English Quizzes, for IBPS Clerk/NIACL AO Prelims 2021

Directions (1-10): In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. Four words are suggested against each number which may or may not fit into the sentence contextually. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five options are given. Find out the most appropriate alternative [word(s)] which fits into the blank appropriately and thus giving a contextual meaning to the paragraph.

Q1. Seldom has a physicist (1) commanded/charged/assigned/recalled the attention of a world audience the way Stephen Hawking managed to do in his (2) amazing/miraculously/poorly/remarkable extended life-span of 76 years. (3) Overlooked/Defined/Diagnosed/Qualified at 21 with motor neuron disease ALS, Hawking defied the prediction that he had but a couple of years left to live, (4) for/with/at/in more than half a century. As Stephen himself noted, he was born (5) accurately/exactly/precisely/perfectly three centuries after Galileo. He would have noted, were he aware that the end was (6) nigh/almost/anticipate/essential in the early hours of March 14 that this day was Albert Einstein’s birthday.

In many (7) respects/aspect/regard/acclaim, the phenomenon of the celebrity scientist in the 20th century (8) commenced/originated/emanated/evolved with Albert Einstein. For Galileo, Kepler or Copernicus to acquire that status was (9) desperate/excited/rabid/fraught with danger as it challenged religious authority, a sin for which Galileo had to pay, though not so tragically as the (10) meek/reckless/discreet/rapid Giordano Bruno who was burnt at the stake.
(a) charged
(b) recalled
(c) commanded
(d) assigned
(e) None of the above

Q2. Seldom has a physicist (1) commanded/charged/assigned/recalled the attention of a world audience the way Stephen Hawking managed to do in his (2) amazing/miraculously/poorly/remarkable extended life-span of 76 years. (3) Overlooked/Defined/Diagnosed/Qualified at 21 with motor neuron disease ALS, Hawking defied the prediction that he had but a couple of years left to live, (4) for/with/at/in more than half a century. As Stephen himself noted, he was born (5) accurately/exactly/precisely/perfectly three centuries after Galileo. He would have noted, were he aware that the end was (6) nigh/almost/anticipate/essential in the early hours of March 14 that this day was Albert Einstein’s birthday.

In many (7) respects/aspect/regard/acclaim, the phenomenon of the celebrity scientist in the 20th century (8) commenced/originated/emanated/evolved with Albert Einstein. For Galileo, Kepler or Copernicus to acquire that status was (9) desperate/excited/rabid/fraught with danger as it challenged religious authority, a sin for which Galileo had to pay, though not so tragically as the (10) meek/reckless/discreet/rapid Giordano Bruno who was burnt at the stake.
(a) miraculously
(b) poorly
(c) amazing
(d) remarkable
(e) Both (c) and (d)

Q3. Seldom has a physicist (1) commanded/charged/assigned/recalled the attention of a world audience the way Stephen Hawking managed to do in his (2) amazing/miraculously/poorly/remarkable extended life-span of 76 years. (3) Overlooked/Defined/Diagnosed/Qualified at 21 with motor neuron disease ALS, Hawking defied the prediction that he had but a couple of years left to live, (4) for/with/at/in more than half a century. As Stephen himself noted, he was born (5) accurately/exactly/precisely/perfectly three centuries after Galileo. He would have noted, were he aware that the end was (6) nigh/almost/anticipate/essential in the early hours of March 14 that this day was Albert Einstein’s birthday.

