A Reference Book On General English

1
Spelling and Punctuation
SPELLING
We begin with sensitizing you about grammar and usage, so that
you could enhance your confidence in such basic aspects of composition
as using correct spelling and punctuation, often called "'the terrible
twins."" Spelling a word correctly, like using a correct punctuation mark,
as a matter of habit is a minimum requirement of an educated person.
Nothing offends a future employer or an examiner so much as habitual
bad spelling.
Though English spelling may present serious difficulties to some of
you. with a bit of work and practice you could learn to spell well enough
to escape unfavourable notice; you will not write "qiiater" for (quarter).
'woundering' (for wondering), "exosice" (for exercise), 'crackel' (for crackle),
'actualy* (for actually), or 'scercly' (for scarcely). Nor will you be using
'sail' for sale, 'tale' for tell, or 'sipping' for shipping. In fact, it doesn't really
matter how you learn to spell as long as you are eventually able to
recognize (the sound), recall (the letters), and reproduce in writing the
words you want to use.
If you aim at self-improvement and really do not want to make a
spelling mistake again and again, you should first master the spelling of
simple, everyday words and look up a dictionary whenever you are in
doubt about the spelling of a particular word. You can possibly make a
list of those words which you frequently misspell, and practise constantly.
You should also carefully note the formation of words besides marking
the spelling of the printed words while reading. Further, if you are careful
about the pronunciation of words, or if you can memorize the sequence of
letters that corresponds with the sound of the word, you may be writing
the intended word without difficulty.
However, some of the main categories of spelling mistake include:
words which are confused because they sound alike and have minimal
discrimination, e.g. there/their, to/too/two; words in which there is
uncertainty about 'double letters,' e.g. necessary, harass, embarrass,
accommodation; words in which there is 'interference' from speech, e.g.
'peculiar' spelt as 'perculiar,' or'magnificent' spelt as 'magnificient;'
4
Multiple Choice General
English
and the so-called "phonic mismatches,* in which a correspondence is
made between sound and symbol which is allowable in some words. You
need to develop, w hat Catherine Moorhouse in the BBC Writing and
Spelling Handbook says, "a thinking attitude to spelling" so that you
improve your
performance. ______________________ ^___________________
Exercise I. Now, re-write the following words, correcting errors in
spelling. Consult a dictionary, if in doubt:
Counsilor; dilibrately; dimanor; iiitreeivible; interistices;
unostintacions; arthmitician; loqacious; villege; gether;
benifit; liberary; younge; rebale; sens; faver at; aneything;
arrise; greveus; ofiser; inshoerance; sociaty; getos;
concideration; priorateas. Exercise II. Rewrite the following
passage, correcting mistakes of
spelling, where necessary:
"There are many places were violence apears, ranging from smashed windoes to
crime. In astatesyou usually fined violent sens, grafely this is usually about there
faveratfootball teams or it s just foull language ". Exercise III. Rewrite the
following words, inserting the omitted letters:
Unbel__v ng
Ex__1 ration
In______fectu ly
Sup____rfl s
R____nd vous
R_____con tre
Ir____s___st bie
T___m___It s
Pr____pr___t r
Un___ue_t
Exercise IV. Rewrite the following passage, correcting mistakes of
spelling, where necessary:
In theory a leader of democrasy holds himself at the back and call
of the publick. It would have been easy for the minsters if they had
simply to read and sign papers. But they have to study docuements
and orginate new polisies. Their jesture of simplicity will avail them
nothing, if they will not show requiste industry, ability, integrty,
impartiality, infenite capacity for mastering details. "
Spelling and Punctuation 5
Exercise V. Now, read each part of the sentences marked a, b, c carefully
and identify the part which has a spelling error. If there is no
error, choose the part d.
1. You are adviced in vour own interest not to come late

a
, , b
for the test. No error .
c d
The problem is how to deprogramme an outcaste of
I 5
society. No error.
~----------a—
The directors are having an important meating at the
a b "
moment and cannot be disturbed. No error.
c d
For single words whose spelling is hard or unreasonable
a
or illogical, trv to device some formula to fix the
spelling
E----------- ' ------------------c----------------
in your mind. No error.
—a—
She mixed finely pounded indigo leaves for dyeing her
a E c
cloth deep blue. No error .
a
She said she had singed the coller of my dark green
a B c
shirt. No error.
a—
A literary conference was held recently under the
aspicees
------------a----------- -----------6-----------
of the Library Association to discuss the problems
_
of
printers. No error.
a
He said that the University press would contribute to the
shrinking fiancess of the University and also serve as a

E
model press. No error.
—z-------------a~
She went to the well with her in-laws to wash her
cloths.
a 6" c
No error.
a
10. Both heredity and environments influence the character
a 5 c
of a man. No error.
a
Multiple Choice General English 1. Ranjana was actuated to murder
Saida bv an
—7 - S
overpowenna jealousy. No error.
-----------r----------:—1~
12. The image of the tomb seemed particularly opposite
" i 5
in this case. No error.
—e---------------a—
13. The Minister has not been able to explain the regions of
a E c
his communal policy . No error .
d
14. The teacher sat in his chair chewing the cut of his
I %---------
reflections. No error.
—z-------------a—
15. I don"t know if the government will ever provide us
I --------E--------
with an alternate accommodation. No error.
c d No
16. When the secretary retires, the assistant secretary will error.
step into his shoe. No error. a
20. If you
c a spilt hairs
17. When I returned from Chaibasa I was over head and ear when you
-----------1----------- --------E are
----------- discussing
in debt. No error. something,
a
c a— B
18. Those who are placed in authority should think twice you
make
before they give ears To the complaints of their small,
E c subtle
subo rdinates against one another. No error.
distinctions unnecessarily. —a—
c
No error.
—a—
21. You can expect nothing wrong from Jova; she carries a
i " ---------E----
good head on her shoulder . No error .
z a
22. No sooner did he see his enemies than he took to his

a B c
heel. No error , d
23. The rest of my instructions the messenger will convev
a ^""b ~
to you by words of mouth . No error.
c a
24. But if you read between the line you will soon find
a
that there was no such intention in the authors' minds .
_. _
No error.
~~a-
25. You may safely rely on Rakesh; his business is all on the
a ' b c
squire. No error.
a
26. You will realize the complexity of the Indian problem
a b
when vou come to close quarter with it. No error .
I d
27. Ten minutes later Tommy crawled out from his hiding
place in the shade, his clothes covered with sawdust and

------5------ -----------5
wood shavings clinging to his hair. No error .
-------1------- ~a-
28. He had been prepared to sacrifice this company on the
a ~T~
alter of his own political ambitions . No error .
c 3
29. Last vear the boys went for a bear fortnight, including
a --------5
the travelling . No error .
c a
30. She surprised me when she said that there are some
a
plants that bare fruit once every twenty-five years.
5 ' c
No error.
—a—
3 1. A bridal path is a path which is used by people riding
a T> c
horses. No error.
-------------a—
32. She lay on the soft moss under a roof of leafy bows .
a 6 c
No error.
—a—
Multiple Choice General English
33. Following the announcement about the mid-term poll.

a
workers of different political parties started a house-to-
------------g------------ -
house canvasing. No error.
-----------------a—
34. The Secretary of State presents his complements and
a
regrets that he is unable to attend the function. No error.
"^"E c a
35. A meeting of the Counsel was convened to discuss the
a 6
strategv for the defence of the President. No error .
---------*" c a
36. Her slouching gate, perhaps because of lack of self-
----------a 6
confidence, embarrassed us all. No error.
c a
37. As it was very cold, he went out to collect wood for fire
a o
in the great. No error.
-------c"-------------3----
38. He took pride in the trophies standing on the mantle.
a B c
No error .
a
39. Most of us like to buy things like stationary and
a
toilet rolls in bulk . No error . S c a
40. Arati tried to lift the conversation onto a more
---------i---------- ----------B----------
elevated plain. No error.
—~c— ~a—
41. Her thick brown hair was plated in a single braid
I B~^
down her back. No error.
-------z-------------a~
42. She had got another lode to do while that one was drying
a B
in the washing machine. No error.
----------c--------------------a-
43. The soaring heat had badly effected her movement
a t)
during the daytime. No error .
c a
44. Tourists visit Goa, Puri or Kovalam to relax on the sandy
--------_-------- ---
beech and look for usable things . No error .
c 3
nd Punctuation 9
45. Her earrings matched the diamond broach and colour of

a B c
the sari. No error . 3
46. He went down into the sellar to check book packets
i 5
stored there for months. No error.
c a
47. Diwali and Dussehra are ceremonious occasions when
a
people exchange greetings and gifts and offer special
b " c
pujas. No error.
— —a—
48. After the sudden snake bite he fell into a comma last
a B
weekend and is still in ICU. No error.
—i-------------a—
49. These days thieves act in collision with the police and
a 5
politicians to escape law . No error .
c a
50. She died her hair a flaming scarlet and looked awful.
a. 15 c
No error.
—a—
51. He knew that his efforts to fain cheerfulness weren't
a 5 c
convincing. No error.
52. In New York, Karen Blixen was being fated by everyone

------1------ ---------5------
who knew her work. No error.
----------~c-----------------r~
53. His face guilded in the glow from the stone and
--------i-------- . -------------------E--------------
everyone was drawn to him. No error.
----------c----------
54. She never thought she would be able to control
----------1------------------------5----------
hoards of screaming children in the hall. No error.
---------------------------------------- ~—""
55. Everybody must depreciate any resort to coercion until
5- - - -S
peaceful measures have been tried. No error.
--------------E-------------- —cT—
56. He is so uneducated that he can scarely write his name
---------a------- -----------5-------
or sign a document. No error.
10 Multiple Choice General English
Her apoloev was so obviouslv sincere and ingenious that

57. 58. 59. —— b
her opponent was disconcerted. No error.
- -e a—
From what he says it seems there is a screw lose in his
a B c
brain. No error.
a
Though Kishore is generally detached, this time he
a
decided to medal with his wife's plans . No error.
B c a
Her tongue clung to her palette when she saw the ghost
a 15 c
at the backyard. No error.
___________d
PUNCTUATION
Punctuation marks are very important—often just as important as
words—in communicating meaning to readers.
If you had to rely on words alone, you would write statements like
these:
1. Tell Mother I invited Sheila Winny Vikram and John to
lunch.
2. No members of the club are to sit in the reserved seats.
3. The clerk said that the manager is a blundering idiot.
4. After all the students had done their home work carefully.
5. To understand these people must be familiar with ancient
Indian history.
6. All delegates who can stay at the hostel during the meetings.
These statements do make sense, of course. But what if it's not the sense
you intended? Think of the misunderstanding these simple statements
would cause them. How helpful it is to have punctuation marks to show
exactly what you mean:
1. Tell Mother I invited Sheila, Winny, Vikram, and John to
lunch.
2. No; members of the club are to sit in the reserved seats.
3. "The clerk," said the manager, "is a blundering idiot."
4. After all, the students had done their home work carefully.
5. To understand these, people must be familiar with ancient
Indian history.
6. All delegates, who can, stay at the hostel during the
meetings.
As you can see, we would be lost without punctuation marks. Punctuation
11
marks help us to readily convey the sense of the sentences that we write
as substitutes for the oral communication of thoughts.
How Punctuation Works
When you talk, you put thoughts into words. But, if you observe
carefully, you do more than that; words alone cannot convey your
thoughts exactly. By raising and lowering your voice, by increasing its
force occasionally, and by pausing for various lengths of time, you show
what you want your words to mean. The pauses and voice changes are
signals; they let your listener know when you are moving from one
sentence to another and whether you are asking a question, making a
statement, giving an order or command, or exclaiming about something.
They tell your audience which words belong together, which are separate
items in a series, which are important, and which are merely side
remarks. The pauses, long or short, and voice changes—which you use
without conscious thought—work hand in hand with your words to make
your meaning clear. They are as important to your listener as your words.
Punctuation marks in a written communication do for the readers
what pauses and voice changes do for the listener. They serve as signals,
signals showing the readers how you want them to read your words so
that they will get the meaning you intend. The punctuation marks, in
other words, are written substitutes for the speech devices we all use to
make our meaning clear.
In formal writing we use a wide range of punctuation marks.
Different punctuation marks signal different things. A full stop (British
English) or period (American English), for example, signals that you have
come to the end of a statement; a question mark (?) tells you that the
writer is asking something. Commas (,) are signals warning you not to
run together words or group of words that belong apart. A colon (:) is a
signal directing special attention to what follows. A dash (--) and
brackets ( ), called parentheses in American English, are useful for
separating a part of a sentence which adds information that could be
omitted.
When you read a text, you should be able to recognize
automatically what the punctuation signals mean. Punctuation marks
work because readers understand the meanings they convey or the effect
they have on words.
Punctuation for Meaning
So, in your writing, if you do not use the punctuation marks in
ways that readers expect or understand, you may not be clear, or may
convey a meaning you do not intend, or distort the facts. For example,
read the following two sentences:
12 Multiple Choice General
English
1. Rajdhani Express, which runs between How rah and New

Delhi, is cancelled today.
2. Rajdhani Express which runs between Howrah and New
Delhi is cancelled today.
The first sentence, with commas, means that there is only one train
known as Rajdhani Express and the relative clause additionally informs
the reader that it runs between Howrah and New Delhi. The relative
clause in the second sentence, without commas, means that there are several
trains known as Rajdhani Express but you are referring to a specific one
(which rims between Howrah and New Delhi); the information contained
in the relative clause is crucial to the meaning. Thus, the presence or
absence of the commas (before and after the clause) changes the meaning
of the sentences.
Since it is the meaning you want to express that determines the
choice of a punctuation mark, you must be clear in your mind what you
want to convey and which the appropriate mark is for conveying the
same. For example, commas, dashes, or parentheses can be used to set off a
side remark made in a sentence:
(1) Ten of the boys, incredible as it may seem, agreed to help.
(2) Ten of the boys — incredible as it may seem — agreed to help.
(3) Ten of the boys (incredible as it may seem) agreed to help.
The first sentence, with the commas, shows merely that incredible as it may
seem is parenthetical. The second, with the dashes, seeks to emphasize the
remark, puts it in the spotlight. The third, with the parentheses, lessens
the emphasis, suggesting that though the remark is interesting, it is not as
important as the fact that so many boys agreed to help. All three of the
versions are correct. Which is best in a particular context depends on the
shade of meaning the writer wants to express.
Often either a full stop or a semicolon can be used between
independent statements. Sometimes there may be a great difference in the
meaning expressed:
1. Winny won first prize in the essay contest. Her uncle was
one of the judges.
2. Winny won first prize in the essay contest; her uncle was one
of the judges.
Using the full stop separates the ideas in the two sentences, presents them
as two separate facts. But the use of the semicolon in the second example
su
ggests that the ideas are closely related. It says: 'It's obvious why Winny
won the prize—one of the judges favoured her.' If you wanted to
13
show that there was this close connection between the two statements,
you would use the semicolon. Otherwise a full stop is the mark to use.
In other words, in situations like the ones described above, there is
no hard-and-fast rule about which mark must be used. But remember that
to the reader the meaning of the mark you do use is hard and fast. It is up
to you then—if you want to punctuate well—to learn what meaning the
various marks signal and to choose the one that most clearly expresses
your meaning.
Some Important Punctuation Marks
A. Let"s first understand the punctuation marks that are used at the
END of a sentence:
1. Full Stop (.)

(a) A period or full stop (.) is used to mark the end of a sentence
which is declarative, imperative or an indirect question:
1. Teachers these days don 7 get many free periods.
2. Please pass the sail.
3. Read the next two chapters before coming to the class.
4. She asked me why Shy am had left.
(b) A full stop is not used to mark the end of a sentence which is
regarded as a question or exclamation.
(c) A full stop is used after certain abbreviations and initials:
Jan.
Dec.
bldg
.
Prof
.
Mr J.D. Buxton
p.m.
a.m.
(d) A full stop is used between rupees and paise (or dollars and
cents, or pounds and pence), hours and minutes, between the
whole number and the decimal or before decimals:
Rs. 206.95
$ 101.55 £
10.99
5.55 p.m.
7.15169
English
(e) A full stop coming at the end of a quotation is generally
placed inside the quotation marks:
"Take the turn to the left." he said, ''and von will see the house."
2. Ellipsis (... or ....)

A punctuation mark of three spaced dots (...) is used to indicate
that part of a quoted sentence has been omitted (because the sentence is
long and can be understood without them).
If the omission occurs at the beginning or in the middle of a
sentence, we use three dots in the ellipsis:
1. These men ... had forgotten one important thing.
2. "... the hook is lively ... and well written "
If the last pan of the sentence is omitted or if entire sentences are
omitted, we add a fourth dot to the ellipsis to mark the end of the
sentence:
"He left his home .... Years later he returned to find that everything had
changed..."
3. Question Mark (?)

A question mark is used at the end of a sentence, clause, or phrase
(or after a single word) that asks a question:
Can you keep a secret?
?. "Is something wrong?""' she asked.
3. Who said "when?"
4. Whom shall we elect? Pandey? Mrs. Gandhi?
5. He is early, isn 't he?
6. They leave on Monday?
They shouted at me from across the street, " Who won?
8. Did Vikram realty ask,"How can I help you, Mom?"
A question mark is not used after indirect questions, nor is it
generally used after polite requests phrased as questions:
/. He asked me when I expected to graduate. 2. Will you please return
the enclosed pamphlet by the end of the month.
4. Exclamation Mark (!)

An exclamation mark at the end of a sentence (clause, phrase, or
ev
en a single word) indicates strong emotion or feeling, especially
surprise, CO r nmand, admiration, shock, or anger:
Go away!
15
What a day this has been!
Help1 Over there! Someone s drowning!
What a fool I've been!
Big deal!
Wow!
Ouch!
Exclamation marks are used more frequently in narrative writing. They
should always be used thoughtfully and sparingly (perhaps only one at a
time!) because too many exclamation points weaken the emphasis they
are intended to provide.
5. Dash (—)
Since dashes are emphatic marks of punctuation, they should be
used sparingly—only when they serve a specific purpose, when no other
marks will carry the intended meaning as well. They should not be used
as substitutes for all other marks, as some people use them.
(a) A common use of the dash—a short straight line — is to
emphasize a point by separating it from the rest of the
sentence. It is used to mark an unexpected turn or sudden
break in thought of a sentence, as in the following examples:
(1) When Ms Ellis looked up—but everyone knows what happened
after that.
(1) Are you — no, you've already told me you weren t going.
(2) He won the game — but I'm getting ahead of the story.
(b) Dashes are used to suggest halting or hesitant speech:
1. " Well—er—ah—it's hard to explain." he faltered.
1. Bunbury has exploded—/ mean—oh. I killed Bunbury this
afternoon. I—er—think—/ mean—er—/ feel— er—.
(c) Dashes are used to indicate sudden break or interruption
before
a sentence is completed:
1. These critics may believe they are being fair but—
1. "Bunty, don't climb up that—. " // was too late.
(d) Dashes are used to replace an offensive word or part of one:
/. Where 's that son of a —7
2. Where the h— is he?
(e) A dash is also used before a word or phrase that sums up a
preceding list of items, to indicate clearly the division
between
the list and the statement that follows:
English •'
''His violent temper, his sarcastic remarks, his lack of patience, his laziness—all
help to explain why we despised Higgins." (f) Dashes are used to set off
an appositive or appositive phrase (two closely related noun
phrases that describe the same thing or person etc.) when a comma
would provide less than the desired emphasis on the appositive or
when the use of commas might result in confusion with commas
within the appositive phrase:
/. The Prime Minister's promise of changes — land reform, primary
education, economic growth, electoral reforms — was not
easily fulfilled.
2. Mrs Pandit s contribution — an ugly, ornate mantel clock
salvagedfrom her attic — was auctioned off first.
3. We sent copies of the programme to three faculty members —
Dr Jha, Dr Paul, and Dr Sinha.
(If a comma were used instead of a dash in the third example, a reader
might think that copies were sent to six people. The dash shows clearly
that the three names are appositive exp\a\n\r\g faculty members.)____________
Exercise I. Read the following sentences and decide which
punctuation mark should be used at the end of each.
1. Parag asked them if they wanted to play a post-season game
2. I wondered why he had left so soon
3. Must I tell you again to hang up those clothes
4. How he got himself with such a silly mix-up is beyond me
5. Why doesn't she ask him where he works
6. I would like to know how they managed to sneak in
7. Will you please give this matter your immediate attention
8. This was an increase of 33 per cent
9. Why don't you watch what you're doing
10. Their suggestions seemed sensible, and yet
11. It is agreed, then, that we will hire Om's band for the prom
12. Be careful that board is loose
13. Frank hasn't called yet, has he
14. Depend on him to be the first one in line
15. How he won is anybody's guess
16. Am I angry
17. He did his best, but
18. Will you please send this order as soon as possible
17
19. Did they tell you that he said he was leaving

______20. What Sam told them was only pan of the story __________
B. Then, there are certain punctuation marks used to SEPARATE main
clauses: 1. Comma (,)
(a) The purpose of the comma is to help make what you write clear.
It is used to divide a sentence into smaller units of meaning: you separate
words, phrases, and clauses that are part of a series of three or more
items. For example:
1. "The chief agricultural products ofDenmark are butter, eggs,
potatoes, beets, wheat, barley, and oats."
1. The pitcher, the third baseman, and the catcher expected a medal.
2. He ordered bread and butter, ham and eggs, but no coffee.
3. There were various conflicting explanations of who he was. what he
wanted, and why Mrs Singh had befriended him.
It is permissible to omit the final comma before the and in a series of
words as long as the absence of a comma does not interfere with clarity
of meaning. The final commas in the examples above, while desirable, are
not essential.
(b) But in the following sentence, omission of the final comma
might
confuse the meaning:
"Their equipment included airplanes, helicopters, artillery, '
amphibious vehicles, and tanks. " If the comma is not used before and,
it might mean that the tanks were amphibious.
(c) In direct speech sentences, a comma is placed between She
said (etc.) and the beginning of the direct speech:
He said, "That's none of your business."
(d) A comma is placed between the end of a direct speech and she
said (etc.):
"Any progress is better than none." said Peter. provided there is no question
mark (?) or exclamation mark (!), as in "Any progress? " she asked.
(e) A comma is placed before and after She said etc. in the middle
of direct speech. For example,
"In my view, " said the judge, "he is innocent
English
(f) A comma is used after each preposition, when there are two
prepositions to one object:
Your cur is superior to, and cheaper than, the one I saw yesterday.
(g) A comma is generally used before a connective like and, but,
for. or, nor, yet. so which joins the two independent clauses of acompound
sentence:
(1) He had to give up painting, or his children would starve.
(2) The press published a full account of the trial, but the readers never
knew the whole truth about the case.
13) Her books were here, and there was no bookcase for them.
(4) Almost any man knows how to earn money, hut not one in a million
knows how to spend it.
(h j Parenthetical expressions like after all. by the way. of course, as
you know, to be sure: nouns of address: words like yes, no, oh, frankly,
however, nevertheless, still, anyway, moreover, etc.; questions ("You will,
won't you?") are all set off by commas:
(1) One must, of course, admit that she is talented.
(2) Somen has enough money. I hope.
(3) Seema, after all, is an only child.
(4) Remember, Dolly, you are to stay a week.
(Noun of address) Oh. don't miss the Hitchcock
revival if you can help it. Well, even Keats had to revise his writing.
< ~) Your vacation starts in two weeks, doesn't it? (8)
Why. you can't mean that! (9j Fine, we '11 get together.
(10) Their initial failures, however, only made them try harder.
(11) Mr Shaft, far younger in spirit than his seventy years, delighted in his
grandchildren.
(12) You may. if you insist, demand a retraction.
(13) He blew, nevertheless, that all was lost.
(14) You realize, Joya, that we may never return to Kohima.
(15) Still, you must agree that he knows his job well.
(h) The comma is used to set off an introductory modifier
(adjective, adverb, participle, participial phrase) even if it consists of
only one word or a short phrase:
(1) Politically, our candidate has proved to be inept.
19
(2) Watching the hockey players. Alam began to wish that he

could skate.
(3) To understand him, you have to know more about his family.
14) By running the whole six blocks. Jimmy managed to get to the
School door just as the bell rang.
(5) Pleased with the result, he beamed at his painting.
(i) Restrictive modifiers— those that are needed to convey the basic
meaning of a sentence — are not set off by commas:
Anyone who dislikes work had better not apply for this job.
(The adjective clause who dislikes work is necessary if the reader is
to understand the sentence.)
Non-restrictive modifiers are not essential in conveying the
meaning. They add details, helping to explain, illustrate, or describe, but
the sentence would be clear without them. They are always set off by
commas:
(1) The old hotel, which has housed visiting celebrities for almost a
century, remained outwardly unchanged.
(2) The customer, red with harassment, turned back to the cashier's desk
(1) Mrs Kumar, frightened by the explosion, fainted.
(3) Mary refused to hurry, though we were already fifteen minutes late.
(2) Ralph left the room swiftly, without a backward glance.
(j) Commas are used to set off appositives or appositive phrases.
You should place commas both before and after the noun or noun phrases:
(1) Herr Midler, our new teacher, is a German
(2) Shelley's second wife, Mary, wrote, Frankenstein.
(3) One of our major problems, narcotics, remains unsolved. (k) The use of
the comma is especially common before contrasting
expressions introduced by but or not:
(1) The 'ghost' was a broken window shade, not a bat.
(2) It is not Prabhakar's paper, but Prasanna's. I want you to see.
(1) Then, there are certain routine Uses of the comma. For example,
to set off elements in addresses and geographical locations when the
items are written on the same line:
(1) 125, New Hostel, Indian School of Mines,
Dhanbad - 826 004.
(1) Reno, Bond County, Illinois
English
(31 Ian lived at A. 9 1 23. Prahaladghat. l'aranasi-221001
14) After May 1. 1999. the law will he m effect.
(m) The comma is used to set off degrees and titles:
(1) Professor SC. Hall. Head of the Department
(1) James Cain. Ph.D.
<3) Dr A K. Singh. Dean of Admission
(4) Lyle Glazier. LL.D.. is the speaker for tonight.
(n) The comma is used after the salutation in personal letters and
the complimentary close in all letters:
Dear Pal. Dear Professor Glazier.
Yours truly. Sincerely yours. 2.
Semicolon (;)
Using semicolons is not difficult. As it indicates a long pause, it is
more like a full stop. It is a very strong punctuation mark, heavier than a
comma, used (i) between two sentences that are closely connected in
meaning, (ii) before sentence connectors and some transitional phrases,
and (iii) between items in a series.
(a) A semicolon is used to separate two sentences, or the clauses
of a compound sentence when they are not joined by connectives like
and. but. for. or. nor, yet:
H) The house burned down; it was the last shattering blow. 12) 1 like Sam; he
is never sarcastic.
('3) Munr people dislike using semicolon; personally, 1 find the semicolon a
very useful punctuation mark.
(4) Karen, my sister, couldn't come for the wedding anniversary; she sent a
telegram from Mumbai where she has lived for the past six years.
(b) A semicolon is used to separate independent clauses that are
joined b\ such connectors as hence, therefore, however, as a result, for
example etc.
(1 i The funds are inadequate, therefore, the project will close down.
(2) He was ill and desperately in need of money; nevertheless he would
not ask his father for help.
(3) Enrolments exceed all expectations; however, there is a teacher
shortage.
(4) He had smoked all his life, as a result, he died of lung cancer.
(c) A semicolon is used (instead of a comma) between items of a
series if the items contain commas:
21
(1) Lakshmi has lived in three provincial capitals : Lucknow. UP.;
Chennai. Tamilnadu; and Aizawi. Mizorani.
Exercise II. Read each of the following sentences and decide what
punctuation mark — if any — should be used between the main clauses:
(1) He"s a good player he deserved to get his university title.
(2) Laterthat evening they saw Dinesh and Kirti and Som showed
him their prizes.
(3) Normally there would have been enough petrol in the tank to
go another ten or fifteen kilometers but the heavy drifts must
have caused the motor to work overtime.
(4) Home making didn't interest her particularly nor could she
get very excited about the idea of a graduation in commerce.
(5) First he speaks then he thinks.
(6) Five voted for and five voted against.
(7) His explanation wasn't very clear in fact, we are more
confused now than we were before.
(8) But yesterday he agreed to go with us why should he back out
now?
(9) He can have the green set or the blue 1 don't care which.
(10) Everyone in the cast did a good job but Madhu Mishra poked
fun at the performance.'
(11) It took him an hour to translate the twenty lines he had to
look up every other word.
(12) Mr Ali wouldn't listen to reason he fired both of us.
(13) Our job was to round up the horses every morning his was to
see that they were properly fed and watered.
(14) Tom wrote the letter and I rr>ailed it.
(15) He walked over the ladder and looked up and down on his
head splashed the pailful of dirty water.
(16) It was lucky for us that we didn't meet Sanjay or Bobby
would have started a fight then and there.
(17) Many times the realization of our dream of world peace
seems beyond achievement but there are always men of
resistance and goodwill to keep it alive and someday the
dream is bound to become a glorious reality.
(2) The elected officers are Dr S.K. Basil. President: Dr R.C. Ritpani,
Secretary; and Ms Annua Dalta. Treasurer
English
selfish but all the girls, including Meera, who should have more
sense, thought him the finest catch in the school.
(1°) Like man} of his fictional heroes. Jesse Stuart was born in a
poor mountain community but he managed to get an
education and become a teacher and well-known writer.
(20) They haven't heard the final score yet they're sure our team w
on.
Exercise III. Read the following sentences and decide which words
or group of words should be set off by commas.
1. Yes you certainly are a chip off the old block Sonu.
2. The ability to swim is after all a kind of life insurance.
3. That dress is just your style I suppose but 1 don't like those
sequins on the collar do you'?
4. The answer to this riddle is not however the one you have in
mind.
5. Mr S.C. Kalra was looking for you but he left about ten
minutes ago.
6. Please send the questionnaires to Dr R.S. Tiwary 20
Laxmana-puri Faizabad as soon as they are filled out.
7. Mohanan on the other hand had no business being at the bow
ling alley at all.
8. Semantics the scientific study of the meaning and the changes
of meaning of words is receiving more and more attention
from businessmen and scholars alike.
9. On September 14. 2000 Vikram will be twenty one and will
get the money that Mrs Geeta Singh his aunt left him.
10. No Rinku Micky lives in Bank More Dhanbad and not Bank
More Bokaro.
11. Mathematics he had to admit was far harder than he thought
it would be.
10. Her cousin not her sister is personnel manager at MadhuUka.
11. It certainly was a mistake to order apple pie today wasn't it?
12. Biru told me by the way that S.N. Singh Ph.D. had decided to
go to Allahabad University.
13. Most of the players felt nevertheless that the umpire had been
grossly unfair.
Exercise IV. Read the sentences below and decide where
punctuation marks—commas or semicolons—are needed to separate items
in a series:
23
1. Girls who want to spend my money who talk only about
themselves and who chew gum incessantly are off my list for
all time.
2. Jim carefully checked the tyres and battery added oil put
more water in the radiator but forgot to buy petrol.
3. I'll have bacon and eggs bread and butter and a glass of
chocolate milk.
4. Every college has its loud-mouthed ill-mannered and self-
appointed official joker.
5. He went to Shimla partly to see the sights parth to meet new
people but mostly to look for a job.
6. Shiela tried to impress her boss by coming to work early
working until the last minute and constant!} making sugges -
tions for displaying the merchandise attractively.
7. The quiet restful days in the village changed her from a
nervous sarcastic complainer to a calm eas\-going friend.
8. Within an hour the three large mahogany coffee tables had
been polished crated and shipped off to their buyers in the
UK Belgium and Canada.
9. In his enthusiasm for finger painting little Shubhra had
streaked red paint on the table over the wallpaper and across
the floor.
10. Before the end of the trip, Nancy had made friends with four
people: Mr Shah a shoe salesman from Agra Danny a Delhi
student Mrs Durga Singh a housewife from Banaras and Sam
a retired professor from America.
Exercise V : Decide which of the sentences need commas, and
where:
1. The villain wearing the usual black curling moustaches was
enthusiastically hissed by the audience.
2. Madan caught a fish weighing about six kg.
3. Can you see the man wearing the brown tweed coat 0
4. Mona green with envy mumbled a few words of congratul -
ations and then turned back to her typing.
5. All the men seated at the speakers' table were veterans.
6. My aunt bought that chair in 1973 when'furniture cost less
than half of what it does now.
7. All students whose Chemistry exams were scheduled lor
Monday morning were asked to report to Dr Mishra who had
offered to take charge for Dr Sarkar.
English
8. The curtain will go up at 7:30 whether the hall is filled or

not.
9. He seemed nervous and spoke haltingly as if he weren't quite
sure of the facts.
10. A half-hour later when we needed my brother most he was
gone.
11. Ever since my Father has parked his car in the alley.
12. By the time we had finished our dinner was ready.
13. To escape the men had clawed their way.
15. Those who stayed stayed because they were interested.

