Exams > Cat > Verbal
ENGLISH USAGE MCQs
In the question, there are four sentences. Each sentence has pairs of words/phrases that are highlighted (in bold). From the highlighted word(s)/phrase(s), select the most appropriate word(s)/phrase(s) to form correct sentences. Then, from the options given, choose the best one.
(A)He was baron [A] / barren [B] of tender feelings.
(B)The kohl [A] / coal [B] glowed [A] / glowered [B] in the dark giving solace to many.
(C)The pillars were decorated with a freeze [A] / frieze [B] of angels.
(D)The malls want to be in sync [A] / sink [B] with the customer’s demands.
:
D
Option (d)
Baron means a person with great power, barren means lacking, bereft. The sentence means he lacked tender feelings.Coal is a piece of glowing, charred, or burned wood or other combustible substance. The glowing coal gave solace(comfort) to many.Kohl is powder used to darken eyelids, glowed means to burn brightly and glowered means to show anger.
Frieze is any decorative band at the top or beneath the cornice of an interior wall, a piece of furniture, etc., freeze means change from the liquid to the solid state.
Sync means harmony or harmonious relationship, Sink is to fall or descend into or below the surface or to the bottom. The malls wanted to be compatible with the customers’ demands.
Hence, correct option is (d).
(A) With that, he turns [A] / turned [B] on his heal [A] / heel [B] and fled.
(B) The singer assented [A] / ascented [B] to the request for an encore.
(C) It is, sometimes useful, to plumb [A] / plum [B] someone’s thoughts.
(D) The school had a great interest in music and was forming a choral [A] / coral [B] society.
:
B
Option: (b)
BBAAA: The 1st sentence is in the past tense as indicated by ‘fled’ so option ‘B’ is correct, heel means the part of the foot and heal is to cure. Assented means to agree and ascent an upward movement. Therefore, the singer agreed to the request for an encore. Plum is a fruit and plumb means to examine closely or deeply. Therefore, it is useful to examine one’s thoughts. Choral means of a choir and coral is the hard, variously colored, calcareous skeleton secreted by certain marine polyps as in, something made of coral.
Correct the underlined part of the sentence to become grammatically correct from the given choices below.
In Martin Amis’ new novel, the narrator is trapped and hurtling towards a terrible secret, its resolution and the dreadful revelations it brings, ally to give an excruciating vision of guilt.
Type in the option.
A. Ally to give an excruciating vision of guilt
B. To us give a vivid picture of guilt
C. Is a painful picture of a guilt ridden world
D. Does not really solve all the questions in the narrator’s mind
___
:
Option: A
The underlined original phrase is best option and gives real feel to the problem of narrator of the novel.
:
B
Option: (b)
A good novel can be a good combination of realistic details with romantic temperament.
In each question, there are four sentences: Each sentence has pairs of words / phrases that are italicized and highlighted. From the italicized and highlighted words / phrase(s) select the most appropriate word(s) / phrase(s) to form a correct sentence. Then, from the options given, choose the best one.
(A)To argue that military victory bestow [A] / bestows [B] legitimacy is to say that might is right, and that ends justify means[A] / the means [B] to longstanding western taboos.
(B)The credibility of the Anglo – U.S. Media suffered a slow but steady [A] / slow and steady [B] erosion on their Iraq coverage.
(C)Limca Book of Records represents the world record breaking achievements [A] / world record breaking achievements [B] of more than a billion Indians and is the only record book of its kind in India.
(D)Many companies in the segment expect higher proportion of their sales [A] / a higher proportion of their sales [B] to come through the organized retail chains.
:
B
option B
‘Military victory’ takes the singular verb ‘bestows.’ In the next part ‘the means’ is correct as we are talking of the particular/definite means that are adopted. ‘A slow and steady’ is correct as we are here referring to one such erosion. Achievements are the specific ones that are referred to hence the definite article ‘the’ should be used. ‘A higher proportion’ is correct. Hence BBAAB
In each question, there are four sentences: Each sentence has pairs of words / phrases that are italicized and highlighted. From the italicized and highlighted words / phrase(s) select the most appropriate word(s) / phrase(s) to form a correct sentence. Then, from the options given, choose the best one.
A. When the Bangalore International Airport gets commissioned, probably in May, the current phase in [A] / of [B] airport infrastructure expansion will be complete [A] / will complete [B].
B. The substance of Hilary Clinton’s proposals on mortgages, like that of her health care plan,suggest [A] / suggests [B] a strong progressive sensibility.
