Dear Aspirants, The NIACL Assist. mains exam is scheduled on 23 May 2017. In the English section, there will be total 40 questions. Questions might be asked from Reading Comprehension , Cloze test ,Phrase replacement and also new pattern questions as well. In this post, we will discuss questions related to 'Fill in the blanks'. These types of questions are based on the vocabulary and phrasal verbs. Students are advised to revise vocabulary and phrasal verbs. We have already provided Important Phrasal verbs for SBI PO and other bank exams as well.
Directions (1-15): Each sentence below has one or two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Beneath the sentence are five lettered words or sets of words. Choose the word or set of words for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
Q1. The __________ of the desert explains why so many Egyptian mummies are still intact, whereas the humidity of the tombs in tropical rain forests supports the agents of decay so that few Aztec mummies have __________.
(a) heat … survived
(b) aridity … endured
(c) dehydration … decayed
(d) barrenness … proliferated
(e) seclusion … surfaced
Q2. They __________ until there was no recourse but to __________ a desperate, last–minute solution to the problem.
(a) berated … try
(b) delayed … envision
(c) procrastinated … implement
(d) debated … maintain
(e) filibustered … reject
Q3. The Wankel Rotary Engine was an engineering marvel that substantially reduced automobile exhaust emissions, but because it was less fuel–efficient than the standard piston–cylinder engine, it was __________ in the early 1970s when __________ pollution gave way to panic over fuel shortages.
(a) needed … disillusionment with
(b) conceived … attention on
(c) modified … opinion on
(d) abandoned … preoccupation with
(e) discarded … interest in
Q4. Friendship, no matter how __________, has its boundaries; __________ advice, when thrust insistently upon one, is rarely an act of friendship, regardless of the adviser’s intent.
(a) cool … contradictory
(b) enjoyable … obverse
(c) intimate … unsolicited
(d) distant … marital
(e) special … desired
Q5. Despite generous helpings of __________ from a group of __________ critics, this iconoclastic poet’s three volumes have sold steadily.
(a) zeal … hidebound
(b) mockery … obscure
(c) tedium … respected
(d) abuse … ineffectual
(e) vitriol … influential
Q6. Because the different components of the film industry were “vertically” oriented —arranged so that all __________, from production to projection, were held by one company—it was __________ that monopolistic practices would arise.
(a) opportunities for control … inevitable
(b) burdens of business … understandable
(c) exercises of power … appropriate
(d) means of solicitation … predictable
(e) perquisites of commerce … unsavory
Q7. From the __________ that the peasants tried to conceal as they knelt before the body of the dictator’s son, I concluded that, far from affection, it was __________ that had brought them to the wake.
(a) hatred … sarcasm
(b) reticence … violence
(c) diligence … adulation
(d) trepidation … fear
(e) sorrow … patriotism
Q8. Despite the increased attention __________ juvenile delinquency, there has been a __________ in crimes committed by juveniles.
(a) allotted to … dip
(b) offered to … development
(c) given to … rise
(d) spent on … decrease
(e) withdrawn from … growth
Q9. Much of the Beatles’ music, as evidenced by “All You Need Is Love,” was characterized by a superficial __________ subtly contradicted by an inherent, deeper cynicism.
(a) competence
(b) world–weariness
(c) liveliness
(d) naivete
(e) gloss
Q10. During their famous clash, Jung was ambivalent about Freud so he attacked the father of modern psychoanalysis even as he __________ him.
(a) enlightened
(b) chastened
(c) revered
(d) despised
(e) understood
Q11. Here was not a quick but rather a through intelligence; however __________, she came to __________ all things touching her life.
(a) unmindfully … embrace
(b) desperately … appreciate
(c) slowly … jettison
(d) methodically … discern
(e) ploddingly … understand
Q12. Considering the __________ era in which the novel was written, its tone and theme are remarkably __________.
(a) enlightened … disenchanted
(b) scholarly … undramatic
(c) superstitious … medieval
(d) permissive … puritanical
(e) undistinguished … commonplace
Q13. Feuds tend to arise in societies that __________ centralized government; when public justice is difficult to enforce, private recourse is more __________.
(a) espouse … acceptable
(b) affirm … objectionable
(c) dislike … satisfying
(d) reject … brutal
(e) lack … effective
Q14. He must always be the center of attention; he would rather be criticized than __________.
(a) ignored
(b) selfish
(c) remembered
(d) praised
(e) different
Q15. Greek philosophers tried to __________ contemporary notions of change and stability by postulating the existence of the atom, __________ particle from which all varieties of matter are formed.
