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Past Questions
Choose the word which best fills the blank: 'The true test of __________ lies not in the number of people who fear you, but in the number who revere you.'
A)
Intelligence
B)
fortitude
C)
fortification
D)
determination
The correct word is **Intelligence**. The sentence means that real wisdom or ability is judged not by how many people are afraid of you, but by how many respect you. Among the options, only **intelligence** fits this idea of earning reverence through merit.
- **fortification** means strengthening or a defensive structure, which does not fit the context.
- **determination** means firmness of purpose, but the sentence is about being respected rather than being persistent.
- **fortitude** means courage in adversity, which also does not match the idea of being revered.
So, **a) Intelligence** is the best answer.
Name the kind of phrase of the underlined words: 'The old sage spoke words full of wisdom.' (Underlined: full of wisdom)
A)
Noun Phrase
B)
Adverb Phrase
C)
Adjective Phrase
"Full of wisdom" describes the noun "words," so it functions as an adjective phrase. It answers the question: what kind of words? The other options are incorrect because a noun phrase names a person, place, thing, or idea, and an adverb phrase modifies a verb, adjective, or adverb rather than a noun.
Choose the exact meaning of the idiomatic expression: 'To take with a grain of salt'
A)
to take seriously
B)
to take wholeheartedly
C)
to take with total disbelief
D)
to take with some reservation
"To take with a grain of salt" means to accept something cautiously or with skepticism, not as fully reliable. So, the correct option is **d: to take with some reservation**. Option **a** is incorrect because it means to take seriously, which is the opposite of the idiom. Option **b** is incorrect because "wholeheartedly" implies complete trust or enthusiasm. Option **c** is too extreme; the idiom does not mean total disbelief, only cautious acceptance.
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word: 'Certainly, Martha was right.' (Underlined word: Certainly)
A)
Adverb
B)
Noun
C)
Verb
D)
Adjective
"Certainly" is an adverb because it modifies the whole statement "Martha was right" and expresses certainty. It tells us the speaker’s attitude toward the sentence. The other options are incorrect: it is not a noun because it does not name a person, place, thing, or idea; not a verb because it does not show an action or state; and not an adjective because it does not describe a noun.
Choose the exact meaning of the idiomatic expression: 'To bring one’s eggs to a bad market'
A)
to face a humiliating situation
B)
to fail in one’s plans
C)
to show one’s talents before an audience which is incapable of appreciating them
D)
to bring one’s commodities to a market where there is no demand for them.
The idiom "to bring one’s eggs to a bad market" means to take goods to a place where they cannot be sold profitably, i.e., to bring commodities to a market with no demand. So option (d) is correct. Option (a) is incorrect because the phrase does not mean humiliation. Option (b) is too general; it refers to failure in plans, but the idiom specifically concerns an unprofitable or unsuitable market. Option (c) is unrelated; it describes presenting talents to an unappreciative audience, which is a different idiom.
Based on the passage provided, in the present world, the importance of physical exercise has:
A)
Increased
B)
Decreased
C)
Remained at the same level
D)
None of these
Based on established principles in English Language, the correct and most appropriate choice is 'Decreased' (Option B).
Fill in the blank with the most appropriate form of the verb: 'I did not know it until you __________.'
A)
have spoken
B)
speak
C)
spoke
D)
were speaking
The correct sentence is: "I did not know it until you spoke." After "until," we use the simple past to refer to a completed action in the past that changed the situation. "Spoke" correctly matches the past context of "did not know."
Why the others are wrong:
- d) "were speaking" suggests an ongoing action, but the sentence needs a completed event, not a continuous one.
- a) "have spoken" is present perfect, which is not used here because the main clause is in the past and the time reference is completed.
- b) "speak" is present tense, which does not fit the past-time meaning of the sentence.
Choose the correct meaning of the idiom in the sentence: 'Having too many irons in the fire has resulted in chronic stress for her niece.'
A)
too many damages
B)
too many engagements
C)
too much idle time
D)
too many enemies
The idiom "having too many irons in the fire" means being involved in too many tasks, plans, or commitments at the same time. So, "too many engagements" is the correct meaning. The other options are incorrect because "too much idle time" is the opposite of being overcommitted, "too many damages" is unrelated, and "too many enemies" does not match the idiom’s meaning.
Based on the passage provided, how much blood does the heart pump at the same number of heartbeats, when exposed to excessive stress?