C. The law, which goes into effect on August 1, is intended to strengthen [A] / strengthening [B] an existing set of antitrust regulations.
D. Large format retail stores give [A] / gave [B] enough space to display the entire range of their products that is not possible in small multi-brand outlets.
:
C
In the first part ‘phrase’ of’ is correct and in the latter part ‘will be complete’ is correct as it has to be in the passive. It cannot complete itself. The subject in this sentence 'substance’ will take a singular verb, hence ‘suggests’ is acceptable. ‘Intended’ should be followed by an infinitive ‘to strengthen.’ As the later part of the sentence 4 is in the present tense ‘give’ which is in the present tense is more suitable. Hence BABAA.
option C
In each of the questions below, there are four statements which express the same idea. Choose the alternative that is most concise and clear.
A. The history of Modern Industry’s performance, which is marginal at best, may be an indication of solvency problems that will occur in the future.
B. Modern industry’s history of marginal performance may indicate solvency problems in the future.
C. The history of marginal performance of Modern Industry may indicate future solvency problems.
D. Modern Industry’s history of performance, which is marginal at best, may indicate future solvency problems.
E. None of these.
:
C
C precise and to the point. Others are vague, confusing or too wordy.
In each of the questions below, there are four statements which express the same idea. Choose the alternative that is most concise and clear.
A. On the whole food front one may say that we can enjoy festivals in the consciousness that though some things are dear, the basic foods are better in quality and still low in price.
B. We can enjoy festivals knowing that though some things are dear, the basic foods are of better quality and still low in price.
C. Although we know that some things are dear, we can still enjoy festivals because the basic foods are better in quality and low in price.
D. On the whole food front, although some things are dear, we can still enjoy festivals as the basic foods are of better quality and quite cheap.
E. None of these.
:
B
Option B is the correct answer.
In each question, there are four sentences: Each sentence has pairs of words / phrases that are italicized and highlighted. From the italicized and highlighted words / phrase(s) select the most appropriate word(s) / phrase(s) to form a correct sentence. Then, from the options given, choose the best one.
(A) The US has acted in a timely manner by swift [A] / swiftly [B] lowering interest rates and to give [A] / giving [B] fiscal stimulus to the economy.
(B) Workers in the unorganized sector will also cover [A] / be covered [B] under the health insurance scheme expected to come into effect from April 1, 2008.
(C) The government may soon make the filing of annual information return compulsory not just to buy [A] / for buying [B] but also for selling of shares beyond a particular value.
(D) People have started [A] / started [B] living in it for a year now, relegating past and future to a back seat.
:
A
option A
The adverb ‘swiftly’ modifies the ‘verb’ lowering, hence it is more suitable. To have parallelism in the construction, ‘lowering interest rates’ should be followed by ‘giving fiscal stimulus.’ ‘Be covered’ is correct in sentence 2 for it has to be passive. In 3 as ‘for selling’ is used in the later part of the sentence hence ‘for buying’ should be preferred in the previous part. In sentence 4 we are talking about something related to the present ‘now’ so the present perfect tense ‘have started’ should be preferred. Hence BBBBA is correct.
In each question, there are four sentences: Each sentence has pairs of words / phrases that are italicized and highlighted. From the italicized and highlighted words / phrase(s) select the most appropriate word(s) / phrase(s) to form a correct sentence. Then, from the options given, choose the best one.
(A)Apart from looking through [A] / at [B] the system and the curriculum, the authorities must review the teaching methods and [A] / but [B] help the teachers to adapt themselves to the changing environment.
(B)More than the curriculum, it is the rigid systems of examination and ranking that has made school education so [A] / as [B] stressful.
(C)This is of course not the first time that the presumed virtues of complex financial products have been questioned in the developed worlds nor [A] / or [B], for that matter, in India.
(D)Dupont’s lark needs flat scrubland but [A] / though [B] in Spain much of this has been used for construction of buildings.
:
D
option D
In this context looking at is correct. ‘Apart from’ should be followed by ‘and’ not ‘but.’ ‘As stressful’ must show some kind of comparison. Here there is no comparison, hence, ‘so stressful’ is acceptable ‘Neither . . . nor . . .’ are co-ordinating conjunctions therefore one cannot be used without the other. Hence ‘or’ is suitable. In sentence 4 a contrast is shown, hence ‘but’ is more suitable. Hence BAABA.