N WIN ING

TATA McGRAW-HILLS

WE
EDG E

SERIES

QUIZ

Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited

NEW DELHI
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

W D WO OR R DP PO OW WE ER R Q QU UIIZ Z CONTENTS
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT ............................................................................................4 A YOUNG MAN IN A HURRY ........................................................................................ 14 THE BULLER-PODINGTON COMPACT ........................................................................ 26 THE COWARD ................................................................................................................. 44 THE TELL-TALE HEART ................................................................................................ 56 WIFE ................................................................................................................................. 63 VICTOR ............................................................................................................................ 71 THE MORIBUND ............................................................................................................. 79 THE DIAMOND NECKLACE .......................................................................................... 87

10. DOCTOR HEIDEGGERS EXPERIMENT ....................................................................... 96 11. A QUEER NIGHT IN PARIS .......................................................................................... 107 12. THE WATKINSON EVENING ...................................................................................... 117 13. THE GIFT OF THE MAGI ............................................................................................. 131 14. FIRST LOVE .................................................................................................................. 138 15. A PILGRIM ..................................................................................................................... 146 16. THE WRECK ................................................................................................................. 161 17. FEATHERTOP ................................................................................................................ 172 18. THE GREAT STONE FACE .......................................................................................... 190 19. FRIENDS ........................................................................................................................ 208 20. IN EACH OTHERS SHOES .......................................................................................... 219 21. OUR RUNAWAY KITE ................................................................................................. 235 22. BEYOND THE BAYOU ................................................................................................. 240 23. THE OWLS EAR ........................................................................................................... 246 24. AN UNCONVENTIONAL CONFIDENCE .................................................................... 258 25. THE BAT AND BELFRY INN ....................................................................................... 266 26. THE OUTRAGE - A TRUE STORY .............................................................................. 282 27. THE MAN WITH THE GOOD FACE............................................................................. 296 28. THE FOUR-FIFTEEN EXPRESS ................................................................................... 313
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29. ELDER BROWN'S BACKSLIDE ................................................................................... 341 30. A TERRIBLY STRANGE BED ...................................................................................... 360 31. THE PHILOSOPHER IN THE APPLE ORCHARD ........................................................ 374 32. THE SILVER MINE ....................................................................................................... 381 33. THE PIPE ........................................................................................................................ 394 34. THE MANUSCRIPT....................................................................................................... 415 35. CAPTAIN VENENO'S PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE .................................................... 425 36. COLONEL STARBOTTLE FOR THE PLAINTIFF ....................................................... 431 37. THE GOLDEN INGOT ................................................................................................... 457 38. THE COUNTRY OF THE BLIND .................................................................................. 469 39. THE DUPLICITY OF HARGRAVES ............................................................................. 488 40. HOW THE WIDOW WON THE DEACON.................................................................... 500 41. THE SHOT ...................................................................................................................... 507 42. A PROBLEM IN COMMUNICATION .......................................................................... 520 43. WHY THOMAS WAS DISCHARGED ........................................................................... 537 44. FATHER AND SON ....................................................................................................... 553 45. THE HAUNTED ORCHARD ......................................................................................... 560 46. THE ANGEL OF THE ODD........................................................................................... 565

WORD POWER-QUIZ

1. THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

1. THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

I. Text Completion

1. The (i) ____________ portrait of Monalisa, painted hundreds of years ago, is still a point of discussion at various art forums. Many theories have been put forward to explain the secret behind her (ii) ____________ smile.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) slight (E) (F)

enthusiastic enigmatic sardonic

vociferous bovine

Ans: enigmatic and slight

2. People were (i) ________by the indifferent attitude of the health department even after a/an (ii) _____ of malaria cases were reported in the county. The (iii) _________citizens resorted to a demonstration outside the health department's office.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) caricature (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) elaborated (H) extrapolated (I)

muted appealed appalled

slew chain

exasperated

Ans: appalled, slew and exasperated

3. As the residents of the Downtown Street felt the (i) _________ they ran out of their homes and stood out in the open. They stood as (ii) _______ spectators as their houses and several other buildings crumbled into a heap of dust. Though the (iii) __________ did not result into any loss of life, the loss of property was massive.

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) acute (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) frenzy (H) irony (I)

tremors meters cracks

mute grouse

calamity

Ans: tremors, mute and calamity

4. I noticed a (i) _________ crowd near my house. When I went closer to the crowd, I could hear (ii) _________ voices of parents of two kids. Apparently, a (iii) _________ played by a kid had gone horribly wrong and it had resulted into a broken toe-nail for the other kid. This had given rise to
a verbal argument between the parents of the two kids.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) sportive (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) prank (H) gratitude (I)

sardonic insipid raucous

querulous skeptical

aptitude

Ans: raucous, querulous and prank

5. The mass media (e.g. television, movies etc.) plays a significant role in influencing the peoples thought process and their behavior. Therefore, the censor board should carefully (i) ___________the content to be shown through the mass media channels. There are so many examples of misguiding and obscene programs surprisingly (ii) ___________by the censor board as fit for general viewership. Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) attested (E) (F)

interpret scrutinize impute

approached adhered

Ans: scrutinize and attested

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. In early 2007, the property prices had skyrocketed due to the buying (i) __________. A few wise
people (ii) __________ from investing into property as they thought that the unrealistically high property prices were not sustainable and the property bubble might burst anytime.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) bargained (E) (F)

irony frenzy hilarity

refrained smirked

Ans: frenzy and refrained

7. The (i) ___________chattering of Yogini accompanied by the constant (ii) ___________of cows grazing nearby caused me a severe headache.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) braying (E) (F)

incoherent pleasant deft

barking mooing

Ans: incoherent and mooing

8. One day the kids accidentally switched on the TV channel that shows the live broadcast of the parliamentary affairs. They were quite amused to see our (i) ___________political leaders. They (ii) ___________at their hilarious parliamentary activities that included throwing chairs, tearing apart documents, shouting slogans and accusing each other of misdeeds.

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) elaborated (E) (F)

vociferous brave swift

chuckled scrutinized

Ans: vociferous and chuckled

9. The unassuming professor looked at his (i) ____________with His (ii) own (i) ____________amusement. with amusement. His (ii) ____________nature was reflected in his gesture of rewarding the student who made it.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) sportive (E) (F)

miniature caricature charade

querulous elaborate

Ans: caricature and sportive II. Sentence Equivalence

1. The _________ conversation with her colleagues had left her panting for breath, as she was laughing incessantly.

A. droll B. frenzied C. amusing D. dull E. enigmatic F. boring

Ans: A and C

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2. The _____________caused by bad administration had forced the masses to revolt and overthrow the current government.

A. composition B. tremor C. affliction D. irony E. distress F. shivering

Ans: C and E

3. The employees ___________ at each other after listening to the usual, incoherent instructions from their manager, as there was nothing significant in them.

A. appalled B. smirked C. groused D. snickered E. adorned F. haggled

Ans: B and D

4. The kids ________ maneuver of the football impressed the coach and he selected the kid as his disciplewhat followed after that is a history!

A. awkward B. deft C. unhurried D. raucous E. clumsy F. adroit

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Ans: B and F

5. The _________ of that funny incidence on the eve of the New Year still brings giggles to me.

A. joviality B. boredom C. recreation D. edutainment E. hilarity F. monotony

Ans: A and E

6. The unexpected visit by Tom Cruise to their school left the students simply_________. They had never dreamt of seeing their superhero in person!

A. stultified B. exasperated C. awestruck D. dumbfounded E. annoyed F. greeted

Ans: C and D III. Synonyms 1. Exasperate

A. alleviate B. elevate C. excite D. infuriate E. chuckle Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. Grouse

A. douse B. grumble C. snore D. attest E. appall

Ans: B

3. Affliction

A. malfunction B. malnutrition C. attack D. hardship E. enigma

Ans: D

4. Scrutinize

A. canvas B. appear C. audit D. criticize E. acclaim

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Stultify

A. agree B. ratify C. stratify D. illustrate E. cripple

Ans: E

6. Deft

A. dexterous B. ambiguous C. analytical D. awkward E. uncensored

Ans: A

7. Attest

A. enact B. create C. approach D. approve E. invoke

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. Smirk

A. avoid B. grin C. sigh D. relieve E. regret

Ans: B

9. Sportiveness

A. incoherence B. skillfulness C. playfulness D. seriousness E. attestation

Ans: C

10. Inchoate

A. rigorous B. undeveloped C. different D. sportive E. arrogant

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. Acute

A. delightful B. accurate C. beautiful D. small E. severe

Ans: E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. A YOUNG MAN IN A HURRY

2. A YOUNG MAN IN A HURRY

I. Text Completion

1. Self-(i) ___________ is essential for one's improvement. As one gains maturity with experience, one realizes the (ii) _________ committed in the past. Even if it is (iii) __________ to rue about them, it is important not to repeat them in the future.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) commitments (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) futile (H) upright (I)

exhilaration retrospection emancipation

blunders sacrifices

agile

Ans: retrospection, blunders and futile

2. Alan, Jack and Betty (i) ___________ into the sea for surfing. All the three were amateur surfers and could not gauge the intensity of the (ii) ___________ waves. Very soon the group got scattered and they fell off their surf boards. Hearing their (iii) _______ calls for help, coast guards rushed and rescued them.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) behemoth (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) rare (H) frenetic (I)

rendered ventured careened

obscure cordial

implied

Ans: ventured, behemoth and frenetic

3. Susan was transferred to the accounts department from the marketing department. She knew that she could not do the (i) _________ job of writing accounts for a long time. She thought she would be more suitable for a public relations managers job, where she could interact with many people, instead of sitting and working with her calculator. Her polite (ii) _________ went unheeded by the

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

management. The only (iii) _________ of hope for her was her scheduled one-on-one meeting with the CEO where she planned to raise this issue.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) tribulation (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) glimmer (H) fancy (I)

monotonous susceptible interesting

flourish demurs

snicker

Ans: monotonous, demurs and glimmer

4. After listening to Johns (i) _________ remarks, it was impossible for Sarah to (ii) _______her emotions. She (iii) _________ with grief and she didnt know how to respond to him.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) check (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) shivered (H) quivered (I)

befuddling hilarious vindictive

absolve flourish

flickered

Ans: vindictive, check and quivered

5. The plaintiffs lawyer could see the brazen arrogance and malice in the eyes of the defendant. This strengthened the determination of the plaintiffs lawyer to seek justice for the plaintiff. The plaintiffs lawyer did not have enough evidence to prove the defendant guilty. However, he (i) (ii) ___________the defendant with a battery of questions during the course of the interrogation and made the defendant inadvertently admit to the crime in front of the jury.

Blank (i)
(A) amused (B) embarrassed (C) befuddled

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: befuddled

6. People (i) __________ the venue of the meeting as they were (ii) __________ with the prospect of listening to their popular leader. But soon their excitement turned into (iii) _______________ as the leader could not arrive at the venue on time and only reached there after three hours.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) empowered (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) coincidence (H) tribulation (I)

approached revived thronged

exhilarated appeased

frustration

Ans: thronged, exhilarated and frustration

7. She was all happy and chirpy when she started the walkathon competition early in the morning. But as she progressed, the day grew quite hot and her lips were (i) __________ and her countenance turned (ii) __________. But she, being an iron-willed lady, was (iii) __________ as usual and finally succeeded in finishing the competition at the fifth spot.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) sophomoric (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) relentless (H) uninhibited (I)

dehydrated glossy snickered

winsome haggard

unfledged

Ans: dehydrated, haggard and relentless

8. The (i) ___________ of customers had forced the service provider to introspect the processes followed by them. After rigorous investigation and some fine tuning, the service provider was able to bring the service back on track. In order to (ii) __________ the angry customers, the service provider waived the subscription fee for the month.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) appeal (E) (F)

indication implication indignation

appease empathize

Ans: indignation and appease

9. The streets look indeed beautiful in the night when they are (i) ___________ by street lights. By the way, recently I have been observing a weird phenomenon. Whenever I pass below a street light, it gets switched off automatically. I do not know whether it is a mere (ii) ___________ or there is something more in it. Once the same thing happened when I was talking an evening walk with John. When he noticed this, he (iii) ___________, My Goodness! Are you a human or an alien?

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) coincidence (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) excited (H) examined (I)

illustrated illuminated elucidated

countenance conscience

exclaimed

Ans: illuminated, coincidence and exclaimed

10. King Harry played a key role in putting an end to all the (i) ___________ in the region. Under his able leadership, the otherwise (ii) ___________ colonies made a historical pact to co-exist peacefully. King Harrys son has taken one step forward in further encouraging a/an (iii) ___________ environment in the region.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) picturesque (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) reckless (H) cordial (I)

hostility friendship civility

friendly belligerent

infantile

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: hostility, belligerent and cordial II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Kangaroos standing posture is generally not __________. This posture allows it to balance its own weight and its baby's weight (who is in the pouch) and take giant leaps.

A. inimitable B. vertical C. upright D. usual E. acute F. preferable

Ans: B and C

2. The policy makers of the society should frame policies that would __________ peace and harmony in the society.

A. impede B. induce C. identify D. imbibe E. inflict F. encourage

Ans: B and F

3. The monarch ____________ the throne in a state of crisis. However after taking the reins in his hands, hand, he initiated many welfare measures that significantly improved the economy of the state.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. acceded B. assented C. drowned D. inflicted E. amused F. amazed

Ans: A and B

4. Mary knew one thing for sure: she could never ____________ Chris for his reckless behavior that left her with a fractured arm.

A. forget B. forgive C. remember D. absolve E. solicit F. overlook

Ans: B and D

5. Before winning the reality TV show he was literally a nobody residing in some ____________ corner of the city.

A. unheard of B. infantile C. obscure D. slight E. bright F. episodic

Ans: A and C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. He was a very jovial person and always had a smiling ____________.

A. countenance B. altitude C. mood D. psychology E. visage F. acuity

Ans: A and E

7. Mr. Brown was a very strict teacher. His _________glance was enough to intimidate even the naughtiest of the students.

A. dour B. cordial C. stern D. victorious E. furtive F. friendly

Ans: A and C

8. The poor African nation ____________ aid from the UNO to provide basic amenities for its citizens.

A. argued B. solicited C. requested D. endangered E. snickered F. bickered

Ans: B and C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. The collision with an iceberg had damaged the ship on its lower portion and had also caused some cracks to appear at the base. They had to ____________ the ship on one side to fix these problems.

A. repair B. careen C. tilt D. mend E. wrench F. twist

Ans: B and C

10. The history is testimony to the ____________ of innocent people at the hands of ruthless and tyrannical rulers like President Hassan.

A. tribulations B. celebrations C. unrest D. fighting E. instability F. sufferings

Ans: A and F III. Synonyms

1. Purse

A. bag B. episode C. bolt D. treasury E. secret

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A

2. Snicker

A. avoid B. assert C. fancy D. mock E. stimulate

Ans: D

3. Animate

A. rouse B. manipulate C. meditate D. mediate E. bargain

Ans: A 4. Conscience

A. tribulation B. precision C. submission D. consideration E. moral sense

Ans: E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Balm

A. coincidence B. adhesive C. ointment D. qualm E. fatalism

Ans: C

6. Millennium

A. syllogism B. anniversary C. century D. millenary E. doctrine

Ans: D

7. Furtive

A. open B. stealthy C. sophomoric D. futile E. unreserved

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. Rue

A. ruin B. tune C. regret D. renew E. elucidate

Ans: C

9. Venture

A. risk B. flinch C. predict D. gamble E. suspect

Ans: A

10. Solace

A. pace B. mood C. indignation D. syllogism E. relief

Ans: E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. Validate

A. falter B. induce C. brocade D. authenticate E. engage

Ans: D

12. Acuity

A. sharpness B. indolence C. validation D. peace E. risk

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. THE BULLER-PODINGTON COMPACT

3. THE BULLER-PODINGTON COMPACT

I. Text Completion

1. The factory managements efforts for reaching a/an (i) ________ solution for the problem did not quell the anger of the workers. The police also could not control the agitating factory workers. The flames of protest could only be (ii) ___________ when the factory management unconditionally agreed to all the demands of the protesting workers.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) diluted (E) (F)

advisable amicable durable

reduced doused

Ans: amicable and doused

2. Coming from an urban background, I was amazed at the (i) __________ ways of the country side. I was mesmerized by the view of shepherds rambling around with their herds of sheep, widespread pastoral lands and the serene lake. I tried to capture this (ii) __________ of scenery in my camera as much as possible. The best part of my experience was (iii) __________ along the lakeside.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) scarcity (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) sauntering (H) tottering (I)

inadequate bucolic inept

diversity casualty

prevailing

Ans: bucolic, diversity and sauntering

3. The princess got out of the plane waving her hand, while her (i) ____________ was carried behind her in trolleys. Because of her arrival, there was a heavy security in place and the other passengers of the plane were not allowed to get out of the plane for a long time. This inconvenience led to (ii)

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

________ among the passengers. When the princess came out of the airport, the TV reporters went (iii) ________ and jostled to grab footage of the princess.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) phobia (E) chagrin (F) jubilation

Blank (iii)
(G) verbose (H) intimidated (I) berserk

paraphernalia apparition vehemence

Ans: paraphernalia, chagrin and berserk

4. (i) __________ at the culinary skills, Susan managed to start her own restaurant after 10 years of experience as a chef at The Daffodil restaurant. Her willingness to do something on her own provided the (ii) __________ for this move. She faced a lot of hurdles in setting-up and running the restaurant, but no obstacle could (iii) __________ her indomitable spirit.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) investment (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) repress (H) motivate (I)

Adept Amused Ghastly

impetus insurance

evoke

Ans: Adept, impetus and repress

5. Joanna wanted to refurbish her house. It was a gigantic task, therefore she (i) __________ the job between herself and her spouse. But her husband was a/an (ii) __________ and he used to bungle every task assigned to him. As a/an (iii) __________, the refurbishment work took six months as against the originally planned two months.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) lout (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) imputation (H) aversion (I)

diverted bifurcated followed

gentleman actor

denouement

Ans: bifurcated, lout and denouement

6. When we sat chatting in the balcony of Depps house, his wife was in the kitchen cooking dinner for
us. The aroma of the food (i) __________ through the air and enhanced our appetites. When the food was served, I ate the delicious food to the fullest. Once our appetite was (ii) __________, we played a game of cards.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) rewarded (E) (F)

wafted grafted simulated

thwarted sated

Ans: wafted and sated

7. The anti-government protests have been on the rise recently in the state. So far the government has adopted a soft strategy of organizing talks amongst all the stakeholders. This strategy is not working out and political experts believe that the government will very soon adopt a (i) __________ strategy and will resort to the use of force to (ii) __________the protests.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) quell (E) (F)

flexible rigid dull

encourage distend

Ans: rigid and quell

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. A criminal investigator needs to have an exceptional (i) __________of mind. He needs to take into account the (ii) __________of the crime and (iii) __________what could have been the motive of the criminal in committing the crime.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) context (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) haggle (H) impede (I)

verbosity acuity willfulness

compact casualty

surmise

Ans: acuity, context and surmise

9. I am tired of the (i) __________problems of my car. When I need to go really fast I (ii) __________the car, but sometimes it gives jerks. Sometimes when I put the brakes, the AC gets automatically switched off. When I take a left turn, the horn stops working for a while. If this continues to happen, I am scared that very soon I will be a (iii) __________of some serious accident.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) accelerate (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) hilarity (H) civility (I)

erratic comprehensive autonomous

undulate decelerate

casualty

Ans: erratic, accelerate and casualty

10. In a (i) __________ power plant, the prime mover is steam driven. A fuel (e.g. coal, natural gas, fuel oil etc.) is burnt to generate the heat that converts water into steam. This steam spins a steam turbine that drives an electrical generator. Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in the price of natural gas. This price increase may (ii) ________ some natural gas based power plants to consider shifting to coal based power generation.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) prompt (E) (F)

nuclear hydro thermal

impede extol

Ans: thermal and prompt

11. The recent burst of the real estate bubble has resulted in an oversupply of vacant (i) __________. A property buyer can command a very attractive price now with a little bit of (ii) __________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) caulking (E) (F)

premises lakes schools

haggling intimidation

Ans: premises and haggling

12. Jack is indeed a weird musician. He composes music only for sleep deprived people. Once his (i) _____ music starts, it (ii) _______ people into sleep.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) buffets (E) (F)

somnolent herbivorous verbose

wakes lulls

Ans: somnolent and lulls

13. It is in the wider interest of the society that the practitioners of a profession adhere to their professional ethics. A merchant must subscribe to the (i) _______ ethic of offering fair and honest

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

service to the buyer. A doctor is (ii) _______ to the professional ethics code as described by the Medical Association. Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) responsible (E) (F)

mercantile infantile legal

beholden indifferent

Ans: mercantile and beholden

14. I respectfully (i) _______ my hat to the lady who was the first to revolt against the authoritarian government. She fought the fierce battle with (ii) _______ and sacrificed her life for the liberty of her own people.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) enthusiasm (E) (F)

toss cross doff

vehemence bliss

Ans: doff and vehemence

15. The yacht owners must be very careful where they (i) _______ their yachts so that they do not (ii) _______ the movement of commercial vessels out of the port. The yacht owners must understand that even a couple of hours of delay in the movement of commercial ships can result into losses amounting to thousands of dollars.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) facilitate (E) (F)

fly anchor caulk

impede discern

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: anchor and impede

16. The young Alexander was groomed under the (i) _______ of the legendary warrior Maximus. Maximus groomed him not only in archery and horse riding but also in leadership skills. Alexander displayed exemplary leadership skills when he (ii) _______ the troops to thwart a surprise attack by the enemy.

Blank (i) A B C hostage phobia tutelage

Blank (ii)
(D) rallied (E) (F)

hurried careened

Ans: tutelage and rallied II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Before buying a product, the consumers must be __________ of every feature of the product and every single term of the support agreement.

A. collateral B. cognizant C. confused D. aware E. skeptical F. controversial

Ans: B and D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. The citizens of the nation gave a __________ farewell to the soldiers who lost their lives in the battle.

A. thumping B. verbose C. tearful D. wordy E. lachrymose F. prompt

Ans: C and E

3. It is obvious that we cannot use a measuring tape to calculate distances between stars. The speed at which light travels in space is an important parameter in estimating the __________ of a star to our solar system.

A. intensity B. vehemence C. proximity D. closeness E. accuracy F. time

Ans: C and D

4. The drunkard __________ across the street obstructing the movement of traffic, therefore the police arrested him.

A. looked B. tottered C. imputed D. staggered E. interpreted F. extolled

33

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and D

5. Kids do not realize the ghastly consequences of their __________. Therefore the caretakers are required to be watchful of their activities.

A. escapades B. singing C. tasks D. projects E. risks F. pranks

Ans: A and F

6. The archaeologists carry out excavations to __________ artifacts and structures that help us in understanding more about the ancient civilizations.

A. tender B. resume C. unearth D. disinter E. enlarge F. imbibe

Ans: C and D

7. Though the hills are surrounded by the sea with saline water, there is a __________ embedded in the hills which holds fresh water.

34

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. trough B. hollow depression C. pasture D. shaft E. vertigo F. skiff

Ans: A and B

8. The accountant had been swindling the company of millions of rupees for over five years. However, the owner did not have even a/an __________ of the situation.

A. advertisement B. appreciation C. inkling D. enquiry E. influence F. vague idea

Ans: C and F

9. The actress invested a lot of effort in perfecting her attire; but she completely forgot to comb her hair. Therefore when she arrived at the party, all the people were astonished to see her __________ look.

A. bedraggled B. untidy C. charming D. appealing E. indifferent F. girlish

Ans: A and B

35

WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. The shooter must have been an insane person. Otherwise how can one explain the way in which he ran __________ in the crowd, shooting people at random?

A. amuck B. ironically C. hilariously D. inevitably E. verbosely F. demoniacally

Ans: A and F

11. We visited the haunted house yesterday night. Exactly at the midnight, we were scared to see a ghastly figure asking us for a matchbox. He was not a human being for sure, because he was transparent and we could see through him. He must be a/an _________.

A. apparition B. animal C. angel D. ghost E. watchman F. man

Ans: A and D

12. France achieved a never seen before success at the recently concluded sports event by bagging a/an ________ 100 gold medals.

A. ordinary B. paltry C. record D. unprecedented E. mysterious F. comprehensive

36

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: C and D

13. When we locked ourselves inside a small room in the haunted house, the wind ________the door repeatedly as if powered by some demonic spirit. The thud sounds scared the hell out of us!

A. painted B. blanched C. refurbished D. severed E. battered F. buffeted

Ans: E and F

14. Constant exposure to extreme weather can cause a roof to start leaking. However, there are many ways to ______ the roof.

A. seal B. clean C. attest D. wipe E. caulk F. stultify

Ans: A and E

15. It was a fantastic display of tricks by the magician. In one of the tricks, the magician gave a girl a magical ________ to drink. You wont believe that after drinking it she became invisible!

