English: Odd Words for NICL AO Exam Set 5

Directions: In each question below there are four statements. Each statement has pairs of words/phrases that are highlighted. From the highlighted word(s)/phrase(s), select the most appropriate word(s)/phrase(s) to form correct sentences. Then choose the best option

1. (i) If you don’t cage him now, you lose the ability to curb (A)/ kurb (B) the animalistic side of him.
   (ii) We drove 50 miles today; tomorrow, we will travel 100 miles further (A) / farther (B).
   (iii) In my foreword (A)/ forward (B) I explained my reasons for writing the book.
   (iv)  We have semimonthly (A)/ bimonthly (B)  meetings on the 1st and the 15th.
   A) BAAA
   B) BBAB
   C) ABAA
   D) ABAB
   E) AABB
   
   View Answer

     Option C
   Explanation: 
   Curb – put a check   and kurb – sacrifice
   Further – means to or at a greater extent or degree and farther- means to or at a more distant point.
   Foreword – an introductory note or preface and forward – toward the front
   Semimonthly – happening twice a month and bimonthly – every two months.
2. (i) Young people often differ (A) / defer (B) with their parents on the choice of a career.
   (ii) Credulous (A)/ creditable (B) people often get deceived.
   (iii) Carpenters and potters are artists (A)/ artisans (B).
   (iv)  It is a delight to see the deer gamboling (A)/ gambling (B) in the streets.
   A) BBAB
   B) BAAA
   C) AAAA
   D) AABA
   E) BBAA
   
   View Answer

    Option D
   Explanation:
   Differ – to disagree and defer – to postpone
   Credulous – a person who trust things easily and creditable – worthy of praise
   Artists – One who practises a fine art and artisan – one who practises a handicraft
   Gamboling – to skip about and gambling – a game played for money
3. (i) Development seems to be concurrent (A)/ consecutive (B) with deforestation.
   (ii) Being conveniently located, this banquet hall is desirous(A)/ desirable (B)  venue  for the wedding
   (iii) Vikram seth is a notorious ( A)/ famous (B) novelist.
   (iv)  You will be happy if you adopt (A) / adapt (B) yourself to your circumstances.
   A) ABAB
   B) AABA
   C) AAAB
   D) ABBA
   E) ABBB
   
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     Option E
   Explanation: 
   Concurrent means simultaneous or happening at the same time and Consecutive means successive or following one after the other.
   Desirable – something worth wishing for and desirous – having a desire
   Notorious – of evil reputation and Famous – Widely famous
   Adopt – to take up and adapt – to adjust
4. (i) A strike by the discontented workers look imminent (A)/ eminent (B).
   (ii) Stop looking at Peter’s answers. Your conduct is immoral (A)/ amoral (B).
   (iii) The speech made illusions (A)/ allusions (B) to the final report.
   (iv) The word espionage denotes (A)/ connotes (B) mystery and intrigue.
   A) AAAA
   B) BABA
   C) BABB
   D) AABB
   E) ABAA
   
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     Option D
   Explanation: 
   Imminent – About to happen and eminent- notable or distinguished
   Immoral – not adhering to moral principles and amoral is very technical and quite rare. It means not related to morality means concept of right and wrong is invalid.
   Illusions – means a misconception and allusions- means an indirect reference
   Denotes- indicate or refer to specifically while connotes- to imply or suggest
5. (i) Their impending (A)/ pending (B) demise ought to have been avoided. 
   (ii) Would I like a pack of mints?  What are you implying (A)/ inferring (B)? I don’t have bad breath, do I?
   (iii) Each company in the conglomerate operates as a discrete (A)/ discreet (B) entity.
   (iv) The convicted killer was hung (A)/ hanged (B) at dawn.
   A) AAAB
   B) ABBB
   C) BAAB
   D) AAAA
   E) ABAB
   
