English Questions: Fill in the Blanks 159

Directions(1-5): In the given question, a statement with a blank has been given, followed by three words out of which more than one can complete the sentence grammatically and contextually. Find the word (s) which can fill the blank and choose the option accordingly.

1. The High Court on Wednesday ____________ the Delhi government to focus on shoring up the capacity of testing through RT-PCR, noting that results of the tests conducted through RAT are accurate only to the extent of 60%.
   I) Said
   II) Ordered
   III) Directed
   Only I
   Only II
   Only III
   Both II and III
   Both I and II
   Option D
   “Said” means to “tell someone” which is not contextually fit for the blank. The sentence is about the instruction given by the Supreme Court and therefore the words “ordered” or “directed” that means “instructed or given orders” is suitable for the blank.

    

2. A television programme relating to the civil service exams gives an impression that it is being aired with the objective of ___________ a particular community and bringing it into disrepute, the Supreme Court observed on Tuesday.
   I) Blacken
   II) Vilifying
   III) Besmirching
   Only I
   Only II
   Only III
   Both I and II
   Both II and III
   Option E
   “Blacken” means “to blot or darken or make something dirty with the black ink” which is irrelevant here. “Vilifying” or “Besmirching” means to “defame” which is relevant to the context of the blank.

    

3. When she said she wanted to get a motorbike, her parents threw up their hands in ________________.
   I) horror
   II) apprehension
   III) despair
   Only I
   Only II
   Only III
   Both I & II
   Both I & III
   Option E
   When someone throws up their hands in horror or despair, they show that they are shocked at something that they strongly disagree with.

    

4. The country has been in a very poor economic state ever since the ________________ of its two major industries.
   I) reluctance
   II) decline
   III) elitism
   Only I
   Only II
   Only III
   Both I & II
   Both I & III
   Option B
   Reluctance means unwillingness or disinclination to do something.
   Decline means diminish in strength or quality; deteriorate.
   Elitism means the belief that a society or system should be led by an elite.

    

5. His economic policies have won widespread praise for ________________ government debt.
   I) reducing
   II) funding
   III) piling
   Only I
   Only II
   Only III
   Both I & II
   Both I & III
   Option A
   Reduce means to make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size.
   Fund means to provide with money for a particular purpose.
   Pile means to be stacked or loaded with.

    

Directions(6-10): Two sentences with one blank in each, followed by five alternatives, are given. Choose that option as the answer which can fill both the blanks of both the sentences.

6. A) The news, which was on the front page of every newspaper for the past few weeks, soon _______________ down.
   B) Some scientists say that, the dinosaurs which ruled the world once, ________________ out when a comet hit the earth and caused a nuclear winter.
   Wiped
   Taken
   Died
   Passed
   Snuffed
   Option C
   “Die down” is a phrasal verb. It means to gradually become less strong.
   “Die out” is a phrasal verb which means to ‘become extinct or disappear.

    

7. A) The company employs people to _______________ up debts.
   B) We had to _________________ down everyone we had sold the car to.
   Run
   Pile
   Went
   Chase
   Clean
   Option D
   In the first sentence “chase up” is the correct phrase to be used. It means that the company employs people to look for and catch the debtors. “Chase down” is a phrasal verb which means to follow and catch (someone or something).

    

8. A) The sins of the ancestors were ________________ upon their descendants.
   B) Robin had a chance, so he __________________with his grandmother.
   Met
   Visited
   Looked
   Set
   Checked
   Option B
   The first sentence means that the sins of the ancestors were inflicted on the descendants. The phrase which also means the same is “visited upon”. “Visited with” is the correct phrase which fits in the second sentence.

    

9. A) The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the supreme decision-making _____________ in the SCO.
   B) Industry keeps the ______________ healthy, the mind clear, the heart whole, the purse full.
   Body
   Authority
   Person
   Entity
   Man
   Option A
   Though ‘entity’ and ‘authority’ fit well in the blank in sentence A, but, ‘body’ is the only word that fits in the blank of statement B.

    

10. A) The company is _____________ in the eternal search for a product that will lead the market.
    B) The telephone number you want is ________________; try again in a few minutes.
    Congested
    Going
    Trying
    Engaged
    Witnessed
    Option D
    Statement A: according to the sentence the company is involved in looking for a product that will lead the market.
    Statement B suggests that the telephone line is jammed due to some reason.
    Thus, ‘engaged’ is the only word that fits in both the blanks.

     

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