice of preposition here since it means throughout the course or duration of (a period of time).