C. Using the Colon (:)
The colon is a rather formal and emphatic mark that directs
attention to what follows. It has three main uses:
(a) It is used to introduce a list of items, examples, or the like:
(1) The three committees are as follows:
membership, finance, and nominations.
(2) He named his five favourite poets: Byron, Keats, Tennyson, Hardy,
andAuden.
(3) There are three British statesmen whose greatness no one is likely to
doubt: Pitt, Disraeli, and Churchill.
(4) The lieutenant was faced with the following problems: how to get rid
of his uniform and parachute, how to contact an ally, and how to do
these things without attracting the attention of the enemy patrols.
(5) They ordered a huge four-course lunch: first they had soup, then a
chicken-curry; this was followed by ice-cream, and finally cheese and
biscuits.
Note: The colon is not used before a list unless the items are
appositives. When they are simply predicate complements or objects, no
mark of punctuation should be used before them. For example:
'Three British statesmen whose greatness no one is likely to doubt
are Pitt, Disraeli, and Churchill. '
(b) A colon is used to introduce a long formal statement, quotation,
or question:
(I) 'In his article on freedom of the press Thomas Paine says: "A man does
not ask liberty beforehand to say something he has a mind to say, but
he becomes answerable afterwards for the atrocities he may utter. In
like manner, if a man makes the
14. Inside the house was neat and comfortably furnished.

1
Spelling and Punctuation 25
press utter atrocious things he becomes answerable for them
as if he had uttered them by word of mouth. " t2i 'This I believe all
men are created equal and must enjoy
equally the rights that are inalienable theirs. ' (3) 'The issue is this:
Can an employer dismiss a man simply
because he laughs loudly.' '■
(c) A colon may be used between the clauses of a compound
sentence
when the second clause explains or illustrates the first:
7. 'It was a cit}- notorious for its inadequacies: its schools were antiquated,
its administration was corrupt, and everyone felt the burden of its
taxes. '
2. Trying to please the manager was useless: he criticized everything we did.
(d) The colon has several conventional uses, too:
(i) After the salutation in a formal letter:
My Fellow Indians:
Dear Mr Davis:
Gentlemen:
(ii) After the name of a speaker in a play:
Ghost: Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. Hamlet: Murder?
(iii) Between the main title and the subtitle of a book, article or
play:
Intercultural Communication: A Reader "Space
Stations: Dream or Reality? "
(iv) Between hours and minutes expressed in figures:
9:35 a.m. 8:15 p.m.
at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon
(v) To separate parts of a citation:
Matthew 2:5
II Corinthians 5:1-3 Journal of Astronomy 15:261-322 Exercise VI : Read the
following sentences and decide where punctuation marks are needed:
1. In her report she had spelled the playwright's name in three
different ways Shake spear Shakespere and Shakespeare.
2. Finally he realized what was wrong he hadn't turned on the
switch.
English
3. Mitali had changed a great deal but she still had two
annoying habits poking others to get their attention and
trying to top any story she heard with a better one of her
own.
4. Life on the farm was not easy it was a dreary succession of
days of backbreaking work.
5. In a sketch of James Boswell Lytton Strachey said ""His
ambitions seemed to multiply with his misfortunes."
6. On the bronze plaque below the statue was engraved this
sentence "A truly great man will neither trample on a worm
nor sneak to an Emperor."
7. In written poetry as in other writing pause is partly indicated
by punctuations more regularly in earlier especially dramatic
writing than in present practice where for example the very
frequent occurrence of a pause between a subject and its
predicate is left unmarked.
8. The words a white powdery substance imply that physical
state is a more basic category than colour.
9. How far was Wordsworth successful in using language really
used by men?
10. Change in language which is different in different places brings
about geographical diversity if the communication which regulates and
standardizes language is infrequent. D. Using the Quotation Marks (" ")
Quotation marks are used to distinguish the exact words of a speaker:
(1) "You just started that book, " I said, "andyou're already
reading the last page. "
"That's how I always read mystery stories. " she said. "Why? " I asked
with interest.
"It's much more fun reading a mystery when you have some idea of who's
guilt)', " she explained. "And I never can figure it out by myself. If I
don't sneak a look at the ending, all through the book I'm under the
strain of trying to guess. "
(2) It was Shaw who wrote: "All great truths begin as blasph-
emies."
(3) When we asked him, he said "There will be no charge. "
Note that all sentences belonging to one uninterupted quotation are
put in one set of quotation marks. Full stops and commas are always put
inside the closing quotation marks. A question mark or an exclamation
point is also put inside the quotation marks if it applies only to the quoted
27
matter; it will be placed outside if it applied to the complete sentences that
contains the quotation:
Do you remember the old man's expression when he said, "I never learned
to read"?
When both the sentences and the quotation ending the sentence are
questions or exclamations, only one mark is used — inside the closing
quotation marks:
i 1) Did you hear him short, "what's going on here?"
(2) With all our hearts let us cry, "Justice for all!"
A quotation within a quotation is enclosed in single quotation
marks:
7. 'Tell us who said. 'These are the times that try men's souls. '" commanded
Phil.
2. Phil asked. "Who said, 'These are the times that try men's souls'? "
Quotation marks are used to enclose foreign words or words that
convey some special meanings:
7. A lot of people talk about "machismo" these days, but no
one really knows what it means. 2. His "office" was no bigger than
a janitor's closet, yet he
pretended to be the president of a multinational company. Quotation marks
are also used to enclose the titles of (i) articles from journals, magazines,
and newspapers; (ii) chapters of books; (iii) short stories: (iv) poems; and
(v) songs: •
1. In the article "The Future of Space, "published in Scientific
American, the authors explore the possibility ofmanned space
stations.
2. The Times of India recently published an article entitled ' 'Space
Stations: Dream or Reality? " in which the potential of space cities in
orbit was discussed.
E. Using Apostrophe (')
Apostrophes are used to indicate contractions or omission of letters or
numerals and possessives :
You 're wrong. Television's influence.
He can't come Mars's wrath
It's mine. All the students ' names.
She's scared. The children's toys.
I'm not going back My aunt and uncle's house.
'cause I'm dou.' mighty an hour's delay in three
28
fine now '," he said. "An ' where Multiple Choice General English
"Good might you be goin ' this fine days' rime; the hits's signal light;
mornin day0 Francis s promotion; anyone else's
property; brother-in-law's job
The apostrophe is not used to form the possessive of the personal
pronouns {hers, its, ours, yours, theirs) or of who (whose). But it can be used
to form the plural of figures, symbols, letters of the alphabets, and words
being discussed as words:
Your 5's look like 3's
Dot the i's and cross the t's.
33 r.p.m.'s
the 1930"s (or 1930s)
V.I.P.'s
The teacher circled all my and's in red. F.
Using Capital Letters
Conventionally, written sentences in English begin with a capital
letter and end with a full stop. Though many users of English foliow the
convention, some persons do not. You should always capitalize the first
word of a sentence:
He is the new secretary of the club.
Where is the chess set?
You should capitalize the name of a particular person, place, or
thing (i.e. all Proper nouns):
Laxmi, Robert, Clinton, Washington, the Mediterranean Sea, the Eiffel Tower,
New Zealand, Salt Lake.
You should also capitalize races, languages, political parties
{Mongolians, Chinese, the Congress party, the Republicans); days, months,
holidays, holy days {Monday, December, First of July, Easter, Diwali); name of
companies {Ford Motor Company); institutions {Indian School of Mines, IITs);
organizations {Federation of Teachers' Associations); name,of ships, planes,
trains {I.N.S. Virat, Rajdhani Express, the Skandagupta); historical events,
periods, and documents (the Industrial Revolution, the Middle Ages, the Hindu
Marriage Act); recognized geographical names {Ohio River, the Ganges, Gulf
of Mexico, Cascade Mountains, Chamoli); names of countries, streets, parks,
buildings, etc. (USA. India, Parliament Street, New Delhi, Central Park, Empire
State Building); names of wars, battles, treaties, prizes, and important
events (The Battle ofPlassey, Declaration of Independence, Pulitzer Prize, Nobel
29
Prize, Ft Imfare Award, Treat}' of Versailles, World War II, Operation Desert
Storm): personal titles, civil or military ranks of honour, academic or
professional degree (General Manek Shaw. Professor Higgins. President
Clinton): title of books, journals, newspapers, musical compositions etc.
(Hamlet, The Hindu, Creative Forum. The Kreu/zer Sonata).
In quotations, you should capitalize the first word of a quoted
sentence: but if the quoted sentence is interrupted b\ explanatory words,
the first word of its second part is not capitalized:
Jack said, "Square dancing is a lot of fun. " "The steps, " added Tom. "are easy.
And we have a good caller. Won V vou come tonight? " She answered with a smile.
"If it doesn V rain. " Exercise VII. Read the following sentences and decide
where you should use capital letters:
1. was professor sen working for the queen of england 9
2. the indian prime minister met his Chinese counterpart for
talks.
3. is dr cucchiara american or Italian?
4. we'll be going to bokaro next thursday.
the suggestion was made by captain makhija on behalf
of brigadier soni.
6. last year muharram was on april 30.
7. i'm called the safety equipment officer.
?. with referenc£ to your advertisement in the hindu of 30 July, i
should like to apply for the post of housekeeper.
9. venice is one of the most beautiful of european cities. 10.
oscar kambona, who was in lisbon last friday. admitted that he had
been working with tanzania's and africa's biggest enemy, colonialist
portugal. to subvert our people's government.
Exercise VIII. Put an apostrophe where one is necessary in the
following sentences:
(1) Labour is the fabled magicians wand and the philosophers
stone.
(2) its not necessary to show that economy is useful.
(3) Theres clock in the forest.
(4) She wont go to the doctor because its too late.
(5) Two wrongs dont make a right.
(6) Its exact translation is somewhat difficult, isnt it?

English
(7) This car cant be my parents because theirs is quite old.
(8) His brothers wife went to the grocers for us.
(9) Prem asked Sheilas father for all the customers addresses.
(10) The Chetals provided the food, and the Mishrns organized the
transport.
Exercise IX. Read the following sentences and decide where you
should use capital letters, apostrophes, quotation marks, commas, full
stops, and question marks:
( Theres no doubt about it madam said the manager we never
1)
make mistakes
( What will happen if 1 refuse A slam said to himself
2)
( lm afraid that the executive council cannot treat your case as
3)
urgent the letter said
( theres no point in trying to deny it Meira her boyfriend said
4)
votive been going out with other men behind my back
( Don't start suggesting that 1 was responsible John said I wasnt
5)
even here when the fire broke out
Exercise X. Read these sentences to re-write them, using appropriate
punctuation marks:
1. Is lake geneva near mont blonc?
2. Donttalkto me about the kitchei. said Bailoo it was Bulli who
got everything out and then spilt things all over the place.
3. If I've told you once Ive told you a dozen times somebody
must pay for the broken window said the young lady.
4. I on the other hand have no wish to leave India permanently.
5. Everest which is the highest mountain in the world was not
climbed until 1953.
6. The german car which won the race was driven by an
austrian.
7. When I say undesirable individuals I do not mean the people
of this t o w n but rather the hordes of young louts w h o come
down from C a l c u t t a on their bikes.
8. The city is interesting on weekdays on Sunday it is almost
completely deserted.
9. Seats can be booked through a ticket agency they can also be
purchased at the theatre.
10. For many of the passengers its just a normal scheduled flight
but for some its the start of something very special.
31
11. Only three elements are lighter than beryllium hydrogen

helium and lithium.
12. The equipment included a small motor which was fitted with
a transformer two metres of wire and a switch.
11. The reason was obvious they could not afford the fare.
13. They made two important decisions the oldest houses would
be pulled down the more recent ones would be repaired.
12. We are she insisted the oldest family around here
14. And yet if he is truly sapiens thinking and wise then surely
there is a promise for him.
1 7. From my mother I picked up the basic principles of how not to
be intolerable not to smell not to fidget not to close in on the
person you are talking to not to eat chocolates in the theatre.
1 8. Some people when they get up in the morning first thing all
they want to do is smoke or drink tea not me Ive got to have
music the noise of instruments.
19. What about cleaning your room for a change she asked me
continuing the onslaught.
20. It was a custom of all the europeans settled here on the beach
at Ko-ro-ra-di-ka to refrain from all kinds of work on the
sabbath to shave and dress themselves in their best
habiliments and if any of the missionaries come over they
went forth to meet them and hear divine service.
Exercise XI. Read each of the following sentences carefully. There
are three parts of the sentences marked a. b. c. You should be able to
recognize the error of punctuation and make your option. If there is no
error, choose the last option marked d.
(1) "I wish I had your good luck," said Mr. lee. No error,.
a 5 c d
(2) Although she was much older than I was we always enjoyed
_ E
each others company. No error.
--------------.-------------- — ^—
(3) Unaware of the teachers presence, the boy continued
a
drawing funny pictures of him on the blackboard, much to the
amusement of the rest of th e class. No error.

i a—
(4) When I moved to the city, I took with me all my belongings:
a 5 "
books furniture clothes boxes and my radio. No error .
English
(5)Help cried the boy. who had fallen off his bicycle and hurt
a b c
himself. No error.
d
(6) "I've given up smoking and havent had a cigarette for a month
" i ~ 15 "
now. lorn said. No error.
c d
(7) The detention of the gang of four who included Mao's
——a-----
widow . Chang Ch ing, removed the principal leaders from
one of the main groups in the power struggle for the c

succession. No error .
d
(8) Yuri Gagarin, a Russian astronaut , was the first man to travel
a b
out of the earths atmosphere . No error .
c d
(9) colonel Doria was an old boy of our college and was invited
a
to come and give us a talk on his adventures with the Everest
" b
climbing team. No error.
------z------------a-
(10) He is President of the National Mountaineering association
and
a
manv of us asked him after the lecture whether it would be
_.
possible for us to ioin and go on a climbing expedition . No

error.
c a
(11) The words a white powdery substance imply that physical
a ET
state is a more basic categorv than colour. No error .
------------- c 3
(12) Just as some speech is unprintable without loss because it
a
depends on affective intonation, so though more rarely, some
5
writing is unspeakable because it depends on printing devices
c
unrelated to pronunciation. No error .
a
(13) "I think I should understand that better," Alice said very
politely
"'if I had it written down: but Em afraid I can t quite follow it
as you say it. " No error.

c a
33
(14) How far was Wordsworth successful in using l anguage reallv

a b c
used b\ men'? No error.
d
(15) The usefulness of phatic language is to assert ones belonging
£ ~ " " b ~
to a communitv. No error.
1
----------c d
(16) The boundaries of dialects , like the names of periods (old
a TT
enalish or elizabethan english) are assigned bv scholars for
b
convenience and do not necessarily represent sharply defined
c
realities. No error , d
(17) Martin Joos. in his The Five Clocks (a highly recommended
a ~ E
short book), isolates five degees of ceremony in language.
E c
No error , d
(18) Marshall McLuhan has suggested that in general medieval
writers, unable to imagine consistently a single audience
failed
__ g-----:------------------------
to achieve unity of tone . No error .
'— a
(19) The ones who complained complained publicly, and.at great
a E c
length . No error .
3
(20) Montreal, now the second largest French city in the world,
a
was founded in 1642 a by-product of missionary endeavour.
B : _
No error , d
(2 I) Several restless disgruntled men milled about the gate, eveing
a
dejectedly a sign , which read: this plant will be shut down
-= £ _-------------------
until further notice. No error.
-------------------- g------
(22) It seems incredible that this strange diet— two large perchlike
a
fish a shark a bird and two coconuts—kept the three men on
5 c
the raft alive for more than a month. No ciror .
----------------- -----3^
(23) On a bronze plaque below the statue was engraved this sentence
----------i---------- " b
"A truly great man will neither trample on a worm nor sneak
c
to an Emperor." No error.
a
(24) For tomorrow Miss Barakha said, ""memorize the speech
a
beginning 'To be or not to be ." and be prepared to make a
~* ^~~^b c
recording of it. No error.
a
(25) in his article Books That Changed America. Eric F. Goldman.
a
referring to Tom Paine"s pamphlet Common Sense, written
during the dark days of Revolution, states: "It took a people rT

who were moving hesitantly toward independence and hurtled c
them forward." No error .
d
(26) Overweight people who refuse to exercise anv control over
a b
their appetites should be forced to go on rigidly, supervised
c
diets. No error.
cl
(27) The lieiujnant stopped at the cafe to eat the corporal and the
a b c
sergeant repaired the punctured tvre. No error.
(28) The bovs were driven out of the kitchen before they ate all
I------E
the ice-cream and the janitor and I locked the door. No error .
-------------- ---------------1 --------------------—7f—
(29) Everv sundav evening when the weather was fine. Uncle
Mistry and I used to walk down Janpath to Parliament Street.

b c
No error , d
(30) The Sharma's have bought one of those old houses on the
---------------i------------------ ~F-
n
ver bank which they plan to convert into a small hotel
No error.
3---
(31) While Herzog was undergoing the worst tortures on the way
ing and Punctuation
35
from the himalavas. he had onlv one fear—that he would never

a D
be able to go mountain-climbing again. No error.
c d
(32) Uncle Sam looked up and said simplv ""Stop behaving like a
child' ; then he returned to his newspaper. No error .

c a
(33) "Tell us who said , 'These are the times that try men's soul s."
i b
commanded John. No error.
z-------a-
(34) The President of the firm who is always fair and generous,
suggested an acceptable compromise. No error.

c a
_----- ------r^--------
(35) At his office he goes up in a lift, and does his davs work with
a clattering accompaniment of typewriters, adding machines.

c
cash registers, and dictaphons
_ . No error. -
Spotting Errors in Sentence Structure
Your familiarity with aspects of language use. or understanding and
application of the rules of grammar and usage, is vital for performing
well in a General English test. If you know how words work together to
communicate meaning, you will also appreciate that we express a thought
not through isolated words but by grouping words together in a sentence in
such a way that the relationship between them is clear. In other words,
the word order plays ? great part in showing the relationship between
them. You are asked to \ook at a sentence analytically and recognize
whether the different elements (of the sentence) fit together to make the
whole clear and meaningful. In other words, you are asked to spot errors,
if any. in ordering various components in the given sentence and check
stylistic, syntactic or grammatical faults.
There may be words (or group of words) used in the wrong order,
or there may be faulty connections between subjects and verbs, and/or
between pronouns end antecedents: there may be faulty prepositions or
adverbs or wrong articles or inappropriate punctuations; there may be
wrong use of modifiers (words, phrases, or clauses that describe or
qualify other elements, either restricting their meaning or giving
supplementary-information about them): or there may be some mistake
before or after the verbs. Apart from wrong constructions, there may be
inappropriate, or non-formal/non-standard, or undignified use of
language.
Your experience or knowledge of how the use of some features, like
a plural subject, a pa^t tense. 01 a comparative adjective, w ill
immediately determine others, or how the occurrence of some words
means that certain other words are likely to follow, or simply, how
language works or how different words are arranged in a sentence, or'how
words function in sentences is tested OBJECTIVELY.
You are expected to exercise your sense of judgement about
language use, about good and bad English. If the ideas expressed are not
clear, the language is bad; if the ideas are clear but are expressed in
inappropriate language, i.e. language that has the wrong tone for the
situation or makes
37
the wrong impression, the English is bad. There is no magic formula to
teach \on all you need to know about how to write. You ha\e to develop
for yourself judgement about words and constructions and learn to
recognize normal English word order.
Exercise 1: Choose the sentence in each section w hich y on
consider to have the correct word order and acceptable as the usual
English form.
1. (a) He has been living in Shimla for ten years.
(b) He in Shimla has been living for ten years.
(c) For ten years he has been living in Shimla.
(d) He has in Shimla been living for ten years.
2. (a) With her are all her friends going?
(b) All her friends are going with her?
(c) Are all her friends going w ith her 9
(d) Are all her friends with her going?
3. (a) All day yesterday reading at home they sat.
(b) They all day yesterday sat at home reading
(c) All day yesterday they sat at home reading.
(d) Reading at home all day yesterday they sat.
4. (a) We would not have left so early if the road had not been
dangerous.
(b) We would not have so early left if the road had not
been dangerous.
(c) We would have not left so early if the road had been
not dangerous.
(d) We would not have so early left if the road had been
not dangerous.
5. (a) Do you frequently visit Pune in the winter 0 I do never.
no.
(b) Do you frequently visit Pune in the winter 0 No. 1 never
do.
(cj Do you in the winter frequently visit Pune? Never, no
do I.
(d) Do you frequently in the winter visit Pune? No. never do
I.
6. (a) A number of towns, particularly those with tall buildings
and many people, suffered much damage from
the earthquakes.
(b) Suffered much damage from the earthquakes, a number
English
of towns, particularly those with tall buildings and many
people.
(c) Of those towns with tall buildings and many people, a
number particularly suffered much damage-froin the
earthquakes.
(d) Particularly those towns that suffered much damage
from the earthquakes were those with tall buildings and
many people.
7. (a) As a result we quickly changed our plans.
(b) We quickly changed as a result our plans.
(c) Our plans we quickly changed as a result.
(d) Quickly we changed our plans as a result.
8. (a) A rhino carries his horns instead of on the top of his
head near the end of his nose.
(b) Instead of on the top of his head a rhino carries his
horns near the end of his nose.
(c) A rhino carries his horns near the end of his nose
instead of on the top of his head.
(d) Near the end of his nose a rhino carries his horns
instead of on the top of his head.
9. (a) The landlady snuck a look through the curtain and seen
a cop coming.
(b) The landlady pecked through the curtain and saw a
policeman coming. (O The landlady peeking through
the curtain and saw a
cop coming.
fd) The landlady through the curtain pecked and saw a
policeman coming.
10. (a) The spy. who posed as an IS1 agent working in Jammu,
narrowly escaped being hanged by the villagers.
(b) The spy. narrowly escaped being hanged by the
villagers, who posed as an ISI agent working in Jammu.
(c) Narrowly escaped being hanged by the villagers, the
spy. who posed as an ISI agent.
(d) The spy, who posed as an ISI agent, narrowly escaped
being hanged by the villagers working in Jammu.
11. (a) Many diseases are found in some tropical countries such
as malaria, leprosy, and bilharzia.
39
(b) Many diseases in some tropical countries are found.
such as malaria, leprosy, and bilharzia. i c ) Many
diseases are found like malaria, leprosy, and
bilharzia. in some tropical countries, (d) Many
diseases, such as malaria, leprosy, and bilharzia.
are found in some tropical countries.
12. (a) To the university's central office, all students except
foreigners, must pay their fees.
(b) Except foreigners, all students must pay their fees to
the university's Central office.
(c) All students, except foreigners, must pay their fees to
the university's Central office.
(d) All students must pay their fees to the university's
Central office, except foreigners.
13. (a) A sport is swimming I would recommend to any healthy
person.
(b) Swimming is a sport I would recommend to any
healthy-person.
(c) Swimming 1 would recommend is a sport to any healthy
person.
(d) 1 would recommend swimming is a sport to any healthy
person.
14. (a) Addressing a large audience the minister said in-the state
capital yesterday that the new education policy was
essential.
(b) Addressing a large audience yesterday in the state
capital, the minister said that the new education policy
was essential.
(c) The minister said that the new education policy was
essential, addressing a large audience in the state
capital yesterday.
(d) Addressing a large audience in the state capital
yesterday. the minister said that the new education
policy was essential.
15. (a) The bus. travelling at sixty km an hour, just missed the
man and ran into an office window.
(b) The bus. just missed the man and ran into an office
window, travelling at sixty km an hour.
(c) Travelling at sixty km an hour, the bus. just missed the
English
man and ran into an office window, (d) The bus. just missed
the man. and travelling at sixty km an hour, ran into an office
window.
16. (a) Many outdoor spoils have been introduced in all the
CBSC Schools in the area like swimming, football, and
cricket.
(b) Many outdoor sports, like swimming, football, and
cricket, have been introduced in all the CBSE Schools
in the area.
(c) Like swimming, football, and cricket, many outdoor
sports have been introduced in all the CBSE Schools in
the area.
(d) In all the CBSE Schools in the area, many outdoor
sports, like swimming, football and cricket have been
introduced.
17. (a) Upto the standard of last year's students is none of these
boys, including the one who passed today's test.
(b) Including the one who passed today's test, none of
these boys is upto the standard of last year's students.
(c) None of these boys, including the one who passed
today's test, is upto the standard of last year's students.
(d) None of these boys is upto the standard of last year's
students, including the one who passed today's test..
18. (a) Talks have begun to plan a railway linking the provincial
capitals between the representatives of the provincial
assemblies.
(b) Talks have begun between the representatives of the
provincial assemblies to plan a railway linking the
provincial capitals, (c ) To plan a railway linking the
provincial capitals talks
have begun between the representatives of the provincial
assemblies.
(d) Linking the provincial capitals talks have begun to plan a
railway between the representatives of the provincial
assemblies.
19. (a) The advertisement said that an expanding company
wished to employ a secretary with good shorthand and typing
speeds at their head office, (b) The advertisement said that
with good shorthand and
41
typing speeds an expanding company wished to employ
a secretary at their head office.
(c) The advertisement said that at their head office an
expanding company wished to employ a secretary with
good shorthand and typing speeds.
(d) At their head office the advertisement said that an
expanding company wished to employ a secretary with
good shorthand and typing speeds.
20. (a) The DST has been carrying out through it NSTM1S division
regular surveys to quantify R&D resources in the S&T
sector.
(b) Through its NSTM1S division to quantify R&D resour-
■' ces in the S&T sector the DST has been carrying out
regular surveys.
(c) The DST has been carrying out regular surveys through
its NSTMIS division to quantify R&D resources in the
S&T sector.
(d) To quantify R&D resources in the S&T sector the DST
has been carrying out regular surveys through its
NSTMIS division.
As you have already prastised in the preceding two sections dealing
with spelling and punctuation, three parts of the sentence marked (a), (b),
(c) are underlined. The last option (d) is marked "No error". Remember,
the purpose is to test your ability to recognize errors, and not to correct
them.
Exercise II : Identify the one underlined word or group of words
which makes the sentences not acceptable. If there is no error in the
sentence, choose the option d.
1. A vast crowd of people greeted the film star on their arrival

I B
at the airport. No error.
------1---------------3----
2. I do not play the guitar as well as he does. No error.
a B c 3
3. I asked that my friend if she would like a cup of tea. No
error.
a B c a
4. We will break our journey in Delhi on our way to Jaipur.
a B c
No error.
5. Few days ago the weather was much cooler than it is now.
a B c ~
No error.
—a—
English
6. She told him not to forget to go to post office. No error.

a B c 3
7. Before 1 arrived it was raining for a week but on Sunda\
a" b
the sun shone for the first time. No error.
c —a—
8. Last Saturday they took me to Buckingham Palace w here I saw
a T>
the changing of the Guard and listened the band. No error.
"" --------E--------------T~
9. After we had eaten we went for a walk to see the Lake.
No error , d
10. Ramu said that he has given up smoking and had not had a
-----------a----------- " 6
cigarette for a month . No error .
c d
11. Minaasked that whether I had rung her up the previous
evening.
a tf E ~
No error , a
12. Hussain then said that it was funny that Omar Khayyam was
I B "
better known abroad than he was in his own country. No
error .
E 3
13. Cinema cannot compete with the attraction of seeing a video
a b
in the home. No erro r.
------E-----------3~
14. The book I was thinking of is the one which David gave you.
a B c
No error . 3
15. The play was disappointing, because it is badly acted and
a
far too long , although the costumes were good. No error .
5 c 3
16. He did not arrive until the party was nearly over, for the
simple :
a B
reason that he fell as leep while watching television. No error.
E------ " - - -3----
17. After making himself a cup of coffee , eating several
chocolate
a
biscuits and staring out of the window for a while, he sat
--------------B-------------- ------
down to work again. No error.
-------z------- —a—
43
18. If 1 had known you were coming. 1 would have wait for you.
a b c
No error .
d
19. There is no danger of your fall from the verandah. No error.
a 5 c a
20. The news of his going to university pleased with him very
a b c
much. No error .
d
21. And now, how often you go swimming? No error.
a B (J 3
22. She was very proudy of her sister's achievement. No error.
a 6 c 3
23. The Goodyear people told that if 1 came to Akron. I might be
a %
able to hitch a ride in a blimp. No error.
c d
24. One of their several small craft lifted the first passengers aloft.
a 5
over Cleveland , in 1918. No error.
c
3~
25. The bonevards of technological history are littered with
" ' E
invention s that look highlv promising at one time but never
b~~ —;----------------: -------1—---------------
made it the winner's circle. No error.
a
26. We elders fall away into the past , like leaves from trees in
a
autumn, but the young fall from us. too, their shouts of glee
E-----
and apprehension echoing back as they dive toward the
depths c
of the future. No error .
—a—
27. Debate about biotechnology and genetic engineering is
underway around the world, and India is fully engrossed with

' E —i
--------------------3—
28. Monsanto has tie-up with the Maharastra Hybrid Seed Co.,
a
but their joint effort has been controversial. No error.
5 c a
29. _ ---------5--------
One of the first vaccine to make it into patients' nostrils will
probably be Flumist, a nasal spray aimed at influenza viruses .

the discussion. No error.
No error.
English
30. It is really quite extraordinarily that we should have been at
the same college without having met before . No error .

^_ a
31. Although her behaviour caused a scandal at the time , the fuss
a
gradually blew out and evervone forgot about it. No error .
11
'1 ' c d
32. And now here i s our repo rter Anil Prakash from the radio car
a b
to tell us what the man on the street thinks of today's c
government announcement. No error .
d
33. Health services have main responsibility for diagnosing H1V-
a
related illnesses, carrying out more complicated examinations.
b c
No error , d
34. Some services, such as diagnosis or treatment of common
a
conditions , can be done in health centres , provided that staff
b
are trained in basic procedures. No error ,
c d
35. To do teaching well require an intense thoughtfulness that
a
only comes with parctice and commitment. No error ,
b E d
36. You have to make a commitment based on faith that all human
a
beings have capabilities and abilities that are always not
visible.
b c
No error.
-----T~
37. Democracy, which exist in the millions of daily interactive
a
communications between citizens and their elected representa-
------------------5-------------------
tives. can rest on a foundation of trust. No error.
— e-------------------------a~
38.Because television is an expensive mass medium , it forces
a
candidates to focus their limited budget, a few central, hot
—
5 c
button issues ("crime", "'immigration" etc.) No error.
—a—
45
39. While reading about the different kinds of English you may
a
have decided that learning to talk and write appropriate
English
is more difficult and complex business t han you had thought,

c
No error, d
40. When Winny saw Vikram. Winny told him that if he would
a E
meet her at the south entrance after school they would ride
c
home together with Dr Bahal. No error.
------------------- d
41. The men. almost exhausted after fighting the fire for twenty
a b
hours, were cheered bv the arrival of reinforcements . No error .
-* l d
42. The plot moved so slow that bv the time the thieves had
stolen
a ' b
the jewels we were bored. No error .
c 3
43. The office was a beehive of activity; the room was as cold
and oppressive as a mausoleum ; the town was a wilderness

a 6
of desolation; the ground looked like a huge checkerboard;
the highways was silver ribbons; and the house was shrouded
c
in a veil of tragedy. No error.
—a~
44. In the Board of Directors' meeting, when they became very
angrv about the huge losses . Mr Sharma pleaded with them

" a 5
to keep their hairs on. No error .
E a
45. After talking over for a while , we finally decided on Mumbai
for our summer a
vacation , since all our friends _would be there.
---------------- B
No error .
—a—
46. You had better leave early in the morning, you may have
trouble
a S
w ith holiday traffic. No error .
- g
English
47. Sliding down the rope, the flames suddenly closed in on him.
" a ' 5
while the crowd stood helplessly bv. No error .
- d
48. A skillfull watchmaker must have sharp eyes, a mechanical
_ :_ -
mind and his fingers.must be sensitive to tinv objects. No error.
------------------------------------—— a
49. Social mores and values have gone through a drastic change
a
with modernization which have spelt an immense change in
b
the life-style of an average Indian. No error.
f a
a
phers and camera crews, was aimed with lobbying the Spannish
government to lagalize marijuana cultivation for personal
consumption. No error.
E ; a
51. A 64-year old Italian peasan t who saved for 40 years for a
a
fairy-tale wedding complete with caviar, champagne, and a
5 - i
horse-drawn carriage finally saw her dream came true on
Friday. No error . ~~d

52. The Mayor of Antillo. a village in eastern Sicily, said he has
cardoned off the main street and most of the 800 residents a
turned out to watch Chillemi wed 68-year old Sebastiano, to
whom she had become engaged at the age of 24. No terror.