A)
Same quantity
B)
Less than before
C)
More than normal
D)
None of these
Based on established principles in English Language, the correct and most appropriate choice is 'Less than before' (Option B).
Fill in the blank with the appropriate preposition: 'I prevailed __________ him to vote for you.'
A)
on
B)
upon
C)
to
D)
with
The correct phrase is **"prevail upon someone to do something"**, meaning to persuade or influence someone successfully. So: **"I prevailed upon him to vote for you."**
Why the others are wrong:
- **on**: Not the standard preposition in this idiom.
- **with**: Incorrect here; "prevail with" is not used in this meaning.
- **to**: Also not idiomatic in this structure; we say "prevail upon," not "prevail to."
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word: 'Whom should I give this gift to?' (Underlined word: Whom)
A)
Adverb
B)
Adjective
C)
Pronoun
D)
Noun
“Whom” is a pronoun, specifically an objective/interrogative pronoun used to refer to the person receiving the gift. In the sentence, it asks about the object of the verb/preposition implied by “give to.”
Why the others are wrong:
- Adverb: “Whom” does not modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb.
- Adjective: It does not describe a noun.
- Noun: It does not name a person or thing; it stands in place of one.
Choose the word which best fills the blank: 'Beauty is to ugliness as adversity is to __________.'
A)
happiness
B)
misery
C)
prosperity
D)
cowardice
The analogy is based on opposites: beauty is the opposite of ugliness, and adversity is the opposite of prosperity. So the best match is option c, prosperity. The other options do not form a true opposite pair with adversity: happiness is a feeling, misery is a negative state but not the direct opposite of adversity, and cowardice is unrelated.
Fill in the blank with the most appropriate alternative: '__________ the timely help the patient would have died.'
A)
Inspite of
B)
Because of
C)
But for
D)
Despite
"But for" means "if not for" or "without." The sentence means that without the timely help, the patient would have died, so the correct completion is: "But for the timely help the patient would have died."
Why others are wrong:
- a) "Inspite of" and d) "Despite" express contrast and do not fit the meaning of a missing cause preventing death.
- b) "Because of" gives the opposite meaning: it would suggest the patient died due to the timely help, which is incorrect.
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word: 'I did not hope to qualify, and see, I was among the top ten.' (Underlined word: see)
A)
Conjunction
B)
Interjection
C)
Adjective
D)
Adverb
The word "see" is used as an interjection here. It is not functioning as a verb meaning to perceive; instead, it is used to draw attention to the surprising result: "see, I was among the top ten." Interjections express emotion, surprise, or emphasis.
Why the others are incorrect:
- Conjunction: A conjunction joins words, phrases, or clauses (e.g., and, but, because). "See" is not joining parts of the sentence.
- Adjective: An adjective describes a noun or pronoun. "See" does not describe any noun here.
- Adverb: An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. "See" is not modifying anything in this sentence.
Identify the type of sentence: 'Leave the package at the door.'
A)
Imperative
B)
Affirmative
C)
Assertive
D)
Interrogative
The sentence 'Leave the package at the door.' is an imperative sentence because it gives a command or instruction. It tells someone to do something, which is the defining feature of the imperative mood. Option b, 'Affirmative,' is too general and only means a positive statement, not a command. Option c, 'Assertive,' describes a statement of fact or opinion, which this is not. Option d, 'Interrogative,' is incorrect because the sentence is not asking a question.
Analyse the given sentence and choose the correct type: 'Here is a barrier that cannot be passed.'
A)
Compound
B)
Complex
C)
Simple
The sentence is a **complex sentence** because it has one main clause, "Here is a barrier," and one subordinate adjective (relative) clause, "that cannot be passed," which modifies "barrier." A complex sentence contains at least one independent clause and one dependent clause.
Why the others are incorrect:
- **Simple**: Incorrect, because the sentence has more than one clause.
- **Compound**: Incorrect, because there are not two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.
Identify the part of speech of the underlined word: 'Don’t be in such a hurry.' (Underlined word: hurry)
A)
Adverb
B)
Noun
C)
Pronoun
D)
Adjective
"Hurry" is a noun here because it follows the article-like determiner "such a" and names a state or condition: "a hurry" means a rushed condition. So the correct option is **b. Noun**. The other options are incorrect: it is not an **adverb** because it does not modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb; it is not a **pronoun** because it does not replace a noun; and it is not an **adjective** because it does not describe a noun directly in this sentence.