In many (7) respects/aspect/regard/acclaim, the phenomenon of the celebrity scientist in the 20th century (8) commenced/originated/emanated/evolved with Albert Einstein. For Galileo, Kepler or Copernicus to acquire that status was (9) desperate/excited/rabid/fraught with danger as it challenged religious authority, a sin for which Galileo had to pay, though not so tragically as the (10) meek/reckless/discreet/rapid Giordano Bruno who was burnt at the stake.
(a) Qualified
(b) Overlooked
(c) Diagnosed
(d) Defined
(e) None of the above

Q4. Seldom has a physicist (1) commanded/charged/assigned/recalled the attention of a world audience the way Stephen Hawking managed to do in his (2) amazing/miraculously/poorly/remarkable extended life-span of 76 years. (3) Overlooked/Defined/Diagnosed/Qualified at 21 with motor neuron disease ALS, Hawking defied the prediction that he had but a couple of years left to live, (4) for/with/at/in more than half a century. As Stephen himself noted, he was born (5) accurately/exactly/precisely/perfectly three centuries after Galileo. He would have noted, were he aware that the end was (6) nigh/almost/anticipate/essential in the early hours of March 14 that this day was Albert Einstein’s birthday.

Q5. Seldom has a physicist (1) commanded/charged/assigned/recalled the attention of a world audience the way Stephen Hawking managed to do in his (2) amazing/miraculously/poorly/remarkable extended life-span of 76 years. (3) Overlooked/Defined/Diagnosed/Qualified at 21 with motor neuron disease ALS, Hawking defied the prediction that he had but a couple of years left to live, (4) for/with/at/in more than half a century. As Stephen himself noted, he was born (5) accurately/exactly/precisely/perfectly three centuries after Galileo. He would have noted, were he aware that the end was (6) nigh/almost/anticipate/essential in the early hours of March 14 that this day was Albert Einstein’s birthday.

In many (7) respects/aspect/regard/acclaim, the phenomenon of the celebrity scientist in the 20th century (8) commenced/originated/emanated/evolved with Albert Einstein. For Galileo, Kepler or Copernicus to acquire that status was (9) desperate/excited/rabid/fraught with danger as it challenged religious authority, a sin for which Galileo had to pay, though not so tragically as the (10) meek/reckless/discreet/rapid Giordano Bruno who was burnt at the stake.
(a) precisely
(b) perfectly
(c) exactly
(d) accurately
(e) All of the above

Q6. Seldom has a physicist (1) commanded/charged/assigned/recalled the attention of a world audience the way Stephen Hawking managed to do in his (2) amazing/miraculously/poorly/remarkable extended life-span of 76 years. (3) Overlooked/Defined/Diagnosed/Qualified at 21 with motor neuron disease ALS, Hawking defied the prediction that he had but a couple of years left to live, (4) for/with/at/in more than half a century. As Stephen himself noted, he was born (5) accurately/exactly/precisely/perfectly three centuries after Galileo. He would have noted, were he aware that the end was (6) nigh/almost/anticipate/essential in the early hours of March 14 that this day was Albert Einstein’s birthday.

In many (7) respects/aspect/regard/acclaim, the phenomenon of the celebrity scientist in the 20th century (8) commenced/originated/emanated/evolved with Albert Einstein. For Galileo, Kepler or Copernicus to acquire that status was (9) desperate/excited/rabid/fraught with danger as it challenged religious authority, a sin for which Galileo had to pay, though not so tragically as the (10) meek/reckless/discreet/rapid Giordano Bruno who was burnt at the stake.
(a) almost
(b) essential
(c) nigh
(d) anticipate
(e) Both (a) and (c)

Q7. Seldom has a physicist (1) commanded/charged/assigned/recalled the attention of a world audience the way Stephen Hawking managed to do in his (2) amazing/miraculously/poorly/remarkable extended life-span of 76 years. (3) Overlooked/Defined/Diagnosed/Qualified at 21 with motor neuron disease ALS, Hawking defied the prediction that he had but a couple of years left to live, (4) for/with/at/in more than half a century. As Stephen himself noted, he was born (5) accurately/exactly/precisely/perfectly three centuries after Galileo. He would have noted, were he aware that the end was (6) nigh/almost/anticipate/essential in the early hours of March 14 that this day was Albert Einstein’s birthday.