---------------E--------------- " —3—
53. The pyramids of ancient Egypt's royal women, so long
overshadowed with the larger pyramids of Egypt's male rulers.
will open for the first time to the public in December. No error .
B E a
54. Each is fronted by a two-column facade and includes an
a
offering room and cult rooms decorated for paintings depicting
--------B _ *
the daily life of the deceased, and offerings and prayers for the
after-life. No error.
47
55. While the women who wear Nike shoes in the United States
are encouraged to perform their personal best, the

Indonesians.
a
Vietnamese and Chinese women making the shoes often
suffer
b
with inadequate wages, corporal punishment, forced overtime
and/or sexual harrassment . No error.

c a
56. And now we need to question — and alte r — our plans for
a 6
the coming quarters to keep our rivals at a respectable
distance, c
No error.
—3—
57.
These ecological problems are of concern to scientists,
a
to government officials, and to our company. No error.
—- 5 - - g
58. Shyamal Datta, an energetic administrative assistant, enjoys
a
to manage several tasks simultaneously . No error
------_ g
.
59. In the interim period, various student groups, in small numbers,
a
met me and informed that the notice for strike was issued
5
without proper consultation. No error ,
c 3
60. We need to know what effect the marketing of import beers
have o n the best brands mar ket. No error.

_ ---
a
61. Amita. who graduated from the University of Indiana last month,
a
has become division representative in Mumbai. No error.
5 I g
62. Tahira's recommendation received quick approval because
a
it was well thought------------------------
------------------------ up and presented in a friendly tone so that
g
no one walked away slighted or offended by her comments, c
No error.
3
63.
The most efficient mean of communication between the
a
company and its wholesalers is the voice message exchange
E c
(VMX). No error. —5
—
English
64. Ed appreciate spending half an hour with you to discuss about

a
how these and other experiences might be mutually
beneficial,
b ~ "7j
No error , d
65. Please ensure that vou deliver same quality and service thev
presently enjov and that the transition is a smooth one. No error.

c d
66. Those were the days when universities and colleges were
a
lengthened shadows of their vice-chancellors and principals b
who stood head and shoulders above their colleagues in
c
scholarship. No error.
d
67. In his speech justifying the reforms he made a carping
a
comment on the state into which university education 5
has fallen in India. No error .
-----------Z----------- d
68. The challenge of living together in peace and harmony in the
. a.. ~T~
face of ethnic, religious and other tensions between peoples
E c
has never been greater. No error .
d
69. The Pravas School, which I visited vesterdav, embodies the
a B
idea that health, education, and economic development go
hand
with hand. No error .

I a
70. One of the things the newspaper do so we ll is it makes it easy
i B
_--------
to disregard 90 percent of the information. No error.
71. On winter days they funnel in chilling gusts of wind from the
a
East River that whip the flaps and collars of the designer
suits b
that Wall Streeters wear like uniform. No error.
g -------
72. Apart_ from the myriad advantages in day-to-day exchange
operations, computerization has readied Dalai Street to

B
49
compete to the leading stock exchanges around the world for

c
global investment funds. No error.
d
73. Many a health interventions requires motivating people to
stop _
harmful traditional practices, such as teaching families not to
put ghee or cow dung on the umbilicus of new-borns . No
error.
c a
74. Measles have been one of the biggest killers of children
a b"
in historv of mankind. No error.
d
75. They seem to enjoy being rung up in all hours of the day and
a b c
night. No error , d
76. The applicant being ill, he is allowed to go home on leave.
T~~ b " c
No error .
d
77. He has a wonderful painting, and which has been in the
familv
_ ^ b
for several generations. No error .

-----------f------------ a
78. The choice is between glorious death or shameful life . No
error .
a "~5 c d'
79. The committee visited the- site with a view to find out the
_ g
facts of the c ase. No error.

c a----
80. Let us congratulate him for his success in the examination.
a
No error.
- - -a----
3
Sentence Improvement
You might have experienced by now that "errors" occur when you
write without paying attention to sentences as such. As a thought comes to
your mind, you write the subject without thinking of it as a subject, you
use whatever verb makes sense, you use whatever modifier you feel like,
and so on. Only after your thoughts have taken the shape of a sentence
that you bother about them, in grammatical terms. A sentence, as you have
written it. may not be satisfactory; it may not be saying what you mean.
Then you may examine it critically, trying to decide how to improve it.
You may think of the words—subjects and verbs, pronouns and
antecedents, objects, modifiers, and other grammatical units—trying them
out in various arrangements. Only when your sentence says exactly what
you mean are you satisfied with it.
In other words, you revise the sentences not only to make them
acceptable to your reader but also to convey your thoughts and ideas as
accurately as possible. You try to improve them if. because of carelessness,
or distraction, you have constructed some awkward sentences or
incomplete sentences (or sentence fragments), or used misplaced or
dangling modifiers, or abruptly shifted tense or voice, or made ambiguous
or vague references.
If you have developed an awareness of grammar and usage and if
you are sensitive to 'good English." you should be able to identify the
words or expressions that would not be acceptable. The questions in this
category further test application of grammar rules or usage.
In objective type test, your attention is drawn to the underlined part
of a given sentence which may or may not contain an error. One of the
three given responses (a), fbj. (c) will make the sentence better if there is
an error or improvement possible. If you consider the sentence as given is
correct, you can choose the response (d) which is always No improvement.
Exercise I : Choose the expression which is most appropriate to
improve the italicized word or phrase:
Sentence Improvement 51
1. The looker-cms were so interested in the fire that they didn't
hear the policeman's warning.
(a) lookers-on (b) looker"s-on (c) looker-on's (d) no
improvement
2. One of his sister-in-laws is a teacher.
(a) sisters-in-law (b) sisters-in-laws (c) sister-in-laws"
(d) no improvement
3. I can't understand Shafi walkout in the middle of a rehearsal,
(a) walk-out (b) walking out (c) go out (d) no improvement
4. This dog-eared book is someone's else.
(a) some one else"s (b) someone else's (c) somebody
else's (d) no improvement
5. It was quite obvious that Jimmy and Albert enjoyed theirselves
at the party.
(a) themselfs (b) their selfs (c)
themselves (d) no improvement
6. What jacket do you think is most attractive—the wool or the
corduroy?
(a) the most attractive (b) the more attractive (c) more
attractive (d) no improvement
7. The statistics in 'The Times of India' are more startling than
the 'Malayalam Manorama'.
(a) more startling than those in (b) much more startling
than in (c) more startling than in (d) no improvement
8. Vicky is quieter than anyone in the family.
(a) than any one (b) than anyone else (c) than any one
else (d) no improvement
9. You have to practise regular if you want to improve your
tennis game.
(a) regularly (b) very regular (c) at
regularly (d) no improvement
10. We intended to have visited them on the way home.
(a) to make a visit (b) to visit (c) to visiting (d) no
improvement
11. If Cleopatra's nose would have been half an inch longer or
shorter, the whole course of history, it is said, would have
been changed.
(a) were (b) had been (c) have been (d) no improvement
7
12. Every article and illustration has he:, approve .

English
(a) have been approved (b) are approved (c) were approved (d) no
improvement 1 3 Raising their heads cautiously above the fence,
the curs were seen parked along the road.
(a) they were seen parked along the road, (b) they saw the ears parked
along the road, (c) the boys saw the cars parked along the road, (d)
no improvement 14. After eating a hearty dinner, the dishes were
washed.
ia) we washed the dishes (b) we were washed the dishes
(c) the dishes were washed by us (d) no improvement
1 5. We had just arrived, when he says. "Let's go fishing."
(a) he was saying (b) he has said (c) he said
(d) no improvement
16. Some of us seek changes in our own way of life, the work
we clo. the good we buy. the way we invest our financial
savings etc.
(a) the good material (b) the goods (c) the good articles (d) no
improvement
17. A study of such dimensions, with global implications,
conducted by key group of countries that provide a majbr
share of the financial assistance to development programmes,
shouk ' read by all who work in international cooperation,
(a) key groups of countries (b) key group of the countries
(c) a key group of countries (d) no improvement
I 8. Most donors would seriously protest any effort to extrapolate
from such limited data.
(a) protest against any effort (b) protest at any effort
(c) protest to any effort ( d ) no improvement
19. Education in developing countries is essentially the story of
the colonizing take-over of one culture by another by means
'j/the omnipresent, universalis! and modernizing schooling,
from colonial days to the present.
(a) by mean of (b) by the meaning of (c) by the means of
(d) no improvement
20. The continent has to move from emergency to long term
preventive solutions with good administration, good governing
within a framework of genuine democracy.
(a) good method of governing (b) good power to govern (c) good
governance (d) no improvement
21. Relief agencies went- in action to supply food and clean water
in Chamoti.
(a) went for action (b) went into action (c) went into the
action (d) no improvement
22. Another important new approach in way is to redesign antigen
used in manufacturing the AIDS vaccine.
(a) under way (b) on the way (c) in the way (d) no
improvement
23. I took advantage of mv stay by availing of the advanced
facilities for treatment of muscular dystrophy there.
(a) availing of advanced facilities (b) availing the advanced
facilities (c) availing myself of the advanced facilities (d) no
improvement
24. A great many persons has the ability for research and
discovery but are themselves blocked by such poor qualities
as lack of problem visualization, lack of imagination, lack of
incentive, and emotional and cultural blockages.
(a) had the ability (b) have the ability (c) should have the
ability I'd) no improvement
25. The problem of greatest concern, which is constantly on my
mind, is how to include the US, China, Japan and. if possible.
Russia, in such a way that they can work in harmony and
cooperatively.
(a) in harmony and cooperation (b) harmoniously and in
cooperation (c) harmoniously and cooperatively (d) no
improvement
26. My wife looked down the boots she had blacked and polished,
(a) looked down on (b) looked down in (c) looked down at (d)
no improvement
27. A person"s true worth is not determined by the amount of
formal education he has, his position in society, his reputation,
or his wealth.
(a) he had (b) he has got (c) he has had (d) no improvement
28. From a cruel, ambitious, and inhuman ruler, to a
compassionate,
humanitarian wheel-turning king, Ashoka rose like a phoenix
to shine as a star.
(a) arose (b) came up (c) get up (d) no improvement
29. If you lived in a cold climate you could be wearing shoes,
(a) would be having to wear (b) would need to wear
(c) would not need to wear (d) no improvement
English
30. If they were knowing about the crab, they would not have
decided to picnic there.
(a) had known (b) have known (c) did know (d) no
improvement
31. The human race pollutes the atmosphere with enormous
amounts of carbon dioxide that trap the sun's heat just as
heat is trapped in a greenhouse.
(a) has trapped (b) traps (c) is trapped (d) no improvement
32. Madhusudan asked to touch the feet of the union leader, and
I did so.
(a) asked us to (b) asked me to (c) asked of me (d) no
improvement
33. Checking the computer room, the dog was found.
(a) the dog found us (b) we find the dog (c) security staff
found the dog (d) no improvement
34. Colonel House was a friend and confidente of President
Wilson, (a) confidante (b) confidant (c) confidence (d) no
improvement
35. His next film led to another collision with the censors.
(a) colossal (b) coalition (c) collusion (d) no improvement
36. Professor Vaish asked his students whether they understood
his talk on pollution.
(a) had understood (b) have understood (c) can understand (d)
no improvement
37. King Birendra exceeded to the throne in January 1972 at the
age of 26.
(a) excessed (b) acceded (c) accessed (d) no improvement
38. I see one-third of a nation ill housed, ill clothed, and not getting
any food.
(a) ill eating (b) ill nourished (c) lacking in food (d) no
improvement
39. The sales executive advised employees to work hard and
against relying on luck.
(a) not rely on luck (b) not to rely on luck (c) to not rely on
luck (d) no improvement
40. Neither of the two previous twentieth century reforms dealt
with issues of human behaviour.
'"(aj in (b) out (c) of (d) no improvement
41. Often projects are evaluated by outsiders in order to justify
Sentence 55
Improvement
continual funding or political support.

(a) continued (b) continuous (c) constant (d) no improvement
42. Monitoring of a project means collecting information and to
observe records about activities to check whether the work is
being carried out as planned.
(a) to keep (b) to maintain (c) keeping (d) no improvement
43. Both sexes are influenced by very strong and broadly held
beliefs about appropriate male and female behaviour.
(a) strongly (b) squarely (c) widely (d) no improvement
44. Baseline research enables the researcher to draw up a profile
of the target group.
(a) draw out (b) draw (c) make up (d) no improvement
45. Breast feeding is one of the most important way that a mother
can help her infant stay healthy.
(a) means (b) ways (c) way out (d) no improvement
46. A child with a cough for more than one month, recurrent
bouts of fever, poor weight gain or loss of weight should be
known to have have TB and tested appropriately.
(a) appraised (b) deemed (c) suspected (d) no improvement
47. The drum player is used to play with a dance band when he
was young.
(a) usually (b) is used (c) used to (d) no improvement
48. Saji was happy to stand out for Vikram when he was unable
to play in the team's weekly football game.
(a) stand in (b) stand up (c) stand by (d) no improvement
49. On January 1,2000 the records in computer would go bananas
from the sell-by dates of bananas to the locking status of
bank vaults.
(a) change form (b) turn hostile (c) go berserk (d) no
improvement
50. Scientific humanism claims itself to be an ethical philosophy
and aims to the realization of maximum peace and happiness
in the world.
(a) on (b) at (c) for (d) no improvement
51. Shephali told her brother that she had been wrong.
(a) said to (b) asked (c) admitted to (d) no improvement
52. Women in the rural areas are mostly exclusively responsible
for the nutrition of their children.
(a) almost (b) nearly (c) exactly (d) no improvement
English
53. Mrs Smith was angry with the behaviour of the audience, (a)
about (b) at (c) on (d) no improvement
54. As I was busy washing the car. Lily offered to paint the fence,
(a) Because (b) When (c) Though (d) no improvement
55. In many regions of the world, women spend up to five hours
per day collecting fuel wood and water and up to four hours to
prepare food.
(a) to cook (b) in preparing (c) preparing (d) no improvement
56. It is the childless pairs who always give the best advice to
parents on how to raise their children.
(a) husband and wife (b) couples (c) men and women (d) no
improvement
57. The easiest way to disarm the straddler is to stand or sit beside
him. making him feel vulnerable to attack and to force him to
change his position, becoming less aggressive.
(a) to force on (b) to forcing (c) forcing (d) no improvement
58. The manager discussed how to fill the empty containers with
her employees.
(a) about her employees to fill the empty containers (b) how
to fill with her employees the empty containers (c) with her
employees how to fill the empty containers (d) no
improvement
59. Many a man should be glad of such an opportunity.
(a) many a men (b) many men (c) a many man (d) no
improvement
60. The pandemic continues to grow, as you heard this morning
and will hear again in the next few minutes.
(a) you have heard (b) you will hear (c) you should hear (d) no
improvement
61. AIDS, by any measure, is a disease of the young, a fact bom
out by the many insidious ways in which this disease is
ravaging the fundamental rights of children.
(a) borne out (b) to be borne out (c) bourn out (d) no
improvement
62. Any body who is an entrepreneur is a person who essentially
has impaired judgement.
(a) any one (b) anybody (c) one (d) no improvement
63. The open society to me is term that can arguably be applied as
effectively to an enterprise as it can be to a nation.
(a) the term (b) one term (c) a term (d) no improvement
64. Searching for one man in this big city turned out to be like
looking for the needle in the haystack.
(a) the needle in a haystack (b) a needle in the haystack (c) a
needle in a haystack (d) no improvement
65. Efforts to avoid being detected and punishment cause
corruption to be more distortionary than taxation.
(a) detect (b) detecting (c) detection (d) no improvement
66. We look forward to work with you in the years to come by
sharing information and support.
(a) to working (b) for working (c) for work (d) no
improvement
67. The perceived value of children's contribution to the family
economy is falling as more parents are understanding that
education considerably increases earning power.
(a) have been understanding (b) understand (c) have
understanding (d) no improvement.
68. The right to decide the size and spacing of one's tafnfty is
internationally accepted as a human right since 1968.
(a) is accepted internationally (b) has been accepted
internationally (c) has been internationally accepted (d) no
improvement
69. Over-dependence on single products or activities expose small
states' economies to international trade shocks, contributing
to massive losses of export earning.
(a) exposes (b) have been exposing (c) are exposing (d) no
improvement
70. Resuming negotiations after a break of several days, the same
issues confronted both the union and the company.
(a) the same issues were confronted by both the union and the
company (b) both the union and the company were confronted
by the same issues (c) both the union and the company
confronted the same issues (d) no improvement
71. This hypothetical expedition enventually became very real to
both of us. but neither of us imagined that it would ever be
worked into fact.
(a) called (b) realized (c) translated (d) no improvement
72. The Commission said that it wanted to hear all the pros and
cons of the issue before coming to any conclusion.
(a) a conclusion (b) any conclusions (c) conclusions (d) no
improvement
73. Many newspapers and magazines pay a great deal of money
for sensational stories by well-known public figures who will
wash dirty linen in public.
(a) wash the dirty linen in public (b) wash the dirty linen in the
public (c) wash their dirty linen in public (d) no improvement
74. During our conversation the Director of the Department of
Agriculture explained the international significance of his
region's campaign about locusts.
(a) campaign against (b) campaign for (c) campaign to drive (d)
no improvement
75. Will passengers in the train for Varanasi now standing on
platform 3 please alight Immediately and proceed to platform
5.
(a) in train (b) on the train (c) inside the train (d) no improvement
76. She has examined all the records and reports that the witnesses
have provided contradictory accounts.
(a) finds that (b) reports about (c) reports (d) no improvement
77. Salim began to stay late at the office either because the work
was piling up or to impress his staff.
(a) because the work was piling up or because to impress his staff,
(b) because the work was piling or because he wanted to impress
his staff, (c) to clear away the work that was piling up or to
impress his staff, (d) no improvement
78. Not one of the witnesses have mentioned seeing a blonde
woman talking to the child just before the accident.
(a) have mentioned about (b) has mentioned about (c) has
mentioned (d) no improvement
79. Marijuana may be one of many environmental agents that
adversely affects genetic development in subtle ways.
(a) adversely affect (b) affects adversely (c) adversely effect (d) no
improvement
80. One of the main errors which were involved was the post-
computation check.
(a) was involved was (b) is involved was (c) was involved were (d)
no improvement
II
VOCABULARY
Practising
Vocabulary
You have already seen how
important it is to put words in the correct
order in a sentence, to use appropriate
punctuation and spelling, and to avoid
grammatical lapses. There is no room for
inexact phraseology (the choice or
arrangement of words), solecism
(mistake in the use of language),
malapropism (misuse of words, caused
by confusing two words that are similar
in sound but different in meaning), or
use of unnecessary words. The clarity of
thought and expression is important, if
you want to write what you mean. Your
ability to use appropriate words and
phrases, phrasal verbs and idiomatic
expressions depends on your range of
vocabulary developed over the years.
Since it is by means of words that
you convey your thoughts, ideas, and
feelings, it is essential for your success
that you should try to enlarge your
vocabulary; you should have a fairly
good stock of words at your disposal to
articulate your ideas or views.
It is often the case tKat one is not
able to find the exact word, or words, to
express ones thoughts with the right
shades of feeling one has. Also, one
finds it difficult to make the right choice
when the same word admits of various
applications, or may be used in different
senses.
When you look up a word in the
dictionary, you will find its denotation,
that is, you are told what object,
concept, or other entity the word refers
to. Many words, however, also have a
connotation, that is, a particular feeling or
attitude associated with them. Words
like scholar, academic, intellectual, pedant,
and know-all share much the same
denotation. However, scholar and
academic have positive connotation while
pedant and know-all are very negative.
The connotation of intellectual can vary:
sometimes it is used to admire,
sometimes to sneer.
Similarly, the connotations of kill,
butcher, murder, eliminate and liquidate are
different. While kill is bad but neutral in
connotation, butcher and murder mean
more than kill, carrying very bad
connotation. Eliminate and liquidate, on the
other hand, are politically loaded and
seek to give a good connotation to kill.
So, you should be well prepared to
choose word or words that mean only
one thing in a given context. You should
understand the subtle difference between
words that may have the same basic
meaning but different colour or sense
(suggesting slightly different things);
that is, you
English
should understand the words that may have much the same denotation but
different connotation. For example:
1. desire— wish —craving—t -earning—hankering
2. argue—debate—reason—dispute—wrangle
3. change—alter—modi/)-—transform
4. say--tell- -respond--speak—mutter—yell—squeak— exclaim—reply—
insist—whine—whisper-—screech—trill— twitter
Perhaps a good way to build up your fund of vocabulary is to
observe and use the new words that you come across in reading and
conversation. You should also be willing to use more than one dictionary
to find meanings and usage of words and phrases that you come across for
the first time or about which you may not be sure. You may find a
dictionary of synonyms (words meaning the same) and antonyms (words
meaning the opposite), or a special reference book like Roget's
International Thesauraus. also very useful. Most word-processing
programmes like Word Perfect and Word also offer a thesaurus you can
easily access. Using a thesaurus will give you thousands of new words to
choose from. In the process, you will build up your vocabulary.
Remember, if you "know' a word, you can understand it when it is
written (or spoken), recall it when you need it, use it with the correct
meaning in a grammatically correct way, use it in the right sense and
situation, and know if it has positive or negative association.
1
Finding Synonyms
As the English Language is rich in synonyms (words with similar
meaning) and near synonyms, .you should be able to make a judicious selection
from a set of words. Vocabulary items are designed to test the different forms
and meanings of words and their suitability for a specific context. You may be
required to match an isolated word or phrase with its synonyms, definition or
equivalent; to match the specific meaning of a word as realized in a given
context, with its synonym or equivalent; to find word or expression that best
completes the meaning of a sentence with a blank; or to match a word with its
antonym (opposite meaning).
Needless to say. without a wide vocabulary, you may not be able to show
your knowledge of structure and usage of the language that together express
your meaning.
Exercise I: Choose the word or phrase which best matches or carries the
sense of the italicized expression in each of the following sentences:
1. The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals
are treated.
(a) processed (b) dealt with (c) cared (d) managed
2. S.K. Meena, a maize breeder at the centre, said he feels it is a
shame to curtail the efforts in this area when success appears
so close.
(a) intimate (b) near (c) thorough (d) blocked
3. As more reactors are built, nuclear energy will become an
increasingly^nportant source of power.
(a) starting point of a river (b) place from which something
comes (c) origin (d) original document for study
4. The current position about development of the fast breeder
reactor in India needs to be reassessed.
(a) flow of electric charge (b) flow of water in a river (c)
popular (d) belonging to the present time
English
5. Mr David exercised over his daughter an authority which,
though sane Honed by law and social custom, was nonetheless
harsh, even cruel.
(a) approved (b) legal (c) lawful (d) acceptable
6. Indian society is essentially heterogeneous.
(a) composed of diverse elements (b) attracted by opposite
sex (c) propagating hatred (d) assortment of differences
7. Asian Americans have a proclivity for self-employment.
(a) tendency to climb upward slope (b) desire for earning
more money (c) inclination for something bad (d) tendency to
behave in a particular way
8. In certain South Indian tribes, there prevails the custom of
polyandry
(a) having more than one wife at the same time (b) having
more than one husband at the same time (c) worshipping
more than one god (d) learning of several different subjects
9. The officer was taken to task for misappropriation of funds, (a)
abuse of official funds (b) failure to utilise funds (c) applying
someone else's money to his own use (d) responsible for
spending money.
10. Those scientists always seem to postulate the disputed doctrine
of Evolution.
(a) take for granted (b) agitate over-(c) find out (d) accept
11. Virtually all population growth occurs in developing countries
where it is a major catalyst for desertification, tropical forest
loss, and diminishing water supplies.
(a) cultivation in the desert (b) conversion into barren region
(c) punishment one deserves (d) running away without
permission
12. According to a UNFP report, Indian women inhale carcinogens
from cooking fuel equal to smoking several packs of
cigarettes
a day.
(a) infectious gases ( b ) cancer-producing substance fc) forms
of cancer (d) carbon monoxide
13. Mitali was blue about not being invited to the inter-university
dance competition.
(a) depressed in spirit (b) Wearing blue jeans (c) suddenly
and unexpectedly (d) unknown
14. They drummed him out of the club.
Finding Synonyms 65
(a) forced him to leave it (b) welcomed him at joining it (c) danced
rhythmically (d) supported him
15. Her argument was irrefragable.
(a) beyond belief (b) not to be resisted (c) impossible to be proved
false (d) beyond answer
16. The public sector units in our state have plans to boost
production by 40 per cent next year.
(a) supplement (b) promote (c) push into the air (d) raise
17. Energy utilization has become the modern key to human
progress.
(a) metal instrument for locking a door (b) that which leads to the
solution of a problem (c) sets answers to exercises or
problems (d) operating part of a typewriter
18. The various processes carried out by the body, such as
movement, growth and reproduction, all require the
expenditure of energy.
(a) a series of changes (b) a series of actions leading to a particular
result (c) treatments of film for developing (d) a series of
operations on something in a computer.
19. Fossil fuels are found below the surface of the earth. They
include coal, oil and natural gas.
(a) ordinary (b) not raised or lowered (c) not artificial or man-made
(d) not needing to be trained
20. The Chief Minister has assured the agitated members of the
Assembly that he would set up a commission to investigate
the causes of the accident.
(a) act of doing something wrong or unlawful (b) authority-held by
an officer of the police (c) per centage payment for help in
selling or buying something (d) group of experts called
together to advise on some important matter.
21. Government regulations concerning vehicle noise and exhaust
emissions are a challenge to car designers.
(a) new problems that must be solved (b) invitation to come and
fight (c) words spoken by a sentry (d) sporting event
22. The photocopier is now a very sophisticated instrument which
can produce work as good-looking as a printed page.
(a) well-articulated (b) well-defined (c) highly developed (d)
adulterated
23. The people who live near the Chernobyl nuvlear plant have
English
escaped disaster by a narrow margin.

(a) edge of a larger area (b) blank space round the written or
printed matter on a page (c) difference between cost and
selling price (d) condition near the limit or border line
24. Our institution places a lot o f special importance on pre-serv
ice
training.
(a) insurance (b) attachment (c) emphasis (d) strength
25. In most villages in our country, school buildings are now
empty
and falling down.
(a) crumbling (b) derelict (c) poor (d) deserted
26. Some of the rebel groups have refused to gixe in even though
they are surrounded by the troops.
(a) seize (b) cease t'c) abandon (d) surrender
27. The Afghan Mujahideen groups turned out for the joint council
meeting, despite the serious threats from Hezb-i-lslami
fighters, (a) attended (b) assembled (c) rushed (d) emptied
28. She invited me for a dinner at a 5-Star hotel to show off her
wealth.
(a) exhibit (b) be attractive (c) be pompous (d) be ostentatious
29. If a person's words or actions are near the knuckle they are
likely to:
(a) please people (b) offend people (c) break the finger joints (d)
soothe nerves
30. Professor Ghosh affected to take no notice of his understudy's
petulant outburst.
(a) ignore (b) understand (c) oppose (d) defy
31. To speak with approbation, or to oppose such a motion seemed
equally dangerous.
(a) hate (b) support (c) perfect (d) sanction
32. It was not where and how the funds had been obtained that
troubled me. but whether now we had got them thev would
serve our turn.
(a) the source (b) the whereabouts (c) the original documents fd)
the starting point
33. We owe it to our children andfuture generations to tackle the
problems now. to get them under control, so as to give our
homeland, our ecology and our natural resources a chance to
breathe and regenerate.
(a) futurity (b) forbear (c) posterity (d) destiny
Finding Synonyms 67
34. A world of 5.4 billion people, growing by 95 million (the

equivalent of five Iraqs) each year, portends environmental
disaster.
(a) signifies (b) informs (c) shadows (d) foreshadows
35. Those of you who find yourselves too strapped'to make any
soil of contribution at this time might want to think ahead, (a)
penniless (b) straitened (c) mean (d) inferior
36. She was shrieking maniacal invective at the terrified girl, (a)
mannish (b) violent (c) energetic (d) foolish
37. Lack of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities sooner or
later leads to outbreaks of water-borne and food-borne
infectious diseases and. eventually, to tragic loss of life.
(a) occurrence (b) break out (c) outbursts (d) uprising
38. Unrestrained resource consumption for energy production and
other uses could lead to catastrophic outcomes for the global
environment.
(a) calamitous (b) hard (c) adverse (d)dreamy
39. Growing children require nourishing food and exercise if they
are to develop into healthy adults.
(a) exhaust (b) derive (c) share (d) need
40. The captain reported that the soldiers had refused to execute
his orders.
(a) perform (b) kill (c) carry out (d) support
41. All sides must refrain from snap judgement.
(a) taking photograph (b) break (c) sharp (d) hasty
42. Singing, playing, teaching or commenting on politics in the
country's other language—that which is not your own—can
pay big dividends, intellectually as well as financially.
(a) cheque (b) advantages (c) profit (d) harvest
43. Originally the club for the intellectual elite of each nation was
to be called "Mens", after the Latin word for "mind".
(a) egalitarian (b) powerful (c) best (d) enlightened
44. It is a well-documented fact that during the bleak economic
times such as these, small non-profit organizations are among
the first to feel the pinch and among the last to experience the
recovery.
(a) stress (b) hurt (c) loss (d) trouble
45. In the commotion the lion made o f f , arJ we founu Mr Zoro
68 Multiple Choice Genera]
English
sitting on the bed with a towel round his arm. (a)
avoided (b) rushed (c) chased (d) escaped
46. It was very thin, with scars and sores, and was obviously
incapable of hunting, which accounted for its unnatural
behaviour.
(a) justified (b) explained the cause of (c) provided statement of
money paid or received (d) gave a reckoning of
47. Her grief was the more bitter because this was the first time
her grandfather had ever charged her to receive a guest of
his.
(a) accused (b) attacked (c) given responsibility for (d) asked for
payment
48. Government forces today successfully eliminated several
traitors and other dissident elements for the better security of
our beloved motherland.
(a) removed (b) wiped out (cj expelled (d) killed
49. ""You must realize that it pains me to see the gulf that has
arisen between the Congress and Communists in rndia."
(a) ravine (b) bridge (c) gap (d) game
50. 'Kalpasutra' is traditionally ascribed to the sage Bhadrabahu
and was compiled around 300 B.C.
(a) specified (b) attributed (c) dedicated (d) described
51. It consists of processing the cloth directly with an electron
beam so that priming sites are formed along the polymer
chains, (a) thick bar of wood (b) heavy machinery (c) shine
(d) ray
52. Joseph Conrad, who died on August 3, 1942, was a profound
sceptic for most of the 66 years of his life.
(a) believer (b) doubter (c) cynic (d) diseased
53. Unrestrained resource consumption for energy production and
other uses could lead to catastrophic outcomes for the global
environment.
(a) dreamy (b) adverse (c) hard (d) calamitous
54. Now that both the ordinary man and the industrial giants
realize
the danger, more is being done to safeguard our natural raw
materials, and to recycle them when possible.
(a) reproduce (b) cycle back (c) use again (d) close the circle
55. Leena was devoted to her mother and looked after her for
many years in her old age.
Findi a
ng 56.
Synon
yms (a)
57.
(a)
(a) 58.
f (a)
o 59.
l (a)
l 6
o (a)
w 61.
(a)
e
62.
d (a)
63.
( (a) a
b 64.
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e
d
o
u
t
h
i
s
i
d
e
t
English
66. She had noticed their forced smiles as she and Reema
clambered aboard.
(a) climbed (b) altercated (c) strived (d) moved
67. Our true culture was based on simple living and clear
thinking,
avoiding vulgar ostentation and luxury.
(a) attention (b) impression (c) show-off (d) splash
68. Chances are if a country doesn't have access to fuel to fire a
power plant, it doesn't have enough fuel to service its
industries.
(a) eject (b) incinerate (c) activate (d) develop
69. The issue for us was never whether the project would fail,
but how long it would take to get back on track.
(a) start again (b) chase (c) reason out (d) recover
70. The legislative assembly threw down the gauntlet to the Chief
Minister.
(a) challenged (b) protected (c) defeated (d) threw the mikes
71. We often dine alfresco in the warm summer evenings.
(a) in the traditional way (b) at our ease (c) outdoors (d)
lazily
72. We haven't the wherewithal to finance all those concerts and
cultural evenings.
(a) resources (b) venue (c) supplies (d) time
73. I couldn't stand when she began to preen herself on her
superior intelligence.
(a) lament (b) masquerade (c) self-satisfied and proud (d)
clean
74. Serious attempts to get more out of individual human beings
necessarily involve the weird, unpredictable, sometimes yucky
stuff that has come to be labelled as the 'soft' side of
management.
(a) disgusting (b) ghostly (c) empty (d) stupid
75. The EMRO Mental Health Programme has taken a special
interest in developing strong national mental health
programmes
as a vehicle of change and progress.
(a) transport (b) process (c) demonstration (d) means
76. Our yearning for faraway places stops at nothing, as is borne
out by the development of mass tourism.
(a) confirmed (b) realized (c) influenced (d) known
ding Synonyms 71
77. The excellent agreement between the values substantiates the

