Search Previous Year Questions

The correct answer is '4' i.e. in the way of .

Key Points

• The given sentence discusses the challenges faced by the unregulated finance industry due to high-interest rates and low repayment of loans.
• The phrase "in the way of" is commonly used to indicate the presence of something as a barrier, obstacle, or challenge, making it the most appropriate choice.
• Other options, such as "because manner of" or "by way of," do not fit the context grammatically or logically, as they change the meaning or make the sentence awkward.

Correct sentence: The fraud comes at a time when the unregulated finance industry is facing a crisis in the way of high-interest rates and low repayment of loans.

Additional Information

• Usage of "in the way of":
• This phrase is used to refer to something that acts as an obstacle or hindrance.
• Example: There is nothing in the way of achieving your dreams if you work hard.
• Usage of "by way of":
• This phrase is used to indicate a method or means of doing something.
• Example: He apologized by way of a handwritten note.

The correct answer is '3' i.e. The shop had not been closed by them .

Key Points

• The given sentence is in the past perfect tense (had not closed).
• When converting a sentence from active to passive voice, the structure changes but the tense remains the same.
• In the past perfect tense, the passive voice structure is: "had + not + been + past participle".
• Thus, the correct transformation of "They had not closed the shop" into passive voice is: "The shop had not been closed by them."

Correct sentence: The shop had not been closed by them.

Additional Information

• Passive Voice Basics:
• Used when the focus is on the action or the object receiving the action, rather than the subject performing it.
• Structure: Object + auxiliary verb (form of "to be") + past participle + (optional: "by + subject").
• Examples:
• Active: She writes the report. → Passive: The report is written by her.
• Active: They were cleaning the room. → Passive: The room was being cleaned by them.
• Active: He had completed the task. → Passive: The task had been completed by him.

The correct answer is '2' i.e. He said, "If I were to receive a promotion, I would buy my family a bigger house."

Key Points

• The given sentence is expressed in indirect speech, and the task is to convert it into direct speech.
• The sentence describes a hypothetical situation using the second conditional, characterized by the structure "If + past simple, would + base verb."
• In direct speech, the speaker's exact words are quoted, retaining the structure and tense of the original sentence.
• The correct direct speech version is: He said, "If I were to receive a promotion, I would buy my family a bigger house."

Correct sentence: If I were to receive a promotion, I would buy my family a bigger house.

Additional Information

• 1^st Conditional Sentence:
• Structure: If + Present Simple, will + base verb.
• Example: If it rains, we will cancel the picnic.
• Usage: Describes real or possible situations in the future with likely outcomes.
• 2^nd Conditional Sentence:
• Structure: If + Past Simple, would + base verb.
• Example: If I were rich, I would travel the world.
• Usage: Describes hypothetical or unreal situations in the present or future.
• 3^rd Conditional Sentence:
• Structure: If + Past Perfect, would have + past participle.
• Example: If she had studied harder, she would have passed the exam.
• Usage: Refers to unreal past situations and their imagined outcomes.

The correct answer is '2' i.e. R, Q, P, S .

Key Points

• The sequence of events in the paragraph describes the process of constructing a deck step by step, starting with the foundation and ending with admiration of the final product.
• The correct sequence is as follows:
• R: Preparing the foundation by excavating holes and positioning the building's columns.
• Q: Constructing the deck with beams and joists, ensuring precise angles.
• P: Assembling the deck planks in a neat, even line.
• S: Admiring the completed sturdy deck.
• This logical order ensures that the steps are described in a meaningful and grammatically correct manner.

Correct sentence sequence: R, Q, P, S.

Additional Information

• When solving such rearrangement questions:
• Identify the logical sequence of events or ideas.
• Look for connecting words, phrases, or steps to help determine the proper order.
• Ensure that the paragraph flows naturally and grammatically correct.

The correct answer is '1' i.e. Q, P, R, S.

Key Points

• The paragraph revolves around explaining the Socratic method, a systematic process of questioning for discovering truth.
• Statement Q introduces the belief of Socrates, which forms the foundation of the Socratic method.
• Statement P names the method and highlights its importance in Western philosophy.
• Statement R describes how Socrates conducted his questioning process with his students.
• Statement S concludes by explaining the ultimate goal of the method.