In many (7) respects/aspect/regard/acclaim, the phenomenon of the celebrity scientist in the 20th century (8) commenced/originated/emanated/evolved with Albert Einstein. For Galileo, Kepler or Copernicus to acquire that status was (9) desperate/excited/rabid/fraught with danger as it challenged religious authority, a sin for which Galileo had to pay, though not so tragically as the (10) meek/reckless/discreet/rapid Giordano Bruno who was burnt at the stake.
(a) acclaim
(b) regard
(c) aspect
(d) respects
(e) All of the above

Q8. Seldom has a physicist (1) commanded/charged/assigned/recalled the attention of a world audience the way Stephen Hawking managed to do in his (2) amazing/miraculously/poorly/remarkable extended life-span of 76 years. (3) Overlooked/Defined/Diagnosed/Qualified at 21 with motor neuron disease ALS, Hawking defied the prediction that he had but a couple of years left to live, (4) for/with/at/in more than half a century. As Stephen himself noted, he was born (5) accurately/exactly/precisely/perfectly three centuries after Galileo. He would have noted, were he aware that the end was (6) nigh/almost/anticipate/essential in the early hours of March 14 that this day was Albert Einstein’s birthday.

In many (7) respects/aspect/regard/acclaim, the phenomenon of the celebrity scientist in the 20th century (8) commenced/originated/emanated/evolved with Albert Einstein. For Galileo, Kepler or Copernicus to acquire that status was (9) desperate/excited/rabid/fraught with danger as it challenged religious authority, a sin for which Galileo had to pay, though not so tragically as the (10) meek/reckless/discreet/rapid Giordano Bruno who was burnt at the stake.
(a) originated
(b) evolved
(c) commenced
(d) emanated
(e) All of the above

Q9. Seldom has a physicist (1) commanded/charged/assigned/recalled the attention of a world audience the way Stephen Hawking managed to do in his (2) amazing/miraculously/poorly/remarkable extended life-span of 76 years. (3) Overlooked/Defined/Diagnosed/Qualified at 21 with motor neuron disease ALS, Hawking defied the prediction that he had but a couple of years left to live, (4) for/with/at/in more than half a century. As Stephen himself noted, he was born (5) accurately/exactly/precisely/perfectly three centuries after Galileo. He would have noted, were he aware that the end was (6) nigh/almost/anticipate/essential in the early hours of March 14 that this day was Albert Einstein’s birthday.

In many (7) respects/aspect/regard/acclaim, the phenomenon of the celebrity scientist in the 20th century (8) commenced/originated/emanated/evolved with Albert Einstein. For Galileo, Kepler or Copernicus to acquire that status was (9) desperate/excited/rabid/fraught with danger as it challenged religious authority, a sin for which Galileo had to pay, though not so tragically as the (10) meek/reckless/discreet/rapid Giordano Bruno who was burnt at the stake.
(a) excited
(b) fraught
(c) desperate
(d) rabid
(e) Both (a) and (b)

Q10. Seldom has a physicist (1) commanded/charged/assigned/recalled the attention of a world audience the way Stephen Hawking managed to do in his (2) amazing/miraculously/poorly/remarkable extended life-span of 76 years. (3) Overlooked/Defined/Diagnosed/Qualified at 21 with motor neuron disease ALS, Hawking defied the prediction that he had but a couple of years left to live, (4) for/with/at/in more than half a century. As Stephen himself noted, he was born (5) accurately/exactly/precisely/perfectly three centuries after Galileo. He would have noted, were he aware that the end was (6) nigh/almost/anticipate/essential in the early hours of March 14 that this day was Albert Einstein’s birthday.

In many (7) respects/aspect/regard/acclaim, the phenomenon of the celebrity scientist in the 20th century (8) commenced/originated/emanated/evolved with Albert Einstein. For Galileo, Kepler or Copernicus to acquire that status was (9) desperate/excited/rabid/fraught with danger as it challenged religious authority, a sin for which Galileo had to pay, though not so tragically as the (10) meek/reckless/discreet/rapid Giordano Bruno who was burnt at the stake.
(a) discreet
(b) rapid
(c) reckless
(d) meek
(e) None of the above

Directions (11-15): Which of the words/phrases (a), (b), (c) and (d) given below should replace the words/phrases given in bold in the following sentences to make it meaningful and grammatically correct? If the given words perfectly fit into the sentence and do not require any replacement, choose (e) i.e. ‘No replacement required’ as the answer.

