OBJECTIVE-TYPE QUESTIONS

English Language
SYNONYMS Directions: In this Section you find a number of sentences, parts of which are underlined. You may also find only a group of words which is underlined. For each underlined part, four words/ phrases are listed below. Choose the word nearest in meaning to the underlined part. Example E is solved for you. E. His style is quite transparent. (a) verbose (b) involved (c) lucid (d) witty Explanation: In item E, the word lucid is nearest in meaning to the word transparent. So (c) is the correct answer. 1. He could rise to this stature because of his invincible courage. (a) inviolable (b) unmanageable (c) unbeatable (d) immeasurable 2. Though he is a teacher, his speech lacks distinctness. (a) clarity (b) precision (c) distinction (d) fluency 3. The judge was both a judicious and impartial man. (a) judicial (b) wise (c) intelligent (d) kind 4. Reading fiction is an absorbing, creative and entertaining hobby. (a) a concentrating (b) an engrossing (c) a fascinating (d) an enriching 5. The perspicuity of the lawyers arguments was remarkable. (a) logic (b) precision (c) lucidity (d) profundity 6. A man of unsound mind, he was exonerated from all responsibility for his actions. (a) exculpated (b) prevented (c) excused (d) liberated 7. He is known to be a prolific writer. (a) versatile (b) productive (c) great (d) powerful 8. He tried to alleviate the sufferings of his neighbour. (a) abate (b) dissipate (c) remove (d) relieve 9. Her evidence totally refuted the charges. (a) refused (b) denied (c) disproved (d) repelled 10. If a leader wants to be popular he should master the art of being civil to everyone. (a) polite (b) civilized (c) friendly (d) obedient ANTONYMS Directions: In this Section each item consists of a word or a phrase which is underlined in the sentence given. It is followed by four words or phrases. Select the word or phrase which is closest to the opposite in meaning of the underlined word or
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phrase. Example F has been solved for you. F. Lucy is a smart girl. (a) lazy (b) active (c) indecent (d) casual Explanation: The word which is nearest opposite in meaning to the underlined word smart is lazy. So (a) is the correct answer. 11. The professor had to share a hotel room with a garrulous tax collector. (a) dumb (b) speechless (c) tongue-tied (d) silent 12. It was fortuitous that I met her in that party. (a) unlucky (b) bad (c) distressing (d) abominable 13. He is zealous only in the initial stages of a project. (a) absent-minded (b) distraught (c) inattentive (d) indifferent 14. The climate in the north of Europe is really dreadful. (a) pleasant (b) amiable (c) comfortable (d) gratifying 15. He glanced through the letter perfunctorily. (a) nicely (b) ceremoniously (c) carefully (d) particularly 16. It is not difficult to take note of his immaculate style of writing. (a) stained

OBJECTIVE-TYPE QUESTIONS
(b) uneven (c) impure (d) flawed 17. He is very fastidious about his choice of food. (a) sloppy (b) thoughtless (c) careless (d) indiscreet 18. However hard you may try to mitigate his problems, you will not succeed. (a) augment (b) increase (c) expand (d) enlarge 19. Genuine jewellery is available only in this shop. (a) False (b) Cheap (c) Imitation (d) Duplicate 20. His speech was full of frequent facetious remarks. (a) stupid (b) grave (c) dull (d) sarcastic COMPREHENSION Directions: In this Section you have six short passages. After each passage you will find several questions based on the passage. First, read Passage-I and answer the questions based on it. Then go on to the next passage. Examples I and J are solved for you. PASSAGE In our approach to life, be it pragmatic or otherwise, a basic fact that confronts us squarely and unmistakenly is the desire for peace, security and happiness. Different forms of life at different levels of existence make up the teeming denizens of this earth of ours. And, no matter whether they belong to the higher groups such as human beings or to the lower groups such as animals, all beings primarily seek peace, comfort and security. Life is as dear to a mute creature as it is to a man. Even the lowliest insect strives for protection against dangers that threaten its life. Just as each one of us wants to live and not to die, so do all other creatures. I. The authors main point is that (a) different forms of life are found on earth (b) different levels of existence are possible in nature (c) peace and security are the chief goals of all living beings (d) even the weakest creature struggles to preserve its life J. Which one of the following assumptions or steps is essential in developing the authors position? (a) All forms of life have a single overriding goal (b) The will to survive of a creature is identified with a desire for peace (c) All beings are divided into higher and lower groups (d) A parallel is drawn between happiness and life, and pain and death Explanation: I. The idea which represents the author s main point is peace and security are the chief goals of all living beings, which is response (c). So (c) is the correct answer. J. The best assumption underlying the passage is The will to survive of a creature is identified with a desire for peace, which is response (b). So (b) is the correct answer. PASSAGEI I consider myself something of an authority on apologies, because a quick temper has provided me with plenty of opportunities to make them. In one of my earliest memories, my mother is telling me, Dont look at the ground when you say, Im sorry. Hold your head up and look the person in the eye, so hell know you mean it. My mother thus conveyed the first principle of successful apology : it must be direct. You must never pretend to be doing something else. You do not leaf through a sheaf of correspondence while
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apologizing to a subordinate after blaming her for a mistake that turned out to be your fault. You do not apologize to a hostess, whose guest of honour you insulted, by sending flowers the next day without mentioning your bad behaviour. 21. According to the author s mother, the best way to apologize is (a) to say sorry while looking at the ground (b) to look the person in the eye, even if you dont say sorry (c) while saying Im sorry look the person in the eye (d) to hold your head up and avoid looking at the person 22. The successful way of apology is that it (a) should not be mixed up with other activities (b) could be made casually even when you are busy (c) should be hinted at indirectly to the person concerned (d) could be made seriously while doing other activities 23. You should apologize for your bad behaviour at a party by sending (a) flowers to the guest of your hostess (b) flowers to your hostess at your leisure (c) flowers to your hostess with a note of apology (d) only a note of apology the next day 24. The phrase leaf through a book means to (a) copy from a book (b) turn over the pages of a book quickly (c) read a book seriously (d) turn over a new leaf 25. The author considers himself to be an authority on apologies because (a) his mother trained him how to apologize (b) he has read many books on how to apologize (c) he has apologized many a time (d) he has been offered apologies in many ways

