Mixed English Questions for Mains Exam — Set 337

Directions(1-2): In the given question, a part of the sentence is given in brackets. Below the sentence, three alternatives to the bracketed part are given which may help improve the sentence. Choose the option that reflects the correct use of the phrase in the context of the sentence. In case the given sentence is correct, your answer is (E) i.e. No correction required.

1. There’s a lot more of Israel in India and in (Indians’ day to daily life), common people and Prime Ministers included.
   I. Indians day to day lives
   II. Indians’ daily life
   III. Indians’ day-to-day live
   Only I
   Only II
   Only III
   Both II and III
   No correction required
   Option B
   In the given sentence, it should be ‘Indians’ daily life’.
   i: We need the possessive form of the word ‘Indians’’ because the sentence is talking about their day-to-day life.
   ii: It should be ‘life,’ instead of ‘lives.’
   Therefore, option B is the apt answer.

    

2. The technical director is also thought (to be interviewed) for the role vacated by Chris Coleman.
   I. to have interviewed
   II. to had been interviewed
   III. to have been interviewed
   Only I
   Only II
   Only III
   Both I and III
   No correction required
   Option C
   In the given sentence, ‘technical director’ is used as a subject, ‘is’ as an auxiliary verb showing simple present tense and ‘thought’ as a past participle serving the function of the main verb with reference to some past action.
   ‘To have been interviewed’ is a passive perfect in􀁽nitive. The perfect infinitive refers to a time before that of the preceding verb. The passive perfect infinitive is formed as ‘to have been + past participle.’
   The interview must have preceded the thought, hence it is passive perfect infinitive.
   Therefore, option C is the apt answer.

    

Directions(3-8): In the given question, a part of the sentence is given in brackets. Below the sentence, alternatives to the bracketed part are given as (A), (B), (C) and (D), which may help improve the sentence. Choose the correct alternative out of the given ve options. In case the given sentence is correct, your answer will be option (E), i.e., “No correction required”.

3. A declaration of adherence (in democratic values) and norms of the Constitution in the inner party organization was made yesterday.
   For democratic values
   To democratic values
   On democratic values
   In democratic value
   No correction required
   Option B
   ‘Adherence to’ is the correct phrasal verb which should be used to make the sentence grammatically correct. The verb ‘adhere to’ means ‘To believe in a particular idea or concept’. So, the correct answer is option B.
   

    

4. The state government proposes to pass two bills (of providing reservations) to Muslims and STs and then urge the Centre to include the matter in the 9th Schedule of Constitution as done in the case of Tamil Nadu.
   for providing reservations
   to provide reservations
   by providing reservations
   of providing reservations
   No correction required
   Option A
   To express purpose of something both ‘for+ing’ and ‘to+ verb (base form)’ is used. The difference between the two is that while ‘to+ verb (base
   form)’ focuses on the person, ‘for+ing’ focuses on the instrument. This means when we want to refer to the purpose or the “role” (function) of someone, we use ‘to+infinitive’ and for describing the reason (purpose) or the function of something we use ‘for+ing’.
   In this case, we are describing the reason behind passing the bills, so we need to use ‘for+ing’. So, the correct answer is option A.

    

5. During the university elections, (the college elected their wise president to Swapnil for handling) the campaign for university president.
   
   the college elected their wise president to Swapnil for handling
   the college elected Swapnil their wise president for handling
   the college elected Swapnil their wise president to handling
   the college elected their wise president, Swapnil for handling
   No correction required
   Option B
   An objective complement can be a noun or an adjective which follows the direct object renaming or modifying it. It is used with verbs like make, name, call, choose, elect, and appoint. It is not set off with commas as an appositive is.
   The pattern is Subject (the college) + verb (elected) + object (Swapnil) + compliment (their wise president for handling). For describing the reason
   (purpose) or the function of something we use ‘for+ing’. So, the correct answer is option B.

    

6. Since the advent of cable television, at the beginning of (this decade, the entertainment industry took) a giant stride forward in our country.
   this decade saw the entertainment industry taking
   this decade, the entertainment industry has taken
   this decade, the entertainment industry had taken
   this decade, the entertainment industry took
   No correction required
   Option B
   ‘Since’ indicates the requirement of present perfect tense. The statement starts with ‘since’, which means that a timeline is being talked about with a starting datum point and an action that started is in continuation from that datum; thus the statement needs to be in present perfect tense i.e the verb form should be ‘has taken’. So, the correct answer is option B.

    

7. (Hectic campaigns in the second) phase of state assembly elections will come to an end next week, in 67 Assembly constituencies spread over 11 districts.
   Hectic campaigning for the second
   Having hectic campaigning for the second
   Hectic campaigning from the second
   Hectic campaigns for a second
   No correction required
   Option A
   “Will come to an end” shows that the statement is in continues tense, therefore, we can eliminate statement D. ‘Having’ is a perfect participle which more or less expresses an action that has been just completed thus, the correct construction is having + (verb+ed). Thus we can eliminate statement B. In option C, instead of ‘from’, ‘for’ is the correct preposition to denote that the activity going to end is related to the elections. So, the correct answer is option A.

    

8. The detectives criticized the victims in court by testifying that they were (prone to be a hyperbole and invent details of events that didn’t happen).
   prone to hyperballize and invent details of events that didn’t happen
   prone to hyperbolize and being inventors of details of events that didn’t happen.
   prone to hyperbolizing and inventing details of events that didn’t happen.
   prone to hyperbolize and invent details of events that weren’t just happening
   No correction required
   Option C
   ‘Hyperbole’ refers to exaggerated statements or claims and therefore cannot refer to person. They are actually statements or claims made by a person. The appropriate replacement for the highlighted part is ‘prone to hyperbolizing and inventing details of events that didn’t happen.’ ‘Hyperbolize’ means to represent something as being larger, better, or worse than it really is; exaggerate and de􀁽nes an act. Accordingly, to maintain parallelism in the sentence, we need to change the verb ‘invent’ to its present participle form i.e. ‘inventing’.
   So, the correct answer is option C.

    

Directions(9-10): A sentence divided into three parts (I, II and III) is given. There may be an error in one or more parts. Determine the part(s) which requires correction and mark it as your answer.

9. As the old lies of insurrection and Negro supremacy lost their ability (I)/ to deceit, Douglass wrote that the heart-rending cries of (II)/ the white women and little white children took its place. (III)
   Only I
   Only II
   Only III
   Both II and III
   Both I and II
   Option D
   Option II: ‘Ability to’ is always followed by the first form of a verb. “Deceit” is a noun. “Deceive” is a verb. Thus, this part requires correction.
   Option III: ‘It’ is used for ‘singular nouns.’ “Lies” is a plural noun. So, ‘their’ should be used.
   Therefore, option D is the apt answer.

    

10. The most unique characteristic of the troodontids was the size of their brain case: (I)/ it was the largest of all the dinosaurs and this may indicate that (II)/ the troodontids were the most intelligent of all the dinosaurs, although this is only a speculation. (III)
    Both I and II
    Both II and III
    Both I and III
    Only I
    Only III
    Option D
    Part I: If something is ‘unique,’ it is the only one of its kind. Consequently, there cannot be degrees of uniqueness: either something is unique, or it is not. Accordingly, locutions like “very unique” and “most unique” are out of order. If you find it necessary to use a degree word like very or most, choose another adjective, such as unusual or distinctive.
    Part II and III require no correction.
    Therefore, option D is the apt answer.

     

Click here for topic wise English Language Questions