www.ptindia.com  PT Education, All rights reserved.

English Usage
Reproduction of this material, in part or in whole, is prohibited.
Corporate Office: 214-17, Naurang House, Opp. Hindustan Times,
21, K.G. Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi-01.
Ph.: 011-51510891/92/93 Fax: 011-51518999
Registered Office: Race Course Road, Indore.
Set 11 Email: pthq@ptindia.com Web: www.ptindia.com
-

Choose the word or set of words for each blank in the following questions that best fits the meaning of the
sentence.

1. The police received a(n) ..... call giving them valuable information, but the caller would not give his name out of fear
of .....
(1) private, impunity (2) anonymous, reprisal
(3) professional, dissension (3) enigmatic, refusal
(5) adamant, transgression

2. The ..... was a ..... of gastronomic delights.

(1) internist, progeny (2) gourmet, connoisseur (3) scientist, facilitator (4) xenophobe, promoter
(5) tyro, master

3. The ..... attitudes politicians have today cause them to ..... at the slightest hint of controversy.
(1) dauntless, recoil (2) craven, cower (3) pusillanimous, prevail (4) undaunted, quail
(5) fractions, grovel

4. The bully’s menacing, ..... manner was actually just for show; in reality it was entirely ..... .
(1) imperturbable, rapid (2) truculent, affected
(3) stringent, credulous (4) supercilious, blatant
(5) parsimonious, contentious

5. During a campaign, politicians often engage in ..... debate, attacking each other’s proposals in a torrent of ..... words.
(1) acerbic, amiable (2) acrimonious, angry (3) intensive, nebulous (4) garrulous, inarticulate
(5) impassioned, vapid

Select the lettered answer that contains the best version of the underlined section.

6. The rising cost of government bureaucracy have made it all but impossible to reign in the budget deficit.
(1) The rising cost (2) Since the rising costs
(3) Because of the rising costs (4) The rising costs
(5) Due to the rising costs

7. In a co-publication agreement ownership of both the material and its means of distribution are equally shared by the
parties.
(1) its means of distribution are equally shared by the parties.
(2) its means of distribution are shared equally by each of the parties.
(3) its means of distribution is equally shared by the parties.
(4) their means of distribution is equally shared by the parties.
(5) the means of distribution is equally shared by the parties.

8. The rise in negative attitudes toward foreigners indicate that the country is becoming less tolerant, and therefore
that the opportunities are ripe for extremist groups to exploit the illegal immigration problem.
(1) indicate that the country is becoming less tolerant, and therefore that
(2) indicates that the country is becoming less tolerant, and therefore
(3) indicates that the country is becoming less tolerant, and therefore that
(4) indicates that the country is becoming less tolerant, and therefore
(5) indicates that the country becoming less tolerant, and therefore

9. The harvest of grapes in the local valleys decreased in 1990 for the third straight year but were still at a robust level.
(1) The harvest of grapes in the local valleys decreased in 1990 for the third straight year but were
(2) The harvest of grapes in the local valleys began to decrease in 1990 for the third straight year but were
(3) In 1990, the harvest of grapes in the local valleys decreased for the third straight year but were
(4) The harvest of grapes in the local valleys decreased for the third straight year in 1990 but was
(5) The harvest of grapes in the local valleys decreased in the third straight year in 1990 but was
IC : PTwebeu11 (1)
10. Each of the book’s protagonists–Subodh, Ila, and Dr. Chakravorty–has a powerful, dynamic personality.
(1) Each of the book’s protagonists–Subodh, Ila, and Dr. Chakravorty–has
(2) Each of the book’s protagonists–Subodh, Ila, and Dr. Chakravorty–have
(3) All the book’s protagonists–Subodh, Ila, and Dr. Chakravorty–has
(4) Subodh, Ila, and Dr. Chakravorty–he book’s protagonists–each has
(5) Subodh, Ila, and Dr. Chakravorty–he book’s protagonists–each is the owner of

Choose the lettered word or phrase that is most nearly similar in meaning to the word in capital letters.

11. TENUOUS
(1) vital (2) thin (3) careful (4) dangerous
(5) necessary

12. MESMERIZE
(1) remember (2) hypnotize (3) delay (4) bore
(5) analyze

13. INEBRIETY
(1) revelation (2) drunkenness (3) felony (4) starvation
(5) gluttony

14. AUXILIARY
(1) righteous (2) prospective (3) assistant (4) archaic
(5) mandatory

15. CONTRITE
(1) smart (2) penitent (3) restful (4) recognized
(5) perspiring

Choose the lettered word or phrase that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the word in capital letters.

16. DILATORY
(1) narrowing (2) prompt (3) enlarging (4) portentous
(5) sour

17. PULCHRITUDE
(1) ugliness (2) notoriety (3) bestiality (4) masculinity
(5) servitude

18. RUBBLE
(1) artificial facade (2) unbroken stone (3) pale complexion (4) strong defense
(5) glib answer

19. VAUNTED
(1) unvanquished (2) fell (3) belittled (4) exacting
(5) believed

20. PERNICIOUS
(1) practical (2) comparative (3) harmless (4) tangible
(5) detailed

Select the lettered pair in the following analogy questions that best expresses a relationship similar to
that expressed in the original capitalised pair.

21. HACKNEYED : ORIGINAL

(1) mature : juvenile (2) trite : morbid (3) withdrawn : reserved (4) evasive : elusive
(5) derivative : traditional

(2) IC : PTwebeu11
22. SURPRISE : EXCLAMATION
(1) insolence : bow (2) dismay : groan (3) happiness : grimace (4) deference : nod
(5) contentment : mutter

23. HORSE : CORRAL

(1) oyster : reef (2) dog : muzzle (3) sheep : flock (4) pig : sty
(5) deer : stag

24. APOCRYPHAL : AUTHENTICITY

(1) nefarious : wickedness (2) dogmatic : assertiveness
(3) hypocritical : integrity (4) perspicacious : discernment
(5) deceptive : artifice

25. BOLT : FABRIC

(1) lock : key (2) book : paper (3) roll : film (4) needle : thread
(E) light : lamp

Objective Key
1.(2) 2.(2) 3.(2) 4.(2) 5.(2) 6.(3) 7.(3) 8.(2) 9.(4) 10.(1)
11.(2) 12.(2) 13.(2) 14.(3) 15.(2) 16.(2) 17.(1) 18.(2) 19.(3) 20.(3)
21.(1) 22.(2) 23.(4) 24.(3) 25.(3)

IC : PTwebeu11 (3)