(a) personify … a mutating
(b) reconcile … an indivisible
(c) simplify … a specific
(d) eliminate … an infinitesimal
(e) confirm … an interesting
Solutions
S1. Ans.(b)
Sol. A good prediction for this sentence is: “The dryness of the desert explains why Egyptian mummies are still around, whereas the humidity in tropical rain forests explains why so few Aztec mummies have survived.”
Predictions for both blanks are pretty precise, so start with either one. Looking for a word that means “dryness” for the first blank directs you to (b) and (c). Both aridity and dehydration mean “lacking in moisture,” but the second word in (c), decay, is the opposite of what you’re looking for. You need a word that means “survived.” (b), endured, is perfect. Hold onto (b) and check the others. The first word in (a), (d) and (e) eliminates these answers. All of these words may be true of the desert, but none of them means “dry.”
S2. Ans.(c)
Sol. Starting with the first blank because the prediction is pretty definite, (b) and (c) look good. Eliminate (b) because the second word, envision, that is, “predict or foresee,” does not convey the meaning of a solution. The second word in (c), implement, means “execute or achieve,” so (c) works well for both blanks. Based on the first word, (a), (d) and (e) can be eliminated. Of these three only (e), filibustered, suggests delaying, but even it has a more specific meaning that is not applicable here. To filibuster is to interrupt or delay something from occurring by engaging in activities such as long speeches and discourse.
S3. Ans.(d)
Sol. Working with the first blank (c), (d) and (e) look good. While modified in the first blank of (c) makes sense, the second phrase, opinion on, is too broad. You’re not told if it was a positive or negative opinion that gave way or what direction it gave way to. This answer, then, is not precise enough and would not warrant modifying the engine. In (d), if a preoccupation with pollution gave way to panic over fuel shortages, that would explain way the engine was no longer valued. This is a much stronger phrase than opinion on. This is a much stronger phrase than opinion on. This looks like the best answer, but check the others to be sure. The second word in (e) does not fit the context. A mere loss of interest in pollution would not explain abandoning a marvelous engine. Eliminate (a) and (b) based on the first word in each, since neither of them suggests that the engine was rejected or changed in anyway.
S4. Ans.(c)
Sol. A prediction for this sentence is: “All friendship, no matter how close, has boundaries; unwanted advice, when thrust upon someone, is rarely a sign of friendship.”
Choice (c) looks good right away because the first word, intimate, matches your prediction of close, and the second word, unsolicited, is perfect, too. Choice (a) and (d) can be eliminated because the first word in each is the opposite of close. The first word in (b) and (e) might be all right if nothing else were better, but both can be eliminated on the basis of the second word in each. Obverse means “inside out or upside down,” which doesn’t make sense in this context, and desired is the opposite of your prediction.
S5. Ans.(e)
Sol. A good prediction, for the first blank at least is: “Despite negative responses from (some type) of critics, the poetry sold well”.
Starting with the first blank since it is more precise, (e) seems to be just right. Vitriol means severe criticism, which would work in the first blank, and influential in the second blank explains why it’s surprising that these type of critics’ responses did not negatively impact the sales of the book. Run through the other answer quickly. From the first word, you can eliminate (a) because zeal is positive, and you need a negative word. Choice (c) does not fit well in the first blank either, because tedium may be defined as boredom. Receiving boring responses from the critics does not mean that the responses were negative. (b) and (d) can be eliminated because of the second word in each. It is not logical that the response of obscure or ineffectual critics would explain the contrast suggested by the word despite. If the critics have no influence, it would not be surprising that the books sold well. Look for a word that would justify the context clue despite.
S6. Ans.(a)
Sol. A good prediction for this answer is: “Because the different components were arranged so that all aspects of the business were held by one company, monopolistic practices were bound to arise.”
Predictions for both these blanks are pretty definite, but the second is a little more precise, so start there. Choice (a) looks good right away because inevitable means that it was bound to happen, which was your prediction for the second blank. Opportunities for control works well in the first blank, too. This one looks good. Hold onto it and check the others. Choices (c) and (e) can be eliminated because the second word in each does not convey the meaning that something would have to happen. Choices (b) and (d) can be eliminated because the words for the first blank, burdens of business and means of solicitation, are not logical in context. Having control of all of the components of the film industry would certainly not be burdens, nor would all of them act as a means of soliciting.
S7. Ans.(d)
Sol. Starting with the second blank since you have a little more information to work with there, (d) looks like the best answer. It makes sense that fear would bring them to the wake of the dictator’s son. The first word, trepidation, also fits the sentence, since it means “apprehension.” Choice (a) can be eliminated because there is no indication in the sentence that the peasants are concealing sarcasm, and they would not show this if felt something as extreme as hatred. Likewise, the second word in (b), violence, is not suggested from the clues. (c), adulation, and (e), patriotism, are positive.