accuracy of the latent heat.
(a) provides (b) follows (c) subserves (d) supports
78. One of India's most verdant states. Kerala is nothing if not
water and green.
(a) unsophisticated (b) herbaceous (c) green with vegetation (d)
full of vines
79. Our game plan is to proliferate network computing solutions, (a)
increase (b) promote (c) develop (d) design
80. While the economy opens up. the consumers would be able to buy
quality goods at the most competitive prices.
(a) rises (b) diversifies (c) becomes wide (d) becomes •
unrestricted
81. He displayed a distinct tendency to long-winded speeches when
asked how he was, which bored him.
(a) be repetitive (b) be boring (c) be indistinct (d) be
circumlocutory
82. Local governments see business as an adversary and a source
of tax and licensing revenue.
(a) opposition (b) argument (c) trouble (d) injury
83. As understudy for the role, Mohua had to be ready to fit in the
physical shoes of the heroine.
(a) stand-in (b) imitation (c) actress (d) representative
84. Gone are the days when people, especially the younger
generation, had hang-ups about sex.
(a) feelings of failure (b) feelings of embarrassment (c) self-
consciousness (d) terror
85. The average figure has tailed off in the last few years, (a) lost the
track (b) diminished (c) cribbed (d) recorded
85. When the police arrived the burglars bolted.
(a) closed the room (b) lost control (c) ran away (d) prevented
them from entering
87. Although the task of addressing violence in contemporary
society might seem overwhelming, the work itself often proves
uplifting.
(a) elevating (b) raising (c) grading (d) enlivening
88. The memory of the poignancy of his testimony will remain
with me forever.
(a) sharpness (b) deeply felt distress (c) grief (d) pathos
English
89. With a staggering one billion people watching on TV — and
captive Hollywood power-brokers in the house — the Oscar
ceremony has proven an irresistible soapbox over the years, (a)
a platform for making speeches (b) a place to wash hands with
soap (c) a crate for packing soap (d) a TV serial
90. The visitors were all embarrassed except a little woman who
kept up a constant stream of chatter.
(a) garrulous woman (b) sharp-tongued woman (c) braggart
(d) taciturn
91. The space shuttle 'Endeavour' is scheduled to ferry the first
US-built component of the international space station into
orbit
several months from now.
(a) catch (b) travel (c) transport (d) boat
92. The real essence of Gandhi's activities lies in their spirit of
"human revolution" which embodies his determination to
achieve an internal reformation as an individual.
(a) purgation (b) revolution (c) transformation (d) novelty
93. The speaker complained that his adversary had exploited
young
children, and said that his indifference to their sufferings and
hardships deserved the utmost censure.
(a) callousness (b) disregard (c) contempt (d) exposure
94. He has been on the run ever since the CBI raided his hideout,
(a) meeting lawyers (b)going from place to place (c) fleeing
from pursuers (d) fleeting
95. A market trader told her this ring was made of gold and she
fell for it.
(a) purchased (b) was deceived (by the trick) (c) failed (d)
believed
96. Deorbiting objects that are no longer useful is the only truly
effective measure to prevent further pollution of space.
(a) Reversing movement of objects in the orbit (b) Reserving
enough fuel for a satellite's last trip (c) Flying of objects
away from the orbit (d) Removing objects from the orbit
97. Another aspect of the knowledge/information economy is that
the line between the.military and civilian sectors is blurring,
raising prickly new questions about who exactly is responsible
for what.
(a) annoying (b) contentious (c) subversive (d) disturbing
Finding Synonyms 'J
98. Monica discovered several mistakes when she went over the
figures and calculations.
(a) explained (b) studied (c) reviewed (d) recalled
99. She unsuccessfully tried to fudge data on the report, (a)
falsify (b) smear (c) fit (d) sweeten
100. Ramesh will never come here, unless it was to cadge tree
drinks.
(a) hide (b) beg (c) store away (d) add to
Finding Antonyms
As you may have realized by now, vocabulary is best learnt in
contexts, in meaningful structures in association with other words. You
can work out meanings of the unfamiliar words or phrases from the clues
in a sentence, or draw inferences from what you observe and guess the
meaning, or comprehend new words from the examples/definitions/
comparisons or contrasts given in the text. You also take help of the
dictionary or thesaurus when your existing knowledge fails.
If you are familiar with most of the vocabulary of the sentence, \ou
should also have the skill to match a word with its antonym. That is, you
should be good at understanding and recalling the words with opposite
meanings', sharp and dull; happy and sad; light and dark; clever and stupid;
hard and soft.
Words with opposite meanings may be found in the same context,
e.g. "To be white and not black, affluent and not poor, is enough to provide
status in certain social groups." You may notice that black and white are
opposites. so when you see the next pair of words in a parallel
construction, you can assume that affluent is the opposite of poor, and
must, therefore, mean rich.
Exercise I: Choose the response which is most nearly opposite in
meaning to the italicized expression in each sentence:
1. The more adroit we are at discerning the feelings behind other
people's signals, the better we control the signal we send, (a)
gifted (b) undiplomatic (c) rustic (d) inept
2. Comic incidents proliferated from the 'Sitcoms' team of
writers.
(a) decreased (bj explained (c) multiplied (d) removed
3. The new leadership did not slacken their efforts to improve
water and electricity supply to the rural sector.
(a) relax (b) intensify (c) change (d) tighten
4. Her friend was too squeamish to look.
(a) bold (b) beautiful (c) confused (d) prudish
Finding Antonyms 75
5. His public arrogance and flaunting o f his criminal wealth soon
made him unpopular.
(a) flout (b) disdain (c) modesty (d) meanness
6. Prisoners" rights are rarely a matter o f popular concern
particularly when meagre resources have to match priorities,
(a) uncommon (b) public (c) sporadic (d) special
7. The company's plans were fraught with difficulties.
(a) burdened with (b) designed for (c) devoid of (d) cause of
8. The organization has plans to take on two hundred new-
employees next year.
ia) lay off (b) take action (c) disappoint (d) support
9. My friend didn't have the courage to face upto her boss and
ask for a rise.
(a) avoid (b) resist (c) defend (d) argue
10. Although h e was eventually exonerated, h e never recovered
from the strain of the trial.
(a) absolved (b) implicated (c) entangled (d) exempted
11. The waitress sat in a corner, making every effort to look
languid and bored.
(a) vivacious (b) listless (c) strenuous (d) slack
12. Gupta made his money by latching on to a clever idea and
then converting it into a highly profitable enterprise.
(a) losing (b) clinging (c) opening (d) locking
13. AWB Food Bank is the first organization that collects and
redistributes surplus food in India.
(a) excess (b) extra (c) deficit (d) defective
14. One of the more colourful stories is about the President
toppled
by fraudulent voters who in the end toppled the culprits.
(a) deprived (b) thrown out (c) overturned (d) ascending
15. We cannot at once keep sacred the miracle of existence and
hold sacrosanct the capacity to destroy it.
(a) inviolable (b) pious (c) condemnable (d) venerable
16. Nuclear deterrence hinges on the ability to mount a
devastating retaliation under the most extreme conditions of
war initiation, (a) remission (b) allegation (c) generosity (d)
reprisal
17. The state government for its part can identify vulnerable
villages where these forces can be stationed.
(a) susceptible (b) critical (c) weak (d) unassailable
English
18. "Colonizers" were groups of bought voters who moved en
masse to turn the voting tide in doubtful wards.
(a) separately (b) in a crowd (c) actively (d) in anger
19. By constantly accelerating its own capabilities, the
technology
is just as constantly self-obsolescing.
(a) self-serving (b) self-reviving (c) developing(d) antiquated
20. Besides the ground water contamination is the fact that the
aquifers are being overpumped for agriculture and increasing
industry.
(a) corrupt (b) purification (c) addition of radio-active
material (d) desecration
21. Nelson has great admiration for the work of some Indian
NGOs. particularly their dedication in the face of daunting
challenges.
(a) frightening (b) worrying (c) awful (d) encouraging
22. So the next time you see a woman jumping the queue (I've
hardly ever seen a man jumping one), perhaps you should join
her.
(a) standing in the line (b) pushing others in the line (c)
waiting (d) spending more time
23. "You fool!" he shouted as he came towards me with his fist
raised to hit me. But I was quicker than he.
(a) sudden (b) faster (c) slower (d) sluggard
24. Do you realize we can get six months in prison if they catch
us?
(a) hold (b) remove (c) release (d) apprehend
25. A lack of Vitamin-C-rich foods also inhibits your body's
ability
to absorb the iron it needs to fight fatigue.
(a) exhaustion (b) nervousness (c) depression (d) energy
26. The plane almost crashed on take-off.
(a) landing (b) take-on (c) get-on (d) lift-off
27. The construction of the tunnel has been held up owing to a
strike.
(a) slowed down (b) influenced (c) going on (d) moved down
28. If science and technology are less in conflict today, it is only
partly because science is now less inclined to insist that its
method is the only way to think about man and the universe,
(a) more in union (b) more in opposition (c) more in harmony
(d) together
Finding Antonyms
77
29. Since no system can be infallible, people have worried about
the danger that this kind of intricate and sensitive system will
get out of hand.
(a) help (b) be off our hand (c) be in hand (d) be under control
30. When scientists and engineers undertake to apply science to
practical problems, they find it impossible to stick to
quantitative data and rules of logic.
(a) slip (b) flout (c) discard (d) escape
31. The most tyrannical political systems are those built not on
corruption, but on self-righteous fanaticism.
(a) kindness (b) dull (cj feeling week (d) tolerance
32. The bulk of the benefits from institutional credit has accrued
to the affluent farmers whose repayment performance has.
on all accounts, been worse than that of the resource-starved
small and margical farmers.
(a) landless (b) pauper (c) ill-bred (d) dispossessed
33. My mother has been working hard for the last two weeks and
she feels run down.
(a) morbid (b) cold (c) energetic (d) emotional
34. The minister brushed aside the earlier decisions and went ahead
with his plans.
(a) wiped out (b) cleaned the table (c) slighted (d) took note of
35. Although he was really a builder, he could turn his hand to
electrical and various other jobs as well.
(a) engage in (b) agree to do (c) tackle (d) not be able to do
36. We will have to put off the theatre trip until she is better, (a)
advance (b) adjourn (c) disturb (d) cancel
37. We couldn't figure out why he took that route.
(a) calculate (b) discover (c) misunderstand (d) manage
38. Only the journalist demurred, and she was an economist, (a)
agreed (b) objected (c) doubted (d) continued
39. The enormous nuclear potential and the huge quantities of
landmines contaminate broad expanses of the globe.
(a) operate (b) purify (c) react (d) waste
40. The idea of making Hindi the national language was thwarted
by the recalcitrance of the speakers of other important
national
languages.
(a) supported (b) implemented (c) opposed (d) foiled
English
41. The ecstasy of harmony experienced by friends is

indescribable.
(a) ebullience (b) despondency (c) distress (d) torment
42. The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent man
ignores an insult.
(a) comfort (b) slyness (c) fright (d) nervousness
43. His actions are inconsistent with his statements.
(a) incongruous (b) harmonious (c) conformity (d) united
44. She was too squeamish to look.
(a) bold (b) beautiful ( c ) prudish (d) confused
45. She used to live in a squalid overcrowded flat in the poorest
part of Patna.
(a) exotic (b) sordid (c) spongy (d) splendid
46. The new policy has produced a ferocious atmosphere of
competition.
(a) hard (b) compulsive (c) gentle (d) rapacious
47. Anju saw the hideous, obscure shape rise slowly to the
surface, (a) inconspicuous (b) novel (c) veiled (d) distinct
48. Bharati S. Pradhan"s 'The Other Woman' is a captivating
account of an actress.
(a) motivating (b) restraining (c) repulsive (d) relishing
49. The insect inflates her lungs so that they swell into her
abdomen.
(a) contract (b) bite (c) decline (d) dilate
50. The recent boom in room video conferencing became possible
only because of the advent of high capacity digital lines for
data transmission.
(a) approach ( b ) exodus (c) novelty (d) termination
51. Because of his failure to take into account the effects of the
recession, he spent the next nine months washing dishes,
w orking in warehouses, and cursing himself for turning down
the job.
(a) inflation (b) boom (c) depression (d) vacation
52. 1 felt terribly let down by my employers as well as by my
religious faith.
(a) satisfied (b) failed (c) promoted (d) assisted
ding Antonyms 79
53. He recalls that the first draft of his memo was full o f acrimony
and bitter accusations, but he was able to work through most
of his negative emotions as he rewrote the letter.
(a) ferocity <b) placidity (c) asperity (d) passion
54. Left to fight the difficult battle alone, she felt betrayed and
abandoned by those women who had succumbed to cowardice
in the face of adversity.
(a) surrendered (b) yielded (c) overcome (d) demanded
55. The Royal Navy was singled out for particular criticism with
senior managers accused o f turning a blind eye to racist taunts
and language.
(a) fouling up (b) crying wolf (c) paying attention (d) show ing
off
56. Mrs Kaul did not slacken her efforts to get her daughter a job. (a)
relax (b) intensify (c) loose (d) stop
57. The principal objected to Maria's selection for Assistantship
because she had appeared wearing an indecently short dress, (.a) a
coarse (b) a gaudy (c) a modest (d) a vulgar
58. The headmaster and teachers skirmished for a term over the
question of corporal punishment.
(a) tangible (b) mental (c) personal (d) physical
59. He would have gone round the bend if he had stayed there any
longer.
(a) felt comfortable (b) bothered (c).become slothful (d) gone
mad
60. Sexual relations in certain savage tribes are entirely
promiscuous.
Ca) unrestricted (b) wild (c) chaste (d) lewd
61. It will not be inaccurate to note that the present day moral-
political atrophy is a world phenomenon.
(a) improvement (b) refusal (cj popularity (d) reduction
62. Without a word or a backward glance, he walked away, (a) facing
front (b) forward (c) froward (d) sideward
63. A bulk of students grow up in an atmosphere where the feeling is
that knowledge is static and frozen at the level when their
textbooks were written some 40-50 years ago.
(a) mixed up (b) molten (c) dynamic (d) standard
English
64. Meanwhile the peril to our country grows and the West that
has never forgiven India her freedom enjoys and fuels failures
of Indian statesmanship with treason.
(aj discourages (b) diffuses (c) focuses (d) stops supply of
petrol
65. She was seized with an unaccountable melancholy and the
idea of making away with herself'had filled her mind a dozen
times.
(a) compromising with others (b) running away (c) stealing
(d) continuing to live
66. The judge said that he would hold over his judgement till after
the summer vacation.
(a) defer (b) offer (c) reserve (d) deliver promptly
67. The industrialism of the nineteenth century fostered a harsh,
crude life-style.
(a) discouraged (b) stopped (c) spoiled (d) considered
68. She spends a lot of her salary on frivolous things.
(a) wasteful (b) serious (c) wonderful (d) time-saving
69. He welcomed me with uncharacteristic joviality.
(a) light mood (b) hopelessness (c) despondence (d) delight
70. Nature's waggery began with the cruel joke that she played
on Columbus through the ignorance of an ill-informed
mapmaker.
(a) knowledge (b) cowardice (c) temerity (d) triumph
71. Some sick immigrants were also sent back.
(a) settlers (b) natives (c) vagabonds (d) foreigners
72. Her assignments have taken her to many exotic locations
around
the world.
(a) usual (b) wonderful (c) cosmopolitan (d) irrelevant
73. The key words in planning for an unpredictable future are
focus and flexibility.
(a) complexity (b) pliability (c) tensity (d) rigidity
74. The militants rounded up people at gun-point.
(a) finished (b) dispersed (c) surrounded (d) made them stand
in a circle
75. She was surprised and moved when people started to cry.
(a) warned (b) astounded (c) undaunted (d) indifferent
ding Antonyms
81
76. At the all-party meeting the inconsistencies which haunt the
workers came to the surface.
(a) were camouflaged (b) were put under ground (c) were obvious
(d) disappeared
77. Once you see a country as hostile, you are likely to interpret
ambiguous actions on their part as signifying their hostility,
(a) satanic (b) friendly (c) estranged (d) aggressive
78. The current interest in sign language has roots in the
pioneering work of one renegade teacher at Gallaudet
University in Washington, D.C., the world's only liberal arts
university for deaf people.
(a) traitor (b) deserter (c) corrupt (d) devoted
79. We will have to defer the decision until Dr Alam gets back
from holiday.
(a) refer (b) postpone (c) expedite (d) advance
80. With the exception of a mechanical fault, it now seems that
only a sudden deterioration in Florida's normally perfect
weather can delay Columbia's blast-off at 6.50 a.m. local
time,
(a) inclusion (b) avoidance (c) possibility (d) certainty
3
Filling in Blanks
Practising vocabulary items means developing the ability to use the
right word in the right place. Besides using synonyms and antonyms, you
should also be able to rind the word or phrase that best completes the
meaning of a sentence with a blank.
In fact, when you are asked to complete a sentence by filling in
blanks, it is presumed you have a reasonable development of speaking,
listening, and reading skills: and you have internalized the basic patterns
of the language. You can comprehend what is the suitable word or phrase
you can use from a list of words,-'phrases in a context. This means, you
have adequate stock of words to accommodate your thought in a sentence.
The specific expectation in this section is: you should possess a
wide enough vocabulary — content words, phrasal/idiomatic expressions
— to complete the sentences by making the right choice of words or
phrases. As the alternatives supplied may have very similar meanings,
this is also a test of your ability to select the appropriate word or phrase
for a particular context. You look at the surrounding words in order to
make your decision, just as you consult a dictionary, if necessary.
Exercise I : Choose the word or phrase which best fits the blank space in
each sentence. Give one answer only to each item:
1. A butterfly is a beautiful--------------------with a long thin body
and four wings.
(a) bird (b) insect (c) moth (d) fungus
2. I hesitate--------------------------so much money on clothes.
(a) spending (b) to spend (c) to be spending (d) spend
3. You must work hard if you want your business----------------------------
(a) to increase (b) to enhance ic) to grow (d) to earn
4. Monica blushed with shame---------------------------the thought of her
stupid mistake.
(a) at (b) on (c) with (d) for
5 Ramani decided to join the Navy but he was turned---------------
Filling in 83
Blanks
because of poor health.
(a) back (b) off (c) out (d) down
6. Japan's long history of independent development off the coast
of East Asia fostered a culture that constilutes one of the
greatest----------------------------of the world.
(a) civilizations (b) civilization (c) civilized society (d)
civilities
7. Colonel House was a friend and-----------------------of President
Wilson.
(a) confident (b) confidante (c) confidant (d) confidence
8. These figures give you some idea of the cost of-------------------
your car for one year.
(a) controlling (b) handling (c) managing (d) maintaining
°. The boy was---------------------------------by a taxi on the safety
crossing in the main street.
(a) knocked out (b) run across (c) run out (d) knocked down
10. We will have to-------------------------------the decision until the
Director gets back from holidays.
(a) confer (b) defer (c) refer (d) infer
11. The voters told the politician that he could----------------------on
their support in the next general election.
(a) expect (b) decide (c) doubt (d) count
12. The pilots are resisting efforts by the Board of the airline to
review an agreement signed between them on June 30. which
agreement is heavily------------------------—in favour of the
pilots.
(a) drooping (b) prejudiced (c) lop-sided (d) favourable
13. Several international organizations are working together with
national governments to remedy the tragedy of--------------------
illness and death.
(a) mother's (b) maternal (c) parental (d) preordained
14. It was difficult for him to buy good shoes because he had
such a big-----------------------------of feet.
(a) couple (b) size (c) number (d) pair
15. Good government does not produce good citizens unless there
is a-----------------------------flow as well.
(a) inverted (b) reverse (c) changed (d) different
16. -----------------------------from the campaigns have been used to
buy medical supplies, food and educational materials.
(a) Revenue (b) Profit (c) Proceeds (d) Contribution
17. Violence is a traditional feature of elections in the state, but
there are signs that the dalits are-----------------------•• content
English
with subservience.
(a) before long (b) no longer (c) for a long (d) for longer
18. The Baha'i House of Worship in New Delhi is said to be the
finest-----------------------------ever paid by the construction
industry to the glory of a faith.
(a) worship(b) compliments (c) eulogy (d) tribute
19. Consultants emphasize that strongly shared cultures and
values
are essential to---------------------------the company into the
future.
(a) drive (b) operate (c) steer (d) pursue
20. Jains share with the Buddhists a view of life as unity, a ---------
--------------------of generation and regeneration in which the
most minute creature is capable of evolution.
(a) continuum (b) continuance (c) conduct (d) series
21. We accepted the offer of her loan with
and enormous gratitude.

(a) alacrity (b) distrust (c) curiosity (d) embarrassament
22. The lady alongwith her friends alighted
—
her carriage.
(a) out of (b) from (c) with (d) down
23. His suggestion that women do not have the brains or the
stamina for higher education and working lives is----------------
by the number of women all over the world who not only
hold high qualifications, as doctors, lawyers, administrators
etc. but who also go on with their careers even when they
have families.
(a) supported (b) redeemed (c) refuted (d) refused
24. His car missed me by a----------------------------------breadth and
almost knocked me off my bicycle.
(a) hair (b) hair's (c) hairs (d) split hairs
25. Accuracy is-----------------------■-- --to the skill of typewriting.
(a) inherent(b) elemental (c) fundamental(d) elementary
26. The National Trust in Britain, together with similar voluntary
organizations, plays an important part in the-----------for
public
enjoyment of the best that is left unspoilt of the British
countryside.
(a) preservation ( b ) preference (c) storing ( d ) salvation
27. It is not uncommon to------------------------------large numbers of
motor cars, buses, taxis, and trucks in the streets of cities like
Calcutta. Pune. Varanasi and Lucknow. blocking roads and
bringing ali movements to a standstill.
(a) strive (b) encounter (c) combat (d) suffer
Filling in 85
Blanks
28. Advanced technology is playing an increasing role in the
management of traffic, especially in the------------------------------
and densely populated towns and cities.
(a) congested fb) satellite (c) sufficient (d) irrelevant
29. The sustainability and value of the newsletter will ultimately
depend on the----------------------------it receives from indi\
iduals
who believe that they have something to offer to others.
(a) work (b) tip (c) favour (d) support
30. Lastly, the physical appearance of these places is most---------.
and there is almost always a lot of noise around them, which
is not at all in keeping with the traditionally quiet atmosphere
of our little village.
(a) conducive (b) desolate (c) unattractive (d) uncanny 3 1.
The town's traditional handicrafts depend on t\\ o materials, -
---------------------------leather and silk.
(a) viz. (b) e.g. (c) such as (d) in other words
32. The outline of the figure was barely---------------------------------
in
the darkness.
(a) susceptible (b) invisible (c) perceptible (d) perceptive
33. Now they are older. I let my children make their own
decisions:
I wouldn't------------------------------to interfere.
(a) presume (b) resume(c) assume (d) consume
34. The Managing Director gave her his------------------------------that
the complaint would be investigated.
(a) insurance (b) assurance (c) avowal (d) reassurance
35. She spoke clearly and--------------------------------- and we could
understand every word she said.
(a) distinguished (b) ably (c) distinctively (d) distinctly
36. The nation's economy was---------------up and would certainly
show a great improvement in the next three years.
(a) rising (b) getting (c) looking (d) showing
37. Growing children-----------------nourishing food and exercise if
they are to develop into healthy adults.
(a) exhaust (b) share (c) derive (d) require
38. When we arrived in Mumbai it was------------------------with
rain.
(a) running (b) dropping (c) pouring (d) falling
39. A budget of Rs. 200/- a day is totally--------------------------------
if
you are expecting to travel, eat and stay in hotels during your
trip round M.P. and Maharastra.
(a) intolerable (b) invaluable (c) indisposed (d) inadequate
40. The name of the book was on the-------------------------------of my
tongue, but I just could not think of it.
(a) end (b) tip (c) top (d) point
41. The mechanic promised to mend the broken wheel next day
w ithout----------------------------.
(a) failure (b) default (c) trouble (d) fail
42. I have always-----------------------------that my university was the
best in the country.
(a) trusted (b) respected (c) considered (d) regarded
43. I should be very-----------------------------if you could accept the
invitation to the party.
(a) thanking (b) honourable (c) pleased (d) pleasing
44. His sister was full of----------------------------for the way in which
he had so quickly learned to drive a car.
(a) pride (b) admiration (c) surprise (d) jealousy
45. The bus only stops here to------------------------------passengers.
(a) get off (b) pick up (c) alight (d) get on
46. He climbed the tree and picked all the fruit-----------------reach.
(a) near (b) inside (c) within (d) deyond
47. When Manish arrived in Hyderabad he spent all his time-------
and visited all the important museums and buildings.
(a) sight-seeing (b) travelling (c) looking (d) touring
48. He applied for a-----------------------■ in the office of a local daily.
(a) work (b) duty (c) career (d) job
49. Ali could not keep his family because his wages were too
(a) short (b) low (c) few (d) tiny

50. He tripped on the stairs and could not-----------------------falling.
(a) resist (b) prevent (c) stop (d) avoid
51. Some people-----------------------------into positions of hard irony
and cynicism.
(a) retreat (b) retread (c) disappear (d) retract
52. India can use wireless and satellite technologies at a—----------
of the cost of laying wire.
(a) portion (b) minimum (c) payment (d) fraction
53. There are moments of real transformation, and the rapid
-----------------------------of the Internet is one of them.
(a) resurgence (b) emergence (c) restoration (d) revival
54. Though Indian industry is now becoming conscious about
Filling in Blanks
87
quality, for long Indian goods in general have suffered from
quality and brought a bad name to India.
(a) frugal (b) shaggy (c) shady (d) shoddy
55. All companies know that paying bribes is no guarantee of
getting economic-----------------------------on a deal.
(a) leverage (b) asset (c) pull (d) due
56. Just like other human beings, teachers have to---------------------
the stresses of the world as they occur, both in the present and in
the world to come.
(a) better (b) overcome (c) weather (d) lick
57. Instead of------------------------------on an illiterate person, we
should sometimes consider their wisdom.
(a) deriding (b) loathing(c) looking down(d) misproising
58. The first development was accompanied by an enormous and
disproportionate-----------------------------------------in corrupt business
activity in world commerce.
(a) intensity (b) surge (c) seething (d) uprising
59. Many people object to the killing of animals in cold----------in
orderto provide women with fur coats and crocodile handbags, (a)
comfort (b) sweat (c) cuts (d) blood
60. The campers------------------------------their tent at the base of the
mountain.
(a) established (b) grounded (c) installed (d) pitched
61. The completion of the railway line has been-------------------------
owing to the workers' strike.
(a) held off (b) held up (c) held on (d) held over
62. Writing a dictionary is a long and difficult business but we're
-----------------------------there.
(a) going (b) moving (c) getting (d) getting ahead
63 No one was able to explain the---------------------------of the old
custom.
(a) beginning (b) origin (c) starting point (d) reason.
64. If you want a cheap air ticket you must------------------------------
well in advance.
(a) book (b) engage (c) reserve (d) buy
65. It was necessary to-------------------------------the factory building
as the company was doing more and more business.
(a) extend (b) increase (c) lengthen (d) grow
66. I had to pay-------------------------on a carpet I brought in through
the Customs today.
(a) taxes (b) rates (c) fines (d) duty
67. It was the longest film I have ever seen; it---------------------------
three and a half hours.
(a) lasted (b) stayed (c)finished (d) completed
68. I was so pleased to have the------------------------------------to visit
Shillong after about ten years.
(a) opportunity (b) necessity (c) destiny (d) possibility
69. She-------------------------—her son of the dangers of driving too
fast in his new car.
(a) warned (b) remembered (c) threatened (d) concerned
70. The----------------------——-charged by the architect for the plans
of the new building were unusually high.
(a) sum (b) price (c) hire (d) fees
71. Please don't enter------------------------------knocking.
(a) except for (b) with (c) without (d) while
72. Your work has been very good------------------------------this year.
(a) by far (b) so far (c) as far (d) as far as
73. Do you think he is------------------------------of doing the job?
(a) capable (b) competent (c) able (d) suited
74. He —-----------------to all his friends that he was getting married.
(a) told (b) related (c) announced (d) spoke
75. Hussain's painting was auctioned for a great----------of money.
(a) cost (b) sum (c) value (d) price
76. There is no time left for the nation to get out of the--------------
of perpetual ignorance, poverty, illiteracy, and attendant ills unless
we find better ways to convince people to adopt family planning.
(a) predicament (b) difficulty (c) crime (d) evil
77. Could you please —-------------------—me your pen for my exam
this morning?
(a) borrow (b) lend (c) allow(d) permit
78. Our attention has been----------------------------to the startling and
awesome statistics that in every passing year, 14 million children
die all over the world.
(a) attracted (b) beckoned (c) drawn (d) dragged
79. Family planning can help-------------------------------the spread of
AIDS, a growing threat to the health and survival of men, women
and children.
(a) abridge (b) cut (c) stop (d) reduce
ig in 89
Blanks
80.
Reduced population growth can pressure
on many social sectors, including health, education and
employment.
(a)alleviate (b) elevate (c) eliminate (d) shorten 81. Many women
in developing countries experience a cycle of
poor health that- -before thev are born and
persists through adulthood, passing from generation to generation.
(a) originates (b) begins (c) derives (d) establishes
82. Faced with this hell on earth. Ashoka suffered great-------------.
(a) suffering (b) torture (c) tension (d) torment
83. Quality protein maize, a new and more nutritious-----------------
of corn, could be the answer to fighting world hunger but it needs
to win wider acceptance.
(a) flake (b) type (c) strain (d) line
84. In most of us. by the age of thirty, the character has set like
plaster, and will never--------------------------—again.
(a) melt (b) soften (c) mould (d) twist
85. Among the most------------------------------issues in psychology is
the debate over intelligence testing whether tests can measure and
quantify a person's abilities and how widely the results can be
used fairly.
.(a) controvertible (b) uncertain (c) tragic (d) controversial
86. Cinema, television, and all the formidable------------------------of
our marketing technology project our very effective forms of
titillation and our prejudices about man as a sexy animal into
every corner of every hovel in the world.
(a) system (b) things (c) array (d) design
87. By pointing to the wrong direction and sending the police off
on a------------------------------chase, she managed to save her
friend from recapture.
(a) wild (b) wild goose (c) chevy (d) wild life
88. In addition to our salary, we get-------------including subsidised
lunch, free medical care and free water and electricity.
(a) more benefits (b) much benefits (c) fringe benefits (d)
additional profits
89. The editor's derisive comments about the Management's policy
were strictly-----------------------------.
(a) demanding (b) on record (c) private (d) off the record
English
90. After another few minutes they heard a strange noise from
Vikram's bike. They pulled over into a----------------------------to
look at the damage.
(a) layabout (b) lie-in (c) roundabout (d) lay-by
91. Mary is very----------------------------up and thinks she is superior
to her classmates.
(a) turned (b) looked (c) stuck (d) fed
92. The Indian cricket team practised hard so that it could----------
the world cup.
(a) regain (b) return (c) restore (d) replace
93. The frightened horse began to----------------------------away from
the snake.
(a) fear (b) shy (c) throw (d) tip
94. Kamala said she could not--------------------------------------all the
information given in the broadcast.
(a) accumulate (b) absorb (c) admire (d) adhere
95. All his plans for starting his own business fell-------------------
(a) in (b) down (c) out (d) through
96. They ultimately decided to--------------------------------down their
original plans for the house and make it smaller.
(a) scale (b) climb (c) play (d) change
97. When I heard footsteps behind me I was-----------------------------
that I would be attacked.
(a) horrified (b) terror-struck(c) terrorised (d) terrified
98. The-------------------------------of newcomers to longstanding
residents is very high in this town.
(a) cross section (b) proportion (c) average (d) percentage
99. Much is done in the West to---------------------------- the suffering
of unwanted domestic pets.
(a) improve (b) help (c) remedy (d) alleviate
100. She did not-----------------------------staying at home as she had
some sewing she wanted to do.
(a) mind (b) object (c) matter (d) care
Ill
COMPREHENSION
1
Standard Type Comprehension
Your vocabulary skills improve further if you do some extensive
reading, that is. reading books, journals, newspapers, magazines, articles,
short fiction, detective novels and stories, poetry, drama, autobiographies,
jokes etc. (outside the class or course work) for new information,
knowledge, entertainment, or just for fun. The experience enhances your
confidence and helps you perform better in the examination when your
ability to read and comprehend unseen passages and answer multiple
questions based on the content of the passage is being tested.
Reading with understanding is an important skill. Whatever your
language proficiency level, you must be able to read a text not only to get
its meaning but also to communicate what you understand. This means, in
reading comprehension, you should demonstrate your ability to understand
what you are reading, to extract information, and to re-present it without
changing the (original) meaning in any way.
The process of comprehension involves "asking appropriate
questions of printed text and finding relevant answers." You employ your
knowledge of vocabulary, syntax, structures, and langauge functions to
get a general sense of the passage, to reconstruct the message of the
writer.
Your understanding is reflected in your reading to discover a
specific fact or piece of information, to obtain a comprehensive
understanding, to relate certain information to your knowledge, to predict
outcomes, to see cause and effect relationship, to evaluate certain facts, or
even to summarize a part (or whole) of the passage. You understand the
text and the context, and make informed choices.
To help you improve your comprehension skills, some short
passages of contemporary relevance drawn from newspapers, magazines,
journals, and books have been collected with four or five questions on
each of them. You should read each passage carefully, sometimes, if
necessary, more than once : at first slowly with pauses to think about what
you have read; and then, read it again pausing from time to time to look at
other
English
parts of the text (to see the connections between different parts) so that
you could build a summary in your mind.
You would need to pay attention to the grammatical structures,
syntactical and lexical clues, content words, and cultural (or specific
technical/professional) contexts, if any. to make intelligent guesses about
unfamiliar words and expressions or comprehension questions, some of
which may be answered by repeating the material from the selection
(using your own words) while some others may require to relate
information to your own experience and background. That is why it is said
you should read the lines, read between the lines, and read beyond the
lines.
Each passage is followed by multiple-choice questions (where a
question is asked and a choice of usually four alternative answers is
given, from which you are expected to select the correct one). With
multiple-choice questions, it is very important to read all the alternatives
before deciding which is the correct one. Often it will seem at first that
answer a or b is possible, but further study and constant reference to the
passage may reveal that only c or d is right.
Exercises:
After each of the following passages there are a number of
questions or unfinished statements, each with four suggested answers.
Choose the one which you think is most accurate in each case. Give one
answer only to each question. Read the passage right through before
choosing your answers: Passage 1:
Nehru was a phenomenon, an Asian aristocrat, polished in
Cambridge, fami liar with the English lifestyle—even fascinated by it—
but with his roots still firmly planted in the culture of his own country. A
wanderer from the East, seeking the West but not, as so many journalists
and biographers thoughtlessly claimed, to imitate it. Nehru hoped to
combine the European way of thinking, science and technology together
with his own culture to form a society picture, in which he hoped to
preserve all the spiritual and intellectual heritage of India whilst adapting
to modern requirements. Questions:
1. Nehru was fascinated by the English life style. This means
that
(a) he was enslaved by it.
(b) he was pleased by it.
(c) he was surprised by it.
(d) he was charmed by it.
Standard Ty pe Comprehension 95
2. The expression "'Nehru was a pliemomenon" means:

(a) he was an aristocrat.
(b) he was educated in Cambridge.
(c) he was an unusual person.
(d) he was a wanderer.
3. Main intellectuals and writers on Nehru are mistaken in
claiming that
(a) he denounced the East.
(b) the West was his ideal.
(c) he looked to the West to imitate it.
(d) he was too polished to be an Indian.
4. Nehru's exploration of the West was
(a) devoid of Eastern cultural awareness.
(b) aimed at building a society in which tradition and
progress would combine.
(c) devoid of scientific temper.
(d) to meet journalists.
5. Nehru wanted to create a new society
(a) by isolating himself from Indian society.
(b) by following the European way of thinking.
(c) by preserving the spiritual heritage of India.
(d) by adapting Indian spiritual tradition to the Western
scientific culture.
Passage 2:
A tiny village school is soon to celebrate its 110th birthday—
against all expectations. Five years ago it seemed certain to close but
parents and other villagers fought the local education authority and raised
funds to keep it open. It is now ending its first term as a school run by the
village community and the villagers are justly proud of their achievement.
They were furious when education chiefs tried to make them send
the village children to other schools further away because the number of
pupils at the village school was too small. The villagers started a huge
campaign to raise money. They collected enough to hire a teacher and
begin to help with school cleaning, lunch supervision, and lessons. Now
the school is doing well and it seems as if it will continue to run in the
future.
.era\ English
MuUi? Oth birthday

- 11
;hOOl K>
vVa> surprising that the
there was no funds, there were no students, there were very
few students there was no teacher. ; hUdren
school had closed, what w
t(
They would have stopped goina V other
They Would have been f 1Ced 10 school-ithorities to

^) °
places. J
|. ^ They would have helped in setting ^ f ^
n
^ Their parents would have fought r ] 0 f '
open another school. ^0° . .
^5 parents got the money to keep the s<< ^ iWS ' »
moving from house to house. ^ • , demanding it from
the local educate 1 \ voluntarily contributing to funds.
M) collect in S l X f rom teachers.
$L school is run by |^ the
education department.
the village community, the
teacher.
the students.
sC hool will now stay open because
the villagers hav e raised enough mone)
the villagers help j n cleaning it. enough
Q <$>
. number of students has increased- / rt has
survived its first term and seem* t0 continue C^.j^cn in
poking oto the
sth ool children's smoking habits is be Q\ A .
hospital. Already some 13,000 schoê |
e j w questionnaires that confirm that man; x
"\\^\\ and that several young smoker? 0 r more

cigarettes a week.
land
ard Type Comprehension 97
j The second stage of the survey will be to select two or three schools
_.. t ' le area, and to take about 500 first-formers, smokers and non-smokers
^ e - right through their four-year school career, giving them all yearly
bathing tests.
The research is expected to give early warning of bronchitis and ~
er
illnesses associated with smokins. Aliens:
1■ A survey on school children's smoking habits is being
carried out by
(a) the government.
(b) the Hounslow officials.
(c) Charing Cross Hospital.
(d) ' a group of scientist.
Already some 13.000 school children
(a) have been interviewed.
(b) have filled in questionnaires.
(c) have been telephoned.
(d) have confirmed about their smoking habit. J - The
survey reveals that
(a) a few of them start smoking around the age of 10 or 11.
(b) all of them start smoking around the age of 10 or 11.
(c) most of them start smoking 40 or more cigarettes a
week.
(d) many start smoking around the age of 10 or 11 and
several of them smoke 40 cigarettes a week.
In the second stage of survey
(a) both smokers and non-smokers will be examined.
(b) only smokers will be examined.
(c) only non-smokers will be examined.
(d) only first-smokers will be examined. ^-
The purpose of the survey is
(a) to make children give up smoking.
(b) to make children and their school teachers give up
smoking.
(c) to warn children against bronchitis.
(d) to give information about illnesses associated with
smoking.
|i,7piTi 011 a long-term lii1 .i^'^-building element l
V
% ^ t Q c oins. or as printed
_______ „ ^ . 'i ^ tfây where coins and
K
^ f'tf ^ Ilima l fo o d s for
passage ^'lll3ll3Ve noticed that when
(b)
2,000 vears O J^
H* h %| v eller might starve if
(c) made of meta, ' \, ^ for food.
Aristotle,thethe fast is
Greek philos of money some 2.000 years ago. £ divide, and to carry about. In Q
(d) durable, distit^ Now-a-
$ .it tO dlVluv'""wa . - - -■ Uj. days
-Ik we llv
thi n ^' \.
divisible(a)and made
Q
,d elements called of either
portable.- When f^'b|\v>t
e
\
.,,131 protein than in either as round,
(b) pieces of met^ %|\%
flat pieces °Se Qk \ %
I) , 3 | more vegetable paper notes.(c)But printed

there are st. 1 p
note
ik - ^ u le fourchief qua|itjes
iâcids. A great deal j^'êss and from the js P aidnotes in favour
are ofofnolife-
use. They will bUv Qf \ h} V> easv to recognize.
(d) useful for star V j In some
he had none of the particular lo^h^^ >he "durable, distinct.
parts of the ^ § t f .
Questions: '^V ^"i. loday, we picture it
(a) evenifhehad
Artistotlesaidmone^ (a) made of high
(b) even if he hacj j Ny%^
et »nan is a person (c) even if he had ^ C j U c
who
(d) if he did notl^ Coins and
notes are H.'*1^
(a) they are not ri e h
(b) they are not r 6c \ M
(c) they are not e ^ ^

(d) they are not a s ^ t Q \ Using
■tabl
particular locÔq (a) buying (b) e.
busi^\ Q ^^ \
English
Passage 4:
A strict vegetarian is a peson who never in his life eats anything
derived from animals. The main objection to vegetarianism on a long-
term basis is the difficult) of getting enough pro* ~in — the body-
building element in food. If you have ever been without meat or other
animal foods for some days of w eeks (say. for religious reasons) you will
have noticed that you tend to get physically rather weak. Your are glad
when the fast is over and you get your reward oi a succulent meat meal.
Proteins are built up from approximate]} twenty food elements
called "amino-acids." which are found more abundantly in animal protein
than in vegetable protein. This means you have to eat a great deal more
vegetable than animal food in order to get enough of these amino-acids. A
great deal of the vegetable food goes to waste in this process and from the
physiological point of view there is not much to be said in favour of life -
long vegetarianism. Questions:
1. According to the passage, a strict vegetarian is a person who
(a) rarely eats animal products.
(b) sometimes eats eggs.
(c ) never eats any animal products, (d)
never eats protein.
2. P *ein is important because
(a) it is easily available in animal food.
(b) it is good for health.
(c) it is difficult to obtain from vegetables.
(d) it is the body-building substance in food.
3. We feel weak when we go without meat
(a) because we are reducing our food intake.
(b) because we do not get enough protein.
(c) because v egetables do not contain protein.
(d) unless we take plenty of exercise.
4. Proteins are built up from
(a) approximately twenty different foods.
(b) about twenty different vegetables.
(c) various fats and sugars.
(d) about twenty different amino-acids.
5. According to the author of the passage, physiologically life-
long vegetarianism may not be desirable because
Standard Type Comprehension 99
(a) it makes people very thin.
(b) the body must process too much waste.
(c) the farmers lose money.
(d) vitamin-deficiency diseases may result.
Passage 5:
Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, summed up the four chief qualities
of money some 2.000 years ago. It must be lasting and easy to recognize,
to divide, and to carry about. In other words, it must be 'durable, distinct,
divisible and portable." When we think of money today, we picture it
either as round, flat pieces of metal which we call coins, or as printed
paper notes. But there are still parts of the world today where coins and
notes are of no use. They will buy nothing, and a traveller might starve if
he had none of the particular local "money" to exchange for food.
Questions:
1. Artistotle said money should be
(a) made of high quality materials.
(b) 2.000 years old.
(c) made of metal.
(d) durable, distinct, divisible, and portable.
2. Now-a-days we think of money as
(a) made of either metal or paper.
(b) pieces of metal.
(c) printed note paper.
(d) useful for starving travellers.
3. In some parts of the world a traveller might starve
(a) even if he had plenty of coins and notes.
(b) even if he had local currency.
(c) even if he had no coins or notes.
(d) if he did not know the rate of exchange.
4. Coins and notes are of no use in some places because
(a) they are not needed.
(b) they are not recognized.
(c) they are not easy to carry about.
(d) they are not as good as the local 'money.'
5. Using particular local 'money' to exchange for food means
(a) buying (b) business (c) barter (d) nothing
1
0 M
P
1
tandard Tv pe Comprehension
- dance the essential
The author sees inunity
Shivaots
.
Parvati and Kali (:-.
M
love and hatred,
diiu re-mtegration polarities. SI
.....................^ M . U U
J
d
) '
destroys all illusions that bind man to this all too earthly world. He
N
drum and flame all
create-: good and destroy s evil.
S
t>'
opposing forces.
Questions: — . , _>
and flame. The
'T ^T
M^™"
--bolize the f l m e n t u innof
1
1.
v r
g i ^ >aestruction
- - ' ' ■ is' ■ " e e t
According to the symbolized
,
bv refers
passage, the dance
eaIS
dru, to a^ my >ihical afte
image
of Shiva known «cin *• univetîHio-exceeding ^^^^ carbon diox.de
[
sur-'e in economic
Ri
r °"
. are s0r^ûlaZ^!
" P e0 P. the
)7 ^nt^ S i L
poor that they cannu and
and non-e.xistem ^ J ' l , ^ , ot a " °PP os '"g forces, of the exister^sia: annual em.sstons ol ca bom shelter. \ ^ ^ ^ y^
;aS ha
' - " .îdlvand,n-eversiblyd,m,ni,hed.
biological riches have been rapidly and irrevers .

- e ,the earth's
and huge areas ot old-growth
e fo.est. ^ vea , Despite a thousands ol plant
and animal sl xues W,r omwth in dexelopingcounti.es an
,sumaa 1
hundreds of thousands of plant and ar
owth in
dev
eloping
of Shiva known as
countrie
(a) s.---------------------------------------------------------------------
cosmic dancer.
■
(b)' universal dancer.
\-, have not been able to meet basic needs ot peopie
(c) Nataraja. tere
Earth Summit carbon emission into the atmosph high
(dl BharataNatyam Questions:
was more
not asthan
hightheas Earth's
. u s . — had reached a new
T 1 was high, h
'iithorEarth
(a) consideis
summit Shiva's dance as
was held
' , carbon-fixing capacity.
(a> more carbon dioxide
(b) eal. (a) in Latin America.
(b)(c) symbolic.
(b) in the capital of the USA.
(c) (d) creative,
(c) id)
in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro.
destructive.(d) in the capital of Russia.
The authorapici raic population
interprets drum and growth
tlame inhas
theleft 1.3 as
dance
The rapid rate o
<ai manifestation of the
billion people divine.
very poor, (b) has degraded
(a)
(b) celebration
environment worldwide, has reached a new 4.
of Shiva's victory.
(c) unitypeak, of all
is opposition.
unsustainable. (c)
1 d) interplay of creation and destruction. What is
(d)
. Earth
governed
Since by resources
1992 the the laws ofofchange
planet
(a) have disappeared
(b) have diminished verv fast.
(c) (a)
have recorded a surge. <b
(d) Everything
have not been thatable
Shiv created
toa meet at dawn
basic needs of people)
(Everything
b that Shiva destroyed at dusk
)Everything that Shiva created at dusk Every (c)
(thing
c (d)
that the dark goddess Kali hated
)
(d) an increase in farm birds such as ch
3. There has been a considerable reduction in
(a) people feared catching ''mad cow" dise

(d) the British government ordered not
i i increasing meat production in Europ
(b) feeding animal-based protein mea
(c) using wrong methods to increase
(d) bovine spongiform encephalopath
5. The meat processing industry is likely t
(a) the pattern of world meat produc
(b) the animal meat is often contami
(c) the gap between poultry output a
(d) more and more people will turn v
Passage 9:
Malnutrition most commonly occurs between
enough food. The child's dependence on someone
1. Malnutrition is a serious problem am
(a) women and children.
(b) 50 per cent of children in Ind
(c) children aged between six mo
(d) children under five.
2. The major causes of malnutrition i
(a) misplaced priorities and igno
(b) dependence of a child on adu
1. According to the author the natural exploratory behaviour of infants is
2. There are fewer and less complex dangers for infants

3. Parents are extra careful in protecting their small children because
4. The natural exploratory urge of small children is essentially to (a) grasp and master the environment. lb
Passage
vessels can be cleaned out, and broken ones mended or replaced. A lung, the whole stomach, or even part of the
Englisi
(6) because they think modern drugs are dangerous, (c)
because they do not believe they need anaesthetics, td)
unless it is an emergency operation.
2. Surgeons in the early years of this century, compared with
modern ones.
(a) had less to learn about surgery. .
(b) needed more knowledge.
(c) could perform every operation known today.
(d) were more trusted by their patients.
3. Open heart surgery has been possible
(a) since the invention of valves.
(b) since the nineteenth century.
(c) from prehistoric times.
(d) only in the last fifty years. 5.
Modern surgeons
(a) do not like to perform operations of the new type.
(b) are not as highly qualified as the older ones.
(c) are obliged to specialize more than their predecessors.
(d) often perform operations which are not really needed.
Passage 12:
To supplement traditional income-measures of poverty, the Human
Development Report proposes a new composite measure: the Human
Poverty Index (HPI). The HPI brings together, in a composite index,
different features of deprivation in order to determine an aggregate
judgement on the extent of poverty in a community. The HPI was
calculated for 78 countries for which data of comparable quality was
available. Three measures of deprivation are combined to reach the HPI:
1. deprivation of life, which is measured by the percentage of
people expected to die before the age of 40:
2. deprivation of knowledge, which is measured by the
percentage of adults who are illiterate; and
3. deprivation of living standards, which is measured as a
composite of three variables, the percentage of people
without access to health services, the percentage of people
without access to safe water, and the percentage of
malnourished children under live.
107
Questions:
1. According to the author
(a) the Human Development Report is a povetry report.
(a) the Human Development Report proposes complex
indicators to consider human poverty.
(b) the Human Development Report proposes a new index
to determine poverty.
(c) the Human Development Report relates to poverty in 78
countries.
2. The Human Poverty Index
(a) reflects the complexity of lives in poor countries.
(b) is calculated by 78 countries.
(c) is an index of three measurable components of poverty.
(d) is a judgement on poverty.
3. One of the measurements of poverty is the living standards of
people. It is measuring poverty in terms of
(a) ones ability to participate in community life.
(b) variables that include lack of health services, drinking
water facilities, and nutritious food to children below-
five.
(c) living beyond and early middle age.
(d) adult literacy in a poor country.
4. The concept of HPI is desirable as
(a) people place high value on benefits of literacy.
(b) people expect good health services and nutritious food.
(c) many countries are serious about reducing poverty.
(d) its components seem easy to measure in most countries.
Passage 13:
Knowledge is power, but what is power? A basic distinction can be
drawn between behavioural power—the ability to obtain outcomes you
want — and resource power—the possession of resources that are usually
associated with the ability to reach outcomes you want. Behavioural
power, in turn, can be divided into hard and soft power. Hard power is the
ability to get others to do what they otherwise would not do through
threats or rewards. Whether by economic carrots or military sticks, the
ability to coax or coerce has long been the central element of power. As
we pointed out two decades ago, the ability of the less vulnerable to
manipulate or escape the constraints of an interdependent relationship at
low cost is an
English
important source of power. For example in 1971 the United States halted
the convertibility of dollars into gold and increased its influence over the
international monetary system. In 1973 Arab states temporarily gained
power from an oil embargo. Questions:
1. The writers of the passage seek to explain
(a) the nature of power.
(b) the power of the US and Arab states.
(c) the knowledge of power.
(d) manipulation of economic strength.
2. The writers differentiate between
(a) abilities and possessions.
(b) bahavioral power and resource power.
(c) carrots and sticks.
(d) dollars and petroleum.
3. 'Economic carrots' relates to
(a) the power to give rewards.
(b) economic sanctions.
(c) the ability to manipulate.
(d) the ability to persuade.
4. The possession of natural resources like petroleum provides
a country with
(a) soft power.
(b) hard power.
(c) power to threaten.
(d) power to impose its wishes on others.
5. The authors refer to their earlier publication to highlight
(a) the power of the American dollar in 1971.
(b) the advantages of the oil embargo in 1973.
(c) ones ability to handle with skill the pressures of
interdependence.
(d) the vulnerability of weaker countries.
Passage 14:
Mushrooms are the largest of the fungi. They come in a variety of
shapes and sizes and many of them are very good to eat. But beware! Not
all mushrooms are as good as they look!
Standard Type Comprehension 109
The Death cap mushroom will probably kill anyone who eats it. And
the Fool's mushroom will do the same. The problem is that the poison in
both of these mushrooms acts slowly. If you eat them, you won't feel ill
until several hours later. By then, it's probably too late!
Then there's the Fly Agaric, which looks rather, like the Death cap
and the Fool's Mushroom, but is more colourful. Fly Agarics are
poisonous as well. They are called Fly Agarics because there are usually a
lot of dead flies around them. Flies don't know how poisonous they are!
Another dangerous mushroom is the Mexican Sacred Mushroom.
This mushroom has a very strange effect. If you eat one. you'll begin to
hallucinate, and if you eat a lot. you'll probably die.
Fortunately, there are many mushrooms which we can enjoy eating.
The most common variety is the Field Mushroom, which we can pick in
the fields or buy from the supermarket. And then there's the Honey
Fungus — another which is safe to eat. And Puffballs, which many people
think are poisonous, are actually good to eat. Last, but by no means least,
there is the truffle—the most delicious (and most expensive) mushroom of
all. Questions:
1. The author mentions many kinds of fungi. Can you count
how many of them are there in the passage'?
(a) Seven
(b) Eight
(c) Six
(d) Ten
2. Mushrooms grow in several shapes and sizes but all are not
as lovely as they look. According to the passage, how many-
varieties are edible?
(a) Five
(b) Four
(c) Three
(d) None
3. Some fungi are delicious and some deadly. We can consume
(a) Fly Agaric because it is colourful.
(b) Fool's Mushroom because it looks like Fly Agaric.
(c) Mexican Sacked Mushroom because it has something
hallucinogenic in it.
(d) Truffle because it is considered very pleasant.
expectancy actually fell
during the early 1990s.
Maternal mortality in
110
Genera! English the newly independent states
of the former Soviet Union is
4. One feels the
twice as high as in Centra!
deadly effect of Death and Eastern Europe and four
cap and Fool's times higher than in Eastern
mushrooms Europe.
(a) instant Although maternal
ly.
mortality in Albania and
(b) unkno Romania fell dramatically-
wingly. after abortion was legalized
(c) too a few years ago, levels are
late. still well above the average
(d) slowly for Europe. The risk of
. pregnancy-related death is
5. Which of the increasing in Lithuania,
following groups Kyrgystan and St.
are desirable: Petersburg.
(a) Truffl Some of the rise is due
es. Puffballs to better reporting systems.
However, increases in
and Field
maternal death are also the
Turkmenistan.
Kyrgystan the n and
maternal
mortality very
is poor
(a) two
times healt
more than
h
in
Europe. care
(b) fou
syste
r times
more than m.
in
Western (a) there
Europe. is lack of
parental
(c) ten
care.
times
less than (c) abor
in tion is not
Europe. legalized.
(c) ab
ove average. (d) heal
3, The risk
of maternal th-care
death is
particularly information is
higher in this
region not made
because
available. 4.
(a) t Central and
they do ding
not get emerg
basic ency
health
obstetric
care
care. servic
5. The es.
passage (b) .
makes it legali
clear that zing
aborti
in
on.
Eastern
(c) re
Europe ducin
and the g
erstwhil finan
cial
e diffic
ulties
U of
wom
SS en.
R, (d) enabl
th ing
er
coupl
e
es to
Cloze Type Comprehesion
As you may have realized by now. Reading comprehension test
requires you to identify, interpret and evaluate ideas contained in a
passage: It requires you to select a rewording of the information of a
comprehension sentence: to choose an appropriate response to a piece of
information provided in the context or cue; to complete a sentence with an
appropriate structure /idea: choose appropriate interpretation of certain
words, phrases or information in the passage; to recongnize bias and
distinguished opinion from fact: to confirm or deny certain view point or
reasoning; to recognize relationship; to make generalizations; or to draw
conclusions.
You read the passage and answer literal (based on both syntactic
and lexical pattern and factual content), or inferential (based on clues to
connotations, implications, and assumptions), or interpretative (based on
responses to imager}', metaphor, examples, tone and style) questions. The
questions motivate you to.think, to critically analyze, to respond to new
ideas. You choose your answers after understanding not only word
meaning, sentence meaning, and paragraph meaning but also interpreting
and evaluating thoughts, ideas, feelings, and events presented in the
passage.
Reading with comprehension means literal understanding as well as
critical and creative interpretation of the given text. If you understand the
text comprehensively, you can also make the correct choices. In a cloze
type comprehension test, the passage has single words deleted at more or less
regular intervals and vou are expected to provide the missing words. The
deletions are made rationally, and not randomly, and you are required to
select the best response which w ill fit the given blanks in the passage.
Usually, the first few sentences in the passage will have no blanks,
so that you have some idea of the content of the passage as also of the
writer's style and approach to the subject of the text. You will find that
every sixth or seventh or eighth word has been deleted and you have been
given three options to choose the correct one. The deleted words could be
content words (nouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs) or function words
Cloze Type Comprehension
113
(prepostions, articles, pronouns). The last one or two closing sentences,
too, may not have any blanks.
The multiple choice cloze test measures your proficiency in
comprehension. It demonstrates your ability to refer ahead and hack in the
reading text to find clues to meaning, to use the structural relationships to
determine meaning, and to use the content of various sentences to make
the right guess or logical prediction.
Your success lies in reading over the text quickly for genera!
meaning to fill in each of the blanks with one of the three choices. You
understand the context and choose the right expression; you read 'forward'
and 'backward* to restore the deleted words. Exercise:
Read each of the following passages carefully and select the word
from the three given options which will fit in the blank: Passage 1 :
It is argued that the personal qualities of a teacher should include a
lively and attractive personality. They should exclude a dull or
(a) negative.
(')------------—-------------------- (b) colourless personality.
(c) boring.
Moreover, a good teacher should be genuinely
(a) sympathetic
('2) ——--------------------— (b) thoughtful to others.
(c) frank
(a) student
and tolerant of their mistakes. A (3)--------(b) teacher
(c) pupil
should be morally honest, patient, mentally alert and
(a) adaptable.
(4)-----------------------------------(b) adept.
(c) attractive.
(a) more
He should also want to go on learning (5)------------ (b) extra
(c) longer
about his subject.
(a) without
It may be argued that (6) ---------------(b) with
(c) within

English
such a personality, being trained to teach would be
(ai useless, ('b) wrong, (c)
(7)- superfT ■• HIS .
(a') or (bi
However, it is quite likely that too weak (8.) nolle )
and
too strong a personality may be a disqualification
(a) with
(9)-------------------------------------------- ( b) for
(c) about
a teacher in the classroom itself.
■Therefore, good (10)---------------------
(a) pedagogic
------------------(b) teaching
(c) learning training may be
very useful for observing the
(a) mental
(11)-------------------------------- (b) psychological
(c) personal interaction between the teacher be : ng
trained and (a) pupils;
his (12)--------------------(b) learners:
(c) trainees;
in order to guide him to adapt his (13)--------------------
(a) private
(b) personality qualities to the classroom situation.
(c) own
(a) on
Despite this emphasis. (14)------------------------------------(b) over
(c) about
the teacher's personality, however, there is strong (a) as

(b) that
evidence (15)------------------------------------------------- (c) of
pupils expect their teachers to assume more of an intellectual and

115
instrumental than a human role. That is. they should be effective in their
basic pedogogic role or function.
Passage 2:
Erich Fromm in his book The Art of Loving describes some of the
varieties of love. The most fundamental kind of love, which underlies all
types of love, is brother!} love. By this he means the sense of
(a) respectability
(1)------------------------------------------ (b) responsibility,
(c) humanity,
care, respect, knowledge, of any other human
(a) (b) (c) being.
(2)- person.
kind.
(a) Personal
and the wish to further his life. (3) (b) Filial
(c) Brotherly
(a) it
love is love for all human beings: (4) (b) this
(c) that
is characterized by its very lack of
explic
(a)
(5)--------------------------------------- it.
(b)
separateness.
(c)
It is based on the experience that exclusiveness.
(6)
(a) we all
--------(b) they are
(c) you
one.
(a) (b) fc) among
Brotherly love is love (7) ■ between
about
equals: but, indeed even as equals we are not
(a) throughout
(8)--------------------------■— ■-----------(b) all the time
(c) always
(a) all
'equal'; inasmuch as we are human, we are (9)---------( b ) sometimes
more
English
in need of help.
(a) a
Motherly love is (10)----------------------------- (b) an the
(c)
unconditional affirmation of the child's life and
(a) their
(11)-------------------------- (b) his
(c) nor
needs. This affirmation has two aspects;
(a) care
one is the (12)------------------------(b) dependence and
(c) anxiety
responsibility absolutely necessary for the
(a) protection
(13)----------------------------------(b) preservation
(c) support
(a) growing.
of the child's life and his (14) - (b) growth.
(c) increase.
(a) It
The other aspect goes beyond more preservation. (15) -—(b) He This
(c)
is more an attitude instilling in the child a love for living, and giving him
the feeling that it is good to be alive, that it is good to be a little boy or
girl, and that it is good to be on this earth!
Passage 3:
Monogamy, as certain cultures define it, is an exclusive and posse -
ssive relationship implying the denial of both equality and identity to one
other person. It perverts jealousy into a 'good' many husbands and wives
(a) build
actually try to (1)-------------------------------- (b) develop their make
(c)
(a) jealous; - (b) lovely;
(c) caring;
m a t e s a t l e a s t a l i t t l e (2)------------------------------
Cloze Type Comprehension 117
(a) word
going just far enough to elicit a (b) respon
(3) ■
se
(c) promis
e
that assures them they are really "loved."
(a) To
(4)----------------------------------- (b) Fol- them, jealousy is supposed
ic) From
to show you 'care,' (5)
no matter how little or how (6)-

(a) But
(b) Therefore
jealousy is never a good or (7)-------------
(c) So
(a) great. — (b)
much more, (c) much.
feeling. It may show you care, but (8)
(a) constructive
(b) possessive
(c) irresistible
you are caring for is too (9)----------------
(a) which
---------------(b) what
(c) that
yourself, and not enough for (10) (a) much
(b) great for
(c) high
(a) their
------ (b) our
(c) your
mate.
Jealousy, therefore, implies a fear of (a) some

(11)-
(b) certain kind of infidelity on
(c) particular
the part (12) • (a) with

(b) of the other person. Thus
(c) in
fidelity is the (13)- reaction
------- (b) concern oflimited
measure
English
(a) denotes
love, conditional trust, and it (14)------------------(b) characterizes
(c) proves (a) But
allegiance to a duty or obligation. (15)-------------(b) Yet
(c) In contrast
love and sex should never be seen in terms of duty or obligation. They
should be seen as experiences shared and enjoyed together by people who
love each other openly.
Passage 4:
Any state wildlife biologist can tell you how many deer a given
area can support— how much browse there is for the deer to eat before
they can begin to suppress the reproduction of trees, before they begin to
starve in t h e winter. He can calculate how.many wolves a
(a) given
(1)-----------------------------------(b) provided area can support too, in
(c) donated
(a) identifying
part by (2)----------------------------------(b) counting the number
(c) showing
of deer. And so on. (3)

and down the food chain. It's not an (4)
science, but it comes pretty close— at (5)