OBJECTIVE-TYPE QUESTIONS
PASSAGEII Drug addicts in some countries form small groups, the customs of which may be unknown to outsiders. They often speak a language that is so full of expressions and words created by themselves that their speech has become unintelligible to those that are not living, or in some way associated, with them. It is amazing to find that, to understand some of todays so-called pop music, one requires some acquaintance with the peculiar language of those enslaved to drugs. A great part of the vocabulary is international with a preponderance of American terms or corruptions of these. This makes it easy for those in search of drugs in a country not their own to communicate with those that have some to dispose of. 26. We learn from the passage that (a) all pop singers like drugs (b) many pop musicians often use the code language of drug addicts (c) pop music is understood by drug users only (d) all drug users compose music 27. The drug users speech is unintelligible to others because (a) it is incoherent (b) the use of drugs has affected their pronunciation (c) their language has peculiar words and expressions (d) they communicate only among themselves 28. Drug addicts (a) get easily assimilated in the society in which they live (b) have their own culture (c) imitate American culture (d) are cultural revolutionaries 29. The international nature of their vocabulary helps drug addicts to (a) buy drugs from one another with ease (b) get to know one another better (c) pass for Americans (d) conceal their nationalities 30. According to the passage, it is wrong to conclude that (a) drug users have evolved a language (b) drug users form small groups (c) some drug users travel outside their own countries (d) all drug addicts are Americans PASSAGEIII Education is for life, not merely for a livelihood. So long as we are unmindful of this truth, the quality of our educational curriculum as well as that of our teachers and students is likely to remain inadequate. It is not enough for a society to have experts. It needs human beings who can think, feel and act generously, the kind of people who cannot be replaced by computers and robots. The great fault of our present age is its emphasis on efficiency at the cost of humanity. 31. When the author says that education is for life rather than for a livelihood, he means to say that (a) education is a generally useful thing in life (b) the primary purpose of education is to train people to be proper human beings (c) education is useful for earning a living (d) education can enable one to become rich 32. The author says that it is not enough for a society to have experts because (a) experts are egocentric (b) experts do not have an overall view of things because of their being highly specialised (c) along with efficiency, educated people need to be sympathetic and sensitive to the needs of society (d) experts are highly eccentric people 33. The author is critical of the present educational system because it (a) overemphasizes efficiency (b) neglects social sciences (c) is science-oriented (d) is obsessed with computers 34. Proper human beings cannot be replaced by computers and robots because (a) computers and robots are non288 s OCTOBER 2001 s THE COMPETITION MASTER