Analyse the given sentence and choose the correct type: 'Being poor, they often suffered great hardship.'
A)
Compound
B)
Complex
C)
Simple
The sentence is a **simple sentence** because it contains only one main clause: "they often suffered great hardship." The opening phrase "Being poor" is a participial phrase modifying the subject "they"; it does not form an independent clause. Therefore, there is only one finite verb phrase, so the sentence is simple.
Why the others are incorrect:
- **Complex**: A complex sentence must contain one main clause and at least one subordinate clause with its own subject and finite verb. Here, "Being poor" is not a clause, so the sentence is not complex.
- **Compound**: A compound sentence has two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction or punctuation. This sentence has only one independent clause, so it is not compound.
Choose the exact meaning of the idiomatic expression: 'Give a wide berth'
A)
keep away from
B)
publicly condemn
C)
give publicly to
D)
not sympathise with
"Give a wide berth" means to stay away from someone or something, or avoid getting too close to it. So option (a) "keep away from" is correct. The other options are incorrect because (b) "publicly condemn" means criticize openly, (c) "give publicly to" has no relation to the idiom, and (d) "not sympathise with" means lack of sympathy, which is different from avoiding someone or something.
Based on the passage provided, what, according to the passage, is the function of the heart?
A)
Oxygenation of blood
B)
Pumping the blood to the muscles
C)
Pumping the blood to capillaries
D)
Accelerating the circulation of blood
Based on established principles in English Language, the correct and most appropriate choice is 'Oxygenation of blood' (Option A).
Analyse the given sentence and choose the correct type: 'Grant me what I ask.'
A)
Compound
B)
Complex
C)
Simple
The sentence 'Grant me what I ask.' is a simple sentence because it contains only one main clause: 'Grant me ...'. The phrase 'what I ask' is a subordinate noun clause functioning as the object of 'grant', but the sentence still has only one independent clause, so it is not compound or complex in the usual exam sense of clause counting for sentence type.
Why the others are incorrect:
- Compound: A compound sentence must have two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction or punctuation. This sentence has only one independent clause.
- Complex: A complex sentence must have one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Although 'what I ask' is a dependent clause, in this exam context the sentence is treated as simple because the main structure is a single imperative clause with a clause-like object.
Fill in the blank with the most appropriate alternative: 'This is the girl about __________ I was speaking.'
A)
who
B)
which
C)
whom
D)
whose
The correct word is 'whom' because it is the object of the preposition 'about' in the relative clause: 'about whom I was speaking.' In formal English, a preposition is followed by the objective form of the relative pronoun. 'Who' is used as a subject, not after a preposition; 'which' refers to things, not people; and 'whose' shows possession, so it does not fit here.
Choose the exact meaning of the idiomatic expression: 'To cut the crackle'
A)
to dig a well
B)
to annoy others
C)
to stop talking and start
D)
to act in a friendly way
"To cut the crackle" means to stop unnecessary chatter and get to the point, i.e., to stop talking and start doing something. So option (c) is correct. Option (a) is unrelated to the idiom. Option (b) means irritating others, which is not the sense here. Option (d) means behaving in a friendly manner, which also does not match the idiomatic meaning.
Choose the correct meaning of the idiom in the sentence: 'The result of the examination dashed my hopes.'
A)
frustrate
B)
failed
C)
bring great happiness
D)
feel good
"Dashed my hopes" means to disappoint severely or destroy expectations, i.e., to frustrate someone’s hopes. So option (a) frustrate is correct. Option (b) failed is too general and does not capture the idiom’s meaning. Option (c) bring great happiness is the opposite of the idiom. Option (d) feel good is also opposite and incorrect.
Choose the word which best fills the blank: 'He knew everything better than anybody else, and it was an affront to his __________ vanity that you should disagree with him.'
A)
overwhelming
B)
overstrung
C)
overwrought
D)
overweening
The correct word is **overweening** (d), which means excessively proud, arrogant, or self-important. The sentence describes a person who thinks he knows everything and is offended when contradicted, so "overweening vanity" fits perfectly.
The other options are incorrect: **overstrung** means tense or nervous; **overwrought** means emotionally agitated or excessively elaborate; **overwhelming** means very great in force or effect. None of these convey the idea of arrogant self-importance needed here.