(a) up
(b) below
(c) over
(a) proven
- (b) explicit
(c) exact
(a) best
(b) least
(c) last
compared with figuring out the carrying capacity (a)
of
(6)---------------------------(b) on the earth for human beings, which is
(a) stays
(c) noes
with an\ sense (8) (b) stops

awa\ from it.
Consider the difficulties. Human beings.
(a) differently from
(9)-----------------------------------(b) like deer, can eat
almost
(c) unlike
(a) at
anything and live (10)----------------------------------(b) in almost any
(c) on
level they choose. Hunter-gatherers used 2.500 calories
(a) by
(11)----------------------------------(b) of energy a day. w hereas modern
(c) in
(a) times
Americans use seventy-five (12)---------------------------(b) percent
(c) more
(a) how
that. Human beings, unlike deer, can import (13)--------------- (b) which
(c) what
(a) And
they need from thousands of miles away. (14)-------------------(b) So
(c) Thus (a)
same
human beings, unlike deer, can figure out (15)------------------( b ) new
(c) clear
ways to do old
things. Passage 5:
Ten years ago 1 wrote a book called The End of Nature, which was the
first volume for a general audience about carbon dioxide and climate
change, an early attempt to show that human beings now dominate the
earth. Even then global
(a) guess
warming was only a (1)------------------------ (b) hypothesis
(c) belief
120 Multiple Choice
General English
(a) but
— strong and gaining credibility all the time. (2)------- (b) nevertheless
(c) yet
a hypothesis nonetheless. By the late 1990s
(a) hypothesis
(3)---------------------------------- (b) that has become a fact. For ten
(c) it
(a) with
years, (4)----------------------------------- (b) by heavy funding
from
(c) from
(a) experts
governments around the world. (5)------------------------- (b) scientists
(c) technicians
launched satellites, monitored weather balloons, studied
(a) Their
clouds. (6)--------------------------------- (b) Our work culminated in a long
(c) His (a)
by
awaited report (7)------------------------(b) from the UN's Inter-
(c) through
(a) given
governmental Panel on Climate Change, (8)--------------(b) formed
(c) released
in the fall of 1995. The panel's 2,000
(a) scientists.
(9)--------- (b) forecasters, from every corner of the globe, summed
(c) workers,
(a) of
(10)----------------------------------(b) up their findings in this dry but
(c) it
(a) piece
historic (11)—----------------------------(b) twist of understatement:
(c) bit
(a) that
"The balance of evidence suggests (12)---------------------(b) this
(c) if
there is a discernible human influence on
Cloze Type 121
Comprehension
(
(a) climate." That is to sav,
(b)
(c)
w (a)
hea up the planet—
ting
(c)
dest
rovi
ns
r
s e
d
u
c
e
s
t
o
p
p
r
e
v
e
n
t
emission
s of
carbon
dioxide
and
other
gases,
the
panel
warned,
temperat
ures will
probably
rise 3.6°
F by
2100.
and
perhaps
as much
as 6.3°
F.
Passage
6:
To better )
understand the nature of
the changes that are
a
affecting the world's
power structure, it is r
useful to consider three g
central conflicts affecting u
each of the three basic e
pillars on which national d
power has traditionally
,
been built: economic
power, military power, (5)---------------------------(b)
and political discusse
(a) in d,
power. Some of these on (c)
conflicts touch (1)--------------------------------------------------------- universe
upon suggested,
(c) grounds pillars globe
(a)
world
at large
and way
more than one of these (2)- a)
-------(b) the
bases own personal private
(6)--------------------■-----------------------------
c) (b)
each is important in its (3)- right.
(a) (c)
important
But, taken together, they ------- (b)
(a)
(4)- (c)
(b)
expose provide
(c)
similarities and
c
are fundamental to the
h
a
r
a
c
t
e
ri
s
ti
c
s
t
h
a
t,
it
c
a
n
b
e
(
a
(a) new
is being transformed by (7)
(b) outmoded
(c) traditional (a)
there
information technologies. In such a case. (8)
(b) it
(c) they
(a) may
should also be noted, there (9)
-(b) should be
(c) will
(a) accept
an intuitive impulse to (10>-
(b) grant the
(c) assume
ascendancy of those institutions or ideas most associated with new
technologies. In each case, such an assumption would be wrong.
Passage 7:
The rise of the private sector, of course, takes many other forms.
Many functions that were once the
(a) area
exclusive (1) ■ ■ (b) province of the state (c)
work (a) devoured - (b)
captured by the (c) arrogated
have now been (2)- (a) advanced
private sector thanks to both (3)- (b) new
(c) unfamiliar
technologies and the growing power of the
(a) markets
(4)------------------------— (b) super bazars themselves. Examples
(c) powers
(a) establish
cited earlier include the ability to (5)----------- (b) find
(c) make
(a) set
the value of currencies, the ability to (b) establish
(c) place
123
spy satellites in orbit or the ability to
(a) follow
(7)----------------------------------(b) dominate the discourse between
(c) dictate
(a) received
nations. But, the market has (8)------------------------------(b) formed
(c) assumed (a)
states.
many roles that were once the province of (9)--------(b) multinationals.
(c) experts.
A global wave of privatization has placed
(a) monopoly
(10)----------------------------------(b) control of telecommunications.
(c) development
transportation, and power generation infrastructure
(a) on
(11)----------------------------------(b) in the hands of the private sector.
(c) within
(a) now
Space is (12)------------------------------ (b) then another market
(c) yet
(a) private
place, not the exclusive domain of (13)--------'■--------- (b) official
(c) government (a)
creating
programmes. Thanks to the reality of (14)--------------- (b) forming
(c) finding
"virtual companies"— the use of information technologies
(a) activate
to (15) ——■------------------------------(b) joint distant specialists to
(c) link
form effective working teams in ways that only traditional, integrated
firms were once able to operate, outsourcing key government
programmes.
Passage 8:
There is tremendous growth and diversity in distance education— in
the number and types of individuals learning outside traditional
classrooms, in the variety of providers, and in the range and effectiveness
of new technologies serving as delivery tools for learning. Distance
English
education is becoming increasingly global,
(a) making
(1)---------------------------------- (b) forming
(c) creating
myriad new alliances as traditional educational
(a) shops
(2)---------------------------------- (b) institutions join with businesses,
for more than forty years— satellites and the (a) Internet
(10)(b) EdNetare transforming the world into
(c) IGNOU
(c) organizations
125
(a) teacherless
(12)----------------------------------(b) borderless educational arena,
(c) free
(a) classes
benefitting both previously undeserved (13)------------- (b) masses
(c) citizenries and education
entrepreneurs. Although many developing (a) societies
(14)—■-------------------- (b) countries still have limited access
(c) tribes
(a)
technologies.
to these new (15)-------------------------(b) techniques. major new
(c)
methods,
investments in telecommunications and information systems are going to
dramatically improve their access.
Passage 9:
Africa as a whole has begun to make significant economic and
political progress in recent years, but in many parts of the continent
progress remains threatened or impeded by conflict. For the United
Nations there is
(a) goal,
no higher (1)----------------------(b) ambition, no deeper commitment
(c) plan.
(a) curbing
and no greater ambition than (2)---------------------------- (b) escalating
(c) preventing
armed conflict. The prevention of conflict begins and (a)
stops
(3)------------------- (b) ends with the promotion of human
(c) suspends
(a) development,
security and human (4)-------------------------------— (b) growth.
(c) understanding. Ensuring human security is,
in the broadest sense, the (a) whole
(5)--------------------------- (b) cardinal mission of the United
(c) sacred
English
(a) prevention
Nations. Genuine and lasting (6)------------------- (b) control
(c) cure
is the means to achieve that mission.
(a) Europe
Conflict in (7)---------------------------(b) Africa poses a
(c) Asia
major challenge to United Nations efforts
(a) designed
(8)----------------------------------- (b) planned to ensure global peace,
(c) performed
(a) order
prosperity and human (9)----------------------------(b) rights for all.
(c> dignity
Although the United Nations was intended to
(a) deal
(10)----------------------------------(b) control with inter-State warfare,
(c) negotiate
(a) frequently
it is being required more and more (11)------------------- (b) often
(c) oftener
to respond to intra-state instability and conflict. In
(a) such
(12)---------------------------------- (b) those conflicts the main aim,
(c) these
(a) destruction
increasingly, is the (13)---------------------- (b) annihilation not just
(c) elimination
(a) total
of armies but of civilians and (14)---------------------------------- (b) entire
(c) whole
ethnic groups. Preventing such wars is no longer a
(a) matter
(15)---------------------------------- (b) concern of defending states or
(c) issue
protecting allies. It is a matter of defending humanity itself.
127
Passage 10:
The present global effort to redress millennia of injustice against

women is only about twenty years old. For those years, evolutionary
changes have advanced women, strengthened women's NGOsand fostered
the understanding
(a) quota
that women's (I ) -------------------------------(b) empowerment
-------------------------------------------------------is
(c) representation
(a) economic
essential to peace, justice and (2)---------------------------(b) social
(c) political
development. The worldwide movement towards
(a) liberalization
(3)-----------------------------------(b) democratization has opened
(c) centralization
(a) process
up the political (4) (b) autonomy
(c) reaction
(a) demand
in many nations, yet the (5)- ------- (b) participation
(c) role
(a) making
of women in kev decision (6)- --------(b) taking
(c) implementation (a)
alongwith
as full and equal partners { l y ------- (b) with
(c) as
(a) now
men. particularly in politics, has not (8)- -----------------(b) until
(c) yet
(a) achievement
been achieved. Action towards the (9) -------------- (b) performance
(c) attainment
(a) role
of the goal of equal (10)- --------(b) partnership
(c) opportunity
128 is a key element in the (11 )-
as we know that anv (12) Multiple Choice General
English
(a) conference,
towards advancement of women (13)- --------------(b) get together.
(c) platform, (a)
step
all of society. And revolutionary (14) ---------------(b) voice
(c) action (a)
progresses
in women's status is essential to (15) ----------------(b) benefits
(c) reaches (a)
action
--------------- (b) touch
(c) change (a)
moving
-------(b) transforming
(c) instigating
development and peace for all
individuals. Passage 11:

We are happy to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the modern
Commonwealth. We have always attached importance
(a) association
to our (1)-------------------------- (b) institution with the Common-
(c) state
(a) casual
wealth. India, in fact, played a (2) ■ (b) curious
(c) catalytic
role in the transformation of this organization
(a) for
(3)-----------------------------------(b) f ro m
a colonial institution to a
(c) with
(a) of
cooperative association (4)--------------------------- (b) in free and
(c) for
(a) relative
sovereign nations united by their (5E ------- (b) personal
(c) mutual
129
interests and common goals. It was this
(a) vision
(6)---------■----------------------- (b) view which resulted in the
(c) plan
(a) because
London Declaration of 1949 (7)---------------------(b) and
(c) so
a wholly new basis for membership.
(a) Commonwealth
The (8)------------------------------(b) Association has come a
(c) countrv
(a) past
(b) last :
long way in the (9)-
(c) coming
(a) countries
(b) bodies
(c) unions
It has grown to encompass 54 (10)-------------
from all the continents and 1.7 billion

(a) population
(11)----------------------------------(b) persons of every region, religion.
(c) people
(a) .made
and race. It has (12)-------------------------------------(b) compelled
(c) effected
a mark on international affairs through its
(a) mastery
(13)-------------■-----------(b) championship of the causes of anti-
(c) control
(a) sustainable
racism, democracy, and (14)----------------------------------(b) continuous
(c) long-term economic development. Its
tradition of non-interference in (a) two-nation
(15)------------------------- (b) international disputes between its
(c) bilateral
members has also contributed to its harmonious working.
English
Passage 12:
In what must have been the most watched — and awaited —
elections in recent times. Nigerians went to polls not just once, but four
times in three months to elect an entirely new structure of civilian
government to replace
(a) rule.
military (1)--------------------------------------(b) dominance
(c) chief. Patient Nigerian voters
began from the (a) base.
(2)-----------------------------------(b) bottom. casting their votes at local
(c) ground.
(a) surveys
government (3)--------------------------(b) votings on 5 December
(c) elections
(a) state
last year, then at ( 1>---------------------------(b) pane hay at and
(c) block
governorship elections on 9 January. National
(a) level
(5)---------------------------------- (b ■ office elections on 20 February
fcj Assembly
(a) presidential
and finally at the \ < i i------------------------------------(b) gubernatorial
(c) chairman's (a)
also
election on 27 February. At stake was (7)-----------------(b) more
(c) beyond
(a) government
than just a new form of (8)---------------------------(b) govenance —
(c) domination
as important was the re-acceptance of this
(a) greatly
(9)----------------------------------(b) most populous nation in Africa
(c) highly
131
(a) international
back into the (10)------------------------------- (b) political community.
(c) internal.
Passage 13:
As Uganda continues its remarkable recovery from civil strife,

women are leading the way forward. Represented at all levels of
government and
(a) forming
(1)---------------------------------- (b) fashioning a vocal array of
(c) devising
(a) shaping
civic groups, women are (2)----------------------------------(b) composing
(c) making (a)
her
their voices heard in this country. And (3)------------------------(b) their
(c) our
influence is spreading across Africa.
(a) controversial
Take the (4)----------------------------------- (b) contentious
(c) contradictory (a)
Her
issue of land ownership. A husband dies. (5)----------------------(b) His
(c) Your
family immediately descends on the home and
(a) seizes
(6)----------------------------(b) grasps the house and land. The wife
(c) selects (a)
let
is (7)------------------------(b) bereft with nothing and often faces
(c) left
(a) total
a life of (8)---------------------------------(b) all-round destitution.
(c) whole
(a) tear
Uganda's women have decided not to (9)----------(b) tolerate
(c) abide
this injustice any longer. Rallying with women's

English
(a) pressure
(10)------------------------- (b) political groups, female MPs have
(c) active
insisted that a Land Reform Bill, currently before Parliament, should give
wives co-ownership over matrimonial property.
Passage 14:
When I was a raw student at Oxford, my tutor told me never to go

to lectures. "'Books can be read far faster," he explained. "But never read
a book from cover to
(a) last page.
(1)------------------------------ (b) back. except for pleasure. When
(c) cover.
(a) out
you are working, find (2)-------------------------------(b) in what the
(c) for
(a) one
book is saying much faster than (3)----------------------------------(b) we
(c) you
would by reading it through. Read the conclusion.
(a) then.
(4)----------------------------------(b; after, the introduction, then the
(c) like,
(a) deeper
conclusion again, then dip (5)---------------------------------(b) lightly
(c) downward
into any interesting bits." What he was really
(a) propounding
(6)--------------------------------- (b) saying was that 80 percent of
(c) briefing
(a) book
the value of a (7)---------------------------------(b) dome can be
(c) piece
(a) their
found in 20 percent or fewer of (8)--------------------------(b) these
(c) its
133
(a) period
pages and absorbed in 20 percent of the (°)----------------------(b) time
(c) course
most people would take to read it through.
(a) took
1(10)--------------------------------(b) get this study method and
(c) found
(a) here
extended it. At Oxford (11)------------------------------------(b) it is no
(c) there
system of continuous assessment, and the
(a) class
(12)-------------------------------- (b) quality of degree earned depends
(c) authority
(a) assignments
entirely on finals, the (13)-----------------------------(b) examinations
(c) lessons
(a) discovered
taken at the end of the course. I (14)------------------------(b) learnt
(c) knew
from the "form book," that is, by analyzing
(a) end
(15)----------------------------------(b) past examination papers, that
(c) old
at least 80 percent (sometimes 100 percent) of an examination could be
well answered with knowledge from 20 percent or fewer of the subjects
that the exam was meant to cover.
Passage 15:
But if you compare Indian police with the U.S. police today and ask. for
example, do U.S. police officers take bribes? Yes. Are U.S. police officer
corrupt? Yes. Some are. Are they as corrupt or do they (a) take
(1)—------------------------(b) ask bribes with frequency, or is the
(c) hope
(a) quantum
(2)---------------------------------- (b) percentage of U.S. police as
(c) quantity
134
corrupt, in (3)-
and such, as (4)
have to (5)
in (6)-
(c) Europe. (c) as
(a) inherent fluke of
(7)- (b) inclusive nature?
(c) original No.
(a) since
it (8V (b) because
(c) as an Indian Officer
(a) reason
is for some (9) (b) cause
(c) point less ethical? No. The
(a) a
people are --------------- (b) the
(10 )-
same. It is the
(a) prompts
structure which (11)-
the people. Remember the (12)-

(b) provides the change in
(c) causes
(a) forgotten
----------------(b) old song
(c) ancient
(a) wrote,
bv Kris Kristofferson, where he (13)
----------------(b) penned,
(c) thought,
'Freedom's just another word for nothing
(a) left
(14)-------------------------.--------(b) saved to lose?" If you have
(c) avoided
Cloze Type Comprehension 135
(a) anything
(15)-------------------------(b) something left to lose, then why
not' 1
(c) nothing
If 1 am making no money and I live in a barracks and my job is terrible
and I have no education, hey! Will I take a bribe, if that's the only way I
can support my family? I sure will.
Passage 16:
While 1 don't rank myself as an ex-hobo. 1 did briefly ride the
freights in Montana and Western Canada in 1976
(a) convinced
to see what it was like, and what 1 saw (1)------------ (b) made
(c) persuaded
me out of many of these stereotypes. 1 was a 21 year old.
(a) trekking
(2)---------------------------(b) travelling with my two brothers and
(c) changing
(a) encountered
three friends. We (3)----------------------------(b) dragged hoboes along
(c) sought (a)
saw
the way who (4)------------------------ (b) called themselves "'fruit-
(c) termed
(a) made.
bums." after the harvests they ( 5 ) --------------------- -----(b) did.
(c) worked.
(a) huddled
We saw the danger of the life; we (6)----------------- ------(b) hugged
(c) waited
(a) spelled
out of the mountain wind that (7)---------------------- ------(b) slashed
(c) whipped
(a) joked
through the big doors and we (8)--------------------(b) gagged in a
(c) swallowed
136 Multiple
Choice General English
(a) trapped
blue haze of diesel fumes (9V----------------------- (b) escaped inside
(c) sealed (a) viewed
long tunnels. We (10)----------------------------------- (b) enjoyed. the
(c) envied
panoramic \ iew. Such travel is grimy; each day on the road (a) covered
(11)-----------------(b) spread us coated with a fine brown dust,
(c) left
from the boxcar floors, as if we had been
(a) slushed
(12)---------------------------------(b) bronzed enroute. Rail riding is not
(c) browned
one of my finest achievements — it's against the law and
(a) approve
I don't (13)----------------(b) claim it to my children — but those
(c) endorse
(a) saw
days (14)--------------------------------— (b) made vivid memories.
(c) caused
Passage 17:
It is a mistake to read too many good books when quite young. A
man once told me that he had read all the books that mattered. Cross-
questioned, he appeared to have read a great many, but they seemed to
have made only a
(a) realized?
slight impression. How many had he (1)----------------- (h) mastered?
(c) understood?
(a) mental
How many had entered into his (2)----------------—(b) conscious
(c) cerebral
(a) repeated
composition? How many had been (3)-----------------------(b) hammered
(c) hit
Cloze Type 137
Comprehension
(a) -(b) mind,

on the anvils of his (4> (c) intellect,
attention,
(a)
(b) arsenals
and afterwards ranged in any (5)- army
(c)
armoury
(a)
handle?
■(b)
of bright weapons ready to (6)- hand?
(c)
arm?
It is a great pity to read a book too soon in life. The first impression
is the one that counts; and it is a
slight one, it mav be all that can be

from a surface
already hardened
(9)-
for. A later and second persual may (8)-
(a) looked
(b) wanted
(c) hoped
(a) recoil
(b) withdraw
(c) relapse
(a) with
■(b from
)
(c) by
(a) careful
(b) mindful
(c) considered
in their reading, as old people in eating their food. They should not eat
too much. They should chew it well.
Passage 18:
Why do six out often unmarried Canadian women (divorced, single or
widowed) over the age of sixty-five live in poverty? Forty-five percent of
unmarried elderly men are also poor but the problem is that there is (a)
uncommon
(b) (c) unequal
different access to pension
(
Here are benefits, several
a)
(2y- ------- (b) few typical situations some
and some facts.
English
Margaret's stroy
(a) their
Margaret had always worked hard for (3) ■(b) his
(c) her
family. When she turned sixty-live, after a (a)
career
(4)- (b) lifetime of raising children and keeping
(c) lifework
(a) they
house, (5)- ----------- (b) she thought it was time to
(c) he
(a) her
enjoy (6)-
--------------- lb) life with her husband.
(c) children
(a) children
But the next year, Margaret's (7)- (b) husband
(c) wife
died and she was suddenly alone.
(a) Here
(8)---------------
------ (b) This was only then that Margaret
(c) It
(a) out
found (9)- ■(b) all her husband"s private pension plan
(c) with
fund (10)-
benefits.
(a) had
------- (b) does not provide survivor's
(c) did
(a) out of
Margaret now depended (11)-
(b) on
(c) with
public pension benefits that slashed her income to
(a) above
(12)-----------------------------------(b) under the poverty line.
(c) below
139
Caroline's story
(a) her
Caroline, age 80, got up to get (13)--------------------------------- (b) herself
(c) him
a cup of coffee. Suddenly, she found herself
(14)-
(15)-
(a) in
(b) on the floor. Her hip bone
had
(c) at
(a) snipped.
(b) smashed. She knew she needed
(c) snapped.
(a) notice
immediate medical (16)---------------------------------(b) attention but she
find the unlimited
140 potential (9)------------------------------------------—-----------
Choice.General (b) what
English (c) how
thoughtfulness (a) subsume
v 's to pay close
that only comes with - (b) presume
you assume
practice and (c) assume
( (a) these
a (b) it
every child has. You
) (c) that
c
o
(10)
m
m
to you.
it
m they don't have to show
(a) say
e (b) hint
n (c) poin
t. (11)--------------------------------------------—
t
(
to all kinds
2
)------------------------------(b) promise. The
Youfact that people
h
a
v (12)-------------------------------------
e 141
Cloze Type
(c) Comprehension
acti
(a) potential
on. (a) whom (b) skill can't damage

of limits on that
(b) who (13)-------------------------- (c) assumption
(c) what
to ( 3 y my faith. (a) recognize —(b) keep
is there in
front of you. multiple (c) have
(a) Stude
(4)- Yo nts
u need
to
-------------(b) (14)-
We have to make
a commitment opportunities to
based s
(c) u should be "In my
Th c
c
ey
e
(
(5)- e
a) d
up .
on
O
-------------------- (b) on
n
faith that all human e
beings have
(c) t
in
e
(a) capacities a
(6)-
----------------- c
(b) personalities h
------------------------- i
and abilities that
n
(c)
understa g
nding
(a) credible. (
are not always (7)------------------------------- a
visible. Your most )
(c) transparent, (a)
learner g
fundamental job as a (8) o
----------------------------------------------------------------- is to
a
(c) manager (a) l that
(15)
------------------------------- rela
(b) presumption ted
( (a)
c
illn
)
g esse
a s.
i
n (9)
classroom the wide -------------------------------
range of students who (b) sickness,
show up will have carrying out more
multiple ways to show
(
me their capacities and
c
a wide range of w ays
to be successful )
here.....'" t
e
Passage 20:
s
To allocate
resources efficiently, t
managers need to s
compare the cost of .
hospital care (including (a) i.e.
the time that people are complicated
in hospital, drugs and examinations, (TO)--------------------------------------------- (b)
other treatment, and the viz.
outcome of treatment) (c) such as
with other types of care. sputum and X-ray
Hospital costs are investigations, and
usually high. treating complex
(a) suggested illnesses, such as PCP
Home-based (a common HIV-related
care schemes pneumonia) or
are often (1)-----------------------------------------------
meningitis.
promoted
(c) advanced □
(a) hospital
as a way of saving (2)--------------
(b) clinical---------------------------
(c) surgical
(a) doctor's
However, home-based
care has (3)--------------------------------------------------
people's
(c) its
(a) information
own costs. Carers need
basic (4)-----------------------------------------------------
(c) uinderstanding
(a) treated,
and training before a
patient is (5)------------------------------------------------
discharged,
(c) cured,
(a) health
and continuing
support from trained
(6)---------------------------------------------------------------------
(c) home-based
workers.
the main responsibility for

diag
nosi
ng
HI
V-
IV
COHESION IN
EXTENDED TEXTS
RECONSTRUCTING SENTENCES
Testing your ability to logically and coherently construct a sentence
or a paragraph is another significant component of General English test in
a competitive examination. Here you may be asked to reconstruct jumbled
ideas into a logical, coherent sequence.
There may be words or word groups, phrases and clauses, of a
sentence in the wrong order and you may be required to put them in the
correct sequence. That is. you should be able to recognize words or word
groups of the sentence that fit together to be grammatically correct and
logically acceptable.
If you understand what makes up a sentence, or arrangement of its
different grammatical units like subjects and verbs, pronouns and
antecedents, modifiers, objects etc.. you should be able to say exactly
what you mean. You can communicate accurately (without mistakes in
putting words together) your thoughts and ideas in a manner it is done by-
educated users of English everywhere. You should be able to recognize an
awkward sentence whose construction makes it unpleasant or hard to read.
As you already know, there are some major sentence patterns.
Structurally, they have been divided into four groups: simple, compound,
complex and compound-complex.
A. A simple sentence is one that has only one subject (the someone or
something, usually a noun or pronoun) and verb, either or both of which
may be compound:
1. Seema left.
2. Priya and Geeta looked at each other.
3. I enjoy singing with my friends every weekend.
4. Last summer my oldest brother got a job in a canning factory.
5. Without saying another word, Han opened the desk drawer, pulled out
the letter, and handed it to his sister to read.
146 cricket. I hate
General English golf.
D. A compound-
A sentence may be
complex sentence is one
long or short, may or that combines two or
not have objects, more
complements, or main clauses and one or
modifiers, but if it more subordinate
has only one subject clauses:
and one verb, it is a 1. Call
Vikram
simple sentence. before he
B. A compound leaves the
sentence is one made house, or
up of two (or more) he'll forget
to lock the
simple sentences,
doors.
joined by a
coordinate 2. 1 hate
conjunction kind, bur. playing
for, yet. or'nor. so): golf, but I
enjoy
1. My
playing
brother
still had tennis even
about though 1
fifty am not
rupees, very good
bit; he at it.
didn't
want to 3. He didn't
spend it. say
2. Wear anything to
your raincoat George,
or carry an but his face
umbrella. was
3. 1 enjoy Hushed and
singing with my 1 knew
friends but I hate
what the
watching TV.
look in his
The sentences (also
eyes meant
called 'coordinate
when he
clauses") may be
turned to
joined simply by
me and
putting a semicolon
said."
between them:
Young
1. Seema
went right lady, do
home; she you know
was what time
expecting
a phone it is?"
call from Thus, to be
Sushma. 'complete.' sentences
2. I waited must have a subject and
until after a verb. They may have,
dinner; then 1 as the examples show,
told Mother the any number of other
news.
3. Most of parts; they may end
the article with phrases or clauses
is a or modifiers. There may
rehash of be adjectives, adverbs,
Professor
Kachru's comparisons, contrasts,
ideas; examples or
still it is illustrations, causes and
worth
effects. These are all
reading.
C. A complex related to other words in
sentence is one that a sentence; each part of
contains one or more
subordiate the sentence has a fixed,
clauses: logical position for the
1. Madhu meaning to be clear.
aunty couldn't Faulty-
hear a word that Reconstructing

he said. Sentences 147
2. They placement of words or
wondered later clauses in the sentence
why Mahua had may result in confusion
been so sarcastic.
or clumsy construction.
3. If v-'-en
For example, it is
comes, should we
awkward to
show him the
construct
snapshots you sentences like: J .
Hari did not,
4. Although I
enjoy playing though he had
intended to, convey. You rearrange
apologize to Mrs the parts denoted as P,
Gupta, as far as 1 Q, R, S, so that the
know. reordered sentence
makes a coherent and
2. My father
logical sequence; or the
was busy
closely related details
with his
combine into one
monthly sentence, making the
report, thought clear. Exercise
hardly I:
hearing a Various parts
of each of the
word I said.
following sentences
3. The Kashmiri
have been mixed up.
coat was far
Read them carefully
too expensive and choose the
for me, but rearranged parts
pretty and (denoted as P, Q, R, S)
warm- which is logical and
looking coherent:
1. The very
4. He gave the foundation of
stool to the servant our civilization
and the criteria
that had a broken are in
P
leg.
great
A better peril by
which we
construction define
would be: humanitv
creating
1. As far as I an
know, Hari ---------------------------------------r----------------------
—13
did not -----------------------------------------

:
unprecedented crisis of humanity

apologize to and
Mrs Gupta, human
though he nature S
The
had intended
proper
to. sequence
2. My father, should
be:
busy with his
monthly
(a) P
R Q S
report,
(b) R
hardly heard
PQ S
a word I (c) P
said. Q S R
3. The (d) S
Kashmiri PQR
coat was
pretty and
warm-
looking, but
far too
expensive
for me.
4. He gave to
the servant the
stool that had a
broken leg.
When a jumbled
sentence is given
for re-ordering
the words or
word groups, you are
expected to choose the
right pattern (from the
options given) to
express the meaning that
the writer intended to
The first prioritv before us is irrespective of their background

P
that people learn to get on with one another as fellow human
. ^ •=
beings, understand each other and forge bonds of friendship.
The proper sequence should be:

(a) Q S P R
(b) Q R P S
(c) Q P R S
(d) R P Q S
It was the Greek philosopher Heraclitus with his famous

'panta
_
rhe who declared that all things are in flux and that change is
the essential nature
_ of reality~-

(a) Q P R S
(b) 0 R P S
(c) Q P S R
(d) P Q R S
If the tragedies of uiis century of war and revolution such as
social s\ stems have taught us am thing it is the folk of

viewing
the reform of external factors as the sole determinant of

human
R S
happiness

(a) Q R P S
(b) Q P R S
(c) S 0 R P (dj
Q S R P
In rural hamlets throughout West Bengal, groups of women

~ P
congregate to exhange the news of the day and to sew,
stitiching their stories of joy and woe onto fabric after their
household
chores are finishe'

Reconstructin 1
g Sentences 4
9
The proper sequence should be :

(V) S P Q R
(b) P S Q R
(c) P R S Q
(d) S P R Q
Our lack of knowledge in fund allocation about
local conditions
- p
Q
precluded determination of committee action
effectiveness
R
to those areas in greatest need
of
assistanc
e_
(a) Q P R S
(b) P S R Q
(c) R P S Q
(d) Q R P S
The bus just missed the man travelling at 60 km

an hour
and ran into an

o
f
f
i
c
e
w
i
n
d
o
w
S
(a) P Q S R
(b) P R Q S
(c) P R S Q
(d) P Q R S
We are likely to learn more if our language skills

are so weak
when we watch a demonstration that we cannot

p
understand
q r
words easilv, or if the teacher cannot verbalize

the rules
S
(a) P S Q R
(b) P Q R S
(c) Q P R S
(d) Q R P S
The gowth of population, ensured that those itself
the main
cause of increase in prices, who suffered most
were those
------------------^--------------------------------- r
Multiple Choice General
English
most dependent on the earning of wages

(a) Q P R S
(b) R P S Q
(c) S P RQ
(d) Q P S R
The national unity of a free people to make it impracticable

p
for there to be an arbitrary administration dependds upon a
sufficiently even balance
. _ of political power
. against a
revolutionary opposition that is irreconcilably opposed to it
:
S
(a) Q R P S
(b) S RQ P
(c) R PQ S
(d) R S Q P
Those of us who are vitally concerned about our failing
school systems the intellectual growth of our innocent
children are not quite ready to sacrifice to tne social
daydreaming of irresponsible bureaucrats

(a) PS R Q
(b) PR Q S
(c) R Q S P
(d) P R S Q
The education minister said that the new education policy
----------------- P------------------------------------- TT-----------
was essential addressing a large audience in the state capital
~R------------------------------S~
yesterday

Reconstructing Sentences
(a) P R S 0 <b) P S R
0
,.
c)
R
S
P
Q
(d
)
P
R
Q
S
The 13. adverisement said that wished to employ' a secretary an
expanding company with good shorthand and
typing speeds
if " " S
at their head office.

