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Past Questions — 2025
Select the word or group of words that is most similar in meaning to the word: Obdurate
A)
calm
B)
angry
C)
obsessed
D)
adamant
Step-by-step reasoning:
1. **Analyze the target word**: 'Obdurate' is an adjective used to describe someone who refuses to change their opinion or course of action, typically in a stubborn or cold-hearted manner. Synonyms include stubborn, inflexible, and unyielding.
2. **Evaluate Option (a) 'calm'**: This refers to a state of tranquility or lack of agitation. It is not related to stubbornness. Incorrect.
3. **Evaluate Option (b) 'angry'**: This refers to a strong feeling of annoyance or hostility. While an obdurate person might be angry, the words are not synonymous. Incorrect.
4. **Evaluate Option (c) 'obsessed'**: This refers to being preoccupied with something to a disturbing extent. While an obsession can lead to stubbornness, the core meaning is about preoccupation, not refusal to change. Incorrect.
5. **Evaluate Option (d) 'adamant'**: This means refusing to be persuaded or to change one's mind. This is a direct synonym for 'obdurate'. Correct.
Pick out the one-word substitute for the following: Placing different things in order to create an interesting effect
A)
framing
B)
juxtapose
C)
render precisely
D)
designate
The term 'juxtapose' means to place two or more things side by side, often with the intention of comparing them or creating a contrasting, interesting, or striking effect.
Analysis of other options:
- 'Framing' (a) refers to the act of placing a border around something or constructing a skeletal structure.
- 'Render precisely' (c) is a phrase meaning to represent or depict something with exact accuracy, not a single-word substitute for arranging things for effect.
- 'Designate' (d) means to officially assign a name, status, or role to someone or something.
Therefore, 'juxtapose' is the only word that fits the definition of placing different things together to create a specific effect.
Select the word or group of words that is most similar in meaning to the word: Repress
A)
refuse
B)
curb
C)
reforce
D)
coax
Step-by-step reasoning:
1. **Analyze the target word**: 'Repress' means to subdue someone or something by force, or to restrain/suppress a feeling, desire, or impulse.
2. **Evaluate Option (a) 'refuse'**: To refuse means to indicate that one is not willing to do something. This is a matter of declining, not restraining or suppressing. Incorrect.
3. **Evaluate Option (b) 'curb'**: To curb means to restrain or keep in check. For example, 'curbing an appetite' is synonymous with 'repressing an appetite.' This matches the meaning of 'repress' perfectly. Correct.
4. **Evaluate Option (c) 'reforce'**: This is not a standard English word in this context (likely a distractor for 'reinforce'). Even if it meant reinforce, that would mean to strengthen, which is the opposite of repressing. Incorrect.
5. **Evaluate Option (d) 'coax'**: To coax means to persuade someone gradually or gently to do something. This is the opposite of the forceful nature of repression. Incorrect.
Conclusion: 'Curb' is the most similar in meaning to 'Repress'.
Select the most suitable sentence from the given alternatives which conveys the exact meaning in accordance with the correct grammatical rules:
A)
Had I been you I would help him.
B)
If I had been you I would help him.
C)
If I was you I will help him.
D)
Were I you I would help him.
This question tests the knowledge of 'Conditional Sentences,' specifically the Second Conditional, which is used to describe hypothetical or imaginary situations in the present or future.
1. **The Rule for Hypothetical 'Be'**: In formal English, when using the verb 'to be' in a hypothetical 'if' clause (the subjunctive mood), 'were' is used for all persons (I, you, he, she, it, we, they), regardless of whether the subject is singular or plural. Therefore, 'If I were you' is the standard form.
2. **Inversion**: In formal grammar, the word 'if' can be omitted by inverting the subject and the verb. 'If I were you' becomes 'Were I you'. This is a grammatically correct and sophisticated structure.
3. **Analyzing the Options**:
- **Option (a)**: 'Had I been you' is the Third Conditional (past unreal). It would require the result clause to be 'I would have helped him'. Mixing 'Had I been' with 'I would help' is grammatically inconsistent.
- **Option (b)**: 'If I had been you' is also Third Conditional and requires 'I would have helped him'.