37

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. portion B. fruit C. potion D. dilettante E. hue F. mixture

Ans: C and F III. Synonyms

1. Intimidate

A. reduce B. blanch C. frighten D. evoke E. envy

Ans: C

2. Distend

A. unearth B. believe C. accept D. swell E. decrease

Ans: D

38

WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. Extol

A. extort B. surmise C. exempt D. insult E. praise

Ans: E

4. Escapade

A. expertise B. adventure C. escapism D. cascade E. accumulation

Ans: B

5. Malignant

A. generous B. cooperative C. cancerous D. soothing E. magnificent

Ans: C

39

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Impute

A. induce B. improve C. simulate D. emulate E. blame

Ans: E

7. Aversion

A. liking B. misunderstanding C. confusion D. dislike E. vertigo

Ans: D

8. Debris

A. welt B. demon C. solace D. monotony E. trash

Ans: E

40

WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. Autonomous

A. dependent B. uncertain C. self-governing D. promising E. mechanical

Ans: C

10. Queer

A. quiet B. strange C. ordinary D. sportive E. sufficient

Ans: B

11. Horde

A. banner B. group C. cloud D. thwart E. building

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

12. Vertigo

A. steadiness B. expertise C. catcall D. buoyancy E. dizziness

Ans: E

13. Phlegmatic

A. equestrian B. compact C. sick D. nautical E. calm

Ans: E

14. Qualm

A. misgiving B. gruel C. carat D. bliss E. calm

Ans: A

42

WORD POWER-QUIZ

15. Dilettante

A. officer B. farmer C. amateur D. trader E. citizen

Ans: C

43

WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. THE COWARD
4. THE COWARD

I. Text Completion

1. He led his army in the four wars of 1830s with great strength and (i) _______. In spite of all the adversities, his army kept on fighting for the just cause and finally succeeded in totally (ii) _______ the enemy.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) marking (E) (F)

timidity valor nervousness

convincing extirpating

Ans: valor and extirpating

2. As there were (i) __________rains since last week and the river (ii) ___________, the villagers grew concerned about the levees strength which was protecting the village from flooding. They feared the levee would give up under the force of the water if the rains continue cotinued for for another another day and they would be (iii) _________to take refuge on the nearby hill.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) swelled (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) droned (H) compelled (I)

torrential potential sequential

seeped soaked

resolved

Ans: torrential, swelled and compelled

3. The wounded soldier had an indomitable spirit. He first tried to (i) _______ the flow of blood from his wounds so that he could resume the fight with new vigor. When the flow of blood could not be stopped, he simply ignored the wounds and continued to fight. His wounds had already severely hampered his (ii) _________; but the brave soldier did not give up till his last breath.

44

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) mobility (E) (F)

tamper relieve stanch

anxiety civility

Ans: stanch and mobility

4. In the drama, William has played the (i) _______ character of Casper to perfection. As the detestable facets of Caspers personality are unfolded in front of you through Williams fine performance, you feel like slapping the villainous Casper. As compared to Williams performance, Julias portrayal of Maria is quite uninspiring and (ii) _______.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) colorful (E) (F)

loathsome honest likable

drab taut

Ans: loathsome and drab

5. We lost all the communication with the ship when the heavy rains did not lessen in intensity even after two days of (i) ___________. The next day we found the (ii) __________ of the ship at the shore; that tells rest of the story.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) saddle (E) (F)

onslaught dripping weaning

dregs flotsam

Ans: onslaught and flotsam

45

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. The people of this region have been worshipping this river for thousands of years as the (i) _________ source of prosperity. 80% of the population of the region is directly or indirectly dependent for their livelihood on this river. But the recent ecological changes imply that the river will diminish gradually to eventually become just a small stream over the next 20 years. Now you can gauge the (ii) _________ of the problem.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) hilarity (E) (F)

perennial erratic transient

triviality enormity

Ans: perennial and enormity

7. She was a/an (i) _________ young lady. She first used to zero in on her target a rich and single
man, age no bar. The target was quite easily (ii) _________ by her beauty and charm. After that it was not a big deal for her to enter the targets house and run away with valuables worth thousands of dollars.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) advised (E) (F)

astute innocent nave

repelled enamored

Ans: astute and enamored 8. ABC is a new militant group that is spreading its roots across the nation. Intelligence reports suggest that more and more unemployed young citizens are (i) _________ militant activism by becoming members of this group. One can imagine the (ii) _________ consequences of this for the nation. The government needs to take stern action to render all such militant groups (iii) _________.

46

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) peaceful (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) wily (H) fertile (I)

embracing rejecting jostling

direful gainful

impotent

Ans: embracing, direful and impotent

9. It was a (i) _________ moment when Wilson assumed the presidency. In a short period of time after assuming the presidency, he undertook an initiative to bring all the parties together to pass a historical (ii) _________ to resolve the conflict. Finally the peace process had gathered some momentum in the nation. But his abrupt assassination (iii) _________ all the progress made on the peace front and the nation was once again on the brink of falling into a state of anarchy.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) clarification (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) fostered (H) nullified (I)

portentous trifle defunct

resolution exaltation

accelerated

Ans: portentous, resolution and nullified

10. I loved to spend hours together by the (i) _________ lake. The peacefulness of that place imparted me the strength to forget all the bad things in the past and to (ii) _________ my life on a positive note.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) jostle (E) (F)

serene bustling checkered

mark resume

Ans: serene and resume

47

WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. One day we noticed hundreds of dead fish and turtles on the bank of the river that flows through our town. Further investigations revealed that a chemicals factory had recently dumped cyanide (i) _________ into the river. The residents protested a lot seeking punishment for the culprits. But the (ii) _________ factory owner bribed some local politicians and suppressed the matter.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) indifferent (E) (F)

dregs treks throngs

wily sincere

Ans: dregs and wily II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Even if he was a manager, his boss always assigned him tasks suitable for a clerk. He felt _______ because of this biased behavior.

A. piqued B. escalated C. elevated D. offended E. sanctioned F. assigned

Ans: A and D

2. Mr. Hadley was 72 years old. But he was ______ enough to climb the hill in just 30 minutes.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. maladroit B. hardy C. clumsy D. sturdy E. cunning F. wily

Ans: B and D

3. The parents left the child with their friends for a couple of days as they had to leave the town to attend a conference. When they were away, the child was _______ for them.

A. drifting B. yielding C. thwarting D. pining E. craving F. imagining

Ans: D and E

4. Trying to _______ her glamorous doll image, the actress started choosing roles in which there was a scope for demonstrating her acting skills.

A. slough B. reform C. shed D. remorse E. modify F. rejuvenate

Ans: A and C

5. A dog is a mans true friend. It will _______ guard its masters house till its last breath.
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. gracefully B. greedily C. decently D. dutifully E. clumsily F. loyally

Ans: D and F

6. Christina exclaimed, I can cook everything Chinese, Continental and Indian dishes. My __________ skills are impeccable!

A. speaking B. nautical C. cooking D. drawing E. quizzing F. culinary

Ans: C and F

7. The star players need to learn not to get __________ by the weight of expectations of the fans.

A. surprised B. daunted C. marked D. knitted E. undulated F. overwhelmed

Ans: B and F

50

WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. One year back, nobody could have predicted the _________ of economic uncertainty that we are in today.

A. tempest B. serenity C. tumult D. penumbra E. canter F. stock

Ans: A and C

9. After our little spat I did not maintain any ill feeling in my mind about John. But he has always ________ a spiteful feeling about me in his mind.

A. harbored B. held C. forgotten D. forgiven E. furnished F. marked

Ans: A and B

10. The President gravely declared in the press conference, This is no mere border_________; this is a war.

A. levee B. flotsam C. skirmish D. clash E. bash F. mirage

51

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: C and D

11. The artist was quite __________; nobody could predict what he would fancy to do the next moment.

A. naughty B. arrogant C. quirky D. simple E. intelligent F. whimsical

Ans: C and F III. Synonyms

1. Amorphous

A. defined B. clear C. nondescript D. dutiful E. impromptu

Ans: C

2. Forsake

A. frighten B. regret C. forgive D. desert E. dig

Ans: D
52

WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. Endurance

A. impatience B. admiration C. submission D. injury E. stamina

Ans: E

4. Headstrong

A. obstinate B. innate C. absolute D. defunct E. docile

Ans: A

5. Degradation

A. debasement B. renovation C. recruitment D. categorization E. generalization

Ans: A

53

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Devious

A. developing B. deceitful C. diverting D. dreaming E. dreadful

Ans: B

7. Muse

A. extradite B. ponder C. excavate D. exemplify E. mend

Ans: B

8. Prattle

A. blink B. pique C. blabber D. reflect E. bang

Ans: C

54

WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. Somber

A. hungry B. stupid C. gloomy D. hardy E. typical

Ans: C

10. Jostle

A. swell B. extirpate C. endure D. precipitate E. manhandle

Ans: E

11. Emanate

A. originate B. extrapolate C. grouse D. chuckle E. dumbfound

Ans: A

55

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. THE TELL-TALE HEART

5. THE TELL-TALE HEART

I. Text Completion

1. Harry was indeed nervous as he moved (i) ________ across the corridor. But all his anxiety turned
the news of his course. into (ii) _______ as he got learned that he gotadmission the news in of the his desired admission in the desired course.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) affliction (E) (F)

calmly restively suavely

ecstasy obsession

Ans: restively and ecstasy

2. Earths atmosphere protects the planet from being bombarded by (i) _________ bodies like meteorites. Through friction, the earths atmosphere reduces a meteor into a (ii) _______ ball of fire.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) luminous (E) (F)

outlandish celestial ostentatious

prurient vibrant

Ans: celestial and luminous

3. A few so called experts published a report saying that the seismic movements would cause the coastal town to go completely under water in the next two years. Further investigations revealed that the report was completely baseless and (i) ________. However, this news was enough to fill the hearts of people with (ii) __________.

56

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) excitement (E) (F)

preposterous scientific figurative

enjoyment trepidation

Ans: preposterous and trepidation

4. Alex commented in the media that the (i) _______ that light is a stream of tiny particles was true. David felt that more extensive research was required to confirm it. Therefore, he (ii) _________ from making any comment on it till his research was complete.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) grated (E) (F)

supposition veneer trepidation

pulsated refrained

Ans: supposition and refrained

5. The investigating authorities suspected the involvement of the servant of the house in the theft and murder case. He was very much supportive to the authorities in their investigations and was confident in answering all their questions. However, the authorities found out that his background was quite (i) __________ and he had been booked for a couple of petty crimes previously. They were finally able to make him reveal the truth of his involvement in the crime. The (ii) __________servant confessed to the crime without any emotion and said that he would repeat the crime once set free.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) repentant (E) (F)

flexible dubious good

impenitent redundant

57

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: dubious and impenitent

6. The entire assembly erupted into illimitable joy with a (i) _______energy when the President concluded his speech by announcing that their country was now a free nation. The people were quite happy that the dominance of the (ii) _______ruler over their country was now over. That meant that no iniquitous force would be able to (iii) _______ the voice of innocent civilians.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) just (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) encourage (H) mark (I)

gloomy pulsating nefarious

checkered tyrannical

stifle

Ans: pulsating, tyrannical and stifle II. Sentence Equivalence

1. ____________ with the unusual behavior of the gadget, Maria decided to put it into the dustbin.

A. Blabbered B. Vexed C. Attested D. Annoyed E. Amused F. Endured

Ans: B and D

2. The lethargic cat sleeps cozily in the corner near the fire for long hours during the _______ days of winter.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. frigid B. vulnerable C. violent D. long E. cold F. friendly

Ans: A and E

3. The tyranny of the military ruler came to an end when he was influenced by the preaching of a _______ saint.

A. trivial B. perplexed C. hallowed D. impenitent E. nefarious F. holy

Ans: C and F

4. The _______ painter painted our house very well in just one day.

A. clumsy B. dexterous C. jocular D. lethargic E. dubious F. skillful

Ans: B and F

5. In spite of his repeated requests to let him free, the _____________ witch showed no mercy and transformed him into a rat.
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. wicked B. motherly C. innocent D. wary E. pleasant F. nefarious

Ans: A and F

6. When the annual exams were over, little Johny happily dumped the now ________ textbooks into his messy cabinet.

A. iniquitous B. distant C. unneeded D. hardy E. redundant F. buoyant

Ans: C and E III. Synonyms

1. Snivel

A. battle B. shuffle C. sniffle D. embark E. swivel

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. Illimitable

A. measureless B. unavoidable C. unprecedented D. understandable E. impenitent

Ans: A

3. Verity

A. fiction B. surprise C. ecstasy D. truth E. obsession

Ans: D

4. Hypocritical

A. defunct B. wizened C. insincere D. humorous E. individualistic

Ans: C

61

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Lethargic

A. sluggish B. dehydrated C. pastoral D. disturbed E. diluted

Ans: A

6. Trivial

A. criminal B. petty C. dirty D. critical E. crucial

Ans: B

7. Plaintive

A. mournful B. moody C. prudent D. iniquitous E. nefarious

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. WIFE
6. WIFE

I. Text Completion

1. (i) _____________ excessive pressure on a child to perform well in academics may have an adverse impact on his personality. The child may develop a/an (ii) ___________ towards studies. Parents need to (iii) ________ the interest of their kids in studies by adopting more innovative means.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) courtesy (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) kindle (H) plait (I)

Exerting Exempting Kindling

apathy fortitude

dote

Ans: Exerting, apathy and kindle

2. The spokesperson had to face a (i) ________ of questions about the controversial issue from the reporters as he entered the press-conference. But he is a (ii) _______ speaker and he handled the onslaught of questions very well. His answers and the reasoning behind them sounded quite intelligible instead of sounding (iii) ________ as hoped by the opposing party.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) placid (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) gibberish (H) suave (I)

plumage felicity barrage

vapid facile

sensible

Ans: barrage, facile and gibberish

3. Though Alices guide was (i) _________ about the success of the research project, Alice was quite confident about the project. She managed to convince her guide to let her continue with the experiments and she carried out the experiments with determination and persistence. Finally, the research project was successful and the outcome of the experiments confirmed Alices hypothesis. After that Alices (ii) _________ knew no bounds.
63

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) felicity (E) (F)

grotesque skeptical convinced

grief tactility

Ans: skeptical and felicity

4. We started the business on a very high note and it flourished in the first couple of years. But now it is headed towards bankruptcy and one doesnt need to be too (i) __________ to notice this. Alas, our (ii) __________ is/are now over.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) heydays (E) (F)

dumb perceptive indifferent

indigence welt

Ans: perceptive and heydays

5. That guy spent a whopping USD 500M for building his house! Only a/an (i) _________can indulge into such an activity. It is such an irony that in our country a few rich people live in such (ii) _______________ and tens of millions of others live in (iii) ____________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) indigence (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) indigence (H) seclusion (I)

idiosyncratic sybarite miser

opulence inebriation

opulence

Ans: sybarite, opulence and indigence

64

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. The (i) ____________ man smelled strongly of alcohol. He was particularly angry at me because I was chuckling at him. He did not say anything to me; but he just (ii) ______ at me. I returned his angry gaze with more chuckles.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) smiled (E) (F)

inebriated sober pristine

glowered sniveled

Ans: inebriated and glowered II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Though Richard was a/an ___________ initially, he turned into an uxorious husband after meeting his lady love.

A. misogynist B. lunatic C. cynic D. woman-hater E. sybarite F. altruist

Ans: A and D

2. John hit David one punch in the mouth. David ___________ with two punches.

A. clapped B. retaliated C. smiled D. glared E. hit back F. bickered

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and E

3. After her husbands death, she supported the house with her needle. She led a very simple life and always wore __________ clothes.

A. placid B. homespun C. intrepid D. colorful E. ordinary F. lavish

Ans: B and E

4. The ________ man ran away from the mental hospital and killed his brothers friend.

A. lunatic B. sensible C. poor D. dormant E. insane F. doting

Ans: A and E

5. The oil-spill is an issue of grave concern because hundreds of sailors depend entirely on the sea for their ____________.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. swimming B. singing C. subsistence D. penury E. livelihood F. adversity

Ans: C and E

6. Tina was a party animal. She felt suffocated living a life of _____________ in the meditation camp.

A. prosperity B. adversity C. seclusion D. isolation E. din F. affluence

Ans: C and D

7. This virus is quite dangerous because once it enters the human body it can lay ______ for a long time. Then suddenly it becomes active and then you can observe the symptoms of the disease.

A. active B. inactive C. wary D. overwrought E. nefarious F. dormant

Ans: B and F

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

III. Synonyms

1. Intrepid

A. skeptical B. shrewd C. affected D. fearless E. pretentious

Ans: D

2. Vapid

A. excited B. variant C. insipid D. accidental E. unknown

Ans: C

3. Gainsay

A. crown B. profit C. contradict D. call E. crib

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Fortitude

A. construction B. fortune C. courage D. etiquette E. mockery

Ans: C

5. Forego

A. renounce B. accept C. grab D. compete E. forget

Ans: A

6. Repine

A. praise B. complain C. dare D. glare E. prostrate

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Belie

A. establish B. drone C. daunt D. contradict E. prove

Ans: D

70

WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. VICTOR
7. VICTOR

I. Text Completion

1. The annual conference of quantum physics is a unique event in itself as it is the confluence of the (i) ___________ in this field. However, the (ii) _______used in the conference makes it impossible for a common man to follow the discussions. Someone should simplify these (iii) _______ theories so that a common man can understand them with ease.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

hypocrites misanthropes intelligentsia

light jargon gibberish

recondite mannered intrepid

Ans: intelligentsia, jargon and recondite

2. The plaintiffs lawyer played the recorded telephonic conversation in the court. The conversation was full of offensive words. Therefore, at a lot of places a beep sound was inserted to replace the (i) ________. As expected, the defendants lawyer (ii) ________ the tapes as baseless, manipulated and having no forensic value. The judge agreed with the argument of the defendants lawyer. The plaintiffs lawyer was definitely not happy with this and (iii) __________ against the judges opinion.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) remonstrated (H) demonstrated (I)

expletives punctuations syllogisms

accepted revolted dismissed

orchestrated

Ans: expletives, dismissed and remonstrated

3. The monk radiated great (i) __________ towards all. The villagers found great solace in listening to his preaching every evening after the days (ii) _________. The monk, through his preaching, encouraged harmony and peacefulness and discouraged animosity and (iii) _________.
71

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

indifference compassion hatred

drudgery opulence subsistence

remorse wrangling nonviolence

Ans: compassion, drudgery and wrangling

4. The (i) ________ wife of the murdered merchant preferred to be in solitude and refused to talk to the investigating detectives for around a month. Her unwillingness to cooperate (ii) __________ a suspicion in the minds of the detectives. One day they barged into her house to ask questions, but she simply sat (iii) ___________ beside her late husbands photo. She neither uttered a single word nor exhibited any emotion. She did not even blink her eyes.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

dolorous severed uxorious

browsed roused doused

idle astute inanimate

Ans: dolorous, roused and inanimate

5. The score was 5-0. The Manchester United (MU) had (i) __________ defeated Liverpool in the finals. The merry-making of the (ii) __________ MU fans knew no bounds.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

hesitantly conclusively jubilantly

conclusive jubilant indigent

Ans: conclusively and jubilant

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. I lost heavily in the stock market crash. To tell you the truth, just one day before the crash happened, I had a (i) ________ of the crash. But I did not take any action. Anyways, there is no point in (ii) _________ over it now.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

premonition perdition remorse

fretting alluding doting

Ans: premonition and fretting

7. The company received a letter from a large client complaining about the quality of the product. It was (i) _________ to the CEO of the company. The CEO took a serious note of the complaint and directed the production department to respond to it without (ii) _________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

remonstrated growled addressed

intervening dawdling refraining

Ans: addressed and dawdling II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Unable to control the ___________ of the violent beast, the zoo officials tranquilized it and captured it.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. inkling B. agony C. friendliness D. wrath E. allusion F. fury

Ans: D and F

2. The attendant who was accidentally hit by the football fell on the ground and ________ in pain.

A. smiled B. winced C. reverberated D. droned E. grimaced F. quenched

Ans: B and E

3. John _________ to stop the clashes between the two warring groups; but unfortunately he was killed on the spot.

A. intervened B. intertwined C. introduced D. stepped in E. resumed F. reversed

Ans: A and D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Once upon a time, the town was a French colony. Even today you can see the _______ of the colonial past in the form of French schools, many metro stations having French names and French nameplates on many shops and restaurants.

A. traces B. allusions C. effigies D. suppositions E. vestiges F. mirage

Ans: A and E

5. The lady tried a lot to convince her child not to insist on buying the chocolates. But the ____________ kid would not give up on his demands.

A. obstinate B. belligerent C. insipid D. inchoate E. obdurate F. elaborate

Ans: A and E

6. You have to be very careful while talking to Linda. A mere _______ to the tragic incident pushes her into an abyss of grief. It will take some more time for her to forget the tragic mishap.

A. announcement B. passing reference C. barrage D. proclamation E. premonition F. allusion

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and F

7. Farshid is an outright liar. I can assure you that there is not even a/an________ of truth in what he says.

A. lot B. stock C. iota D. bit E. store F. plenty

Ans: C and D III. Synonyms

1. Preeminent

A. previous B. leading C. trailing D. substitute E. pretentious

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. Titter

A. struggle B. grumble C. giggle D. precipitate E. smother

Ans: C

3. Scoff

A. sniff B. cough C. fill D. jeer E. doff

Ans: D

4. Askance

A. sideways B. forcefully C. truthfully D. directly E. vapidly

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Archive

A. complain B. suggest C. record D. write E. wrap

Ans: C

6. Devout

A. obdurate B. jubilant C. heartfelt D. humorous E. inanimate

Ans: C

7. Mannered

A. genuine B. indifferent C. affected D. infantile E. winsome

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. THE MORIBUND
8. THE MORIBUND

I. Text Completion

1. As usual the baker was busy making pastries. When he was (i) _________ the dough, he heard the shocking news on the radio. Then he started (ii) __________ about the sorry state of affairs in the country. He was so lost in thoughts that when the pastries were ready, he forgot to (iii) ______ them with icing and red cherries.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

dawdling kneading slapping

coining regaling cogitating

tarnish varnish garnish

Ans: kneading, cogitating and garnish

2. The swarthy sprinter was (i) ________ since the beginning of the race. Gradually he started falling behind the other competitors by huge distances. At one point, all the other competitors overtook him; this implies he was lagging behind them by one complete lap. Still he never (ii) _______. He kept on running persistently in his own sluggish way and he finished last in the race. When he completed the race, the entire stadium stood up and clapped for him. The (iii) ________ sprinter cheerfully bowed to them and waved his hand.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

prompt tardy blazing

resigned acceded remonstrated

recondite inanimate debonair

Ans: tardy, resigned and debonair

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

3.

I was reading a book on wild life and I came to know that bats are not blind. I exclaimed to Wei, Hey, the phrase blind as a bat is indeed not an appropriate one. Do you know who (i) _______ this phrase? He replied chuckling, Not me! May be Sarah. I said, Shut up! Do you know they live much longer than the mammals of their size? Do you know the reason behind their (ii) ________? He replied, May be they fake their age!

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) prosperity (E) longevity (F) suavity

coined joined coiled

Ans: coined and longevity

4. It was a very old house in ruins. When I visited the house, I tried to turn the door knob to open it. But the (i) ______ door gave way under the slight force of my push and collapsed. When I entered the house, I saw the floor (ii) _______ with sunrays entering through the porous roof. I saw a (iii) ______ man standing in a dark corner of the room. His dark complexion had made it almost impossible for me to notice his presence in the first place.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

sturdy rickety salubrious

sprinkled stippled opalescent

swarthy fair white

Ans: rickety, stippled and swarthy

5. I joined the boisterous (i) ________ of the villagers. We sang, we danced and we drank lots of wine. After that we (ii) _______ the best Continental food. It was their way of celebrating and of thanking the (iii) _______ for a fantastic crop season.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

agitation torrent regalement

savored riled roused

Providence Perdition Trepidation

Ans: regalement, savored and Providence

6. Things can change very fast in life. What misery the (i) ________ fate can bring to a person! Look at Monica, she was all (ii) _________ and chirpy just six months back. And now after that one unfortunate moment, she is all pale and (iii) _________ looking.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

capricious solicitous unvarying

miserable quiescent salubrious

morbid healthy jubilant

Ans: capricious, salubrious and morbid II. Sentence Equivalence

1. The farmers in the drought-hit area were ___________ when they saw dark clouds in the sky. But their excitement was over as soon as the clouds were whiffed away by the gust of wind.

A. enraptured B. delighted C. pervaded D. dismissed E. addressed F. brindled

Ans: A and B
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. In order to ________ the agitated people of his voting district, the mayor granted huge funds for the revival of the rail terminus. This move by the mayor caused huge burden on the treasury.

A. annoy B. forego C. kindle D. upset E. mollify F. appease

Ans: E and F

3. Just for the sake of having some fun, the king sentenced a soldier to 100 lashes. The king burst into a/an ____________ after he saw the terrified expression on the soldier's face.

A. guffaw B. hearty laughter C. felicity D. empathy E. epithet F. compassion

Ans: A and B

4. Jane said, I know meditation is very simple. Just inhale and __________ many times. Thats it!

A. breathe in B. exhale C. release D. exclaim E. let go F. breathe out

Ans: B and F
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. The ring that we observe around the Saturn consists of icy rocks that are nothing but the __________ of a smashed icy moon.

A. epithets B. pendants C. effigies D. lecterns E. leftovers F. remnants

Ans: E and F

6. What you see as a bustling and a flourishing town today was once rubble of dust due to the incessant bombings by the enemy in 1956. The story of the ______ of this town is quite inspiring!

A. serenity B. resurrection C. quiescence D. rebirth E. drudgery F. wrangling

Ans: B and D

7. Omar is _______ in the glory of his success today. He has worked very hard over the last 15 years to deserve this prosperity and fame.