human (b) computers and robots react mechanically (c) only human beings can have specialized knowledge (d) only proper human beings can think creatively and act generously 35. The main idea of the author in this passage is that (a) educated people should be sympathetic towards human suffering (b) education should emphasize improvement in quality of life rather than efficiency (c) specilization improves efficiency (d) to attain efficiency is the only goal of education PASSAGEIV Grandchildren at university now how time passes! I wonder if theyor anyone elsewould be interested in what student life was like in the 30s? Well, here goes .... The academic part of a students life doesnt change all that much through the generations, but the style of social life has changed. (For better or worsewho are we to say?) The English Lit., more properly, Edinburgh University English Literature Society, met on Tuesday evenings in the Non Soc Hall, which is roundabout where the student shop is now. It was called the Non Soc Hall because the meetings there were of Non-Associated Societiesthe Associated Societies being high-andmighty affairs with a long history, such as the Dialectic, Philomathic and Diagnostic, which, in those days, certainly didnt admit women. 36. The author of the passage feels nostalgic because (a) he doesnt belong to the present generation (b) he represents the past generation (c) he is conscious of time passing swiftly (d) things have changed since he

OBJECTIVE-TYPE QUESTIONS
was a student 37. The author observes that the academic life of a university (a) changes faster than the social life (b) does not change as fast as the social life (c) does not change because of a generation gap (d) changes abruptly after a long gap 38. When the author was a student at Edinburgh, English Literature Society used to meet (a) where it meets now (b) where the Dialectic Society used to meet (c) near the place the student shop is located now (d) where the Diagnostic Society meets now 39. The English Literature Society was considered to be a Non-Associated Society because (a) its activities were deemed to be insignificant (b) it refused to be associated with any other society (c) it was an exclusive society of the Department of English (d) it indulged in unconventional literary movements 40. The membership of The Associated Societies was (a) open to all students (b) restricted to students of History (c) restricted to students of Psychology (d) open to only men PASSAGEV Martin Luther Kings active career extended from 1957 to 1968. During this brief career he led numerous protest demonstrations in the South as well as in the North of the USA. He challenged the moral complacency of America and fought for the rights of the Negro. He hated the eye-for-an-eye method like Gandhiji and fought with the weapon of non-violencea weapon, said King, that cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it. It is a sword that heals. And he raised a vast army. It was an army that would move but not maul. It was an army to storm bastions of hatred, to lay siege to the fortress of segregation, to surround symbols of discrimination. It was an army whose allegiance was to God and whose strategy and intelligence were the eloquently simple dictates of conscience. His creed of non-violence was criticised and challenged by Black Power militants who would not renounce the use of violence to achieve their goals. Nevertheless, his faith in non-violence never wavered. 41. The similarity between Martin Luther King and Gandhiji was that both (a) fought for the rights of the Negroes (b) fought for the rights of untouchables (c) were demagogues (d) had firm faith in non-violence 42. Martin Luthers army (a) invaded the seats of White power and authority (b) sieged the fortress of White pride and glory (c) evolved a strategy to overthrow the White regime and replace it by a Black regime (d) fought against hatred, segregation and all kinds of discrimination 43. Martin Luther King appealed to the conscience of White Americans by (a) preaching against them (b) highlighting their discriminatory attitude towards the Blacks (c) questioning their selfrighteousness (d) appealing to the international organizations against their exploitation 44. The Black Power militants (a) were jealous of Martin Luther Kings popularity (b) did not approve of Martin Luther Kings commitment to non-violence (c) believed in a violent revolution (d) did not participate in the movement led by Martin Luther King
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45. The phrase move but not maul refers to an army that would (a) move forward and never look back (b) defeat the White forces in the battlefield (c) make the White forces surrender by overpowering them (d) appeal to the conscience of the White Americans without hurting them PASSAGEVI It was 7 a.m. on Sunday, June 4, 1944. Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, Commander in Chief of the German Army Group Bguarding the occupied French Coast facing the English Channelwas travelling in a car next to the drivers seat. He was tired of waiting for the Allied invasion to begin. Leaving on this particular dismal Sunday morning suited Rommel fine. The timing of the trip could not have been better for the weather was so bad that the Allies would not even think of a landing. Beside him on the seat was a cardboard box containing a pair of handmade grey-shade shoes, size 5
1 , for his wife Lucie-Maria. 2

There was an especial and very human reason why he wanted to be with her on Tuesday, June 6. It was her birthday. 46. Rommel was (a) a famous German detective during the Second World War (b) the Commander in Chief of the German army in occupied France (c) a war-weary old man (d) a German messenger during the war 47. Rommel was going back to Germany because (a) he was afraid of facing the Allies (b) he was bored with the war (c) he was annoyed with the weather in France (d) he was homesick and wanted to see his wife 48. Rommel considered June 4, the