- **Option (c)**: 'If I was you' is common in colloquial speech, but in competitive exams, 'were' is required for the subjunctive. Furthermore, 'I will help' is the wrong tense for a second conditional; it must be 'would help'.
- **Option (d)**: 'Were I you I would help him' correctly uses the subjunctive 'were' (via inversion) and the matching conditional result 'would help'.
Pick out the correct form of verb to complete the sentence: We ______ to go to Delhi but no tickets were available.
A)
planned
B)
were planning
C)
had planned
D)
had been planning
The sentence describes two events in the past: the act of planning and the discovery that no tickets were available. In English grammar, when two actions happen in the past, the action that occurred first is expressed using the Past Perfect tense ('had' + past participle), while the subsequent action is expressed in the Simple Past tense.
1. First action: Planning to go to Delhi (Past Perfect).
2. Second action: Finding out tickets were unavailable (Simple Past: 'were available').
Therefore, 'had planned' is the correct form to indicate that the intention existed prior to the realization that tickets were unavailable.
Analysis of other options:
- 'planned' (Simple Past): While common in casual speech, it doesn't emphasize the sequence of events as clearly as the Past Perfect in this specific contrastive structure.
- 'were planning' (Past Continuous): This suggests an ongoing action, but the sentence describes a completed intention/decision.
- 'had been planning' (Past Perfect Continuous): This emphasizes the duration of the planning process, which is not the focus of this sentence; the focus is on the intent versus the outcome.
Based on the passage, what does the author say about genuine connections?
A)
They are strengthened by social media
B)
They are fleeting
C)
They are easier online
D)
They are permanent
Option B is correct: They are fleeting.
Select the most suitable sentence from the given alternatives which conveys the exact meaning in accordance with the correct grammatical rules:
A)
I am ready to say this to her face.
B)
I am ready to say this in her face.
C)
I am ready to say this at her face
D)
I am ready to say this on her face.
The question tests the knowledge of English idioms and prepositional usage. The correct idiomatic expression is 'to someone's face'. To say something 'to someone's face' means to say it directly to the person involved, rather than behind their back or in secret.
Analysis of options:
- Option (a) 'to her face' is the standard English idiom for direct confrontation.
- Option (b) 'in her face' usually refers to physical proximity or an aggressive manner (e.g., 'shouting in someone's face'), but it is not the correct idiom for the act of speaking a truth directly to someone.
- Option (c) 'at her face' is grammatically incorrect in this context.
- Option (d) 'on her face' refers to physical placement on the surface of the face, which is logically incorrect in the context of speaking.
Select the word or group of words that is most similar in meaning to the word: Feigned
A)
played
B)
failed
C)
pretended
D)
developed
Step-by-step reasoning:
1. **Analyze the target word**: 'Feigned' is the past tense of the verb 'feign', which means to simulate, fake, or pretend to feel or be something. It is often used in contexts like 'feigned illness' or 'feigned surprise'.
2. **Evaluate Option (a) 'played'**: While 'playing a part' can be similar to pretending, 'played' generally refers to engaging in a game or performing a musical instrument. It is not a direct synonym for the act of deception implied by 'feigned'.
3. **Evaluate Option (b) 'failed'**: 'Failed' means to be unsuccessful in achieving a goal. This is unrelated to the meaning of 'feigned'.
4. **Evaluate Option (c) 'pretended'**: 'Pretended' means to speak or act so as to make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not. This is the exact definition of 'feigned'.
5. **Evaluate Option (d) 'developed'**: 'Developed' means to grow or cause to grow and become more mature/advanced. This is unrelated to the meaning of 'feigned'.
Conclusion: 'Pretended' is the most accurate synonym for 'Feigned'.
Pick out the one-word substitute for the following: Using or expressed in more words than are needed
A)
pedantic
B)
obscure
C)
abstruse
D)
verbose
The phrase 'using or expressed in more words than are needed' is the literal definition of the word 'verbose'.
Step-by-step analysis of the options:
- a. Pedantic: This refers to someone who is excessively concerned with minor details, rules, or displaying academic learning. While a pedantic person might be verbose, the term specifically describes the 'perfectionist' or 'schoolmasterly' nature of the delivery, not the quantity of words.