A. basking B. riling C. pervading D. permeating E. barking F. reveling

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A and F III. Synonyms

1. Tenacity

A. persistence B. appreciation C. tendency D. triumph E. adulation

Ans: A

2. Effusion

A. effervescence B. evolution C. effectiveness D. extortion E. outpouring

Ans: E

3. Lugubrious

A. sober B. gloomy C. similar D. healthy E. cheerful

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Nip

A. pinch B. drip C. stipple D. growl E. resign

Ans: A

5. Moribund

A. unknown B. dying C. grinning D. enthusiastic E. exhilarated

Ans: B

6. Rile

A.fly B. allow C. knead D. please E. annoy

Ans: E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Chaff

A. wheat B. wood C. wrath D. husk E. rice

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. THE DIAMOND NECKLACE

9. THE DIAMOND NECKLACE

I. Text Completion

1. Jane wondered why Ben had brought her for dinner to that (i) ______ restaurant. It seemed to be full of goons who drank, smoked, played cards and made noise. She felt (ii) ______ in the cigarette smoke. Her patience reached its limits when a (iii) ________ woman started flirting with Ben.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

wonderful salubrious sleazy

enamored suffocated serene

dutiful decent coquettish

Ans: sleazy, suffocated and coquettish

2. The soldier broke the (i) _________ by raising the issue of famine directly with the King. Actually, he should have first communicated his grouse to the lieutenant who would have communicated the same to the minister. If the minister had found it appropriate, he would have discussed it in the Royal Council meeting. If the Royal Council had found it appropriate, it would have duly discussed the matter with the King. But the soldier did not trust these middlemen. He thought somebody had to urgently communicate the (ii) ________ of the poor people to the King.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

empathy caprice protocol

finery plight laxity

Ans: protocol and plight

3. The sudden heavy rain in the midst of the (i) __________ heat was indeed an example of the (ii) ________ of the unpredictable nature. The rains provided respite to the common man from the oppressive heat; but for the crops of the unfortunate farmers it proved (iii) _________.
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

stippling sweltering invigorating

finery caprice privation

detrimental lugubrious remonstrative

Ans: sweltering, caprice and detrimental

4. The court has passed quite (i) _________ remarks on the (ii) ________ of the city administration in maintaining cleanliness in public places. I am not sure if it will make any difference to the careless attitude of the corrupt city administrators. The condition of the public places in the city will continue to remain pathetic.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

derisive praiseworthy ligneous

vigilance laxity discipline

Ans: derisive and laxity

5. The IPO of the company received a very poor response from the market. The (i) _______ response was due to the pessimistic rumors that a global recession was (ii) _________ round the corner. The investors, apprehensive of a global slowdown, wanted to wait and watch how the things would unfold in near future.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

overwhelming subdued decrepit

looming cogitating riling

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: subdued and looming

6. David has lost all his wealth because of the capricious fate. Even if he is in a/an (i) __________ state now, we are still very (ii) ___________ friends. Ones financial status cannot create a chasm in our friendship.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

impoverished affluent quiescent

distant intimate propitious

Ans: impoverished and intimate

7. Corruption is a big (i) _______ for our country. If there was no corruption in our country, we would have been at least a century ahead in terms of development.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

bane fiasco boon

Ans: bane II. Sentence Equivalence

1. The recent match-fixing allegations have ________ the image of the national team and of the game as a whole.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. glorified B. castigated C. rebuked D. tarnished E. hyped F. sullied

Ans: D and F

2. The _______ parents of the boy who had topped the University examination hugged him. It was indeed a moment of celebrations for them.

A. overjoyed B. depressed C. disappointed D. elated E. morose F. desolate

Ans: A and D

3. Yanlais comments had hurt the pride of Yoan. Therefore, Yoan asked Yanlai to apologize to him publicly for his ___________ remarks.

A. impertinent B. appropriate C. sallow D. fitting E. salubrious F. impolite

Ans: A and F

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Last year thousands of people lost their lives due to the tsunami. I just hope the ______ does not strike the town again. A. compassion B. protocol C. effusion D. calamity E. laxity F. catastrophe

Ans: D and F

5. Because of the poor planning and coordination by the organizing committee, the mega event turned out to be a ___________. It was quite an embarrassing moment for the organizers.

A. regalement B. success C. remnant D. disaster E. sensation F. fiasco

Ans: D and F

6. After the disappointing defeat, the faces of the team members were covered with ___________. Then the coach gave an inspirational talk to cheer them up.

A. cheerfulness B. moroseness C. empathy D. sullenness E. eloquence F. exuberance

Ans: B and D
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. We visited the historical fort with a lot of enthusiasm; but we were disappointed to see the ________condition of the fort. Almost everything was in shambles. The state government had definitely ignored the maintenance of the place.

A. facile B. hearty C. colorful D. placid E. dilapidated F. decrepit

Ans: E and F

8. His __________ complexion suggested he was quite sick.

A. glowing B. sallow C. devout D. recondite E. pallid F. salubrious

Ans: B and E III. Synonyms

1. Ramification

A. amalgamation B. agitation C. representation D. implication E. affliction

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: D

2. Amalgamate

A. stagnate B. frustrate C. chortle D. mix E. impoverish

Ans: D

3. Larceny

A. finery B. privation C. degradation D. gruel E. theft

Ans: E

4. Abject

A. trivial B. miserable C. scornful D. detrimental E. derisive

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Ravage

A. plunder B. scream C. rile D. waste E. ruin

Ans: A

6. Terse

A. curt B. tense C. frightful D. finicky E. vapid

Ans: A

7. Mimicry

A. hypothesis B. jargon C. drudgery D. imitation E. genus

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. Odious

A. inflexible B. attractive C. hateful D. subordinate E. rigid

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. DOCTOR HEIDEGGERS EXPERIMENT

10. DOCTOR HEIDEGGERS EXPERIMENT

I. Text Completion

1. The (i) ______________ sense in the design of the bungalow reflected the good taste as well as extravagance of the landlord. The (ii) __________ furniture and an array of pricey antiques made the place unique.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

aesthetic nave subdued

phlegmatic plain ornate

Ans: aesthetic and ornate

2. Because of our corrupt politicians, the states future seems (i) _________ today. In pursuit of their (ii) _______ agenda of making as much money as possible when in power, these corrupt politicians have conveniently chosen to ignore the states welfare.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

bright bleak infamous

noble eccentric brazen

Ans: bleak and brazen

3. This is the (i) _______ of a cheerful girl at the prime of her youth. This (ii) ______ girl was a student at Princeton. One day she fell in love with her classmate. But the problem was that the boys family belonged to the local (iii) _______ and the girl was the daughter of a poor potter. This class difference had rendered their marriage impossible.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

delirium anecdote effervescence

frolicsome solemn derisive

caste protocol gentry

Ans: anecdote, frolicsome and gentry

4. I read that (i) ________ book of 4000 pages. It was full of complex and cryptic text. At the end of my reading exercise, I realized that I had not (ii) _________ anything from the book. Therefore, I started reading the book once again.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

thin ponderous skinny

assimilated forgotten diffused

Ans: ponderous and assimilated

5. Whatever latest styles of clothing you see in (i) ______ today are not entirely new. Most of them are (ii) ________ to the styles of old times like the 1930s.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

delusion vogue rogue

reversions determinations stupefactions

Ans: vogue and reversions

6. I was mesmerized by her (i) __________ beauty. I failed to understand whether she was a reality or a/an (ii) _______.
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

ugly grotesque bewitching

verity illusion brevity

Ans: bewitching and illusion

7. His problem solving skills were excellent. While (i) _______ with an unforeseen problem, he never wasted time dealing with superficial issues. He directly attacked the (ii) ______ of the problem and always found an optimum solution.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

looming grappling goading

covering ingenuity kernel

Ans: grappling and kernel

8. I was quite confident of my initial diagnosis. The medical tests further (i) _________ it. He was suffering from a mental disorder. The disorder is marked by weird (ii) ________. In his case, he kept on suspecting that the Dutch Queen wanted to get him killed.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

contradicted affirmed exulted

ravages deletions delusions

Ans: affirmed and delusions

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. I committed a big mistake that made my mother extremely upset with me. She (i) ________ me severely for my mistake. But I knew that her anger was (ii) ______. After some time she would be nice to me. After all she loved me so much.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

chided coddled puzzled

permanent enduring transient

Ans: chided and transient

10. I was madly in love with her and she had a vague idea about it. I wanted to express my love to her in words. When her eyes met with my mischievous eyes full of intent, her face (i) _______ with pink. She said to me, Charlie, stop (ii) ______ with me.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

refused suffused diffused

effacing bemoaning flirting

Ans: suffused and flirting II. Sentence Equivalence

1. _________ on the support of his family, Peter could take the risk of leaving his lucrative job and taking up a low paying job which involved a greater scope for innovation.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. Betraying B. Inclining C. Reckoning D. Accumulating E. Counting F. Bestowing

Ans: C and E

2. The _________ old man had no strength to confront the goons; therefore he gave all his valuables to them so that they would not harm him.

A. frail B. complaisant C. infirm D. eccentric E. ponderous F. brazen

Ans: A and C

3. He looks so innocent. His _______does not give any idea about his crookedness.

A. foliage B. tendency C. chicanery D. face E. visage F. propensity

Ans: D and E

4. Those five years of her life were indeed turbulent and tragic. She wanted to avoid _________ recollections of that period.
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. cheerful B. flitting C. woeful D. mournful E. bland F. jovial

Ans: C and D

5. In his inebriated state, he abused his parents and his grandfather. The next day he apologized to them for his __________.

A. decorousness B. effervescence C. indecency D. decency E. impropriety F. rejuvenation

Ans: C and E

6. The goalkeeper _______ in cleanly collecting the ball. That slight mistake was sufficient for the forward player of the opposition team to score a goal.

A. humbled B. fumbled C. lavished D. wasted E. bungled F. simpered

Ans: B and E

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7. The medical student was quite nervous to conduct his first autopsy. He started with ______ hands, but after some time he gained his confidence.

A. steady B. balanced C. terse D. tremulous E. shaky F. sallow

Ans: D and E

8. The kids continued with their raucous behavior the whole afternoon and disturbed the entire neighborhood until a/an ___________voice called, Stop it!

A. doting B. placid C. wallowing D. remorseful E. irritable F. petulant

Ans: E and F

9. When Mr. Broadbridge was asked for his opinion on the derogatory remarks by the old senator, he replied, Oh, he is an old fellow in his _________. At that age sometimes you fail to articulate what you really want to say. Therefore I choose to ignore his remarks.

A. youth B. senility C. fiasco D. dotage E. epithet F. appellation

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Ans: B and D

10. You need to always live in the present. If you keep on __________ your past failures or worrying about the future developments, you go nowhere in life.

A. celebrating B. lamenting C. bemoaning D. lavishing E. wasting F. rejuvenating

Ans: B and C III. Synonyms

1. Betray

A. portray B. expose C. derail D. contemplate E. deceive

Ans: E

2. Accost

A. adjust B. approach C. accrue D. incline E. withhold

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B

3. Quaff

A. engulf B. grapple C. swindle D. imbibe E. surround

Ans: D

4. Mirth

A. plight B. approximation C. illusion D. myth E. merriment

Ans: E

5. Ephemeral

A. euphoric B. transient C. numerical D. empirical E. frivolous

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Repulse

A. repel B. cogitate C. postpone D. ravage E. sully

Ans: A

7. Chicanery

A. mimicry B. infirmity C. trickery D. victory E. mockery

Ans: C

8. Mendicant

A. pastor B. beggar C. chef D. merchant E. thief

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. Forbear

A. igonre B. force C. castigate D. loom E. refrain

Ans: E

10. Aromatic

A. colorful B. fragrant C. romantic D. enigmatic E. gigantic Ans: B

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11. A QUEER NIGHT IN PARIS

11. A QUEER NIGHT IN PARIS

I. Text Completion

1. Collecting customer feedback is extremely important for an organizations growth. From the feedback data, an organization can (i) _______ important insights about customer perception towards its products or services. It is especially important for an organization to seriously look at the feedback of the (ii) __________ customers and understand the reasons behind their dissatisfaction.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

diffuse glean intrude

disgruntled pompous pleased

Ans: glean and disgruntled

2. People loved the actor for his onscreen (i) _______. They especially loved the stylish manner in which he wore his cowboy hat and handled his pistol. They also loved him for his acting skills. When he enacted an emotional scene on the screen, you could often see a (ii) ________ of tears flowing from the eyes of the audience.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

panache foliage anecdote

drought deluge dotage

Ans: panache and deluge

3. The mischievous students noticed a (i) _______ on the face of the Principal. It was expected that he would display his displeasure at their mischief. But they were (ii) ________ to the fact that the angry Principal was planning to expel them from the school.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

smile grimace vortex

oblivious dispassionate obvious

Ans: grimace and oblivious

4. It was a Halloween party in which only a few select luminaries from the film industry were invited. But somehow John managed to (i) _________ into the party by wearing a mask of a Dracula.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

intrude mortify restrain

Ans: intrude

5. It was a/an (i) _________ storm. Everyone on the boat thought that they would not survive the storm. But it was indeed a miracle that they survived. A large and stable ship appeared out of nowhere as if through some (ii) __________ intervention and saved their lives.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

ominous gaudy pleasant

divine antique tremulous

Ans: ominous and divine

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6. Bettina could not hold her feelings at that point in time and she (i) ________ to her boss whatever came to her mind. The boss seemed surprised. A (ii) __________ had never before talked to him like that.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

blurted out culminated restrained

bard virtuoso subordinate

Ans: blurted out and subordinate

7. The Prime Minister hid his corrupt schemes under the guise of (i) _________ projects for nationbuilding. The state controlled (ii) ________ media left no stone unturned to communicate the magnanimity of his ambitious projects to the people.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

trivial grandiose ephemeral

servile tempestuous tremulous

Ans: grandiose and servile

8. He was a saintly figure. He was indifferent to both accusations and (i) ________. He never felt proud because of the (ii) ________ paid by people.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

accolades jollity vortex

agglomeration obeisance victuals

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: accolades and obeisance

9. The dance program was (i) __________ and exhilarating. The (ii) ________ had correctly captured the upbeat soul of the music and manifested it through the dance steps. Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

vivacious boring tremulous

teacher mendicant choreographer

Ans: vivacious and choreographer II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Maria was __________ by nature. Therefore she faced no difficulty in making friends at the new workplace.

A. conniving B. conservative C. convivial D. pompous E. friendly F. divine

Ans: C and E

2. The dense fumes coming out of a container in the chemistry lab __________ the attendant and he started vomiting.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. delighted B. annoyed C. nauseated D. encouraged E. sickened F. amused

Ans: C and E

3. The rowdy inebriated passenger was ________ by the cabin crew while the plane was in the air. When the plane landed he was handed over to police.

A. mortified B. handcuffed C. abased D. restrained E. culminated F. degraded

Ans: B and D

4. Her years of hard work and persistent training _________ in a glorious moment when she won the Olympic gold medal.

A. forbore B. culminated C. affirmed D. reckoned E. concluded F. confirmed

Ans: B and E

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5. The parents felt ___________ when the Principal of their sons school told them about the mischievous behavior of their son and specifically pointed out flaws in his upbringing.

A. surprised B. mortified C. humiliated D. pleased E. annoyed F. thrilled

Ans: B and C

6. I was extremely disappointed to see the animals kept in ________ conditions in the zoo. The entire zoo was stinking and it seemed as if the cages of the animals were not cleaned for months.

A. hygienic B. filthy C. petulant D. squalid E. buxom F. sterile

Ans: B and D

7. A survey of the students eatery reflected that more than 80% of the students disliked its _______.

A. victuals B. food C. renditions D. prestige E. foliage F. mirth

Ans: A and B
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. It seems that humans are not the only ones suffering from obesity in the USA. A recent survey of pet animals in the USA revealed that 60% of all pet cats and 70% of all pet dogs in the USA are ________.

A. sleazy B. fat C. subdued D. intimate E. corpulent F. friendly

Ans: B and E

9. The politician was specifically unhappy with the opposition partys inclination towards liberalizing the economy. Therefore he vehemently ___________ against the opposition partys stance in his speech.

A. complained B. supported C. accosted D. railed E. simpered F. sustained

Ans: A and D III. Synonyms 1. Ignite

A. agitate B. strike C. light D. storm E. enlighten

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Ans: C

2. Malaise

A. gratitude B. altitude C. latitude D. lassitude E. delirium

Ans: D

3. Cadaver

A. crime B. corpse C. penury D. nausea E. vortex

Ans: B

4. Revel

A. protest B. recruit C. disgruntle D. relish E. renew

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Daub

A. suppress B. dominate C. smear D. spot E. free

Ans: C

6. Tumult

A. revolt B. turmoil C. taper D. accolade E. panache

Ans: B

7. Allure

A. imitate B. pretend C. pick D. attract E. prolong

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. Abase

A. belittle B. glorify C. ignore D. settle E. determine

Ans: A

9. Chary

A. tedious B. cautious C. black D. careless E. hungry

Ans: B

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12. THE WATKINSON EVENING

12. THE WATKINSON EVENING

I. Text Completion

1. The Brigadier had a (i) ________________ personality. He was well-built, tall and handsome. The medals on his uniform stood testimony to his (ii) ____________ and added to his charm.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

loathsome prepossessing meddling

impoliteness prodigy chivalry

Ans: prepossessing and chivalry

2. Hundreds of people were celebrating the (i) ______ in the ground when the accident occurred. A small fire broke out in one corner and that (ii) _________ a stampede in the crowd. Around fifty people lost their lives in the stampede. When I reached the accident site late in the evening, it was dark and (iii) __________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

ovation fte demeanor

provoked cajoled confounded

tacit lustrous murky

Ans: fte, provoked and murky

3. People were extremely unhappy at the Kings order to acquire farmlands to build a dam. They (i) _______ the King to (ii) _______ the order. But the King did not change his decision.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

discussed entreated assented

revoke devise discount

Ans: entreated and revoke

4. He thought that he had (i) _________ a brilliant scheme to dupe the investors. But one smart investor smelt something foul and lodged a complaint with the regulatory authorities. This complaint finally (ii) _________ all his malicious plans and he was sent to jail.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

gleaned allured devised

confounded grappled bemoaned

Ans: devised and confounded

5. Yesterday George won the prestigious chess championship by defeating several grandmasters. The fact that he is just 12 years old is quite praiseworthy. The media has showered (i) __________ on the achievements of this (ii) _______.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

encomiums nuptials exhortations

progeny faculty prodigy

Ans: encomiums and prodigy

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. The chief minister claims that he did not give his (i) ________ to the land appropriation scam. But you cannot (ii) ________the fact that a scam of such a large magnitude would not have been possible without the chief ministers cognizance.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

demeanor assent disquietude

discount supplicate epitomize

Ans: assent and discount

7. You call me a (i) ___________ but can you honestly say that you are morally less unprincipled? I think you are also equally (ii) ___________ of proper judgment.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

buffoon reprobate hireling

full devoid voluble

Ans: reprobate and devoid

8. Jenifer, I think you have lost your visual (i) _____________. Cant you see that large and (ii) __________ star? It is right there just above the moon, shining brightly.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

clamor faculty timbre

lustrous vaunted conscientious

Ans: faculty and lustrous

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. It was a disappointing game to watch for the French football fans. The (i) ________ defense of the French team could not (ii) _________the assault by the Spanish forwards and it conceded five goals.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

heinous vaunted disgruntled

cajole reiterate withstand

Ans: vaunted and withstand

10. The king entertained the guests for ten days and nights with an unceasing round of (i) ________. The festivities concluded with a grand, sumptuous and bountiful (ii) __________ in the royal dining room on the eleventh day. Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

mystery jollity repartee

reversion ingenuity repast

Ans: jollity and repast

11. The resolution (i) __________ the need for the citizens to reduce wastage of water. It also (ii) ________ the citizens to start harvesting rainwater to avoid future problems.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

reiterates remembers whines

exhorts allures restrains

Ans: reiterates and exhorts

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

12. She exclaimed, You must understand that earning USD 80 per week and spending USD 100 per week is not a (i) ___________ behavior.

Blank 1
(A) (B) (C)

rational rotational regional

Ans: rational II. Sentence Equivalence

1. After the new law to protect consumer rights came into action, the customer __________ were addressed more efficiently.

A. percussions B. complaints C. grievances D. panegyrics E. eulogies F. collations

Ans: B and C

2. After their dinner was over at the restaurant, Jack told Jill that he had forgotten his wallet. Jill exclaimed, Oh Jack, stop making such __________ excuses.

A. bright B. commonplace C. rigorous D. restive E. meticulous F. trite

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Ans: B and F

3. He showed me one more of his pessimistic paintings. I wondered why that painter was always drawing such ________ paintings.

A. great B. rosy C. glowing D. saturnine E. gloomy F. small

Ans: D and E

4. When the Presidents corruption scandal came to light, there was a/an ________ by opposition parties for his resignation.

A. clamor B. outcry C. applause D. percussion E. quietude F. ovation

Ans: A and B

5. In __________ of the court order to vacate the dilapidated building immediately, the tenants continued to stay in the same building risking their own lives.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. compliance B. tirade C. defiance D. novelty E. disobedience F. agreement

Ans: C and E

6. I remember the last time when I travelled with Julie. For the entire eight hours of the journey, the __________ girl tirelessly kept on talking on every possible topic in the world.

A. shy B. voluble C. benevolent D. transparent E. verbose F. flamboyant

Ans: B and E

7. People want ______ and straight talk. They are tired of voluble politicians making long speeches without ever touching the heart of the subject.

A. delicate B. candid C. frank D. beneficent E. benign F. frail

Ans: B and C

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8. Because of the tarnished image of the scandalous politicians, the youth have started regarding politics with _____________. This is the reason they have refrained from voting in the recent elections.

A. compliance B. prestige C. disdain D. contempt E. obeisance F. tumult

Ans: C and D

9. She changed the interiors of her house every 5-6 months to make it consistent with the latest fashion. Her guests could not resist complementing her for her ______ taste.

A. modish B. classy C. outdated D. reputed E. unprepossessing F. outmoded

Ans: A and B

10. The uncertainty about the interest rate policy of the central bank has increased the __________ of the home buyers.

A. impropriety B. vortex C. disquietude D. anxiety E. delusion F. protocol

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Ans: C and D

11. He was loved by all because of his cheerful, relaxed and frank ___________. A. demeanor B. finery C. ingenuity D. manner E. moroseness F. laxity

Ans: A and D

12. The King had no ________ to whom he could hand over the reins of the kingdom. Therefore he decided to hand over the crown to the head of the military. A. progeny B. friend C. foe D. longevity E. descendant F. enemy

Ans: A and E

13. The _______lady never disappointed any charitable organization that approached her for donations. A. stingy B. ostentatious C. beautiful D. pert E. generous F. benevolent

Ans: E and F

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

14. The actor was known for his _______ lifestyle. The toys he owned included seven luxury cars, two luxury yachts, one private jet and three villas in the Europe. A. charismatic B. flamboyant C. ostentatious D. benevolent E. dull F. charitable

Ans: B and C III. Synonyms

1. Abomination

A. resistance B. judgment C. regard D. hatred E. assumption

Ans: D

2. Collation

A. completion B. alignment C. remuneration D. renovation E. snack

Ans: E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. Termination

A. conclusion B. inclusion C. temptation D. configuration E. remuneration

Ans: A

4. Poise

A. perpetuity B. complexity C. composure D. compliance E. convergence

Ans: C

5. Nether

A. callow B. lower C. nave D. tedious E. benign

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Profligate

A. modish B. romantic C. rapt D. spendthrift E. splendid

Ans: D

7. Rococo

A. tedious B. defiant C. ornate D. heinous E. candid

Ans: C

8. Rapt

A. convivial B. ominous C. benign D. benevolent E. ecstatic

Ans: E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. Embellish

A. beautify B. rectify C. classify D. ramify E. meddle

Ans: A

10. Rectify

A. rejuvenate B. enervate C. provoke D. devise E. correct

Ans: E

11. Urbane

A. bucolic B. polished C. impolite D. religious E. morbid

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

12. Perpetual

A. unusual B. temporary C. uninterrupted D. unlike E. unique

Ans: C

13. Pert

A. appropriate B. weak C. intrepid D. dormant E. impertinent

Ans: E

14. Tedious

A. wearisome B. simple C. thunderous D. voluble E. torrid

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

13. THE GIFT OF THE MAGI

13. THE GIFT OF THE MAGI

I. Text Completion

1. Rudy is from a super rich family. At the sign of the slightest (i) _______ or cough, Rudys father takes him to a plush hospital that charges a/an (ii) ____________ fees.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

parsimony sniffle baffle

mediocre beatific exorbitant

Ans: sniffle and exorbitant

2. Bill had built the company through years of (i) ___________ efforts. After years of hard work, he expected a little stability in his life. However that was not bound to happen. Suddenly the market crashed and his company incurred huge losses. The finances of the company were in a state of (ii) _______.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

undemanding languid laborious

order disarray compliance

Ans: laborious and disarray

3. The principal handed over a severe punishment to the two (i) _______ students. The two students vehemently denied their involvement in the mischief. But so many people had seen them doing the mischief that their involvement was as good as a (ii) _______ fact.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

unruly obedient inquisitive

uncertain patent potential

Ans: unruly and patent

4. So (i) ________! The heads of the religious parties (ii) _____________ the riots that claimed 34 lives. We thought all the religions preached non-violence and tolerance. Then why is it so?

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

nice pathetic beatific

instigated squandered consoled

Ans: pathetic and instigated

5. The procession was inching ahead with great vigor. The beautiful dancers in beautiful dresses and with their heads (i) _______ with nice ornaments were dancing in a rhythm. The people were watching the procession with great interest and they were clapping and cheering. But the exhausted police who were maintaining law and order were watching the procession with (ii) ____________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

disheveled adorned confounded

disinterest enthusiasm choreography

Ans: adorned and disinterest

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Before starting with chemotherapy, the doctor explained to the patient and his relatives about the _________ side effects of the therapy.

A. potential B. inquisitive C. mediocre D. possible E. benign F. vaunted

Ans: A and D

2. We were astonished to see the _____________ of the gymnast. I just cannot explain in words how swift he was in his movements!