Correct sequence: Q, P, R, S

Additional Information

• Logical Flow: The paragraph must begin with the introduction of Socrates' belief (Q), followed by identifying the method (P), describing the process (R), and concluding with its purpose (S).
• Elimination of Options:
• Option 2 (S, P, R, Q) disrupts the logical order by starting with the conclusion.
• Option 3 (Q, R, S, P) misplaces the naming of the method after the description of its process.
• Option 4 (S, Q, R, P) incorrectly begins with the conclusion and places the introduction later.

The correct answer is '2' i.e. is responsible of .

Key Points

• The phrase "responsible of" is grammatically incorrect. The correct preposition to use with "responsible" is "for."
• The corrected phrase should be "is responsible for."
• It is important to use appropriate prepositions in formal writing to ensure clarity and accuracy.

Correct sentence: The new manager is responsible for the entire marketing campaign.

Additional Information

• Common Preposition Usage:
• Responsible for: Indicates accountability or duty. Example: She is responsible for managing the team.
• Responsible to: Indicates reporting to someone. Example: He is responsible to the CEO.
• Other Common Errors:
• Using "of" instead of "for" in phrases like "in charge of" or "responsible for."
• Mixing up prepositions, such as "interested in" being wrongly written as "interested of."

The correct answer is '3' i.e. against the clock .

Key Points

• The phrase "against the clock" is a commonly used idiom that means working under time pressure or with urgency to meet a deadline.
• In the given sentence, the phrase aligns perfectly with the context, as the team is described as working hard to finalize the report before the deadline.
• Let’s evaluate the other options:
• Option 1 - "under wraps": This phrase means keeping something secret or confidential, which doesn’t fit the context of the sentence.
• Option 2 - "around the corner": This phrase refers to something that is about to happen soon, but it doesn’t describe the urgency of the team’s work.
• Option 4 - "in high spirits": This phrase means being happy or cheerful, which doesn’t convey the sense of urgency described in the sentence.

Correct sentence: As the deadline approached, the team was working against the clock to finalize the report.

Additional Information

• Idiomatic Expressions:
• Against the clock: Working quickly to meet a deadline.
• Under wraps: Keeping something secret or confidential.
• Around the corner: Something that is about to happen soon.
• In high spirits: Being cheerful or happy.

The correct answer is '3' i.e. Unlucky .

Key Points

• The word "hapless" is used to describe someone or something that is unfortunate or unlucky.
• Among the given options:
• Fortunate means having good fortune or luck, which is the opposite of hapless.
• Lucky also means having good fortune, which is not a synonym of hapless.
• Unlucky directly matches the meaning of hapless, making it the correct synonym.
• Successful indicates achieving success, which again is not related to the meaning of hapless.
• Thus, the most appropriate synonym for "hapless" is Unlucky.

Correct Sentence: The synonym of "hapless" is unlucky.

Additional Information

• Synonyms are words that have similar meanings. They help in enhancing vocabulary and improving sentence construction.
• Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. For example:
• The antonym of hapless is fortunate or lucky.

The correct answer is '3' i.e. in stride .

Key Points

• The phrase "in stride" is an idiom used to describe a calm and composed reaction to a challenging or difficult situation.
• In this context, the sentence mentions that the individual took the criticism positively and utilized it as a tool for self-improvement.
• Other options like "at face value," "with a grain of salt," or "out of context" do not convey the idea of responding constructively to criticism.

Correct sentence: She took the criticism in stride and used it to improve her performance.

Additional Information

• Idioms and their meanings:
• At face value: To accept something as it appears, without looking deeper.
• With a grain of salt: To view something skeptically or with caution.
• In stride: To handle something calmly and without being upset.
• Out of context: Misinterpreting something by removing it from its surrounding information.
• Using idioms appropriately enhances communication by adding depth and clarity to expressions.

The correct answer is '3' i.e. I saw a beautiful sunset last night .

Key Points

• The word "saw" in the sentence "He saw the car coming too late" is used as the past tense of the verb "see", which refers to the act of perceiving something with the eyes.
• Option 3, "I saw a beautiful sunset last night," uses "saw" with the same meaning as perceiving something visually.
• The other options (1, 2, and 4) use "saw" as a noun referring to a tool for cutting, which does not match the meaning of the word in the given sentence.

Correct sentence: "I saw a beautiful sunset last night".

Additional Information

• Homonyms: Words like "saw" can have different meanings depending on the context. In this case:
• As a verb: To perceive visually (e.g., "He saw the car").
• As a noun: A tool used for cutting (e.g., "She used a hand saw").
• Understanding context is essential to interpreting the correct meaning of a word in a sentence.