Q11. The American College Health Association viewed 100,000 college students at 53 American campuses and fixed that 84 per cent of them feel unable to cope, 79 per cent are energized, 60 per cent feel very sad and more than half are exploiting overwhelming anxiety.
(a) surveyed, found, exhausted, experiencing
(b) checked, raised, limped, doing
(c) examined, predicted, blown, trying
(d) assessed, concluded, lost, neglecting
(e) No replacement required

Q12. There are certain books which when you put them down keep you absolutely still for a while. Apart from making you acutely aware of an alternate reality, they never fail to produce a flash of insight, a spark of intuition that would not occur to you otherwise.
(a) dubious, roughly, wisdom, perception
(b) strict, severely, ignorance, feeling
(c) definite, plainly, guile, smartness
(d) concrete, overtly, sharp, idea
(e) No replacement required

Q13. Although the desirable butterfly has a life span of one or two weeks, or a wondrous flower usually sink within a day, yet each of them fixedly spreads silently the message of cheer unlike humans, quite concern of the chances of their survival even for the all-too-brief period allotted to them.
(a) pretty, expand, explicitly, insensible
(b) engaged, diminish, inevitably, abstract
(c) bewitching, wilts, unfailingly, oblivious
(d) lovely, fade, assuredly, sensitive
(e) No replacement required

Q14. Various other research studies cite that the American first-use option and keeping its weapons on tardy launch mode plays a large role in forcing Russia and China to field a delayed amount of their nuclear forces in a launch-under-attack mode so as to avoid any kind of serving nuclear strike.
(a) show, prompt, sizable, disarming
(b) arrays, rapid, considerable, charming
(c) views, immediate, gross, silky
(d) parade, activate, massive, civil
(e) No replacement required

Q15. The issue of development as underlined in Doha Development Round is important, and that is related to unjustified subsidies given by developed nations, and this can’t be sacrificed. Discussion on Doha Development Round is still pending and that has to be completed.
(a) subject, reasonable, absolved, improbable
(b) source, flimsy, honored, clouded
(c) question, false, revoked, overdue
(d) deal, idle, repudiated, sneaky
(e) No replacement required

Solutions

S1. Ans. (c)
Sol. The word “commanded” best fits into the context of the sentence. The expression “commanded the attention” gives a contextual meaning to the sentence which isn’t the case with the other words given as options. Hence option (c) is the correct choice.
Command means give an authoritative or peremptory order.
Assign means allocate (a job or duty).

S2. Ans. (a)
Sol. The word “miraculously” fits into the sentence appropriately. It is to be noted that the blank requires an adverb than an adjective. Moreover, the expression “miraculously extended life-span of 76 years” gives a coherent meaning to the paragraph. Hence option (a) is the correct choice.
Miraculously means in a way that suggests or resembles a miracle.
Remarkable means worthy of attention; striking.

S3. Ans. (c)
Sol. The word “diagnosed” gives the most logical meaning to the sentence as it means identified the nature of (an illness or other problem) by examination of the symptoms. Other words give the vague meaning to the sentence. Hence option (c) is the correct choice.
Overlook means fail to notice.

S4. Ans. (b)
Sol. The preposition “for” fits into the sentence most appropriately. Other prepositions cannot be used as they do not give the contextual meaning to the sentence. Hence option (b) is the correct choice.

S5. Ans. (e)
Sol. All the given words can fill the gap appropriately as all four words give the similar meaning to the sentence. Hence option (e) is the correct choice.

S6. Ans. (e)
Sol. Both the words “nigh” and “almost” fit into the sentence perfectly giving a contextual meaning to the sentence. Both these words mean the same. The other two words cannot be used as they would alter the meaning of the sentence. Hence option (e) is the correct choice.
Nigh means almost.
Anticipate means regard as probable; expect or predict.