A. indolence B. nimbleness C. lethargy D. appearance E. disquietude F. agility

Ans: B and F

3. The hordes from across the border harassed the villagers with repeated attacks. The villagers approached the King to request him to take measures to stop these ___________.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. nuptials B. processions C. pillages D. plunders E. renditions F. eccentricities

Ans: C and D

4. I was pleasantly surprised when the __________ trader offered me an interest free loan for my education expenses. He was not at all known for his generosity.

A. generous B. stingy C. parsimonious D. sedulous E. prepossessing F. brusque

Ans: B and C

5. I did not understand why the critics appreciated that painting so much and called it a masterpiece. As far as my own judgment is concerned, I thought it was a pretty ________ painting.

A. mediocre B. ordinary C. magnificent D. weird E. inquisitive F. coveted

Ans: A and B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Constructing the entire games village as per international standards within just one year was a/an ___________ task; but with proper planning and discipline the organizing committee completed it successfully well within the deadline.

A. simple B. subdued C. sallow D. mammoth E. enormous F. sonorous

Ans: D and E III. Synonyms

1. Cavalier

A. communist B. inferior C. careful D. arrogant E. independent

Ans: D

2. Pluck

A. drip B. prick C. grip D. fume E. pull

Ans: E
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. Nondescript

A. unexplainable B. unintended C. ordinary D. temporary E. disqualified

Ans: C

4. Travail

A. trail B. travel C. tremor D. exertion E. execution

Ans: D

5. Chronicle

A. hypothesis B. narrative C. compassion D. supposition E. verity

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Inquisitive

A. curious B. rococo C. rapt D. trite E. benevolent

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

14. FIRST LOVE

14. FIRST LOVE

I. Text Completion

1. When John was getting the excavation work done for the foundation of his house, one of the construction workers hit upon a few pieces of art and craft. He called a few archaeologists and showed them the pieces. Further exploration and analysis established that they had (i) _________ the ruins of an ancient city. The ruins provided (ii) ________ information to the archaeologists about the ancient civilization. The ruins helped them a lot in learning several new aspects about the dark period of the civilization about which no details were available before.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

dallied unearthed dilated

meager voluminous tepid

Ans: unearthed and voluminous

2. The police (i) ________________ the entire house of the millionaire as they had information that the self-indulgent man was in possession of narcotic substances. The (ii) _______ man did not cooperate at all with the police in their search. Instead he sat on a sofa in his living room hurling abuses towards the policemen. (iii) ________ to his uncooperative and abusive behavior, the policemen continued quietly with their duty.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

rummaged cleaned meandered

peevish sedulous affable

Injurious Injudicious Indifferent

Ans: rummaged, peevish and Indifferent

3. Monica was a (i) __________ lady with deep reverence towards the God. But her son Richard did not
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

believe in the existence of the God. Monica often (ii) _______ Richard for the irreverence exhibited by him towards the God.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

pious genuine audacious

subsided dallied reprimanded

Ans: pious and reprimanded

4. The enquiry committee found ample evidence to prove that the governor had (i) __________ all the rules in allocating the government land to the fraudulent company. The fact that the land was originally proposed to be used for building homes for senior freedom fighters, was even more (ii) ________. Such brazen display of corrupt practices is making the common man even more demoralized and he has lost trust in the political system in this country.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

respected violated bereaved

dallying articulating galling

Ans: violated and galling

5. After Yanlais repeated requests for a meeting with Mr. Garrette were (i) ____________ by Mr. Garrettes secretary, Yanlai was extremely angry. One day he directly barged into Mr. Garrettes cabin. Mr. Garrette was at first surprised to see Yanlai (ii) ________ with anger. However, he calmly asked Yanlai to take a seat and discussed the matter at length with him.

139

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

rebuffed reprimanded subsided

phlegmatic livid sedulous

Ans: rebuffed and livid

6. Jack was a/an (i) __________ student. He was very good at studies, sports and playing piano. He was a good speaker also. He could (ii) __________ complex thoughts and concepts with conciseness and clarity. Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

average languishing precocious

articulate dilate braid

Ans: precocious and articulate II. Sentence Equivalence

1. The hostage drama at the bank lasted for around 10 hours. When all the negotiation tactics failed, the commandos introduced N2O gas through the AC duct. Within minutes of introducing the gas into the room, the captors fell _______ on the ground and the commandos captured them without wasting any time.

A. affable B. unconscious C. mediocre D. nondescript E. insensible F. cavalier

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and E

2. The monument is indeed an archaeological marvel. Its ______architecture stands testimony to the affluence of the time when it was built.

A. awful B. appalling C. appealing D. splendid E. resplendent F. haughty

Ans: D and E

3. The current legal framework is just not adequate to curb the growing cyber crimes. The government needs to take measures for the overhaul of the __________ laws and regulations written way back in 1956.

A. antiquated B. archaic C. modern D. tepid E. cupid F. contemporary

Ans: A and B

4. The riverside garden was a favorite spot for the college going boys and girls. They _______ there in the picturesque surroundings till late in the evenings.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. hung around B. resisted C. deigned D. braided E. epitomized F. dallied

Ans: A and F

5. The _______ articles written by Bob spitted venom against the Great Eastern Shipping Companys environment policy. It was no surprise then that the company slapped a defamation law suit against him.

A. admiring B. contemptuous C. intricate D. disdainful E. complex F. sympathetic

Ans: B and D

6. When the counsel read out the charge sheet against John in the court, the jury was shocked to listen to the ________ details of his heinous crimes.

A. haughty B. opaque C. lurid D. graphic E. ashen F. petulant

Ans: C and D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. 60 years after attaining independence, the countrys economy is still reliant upon the agriculture sector that is heavily exposed to the _____________ of the weather.

A. improprieties B. dotage C. suffusion D. delusions E. vagaries F. whims

Ans: E and F III. Synonyms

1. Flaccid

A. agile B. limp C. factual D. fictional E. suggestive

Ans: B

2. Spasmodic

A. sporadic B. reliable C. regular D. authentic E. euphoric

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. Solicitude

A. concern B. loneliness C. profanation D. rebuff E. amusement

Ans: A

4. Chronic

A. voluminous B. habitual C. silly D. haughty E. precocious

Ans: B

5. Cow

A. please B. frighten C. accost D. flirt E. castigate

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Tepid

A. enthusiastic B. patent C. lurid D. lukewarm E. fervent

Ans: D

7. Fermentation

A. agitation B. chronicle C. affliction D. representation E. supposition

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

15. A PILGRIM
15. A PILGRIM

I. Text Completion

1. The movie was a complete waste of my time. The storyline was (i) ______. The jokes as well as the action scenes were (ii) ___________. The movie was without any novelty factor. In fact it was without any soul.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

great puerile mature

hackneyed amusing novel

Ans: puerile and hackneyed

2. The city faces a grave problem of the homeless people. A couple of months back the city authorities banished the (i) ___________ and took every measure to (ii) _______ them from returning to the city; but they still keep on coming back to the city.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

puritans vagrants obelisks

dissuade encourage disfigure

Ans: vagrants and dissuade

3. It was a (i) ___________ love triangle. Initially Ranis parents lodged a complaint with the police that Sujith had abducted Rani. When the police found out Sujith and Rani, Rani (ii) ______that she had married Sujith on her own will. Meanwhile, Sukanya claimed that she was already married to Sujith and they had not divorced.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

knotty transparent pious

glowered asserted retaliated

Ans: knotty and asserted

4. Yesterday I read a (i) ___________ story of a British man who died of thirst after he was lost in the (ii) _____ of tunnels that he had build inside his house.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

bizarre mediocre bountiful

mace knoll labyrinth

Ans: bizarre and labyrinth

5. I was shocked when Robert told me that he had travelled with Tracy the day before and for the entire duration of the journey Tracy had not uttered a single word. I had known Tracy to be quite (i) ___________ and therefore it was impossible for me to (ii) _______ up her image when she was not talking.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

loquacious introvert gullible

domicile conjure traverse

Ans: loquacious and conjure

6. When I first met him, he came across as a/an (i) __________ and introvert person. He preferred to
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

remain alone in his room away from any social interaction. When I spent more time with him, I came to know of the reasons behind his (ii) ______________ in interacting with others.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

bold aggressive timid

apprehension fondness zeal

Ans: timid and apprehension

7. In her heydays, the actress was loved by one and all. Her enchanting beauty, her (i) _______ skin, her melodious voice and her long silky hair won her the appellation of The Beauty Queen of the USA. But slowly she started growing old and her glory faded. Her eyes had deeply sunken and her cheeks were hollowed giving her a (ii) ___________ look.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

refulgent cadaverous salutary

refulgent cadaverous salutary

Ans: refulgent and cadaverous

8. In the recent Olympics, the country failed to win even a single medal. After this (i) ___________ at the Olympics, it is (ii) ________ for the Sports Ministry to overhaul the entire process for identifying and nurturing talent across the country.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

debacle sojourn reciprocity

diabolic scurvy imperative

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: debacle and imperative

9. (i) ________ adversely affects an individuals health in many ways. Life expectancy of overweight people is lower than that of people with weight within the normal range. We need to undertake a campaign to increase awareness about health (ii) __________ of being overweight.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Obesity Paucity Slenderness

icons benefits hazards

Ans: Obesity and hazards

10. The lakeside was a picturesque and tranquil place. I used to sit there for hours together (i) __________in the (ii) ___________ beauty of the surrounding nature.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

jabbed halted engrossed

senile sublime nebulous

Ans: engrossed and sublime

11. As a child, John developed a fascination towards observing and learning more about the fishes. He further nurtured his (i) _____________ passion through formal education in (ii) _____________. Today he is an Assistant Professor in Aquaculture at the Michigan University.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

jovial mercantile piscatorial

Eulogy Ichthyology Herpetology

Ans: piscatorial and Ichthyology

12. David had an enviable start to his sporting career. Within a short period of time, he was made the captain of the national team. But suddenly his form slumped and no signs of the revival of his form were visible. The selectors then (i) __________ ousted him from the national team. It is quite rare for a captain to be ousted from the team.

Blank 1
(A) (B) (C)

unceremoniously ceremoniously acutely

Ans: unceremoniously

13. When the pop singer won the Academy Award, the (i) _____________ fans wrote (ii) _______ in his praise.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

nebulous zealous insipid

paeans novels dictums

Ans: zealous and paeans

150

WORD POWER-QUIZ

II. Sentence Equivalence

1. It was extremely difficult to handle the emotionally __________ witness in the court. The witness would very often break down hindering the proceedings.

A. stable B. labile C. unstable D. exultant E. elated F. unwavering

Ans: B and C

2. The ___________ of the situation can be understood with the fact that nearly two-third of the population is living under the poverty line.

A. gravity B. seriousness C. comity D. absurdity E. vanity F. amity

Ans: A and B

3. The global economy has still not fully recovered from the financial crisis. The _______ of Ireland default still looms round the corner.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. spectrum B. specter C. sound D. apparition E. dictum F. sojourn

Ans: B and D

4. The queen looked glorious as she entered the hall. Her ________ was threaded with gold and her crown was studded with rubies.

A. saddle B. levee C. raiment D. dress E. mirage F. opulence

Ans: C and D

5. The Middle East has ___________ oil and gas reserves that drive the economy. But going forward the Middle East has to focus on innovative education projects.

A. handful B. abundant C. wonderful D. diabolic E. devilish F. bountiful

Ans: B and F

6. The automobile companys growth in two-wheeler sales has ________ since July 2007. The company
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

needs to devise a fresh strategy to capture the lost market share in this segment.

A. receded B. ebbed C. quailed D. traversed E. domiciled F. primped

Ans: A and B

7. The kitten __________ in a corner after a sudden attack by street dogs. But it regained its composure and climbed a tall wall rapidly.

A. jabbed B. bereaved C. quailed D. deigned E. reprimanded F. cowered

Ans: C and F

8. Her ______ for reuniting with her children kept her alive in adverse conditions in the freezing waters for two days.

A. vagary B. whim C. metaphor D. yearning E. parsimony F. yen

Ans: D and F
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. The fraud by a clerk provided a ________ lesson to the top management to tighten the financial control across the organization.

A. useless B. unwarranted C. valuable D. salutary E. hypothetical F. adverse

Ans: C and D

10. We halted in a hotel on the way and waited for the storm to __________ so that we could resume our journey.

A. aggravate B. abate C. subside D. intensify E. forbear F. reckon

Ans: B and C

11. The intelligence agency unearthed a _______ plot by some military officials to overturn the ruling government in the country.

A. loyal B. treacherous C. magnificent D. perfidious E. senile F. garrulous

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and D

12. We were delighted to visit the garden where we feasted on __________ ripe mangoes.

A. dry B. juicy C. luscious D. wry E. earthy F. florid

Ans: B and C

13. I visit my countryside house once a year to relax in the _________ of the pastoral land.

A. uproar B. pandemonium C. stillness D. xenophobia E. tranquility F. temper

Ans: C and E

14. When Alfred started writing the novel he had just a few ________ thoughts about the plot and the characters. As he progressed through his writing, his thoughts became more crystallized.

A. nebulous B. vague C. precise D. tepid E. lukewarm F. clear-cut

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A and B III. Synonyms

1. Gait

A. entrance B. happiness C. bait D. strike E. bearing

Ans: E

2. Dirge

A. urge B. merger C. lament D. compulsion E. discovery

Ans: C

3. Macabre

A. decorous B. gruesome C. blunt D. callow E. zealous

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Suppress

A. express B. struggle C. stifle D. address E. witness

Ans: C

5. Affected

A. senile B. yielding C. loquacious D. pretentious E. garrulous

Ans: D

6. Yielding

A. submissive B. perfidious C. tranquil D. wry E. sodden

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Sodden

A. refulgent B. enigmatic C. hackneyed D. nebulous E. soaked Ans: E

8. Satiate A. reside B. traverse C. quench D. dissuade E. ebb Ans: C

9. Jab A. hunch B. punch C. knoll D. obelisk E. agitation Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. Emissary

A. wanderer B. teacher C. trader D. priest E. messenger

Ans: E 11. Vainglorious A. humble B. self-important C. oblivious D. decorous E. flaccid

Ans: B 12. Domicile A. spoil B. adorn C. reside D. crave E. rule

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

13. Primp A. meander B. devour C. mix D. drink E. groom

Ans: E

14. Knoll A. hillock B. house C. church D. school E. progeny

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

16. THE WRECK

16. THE WRECK

I. Text Completion

1. The captain of the (i) __________ rushed to reach to his team in exigency. He had discovered water rushing into the ship after it had hit an iceberg. The ship was heavily loaded with cargo. The captain asked his crew to (ii) ___________ some of the cargo so that the ship could stabilize.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

galleon courier country

penetrate load jettison

Ans: galleon and jettison

2. The survivors of the air crash were wandering in the desert unable to figure a way out. In the (i) ______ land devoid of food and water they were exhausted and emaciated. They prayed to the God for (ii) ___________them from this hapless situation.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

arid abundant fertile

salvaging targeting dispelling

Ans: arid and salvaging

3. The reporters were able to talk to a survivor of the tsunami who recounted the sequence of events just before the (i) ________ waves struck the tiny island. He was devastated as the (ii) ___________ had claimed the lives of all his family members.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

titanic minor playful

quietude catastrophe anguish

Ans: titanic and catastrophe

4. The religious leader in his speech full of (i) ________ spitted venom against the followers of other religions. He urged the followers of his religion to wage a war against the so-called oppressive behavior of the followers of other religions. His exhortations are detrimental to the peace and harmony in the society. Such (ii) _________ elements must be severely punished by law.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

apathy fanaticism quietude

fulsome turbid sinister

Ans: fanaticism and sinister

5. After their defeat in the finals, the team members looked _____________. The (ii) ________ coach was almost in tears. He had passionately trained and motivated the team to march their way through to the finals.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

cheerful downcasted interminable

excited evanescent staid

Ans: downcasted and staid

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. In the pre-election political debate Mr. Robinson was very aggressive and made some (i) __________ personal remarks against Mr. Cohen. But Mr. Cohen maintained his (ii) ___________ and handled the situation very well by sticking to the points relevant to his partys political agenda.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

insidious flattering salutary

exigency magnitude composure

Ans: insidious and composure

7. Today all of us have (i) ______________ of a better lifestyle. We toil day and night to fulfill our ambitions. Some of us succeed while some of us do not succeed. Some of the people who fail cannot cope with the failure and become (ii) __________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

aspirations legacies consternations

optimistic despondent garrulous

Ans: aspirations and despondent

8. I could feel her mental (i) __________. It is quite difficult to remain (ii) __________ from the sufferings of your friends.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

exigency anguish labyrinth

puerile hapless detached

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: anguish and detached

9. The workers were deeply hurt by the (i) _______ behavior of the factory owner. They went on a strike in protest of this humiliation. In due course of time, the owner offered a (ii) ______ apology. But one could still sense traces of haughtiness in his manners.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

polite arrogant potent

fulsome synchronous perverse

Ans: arrogant and fulsome II. Sentence Equivalence

1. In order to interact closely with the citizens, the leader __________ his own safety and broke the security cordon around him and entered the crowd.

A. jeopardized B. bolstered C. endangered D. cowered E. quailed F. augmented

Ans: A and C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. The ___________ rain in the area for the last two days has filled the lake.

A. uninterrupted B. intermittent C. hapless D. craven E. yielding F. incessant

Ans: A and F

3. Several ministers were involved in the multimillion-dollar scam. Considering the ______ of the crime the Supreme Court directed the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) to investigate the case.

A. legacy B. enormity C. chronicle D. deluge E. panache F. magnitude

Ans: B and F

4. The analyst did a poor job of _____ the underlying trends in the industry. You expect a much better research work from analysts.

A. plumbing B. meddling C. investigating D. cowering E. hovering F. ceding

Ans: A and C
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Sitting for twenty hours in the flight was quite tiresome. I was really relieved at the announcement of the descent of the flight that would finally conclude what seemed to be a/an ______________ journey.

A. short B. angular C. interminable D. fascinating E. endless F. absorbing

Ans: C and E

6. The Environment Minister stated in his speech that preventing extinction of tigers is a matter of utmost __________ for the nation.

A. leniency B. exigency C. imprudence D. laxity E. apprehension F. urgency

Ans: B and F

7. The activist leader mentioned in his speech that he was surprised at the _________ of the masses in the wake of the brazen theft of poor peoples money by the politicians. He urged the masses to raise their voice in protest of such blatant corruption.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. calmness B. imprudence C. quietude D. legacy E. turmoil F. debacle

Ans: A and C

8. The recent match-fixing scandals have brought into light the ________ side of the gentlemans game Cricket.

A. hearty B. seamy C. novel D. wholesome E. unpleasant F. inscrutable

Ans: B and E

9. She is an animal activist. She leads the campaigns that highlight the plight of ______ animals butchered ruthlessly for making of leather goods.

A. ill fated B. hapless C. scurvy D. angular E. rotund F. earthy

Ans: A and B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. The gas emitted from the chimney of the factory is ten times more _______ than Carbon Monoxide.

A. potent B. turbid C. tranquil D. poisonous E. sodden F. insensible

Ans: A and D III. Synonyms

1. Amplify

A. simplify B. simulate C. malign D. magnify E. dictate

Ans: D

2. Gust

A. visitor B. guts C. surge D. power E. character

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. Maudlin

A. lachrymose B. meddlesome C. stagnant D. sinister E. smattering

Ans: A

4. Turgid

A. sturdy B. puffy C. slender D. incessant E. imprudent

Ans: B

5. Stagnant

A. stooping B. effervescent C. sluggish D. layered E. deep

Ans: C

6. Smattering

A. seamy B. scattering
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

C. sweltering D. superficial E. hypothetical

Ans: D

7. Penetrate

A. inculcate B. immunize C. irritate D. infiltrate E. perpetrate

Ans: D

8. Conspire

A. inspire B. perspire C. cultivate D. mitigate E. plot

Ans: E

9. Dispel

A. drive away B. degrade C. attract D. castigate E. alienate

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A

10. Derelict

A. dilapidated B. bold C. insidious D. potent E. direct

Ans: A

171

WORD POWER-QUIZ

17. FEATHERTOP
17. FEATHERTOP

I. Text Completion

1. The municipal officers are responsible for the (i) __________ condition of the public infrastructure in our town. These officers (ii) __________ their responsibilities and simply ignore peoples complaints and suggestions for the betterment of the public infrastructure. If everybody started doing their duty responsibly, this town will be a heaven on earth.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

appealing lamentable presentable

dabble accept shirk

Ans: lamentable and shirk

2. The general started his (i) _______ address to his soldiers, My dear brave soldiers, give (ii) _______ to me. Today at the sunrise the enemy has dared to venture into our territory, we are going to make sure one thing that the enemy is not going to see the sunrise tomorrow. Let us all unite and kill each and every person who dared to desecrate our holy land.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

hortatory pessimistic jocose

greed heed need

Ans: hortatory and heed

3. There are (i) ___________ sweet shops in Bangalorealmost one shop at every corner. But the (ii) __________ fact is that none of these is ISO certified. I wonder how a customer can trust these shops for maintaining uniform quality standards.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

few plentiful gruesome

notable unsubstantial tenuous

Ans: plentiful and notable

4. In his editorial article the (i) ______ editor used every possible harsh word in the dictionary to criticize the sorry state of politics in our country. He went on to state that if all corrupt politicians are not executed, the dream of a/an (ii) __________ society would never be fulfilled.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

ruthless merciful torpid

equitable biased exotic

Ans: ruthless and equitable

5. Our superstitions are very strange. If you dream of a cat hanging upside down from a tree it (i) ____________ a heavy financial loss. But there is no need to get (ii) _________ by this. If you feed cow milk to nine cats, this impending calamity can be averted.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

reminds betokens comports

vindicated protruded intimidated

Ans: betokens and intimidated

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. The King along with his (i) ________ entered the city after their historical victory. The soldiers were (ii) ________ their swords and dancing to the rhythm of the drum.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

retinue miscreants charlatans

thriving warranting brandishing

Ans: retinue and brandishing

7. The (i) _______ magician mesmerized the audience with his (ii) __________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

awry artful artless

troth legerdemain semblance

Ans: artful and legerdemain

8. The lawn turns vibrant green and the flowers (i) _______ after the steady rain (ii) __________ the dry soil

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

thrive ensue deteriorate

depletes confines replenishes

Ans: thrive and replenishes

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. Residents of a (i) __________ will not understand the beauty of life in a remote village. While relationships in a city are (ii) _______ at the most, the relationships in a village are genuine and sincere. Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

village metropolis community

superficial deep sagacious

Ans: metropolis and superficial

10. You will face hardships every day of your life. You must (i) __________ these hardships every day of your life to emerge an ultimate winner. If you have an unwavering faith in yourself, no quake can jolt you and no flame can (ii) _______ you.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

bounce surmount avoid

scorch tease dabble

Ans: surmount and scorch

11. He (i) ________ in writing tragic plays for years with little success. One day he casually wrote a (ii) ________ play and his producer friend happened to flip through it. Rest all is history. Today he is the most sought after script writer for comedies.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

dabbled contrived accrued

shrewd jocose grim

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: dabbled and jocose

12. I sincerely express my (i) ______ with the newly formulated welfare policy of the government. I agree that the policy has been devised after much deliberation by the able and (ii) _______ ministers, but I have my own reservations against the policy and I must express them.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

consent dissent artifice

sagacious imprudent itinerant

Ans: dissent and sagacious

13. The defendants garrulous lawyer argued for a long time in the court. But it was obvious that all his talk was a mere (i) __________ and the evidence he had produced to defend his client was (ii) ____________. The case seemed as good as lost for him.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

whisper babble legend

unsubstantial significant docile

Ans: babble and unsubstantial

14. A/an (i) ________ food vending establishment" means a food vending business serving food or drink from any establishment or (ii) ___________ without fixed location.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

immobile itinerant heterogeneous

conveyance juncture accoutrement

Ans: itinerant and conveyance

15. It was not an accident; the (i) ______ lady had in fact got her husband killed. But she (ii) _______ herself in the most grievous manner at public appearances to gain public sympathy.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

innocent shrewd docile

comported hid ensued

Ans: shrewd and comported

16. Generally they need two security personnel at the farm, one to walk the (i) _________ of the farm and the other to monitor the CCTV footage on the screens. But because of staffing (ii) _________ a single guard has to do both the tasks.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

juncture perimeter phenomenon

constraints entities freedom

Ans: perimeter and constraints

177

WORD POWER-QUIZ

II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Rita felt insecure as her husband started spending more time at the office. She suspected that he was having an affair with his __________ personal assistant.

A. ugly B. comely C. tenuous D. charming E. vaporous F. threadbare

Ans: B and D

2. After three ___________ attempts, the police finally succeeded in nabbing the gangster.

A. craven B. unsuccessful C. victorious D. heterogeneous E. abortive F. torpid

Ans: B and E

3. Steffi could not stand the ___________ footage of the site of the train accident in which 137 people were killed. Therefore she switched off the TV.

A. gruesome B. shocking C. occult D. interesting E. pusillanimous F. timid

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A and B

4. A domesticated camel is generally __________ but can get aggressive sometimes if teased beyond its tolerance levels.

A. illusive B. docile C. galvanic D. awry E. submissive F. skewed

Ans: B and E

5. The accountant __________ a malicious plan to create a rift between the two promoters of the family business. But the plan failed because of the alertness of the assistant of one of the promoters.

A. coerced B. accrued C. confined D. contrived E. lingered F. engineered

Ans: D and F

6. It is not an easy task to impose evacuation in the areas as we need the tenants _________ before we can evacuate them to temporary shelters.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. acquiescence B. consent C. decent D. constraint E. disagreement F. gesticulation

Ans: A and B

7. As she had a _______ feeling after alighting from the roller coaster, Christina vowed never to take a roller coaster ride again in her life.