- b. Obscure: This means not discovered or known about; uncertain. In terms of language, it means not clearly expressed.
- c. Abstruse: This describes something that is difficult to understand; obscure. It refers to the complexity of the subject matter rather than the length of the expression.
- d. Verbose: Derived from the Latin 'verbosus' (wordy), it specifically means using more words than are necessary to convey a message. This matches the question's definition perfectly.
Based on the passage, what emotion drives people to constantly check their phones?
A)
Boredom
B)
Curiosity
C)
Fear of missing out
D)
Excitement
Option C is correct: Fear of missing out.
Based on the passage, what physical manifestation is mentioned as a result of constant connectivity?
A)
Eye strain
B)
Hunch upon shoulders
C)
Headaches
D)
Numb fingers
Option B is correct: Hunch upon shoulders.
Based on the passage, what does the author imply about the essence of life?
A)
It lies in digital achievements
B)
It lies in virtual reality
C)
It lies in human connection
D)
It lies in online fame
Option C is correct: It lies in human connection.
Based on the passage, how are thumbs described in their movement across screens?
A)
Like dancers
B)
Like painters
C)
Like skillful pianists
D)
Like typists
Option A is correct: Like dancers.
Pick out the correct form of verb to complete the sentence: I am tired as I ___ since 8 O’clock in the morning.
A)
am working
B)
have been working
C)
have worked
D)
was working
The sentence requires a verb tense that describes an action that started in the past and is still continuing up to the present moment, especially since it specifies a starting point ('since 8 O’clock in the morning').
1. **Present Perfect Continuous Tense**: This tense (have/has + been + verb-ing) is used specifically for actions that began in the past and continue into the present. The use of the word 'since' is a classic marker for this tense.
2. **Analysis of Options**:
- **a. am working**: This is Present Continuous. It describes what is happening right now but cannot be used with a time duration marker like 'since 8 O'clock'.
- **b. have been working**: Correct. It links the past start time (8 AM) to the present state of being tired.
- **c. have worked**: This is Present Perfect. While it indicates a completed action or a state, it does not emphasize the continuous nature of the activity leading up to the present as effectively as the continuous form when 'since' is used for a duration of labor.
- **d. was working**: This is Past Continuous. It describes an action happening at a specific time in the past, but the first part of the sentence ('I am tired') is in the present tense, creating a tense mismatch.
Select the most suitable sentence from the given alternatives which conveys the exact meaning in accordance with the correct grammatical rules:
A)
It is the duty of a house-wife to wait in the guest.
B)
It is the duty of a house-wife to wait the guest.
C)
It is the duty of a house-wife to await the guest.
D)
It is the duty of a house-wife to wait for the guest.
This question tests the understanding of transitive and intransitive verbs, specifically the difference between 'wait' and 'await'.
1. 'Wait' is an intransitive verb when used in the sense of staying in a place until something happens. It requires the preposition 'for' to connect to an object. Therefore, 'wait the guest' (Option b) is grammatically incorrect, and 'wait in the guest' (Option a) is nonsensical. The correct phrasing is 'wait for the guest'.
2. 'Await' is a transitive verb, meaning it does not take a preposition. While 'await the guest' (Option c) is grammatically correct in a vacuum, 'await' is typically used for events or things (e.g., 'awaiting a response' or 'awaiting the results') rather than people in a domestic context.
3. Between Option c and Option d, Option d ('wait for the guest') is the most natural, idiomatic, and standard English expression for this specific context. In competitive exams, the most 'suitable' sentence refers to the one that is both grammatically correct and idiomatically natural.
Pick out the correct form of verb to complete the sentence: When I went to her house she _____ her trunk.
A)
was packing
B)
packed
C)
has been packing
D)
had been packing
This sentence describes two actions happening in the past. The first action ('went') is a short, completed action that interrupted or occurred during a longer, ongoing action. In English grammar, when a shorter action interrupts a longer action in the past, the longer action is expressed in the Past Continuous tense (was/were + verb-ing) and the shorter action in the Simple Past tense.
1. 'When I went' (Simple Past) indicates the point in time the speaker arrived.