OBJECTIVE-TYPE QUESTIONS
best time to leave because (a) the weather conditions ruled out an Allied invasion (b) all his junior Generals were present there (c) by then the enemy was not ready for the attack (d) he had to consult Hitler 49. The contents of the cardboard box had for Rommel (a) strategic importance (b) great monetary significance (c) sentimental value (d) not much value 50. Rommel was keen to be with his wife on that day because it was (a) their wedding day (b) her birthday (c) their sons birthday (d) Hitlers birthday ORDERING OF WORDS IN A SENTENCE Directions: In each of the following items some parts of the sentence have been jumbled up. You are required to re-arrange these parts which are labelled P, Q, R and S to produce the correct sentence. Choose the proper sequence and mark in your Answer Sheet accordingly. Example Z has been solved for you. Z. It is well known that (P) the effect (Q) is very bad (R) on children (S) of cinema The proper sequence should be: (a) P S R Q (b) S P Q R (c) S R P Q (d) Q S R P Explanation: The proper way of writing the sentence is It is well-known that the effect of cinema on children is very bad. This is indicated by the sequence P S R Q and so (a) is the correct answer. 51. The only time (P) when this dynamic cricketer (Q) was on the 1979 tour of England (R) failed with the bat (S) the tag of an all-rounder did not fit him The proper sequence should be: (a) S P R Q (b) P R S Q (c) S R P Q (d) S Q P R 52. Kapil (P) left in an aeroplane (Q) after reading a sailing magazine (R) had decided (S) to build his own boat nine years earlier The proper sequence should be: (a) P R Q S (b) R S Q P (c) R Q P S (d) P S R Q 53. When (P) it becomes an honour of a lifetime (Q) in recognition of their great performance (R) illustrious personalities (S) win an award The proper sequence should be: (a) R P Q S (b) P Q R S (c) Q R S P (d) R S Q P 54. The newspaper reported that (P) according to one estimate (Q) and many of them assume epidemic proportions (R) most illnesses in India (S) are related to water-borne diseases The proper sequence should be: (a) P R Q S (b) P R S Q (c) R Q S P (d) R Q P S 55. The zoologist says that (P) having been bitten by them once (Q) trembled to make a second attempt at catching (R) the snakes (S) the snakecharmers The proper sequence should be: (a) P R Q S (b) S Q P R (c) R P Q S (d) P S Q R 56. If you had told me (P) I would not have given it to you (Q) that you had already (R) bought this book (S) as a birthday present The proper sequence should be: (a) Q R P S (b) P Q R S (c) S P Q R (d) S R Q P 57. All precautionary measures were taken (P) to prevent the capture of booths (Q) during the election (R) by
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the Government (S) by the terrorists The proper sequence should be: (a) S P R Q (b) Q S P R (c) R P S Q (d) R Q S P 58. The Government has assured the people that (P) in the Kargil operation (Q) who have sacrificed their lives (R) will be properly looked after (S) the families of all those soldiers The proper sequence should be: (a) P S R Q (b) S Q P R (c) S R Q P (d) S P R Q 59. All through (P) collecting and storing up food (Q) the long warm summer days (R) an ant was very busy (S) for the winter The proper sequence should be: (a) S R Q P (b) Q P S R (c) Q R P S (d) R S Q P 60. (P) Standing carelessly with his sword, (Q) the fat major (R) held horizontally behind him and with his legs far apart (S) looked after the receding horseman and laughed The proper sequence should be: (a) P Q S R (b) Q P R S (c) P Q R S (d) P R S Q ANSWERS 1. 5. 9. 13. 17. 21. 25. 29. 33. 37. 41. 45. 49. 53. 57. (c) (c) (c) (d) (c) (c) (c) (b) (a) (b) (d) (d) (c) (d) (c) 2. 6. 10. 14. 18. 22. 26. 30. 34. 38. 42. 46. 50. 54. 58. (a) (d) (a) (a) (b) (a) (b) (d) (d) (c) (d) (b) (b) (b) (b) 3. 7. 11. 15. 19. 23. 27. 31. 35. 39. 43. 47. 51. 55. 59. (b) (b) (d) (c) (c) (c) (c) (b) (b) (a) (b) (d) (d) (d) (c) 4. 8. 12. 16. 20. 24. 28. 32. 36. 40. 44. 48. 52. 56. 60. (b) (d) (a) (d) (c) (b) (b) (c) (c) (d) (b) (a) (b) (a) (b)

Balance questions and answers will appear in November issue.