A. tenuous B. vaporous C. dizzy D. stagnant E. arid F. giddy

Ans: C and F

8. The __________ of the principals message to all of us on the convocation day is, never give up in life.

A. respect B. pith C. essence D. benison E. reverence F. blessing

Ans: B and C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. This quarter marks an end to a/an ________ year of negative growth, hiring freeze and layoffs.

A. fantastic B. torpid C. optimistic D. sluggish E. heterogeneous F. ethereal

Ans: B and D

10. The world has never been the same for the sports star after the _______ revelation by his wife of his domestic violence.

A. galvanic B. praiseworthy C. incessant D. shocking E. garrulous F. haughty

Ans: A and D

11. After being set a meager target by the Pakistan team in the cricket match, the Australian team played like champions and chased the target with _________ ease.

A. difficult B. consummate C. fervent D. discrete E. complete F. distinct

Ans: B and E
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

12. Three years on and recovery is still ________. Over the intervening years, policy makers and investors continue to worry about the health of the US economy.

A. unfaltering B. unruly C. illusive D. illusory E. candid F. realistic

Ans: C and D

13. The modern woman does not want to be _______ within the four walls of her house. She wants to live a free and independent life.

A. confined B. liberated C. imprisoned D. protruded E. hovered F. cowered

Ans: A and C

14. He surprised everybody by resigning from the job when his career was at the __________ of success and starting a social venture.

A. base B. acme C. reverberation D. pinnacle E. echo F. phenomenon

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and D

15. Neda was still in a state of shock. She gave us a/an ______ account of the incident from which we could make out nothing.

A. clear B. tenuous C. vague D. occult E. imperious F. lucid

Ans: B and C

16. Shahid looked in a/an__________ form as he smashed seven sixes to register the fastest century in international cricket.

A. imperious B. domineering C. docile D. submissive E. titanic F. downcast

Ans: A and B

17. The old witch practiced the __________ science of necromancy.

A. commonplace B. practical C. despondent D. seamy E. occult F. esoteric

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: E and F III. Synonyms 1. Divest

A. designate B. derive C. revive D. invest E. deprive

Ans: E

2. Warble

A. babble B. dabble C. validate D. chirrup E. cower

Ans: D

3. Stoke

A. fuel B. regret C. render D. drown E. stroke

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Stolid

A. annoying B. impassive C. abundant D. irritating E. solid

Ans: B

5. Manifest

A. incorporate B. intimidate C. indicate D. reveal E. divest

Ans: D

6. Vindicate

A. thwart B. justify C. abuse D. accuse E. allow

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Pacify

A. dictate B. understate C. appease D. accrue E. expand

Ans: C

8. Insinuate

A. instigate B. mitigate C. identify D. imply E. cultivate

Ans: D

9. Guileful

A. decent B. dreadful C. deceitful D. beautiful E. innocent

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. Puissant

A. powerful B. perfect C. pungent D. pleasant E. peaceful

Ans: A

11. Sordid

A. hortatory B. hostile C. servile D. superficial E. squalid

Ans: E

12. Subtle

A. obvious B. slight C. alternative D. threadbare E. shrewd

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

13. Incongruous

A. abrupt B. absurd C. collective D. minute E. illegal

Ans: B

14. Enumerate

A. iterate B. itemize C. reach D. read E. lead

Ans: B

15. Benison

A. blessing B. artifice C. interim D. equanimity E. patrician

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

16. Reverence

A. respect B. preference C. hatred D. difference E. clearance

Ans: A

17. Delude

A. conclude B. incorporate C. warrant D. deceive E. ensue

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

18. THE GREAT STONE FACE

18. THE GREAT STONE FACE

I. Text Completion

1. The religious old lady perceived the cat entering the house in the morning as a good omen and (i) ___________ that it was going to be a favorable day for her business. (ii) _______________ to such daily predictions her son just smirked and ignored it.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

presaged transmuted venerated

Defaced Inured Indulged

Ans: presaged and Inured

2. The farmer was (i) ______________ after the incessant heavy rains almost converted his fields into water bodies. The farmer (ii) _____________the rain gods to show some mercy towards him.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

unobtrusive disconsolate responsive

amassed discredited beseeched

Ans: disconsolate and beseeched

3. The pleasant weather of the town even at the peak of the summer can be attributed to its (i) ___________ surroundings. However increasing deforestation in the region is a matter of great concern. Therefore the environmentalists have (ii) ____________ the government to take measures to stop deforestation.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

verdant pensive germane

presaged implored defaced

Ans: verdant and implored

4. Irrational (i) ___________ of the retail investors has raised the benchmark stock market indices to historically high levels. It is a/an (ii) _____________ fact that such high valuations are not sustainable in long term and we may see a correction in the market soon.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

exuberance pessimism parity

palatial sylvan ineluctable

Ans: exuberance and ineluctable

5. The people gathered around the saint every evening to listen to his (i) _______ thoughts about how to attain happiness in life. He told them that if they wanted their dreams to come to a/an (ii) ________, they must toil hard day and night.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

profound superficial wanton

hubbub fruition anarchy

Ans: profound and fruition

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. By dint of his hard work and sharp business acumen, he (i) _________ huge amount of wealth. He built a (ii) ______ house that had nine bedrooms and a huge dining hall.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

amassed conceived contended

miserable palatial truculent

Ans: amassed and palatial

7. It is a/an (i) _________ fact that inbound (ii) _________ is the biggest issue faced by Mumbai today. If Mumbais population keeps on growing at this high rate, the public infrastructure will eventually crumble.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

crinkled irrefutable transcendent

condiments counterpart migration

Ans: irrefutable and migration

8. The (i) _________ lawyer was passionate about his job. He (ii) _________ on an average 17 hours a day. Even if his billing was the highest in the office, the top management suggested him to slow down to avoid a burnout.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

industrious lazy gory

logged doddered dwindled

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: industrious and logged

9. The lady stood (i) ________ for a while not able to decide which of the two designer bags to buy. The first one belonged to a/an (ii) ___________ brand, well-known for its good quality products while the brand of the second one was relatively unknown. But she liked the design of the second bag much more than that of the first.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

irresolute determined oblique

obscure prominent ignoble

Ans: irresolute and prominent

10. When you meet him, you will understand why people pay deep (i) __________ to him. In spite of being a highly successful industrialist, he has a/an (ii) ______________ character. One must (iii) __________ his simplicity in thinking and living.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) repose (H) emulate (I)

veneration transmutation contention

sylvan contagious unassuming

bestow

Ans: veneration, unassuming and emulate

11. The orator was delighted to stand in front of an inquisitive and (i) _________ crowd. Encouraged by the interest shown by the crowd, he delivered his speech with even more (ii) ______ than usual.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

gorgeous responsive latent

tapestry ardor relic

Ans: responsive and ardor

12. I must (i) __________ the fact that he is quite punctual. Whenever we have a meeting, he arrives (ii) _________ at the pre-decided time.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

acknowledge imbue indulge

obliquely guilefully precisely

Ans: acknowledge and precisely

13. John tried to impress the sage by (i) __________ his riches. But Johns material possessions meant nothing to the (ii) __________ sage.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

contriving flaunting thriving

shrewd artful unworldly

Ans: flaunting and unworldly

14. My poem is a (i) __________to late KK. He was a man with (ii) ________ talents. He was an exceptional actor, singer and music director. Hats off to him.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

rivulet augury tribute

multiform sinuous doleful

Ans: tribute and multiform

15. The merchant was sitting alone in his room in a (i) ___________ mood. He had incurred huge losses in his business and was now worried about his (ii) _________ finances.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

pensive variegated insensible

flourishing dwindling pedantic

Ans: pensive and dwindling

16. The country is in a state of (i) ________ for over a year now. Only God knows how long this (ii) _________ situation will prevail. In the absence of stability, there is no future for our children in this country.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

grandeur spontaneity anarchy

chaotic unobtrusive reverend

Ans: anarchy and chaotic

17. The Himalayas is the place where you can witness the (i) __________ beauty of the nature. When you stand in front of those (ii) ________ and at the same time humble mountains, you realize how
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

meaningless your feelings about your own greatness are.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

timid august puerile

lofty insignificant ostentatious

Ans: august and lofty II. Sentence Equivalence

1. As Pierre was a foreigner I advised him to be careful while shopping because the _________ shopkeepers charge exorbitant prices to the foreigners.

A. smattering B. comely C. shrewd D. canny E. ignoble F. threadbare

Ans: C and D

2. The aviation minister visited the _______ relatives of the victims of the plane accident to console them.

A. doleful B. enraptured C. hewn D. mediocre E. average F. sorrowful

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A and F

3. After the big telecom scandal came to light and the involvement of the telecom minister in the scam became clear, a lot of people (who were his friends) refused to acknowledge their association with the ___________ telecom minister.

A. disgraced B. doddered C. conceived D. discredited E. riled F. mollified

Ans: A and D

4. The market is flooded with a __________ of new gadgets - from smart phones, to tablets, to set-top boxes, to video game consoles.

A. perimeter B. clangor C. bevy D. eulogy E. denizen F. multitude

Ans: C and F

5. On weekends, I prefer the calmness of lakeside to the__________ of the commercial mall.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. quietude B. tranquility C. grandeur D. acerbity E. hubbub F. clamor

Ans: E and F

6. Brian is quite a flirtatious person. Once James jokingly remarked that Brian has a ________ heart, at any point in time it can accommodate the love of four girls.

A. capacious B. cramped C. roomy D. sylvan E. wily F. serene

Ans: A and C

7. We had to travel just 30 kilometers to reach to the picnic spot. But because of the _______ road it took us 2 hours to reach there by car.

A. indelible B. iniquitous C. winding D. sinful E. sinuous F. morbid

Ans: C and E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. The ______ of Manhattan are habituated to a fast paced life.

A. epaulets B. citizens C. potentates D. cavalcades E. denizens F. philanthropists

Ans: B and E

9. The towering ___________ of BK Commercial Complex is a landmark in the city.

A. cavalcade B. edifice C. rivulet D. structure E. precipice F. talon

Ans: B and D

10. He did not want to lead the life of a common man. He wanted to achieve something ________ in his life. Something for which future generations will remember him.

A. transcendent B. ridiculous C. magnificent D. gory E. truculent F. contagious

Ans: A and C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. The skincare expert told Betty that the dead skin makes the face look __________ as if a tissue paper is layered on the top of it.

A. gorgeous B. crinkled C. straight D. wrinkled E. detrimental F. harmful

Ans: B and D

12. The ___________ ruler harassed his subjects for twenty years before a revolt by a faction of soldiers overturned his rule.

A. just B. righteous C. truculent D. inanimate E. cruel F. sallow

Ans: C and E

13. After the teams disgraceful defeat in the qualifiers, the mood in the locker room was ____________.

A. upbeat B. opaque C. sylvan D. melancholy E. sad F. gaudy

Ans: D and E
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

14. I was surprised at the _________ in her speech when she addressed Linda. I had never seen her using such harsh language before.

A. acerbity B. nicety C. bitterness D. comeliness E. peculiarity F. inquisitiveness

Ans: A and C

15. I proposed the idea of camping on the beachside for our picnic and everybody _________. Before that we had rarely taken any decision with such unanimity and with so much ease.

A. disagreed B. commented C. accorded D. agreed E. ignored F. laughed

Ans: C and D

16. Richards writing is always ____________ with special sensitivity towards the social disparity.

A. bestowed B. imbued C. reposed D. ebbed E. permeated F. doomed

Ans: B and E
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

17. We need to tailor the current education system to establish a process to identify _____ talents in children.

A. blatant B. facile C. obvious D. latent E. hidden F. patent

Ans: D and E III. Synonyms

1. Purport

A. effusion B. invention C. purpose D. ardor E. tribute

Ans: C

2. Charisma

A. charm B. bevy C. emulation D. chagrin E. collusion

Ans: A
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. Discourse

A. dislike B. speech C. deliberation D. travel E. encouragement

Ans: B

4. Germane

A. foreign B. accurate C. arrogant D. relevant E. evasive

Ans: D

5. Deface

A. blend B. disfigure C. hew D. remove E. scrub

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Turmoil

A. acerbity B. rostrum C. tremor D. tenure E. agitation

Ans: E

7. Effuse

A. pour out B. refuse C. degenerate D. integrate E. dilute

Ans: A

8. Supernumerary

A. industrious B. unworldly C. surplus D. calculative E. mathematical

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. Brook

A. doom B. stream C. parity D. exuberance E. fruition

Ans: B

10. Spawn

A. pull B. recognize C. bring D. generate E. guide

Ans: D

11. Consonant

A. harmonious B. continuous C. collective D. corroborative E. irresolute

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

12. Stanza

A. rhythm B. sage C. verse D. drawing E. psyche

Ans: C

13. Ignoble

A. admirable B. dishonorable C. unknown D. occult E. noble

Ans: B

14. Plaudit

A. audit B. color C. hatred D. applause E. harangue

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

15. Talon

A. claw B. clangor C. eye D. nail E. finger

Ans: A

16. Forebear

A. successor B. progeny C. wood D. grove E. ancestor

Ans: E

17. Cavalcade

A. recession B. procession C. depression D. permission E. intermission

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

19. FRIENDS
19. FRIENDS

I. Text Completion

1. The soldiers carried out search operation in the (i) _________ conditions at the high altitude as they had information that there was a huge (ii) ________ of arms and ammunitions of the rebels. Fighting the (iii) _________ winter chill the soldiers successfully completed the mission.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

astute astringent amiable

cache poseur parley

pragmatic vulnerable formidable

Ans: astringent, cache and formidable

2. While on a (i) ________________ patrol, the police found a distraught teenager lying on the road. His drivel was incomprehensible to them. Therefore they brought him to the police station and the (ii) ________ on his face left the police confused. However after further interrogation, the police grew leery that the boy was playing a prank, they (iii) ___________ him for that.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

rudimentary perfunctory prodigal

vacuity equanimity verve

reminded released rebuked

Ans: perfunctory, vacuity and rebuked

3. The trainee engineer, who was (i) __________ in his duties, increased the flow of steam to the boiler. The boiler got heated to such an extent that it was on the verge of a blast and the trainee was unable to (ii) ______ the operating parameters to the normal range. Soon the chief engineer got into action and averted a major disaster. The trainee engineer was later (iii) _______ for this misdeed.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

quaint remiss destitute

orient hinder revert

excoriated praised tendered

Ans: remiss, revert and excoriated

4. The recent elections were marred by (i) __________ frauds in the voting process. Such shameless display of power brings disgrace to the democracy. The law enforcement authorities just sit idly as if they have developed (ii) _________ and cannot see anything happening around.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

finicky blatant pertinent

cataracts aspersions gambols

Ans: blatant and cataracts

5. It was a/an (i) _________ journey for Julien. After all, driving through the (ii) _________ road for over six hours to reach to the peak of the mountain is not an easy task. He was completely exhausted at the end of the journey.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

trouble-free sinewy exacting

immaculate tortuous ostensible

Ans: exacting and tortuous

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. The King wanted to undertake new welfare measures for his subjects. The minister thought that it was not (i) _______ to undertake those measures at that point in time as they would cause huge burden on the exchequer. He attempted to (ii) ________ with the King on this subject, but the King simply ignored his viewpoint.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

pragmatic authoritative repugnant

agree expostulate surrogate

Ans: pragmatic and expostulate

7. After a/an (i) _______ over his involvement in the match-fixing scam, the coach (ii) _________ his resignation and welcomed an independent enquiry in the matter.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

furor vignette endearment

admonished anteceded tendered

Ans: furor and tendered

8. I know the (i) ________ ways of Hassan. When he gets some money, he spends it recklessly. And when the debt becomes (ii) _________, he approaches me for financial help.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

forlorn hale prodigal

unwieldy finicky Lilliputian

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: prodigal and unwieldy

9. When the principal (i) __________ her severely even though she had not committed any mistake, Stacy was quite dejected. She walked back to her room in the hostel and sat (ii) ________ on the bed.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

admonished condescended warranted

leery forlorn cheerful

Ans: admonished and forlorn

10. Tom had told the analyst to prepare a report on global trends in steel consumption. The analyst handed over a thick report to Tom which was nothing but a dump of a lot of information, half of which was not even (i) __________ to the topic. Tom then realized that the analyst was a/an (ii) _______ and he fired him.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

vulnerable inevitable pertinent

counterpart drivel oaf

Ans: pertinent and oaf

211

WORD POWER-QUIZ

II. Sentence Equivalence

1. As a tall man sitting in front of him was __________ his view of the magic show, the boy decided to stand on the chair.

A. hindering B. assigning C. tendering D. attenuating E. reverting F. obstructing

Ans: A and F

2. Sadly the national football team lacks the _______ that is needed to win such a competitive
tournament.

A. pulchritude B. verve C. compunction D. cerebration E. vigor F. repugnance

Ans: B and E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. Key responsibility of the hotel manager was to make sure that the hotel looked ________ all the time.

A. immaculate B. messy C. didactic D. instructive E. forlorn F. spotless

Ans: A and F

4. A patient who is recovering from a kidney transplant is ___________ to an infection as his immunity power becomes low during the treatment.

A. susceptible B. attentive C. inevitable D. vulnerable E. distraught F. authoritative

Ans: A and D

5. The speaker underscored the importance of creating a/an ______ atmosphere for workers to keep them motivated to discharge their duties at their best.

A. hostile B. unfriendly C. sinewy D. amiable E. ostensible F. congenial

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: D and F

6. Sometimes our politicians tend to forget that they are also _____________ to the law like a common man and indulge in all kinds of illegal activities.

A. repugnant B. amenable C. ignoble D. prominent E. answerable F. palatial

Ans: B and E

7. Marwarid is unhappy with her married life. Her husband gets too _______ about very small things and picks up quarrels with her.

A. excited B. fussy C. hale D. finicky E. healthy F. contagious

Ans: B and D

8. The family of the murdered bride was too _______ to speak to the press.

A. tacit B. distraught C. voluble D. distressed E. defiant F. ostensible

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and D

9. The __________ reasons for the dismissals vary, and include allegations of sexual harassment, failure to have an appropriate degree and incompetency at work.

A. ostensible B. apparent C. desolate D. eminent E. sallow F. odious

Ans: A and B III. Synonyms

1. Attenuate

A. listen B. diminish C. devise D. dictate E. illuminate

Ans: B

2. Indomitable

A. docile B. unusual C. uninterrupted D. unyielding E. surrogate

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: D

3. Amiable

A. friendly B. timid C. ostentatious D. awkward E. malleable

Ans: A

4. Destitute

A. disparate B. hysterical C. distinguished D. impoverished E. lucky

Ans: D

5. Orient

A. transmute B. familiarize C. formalize D. recuperate E. condescend

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Dogmatic

A. inflexible B. obvious C. pragmatic D. pertinent E. attentive

Ans: A

7. Recuperate

A. revolve B. relish C. reside D. recover E. recreate

Ans: D

8. Annotate

A. accept B. argue C. comment D. align E. malign

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. Rigor

A. aspersion B. severity C. cerebration D. compunction E. pedagogy

Ans: B

10. Surrogate

A. agile B. substitute C. exorbitant D. chaste E. unruly

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

20. IN EACH OTHERS SHOES

20. IN EACH OTHERS SHOES

I. Text Completion

1. The process to get the corrupt police officer (i) __________had been initiated by a bunch of civilians. They (ii) ___________ collected evidence of his misdeeds and submitted it to higher officials. The corrupt police officer was then (iii) __________ from his duties.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

nettled deposed criticized

surreptitiously nonchalantly scantily

boosted ousted rejoined

Ans: deposed, surreptitiously and ousted

2. The (i) ____________ rainfall this year has caused worry among the farmers. The indifference of the authorities to address the issues of the farmers in the drought like situation has further frustrated the farmers. The farmers union has warned that the farmers may (ii) ______ off their anger through statewide protests.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

scanty adequate portly

commiserate gratify vent

Ans: scanty and vent

3. The security guard did not allow the (i) _______ job seeker into the plush office. Next day the job seeker revisited the office dressed in a (ii) _________ white shirt. In (iii) __________ to his earlier behavior the security guard saluted the job seeker.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) (H) (I)

mangy spruce palatable

spruce mangy artless

sanction fervor antithesis

Ans: mangy, spruce and antithesis

4. Linda is gradually recovering from her typhoid. She still looks thin and (i) _______. She is admitted in a public hospital. When I went to visit her, I was shocked to see the dilapidated condition of the hospital. We need to do something to (ii) __________ the condition of our public infrastructure.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

prim shoddy pallid

gratify rejoin ameliorate

Ans: pallid and ameliorate

5. Meena comes everyday to my desk to (i) ______ with me as I was not promoted last month. It is ok to show sympathy to someone once or twice. But everyday? Her behavior now (ii) _______ me.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

gratify commiserate reproach

nettles settles procures

Ans: commiserate and nettles

6. If you exhibit (i) ________ pride and arrogance, God will send somebody to teach you the lesson of (ii) _________.
220

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

quizzical palatable overbearing

fervor humility pugnacity

Ans: overbearing and humility

7. If someone appreciates friendly humor, it is not necessary that he will also appreciate (i) _______as it is more (ii) ____________ than friendly humor.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

kismet sarcasm usury

assiduous ruddy corrosive

Ans: sarcasm and corrosive

8. The court acquitted the criminal because of insufficient evidence. The investigation done by the police was not up to the mark. Therefore it (i) _______ the police for their (ii) ________ investigation.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

bequeathed reproached sallied

febrile sporadic shoddy

Ans: reproached and shoddy

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. What do desperate people do when they are beleaguered, harassed and (i) _______ by a powerful oppressor? They appeal for help for justice.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

subjugated retorted recurred

Ans: subjugated

10. He is a (i) _______ Manchester United fan. He does not stop praising them even after a (ii) _______ performance by the club.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

sundry provisional veritable

pedestrian unwonted impermeable

Ans: veritable and pedestrian

11. His ex-girlfriend is a very (i) ______ subject for him. He always has tears in his eyes when someone mentions her name in front of him. He blames his (ii) ___________ for their not being able to be together in life. He feels that no one can erase whats written in ones fate.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

touchy specious fortuitous

retinue kismet retribution

Ans: touchy and kismet

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

12. There was a lot of (i) _____________ in the financial statements of the company. But the CFO (ii) __________ his involvement in them and blamed it on the accountant.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

serendipities inconsistencies volitions

disclaimed rejoined abutted

Ans: inconsistencies and disclaimed

13. The apartment owners suffered a lot in the rainy season because of water leakage as the roofs of their apartments were not (i) _____________ to water. They were extremely agitated and held protests in front of the builders office. They were placated only after the builder personally gave them a/an (ii) ________ that he will fix all the leakage problems within four days.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

permeable unwonted impermeable

assurance reverie conjecture

Ans: impermeable and assurance

14. With increasing (i) __________ in the society, selling luxury products and services is a/an (ii) ___________ business and a lot of multi-nationals are entering into this business.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

affluence ambience figment

errant lucid lucrative

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: affluence and lucrative II. Sentence Equivalence

1. The _____________ of his mother when he announced with enthusiasm that he stood first in the class discouraged the ten year old boy.

A. nonchalance B. volition C. assurance D. antithesis E. inconsistency F. indifference

Ans: A and F

2. Their _________ house and mangy clothes point to their impoverished condition.

A. dirty B. palatial C. dingy D. grand E. adventitious F. lucid

Ans: A and C

3. The ethnic wear exhibition had a great variety of clothes, some of which were ________ while some were quite commonplace.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. definitive B. assiduous C. exotic D. ominous E. unfriendly F. unfamiliar

Ans: C and F

4. The motivating speech of the orator was ________ in Peters mind even after he left the auditorium. The speech triggered a transformation of his personality.

A. appearing B. communicating C. confronting D. overbearing E. resonating F. echoing

Ans: E and F

5. The authors ability to present complex ideas in _______ language is one of the book's great strengths.

A. difficult B. lucid C. obscure D. simple E. absurd F. factitious

Ans: B and D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. The salesman said, Your baby will simply love this new baby food. It is not only easy to digest but also __________.

A. loathsome B. tasty C. omnifarious D. prim E. repugnant F. palatable

Ans: B and F

7. Since the issuance of degree certificates by the university generally takes three to four months of time, our school issued ___________ degree certificates to us. We used those in the meantime as a proof of our graduation in our job interviews.

A. permanent B. promotional C. multifarious D. sporadic E. temporary F. provisional

Ans: E and F

8. The city police have added stink bombs to their arsenal. These bombs have highly ___________ smell that can disperse the crowds quickly.

A. pleasant B. intolerable C. prodigious D. obnoxious E. sporadic F. assiduous

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and D

9. As the Christmas is just a week ahead, the preparations are in full swing to celebrate the festival with great ________.

A. disparity B. fervor C. enthusiasm D. connoisseur E. reverie F. serendipity

Ans: B and C

10. The court has directed all the chemicals factories in the city and in the _____________ suburbs to stop dumping toxic effluents into the river.

A. abutting B. gratifying C. adjoining D. initiating E. inferring F. rejoining

Ans: A and C

11. The original movie was great. The remake is __________. If you want to torture yourself for two and half hours, you should go and watch the remake.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. fantastic B. stodgy C. dull D. sundry E. quizzical F. extraordinary

Ans: B and C

12. When the teacher finished explaining the concept, he understood from the ________ expression on the students faces that they had not understood anything.