S7. Ans. (d)
Sol. The word “respects” gives the contextual meaning to the sentence. It is to be noted that the use of the adjective “many” indicates that the noun/pronoun it signifies should be in plural, which isn’t the case with the other three words. Hence option (d) is the correct choice.
Acclaim means praise enthusiastically and publicly.
Regard means consider or think of in a specified way.
Respect means a particular aspect, point, or detail.
Aspect means a particular part or feature of something.

S8. Ans. (e)
Sol. All the given words can fill the gap appropriately as all four words give the similar meaning to the sentence. Hence option (e) is the correct choice.
Originate means have a specified beginning.
Emanate means originate from; be produced by.

S9. Ans. (b)
Sol. The word “fraught” fits into the sentence most appropriately. The expression “fraught with danger” gives a meaningful sense to the sentence. Other words cannot be used as they would give illogical meaning. Hence option (b) is the correct choice.
Fraught means (of a situation or course of action) filled with (something undesirable).
Desperate means feeling or showing a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.
Rabid means having or proceeding from an extreme or fanatical support of or belief in something.

S10. Ans. (c)
Sol. The word “reckless” gives the contextual meaning to the sentence which is not the case with the other given words. The word can be connected to the sentence forming a meaningful sentence contextual to the paragraph. Hence option (c) is the correct choice.
Reckless means heedless of danger or the consequences of one’s actions; rash or impetuous.
Discreet means intentionally unobtrusive.
Rapid means happening in a short time or at a great rate.
Meek means quiet, gentle, and easily imposed on; submissive.

S11. Ans. (a)
Sol. “surveyed, found, exhausted, experiencing” is the most appropriate set of words that should replace the existing ones to make the sentence meaningful. Hence (a) is the correct choice.
Surveyed means looked closely at or examined (someone or something).
Limped means walked with difficulty, typically because of a damaged or stiff leg or foot.
Exhausted means very tired.

S12. Ans. (e)
Sol. The given set of words in the sentence is already correct and does not require any replacement. Hence (e) is the correct choice.
Insight means the capacity to gain an accurate and deep understanding of someone or something.
Intuition means the ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning.
Dubious means hesitating or doubting.
Perception means the ability to see, hear, or become aware of something through the senses.
Guile means sly or cunning intelligence.
Overtly means without concealment or secrecy; openly.

S13. Ans. (c)
Sol. “bewitching, wilts, unfailingly, oblivious” is the most appropriate set of words that should replace the existing ones to make the sentence meaningful. Hence (c) is the correct choice.
Bewitching means enchanting and delightful (someone).
Wilt means (of a plant, leaf, or flower) become limp through heat, loss of water, or disease; droop.
Unfailingly means in a reliable or unchanging way; always.
Oblivious means not aware of or concerned about what is happening around one.
Explicitly means in a clear and detailed manner, leaving no room for confusion or doubt.
Abstract means existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.

S14. Ans. (a)
Sol. “show, prompt, sizable, disarming” is the most appropriate set of words that should replace the existing ones to make the sentence meaningful. Hence (a) is the correct choice.
Prompt means done without delay; immediate.
Disarming means removing the fuse from (a bomb), making it safe.
Tardy means delaying or delayed beyond the right or expected time; late.
Sizable means fairly large.
Gross means (especially of wrongdoing) very obvious and unacceptable.
Parade means display (someone or something) while marching or moving around a place.

S15. Ans. (e)
Sol. The given set of words in the sentence is already correct and does not require any replacement. Hence (e) is the correct choice.
Unjustified means not shown to be right or reasonable.
Absolved means declare (someone) free from guilt, obligation, or punishment.
Improbable means not likely to be true or to happen.
Flimsy means insubstantial and easily damaged.
Revoke means officially cancel (a decree, decision, or promise).
Repudiate means refuse to accept; reject.
Sneaky means furtive; sly.
Overdue means not having arrived, happened, or been done by the expected time.