(a) P R QS
(b) P S Q R
(c) R P QS
(d) R Q S P 4. None of these bovs of last
year 's students incIncline; the one
who passed today s test is upto the standard The
proper sequence should be:
(a) PR S Q
(b) PSQR
(c) P R Q S
(d) Q P R S 15. The police inspector felt
and decided to investigate the matter
further that there was more than meets the eve
in the bo\ s
R "~ S
story
(a) P0 S R
(b) PR QS
(c) PS RQ
(d) P R S Q 16. The proportion of
newcomers is very high to longstanding
--------------------p-----------------------------R
residents in this
town
S
(a) S P R Q
(b) P S 0 R
(c) P Q S R
(d) P R Q S
The independent
unionarbitrator the confrontation between the
p _
and the employers managed to defuse

(a) P S Q R
(b) P R S Q (O Q R S
P id) Q R P S
My wife has green fingers inside the house or in the garden.

F " 0 "
and any plant, seems to thrive under her care

it S
(a) P 0R S
(b) P R Q S
(c) 0 P R S
(d) Q R S P
The nation's economy in the next five years was looking up
and would"certainly show a greanmprovement ^
(a) P R Q S
(b) Q P R S
(c) P R S 0 (dj P Q
R S
She had butterflies before the exam in her stomach but forgot
P Cj R
about them as soon as she saw the question paper
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------s --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The correct sequence should be:
(a) P R Q S
(b) Q P R S
Reconstructing Sentences 153
(c) P R S Q
(d) R P Q S
21. Fertility rates according to an international survey, in

the
P
developing world have declined but they are still
insufficient " Q
to prevent continued rapid
aboutpopulation
one-_ growth by
third since the

lat
e
19
60s
,S
(a) P S R Q
(b) Q S P R
(c) P Q S R
(d) Q P S R
22. Indonesia. Egypt, Sri Lanka and Venezuela are among

countries
where ferility has fallen below four children per

woman
P
in the consolidation stage, and there are
continuing gains in
Q ~ R
reducing
school infant mortality, expanding women's
------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- s
enrolment, and increasing incomes
The correct sequence should be: •

(a) Q P R S
(b) P Q R S
(c) P R Q S
(d) Q R S P
23. The end result is where upto 70 percent of the city's

total
P
population live a vast sprawling concoction
without sanitation
facilities,
of potable water. heaVth care ormakeshift security
------------------------------- ----------------------------_---------------------
R
sub-standard housing
-------s-------
(a) Q S R P
(b) R S Q P
(c) Q P R S
(d) Q S P R
154 Multiple Choice
General English
24. Every year approximately one-third of the world's food

_
production, more than 20,000 species valued at
billions of
dollars of field and storage
pests
destro
y_
The proper order should be:
(a) Q S R P
(b) Q R S P
(c) 0 S P R
(d) P R S Q
25. India is robbing Thailand the epicentre of the AIDS

epidemic
T Q
in Asia already on the brink ot of its reputation of
being

(a) P S R Q
(b) R P S Q
(c) R Q S P
(d) R P Q S
26. The problem is directly linked to the inadequacy of the

totality
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------P ------------------------------- : -------------------------------------------------
of choices to the total population of the

inadequacy of
P •-------------Q--------------
opportunities whether of education, of
employment, or of —————— ——________
reasonable standards of living for the individual in
this country
--------------------------------------------------------------§--------------------
(a) S R P Q
(b) Q S R P
(c) R S P Q
(d) Q R S P
27. When I was unable to do anything a gecko came but sit

with
p
my legs up on the chair like a celluloid hero and
helplessly
~ Q R S "
watch it
The proper sequence

should be: (a) P R
S Q
(b) RQ S P
(c) Q S P R
(d) S P R Q
28. Kutiyattam whose nature is defined operates within by

their
----------------------------------------_ -------------------------------------------------------------------Q -----------------------------------------------------------
Vedic/Sanskrit origin s strict religious and

ritualistic boundaries
R S
(a) P R S Q
(b) Q S P R
(c) Q R P S
(d) P Q S R
29. In theory, it might be time to question whether the

system is
P
working very well everyone should benefit from
the trickle
------------------------------------------------------^----------------------------
down of wealth but with 46% of the world's
population in
varying
occur, degrees of povertv, which is supposed to
--------------------------------------------------------- g -------------------

(a) QS RP
(b) PRQS
(c) P S•RQ
(d) Q R P S
30. Another aspect of concern is which, as is evident from

the
-----p-----
first world countries, our rapid militraization—
goes hand in hand with the kind of developmental
------------------------------;—
paradigm they have
followed both for dealing with internal unrest and
for 'national security' —

(a) S Q P R
(b) Q S P R
(c) Q P R S
(d) S Q R P
156 Multiple Choice
General English
31. Interpol is where they are maintained alive currently

P
investigating a grim trade in children until their
organs are
__ __
needed for transplant who are 'exported under the
guise of adoption to Europe

(a) S P Q R
(b) Q R S P
(c) 0 S R P
(d) Q S P R
32. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, a reflection of
the
P
times in which it emerged, is very much a modern
plague.
Q " R ~
or
A
I
D
S
5
(a) R S P Q
(b) R P Q S
(c) S R P Q
(d) P R S Q
33. To be alive an organism must have the capacity in the
biological sense , to feed itself and replicate itself

Q R S
(a) Q P R S
(b) P R Q S
(c) R S P Q
(d) R Q S P
34. 1 do not mean to deny all value to the philosophy of

_science,
and discoveries of science which at its best seems
to me
Q R~
a pleasing gloss on
the
histor
yS
The proper order
should be: (a) S R
Q P
(b) S R P Q
(c) P R S Q
(d) P S Q R
35. According to the standard of big bang theory in a

moment of
P
infinite temperature the universe came into
existence
_
some ten to titteen billion years ago and density

(a) P S R Q
(b)
R
(O
Q
(d)
Q
R
36. If there were anything in nature we could discover it

would
" p Q
have
give to be the final laws
us of nature that would some
----------------------- R ------------------------------------------------------------
special insight into the of handiwork
God. _
The right sequence should be : •
(a) PQ S R
(b) Q P S R
(c) S Q P R
(d) S R Q P
37. With the exception of national economies in Africa

over the
P
next decade a few oil-rich states are not likely to
improve
Q R S
greatly

(a) P R S 0
(b) R Q P S
(c) R P Q S
(d) R P S Q
38. Although we lobbied Congress intensively , because

other
p
interests presented their needs we could not
acquire federal
-------------------q--------------------- R
funds more effectively
158
Multiple Choice
General English

(a) PR Q S
(b) P R S Q
(c) R Q S P
(d) P Q S R
39. Everyone only when he gets a ten-to-five job, realizes

what a
P
soft life he had with no summer and Chirstmas
vacations
Q R
who spends four years in college
s"

(a) Q P R S
(b) S R Q P
(c) S Q P R
(d) RQ P S
40. He reminds us there's a limit to how simple you can be
for a
P
sophisticated audience, that when you write formal
prose
--------------_-----------------------------------------_------------------------
about complex
subjects S
(a) R S Q P
(b) R Q P S
(c) P Q R S
(d) S R Q P
41. The police inspector in the boy's story felt that there
was
- —)
more than meets the eye to investigate the matter
and decided
S
(a) Q P S R
(b) PQ S R
(c) RQ P S
(d) RP Q _S
further
42. The predictions are always so full of gloom that one is

tempted.
P "
about the future of sub-Saharan
a_ more Africa to start on
_
positive note for a change , g
The right sequence should be:
(a) P R S Q
(b) 0 P S R
(c) Q P R. S
(d) S Q P R
43. Human and fish numbers are unlikely to be able to

boost natural
P
stocks and bv the middle of the next centurv fish farms
have collided enough to meet people's needs

R -----------------------S--------------------
The right order should be:
(a) S R Q P
(b) R Q P S
(c) P S Q R
(d) Q R S P
44. The pyramids of ancient Egypt's royal women,

will open for
P : Q
the first time so long overshadowed by the larger
pyramids of
R
Egypt's male rulers to the public in
December
~ S
(a) P Q S R
(b) Q S R P
(c) P R Q S
(d) R P Q S
45. A 64-year Italian peasant finally saw her dream

come true on
-- - -_----
Friday who saved for 40 years for a fairy-tale
wedding
R
complete with caviar, champagne and a horse-
S
(a) R S P Q
drawn carriage
f,>rfin°
Sentences Multiple Choice General English Reconstruct c
(b) P S Q R
(c) R P S Q
(d) S PQ R
46. Social mores and values in the lifestyle of an average Indian
160
shoes in the
US the
Indonesian.
Vietnamese
_----
P and Chinese
which has spelt an immense
change women
have
gone making the
through
shoes are encouraged to perform,
a their
Q R personal
drastic change with best,
moderniz
often suffer from inadequate
ation wages and
S sexual
harrassment
The proper sequence should
S
be: The proper sequence should be:
(a) PS QR
PRQS
(b) RQ PS
P S 0R
(c) S R QP
SPQR
(d) R S QP
R QSP
47. The Mayor of Antillo, to whom 161
she had become
engaged at
P ~ 49. The event, for
the age ol 24 said he had personal
cardoned
consumption
off the
which
main street
attracted a
aviilage in
crowd of
Sicilv , and
reporters,
most of the
photographer
800
s and camera
residents
crews. to
turned out
to watch legalize
Chillemi marijuana
wed 68- cultivation
year old was aimed at
Sebastiano lobbying the

Maccarron Spanish
e , The
government
proper
The correct
sequence
sequence
should be:
should be:
(a) P 0S R
(b) R 0S P S P RQ
(c) Q R S P QR PS
(d) SPQR QS RP
S R PQ
48. While the 50. Deep coalition
women who refers to the
emergent
wear Nike
global system
who are (a)
increasing in
P
importance,
populated by R
nonstate 0
actors both
. "Q
R
in numbers
and
diversity.
The proper
sequence
should be:
(a) PRQ S
(b) P S RQ
(c) S P R Q
(d) RQP S
51. The elite
of the old
system
face a
loss of
authority,
prestige,
so they
will cling
to the old
system
and
economic
and
political
power, as long
a
s
p
o
s
s
i
b
l
e
S
be:
(a) S PRQ
(b) P 0R S
(c) PRQS
(d) PRSQ
52. Everything will
end ultimately
uplike
intothat
space
shattered
-------------------------------------
____-------------------------------
satellite that human beings
launch
high
enough
"S
The proper sequence
sho
uld
be:
(b) S 0 P R
(c) R Q S P
Ul) R S Q
53. P
Such was the scale of devastatio that it was described as the

P Q
worst natural disaster caused by the hurricane to hit
Central
R
America this
century _
(a) P S R O
(b) P R O S
(c) P Q S R
(d) S P 0R
54. We have increased in the atmosphere the amount of carbon
P Q
dioxide despite a scientific consensus that global
temperatures
are rising as a result

(a) Q P R S
(b) R S P Q
t'c) P R S 0 id)
0P S R
55. The US Space Surveillance Network which is
approximately
the lower limit of detectability routinely follows more than

P ~ " Q
8000 objects for current technologies that are larger than
R ~ "
four inches across
S^
(a) P R S Q
(b) R S 0 P
(c) S Q R P
td) Q S P R
56. Reproductive tract infections, and sexually transmitted
-
diseases, including cervical cancer, actue and chronic
infections of the uterus and fallopain tubes, among

Indian
Q
\
women constitute an alarming condition ot epidemic
S
proportions
The
pro ed in the potentially rich petroleum reserves ot
per
seq Namibia
uen
ce to dispose ol their oil platforms and other facilities
sho
uld in an
be :
(a)
-
environmentally sound manner.
Q
P The proper sequence should be:
R (a) Q P R S
(b) (b) P S Q R
(c) S
P Q
S P
(c) R
(di Q
S S
R P
(d) R
R
58. Worldwide, women experience especially in respect of
S
P participation in public life, employment
opportunities and access
57. p " Q
to economic wealth , inequality far more markedly
than men.
Oil _
and social well being.
compani
S ~
es will
(a) P Q S R
now
fb) R S P 0
have to (c) R P 0 S
give an (d) R P S 0
underta 59. Women are more likely to give birth prematurely and their
P
king babies are at increased risk who are
poor ly_nouiisn^d_or_sick
inte
Q '<
164
rest Multiple Choice General
English
of death and
disabilit
y. S
be: la) R Q S P
(b) R P 0S
(c) Q S
P R (dj
0S R P
60 The proper sequence should be:
.
(a) R Q P S
O (b) 0 R P S
ur (c) S R Q P
ed
uc (d) S P R Q
ati
on 61. One of the kev elements is how to rework the World
ist P
s conference format that the task force has been looking at
ar
much more of a working meeting for SID members,
e
to
c hapters __
o and partners to ensure that it is
oft
en
an
xi (a) R P S Q
ou
s
(b) P S R 0
in (c) S R P 0
an (d) 0 P S R
v
on 62. Unfortunateh. to process all the results on time we
e have
th P
at been unable for publication in this issue of 'Bridges '
th due to
ey
p the overwhelming response from
nev you . S
er The proper sequence should be:
get
far (a) S P Q R
eno
ugh (b) S Q P R
Reconstructing Sentences
to 165
teac
h (c) Q S P R
chil
dre (d) 0 P R S
n so
ma63. The meeting called for stiff action to be taken b\ those in
_ =
nv .
diff
ere positions of power or authority particularly when it
nt was
Q
perpetrated against
offenders.
~
- _
R
lan (a) P S R 0
gua (b) P R Q S
gue
s (c) Q S P R
deri
ve (d) R S Q P
anv
64. The Centre to combat sleeping sickness in six provinces in
use
or
enj Angola destroy ed bv the war is currently working
ov on a project
men
t *
— 1
~~
fro as well as on another project to rebuild two schools
m in Luanda
thei S
r The proper sequence should be:
stud
v. (a) P Q R S
S
(b) (b) P S R Q
R (c) P R S Q
S (d) P R Q S
Q 66. Wildlife activists with success in some states, have long
(c) asked
P ------------------?
S ------------------p
for as in Assam more resources for the forest guards.
Q
(d) The correct sequence should be:
166
R Multiple Choice
Genera! English
P S
(a) Q R S P
65.
(b) R Q S P
There is(c) 0 S P R
(d)
no Q P S R
satisfact
ory 67. Watching the stunning birds one can only hope that this is
develop so.
ment : P~
model and other wildlife in Corbert Tiser Reserve, mav be
in the resolved
■ i ■ .— ■ — ,. -— ---------------------' _ - *-____________________... _ .
world
to the benefit of all ami the equation between
and wildlife and their
inco R
me habita t and encroaching human habitation and
industrialization
*------------------g ---------------------------------
ineq
uali The correct order should be:
(a)
ty Q S P R
tail
(b)
ore Q P S R
(c)
d to P Q S R
indi
(d)
vid
S Q P R
ual
68. For everyone and every institution, with much less input of
cou
P
ntry
eftort. expense or investment it is possible to obtain
situ
what has
atio
ns _
_
which seriouslyadd negative value, much more that is of value and avoid
ress
es _
the
gro
win
gcon The correct sequence should be:
diti
(a)on
of Q S R P
pov
erty
(b)- PQ S R
(c)
^
Q P R S
(d) S Q R P
■-
The69. Moses Smucker might look like Abe Lincoln, but he bore
corr
ect the
seq
uen same time-is-monev air of any factory manager to
ce
sho talk to the
uld
be: press in his black suit and moustache-free beard ,
(a) taking a
Q
S R -
few minutes out of lity continue to decline, because of the large number
a of
' Q PT^
bus voting people and they are rapidly declining.
v :
" :
S : "
dav The right sequence shoulb be:
S
(a) (b) (c) (d) Q S P R
The
pro P R Q S
per 0 R S P
seq
Q S R P
uen
ce With practice in re-ordering of words in sentences, you
sho
may have by now become aware of some vital aspects of a good
uld
sentence: A good sentence is not only grammatically correct but
be:
has qualities such as UNITY, COHERENCE, and EMPHASIS.
(a) R
If a sentence deals with only one thought at a time, and all
P0 parts of the sentence bear directly upon the main thought, then
(b) 5 the sentence is said to have UNITY. If thoughts which have no
RP connection with one another are put into the same sentence, it
(c) R results in confusion . For example:
;
QP Winny went to the market, and always obeyed her parents.' Here
(d) R are two unrelated ideas put into one sentence, and you cannot
SQ say which is meant to be the central idea. Going to the market
R and obedience to parents have no connection.
e Similarly, if the various components of a sentence are not
7 arranged in a logical order, or if the ideas do not move in a
0. smooth, uninterrupted line from beginning to end. the sentence
E
v lacks COHERENCE. Lack of coherence means lack of clarity.
e Order or continuity of a sentence depends on your ability
n to tie the ideas together, often by using connecting words—
th conjunctions and adverbs that link different parts (of a sentence)
o
u together and show the exact relationship between ideas.
g As far us the quality of EMPHASIS is concerned, whatever
h is considered important, or worth stressing, is generally placed
th in the beginning of the sentence. Because the subject is usually
e
p important, it ordinarily should stand first.
o Similarly, the end of a sentence is another important
p position. Every educated user of English tries to close the
ul
sentence with important words or ideas.
at
io For example,
n
w
ill
c
o
nt
in
u
e
to
in
cr
ea
se
th
e
ra
te
s
of
ferti
168 . Multiple Choice General
English
'Sherd blew that Salma was blazing with anger by one swift glance at her face.' can
be made more forceful by writing as:
'Shera knew by one swift glance at her face that Salma was
blazing with anger.'
Ideas of minor importance are placed in the middle which is the least
emphatic part of a sentence.
While re-arranging different words/groups of words in a sentence,
you must be convinced that the final (order of) sentence you choose has
unity, coherence, and emphasis.
RECONSTRUCTING PASSAGES
Just as your ability to reorder the jumbled words/group of words in
a logical, coherent sentence is important for your success, your ability to
reconstruct jumbled sentences into a logical, coherent passage is crucial to
demonstrate that you understand how ideas are organized in a linear order.
That is. you know the organization and development of a paragraph.
As you know, a paragraph is a group of related sentences that
express one central idea in a composition. It is complete in itself as it
deals with one distinct aspect or division of a subject. It contains only
one main thought, or topic, or theme, which is developed with the help of
several supporting sentences which are closely connected with each other.
There is no room for any unrelated sentence in the paragraph.
The most important sentences of the paragraph are the first and the
last, as the most emphatic positions in a sentence are the beginning and
the end. If the first sentence sets forth the theme or topic, the last
sentence forms a fitting close. That is, you stick to the topic in its
specific aspects from the beginning to the end. The paragraph appears a
distinct one piece, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
(Beginning)
Topic Sentence
(Middle)
1. Supporting Sentence
Supporting Sentence
3. Supporing Sentence
4. Supporting Sentence
(End)
Concluding Sentence
If, for example, you say in your first sentence (also called topic
sentence) that you are going to discuss two important characteristics of
in choosing words
170 because many so-
General English called synonyms are
gold, discuss only not really
those. Do not discuss synonymous at all."
anything else such as (Concluding
the price of gold, the sentence).
history of gold, or gold This passage has
mining. both unity and coherence:
If the paragraph Only one subject, stated
is confined to one point in the topic sentence, has
as stated in the topical been discussed and
sentence, it is said to developed logically by
have UNITY. That is. means of appropriate
all the following examples. Words like for
sentences develop or example, however,
contribute to similarly, and therefore
developing that one connect different
point only. sentences to provide
coherence to the text,
If the supporting
besides maintaining a
sentences are
logical, linear
connected with each
development with a
other using appropriate
distinct beginning,
thought-connectors or
middle, and end.
joining words, if one
sentence leads on Remember, the
naturally to the next, opening sentence of the
paragraph is mostly a
and the mutual
generalized statement
relations of all the
while the supporting
sentences in the
sentences are
paragraph are clearly
increasingly more
visible, the paragraph
specific, or particular
is said to have
statements: the last
COHERENCE.
sentence is either a
Coherence means that
summary of the
the supporting
important points or gives
sentences have a
a final comment on the
proper sequence and
topic or signals the end
are logically linked
of the paragraph.
with each other.
It would not be
Read the
out of place to tell you
following
that most of the writing
example of a
you do as a professional
well-developed
will be expository: you
paragraph:
will be explaining how
"Synonym, words to do or make
that have lite same something, discussing
basic meaning, do ideas, expressing
not alwavs have opinions, persuading
the same others. You won't pack
emotional your details into a
meaning. (Topic paragraph
sentence). For indiscriminately. You
example, the will be logical while
words '"stingy" narrating something or
and "frugal'" enumerating steps, parts
both mean etc., giving examples or
""careful with illustrations, giving
money." reasons and results,
However, to call pointing out similarities
a person stingy is and differences, or
an insult, while giving causes and
the word frugal effects. You will take
has a much more care to note which idea
positive (or point) should come
connotation. first, and which idea
Similarly, a Reconstructing Passages
person wants to 171
be slender but
(or point) should come
not skinny, and
aggressive, but later, and connect them
not pushy. with each other using an
(Supporting appropriate connective.
sentences). In a competitive
Therefore, you examination, you will
should be careful find an unordered
passage, generally of faith, and as
SIX sentences, to be demonstrated
reconstructed in the by Dr Martin
logical order. The first Luther King,
and the last sentences, Jr., nothing is
indicated as 57 and S6 impossible as
are normally kept long as we have
intact, while the order a dream.
of the middle four R: However, the
sentences, denoted as institutions of
PQRS are jumbled.
family, church, and
From the list of the
public schools are
options given, you
severely stressed,
choose the proper
and the obstacles
sequence of the four
sentences, so that the seem almost
six sentences of the insurmountable. S :
passage make a We must keep
coherent and logical trying. The proper
sequence. sequence should be:
Now practise the (a)
exercises given below:
RSQP
Each of the following
(b)
groups of sentences
PRQS
forms a paragraph.
Each paragraph is (c)
made up of six P Q R
sentences. The first S
and the last sentences
(d)
of each passage are
numbered SI and S6. P
The remaining four
sentences in the
R
passage are in mixed
order and numbered
PQRS. Read the S
sentences carefully and
make the most
appropriate choice. Q
Passage 1:
SI : The past
must inspire P
the future. a
S6 : We must
never lose s
hope until the s

ideals of a
equality and
g
human
dignity are e
established
throughout
2
the world. P :
Our young :
people must SI: Most
patient
understand
s
and appreciate probab
their history, ly
for in doing assume
so they that
construct an when a
doctor
unshakable
propos
identity that es to
allows them use an
to live good establi
lives and to shed
advance the treatm
ent to
cause of
conque
human rights ra
that is so dear disease
to us all. 0: he will
But I find be
solace in my
English
using a treatment which has been tested, examined, and proven.
S6: Drug company sponsored research is done more to get good
reviews than to find out the truth, P: The companies which
commission such research are not
terribly bothered about evidence; what they are looking for
are conclusions which will enable them to sell their product.
Q: This type of research is designed, quite simply, to find
evidence
showing a new product is of commercial value. R J But this
is not the case.
S: The savage truth is that most medical research is organized, paid
for. commissioned or subsidised by the drug industry. The proper
sequence should be:
(a) RSQP
(b) SRQP
(c) QRPS
(d) SQPR
Passage 3:
S!: World Water Day is being observed on March 22nd.

S6: Securing sufficient water supplies for future generations will
become a major challenge of the next millennium. P: A
great part of the population there, especially in rural areas,
still has no access to clean drinking water. Q: Water
sources world-wide continue to be exploited without
regard to long-term consequences such as environmental
destruction and desertification. R: The World Meteorology
Organization, a sub-organization of
the United Nations, introduced it in 1993 in order to warn the
industrialized countries of the disastrous consequences of their
bad habit of wasting water in large amounts. S: Some
developing countries, for example, Egypt. Morocco,
and Pakistan, to name just a few, are already facing severe
and chronic water shortages. The
(a) Q S RP
(b) RPSQ
(c) RSPQ
(d) SQRP
Reconstructing Passages
173
Passage 4:
SI : Throughout the developing world, we see detrimental linkages
of rapid population growth to high rates of infant and
maternal mortality. environmental degradation, malnutrition,
unemployment, poverty and overcrowded cities.
S6 : Fifteen million infants under age one will die this year—
42.000 each day—due to lack of access to primary health care
and education.
P: These environmental disasters exacerbate existing pressures
on human health. Q: At the global level, these obstacles to
development are
manifested through overwhelming statistics. R : Within the
next decade, 10,000 species of plants and animal
life will disappear annually. S : Twenty-five billion tons of
arable topsoil vanish from the
world's croplands every year.
(a) QSPR
(b) RPSQ
(c) OS R P
(d) SQRP
Passage 5:
SI: Today the assembly line that once ran across a single building
floor is more likely to run several times around the globe. S6:
Often different parts are made in different countries and come
together in yet another nation. P: At each stop a little bit
more is added or reworked, until some
thousands of miles and many customs inspections later it is
picked off a store shelf. Q: Today a product skips from one
country to another. R: But its parts are still connected by
container vessels, airplanes,
and trains.
S: The factory has been exploded and its parts scattered to the four
corners of the earth. The proper sequence should be:
(a) SRQP
(b) SRPO
(c) QPSR
(d) RSQP
English
Passage 6:
SI: Increasing dependence on fossil fuels for industrial use and
transportation intensities pollution. S6: For this reason
alone, the world community should consider
curbing pollution and saving the environment as an urgent
global issue.
P: High levels of emission of carbon dioxide and other gases
have led to global warming. Q: The emission of CFCs in
one pan of the world does not leave
a countrv in another part any safer. R: Once the polluting
gases reach the atmosphere they can move
easily to thin the ozone layer over any part of the world.
exposing it to dangerous ultraviolet radiation from the sun. S:
The use of chlorotluorocarbons (CFCs). though reduced
largely in the industrialized world, continues to increase in
the
newly industrializing countries of Asia.
(a) P SQR
(b) P 0SR
(c) S QRP
(d) 0 RSP
Passage 7:
SI: The race for environment-friendly cars is gaining momentum.
S6: In other words, it consumes less than 0.2 kw/km energy. P:
The engine promises to lower pollution and a mileage equivalent
to that offered by liquid fuel. Q: A dual-mode AX
prototype, called Vetela. has been launched
by Renault in Toulouse. France. R: The car can cover a
distance of 30 km running at 60 km per
hour.
S: The car is powered by a dual-mode engine that combines the
benefits of an electrical and a heat engine. The proper sequence should
be:
(a) QSPR
(b) QSRP
(c) SQRP
(d) SQPR
Reconstructing 175
Passages
Passage 8:
SI: Lorn drivers are to be protected from breakdowns and accidents
by special golf ball-sized sensors inside the tyres of their
vehicles.
S6: Up to now. they are only suitable for use in lorries.
P: This data is then transmitted to a central computer for
evaluation in the form of electromagnetic waves. Q: The four
spherical sensors and their control unit cost a total
of around 1.000 marks. R: Through the use of electronics the
sensors are able to measure
the temperatures and pressures inside the tyres. S: As a
result, the driver has continual access to information on
the state of his vehicle's tyres and the weight of his load. The
(a) (b) (c) (d) R S Q P
P S Q R
R P S Q
Q S P R
Passage 9:
S 1 : The Space Institute in West Berlin and the Institute for Space
Research at the East Berlin Academy of Science now want to
work together.
S6: The institutes are cooperating on the testing of a wide-angle
electronic stereo camera developed in East Berlin for a Soviet
Mars probe.
P: Their main aim is research into the Earth's environmental
problems.
Q: The two institutes plan to collect data on the state of the Baltic
Sea using special research aircraft. R: In addition to this,
they also want to discover where waste
water is being fed into Elbe, which becomes highly polluted
on its journey to the GDR. S: Llowever, the researchers are also
thinking about Mars. The proper sequence should be:
(a) QRSP
(b) PQSR
(c) QPRS
(d) P Q R S
English
Passage 10:
SI: When one argues about something, one tries to find out all the
facts about the subject. S6: In expository composition,
therefore, the writer seeks to
inform the readers, not to persuade them to accept his view.
P: To give you an example, if I discuss Women's Liberation. I
must present some background information'on how the
concept emerged through the years to be able to argue for or
against a certain point of view. Q : In other words,
exposition helps argument. R : After all. if an argument is not
based on facts, it is not likely to
be convincing.
S: Such a background is provided by expository writing. The
(a) QPSR
(b) QRPS
(c) P0SR
(d) RPS0
Passage 11:
SI: The WHO has designated January 27 as World Leprosy Day.
S6: What is essential is that the patient begins the treatment as
soon as possible.
P: No one is certain how this ancient scourge of mankind is
transmitted, but malnutrition, poor personal hygiene, polluted
water and generally unhealthy surroundings undoubtedly help
spread the disease.
Q: Leprosy is a chronic, mildly infectious disease that affects
between 12 and 15 million people throughout the world.
R: But the disease can now be successfully treated with a multi drug
therapy.
S: Leprosy is still prevalent in many tropical countries, particularly in
South Asia. Central and South America. The proper sequence should be:
(a) P R Q S
(b) QPSR
(c) PSRQ
(d) QRPS
177
Passage 12:
SI: Deprivation poverty, as presented in the 1997 Human
De\ elopment Report, is not the same thing as income po\
erty. S6: Furthermore, the sources and causes of proverty are not
addressed, only its symptoms. P: By focussing on income,
the development community is seeing
the reflection of poverty. not its reality. Q; The correlation
between income pov erty (using US dollar 1 a
day standard) and human deprivation is not especially strong.
R: Income is only a partial translation of these deprivations: it is
not the cause of these deprivations. S: Therefore, it is
important to see poverty in the aspects of
both income and deprivations. The
proper sequence should be: (a) R P S Q lb)
QSRP
(c) PRQS
(d) QSPR
Passage 13:
SI: Prophets of a new cyberworld. like modernists before
them.
often overlook how much the new world overlaps and rests
on the traditional world in which power depends on
geographically based institutions. S6: Rules require
authority, whether in the form of public
government or private or community governance. P: Three-
quarters of the world's population does not own a
telephone, much less a modem and computer. Q: In 1998.
100 million people used the Internet and even if this
number reaches a billion in 2005. as some experts predict, a
large portion of the world's people will not participate. R:
Rules will be necessary to govern cyberspace, not only
protecting law ful users from criminals but ensuring
intellectual
property rights. S: Moreover, globalization is far
from universal, "he proper sequence should be:
(a) SPR0
(b) PRS0
(c) QPSR
(d) Q S P R
Passage 14:
SI: Free information is information that actors are w illing to create and distribute without financial
compensation.
So: The explosion in the quantity of free information is perhaps the most dramatic efleet of th.: information
revolution.
P: Marketing, broadcasting, and propaganda are all examples of free information .
Q: Motives may v an .
R: The sender benefits from the receiver believ ing the information
and hence has incentives to produce it. S: Scientific information is a publ ic LIOOU. h u t p e r s u a s i v e
messages, such as political ones, are more xeTl'- S'T\ing 1 he proper sequence should be: (a) R S P O (hi R Q S P
(O P Q S R (d) R P Q S
Passage 15:
SI: When an agency decides to go on line to establish a Web site and access to the Internet --- among the verv firs;
decisions that must be made is: "Who in the organization should be granted access privheges?"
S6: But. what constitutes abuse and whai might be done to discourage it?
P: The answer to this last question is clearly yes.
Q: This question is usually followed by: "Who needs access and who doesn't?"
R: Might there be undesirable if not unethical use of the Internet.' S: And the third question is: "1 low might the priv
ilege be abused?" 1 he right sequence shouid be: (a) R Q S P tb) S R P Q (cj Q R P S (d) Q S R P
Passage 16:
SI: The most aggressive—and expensive —therapies attempt to
attack directly the retrovirus that causes AIDS. S6: And if donor countries were to provide the
necessary funds
Reconstructing Passages 179
at the expense of other health care interventions, the cost in

lives lost to measles, malaria, and tuberculosis would greatly
outweigh the benefits. P: Unfortunately, others do not
benefit or are even made sicker
by the treatments available. Q: These therapies,
collectively referred to as antiretroviral
therapy, have achieved dramatic improvement, atleast
temporarily, in the health of some individuals in high-income
countries.
R: Furthermore, these experimental treatments can be properly
administered only in extremely advanced clinical settings,
and they raise the cost of treatment to at least US dollars
9.000 a patient a y ear.
S: The level of funding that would be needed to make such treatments
available in developing countries is extremely high. The proper sequence
should be:
(a) Q P R S
(b) P R S 0
(c)RS QP
(d) Q P S R
Passage 17:
SI: The issue of land rights and its relation to women's poverty in
developing countries, as elsewhere, is.a very complex one,
intimately bound up with at least three sets of issues. S6:
There is a distinct need for empirically-grounded comparative
research that can provide a better understanding of how land
access is constituted in specific contexts. P: First, the
politics of how women's interests are represented
in both the state and civil society, and how they are defended
at the local level. Q: And third, the specificities of gender
and conjugal relations. R: Second, the nature of rural livelihoods
and women's place as
distinct actors within the agrarian structure. S: This
includes, most importantly, kinship and marriage
institutions that affect the way claims, rights, needs an
obligations are defined and contested. The
proper sequence should be: (a) S P R Q (bj P
RQS
• ( c ) P S R Q (d) P R S
0
Passage 18:
SI: In the beginning, u hen only birds could fly. men w ho dreamed of breaking their earthbou; 1 shackles could
not ha\ e conceived of cargo blimps and airship ferries.
S6: The balloon went from Do\er to Calais in t vo hours.
P: Soon, paying passengers were being taken ,r>. rides: one such adventurer was aboard for the first aerial
crossing of the English Channel in I 785.
Q: The Chinese claim they had a cigar-shaped envelope tilled with hot air that Hew in 1306.
R: One of their craft lifted the first humans aloft, over Paris, in 1783.
S: In the late 18th century. the Montgoltier brothers turned the French court upside down with excitement when they
demonstrated their first hot-air balloons. The proper sequence should be:
(a) 0 S R P
(b) S R P Q
(c) Q R P S
(d) Q S P R
Passage 19:
SI: People in the dev eloping world carry over 90% of the global disease burden— with access to only 10% of the
r e s o u r c e s for h e a l t h .
S6: Contrary to common misconceptions, inequalities do not follow a simple dividing line whereby
c o m m u n i c a b l e d i s e a s e s a r e m o s t l y t h e p r o b l e m o f t h e p o o r a n d n o n - c o m m u n i c a b l e a i l m e n t s affect t h e
rest of the population.
P: Changing this equation is the core of our challenge.
Q: U n l e s s w e c a n h e l p t o b r e a k t h a t v i c i o u s c i r c l e , o u r e f f o r t s w i l l m a t t e r o n l y m a r g i n a l l y .
R : T h e d e e p r o o t s o f g l o b a l h e a l t h p r o b l e m s a r e s t i l l l i n k e d t o p o v e r t y and u n d e r d e v e l o p m e n t .
S: ill-health leads to poverty and poverty breeds ill-health.
.,18
1
The propei' sequence should be:

(a) i1 R Q S
(a) upRS
(b) R P S Q
(d) PRS0
Passage 20:
SI: On a recent air flight across the Pacific. 1 saw a miracle that
happens everyday. S6: A sense of wonder became almost
palpable. P: Some were taking pictures and I could hear their
excited
voices.
Q: Then, awakening from a doze. I sensed that something
electrify ing was happening. R: We had been flying for
hours in night's deep darkness. S: Dozens of people were staring
out of the windows on one
side—some seated, others standing or bending over. The
(a) R S 0P
(b) PSR0
(c) R QS P
(d) S QP R
Passage 21:
SI: A true revolution occurs when the entire structure of a society
changes, not just when the palace and the local TV station are
captured by "coup plotters." S6: Taken together, all these
produce a sweeping transformation
far more profound than what is ordinarily encompassed by
"revolution."
P: Technological breakthroughs (or breakdowns) create an
economic upheaval. Q: In a real revolution, civil institutions fall into
crisis. R: Other changes shake the culture and the value system. S:
Family and role structures change. The proper sequence should be:
(a) P S R 0
(b) 0 S P R
(c) S R P Q
(d) 0 S R P
English
Passage 22:
SI: The lot of the elderly in India is changing rapidly with the
increase in the population of senior cit.zens. S6: The
government endeavours to provide for this segment of
society, but is limited by resource corstraints. P: A large
percentage of the aged are poor and destitute, who
are bereft of even the basic necessities of life, naively, food.
shelter, and clothing. Q: Today, 50 years later, the figure
has risen to 70 million— an
increase of 50 million since independence. R: (n 1947.
only 19 million people in the country were 60 plus. S: In the
next 25 years, the number of aged persons in India is
projected to increase by 107 million, making it 1 77 nillion
bv
2025.
(a) RSQP
(b) QRPS
(c) PSR0
(d) RQPS
Passage 23:
SI: Buddhism views the u n i v e r s e as a vast living entity, in which
cycles of individual life and death are repeated without cease.
S6: ideally, death can be experienced as a period of rest, like a
rejuvenating sleep that follows the strivings and exertions of
the day.
P: Through death, the physical elements of our bodies, as well
as the fundamental ife-force that supports our existence, are
returned and '■recycled*' through the universe. Q: Death is
therefore a necessary part of the life process, making
possible renewal and new growth. R: We experience these
cycles every day. as millions of the some
60 trillion cells that comprise cur bodies die and are renewed
through metabolic replacement. S: Upon death our lives
return to the v;st ocean of life, just as an
individual wave crests and subsidesback into the wholeness
of the sea. The proper
sequence should be:
(a) ROPS
(b) RSPQ
18.3
(c) R Q S P
(d) S P R Q
Passage 24:
S I : It lakes as little as a kilogram of foot pressure to detonate a land
mine, and the resulting explosion is immediate and horrific.
S6: I n such cases, death max be lingering and painful.
P: But serious genital injuries and blindness are also common, as are
blast-induced internal injuries.
Q: The most commonly seen injuries are lost limbs—legs and

sometimes arms.
R: However, many fatalities are due mainly to the lack of medical

facilities or the trauma of long evacuation, often in unsuitable \
chicles or on the back of a mule or donkey.
S: Fatalities are common, especially when mines are of the fragmentation

type or antitank mines set off by vehicles. The proper sequence should be:
(a) Q PR S
(b) Q P S R
(c) S R Q P
(d) P Q S R
Passage 25:
S I : According to the Bible, a woman's worth is three-fifths that of a
man.
S6: However, it is less likely for them to reach the top of their
chosen profession. P: This, according to a book Sex
Differences m Britain (by Grant.
Mclntyre). is still the case. Q: There is a big difference
between the salaries of men and

women.
R: In spite of the Equal Pay Act and the Sex Discrimination Act.
men and women are still far from equal. S: The only
advantages enjoyed by women are that in general
they live longer than men and are less likely to go to prison.
(a) P R Q S
(b) P Q R S
(c) Q P R S
(d) Q P S R
English
Passage 26:
SI: During most of human history', population increased very
slow ly.
S6: World population reached 5 billion in 1 987. and it w ill reach
6 billion in 1999.
P: It passed the 3 billion mark in 1960 and reached 4 billion only
15 years later, in 1975. Q: It took hundred of thousands of
years for world population to
reach 1 billion, in about 1800. R: World population
reached 2 billion 130 years later, around
1930.
S: At that point, growth began to accelerate as death rates fell.
(a) QSRP
(b) QRSP
(c) PRSQ
(d) SORP
Passage 27:
SI: Violence against women is "as grave a problem in Turkey as
it is anywhere in the world." according to a report issued by
a Turkish non-governmental organization. S6: Of the
women interviewed, more than half stated that there
were situations where a woman may deserve to be beaten. P:
In another survey that included interviews with 116 couples
in Istanbul, it was learned that 44 percent of the women had
experienced physical violence by their husbands at least
once. Q: It includes a 1992 public opinion survey indicating that
22
percent of Turkish women are exposed to physical violence
by their husbands. R: The report cites several studies that
underscore the extent of
spousal abuse.
S: Nearly half of the victims do nothing and only one-quarter attempt
to defend themselves against being beaten. The proper sequence should
be:
(a) S RO P
(b) R QS P
(c) P R Q S
fd) R Q P S
Reconstructing 185
Passages
Passage 28:
SI: In terms of conflict prevention, three lessons can be drawn from
the preceding analysis.
S6: Finally, conflicts already i n existence can only be resolved if
all the parties involved (the state, organizations, and
individuals) work together according to a constructive
rationale, that is to say. one that can recognize the mistakes
of the past in order to start afresh.
P: Second, when it comes to the management of conflict, we must
recognize the key role of the state as regulator of society at
the national level.
Q: Preventive strategies must take this into account.
R: First, the factors leading to violence are set up in the course of
what may be a very long process.
S: Consequently. historical and sociological research enabling us to
anticipate these is necessary, but we also need to use this information as
wisely as possible (something that Rwanda failed to do). The nroper
sequence should be:
(a) RSQP
(b) SRPQ
(c) RQPS
(d) RSPQ
Passage 29:
SI: Development is a human right, and the principal long-term
objective of all countries i n Africa. S6: Especially when
this is coupled with a perception that certain
groups are not receiving a fair share of diminishing
resources.
the potential for conflict is evident. P: A number of
African states have made good progress towards
sustainable development i n recent years, but others continue
to struggle.
Q: Development is also central to the prospects for reducing
conflict in Africa. R: In many African countries painful
structural adjustment
programmes have led to a significant reductions in the
delivery
of many of the most basic social services. S: Poor
economic performance or inequitable development have
resulted in a near-permanent economic crisis for some states,
Hnghsh
greatly exacerbating internal tensions and greatly diminishing their
capacity to respond to tliose tensions. Fhe proper sequence should be:
(a) 0 P S R
(b) P 0 S R
(c) S R Q P
(d) 0 P R S
Passage 30:
SI: We are coming to the end of the bloodiest and most brutal
century in history.
S6: War. especially preparations for nuclear war. is devastating the
environment of our planet.
P: The cold war quest for mastery of the ultimate War-lighting
machine—nuclear bomb-—has caused and continues to cause
untold numbers of fatal cancers and genetic defects from the
production, testing, storage and dismantling of deadly pluton-
ium war heads.
Q: Continual preparations for war are devouring precious
financial
and human resources. R: Meanwhile, million and millions
of people are dead from war.
sick from war. starving from war. homeless from war.
impoverished from war. weary from war. S: The military
industrial complex and the politicians who serve
it are rich and thriving from war and the preparation for war.
(a) SRP 0
(b) P R Q S
(c) SR 0P
(d) SQRP
Passage 31:
SI: Angola is a country that has been racked by conflict for over 35
years.
S6: The third war. and in many respects, the most cruel, was waged
between 1992 and present by (JN1TA which contested the
results of the 1992 elections that were won by MPLA.
P: The second war was waged between 1975 and 1991 and was
between UNITA and MPLA.
Q: During this period, there have been three major wars: the first,
from 1961-75 was the period of the liberation struggle
against
187
the Portuguese which was conducted by three National
movements: the FNLA. MPLA. and UNITA.
R: This was settled in 1991 by the Bicesse Agreement, that opened
up a new era of democracy in Angola.
S: This war was settled by the A Ivor Agreement of January 1975 in
which the Portuguese government recognized the independ ence of
Angola. The proper sequence should be:
(a) QSPR
(b) QPRS
(c) QSRP
(d) RQSP
Passage 32:
SI: For all the intensity of their love affair with Shakespeare.
Westerners had no monopoly on it. S6: At least 22 people
died and 150 others were wounded. P: A vigorous style was said
to be democratic and American.
while more cerebral acting was said to be aristocractic and
English.
Q: When the mob turned from hurling insults to hurling paving-
stones, the New York militia opened fire, shooting directly
into the crowd.
R: In 1849. what is still one of the bloodiest in American history
broke out in New York city—over styles of acting
Shakespeare.
S: Enraged by a supposedly elitist performance of Macbeth, a crowd of
10.000 surged outside the Astor Place Opera 1 louse. The proper sequence
should be:
(a) SQPR
(b) P R
S Q (c, R
P S Q (d)
RPQS
Passage 33:
SI: Hoagland Howard Carmichael was born on November 22,

1899, in Bloomington, Indiana. S6: The rest of his life was
the answer to that question. P: Largely self-taught, he continued
to play even when he went
on to study law at Indiana University.
English
Q: When Hoagy played an improvised tune for Bix. the young man
with the horn said, '"Why don't you write music. Hoagy °"
R: Hoagy grew up in a poor rural community and was encouraged
to play piano by his mother, who helped support the family
playing at the local movie house and for university dances.
S: Then in 1922 Hoagy met and became friends with a young
cornetistBix Beiderbecke. The proper sequence should be:
(a) RQPS
(b) RPSQ
(c) PRSQ
(d) PSQR
Passage 34:
S1: Convergent pedagogy is a major innovation in the contempo -
rary education system of Mali.
S6: This pedagogy is based on the assumption that initial education
in a child's mother-tongue facilitates enormously intellectual
"take-off and contributes to the success of subsequent
learning.
P: For the third and fourth school years, both languages are used to
an equal extent.
Q: The essence consists of the simultaneous use of mother-tongues
and French (the official language) in the first stage of basic
education.
R: From the fifth year onwards. French becomes the language of
instruction, whereas the mother-tongue continues to be
studied as a separate subject, and continues to be so
throughout the remainder of schooling.
S: The local language is used as a vehicle of instruction during the first
two years of schooling, with Franch introduced as a second language. The
(a) QRPS
(b) QPRS
(c) SPRQ
(d) QSPR
Passage 35:
SI: I remembered one morning when I discovered a cocoon in the
bark of a tree, just as the butterfly was making a hole in its
case and preparing to come out.
Reconstructing 189
Passages
S6: Bending over it. 1 tried to help it with my breath.
P: 1 bent over it and breathed on it to warm it.
Q: The case opened, the butterfly started slowly crawling out and I
shall never forget my horror when 1 saw how its wings were
folded back and scrumpled: the wretched butterfly tried with
its whole trembling body to unfold them.
R: 1 waited a while, but it was too long appearing and I was
impatient.
S: I wanned it as quickly as I could and the miracle began to happen
before my eyes, faster than life. The proper sequence should be:
(a) QRPS
(b) S R
P Q (cj R
P S (.) (d)
PRSQ
Passage 36:
SI: Adolescent reproductive health continues to be one of the
most neglected and difficult areas in which we all work. S6:
Only through dialogue can countries accommodate society's
values and young people's needs in a fast-changing world. P:
There is a discussion in every country regarding the nature
and extent of information and services to be provided, and at
what age.
Q: It is becoming more visible, partly as a result of advocacy by
young people themselves. R: All the countries now
recognize the need to protect the
reproductive health of adolescents: they are overcoming an
initial reluctance and recognizing the overwhelming
importance
of the issue.
S: The national discussion on adolescent reproductive health must
involve young people themselves, their parents, teachers, and religious
figures, as well as political leaders at national and community levels. The
(a) 0PRS
(b) P Q R S
(c) QRSP
(d) PRSQ

English
Passage 37:
SI: The amount of fresh water on the planet is finite—less than a
million cubic kilometers. S6: Water shortages will be
especially adverse for agriculture.
which takes 7 0% lo 80°b of all available fresh water in the
world.
P: Now there are more than six billion people and the fresh water
supph is stretched to the limit. Q: That was enough in 1700
when less than a billion people shared
the planet, and in 1900 when some two billion people were
alive.
R: The populations of water-short countries, today estimated to be
550 million, are expected to increase to one billion by the
year 2010.
S: By 202x the same amount of water must feed an additional three
billion people. The proper sequence should be:
(a) RSP O
(b) QRS P
(c) QPS R
(d) PQS R
Passage 38:
SI: Reproductive health rights advocates in Brazil had worked since
1985 to ensure access to abortion services in the two cases
permitted by law: when a woman's health was at risk, or she
had been raped.
S6: In 1977. a congressional committee approved access to legal
abortion, prompting both conservative reactions and a
national mail-in campaign to lawmakers on the part of
reproductive rights advocates.
P: In the earl} 1990s, a legislative provision was submitted to the
Brazilian Congress, calling on the public health system to
make abortion universally available in these narrowly
defined, but legal, circumstances.
Q: A special committee debated and rejected the provision,
sparking a heated public debate on abortion.
R Doctors were reluctant to provide the procedures, both because of
lack of information about the legal provisions and because of
their own personal convictions.
Reconstructing 191
Passages
S: In 1995. in the aftermath of the Cairo and Beijing conferences, a
new "right-to-life" provision was presented to Congress. The proper
sequence should be:
(a) P S R Q
(b)
R P S l j
ic) R S
P Q
(d) Q R
PS
Passage 39:
S1: Different states and communities determine the family
planning
w orkload differently, but they translate the w orkload into
targets
and expect the workers to achieve them. S6: In particular,
some workers fee! that the former family
planning targets did not allow them to concentrate on other
maternal and child health services. P: Nevertheless, both
clients and health workers report some
satisfaction with the new approach. Q: The needs of the
clients and the opinion of the health worker
are still secondary to the process. R: Clients report that.
"The health worker is not pushing
contracept-ives alone." S: Workers report that targets are
now more realistic and that
they are not scolded for not meeting them, as they had been
in the past.
The proper sequence
should be:
(a) UPRS
(b) P Q R S
(c) Q R P S
(d) SRPQ
Passage 40:
SI: India was the first country in the developing world to initiate a
state-sponsored family planning programme, more than 45
years ago. to lower the country's population growth rate.
S6: Instead, the new approach cailed for planning at the comm unity
level, where grassroot workers would set targets for
themselves.
P: The 'target-free approach' announced in 1996 eliminated national
targets for contraceptive acceptance.
0'- The government's zeal to achieve these targets met with
increasing criticism over the years.
English
R: From the early 1960s. centrally determined targets for contrace -
ptive acceptance dominated the management of the
programme.
S: Just a few years after the ICPD. a major national policy shift
occurred. The proper sequence should he:
(a) Q RSP
(b) P QS R
(c) Q R P S
(d) R QS P
Passage 41:
SI: The importance of primary health care in improving health care
services is in many instances obvious.
S6: There is an increased need for specialists with higher degrees in
medical laboratory science and for more highly educated
managers and teachers.
P: Yet one must keep in mind the role of specialized hospitals and
other high-technology institutions.
Q : This leads to increased quality and effectiveness of the diagnostic
methods used in primary health care as well as in treatment

and prevention of diseases .
R: Besides answering to the needs of patients with complicated and
severe diseases, the health professionals of those institut ions
also develop new methods, instruments and materials.
S: Therefore, part of the profession must maintain their role as
specialists and researchers.
(a) PRS0
(b) PQSR
(c) P R O S
(d) RQPS
Passage 42:
SI: A new form of socio-economic organization has emerged in
the last quarter of the twentieth century. S6: But it is
fundamentally new because it is tooled by new
information and communication technologies that are at the
root of new productivity sources, new organizational forms.
and the construction of a global economy. P: Yet this is a
brand of capitalism that is at the same time very
old and fundamentally new.
Reconstructing 193
Passages
Q: After the collapse of statism, in the Soviet Union and
throughout the world, it is certainly a capitalist system.
R: It is old because it appeals to relentless competition in the
pursuit of profit, and because indi\ idual satisfaction (defened
or immediate) is its driving engine.
S: Indeed, for the first time in history the entire planet is capitalist,
since even the few remaining command economies are surviving or
developing through their linkages to global, capitalist markets. The
(a) SQ PR
(b) QS PR
(c) QS RP
(d) SQ RP
Passage 43:
SI: We confront a growing social crisis.
S6: One could say that some have little choice.
P: And as a significant number of people are being excluded from
access to regular jobs, they are moving on to the shop-floor
of crime.
Q: Polarization is on the rise everywhere.
R: Furthermore, extreme poverty, or misery—usually defined as the
proportion of people who are below 50% of the poverty line
—is the lot of the fastest growing segment of the poor
population in almost every country.
S: At a global level the ratio of the income of the top 20% of the
population to the income of the bottom 20% jumped from 30 to 1 in 1960
to 78 to 1 in 1994. The proper sequence should be:
(a) RPSQ
(b) O S
P R (O S
Q R P (d)
OS R P
Passage 44:
SI: The African leaders look back to the Cold War era with
nostalgia because of the opportunity that The search for
friends and allies' gave them in playing the Wcit against the
Fast.
S6: It is interested in promoting trade rather than ideology and it is
not in a position to engage in any break-neck competition for
political influence over the Third W<> ', u with )H . West.
English
P: They could always threaten to go to the other side if their
demands were not met. Q: The last surviving big
communist power. China, made its peace
w ith imperialism long before the Soviet edifice crumbled. R:
The Cold War really prolonged the lives (and therefore the
misery of the people) of these lifeless states. S: Now there
are no sides (atleast in the emerging global power
nexus) to defect to. The
proepr sequence should be:
(a) RPSQ
(b) P R S Q (O R P
0 S (d) S R P
Q
Passage 45:
SI: An innovative, countrywide intervention programme which aims
to prevent the spread of HI V among the mobile population of
truck drivers has just completed an 18-inonth pilot phase.
S6: However, the perennial mobility of the truckers necessitated a
break from the tradition of local initiatives.
P: Such intervention amongst a specific group had not been
attempted at a national scale before.
Q: The initiative was launched in India by the Department for
International Development (DFID). Government of the UK.
in close collaboration with the National AIDS Control
Organization (NACO) at the centre and 38 NGOs working on
the field in various states.
R: As DFID India project officer Vidhya Ganesh asserts, most
interventions have been "rightfully local.'"
S: It seeks to make awareness, diagnosis and treatment of sexually-
transmitted diseases (STDs) possible for truckers and their crew en route,
through targeted intervention on the highways they spend most of their
lives on. The proper sequence should be:
(a) R Q S P
(b) 0 S P R
(c) S P R Q
(d) S P Q R
□
KEY TO
EXERCISES
SECTION I
GRAMMAR AND USAGE

1 . SPELLING
Exercise I:
Councillor; deliberately; demeanour: irretrievable; interstices;
unostentatious: arithmetician; loquacious: village; gather; benefit; library:
young: rebel: scenes; favourite: anything; arise: grievous: officer;
insurance; society: ghettos: consideration: priorities.
Exercise II:
"There are many places where violence appears, ranging from
smashed windows to crime. In estates you usually find violent scenes.
Generally this is usually about their favourite football teams or it's just
foul language."
Exercise III:
Unbelieving
Exhileration
Ineffectually
Superfluous
Rendezvous
Reconnoitre
Irresistible
Tumultuous
Proprietor Unguent
Exercise IV:
"In theory, a leader of democracy holds himself at the beck and call
of the public. It would have been easy for the ministers if they had simply
to read and sign papers. But they have to study documents and originate
new policies. Their gesture of simplicity will avail them nothing, if they
will not show requisite industry, ability, integrity, impartiality, infinite
capacity for mastering details."
Exercise V:
(1) a; (2) b; (3) b; (4) c; (5) d; (6) b; (7) b; (8) b; (9) c; (10) a; (11)
d; (12) b; (13) c; (14) b; (15) c; (16) c; (17) b; (18) b; (19) b; (20) a; (21)
c; (22) c; (23) c; (24) a; (25) c; (26) c; (27) a; (28) b; (29) b;
English
(30) b: (3D a: (32) c: (33) c: (34) a; (35) a: (36) a: (37) c: (38) c: (39) a:
(40) c: (4!) b: (42) a: (43) b: (44) b; (45) b: (46) a: (47) a: (48) b: (49) b:
(50) a: (51) b: (52) b: (53) a: (54) c: (55) a: (56) b: (57) b: (58) c: (59) b:
(60) b.
PUNCTUATION
Exercise IX:
1. "There's no doubt about it. madam." said the manager. "We
never make mistakes."
2. "What will happen if I refuse'?" A slam said to himself.
3. "I'm afraid that the Executive Council cannot treat your case
as urgent." the letter said.
4. "There's no point in trying to deny it. Meira." her boyfriend
said. "You've been going out with other men behind my
back."
5. "Don't start suggesting that 1 was responsible." John said. "I
wasn't even here when the tire broke out."
Exercise X:
1. Is Lake Geneva near Mont Blonc 0
2. "Don't talk to me about the kitchen." said Bailoo. "It was
Bulli who got everything out. and then spilt things all over
the place."
3. "If I've told you once. I've told you a dozen times: somebody
must pay for the broken window." said the young lady.
4. 1. on the other hand, have no wish to leave India
permanently.
5. Everest, which is the highest mountain in the world, was not
climbed until 1953.
6. The German car, which won the race, was driven by an
Austrian.
7. When 1 say "undersirable individuals." 1 do not mean the
people of this town, but rather the hordes of young louts who
come down from Calcutta on their bikes.
8. The city is interesting on weekdays; on Sunday it is almost
completely deserted.
9. Seats can be booked through a ticket agency; they can also be
purchased at the theatre.
10. For many of the passengers it's just a normal scheduled
(light, but for some it's the start of something very special.
11. Only three elements are lighter than beryllium: hydrogen,
helium, and lithium.
12. The equipment included a small motor, which was fitted with
a transformer; two meters of wire; and a switch.
Kev to Succors
199
13. The reason was obvious: they could not afford the fare.
14. They made two important decisions: the oldest houses would
be pulled down: the more recent ones would be repaired.
1 5. "We are." she insisted, "the oldest family around here."
16. And y et. if he is truly sapiens—thinking and w ise—then
surely there is a promise for him.
17. from my mother. I picked up the basic principles of how not
to be intolerable: not to smell, not to fidget, not to close in
on a person y ou are talking to. not to eat chocolates in the
theatre.
18. Some people, when they get up in the morning, first thing all
they want to do is smoke, or drink tea—not mc. I've got to
ha\e inu ' s i e . the noise of instruments.
i f
;
"What about cleaning your room, for a change?" she a s k e d
me. con;i: ang siv onslaught. 20. It was the custom of all the Europeans
settled here, on the beach at Ko-ro-ra-di-ka. to refrain from all kinds of
work on the Sabbath: to shave, and dress themselves in their best
habiliments: and i f any of the missionaries came over, they went forth to
meet them, and hear divine service. Exercise XI:
d i e : ( 2 ) c: ( 3 ) a; ( 4 ) c: ( ? ) a: ( 6 ) b: ( ? ) a: ( S ) c : (9) a: ( 1 0 ) a:
( 1 1 ) a: ( 1 2 ' . b: f l 3 ) b: ( 1 4 1 c : ( 1 5 ; b: (1 6 ) b; ( 1 7 ) a: f 18.) b: ! 9 ) a:
( 2 0 ) b: ( 2 1 ) c : > 2 2 ) b: ( 2 3 ) b: ( 2 4 ) a: (25) a: ( 2 6 ) c: ( 2 7 ) b: ( 2 8 ) b:
( 2 9 ) a : i ) U ) a: ( 3 1 ) a : ( 3 2 ) a: (33) d: ( 3 4 ) a: ( 3 5 ) b.
2. SPOTTING ERRORS
Exercise I:
( 1 ) a: ( 2 ) c: ( 3 ) c : ( 4 ) a: ( 5 ) b: (6) a: ( 7 ) a: ( 8 ) c ; ( 9 ) b: ( 1 0 ) a:
(11 ) cl: ( 1 2 ) c : ( 1 3 ) b: ( 1 4 ) d : ( 1 5 ) a: (16) b: ( I 7 . t c: ( 1 8 ) b: (19)
a: ( 2 0 ) c. Exercise II:
( 1 ) h: ( 2 ) d: ( 3 ) a: ( 4 ) d: ( 5 ) a: ( 6 ) c : ( 7 ) b: ( 8 ) c : I':>I d: i 1 0 ) a:
( 1 1 ) a : ( 1 2 ) d : ( 1 3 ) b : ( 1 4 ) a: < 1 5) a: (1 6 ) c ; ( 1 7 ) d: (1 8 ) c : ( 1 9 ) b:
( 2 0 ) c: ( 2 1 j e : ( 2 2 ) a; (23) a: ( 2 4 ) d: ( 2 5 ) c : (26) d: ( 2 7 ) c : ( 2 8 ) a:
(29) a; ( 3 0 ) a: ( 3 1 ) b: ( 3 2 ) c; 0 3 ) a: ( 3 4 ) d; ( 3 5 ) a: ( 3 6 ) c ; ( 3 7 ) a:
( 3 8 ) c: ( 3 9 ) c: ( 4 0 ) a: ( 4 1 ) d; ( 4 2 ) a; (43 I c: ( 4 4 ) c : (45) a; ( 4 6 ) b:
( 4 7 ) a: ( 4 8 ) c: (49) b: ( 5 0 ) b; (51.) d: ( 5 2 ) a: ( 5 3 ) a: ( 5 4 ) c : (55.) b:
(56) c: ( 5 7 ) (1: ( 5 8 ) b: (59) b: (60) c.(61) c: (62) b: ( 6 3 ) a; ( 6 4 ) b: (65) b;
(66) d; (67) c: ( 6 8 ) c: (69) c: ( 7 0 ) a: ( 7 1 ) b; ( 7 2 ) c: ( 7 3 ) a; ( 7 4 ) a: (75)
c: ( 7 6 ) b: ( 7 7 ) b. (78) c; ( 7 9 ) b: ( 8 0 ) b

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1

Spelling and Punctuation

1. You are adviced in vour own interest not to come late

shrinking fiancess of the University and also serve as a

Multiple Choice General English 1. Ranjana was actuated to murder

22. No sooner did he see his enemies than he took to his

place in the shade, his clothes covered with sawdust and

33. Following the announcement about the mid-term poll.

45. Her earrings matched the diamond broach and colour of

52. In New York, Karen Blixen was being fated by everyone

Her apoloev was so obviouslv sincere and ingenious that

1. Rajdhani Express, which runs between How rah and New

1. Full Stop (.)

2. Ellipsis (... or ....)

3. Question Mark (?)

4. Exclamation Mark (!)

19. Did they tell you that he said he was leaving

(2) Watching the hockey players. Alam began to wish that he

8. The curtain will go up at 7:30 whether the hall is filled or

15. Those who stayed stayed because they were interested.

14. Inside the house was neat and comfortably furnished.

30 Multiple Choice General

11. Only three elements are lighter than beryllium hydrogen

amusement of the rest of th e class. No error.

one of the main groups in the power struggle for the c

possible for us to ioin and go on a climbing expedition . No

"'if I had it written down: but Em afraid I can t quite follow it

as you say it. " No error.

(14) How far was Wordsworth successful in using l anguage reallv

during the dark days of Revolution, states: "It took a people rT

Mistry and I used to walk down Janpath to Parliament Street.

from the himalavas. he had onlv one fear—that he would never

child' ; then he returned to his newspaper. No error .

suggested an acceptable compromise. No error.

a clattering accompaniment of typewriters, adding machines.

1. A vast crowd of people greeted the film star on their arrival

6. She told him not to forget to go to post office. No error.

underway around the world, and India is fully engrossed with

probably be Flumist, a nasal spray aimed at influenza viruses .

30. It is really quite extraordinarily that we should have been at

the same college without having met before . No error .

is more difficult and complex business t han you had thought,

and oppressive as a mausoleum ; the town was a wilderness

angrv about the huge losses . Mr Sharma pleaded with them

government to lagalize marijuana cultivation for personal

Friday. No error . ~~d

whom she had become engaged at the age of 24. No terror.

overshadowed with the larger pyramids of Egypt's male rulers.

are encouraged to perform their personal best, the

with inadequate wages, corporal punishment, forced overtime

and/or sexual harrassment . No error.

have o n the best brands mar ket. No error.

64. Ed appreciate spending half an hour with you to discuss about

presently enjov and that the transition is a smooth one. No error.

with hand. No error .

operations, computerization has readied Dalai Street to

compete to the leading stock exchanges around the world for

harmful traditional practices, such as teaching families not to