A. quizzical B. prim C. perplexed D. sporadic E. specious F. ruddy

Ans: A and C

13. It can be ___________ from the polygraph and the narco test that the accused person was not involved in the crime.

A. attributed B. inferred C. concluded D. recurred E. procured F. retorted

Ans: B and C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

14. I am quite impressed by Kates dressing sense. She always looks ________ and proper.

A. shoddy B. fat C. sloppy D. prim E. prudish F. factitious

Ans: D and E III. Synonyms

1. Abstain

A. attend B. attenuate C. agree D. refrain E. damage

Ans: D

2. Petty

A. pretty B. trivial C. poetic D. major E. hungry

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. Exude

A. excel B. exhume C. enclose D. enlighten E. radiate

Ans: E

4. Smolder

A. burn B. shrink C. shrivel D. swelter E. swivel

Ans: A

5. Robust

A. scruffy B. forceful C. strict D. sticky E. stingy

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Construe

A. chew B. convey C. convert D. clog E. interpret

Ans: E

7. Penance

A. panache B. patience C. self-punishment D. reluctance E. fervor

Ans: C

8. Asylum

A. emotion B. sanctuary C. memory D. acquaintance E. addiction

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. Portly

A. stout B. sportive C. movable D. manageable E. tall

Ans: A

10. Uncouth

A. untouched B. coarse C. hoarse D. hidden E. unveil

Ans: B

11. Redress

A. change B. retain C. remedy D. disclaim E. initiate

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

12. Momentous

A. logical B. important C. improper D. liable E. impulsive

Ans: B

13. Thrifty

A. swift B. ready C. witty D. economical E. improper

Ans: D

14. Reverie

A. sanction B. usury C. daydream D. volition E. scheme

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

15. Gingerly

A. artlessly B. cautiously C. definitely D. bawdily E. sporadically

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

21. OUR RUNAWAY KITE

21. OUR RUNAWAY KITE

I. Text Completion

1. Colonel Baert was a/an (i) ________ military genius. He knew exactly how to (ii) __________ his troops to overturn the attack by the Germans.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

infallible impartial incommodious

hurtle marshal gawk

Ans: infallible and marshal

2. We noticed a fire on the seventh floor of the commercial tower. Within moments sirens (i) ________ from the Fire Brigades as they raced to the spot to douse the fire.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

blared wafted incensed

Ans: blared

3. The farmers in general are agitated about the governments new policy of opening up the agriculture sector. Yesterday one (i) __________ farmer hurled a shoe at the Prime Minister at a press conference.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

incensed tentative unwarranted

Ans: incensed

4. It is imperative to sack the minister so that a/an (i) __________ enquiry can be carried out in the land scam. If the minister is not sacked, he would use his position of power to influence the investigation.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

reparable biased impartial

Ans: impartial II. Sentence Equivalence

1. It is shocking to see the _______ publicity received by the recent spat between two celebrities in the reality show Big Brother. I think the media needs to be reminded of the important role it needs to play in the upliftment of our society.

A. unnecessary B. viscous C. hazy D. unwarranted E. maternal F. potent

Ans: A and D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. The secretary has informed us that the CEO has a _________ plan to visit the factory in the third week of July. But she can confirm the exact date of the CEOs visit only on 12th July.

A. provisional B. leery C. inexorable D. repugnant E. tentative F. authoritative

Ans: A and E

3. The police reported that two men got into a/an ________ over some minor issue yesterday evening and that resulted into the death of one of the persons. The police have still not arrested the murderer.

A. conjecture B. figment C. argument D. tryst E. altercation F. narrative

Ans: C and E

4. The storyline of the movie is a little ________. But anyways you do not expect a comedy movie to have a highly logical storyline. The movie serves its purpose of keeping you in a state of rapture for two hours.

A. thrifty B. nonchalant C. absurd D. inane E. prodigious F. touchy

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: C and D

5. When Henry Ford launched his first car, people __________ at the magical buggy running without any horse in astonishment.

A. wafted B. gawked C. floated D. gaped E. culminated F. blurted

Ans: B and D III. Synonyms

1. Buccaneer

A. dissection B. pirate C. holster D. scabbard E. tryst

Ans: B

2. Viscous

A. sticky B. interesting C. disturbing D. gullible E. hazardous

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A

3. Tryst

A. dissection B. propinquity C. rendezvous D. fervor E. sanction

Ans: C

4. Natty

A. reparable B. neat C. comatose D. voluble E. tacit

Ans: B

5. Hazy

A. lucid B. unclear C. awry D. galvanic E. maternal

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

22. BEYOND THE BAYOU

22. BEYOND THE BAYOU

I. Text Completion

1. On that (i) _________ night, the tourist bus was (ii) ___________ by the dacoits. Ten innocent people died in the attack.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

luxuriant mellifluous baleful

waylaid actuated impaled

Ans: baleful and waylaid

2. After a motivating speech by the young Congress leader, the grass-root party workers are (i) _________ in the election campaign. I just hope their (ii) __________ sustains till the end of the campaign.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

adulated actuated donned

zephyr crescent zest

Ans: actuated and zest

3. After a long wait Ben noticed the prey coming in his direction. He remained hidden in the bushes and (i) __________ the prey when it came in the (ii) ________ range.

240

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

assailed concocted bragged

lunar melee runic

Ans: assailed and melee

4. When the door opened with a creaking noise, we entered the (i) ________ ambience of that old dilapidated house. There we noticed a creepy figure standing in a remote dark corner.

Blank (i) A stygian (A)

(B) B distilling

C pleasant (C) Ans: stygian

5. There is no (i) _________ of tigers in the dense forest; but whether you will be able to spot a tiger or not is (ii) ___________ upon your luck.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

dearth mania solace

adamant contingent magniloquent

Ans: dearth and contingent

6. In the bravery awards function, the Prime Minister in his speech was full of (i) _________ for the (ii) _________ eight year old boy who saved two of his friends from drowning.

241

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

smirks adulations afflictions

venturesome timid adamant

Ans: adulations and venturesome II. Sentence Equivalence

1. The analyst has mentioned in her report that the demand-supply scenario for oil _________ high oil prices going forward.

A. portends B. brags C. concocts D. foretells E. distills F. dissembles

Ans: A and D

2. Even though the deposed minister ____________ his disappointment by maintaining a smiling face at the press conference, everybody knew that he was utterly disappointed.

A. extirpated B. endured C. jostled D. prattled E. disguised F. dissembled

Ans: E and F

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. In spite of several requests by the ticket collector, the _________ senator refused to vacate the seat that he had occupied without any reservation in the first class compartment of the train.

A. docile B. adamant C. seasoned D. magniloquent E. obstinate F. meek

Ans: B and E

4. Two months after the conclusion of the soccer world cup, the soccer ______ refuses to tame down.

A. mania B. craze C. repartee D. deluge E. Puritanism F. indifference

Ans: A and B III. Synonyms

1. Culvert

A. convert B. advert C. gutter D. icon E. gadfly

Ans: C
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. Impale

A. expel B. pierce C. repel D. propel E. compel

Ans: B

3. Succulent

A. transparent B. conversant C. luminous D. juicy E. plaintive

Ans: D

4. Distill

A. purify B. contaminate C. draw D. waft E. draft

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Seasoned

A. occasional B. temporary C. veteran D. novice E. seasonal

Ans: C

6. Brag

A. capture B. roast C. host D. boast E. rupture

Ans: D

245

WORD POWER-QUIZ

23. THE OWLS EAR

23. THE OWLS EAR

I. Text Completion

1. After witnessing blatant indiscipline by the students in the annual cultural festival, the generally (i) __________ Director of the school was (ii) __________ with anger.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

equable mundane colossal

scaling avowing seething

Ans: equable and seething

2. I can say with (i) _______ that there is something (ii) __________ with Monica now a days. Before she used to chirrup like a bird all day but now she does not speak a single word.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

anthem certitude anomaly

amiss altruistic dulcet

Ans: certitude and amiss

3. I collected my urine and blood test reports from the (i) __________ and submitted them to the doctor. After looking at the reports, the doctor assured me that there was nothing to worry about my health and everything was normal.

246

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

archaeologist pathologist physiologist

Ans: pathologist

4. The police apprehended the (i) ____________ who had pelted stones at the procession and beat them so harshly with heavy sticks that they were (ii) _______________ in pain.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

pendants clarions malefactors

delineating transcribing writhing

Ans: malefactors and writhing

5. After a fierce war that lasted for three months, the enemy forces finally (i) ____________. Even though we won the war, 54 of our brave soldiers attained (ii) _____________ in the war. The names of those 54 brave soldiers who laid their lives for the country are inscribed on the war memorial.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

surpassed reaped capitulated

freedom martyrdom wisdom

Ans: capitulated and martyrdom

6. The movie (i) __________ the stark realities in the life of a prostitute. It is (ii) ________ of the Director to make such a grim movie; generally he makes very light comedy movies.
247

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

scales avows delineates

minuscule atypical usual

Ans: delineates and atypical

7. I met Valerie after a gap of five years. She looked quite (i) _____ and weak. I was surprised to find her in such a miserable condition. I assumed something unfortunate must have happened to her in the interim period. On my insistence she (ii) ________ the whole story of her misfortune and misery to me.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

frail ruddy seasoned

rejected reverted recounted

Ans: frail and recounted

8. The great scientist was the first one to (i) _____________ study all the halogens. He was also the first one to highlight the (ii) _____________ properties of Fluorine as compared to other halogens. He carefully noted down all the physical and chemical properties in which Fluorine is different from other halogens.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

methodically clumsily whimsically

impetuous anomalous spectral

248

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: methodically and anomalous

9. It was a pleasant morning by the lakeside. The water of the lake was so (i) _________ that she could observe beautiful fish at the bottom of the lake. Suddenly she observed a bat flying by. She was surprised to see a bat in the daytime as bats are (ii) _______ animals and they generally sleep somewhere in the woods during the daytime.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

limpid acoustic bilious

jaundiced nocturnal ancestral

Ans: limpid and nocturnal

10. I (i) _________ you, O God, to forgive me for my stupid mistakes. I vow to give up all my greed and selfishness and walk on the path of (ii) _________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

impale surpass adjure

altruism avarice self-centeredness

Ans: adjure and altruism II. Sentence Equivalence

1. _________ is a term used to describe a condition with one or more symptoms including a feeling of fullness during a meal, uncomfortable fullness after a meal and burning in the stomach. A person suffering from it may also feel nauseated.

249

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. Headache B. Dyspepsia C. Malaise D. Indigestion E. Hallucination F. Rickety

Ans: B and D

2. The water supplies for the ancient town came from a centrally located _________. It was 40 feet deep, 160 feet long and 50 feet broad.

A. cistern B. umbrage C. reservoir D. fissure E. fiasco F. metaphor

Ans: A and C

3. Recently the consumer durables companies have started selling their products through a new _____ : the microfinance executives.

A. interloper B. ancestor C. sustenance D. conduit E. channel F. myriad

Ans: D and E

250

WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Katherine is tired of handling the __________ tasks in the laboratory as a lab assistant. She feels she is now experienced enough to become the lab in-charge.

A. dulcet B. mundane C. awry D. routine E. imperious F. agile

Ans: B and D

5. The company chose to ignore the emerging digital camera technology and continued to focus on its traditional camera business. This proved to be a _______ strategic mistake and the company was shut down within three years of the launch of digital cameras by its competitors.

A. routine B. colossal C. huge D. funny E. comestible F. glazed

Ans: B and C

6. After he cast aspersions on the police, Omar was charged with using "________ and impertinent language" and he was sentenced to three months in jail.

A. polite B. humble C. insolent D. rude E. respectful F. funereal

251

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: C and D

7. The veteran player took _______ at the allegations that he was not a team-player and had always played for personal records.

A. adulation B. tribute C. plenitude D. venison E. umbrage F. offense

Ans: E and F

8. The star player sustained minor bruises after a spectator suddenly ran into the field when the game was on and gave him a push. The __________ was later arrested by the police.

A. interloper B. amphibian C. alchemist D. specter E. intruder F. apparition

Ans: A and E

9. The judge of the reality show Master Chef reprimanded a contestant for making a dish that looked good but was not ___________. He remarked. Even dogs wont eat it!

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. edible B. combustible C. comestible D. imbecile E. contingent F. stygian

Ans: A and C

10. Yesterday I received an e-mail from the Chairmans secretary inviting me to attend the next management meeting. I was surprised to see in the e-mail that a discussion on labor union issue was not in the _______ of the meeting.

A. ambrosia B. agenda C. aperture D. list of items E. functionary F. gnome

Ans: B and D

11. Natalia has put enough hard work in her work over the last several years. Now it is time for her to relax and ___________ the rewards of her hard work.

A. avow B. allege C. harvest D. arraign E. reap F. transcribe

Ans: C and E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

III. Synonyms

1. Aquiline

A. straight B. hooked C. weird D. absurd E. jumbled

Ans: B

2. Arraign

A. abuse B. address C. abscond D. accuse E. alter

Ans: D

3. Bilious

A. tragic B. allergic C. nostalgic D. pragmatic E. irritable

Ans: E

254

WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Gnome

A. monster B. gentleman C. dwarf D. monarch E. villain

Ans: C

5. Glazed

A. concentric B. acoustic C. rustic D. glossy E. impetuous

Ans: D

6. Jaundiced

A. cynical B. comical C. appreciative D. didactic E. inevitable

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Cathartic

A. attractive B. carcinogenic C. purgative D. mellifluous E. acoustic

Ans: C

8. Nicety

A. fissure B. aperture C. anthem D. detail E. clarion

Ans: D

9. Imbecile

A. stupid B. intelligent C. smart D. innocent E. dirty

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. Surpass

A. run B. daub C. exceed D. preach E. teach

Ans: C

11. Aperture

A. ghost B. name C. sound D. light E. orifice

Ans: E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

24. AN UNCONVENTIONAL CONFIDENCE

24. AN UNCONVENTIONAL CONFIDENCE

I. Text Completion

1. Rooneys comeback to the England team from an injury lay-off has further (i) ________ the spirits of the England team that (ii) ________ to win the World Cup this time.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

weakened bolstered enervated

averts reneges aspires

Ans: bolstered and aspires

2. It was a long and tiring journey full of (i) ________ through the lifeless terrains of Alabama until David woke up from his sleep and amused us with his (ii) __________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

ennui duration clientele

trepidation badinage suavity

Ans: ennui and badinage

3. He is quite unlike other CEOs who are generally arrogant and very boring people. He is in fact quite (i) ____________. But that does not mean that he is (ii) _______. When it comes to putting forward his viewpoints, he is quite aggressive.

258

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

personable musty poignant

meek adamant stygian

Ans: personable and meek

4. I was surprised to see Jeffrey sporting a smart (i) _______ because before I had always seen him having (ii) _______ hair as if he could not afford to buy a comb.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

colander coiffure prolixity

disheveled neat dynamic

Ans: coiffure and disheveled

5. The little children were really enjoying the festivities with a (i) _________ in the large garden. But suddenly there was a loud sound of a blast. After that they got scared and started running (ii) _________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

clime ennui gusto

pell-mell ironically jovially

Ans: gusto and pell-mell

6. Even though they were not great tennis players in the singles category, they formed a formidable pair in the doubles category. This is because they (i) ___________ each other very well.
259

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank 1
(A) (B) (C)

complemented adjusted reconciled

Ans: complemented II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Looking for ______ bliss? Head for the mega matchmaking event being held in the town hall. We are sure you will find just the right life-partner for you.

A. conjugal B. innate C. cherubic D. insensible E. marital F. parsimonious

Ans: A and E

2. The tragic accident that claimed 67 lives could have been ________ if the theatre management had taken adequate fire-fighting measures.

A. reverted B. avoided C. averted D. provided E. guided F. endorsed

Ans: B and C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. Great leaders are born with a/an__________ ability to motivate and influence people. Nobody teaches them how to do it.

A. extinct B. innate C. mauve D. inborn E. candor F. prolixity

Ans: B and D

4. The audience was ____________ by the enchanting musical fountain show. The spectators almost forgot to breathe till the wonderful show was over.

A. doddered B. dwindled C. sullied D. tarnished E. mesmerized F. captivated

Ans: E and F

5. The people ___________ the memory of the tyrannical ruler who subjected an entire generation of people to extreme hardship and torture.

A. relished B. abhorred C. reconciled D. settled E. execrated F. reneged

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and E

6. The cola giant has recalled thousands of cold drink bottles after a few customers complained of _________ odor emanating from the cold drink.

A. fresh B. stale C. cherubic D. angelic E. musty F. fallow

Ans: B and E

7. The recent measures announced by the government to address the issue of the migration are ___________. They are never going to work. In fact they will make the situation even worse.

A. impractical B. quixotic C. comprehensive D. worldly E. wonderful F. inclusive

Ans: A and B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

III. Synonyms

1. Peerless

A. alone B. absurd C. critical D. matchless E. dead

Ans: D

2. Quirk

A. cork B. idea C. notion D. pinnacle E. eccentricity

Ans: E

3. Poignant

A. emotional B. salubrious C. challenging D. difficult E. invisible

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Stalwart

A. funny B. robust C. old D. feminine E. feline

Ans: B

5. Hyperbole

A. degradation B. torrent C. exaggeration D. tempest E. resolution

Ans: C

6. Candor

A. affection B. splendor C. blunder D. tenderness E. frankness

Ans: E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Prolixity

A. proximity B. verbosity C. celebrity D. viscosity E. ability

Ans: B

265

WORD POWER-QUIZ

25. THE BAT AND BELFRY INN

25. THE BAT AND BELFRY INN

I. Text Completion

1. The music director had used a tune in a song without a/an (i) ___________ permission from its creator. When the creator of the tune came to know of this, he filed a lawsuit against the music director for copyright (ii) ____________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

explicit zany provincial

imprudence adjustment infringement

Ans: explicit and infringement

2. The parents in the chat show (i) __________ about the (ii) ________ of vendors by the roadside that sell adult content to children. They vociferously demanded a strict action by the police against such vendors.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

excited fulminated adverted

regimen scarcity profusion

Ans: fulminated and profusion

3. After settling down in a lodge in the coastal touristic town, I (i) ___________ around the town. I was surprised to see the (ii) ____________ liquor bars in the town. You could find one liquor bar every twenty feet. Probably there was more liquor in the town than there was water in the sea!

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

congealed ambled interrogated

ubiquitous crotchety striated

Ans: ambled and ubiquitous

4. He is (i) ____________ the best batsman in the world. When the other batsmen were making a/an (ii) _________ attempt at survival on the bouncy pitch, he was playing his shots fluently.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

testily indubitably execrably

swift adept ungainly

Ans: indubitably and ungainly

5. The latest form of cheque (i) __________ is the refund scam. The hoaxers place an order for some goods with a firm. Then they deposit a forged cheque for an amount much more than that quoted by the seller. Then they (ii) ________ the seller in refunding the differential between the deposited amount and the quoted amount. After a week, the forged cheque bounces and the seller learns that he has been cheated. But by that time it is too late.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

fraud spat tempo

peptonize inveigle decipher

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: fraud and inveigle

6. Because of the global recessionary fears, the stock markets (i) _______________. But the young trader was not (ii) ______________. He kept on buying stocks at cheap valuations.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

masticated petrified plummeted

perturbed rhapsodized appraised

Ans: plummeted and perturbed

7. Engaging in a (i) _______ with the muscular WWF fighter proved very expensive for him.the next day he was lying on a hospital bed with his body completely (ii) _______ in bandages.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

apotheosis hiatus spat

swathed misapprehended condoned

Ans: spat and swathed

8. The (i) _________ shoeshine boy had a weird way of (ii) __________ the shoes. He used to keep a shoe on a tiny massage table that he had with him and then polish it using the Thai massage techniques.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

zany sincere exemplary

burning bolting burnishing

Ans: zany and burnishing

9. The (i) _______ man who had run away from a mental hospital entered Bills house. Bill kept him engaged in a chat and secretly informed the police about him. But the moment the man sensed that the police were about to enter the house, he (ii) _________ from that place and was not found for more than one month.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

striated deranged acetic

galvanized bolted improvised

Ans: deranged and bolted

10. They (i) ___________ the criminal for four hours and were finally able to make him reveal the location of the secret documents. But when they found the secret documents, they were disappointed as the documents were written in a cryptic language and they were not able to (ii) ________ it.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

interrogated adverted misapprehended

quash browbeat decipher

Ans: interrogated and decipher

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. Ian was a very dominating boss. He used to scold his subordinates severely for every small reason. Therefore nobody in the office had the (i) __________ to (ii) __________ his decisions.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

mettle tempo metal

squander blurt controvert

Ans: mettle and controvert

12. Please stay away from him as he is an anti-social element. He is a man who will bully and (i) _______ you until you're so (ii) ________ that you don't know what to do or where to go.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

advert infer browbeat

petrified recurred gratified

Ans: browbeat and petrified

13. On our way to New York, we were extremely hungry after six hours of drive. Therefore we stopped at a roadside restaurant to eat something. We ordered burgers. But the burgers that were served to us were having (i) ___________ odor. Linda almost got sick after smelling one of those burgers. We were extremely angry at the restaurant manager and hurled (ii) __________ at him and drove away.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

appetizing noisome irrepressible

invectives adulations paeans

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: noisome and invectives

14. Since the young man seemed quite motivated to work under me, I hired him even though he did not have any prior work experience. But I told him clearly that since he was a (i) __________,I would (ii) ___________ his work on a weekly basis and his duties might be terminated if the quality of his work was found to be unsatisfactory.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) (E) (F)

killjoy canker neophyte

appraise praise apprise

Ans: neophyte and appraise II. Sentence Equivalence

1. One day while I was walking in the park, I noticed a/an ________ old man who was counting the sparrows in the park

A. eccentric B. innate C. crotchety D. innocent E. marital F. parsimonious

Ans: A and C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. The _______ of the boyfriend of the dead girl to share his cell phone with the police, caused suspicion in the minds of the policemen.

A. openness B. reticence C. badinage D. regime E. reluctance F. aspiration

Ans: B and E

3. When we returned to our house from our trip to Mexico, we were shocked to see our house in a/an__________. Some intruder had ransacked our house in our absence.

A. disorder B. hiatus C. shamble D. tempo E. chronicle F. account

Ans: A and C

4. Diego has a/an __________ taste for clothes. Look at the clothes he is wearing - pink pajamas, orange shirt and red shoes.

A. praiseworthy B. terrible C. pusillanimous D. execrable E. exemplary F. potable

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and D

5. Attempting to ______ rumors that she had married her co-star, the actress categorically stated that she was single and had no intention of getting married in near future.

A. encourage B. daub C. smear D. invalidate E. foster F. quash

Ans: D and F

6. When Benjamin got his aching tooth fixed by the dentist, the dentist advised him that for three days he should eat only those food items that were easy to __________.

A. masticate B. chew C. fret D. repine E. renounce F. forego

Ans: A and B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. The enemy was ________ by the unexpected attack by our soldiers. Before they could understand what was happening and take any reactive measure, our soldiers had captured the capital.

A. flustered B. elated C. pardoned D. adverted E. condoned F. disconcerted

Ans: A and F

8. The animal welfare society seeks a _______ and sustainable world for all the animals. That is why the society promotes vegetarianism.

A. cruel B. humane C. benevolent D. diffident E. vindictive F. barefaced

Ans: B and C

9. After a two year ______, the comedy actor is back with a bang to tickle your funny bone with his pranks.

A. delusion B. hiatus C. impudence D. tirade E. poise F. break

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and F

10. More than 60% of the population of India does not have access to _________ water. Making pure water available to everybody should be the top priority of the government.

A. germane B. sylvan C. drinkable D. modest E. potable F. truculent

Ans: C and E

11. Are you tired of the _____ city life, longing for a change and looking to do something different this weekend? Welcome to the countryside!

A. electrifying B. humdrum C. boring D. equivalent E. inarticulate F. tantamount

Ans: B and C

12. Even if Christopher failed in three business ventures, he was driven by a/an ______ desire to be a successful entrepreneur and he started his fourth venture.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. impertinent B. uncontainable C. artful D. irrepressible E. sly F. stolid

Ans: B and D

13. When the husband returned to home heavily drunk, the wife shouted at him, Oh my God, I never thought that one day you will have the ____________ to come back to home drunk like this.

A. honesty B. audacity C. tempo D. reserve E. reticence F. impudence

Ans: B and F III. Synonyms

1. Congeal

A. indicate B. freeze C. advert D. condone E. pardon

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. Flora

A. tigers B. birds C. fish D. animals E. vegetation

Ans: E

3. Galvanize

A. stimulate B. burn C. elect D. understand E. explain

Ans: A

4. Requisite

A. intimate B. necessary C. respectful D. uncertain E. obscure

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Intimate

A. question B. answer C. respect D. imply E. close

Ans: D

6. Striated

A. weak B. striped C. fair D. tired E. dull

Ans: B

7. Tempo

A. rhythm B. face C. stone D. diamond E. psychopath

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. Regime

A. food B. friend C. government D. wife E. neighbor

Ans: C

9. Canker

A. harvest B. clapper C. menagerie D. cancer E. circlet

Ans: D

10. Testy

A. genuine B. sweet C. beautiful D. irritable E. innocent

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. Innocuous

A. spiteful B. hollow C. hard D. harmless E. soft

Ans: D

12. Notorious

A. livid B. illustrious C. infamous D. tepid E. indifferent

Ans: C

13. Discombobulation

A. respect B. attack C. defense D. dryness E. confusion

Ans: E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

14. Menagerie

A. farm B. villa C. zoo D. calamity E. privation

Ans: C

281

WORD POWER-QUIZ

26. THE OUTRAGE - A TRUE STORY

26. THE OUTRAGE - A TRUE STORY

I. Text Completion

1. A star was initially considered to be an (i) ___________ object in the space. However as we learnt more things in astrophysics, this assumption changed. A star that does not emit any light and can only be detected by its gravity pull is called as a black hole. Any object which comes in the vicinity of a black hole cannot escape its gravity; the power of its pull is (ii) _____________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) iniquitous (E) immovable (F) insurmountable

incandescent inchoate indelible

Ans: incandescent and insurmountable

2. The (i) ___________ goalkeeper was swift in fathoming the trajectory of the approaching ball and fending off the attacks by the opposition striker all the time.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

stoic clueless adroit

Ans: adroit

3. In order to (i) __________ his aspirations of becoming super rich, the budding magician acquired new (ii)___________ that nobody could imitate. His (iii) _________ and commitment made him a very famous and wealthy magician.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) sleights (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) prolixity (H) lethargy (I) diligence

subside quench suppress

entities talons

Ans: quench, sleights and diligence

4. The ambitious businessman could not satisfy his aspirations with the (i) _______ money he made out of his business. His ambition (ii) _______ into sinful greed and he started cheating his customers. Soon he made huge profits, but his (iii) _____ did not sustain for a long time and he was arrested on the charges of cheating.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) degenerated (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) repast (H) ruse (I) audacity

queer tout meager

belied inebriated

Ans: meager, degenerated and ruse

5. After multiple rejections, Charles developed an (i) ___________ towards being interviewed for a job. This (ii) _________ made him dependent on his brother for survival. Charless weird behavior brought (iii) _______ to his wife, who was embarrassed to be dependent on Charless brother.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) convulsion (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) alacrity (H) ambiguity (I) ignominy

abomination admonition aberration

revulsion conviction

Ans: abomination, revulsion and ignominy

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. To ease themselves from (i) ____________ troubles, the farmers used to borrow money from local money lenders at very high interest rate. They were not aware of the option of borrowing money from a financial institution and hence were subjected to (ii) _____________ at the hands of greedy money lenders.