S8. Ans.(c)
Sol. A good prediction for this one is: “Despite increased attention on juvenile delinquency, there’s been an increase in crimes.”
Working with the second blank since it is more specific, (b), (c) and (e) look good. After considering the first blank, though, only (c) makes sense. The first word in (b), offered, is not strong enough. Simply offering attention to this issue does not tell you whether or not attention was actually given. You need something more definitive in the first blank to indicate that the expected cause a effect was not realized. (e) can be eliminated since the first word, withdrawn, is the opposite of what you’re looking for. Hold onto (c) and check the remaining two. (a) and (d) are inappropriate, since the second word in each doesn’t have a contrasting meaning to the first clause. You must have a contrast because of the word despite in the first clause.
S9. Ans.(d)
Sol. The context clue contradicted tells you that the blank will be opposite in meaning to cynicism–something like innocence.
A good prediction: “The Beatles’ music was characterized by a superficial innocence subtly contradicted by an inherent, deeper cynicism.”
Choice (d) looks good right away because naivete means “innocence.” None of the other choices comes close to being opposite in meaning to cynicism.
S10. Ans.(c)
Sol. Many positive words work here, so it would be hard to predict an answer. Instead, go directly to the choices and evaluate each one carefully in the context of the sentence.
Choice (c) looks good since revered is a very positive word. Choice (b) and (d) can be eliminated because they are negative. Choice (a) is out because it doesn’t make sense in the context of the sentence. If Jung enlightened Freud, it might have a positive effect on Freud, but it is impossible to say whether this would have a positive or negative impact on Jung. Choice (e) is not a good answer because understood doesn’t provide a contrast with attacked.
S11. Ans.(e)
Sol. The first blank can be predicted, but the second is not as precise. A working prediction is: “Her intelligence was not quick, but it was thorough; however slowly, she would come to understand all things eventually.”
Since the prediction for the first blank is more precise, start there. Choices (c) and (e) look good because the first word in each matches your prediction. Looking at the second blank, (c) can be eliminated. It would not make sense that she would jettison, or get rid of, all things in her life. Choice (e) looks good for both blanks. Eliminate (a) and (b), because the first word in each does not relate to how slowly she thinks. Similarly, eliminate (d), because methodically does not indicate how slowly the thinking is done, just the manner in which it is done.
S12. Ans.(d)
Sol. The most helpful approach to figuring out what should go in each of these blank is to pay attention to the overall context. The words are especially important here–considering at the beginning of the sentence and remarkably before the second blank. Think about how these words are typically used, and determine that the two words will be opposites of each other. “Considering that the era is a certain way, it’s remarkable or surprising that the theme and tone are something different.” You’re looking for opposites.
Since many different options are available for these blanks, it would be hard to predict an answer. Just be sure that the answer contains two opposite or contrasting words.
Considering the permissive era in which the novel was written, its tone and theme are remarkably puritanical.
S13. Ans.(e)
Sol. A prediction: “Feuds tend to arise in societies that do not have centralized governments; when public justice is unavailable, private recourse is more common.”
Choice (e) looks like a good answer right away because lack is very close to your prediction, and effective would make sense in this context, too. Choice (a) and (b) can be eliminated, because the first word in each would mean that these societies are in favor of centralized government.
Choice (c) can be eliminated since a dislike of centralized government would not in itself make public justice difficult to enforce. You need a stronger word in the first blank that would explain why public justice is not an option for these societies. Moreover, you don’t know whether or not private recourse is more satisfying when public justice is hard to enforce. Choice (d) can be eliminated because even though the first word, reject, is a good selection, the second word, brutal, is unsupported by the sentence. You do not know that the recourse is “more brutal” in these societies than in others. You only know that the recourse tends to be private rather than public.
S14. Ans.(a)
Sol. The semicolon between these clauses is a context clue; these two ideas are closely related or elaborate upon each other. Since the blank is in the second clause, you’ll look to the first for direction. There you discover that this person requires lots of attention. The second clause will be consistent with this notion; it explains just how much he needs this attention. He would rather be criticized than have what happen? Not get any attention.
A prediction: “He’d rather be criticized than ignored.”
Choice (a) matches the prediction, but look at the others just to be sure. Scanning the other choices quickly you see that all of the remaining options do not support the first part of the sentence. None of these other choices reinforces the idea that he always has to be the center of attention.
S15. Ans.(b)
Sol. Choice (b) is the only one is which the first word reflects the context of the sentence. Reconcile (which means “settle a dispute”) is the perfect description of trying to rationalize the simultaneous existence of opposing forces. The second word looks good, too. Choices (a), (c), (d) and (e) can be eliminated on the basis of the first word in each. There is no suggestion in the sentence that any of these things is what the philosophers wanted to do.