   View Answer

    Option A
   Explanation: 
   Impending means imminent or about to happen while pending means awaiting an outcome.
   Imply means to state indirectly and infer means to deduce.
   Discreet means prudent, circumspect, or modest while discrete means separate or individually distinct.
   Hung is used when the meaning is to suspend from above with no support from below but Hanged is used when the meaning is to execute by suspending by the neck … Pictures can be hung, but people are always hanged.
6. (i) The organization is large and diffuse(A)/ defuse (B).
   (ii) The fans could not forebear(A)/ forbear (B) crying out at the wonderful goal.
   (iii) No one can flout (A)/ flaunt (B) the rules and get away with it.
   (iv)  Look especially for the freeze (A)/ frieze (B) of statues on the upper tier.
   A) ABAA
   B) ABAB
   C) BAAB
   D) AAAB
   E) BAAB
   
   View Answer

    Option B
   Explanation: 
   Diffuse – spread out and defuse – to make a situation less tense
   Forebear – an ancestor and forbear – to refrain
   Flout- to disregard a rule and flaunt – to display ostentatiously
   Freeze- to turn to ice and frieze – a decoration along a wall
7. (i) I loathe (A)/ loath(B) negativity. I can’t stand people who moan.
   (ii)  He cannot peddle(A)/ pedal (B) a book deal.
   (iii)  If you have a septic  (A)/ skeptic (B) system, where is the drain field?
   (iv)   She likes to wreathe(A)/ wreath (B)  flowers into ornaments when she is free.   
   A) AAAA
   B) AABA
   C) BBAB
   D) AABB
   E) BBBB
   
   View Answer

     Option A
   Explanation: 
   loath – reluctant, unwilling and loathe – to hate
   Pedal – a foot-operated lever and peddle – to sell goods
   Skeptic – a person inclined to doubt and septic – infected with bacteria
   Wreath – a ring-shaped arrangement of flowers etc.   ..and wreathe – to surround or encircle
8. (i) Chilli sauce can titillate(A)/ titivate (B) our palates.
   (ii) His rapid assent  (A)/ ascent (B) in the social scale was surprising.
   (iii) Bill used to say I was barmy(A)/ balmy (B), and that would really get to me.
   (iv) Johnson quickly baited (A)/ bated (B) up in the silence.
   A) ABAB
   B) ABBA
   C) ABAA
   D) BBBB
   E) ABBB
   
   View Answer

     Option C
   Explanation: 
   titillate – to arouse interest and titivate – to make more attractive
   Assent – agreement, approval and ascent – the action of rising or climbing up
   Balmy – pleasantly warm and barmy – foolish, crazy
   Baited – provoke/ irritate and bated – anxious
9. (i) Wool was big, not just for jumpers but for breeches (A)/ breaches (B).
   (ii) The courtier obeyed the king’s orders in a complaisant (A)/ complacent (B) manner.
   (iii) The opposition passed a vote of censure (A)/ censor (B) on the government.
   (iv) Neither seemed able to elicit (A)/ illicit (B) any information.
   A) AABA
   B) ABBA
   C) BBBA
   D) AABB
   E) AAAA
   
   View Answer

    Option E
   Explanation:
   complacent – smug and self-satisfied and complaisant – willing to please
   Breach – break a rule; a gap and breech – the back part of a gun barrel
   Censure – to criticize strongly … censor – to ban parts of a book or film
   Elicit – to draw out a reply or reaction and illicit – not allowed by law or rules
10. (i) I hate waiters who fawn(A)/ faun (B)  over you.
    (ii) Myeloski awoke like a grisly (A)/ grizzly (B) bear with a sore head.
    (iii) She reminded him of a currant (A)/ current (B) bun.
    (iv) We’ve had to altar (A)/ alter (B)  alter some of our plans.
    A) BBAB
    B) BAAB
    C) ABBB
    D) ABAB
    E) AAAB
    
    View Answer

    Option D
    Explanation: 
    fawn over – to try and win favor by flattering and  faun – a mythical being / one of a class of lustful rural gods
    Grisly – gruesome, revolting and  grizzly – a type of bear
    Currant – a dried grape and current – happening now; a flow of water, air, or electricity
    Altar – a sacred table in a church… .alter  – to change   

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