Blank (i)
(A) monetary (B) momentary (C) salutary

Blank (ii)
(D) exemption (E) exploitation (F) expedition

Ans: monetary and exploitation

7. Amanda spent her childhood in (i)_______ conditions in abject poverty. She (ii)_________ her father who was an alcoholic. She hated that fact that he ran away from all his responsibilities and was not even (iii)_________ about it.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) abhorred (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) penitent (H) corpulent (I) benevolent

ethereal adverse prodigious

dawdled endorsed

Ans: adverse, abhorred and penitent

8. Under the (i) _____________ to complete that complex project on time, Sam had put all his energy into it. However for speedy execution of the project, he required several approvals from the relevant authorities. But the organization was so bureaucratic that his requests for approvals were always in a state of (ii)_________. This uncertainty hugely impacted the schedule of the project.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) indignity (E) (F)

obligation aspiration volition

penury limbo

Ans: obligation and limbo

9. A group of tribal people came together to fight against the unfair treatment meted out to them by the (i) _________ upper class people. The people coming from the upper class (ii) _________ the resources of the forest and got the labor work done at dirt cheap rates from the tribal people. The leader of the tribal group made a plan to stop this exploitation and all his (iii) __________ agreed with his plan.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) exploited (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) barrages (H) comrades (I) pendants

languid bourgeois inveterate

exasperated rued

Ans: bourgeois, exploited and comrades

10. To avoid sharing their ancestral property with his younger brother, George conspired to (i) ___________ his brother for committing a fraud in their business. George managed to (ii) _______ some documents to prove that his brother was the culprit. Unaware of Georges (iii) __________ intentions, his younger brother guilelessly walked into the trap.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) defame (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) prudent (H) devout (I) toxic

incriminate discriminate abominate

entice fabricate

285

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: incriminate, fabricate and toxic

11. During the press conference the politician (i) __________ the questions on a recent controversy involving him. He forthrightly mentioned that the (ii) ________ of the matter was that his opponents wanted to (iii) _______ him by fabricating such controversies.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) gist (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) garnish (H) defame (I) bask

invaded diluted evaded

gust sleight

Ans: evaded, gist and defame II. Sentence Equivalence

1. The _____________ shown by the architect in his previous assignment encouraged the builder to collaborate with him again.

A. sportiveness B. premonition C. industriousness D. coincidence E. deviation F. diligence

Ans: C and F

2. With years of experience, the executive acquired the __________ required for quickly spotting the mistakes and inconsistencies in any proposal, which helped him to take quick decisions.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. acumen B. denouement C. moroseness D. expertise E. conclusion F. confusion

Ans: A and D

3. King Harry took deep interest in art. Under his __________, various art forms flourished and artists from faraway places migrated to his kingdom.

A. obligation B. patronage C. digression D. mirage E. sponsorship F. conviction

Ans: B and E

4. The ________ proximity of the asteroid's trajectory with the earth's orbit has caused deep concern amongst the global scientific and political leaders.

A. minatory B. promontory C. bountiful D. willful E. baleful F. hortatory

Ans: A and E

287

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Davids sinful behavior has brought _________ to his family. I am sure that even his future generations will suffer under the pressure of the disrepute he has brought to his family name.

A. ignominy B. larceny C. progeny D. discredit E. plaudit F. parsimony

Ans: A and D

6. Sam waited at the gate of the mansion to kidnap a resident of the mansion and _______ money from his family.

A. exasperate B. extort C. cogitate D. extrapolate E. coerce F. extol

Ans: B and E

7. The _______ guest stopped eating only after he discovered that there was nothing more left to serve him.

A. nefarious B. overbearing C. preposterous D. voracious E. loquacious F. devouring

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: D and F

8. It was a/an _______ that the team of a modish lady and an untidy man won the title of the perfect couple.

A. paraphernalia B. paradox C. compliance D. trigger E. irony F. resolution

Ans: B and E

9. After encountering an apparition, Jason was so scared that he was completely _________ in his speech.

A. incoherent B. innocuous C. inarticulate D. desolate E. indubitable F. notorious

Ans: A and C

10. The ___________ residents of the colony requested the government to withdraw the demanding and unreasonable water taxes.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. suppliant B. transparent C. ostentatious D. superficial E. benevolent F. entreating

Ans: A and F

11. The ___________ image of the President could not be tarnished by the slander against him by the local news paper.

A. irreproachable B. ungainly C. execrable D. immaculate E. unbridled F. inevitable

Ans: A and D III. Synonyms

1. Ruse

A. Rue B. Artless C. Artifice D. Rustic E. Drudgery

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. Acumen

A. Accuracy B. Insight C. Indulgence D. Sleight E. Repertoire

Ans: B

3. Immobile

A. Detached B. Poignant C. Stolid D. Static E. Maudlin

Ans: D

4. Formality

A. Ceremony B. Jollity C. Tactility D. Parsimony E. Gentility

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Debilitate

A. Articulate B. Instigate C. Accelerate D. Enervate E. Deprecate

Ans: D

6. Soporific

A. Beatific B. Truculent C. Overbearing D. Harrowing E. Somnolent

Ans: E

7. Discordant

A. Redundant B. Incongruous C. Verdant D. Contagious E. Surreptitious

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. Unambiguous

A. Unfaltering B. Unruly C. Explicit D. Unbridled E. Tacit

Ans: C

9. Parasite

A. Provision B. Fomenter C. Incident D. Blood-sucker E. Precedent

Ans: D

10. Arbitrary

A. Unambiguous B. Unreasonable C. Unimpeachable D. Unfeigned E. Unfledged

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. Digression

A. Demolition B. Premonition C. Privation D. Resolution E. Deviation

Ans: E

12. Refute

A. Divert B. Comprise C. Adjust D. Disprove E. Refuse

Ans: D

13. Spry

A. Agile B. Lethargic C. Unreasonable D. Quarrelsome E. Confusing

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

14. Aplomb

A. Insurance B. Assurance C. Dissonance D. Resonance E. Entrance

Ans: B

15. Contempt

A. Collision B. Disgrace C. Accomplice D. Rebound E. Demand

Ans: B

295

WORD POWER-QUIZ

27. THE MAN WITH THE GOOD FACE

27. THE MAN WITH THE GOOD FACE

I. Text Completion

1. The meteorology department did not take any measurements of the seismic activity under the sea. As a result of this flawed approach, they could not predict an undersea earthquake that resulted into a tsunami. Coastal areas were (i) _________ under huge waves and there was a (ii) __________ loss of life and assets.

Blank (i)
(A) amended (B) incubated (C) inundated

Blank (ii)
(D) smattering (E) gargantuan (F) superficial

Ans: inundated and gargantuan

2. The wall painting depicts the scene of the weekly bazaar of an era with which nobody of the current generation is familiar. For someone with (i)_______ interests, the painting is a great resource to understand the clothing preferences of the people of various strata of the society in that period.

Blank (ii)
(A) demented (B) mordant (C) sartorial

Ans: sartorial

3. The impulsive disputant would not hesitate to enter into a (i) ________ on the street if he was in his hometown. However, as currently he was not in his (ii) __________ the disputant stayed calm in spite of few (iii) ________ comments against him from a few miscreants.

296

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) bastion (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) insouciant (H) generous (I) mordant

guise fracas shuffle

fervor sanctuary

Ans: fracas, bastion and mordant

4. The veracity of the news about the incursion of a stranger into the Governors residence was (i) _________. Though this incident was making news in the media, the security agencies (ii) _________ the occurrence of any such incident. The security agencies (iii) ______ the media for spreading such false and baseless rumors.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) disguised (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) reconsidered (H) reproved (I) reverted

indeterminate instant insane

disavowed disputed

Ans: indeterminate, disavowed and reproved

5. Popularly known to be a/an (i) ______________, Tom always wanted to be an outgoing person. In his diary he mentions that he always wanted to build a good rapport with people around, but he would yield to the (ii) ____________ that he might be laughed at.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) misgiving (E) (F)

introvert gibberish lunatic

imprecation resurrection

Ans: introvert and misgiving

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Richard had kept the details of his two bank accounts (i)________ to himself. While checking the balance in these secret bank accounts, Richard did not notice Tim coming into his cabin. As Tim patted on the Richards back he (ii) ____________ in shock.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) resurged (E) (F)

concerted privy nugatory

swerved imploded

Ans: privy and swerved

7. As a student John was a/an (i) ____________ boy. His friends used to tease him for his slowness. However the (ii) ____________ responsibilities of the professional life transformed him into a smart, agile and responsible person. His friends were pleasantly surprised to notice this (iii)___________ in his personality.

Blank (i)
(A) sluggish (B) introvert (C) expansive

Blank (ii)
(D) caustic (E) riveting (F) (G) (H) (I)

Blank (iii) ramification rationalization metamorphosis

embossing

Ans: sluggish, riveting and metamorphosis

8. The (i) __________ had a neutral accent; it was difficult to determine his mother tongue. His expertise in (ii) ___________languages had impressed everyone at the workplace.

Blank (i)
(A) polyglot (B) fiend (C) mendicant

Blank (ii)
(D) tangible (E) manifold (F) complacent

298

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: polyglot and manifold

9. It was an exciting boxing match. The stronger (i)_________tried very hard to overpower his opponent. But his (ii)____________ opponent did not give up and stood up on his feet every time he fell down.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) infinitesimal (E) incredulous (F) indefatigable

socialist pugilist feminist

Ans: pugilist and indefatigable

10. In order to (i) ___________ the interest accumulated on the loan, the money-lender devised a new method. This method would fetch him hefty profits if his borrowers accepted it. But the borrowers realized the trap and rejected the implementation of the new method. The money-lender was (ii) ___________ that his trick did not work.

Blank (i)
(A) compute (B) transcribe (C) inveigle

Blank (ii)
(D) discounted (E) disarrayed (F) disheartened

Ans: compute and disheartened

11. I could not find enough time to go through Franks proposal in detail. However I had a (i)____________ glance at it and I noticed that he had listed direct cost saving of USD 3B as one of the (ii) _________ benefits of the project. I found this number to be very high. However, I more or less tend to agree with the other intangible benefits like improvement in employee morale listed there.

299

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) foolhardy (B) cantankerous (C) cursory

Blank (ii)
(D) tangible (E) ethereal (F) cryptic

Ans: cursory and tangible

12. I felt really sad when Greg (i)____________ to his injuries after a road accident. Even though he was my boss, we enjoyed a good (ii)________ and enjoyed working with each other.

Blank (i) (A) enhanced (B) lionized (C) succumbed

Blank (ii) (D) rapport (E) support (F) panorama

Ans: succumbed and rapport

13. I (i)_________ the crooks that have cheated helpless widows through this financial scam. These crooks deserve the severest possible punishment. Nowadays it is very difficult to trust anybody in financial matters. I doubt whether there is any genuine (ii) _________ left in this country.

Blank (i) (A) adore (B) despise (C) disguise

Blank (ii) (D) probity (E) mobility (F) absurdity

Ans: despise and probity

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

14. The whole town knew John to be a (i)_________. Even though he was very rich, he was often seen in the market haggling over every single penny he paid. Therefore the town was surprised when John offered a hefty (ii)__________ aid to the flood victims.

Blank (i) (A) advisor (B) miser (C) psychiatrist

Blank (ii) (D) raspy (E) ineffable (F) pecuniary

Ans: miser and pecuniary

15. The social activist has vehemently mentioned in his speech that the government must give up its (i)__________ outlook and address the issue of casteism through a holistic approach. He says that we cannot continue to live in a society where the aspirations of people from lower class are (ii) _________ not because of their lack of merit but because of their birth.

Blank (i) (A) particular (B) parochial (C) saccharine

Blank (ii) (D) smothered (E) blundered (F) fulfilled

Ans: parochial and smothered II. Sentence Equivalence

1. The fisherman had a tough time in balancing his boat as the weather was rough and his boat was being constantly ____________ by the turbulent waves of the sea.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. pounded B. despised C. endorsed D. averted E. pummeled F. compounded

Ans: A and E

2. I was ____________ to cast my votes so that the honest candidate would win in the election and take some steps to address the key issues faced by our town.

A. rebelled B. impelled C. dispelled D. driven E. repelled F. labeled

Ans: B and D

3. While giving his farewell speech at the school, George stood speechless for a while as he was searching for more _____________words to express his gratitude towards his school.

A. opposite B. apposite C. penitent D. incoherent E. appropriate F. complacent

Ans: B and E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. As soon as the army started distributing the food packets in the flood rehabilitation camp, a ____________ sparked amongst the starving flood victims.

A. chuckle B. baffle C. scuffle D. swerve E. fumble F. brawl

Ans: C and F

5. The theatrical performance of the artist ____________ the audience and they gave a standing ovation to him.

A. enthralled B. disheartened C. enraptured D. respired E. enlarged F. decanted

Ans: A and C

6. The bartender skillfully ____________ the Champaign from the bottle into our glasses.

A. determined B. simpered C. effaced D. decanted E. grappled F. poured

Ans: D and F
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. After explaining all the choices which the aspirant could make, the counselor left the final choice of course to the ____________ of the aspirant.

A. disquisition B. exploitation C. discretion D. munificence E. coincidence F. prudence

Ans: C and F

8. Tom picked the ____________ car from the pre-owned car showroom, repaired it, painted it and added it to his prized collection of vintage cars.

A. outmoded B. caustic C. antique D. ulterior E. apposite F. gargantuan

Ans: A and C

9. The unshakeable figure of Dravid ______ Australias charge for a historic victory at SCG on Thursday. The Australian captain said in the post match ceremony that if the Indian side was without Dravid, winning the match would have been like a cakewalk for them.

A. repelled B. deterred C. attracted D. misguided E. whistled F. compounded

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A and B

10. The five friends enjoyed having a ________ brunch every Sunday in The Paul. The food at The Paul was so tasty that they literally used to smack their fingers.

A. disgusting B. pleasant C. lank D. ulterior E. savory F. arbitrary

Ans: B and E

11. In spite of repeated requests by other passengers for not climbing on the train, the _______ man climbed on the train and died immediately because of electrocution. It seems that he had somehow escaped from a mental asylum a day before this incident.

A. sane B. demented C. handsome D. lewd E. crazy F. brave

Ans: B and E

12. As such I am quite __________ of his assertion that the pop singer died of a drug overdose and he was alone in the room when he died. The preliminary evidence clearly suggests the presence of one more person in the room at the time of the pop singers death.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. supportive B. foolhardy C. incredulous D. skeptical E. grateful F. hapless

Ans: C and D

13. The CIA has developed an extensive algorithm to decrypt the __________ messages of the enemy intercepted by it over the network.

A. raspy B. secret C. guileless D. penitent E. cryptic F. supple

Ans: B and E

14. After the government launched the statewide road safety drive, a rush of motorists ______ over the
weekend to get their pollution control certificates and to get their taillights, indicators and reflectors checked.

A. respired B. hurried C. bantered D. tantalized E. lionized F. scurried

Ans: B and F

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

15. He steadfastly _______ to one poll when the flood waters swept through the town and that is how
survived.

A. cleaved B. clung C. imagined D. bantered E. lionized F. tantalized

Ans: A and B III. Synonyms

1. Emboss

A. Scuffle B. Embrace C. Embark D. Embellish E. Reprimand

Ans: D

2. Callous

A. Insensitive B. Incongruous C. Independent D. Indelible E. Intimidate

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. Squabble

A. Dabble B. Babble C. Flicker D. Bicker E. Snicker

Ans: D

4. Complacent

A. Comestible B. Compliment C. Smug D. Comprehensive E. Consummate

Ans: C

5. Infinitesimal

A. Infantile B. Jaunty C. Infirm D. Minute E. Inanimate

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Infraction

A. Infringement B. Inkling C. Incarnation D. Indignation E. Fracas

Ans: A

7. Imprecation

A. Profanation B. Termination C. Cursing D. Wrangling E. Misgiving

Ans: C

8. Cavil
A. Catcall B. Complain

A. Catcall

B. Complain
C. Comply

C. Cavalcade

D. Cancel D. Compassion

E. Compliance E. Consider Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. Cantankerous

A. Docile B. Dangerous C. Ill-tempered D. Divine E. Canine

Ans: C

10. Incapacitate

A. Disable B. Die C. Imprison D. Swim E. Respire

Ans: A

11. Pretext

A. Appeal B. Composition C. Excuse D. Excitement E. Exertion

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

12. Raspy

A. Pink B. Visible C. Harsh D. Edible E. Memorable

Ans: C

13. Epic

A. Small B. Lewd C. Laconic D. Ineffable E. Heroic

Ans: E

14. Laconic

A. Lengthy B. Lethargic C. Villainous D. Terse E. Sweet

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

15. Fell

A. Cruel B. Comic C. Sharp D. Sweet E. Romantic

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

28. THE FOUR-FIFTEEN EXPRESS

28. THE FOUR-FIFTEEN EXPRESS

I. Text Completion

1. After the security guard discovered the presence of the thief, the thief tried to hide behind the fireplace. The security guard informed the police and (i) __________ out the thief. The thief was arrested by the police and was (ii) __________. The court will decide the duration of imprisonment for his (iii) __________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) incarcerated (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) barrage (H) penury (I) felony

resuscitated beguiled ferreted

scotched embezzled

Ans: ferreted, incarcerated and felony

2. The (i) __________ in the infrastructure development between the outskirts and the city center was a cause of concern for the authorities. The city center had a state of the art infrastructure but on the outskirts even the basic amenities were lacking. It was (ii) __________ that there was negligence on behalf of the authorities in developing the outskirts. Therefore the authorities offered a tax break as a (iii)___________ to the people residing on the outskirts.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) fallacious (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) degradation (H) restitution (I) renovation

indignation impunity imbalance

indisputable inevitable

Ans: imbalance, indisputable and restitution

3. Though the trader made (i) ______________decisions while buying and selling shares in the market, he could not book profits for himself because of a slight oversight. Now he tries to be more (ii) ___________ about the trends in the volatile market.
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) vigilant (E) incisive (F) indolent

studied volatile tertiary

Ans: studied and vigilant

4. Although the first two stages of the mission were successful, it failed at the (i) __________ stage. After a detailed analysis of the failure, the scientists found out that the design of the fuel tank was not in (ii)_________ with the master design document of the rocket launcher. They are trying to identify the root cause behind the observed (iii)___________ between the two designs.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) enormity (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) disquisitions (H) discrepancies (I) restitutions

partial stentorian tertiary

deformity conformity

Ans: tertiary, conformity and discrepancies

5. The (i) __________ by the rival country to destabilize the peace and harmony of our country did not materialize. The (ii) __________ in the court by the captured spy made the motives of the rival country public. Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) disposition (E) (F)

machinations vivisections incentives

deposition demonstration

Ans: machinations and deposition

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. After being severely (i) __________ by his authoritative father, Denise decided to leave his home for good. He woke up late in the night and (ii) __________ towards the door to open it. However when he heard the (iii) __________ voice of his father he turned back sharply.

Blank (i)
(A) cajoled (B)

Blank (ii)
(D) skulked (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) insolvent (H) magisterial (I) meek

upbraided

clamored extradited

(C) feigned

Ans: upbraided, skulked and magisterial

7. Harry asked his agent to book his tickets for his little (i)__________ to the countryside. As per his calculations, it should have taken approximately four hours to go to the planned destination; but the (ii) __________ sent to him by the agent showed that the travel time was eight hours.

Blank (i)
(A) joint (B) jaunt (C) jollity

Blank (ii)
(D) agenda (E) scheme (F) itinerary

Ans: jaunt and itinerary

8. While (i)__________ the reasons behind the fire, the fire engineer blamed the faulty electric circuit of the building for the fire. He said that the tripping system installed was not of high quality and the electrical wires used were sub-standard. This ultimately resulted into a (ii) __________ in the building.

315

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) conflagration (E) convenience (F) girth

expatiating balking flagging

Ans: expatiating and conflagration

9. The servants (i)__________ prompted him to steal precious things from his master's bungalow. Even though his master trusted him blindly, the servant did not even have a feeling of guilt while (ii)_________ the trust of his master.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) expatiating (E) breaching (F) burying

avarice caprice philanthropy

Ans: avarice and breaching

10. Tina bought a French dictionary as she was determined to speak (i)_________ French. Initially she was finding it difficult to speak even a single sentence correctly but with constant hard work she could speak French effortlessly within just six months. Her determination to learn the language is (ii) __________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) vernal (E) (F)

untenable indisputable fluent

comparable laudable

Ans: fluent and laudable

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. As all the circumstantial evidences were pointing towards the involvement of the suspect in the crime, the judge refused to (i) ________ the suspect. The judge however suggested that he might consider granting (ii) ________ to the suspect if he accepted the crime and revealed the names of the other people involved in the crime.

Blank (i)
(A) levitate (B) resuscitate (C) exonerate

Blank (ii)
(D) affinity (E) rectitude (F) impunity

Ans: exonerate and impunity

12. As the country was going through the (i)______ of a civil war, the citizens started leaving their country in search of a refuge. They loved their country and were deeply (ii) ______ to leave their homeland. However they were determined to come back as soon as the conditions became (iii) ______ for their safe stay in the country.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) embezzled (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) conducive (H) lucrative (I) tentative

jaunt ordeal serendipity

flustered unraveled

Ans: ordeal, flustered conducive

13. The fashion designer (i)____________ the new exciting designs for the summer. The color combinations and fabric were (ii) ___________ selected to make the dresses look elegant and trendy. The designs were so wonderful that they got sold like hot cakes.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) morbidly (E) (F)

prioritized yielded unraveled

meticulously fallaciously

Ans: unraveled and meticulously

14. As a child Leonardo (i)___________ great talent in art. He was the only member with a liking for art in the family of lawyers and doctors. It seemed as if he was born in that family by (ii)__________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) nuance (E) histrionics (F) mischance

flayed fabricated evinced

Ans: evinced and mischance

15. The (i) ____________ master treated his servants like slaves. He would make them work like donkeys and offered them (ii) __________ in return. In spite of such ill treatment, the servants were working there as they did not have any other (iii) __________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) pittance (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) discourse (H) remorse (I) recourse

benign honorable atrocious

incentive clemency

Ans: atrocious, pittance and recourse 16. The culprit made a (i) __________ attempt at defending himself by claiming that he was not in the city when the burglary took place. His (ii) __________ and self-contradictory stories did not come to his rescue and he was punished for the crime.
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) culpable (B) nugatory (C) incisive

Blank (ii)
(D) fluent (E) studied (F) fictitious

Ans: nugatory and fictitious

17. John pleaded for (i) ___________ in the court of law for his ignorance. Though he had (ii) __________ followed all the clauses and sub-clauses of the law, he had ignored a (iii) _________ due to his carelessness. As a result of this, he was tried in the court and fined.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) maliciously (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) itinerary (H) driver (I) rider

deliberation declaration clemency

continuously scrupulously

Ans: clemency, scrupulously and rider

18. Refusing to release the funds for digging of wells as promised, the minister suggested the farmers that he would (i) __________ the nearby canal that would supply abundant water for irrigation. The (ii) __________ proposition by the minister was acceptable to the farmers in the region. It was only after three months that they discovered that the claims made by the minister were (iii) __________ as no work had commenced on the canal.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) equine (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) enigmatic (H) fallacious (I) untenable

levitate evince resuscitate

cogent intractable

319

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: resuscitate, cogent and fallacious

19. A victory in the World Boxing Championship has been (i)______ for Mike for three years now. He is
dying to set his record at the championship straight this year. His coach has devised a game plan for him and has assured him that if he (ii) _____ to the game plan, he will definitely win the championship.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) adheres (E) (F)

elusive selective informative

deviates desires

Ans: elusive and adheres

20. When the police officer stopped a truck going in a zigzag fashion on the highway, he suspected that the driver might have consumed alcohol. When the officer asked the driver to provide his driving license, he noticed that the driver was slow and (i) _________ in his actions. As a breathe analyzer was not available, the police officer subjected him to other tests to check if he had consumed alcohol. After the tests the officer concluded that the driver had developed a/an (ii)_________ of judgment as a result of consuming alcohol.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) swift deliberate partial

Blank (ii) (D) resentment (E) advancement (F) impairment

Ans: deliberate and impairment

320

WORD POWER-QUIZ

21. The Chief Minister has assured the media that he will soon form an inquiry committee to (i) ___________ the facts in the scandal allegations. He also said that as soon as the committee submits the report to him, an (ii)__________ action will be taken to nab the culprits.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) underestimate ascribe ascertain

Blank (ii) (D) irrelevant (E) inadequate (F) expeditious

Ans: ascertain and expeditious

22. Richard has (i)____________ his employer of millions of dollars and is now (ii)______________. Probably he is enjoying his newly acquired wealth in some remote island in the Bahamas.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) arrested swindled levitated

Blank (ii) (D) absconding (E) aggressive (F) adhesive

Ans: swindled and absconding

23. The CEO first refused to believe that the CFO was involved in any financial irregularity. But when the investigating agency produced (i)_________ evidence in front of him, the CEO finally (ii)___________ with the investigating agency and advised them to arrest the CFO.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) meager mundane copious

Blank (ii) (D) concurred (E) contradicted (F) invested

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: copious and concurred

24. The opposition party members lodged a false complaint with the police against Vivian and because of this Vivian was (i)________ by the police. When his supporters went to the police station to meet him, he told them that he had complete faith in the judiciary and believed that he would be released very soon as the immoral opposition party members had neither reason nor (ii)____________ on their side.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) averted arrested avoided

Blank (ii) (D) rectitude (E) query (F) affidavit

Ans: arrested and rectitude

25. The hotels in Vegas have excellent (i)______________ like swimming pool, gym, tennis court and indoor club. Some hotels even offer (ii)_______ transport services in the city. Imagine you can roam around for the whole day without paying anything extra for that!