2. 'she was packing' (Past Continuous) indicates that the act of packing was already in progress at the moment of arrival.
Analysis of other options:
- (b) 'packed' (Simple Past) would imply she started packing only after the speaker arrived, which contradicts the logical flow of 'When I went...'.
- (c) 'has been packing' (Present Perfect Continuous) is grammatically incorrect because it cannot be paired with the past tense 'went'.
- (d) 'had been packing' (Past Perfect Continuous) is used to emphasize the duration of an action before another past action occurred, but in this specific sentence structure ('When I went...'), the Past Continuous is the standard choice to describe a scene in progress.
Based on the passage, what metaphor is used to describe moments drifting away?
A)
Falling snowflakes
B)
Autumn leaves in the wind
C)
Raindrops on glass
D)
Shadows at dusk
Option B is correct: Autumn leaves in the wind.
Based on the passage, what is the irony of staying digitally connected?
A)
We become more productive
B)
We feel more entertained
C)
We become increasingly isolated
D)
We gain more followers
Option C is correct: We become increasingly isolated.
Based on the passage, what syndrome is mentioned to describe anxiety when the phone is out of reach?
A)
Digital fatigue
B)
Phantom limb syndrome
C)
Notification disorder
D)
Screen withdrawal
Option B is correct: Phantom limb syndrome.
Select the most suitable sentence from the given alternatives which conveys the exact meaning in accordance with the correct grammatical rules:
A)
I am an optimist and therefore I generally differ with you.
B)
I am an optimist and therefore I generally differ to you.
C)
I am an optimist and therefore I generally differ from you.
D)
I am an optimist and therefore I generally differ against you.
The question tests the correct usage of the verb 'differ' and its accompanying preposition. In English grammar, 'differ' is used with different prepositions depending on the intended meaning:
1. **Differ from**: This is used when comparing two or more things or people to highlight a difference in quality, opinion, or characteristic. In this sentence, the speaker is contrasting their optimistic nature with the other person's nature or viewpoint. Therefore, 'differ from you' is the grammatically correct way to express that they are different from the other person.
2. **Differ with**: This is specifically used when expressing a disagreement with someone regarding a specific point or opinion (e.g., 'I differ with you on this particular issue'). While it sounds similar, 'differ from' is the standard choice when describing a general state of being different or having a different outlook (like being an optimist).
3. **Differ to/against**: These are grammatically incorrect constructions. 'Differ' is never paired with 'to' or 'against' in this context.
Since the sentence establishes a general identity ('I am an optimist'), the most suitable preposition to describe the resulting difference between the two individuals is 'from'.
What is the tone of the passage?
A)
Humorous
B)
Critical and reflective
C)
Optimistic
D)
Indifferent
Option B is correct: Critical and reflective.
Pick out the one-word substitute for the following: Wide, uninterrupted view
A)
window-view
B)
eagle-view
C)
macroscopic
D)
panorama
The term 'panorama' refers to an unbroken, wide-angle view of a surrounding area, typically seen from a high vantage point.
Analysis of options:
- (a) window-view: This is a descriptive phrase, not a standard one-word substitute, and refers only to what is seen through a window.
- (b) eagle-view: While 'bird's-eye view' is a common idiom for seeing something from above, 'eagle-view' is not a standard one-word substitute for a wide, uninterrupted view.
- (c) macroscopic: This is a scientific term meaning visible to the naked eye (opposite of microscopic); it does not describe the breadth or continuity of a view.
- (d) panorama: Derived from the Greek words 'pan' (all) and 'horama' (view), it precisely fits the definition of a wide, uninterrupted view.
Based on the passage, what does the author suggest is more valuable than likes or followers?
A)
Number of posts
B)
Depth of connections
C)
Quality of selfies
D)
Speed of replies
Option B is correct: Depth of connections.
Based on the passage, what does the author encourage us to value?
A)
Notifications
B)
Presence
C)
Followers
D)
Screen time
Option B is correct: Presence.
Based on the passage, what has replaced the tick-tock of analog timepieces?
A)
Phone alarms
B)
Flicker of notifications on wrist watches
C)
Digital clocks
D)
Calendar reminders
Option B is correct: Flicker of notifications on wrist watches.
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