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) discrepancies disturbances amenities

Blank (ii) (D) gratis (E) vulnerable (F) culpable

Ans: amenities and gratis II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Under the fear that a massive tsunami may strike the coast again, there has been a mass ____________ of people staying in the low lying areas near the sea shore.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. papyrus B. fusillade C. lassitude D. exodus E. misadventure F. departure

Ans: D and F 2. The runway of the airport was short hence there was not much ___________ for the pilot to ensure a smooth touchdown.

A. fleece B. melee C. invective D. leeway E. incentive F. scope

Ans: D and F

3. The governments decision to fix a ceiling on the air ticket prices could have a potentially __________ effect on the profitability of the airline companies.

A. detrimental B. copious C. vigilant D. laudable E. deleterious F. punitive

Ans: A and E

4. Even though everything sounds calm and easygoing in the team after the intervention of the coach, there are still undertones of hostility and _________ in the team.
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. lineament B. deposition C. resentment D. lassitude E. bitterness F. fortitude

Ans: C and E

5. The _________ remarks of the egotist manager have upset his subordinates and hence they have quit their jobs.

A. wily B. distant C. bizarre D. surly E. meek F. arrogant

Ans: D and F

6. To _________ the rumors of his death the anarchist made a public appearance at the rally.

A. wrench B. refurbish C. scotch D. surmise E. suppress F. flinch

Ans: C and E

7. _________ by everyone in the house, Maria grew up to become an excessively possessive girl.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. Kindled B. Mollycoddled C. Dawdled D. Levitated E. Beguiled F. Pampered

Ans: B and F

8. Though his friends insisted on him having vodka, the teetotaler was __________ about not consuming alcohol.

A. adamant B. errant C. intractable D. poignant E. fictitious F. laudable

Ans: A and C

9. The oculist suspected that the patient was suffering from astigmatism; to _________ his opinion he suggested some tests for the patient.

A. levitate B. substantiate C. subside D. extrapolate E. validate F. meditate

Ans: B and E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. The _________ of Jane and Jany were identical as they were twins.

A. lineaments B. machinations C. hirelings D. features E. recourses F. comeliness

Ans: A and D

11. There is hardly any scope for industrial investments in the region because of its __________ resources.

A. restive B. haughty C. sparse D. knotty E. scanty F. perverse

Ans: C and E

12. I was present at the border in the previous war. I could see a __________ of missiles being fired from both the sides in the darkness of the night.

A. medley B. vortex C. accolade D. fusillade E. parley F. volley

Ans: D and F
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

13. The police got the information about the ___________ operation of the militants through an old informer. It was startling to see that without even getting noticed by anybody they had hatched a plan that would have caused an enormous damage.

A. covert B. exotic C. pert D. seemly E. thrifty F. secret

Ans: A and F

14. After the communal riots, the police imposed a ___________ curfew in the city. This implied that nobody was allowed to come out of the house between 6 PM and 6 AM.

A. partial B. limited C. vigorous D. exciting E. listless F. execrable

Ans: A and B 15. The police also urged the religious leaders not to ________communal hatred by making venomous remarks in their speeches.

A. provide B. proscribe C. abandon D. abide E. provoke F. incite

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: E and F

16. When the thieves pointed a gun at the __________apartment owner, he quietly handed over the keys
of the locker to them. In fact he was so scared that he fainted, making the job easier for the thieves.

A. glorious B. valiant C. credulous D. timorous E. fearless F. fearful

Ans: D and F

17. When the police found out a mass grave of murdered children, they undertook a massive manhunt to
find out the culprits behind this _____________ crime.

A. grisly B. punitive C. cynical D. volatile E. laudable F. ghastly

Ans: A and F

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

18. Holding the Food Minister __________ for the rising food prices, the opposition party members have
demanded his resignation.

A. ignorant B. culpable C. osseous D. blameworthy E. ebullient F. innocent

Ans: B and D

19. I struggled with the chains that shackled me for around one hour but in vain. Then the _________ set
in and my strength began to flag. I dont remember when I fell asleep then.

A. lassitude B. pantomime C. exhaustion D. misadventure E. pandemonium F. complicity

Ans: A and C

20. The otherwise badly dressed supporting actress was looking strikingly ____________ at the awards
function. It seemed as if she had found out a better dress designer for her!

A. unkempt B. roseate C. curious D. dapper E. elegant F. intractable

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: D and E

21. The employees union announced a strike in the company. The top management of the company
made a proposal with several employee welfare measures to the leader of the employees union, but the _________________ leader refused to give in and decided to continue with the strike.

A. elegant B. effective C. intractable D. cynical E. stubborn F. unerring

Ans: C and E

22. A person was hacked to death in broad daylight in the bazaar yesterday. A lot of people saw the crime
happening but they had no guts to try to stop the assailants. When the police questioned the people about the crime everybody ____________ ignorance.

A. executed B. rebutted C. faked D. disproved E. maligned F. feigned

Ans: C and F

23. Bangladesh had set a paltry target of 156 runs in front of England in the cricket match yesterday.
When England began their chase in an aggressive manner, you could see that the Bangladesh players were already demoralized; their shoulders ___________ and their tactics were unimaginative.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. froze B. flagged C. rose D. ached E. drooped F. oscillated

Ans: B and E

24. Yesterday a gruesome murder took place in broad daylight in Ilford. When the reporters visited the
locality today they noticed that the shops were closed and the fear was ___________ in the area.

A. unsavory B. ovoid C. palpable D. obvious E. equine F. valid

Ans: C and D

25. You should not visit that place often. It is a seedy locality full of criminals and other ___________types.

A. unsavory B. nasty C. palpable D. obvious E. vernal F. valid

Ans: A and B
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

III. Synonyms

1. Importunate

A. Inchoate B. Impotent C. Impertinent D. Persistent E. Perfunctory

Ans: D

2. Clandestine

A. Recondite B. Concealed C. Conclusive D. Conscientious E. Contemptuous

Ans: B

3. Engaging

A. Embezzling B. Unkempt C. Testy D. Personable E. Poignant

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Inept

A. Incompetent B. Incommodious C. Ineffable D. Inevitable E. Pristine

Ans: A

5. Denigrate

A. Deface B. Efface C. Dissipate D. Defame E. Abominate

Ans: D

6. Beguile

A. Rile B. Domicile C. Reconcile D. Intrude E. Delude

Ans: E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Retain

A. Suppress B. Preserve C. Presage D. Supplicate E. Revert

Ans: B

8. Cumbersome

A. Frolicsome B. Winsome C. Loathsome D. Burdensome E. Fulsome

Ans: D

9. Rankle

A. Chuckle B. Enthrall C. Callous D. Allege E. Annoy

Ans: E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. Cordon

A. Surrogate B. Don C. Condone D. Surround E. Surmount

Ans: D

11. Extradite

A. Extort B. Deprecate C. Deport D. Extrapolate E. Depose

Ans: C

12. Girth

A. Circumference B. Projectile C. Molecule D. Paragon E. Pantomime

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

13. Halcyon

A. Equine B. Seemly C. Peaceful D. Concerted E. Impending

Ans: C

14. Ebullient

A. Ovoid B. Verbose C. Stentorian D. Valid E. Cheerful

Ans: E

15. Roseate

A. Obvious B. Alternate C. Advisory D. Optimistic E. Aggressive

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

16. Verbiage

A. Assertion B. Concert C. Wordiness D. Validity E. Astigmatism

Ans: C

17. Purge

A. Purify B. Neglect C. Place D. Emit E. Digest

Ans: A

18. Decompose

A. Execute B. Rot C. Admire D. Convince E. Count

Ans: B

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

19. Cringe

A. Complain B. Exclaim C. Deviate D. Recoil E. Deserve

Ans: D

20. Indolence

A. Incarnation B. Incursion C. Lethargy D. Mutability E. Ratiocination

Ans: C

21. Lexicon

A. Dictionary B. Book C. Information D. Language E. Puzzle

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

22. Laudable

A. Praiseworthy B. Spurious C. Grand D. Vulgar E. Versatile

Ans: A

23. Malign

A. Design B. Defame C. Define D. Desert E. Delete

Ans: B

24. Nuance

A. Importance B. Criticism C. Shell D. Shelter E. Shade

Ans: E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

25. Cleft

A. Theft B. Crack C. Trigger D. Circle E. Group

Ans: B

26. Untenable

A. Exhausted B. Expansive C. Expensive D. Indefensible E. Wonderful

Ans: D

340

WORD POWER-QUIZ

29. ELDER BROWN'S BACKSLIDE

29. ELDER BROWN'S BACKSLIDE

I. Text Completion

1. Bettys mother could not stop laughing at her husbands acts of (i) __________ intended to pacify their daughter. The (ii) __________ act of her husband was indeed very funny. All the efforts by Betty's father to appease Betty (iii) __________ when Betty burst into laughter.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) demure (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) fructified (H) fluttered (I) tethered

adage buffoonery contusion

similar simian

Ans: buffoonery, simian and fructified

2. Tim slapped his brother Tom as Tom was abusing him. Tom reacted to the slap with a few blows. Their fighting continued until both of them were (i) __________. Both of them woke up in the morning with body ache and (ii) __________. The (iii) __________ brothers however could not recollect why they fought as they were drunk the previous night.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) niceties (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) recalcitrant (H) reprehensible (I) groggy

effete hypochondriac rejuvenated

contusions histrionics

Ans: effete, contusions and groggy

3. A leopard has escaped from the forest and has started lingering around the village in the night. He has already (i)__________ five sheep and one cow. To (ii)_________ any loss of human life, the villagers have set up five traps around the village and have also informed the forest officials about the leopard.

341

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) gouge (E) (F)

manipulated mauled slurred

convulse forestall

Ans: mauled and forestall

4. The murderer confessed his crime in the court and pleaded for (i) __________. He said that his crime was not premeditated but he had committed it in a (ii) __________of rage. The judge however did not pardon him as he felt that his (iii) __________ did not deserve any leniency.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) charisma (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) transgression (H) digression (I) deliberation

longevity amnesty ingenuity

paroxysm kismet

Ans: amnesty, paroxysm and transgression

5. Diana was once an (i) __________ consumer of sweets as she was extremely fond of them. However her current (ii) _______ from sweets surprises people who know her well. She explains it by saying that she had to get rid of her (iii) __________ as she was on the verge of becoming a diabetic.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) impudence (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) addiction (H) abduction (I) retrospection

untrammeled unjustified unruly

indulgence abstinence

Ans: untrammeled, abstinence and addiction

342

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. After winning the million dollar lottery, Davids conscience was (i)___________. He was no more the simple next door guy. He got into all the wrong habits like drinking alcohol and gambling. He (ii)_______ away all his newly found wealth within a span of just four months.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) scrutinized (E) (F)

arrayed slurred muddled

frittered revoked

Ans: muddled and frittered

7. The nanny was very patient to tolerate the (i) __________ of the kids. She would run behind the kids all the day to keep a close watch on them. However at the end of the (ii)________day she used to be totally exhausted.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) dutiful (E) grueling (F) outlandish

tantrums diatribes dolts

Ans: tantrums and grueling

8. The activist provided evidence of atrocities committed by the security forces on the (i) _________ class. The revelations were (ii) __________ for the President and he strongly condemned the behavior of security forces. However the (iii) ___________ President wanted to listen to the explanation by the security forces before taking any concrete action.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) sweltering (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) evenhanded (H) nonchalant (I) factitious

plebian nomadic linguistic

prepossessing abashing

Ans: plebian, abashing and evenhanded

9. This year we witnessed double of the average rainfall in the region. The weak crop was a result of this (i) _______ high rainfall. The (ii) _______ weather further impacted the store houses where the grains started rotting because of humidity. All these factors put together have led to (iii) _________ food supplies this year.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) mangy (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) exiguous (H) extravagant (I) specious

anomalously tremulously nebulously

stodgy muggy

Ans: anomalously, muggy and exiguous

10. Over the years the old lady had developed some (i) _________ habits regarding her diet. When she relocated to her son's house, she could not find the food ingredients that she was habituated to consume. Hence she reduced her diet and as a result she started losing weight very fast. Her family became worried about her (ii)______________.

Blank (i)
(A) classified (B) rectified (C) ossified

Blank (ii)
(D) servitude (E) emaciation (F) emancipation

Ans: ossified and emaciation

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. The police (i) ___________the hide out of the terrorists in order to capture them. A grueling fight erupted during which four out of the five terrorists escaped. The police had almost nabbed the fifth terrorist but he (ii) __________ himself. He was a suicide bomber.

Blank (i)
(A) besieged (B) bewildered (C) forestalled (D) (E) (F)

Blank (ii) detonated censured convulsed

Ans: besieged and detonated

12. Rhonda saw only (i) _________ men and women in immaculate formal dresses at the party. As she was more of a casual type of person, she found the party (ii) ___________formal for her.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) unwittingly (E) cloyingly (F) portly

preened ensued censured

Ans: preened and cloyingly

13. I was shocked to read in the newspapers that a six year old boy was made to run around the football ground ten times for coming late to school by five minutes. Such severe punishment for such a minor mistake is (i)_____________. What the principal did to the school boy is definitely (ii)________________.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) astute asinine advisable

Blank (ii) (D) innocent (E) exiguous (F) reprehensible

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: asinine and reprehensible

14. James met with an accident while he was driving his car in an inebriated state. After he recovered from his injuries he said with a (i)____________ heart, I (ii)____________ alcohol.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) contrite baroque limber

Blank (ii) (D) gouge (E) slur (F) abjure

Ans: contrite and abjure

15. Todays audience has become very choosy about which movies to watch. Therefore it has become of (i)_____________ importance for the movie makers to cut out all the (ii)_________ and bring a fresh perspective to movie making.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) nugatory paramount imbecile

Blank (ii) (D) clich (E) mystery (F) novelty

Ans: paramount and clich

16. Except for a/an (i)_______________ few (who look like sorrowful Dobermans) I find all the police officers in the city always in (ii)_________ spirits in spite of the huge work pressures that they have.

Blank (i) (A) articulate (B) aberrant (C) artistic

Blank (ii) (D) doleful (E) puny (F) blithe

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: aberrant and blithe

17. The talented and sincere captain has every right to feel (i)___________ by the dismal performance of his team. Exhibition of indiscipline on and off the field is another issue faced by his team. The captain has recommended to the selection committee that two (ii) _______________ players should be expelled from the team for their indiscipline.

Blank (i) (A) gouged (B) affronted (C) delighted

Blank (ii) (D) earnest (E) gregarious (F) recalcitrant

Ans: affronted and recalcitrant I. Sentence Equivalence

1. After completing the __________ check of the premises the guard sat down on his chair to take a short nap as usual.

A. perfunctory B. impolitic C. nugatory D. grueling E. quotidian F. minatory

Ans: A and E

2. While Jane was jogging, her ankle got twisted badly. She was in severe pain because of that. Therefore she took a/an ____________ in the night so that she could at least get a sound sleep.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. anodyne B. antibiotic C. pain killer D. lotion E. shard F. phlegm

Ans: A and C

3. Last year the Miss India lost to the Miss Venezuela in the finals of the Miss World. This year the Miss India has befittingly defeated the Miss Venezuela in the finals to claim the much coveted ________.

A. facet B. diadem C. bugaboo D. crown E. mite F. potpourri

Ans: B and D

4. Maria believed that the __________ of life lies in having a loving and caring husband hence she tried to never disappoint her husband.

A. fortitude B. assertion C. beatitude D. ovation E. disquietude F. exaltation

Ans: C and F

348

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. The captain was ____________ by the bad performance of his team which had followed two consecutive wins in the tournament. He said in the post match presentation, I dont know where it came from

A. levitated B. bewildered C. advised D. bemused E. energized F. effused

Ans: B and D

6. The stadium management requested the government to ensure cleanliness in the __________ of the stadium.

A. environs B. archives C. seclusions D. surroundings E. warrens F. quays

Ans: A and D

7. Robertss lower limb was _______ from the body in an unfortunate train accident.

A. affixed B. faltered C. tethered D. sundered E. sauntered F. severed

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: D and F

8. As they walked into the ancient caves they got entangled in the __________ present all over the place.

A. potpourri B. gossamers C. kernels D. draughts E. cobwebs F. raiment

Ans: B and E

9. The skyscrapers have deep and strong foundation to ____________ their enormous weight.

A. dissuade B. embezzle C. buttress D. surrender E. sunder F. support

Ans: C and F

10. I think it was very ___________ of Tim to blame his manager for the mistakes done by him. How could he blame someone else for the shortcomings in his own work?

A. bawdy B. impolitic C. ruddy D. pallid E. imprudent F. militant

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and E

11. The teenager kneeled down to _____________ his angry girl-friend.

A. deprecate B. whine C. abate D. propitiate E. deign F. mollify

Ans: D and F

12. The term customer delight is quite often ____________ about in todays world. But how many people really know the true essence of the term?

A. bandied B. articulated C. talked D. traversed E. quailed F. suppressed

Ans: A and C

13. The furious crowd hurled __________ upon the bank for cheating them and taking away their hard earned money.

A. imprecations B. exertions C. maledictions D. ovations E. opulence F. consternations

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A and C

14. The __________ party came to an end when the police arrived after some neighbors complained of the noise and unruly behavior of the people who were partying.

A. unwitting B. bacchanalian C. grueling D. sanguine E. punitive F. wild

Ans: B and F

15. He has inherited a loss making business ___________ with debt from his father. He will need to spend his entire life to turn the business around.

A. affronted B. disheartened C. scurried D. burdened E. succumbed F. encumbered

Ans: D and F

16. The suave wealth manager duped several of his _____________ clients by promising above market returns on their investments.

A. caring B. unsuspecting C. recalcitrant D. unwitting E. unruly

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

F. curious

Ans: B and D

17. To prevent the issuance of fake degree certificates, the University has decided to issue degree certificates with photographs of the candidates _________ on them.

A. affixed B. fastened C. divided D. sundered E. manipulated F. severed

Ans: A and B

18. The beverage maker has been ____________ for the second time in 12 months for misleading health claims made about its health drinks.

A. slurred B. censured C. mumbled D. affronted E. reprimanded F. rendered

Ans: B and E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

II. Synonyms

1. Potpourri

A. Potion B. Denouement C. Assortment D. Potentate E. Lineament

Ans: C

2. Practicable

A. Illimitable B. Feasible C. Venerable D. Affable E. Inscrutable

Ans: B

3. Argot

A. Egotist B. Agitation C. Jargon D. Restitution E. Paragon

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Friction

A. Dissent B. Discretion C. Disavowal D. Disarray E. Abrasion

Ans: E

5. Nomad

A. Subaltern B. Dolt C. Savant D. Wanderer E. Lout

Ans: D

6. Ineffectual

A. Perpetual B. Unwarranted C. Futile D. Mercantile E. Volatile

Ans: C

355

WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Facet

A. Specter B. Aspect C. Aspiration D. Aspersion E. Mite

Ans: B

8. Tether

A. Wither B. Decipher C. Smother D. Prostrate E. Strap

Ans: E

9. Dupe

A. Recuperate B. Snivel C. Deceive D. Deprecate E. Precipitate

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. Savant

A. Ecclesiastic B. Dilettante C. Dolt D. Pundit E. Don

Ans: D

11. Quibble

A. Wince B. Scribble C. Dabble D. Incense E. Cavil

Ans: E

12. Demure

A. Modest B. Buoyant C. Malignant D. Impudent E. Restive

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

13. Quip

A. Fanaticism B. Profanation C. Endorsement D. Witticism E. Infringement

Ans: D

14. Servitude

A. Lassitude B. Slavery C. Conviction D. Rectitude E. Benediction

Ans: B

15. Optimistic

A. Impolitic B. Hostile C. Sanguine D. Pristine E. Equine

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

16. Ingrain

A. Restrain B. Bedizen C. Induce D. Refrain E. Embed

Ans: E

17. Solitude

A. Grandeur B. Seclusion C. Plenitude D. Limbo E. Degeneracy

Ans: B

18. Limber

A. Slothful B. Agile C. Absurd D. Arid E. Greedy

Ans: B

359

WORD POWER-QUIZ

30. A TERRIBLY STRANGE BED

30. A TERRIBLY STRANGE BED

I. Text Completion

1. The (i) __________ after sitting through the boring classical music program for three hours disappeared when the boys saw the sumptuous food arranged on the dining table. The (ii) _________ boys pounced onto it. The (iii) _________ with which the food on the table disappeared showed their hunger.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) precarious (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) insipidity (H) serenity (I) celerity

shimmer probity languor

ravenous cacophonous

Ans: languor, ravenous and celerity

2. After the massively successful event Hardy threw a big party. Looking at the (i) ________ at the party, Hardy's servant also (ii) _________ a few glasses of wine stealthily that night.

Blank (i)
(A) probity (B) eccentricity (C) euphoria

Blank (ii)
(D) swilled (E) thrilled (F) relinquished

Ans: euphoria and swilled

3. Albert witnessed a gory accident that claimed seven lives. (i) ________ by the incident, Albert could not sleep for the whole night. As a result his spirits were in (ii) ________ at work. Albert had to consult a doctor to overcome his (iii) ________ trauma to avoid any further ill-effects on his health and on his work.

360

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) problem (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) insalubrious (H) condign (I) garish

Glazed Traumatized Striated

doldrums anxiety

Ans: Traumatized, doldrums and insalubrious

4. Before (i) _________ the welcome note, the organizer (ii) _________ each and every rule to the participants. He wanted to make the participants aware of the consequences of any kind of (iii) _________ during the contest.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) deprecated (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) histrionics (H) misdemeanor (I) serendipity

desiccating prescribing perorating

dispelled enunciated

Ans: perorating, enunciated and misdemeanor

5. Bob started writing short stories as an (i) ___________ after his retirement. He was surprised to see the excellent response to his stories. When asked by a reporter about the reason for his success, he told her, Life is (ii)___________ with many pleasant surprises and this one is one of those pleasant surprises!

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) fraught (E) (F)

assertion avocation aspiration

unheeded insular

Ans: avocation and fraught

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. The efforts of the finance minister to revive the economy are (i) ___________. Being an economist himself he is aware of the (ii) ___________ of having a robust fiscal policy in place and he has left no stone unturned to ensure just that.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) import (E) (F)

redoubtable strident conciliatory

delusion mirth

Ans: redoubtable and import

7. The helpline number of the space agency was continuously ringing with queries about the impending danger of an asteroid hitting the earth. The space agency held a press conference to clarify on these speculations. In the press conference the agency made it clear that there was a foolproof mechanism in place to accurately (i) ________ the proximity of an asteroid with the earth and if the situation demanded an action, the defense forces across the globe were ready for it. After this press conference, the helpline number of the space agency (ii)_________ ringing.

Blank (i)
(A) estimate (B) whet (C) carouse

Blank (ii)
(D) precluded (E) ceased (F) spawned

Ans: estimate and ceased

8. When Charles took over the reins of the company, there was a serious shortfall of money and a vast (i)______ of debt. Through his (ii)____________ efforts he turned around the company in just a couple of years.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i) (A) trifle (B) plight (C) surfeit

Blank (ii) (D) lackadaisical (E) dogged (F) impassive

Ans: surfeit and dogged

9. It is said that animals, especially dogs, have a (i) __________ about earthquakes. Diana, survivor of an earthquake, recollected that her otherwise friendly and obedient pet started behaving in a/an (ii)____________ manner two days before the earthquake struck.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) presentiment resentment invitation

Blank (ii) (D) authentic (E) eccentric (F) rejuvenated

Ans: presentiment and eccentric

10. Ben was the richest man in the town. One day while he was walking through the market, the roadside beggars (i) _______________ him to drop a coin or two for them, but he (ii)______________ moved ahead as if he hadnt even noticed the beggars.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) compressed importuned caroused

Blank (ii) (D) impassively (E) flagrantly (F) absolutely

Ans: importuned and impassively

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. Zenith and Microwatch entered into a(i) ______________ to threaten the dominant market position of Guava Technologies Ltd.. However Guava was so swift in its business moves that they could not (ii)__________ Guava from its number one position.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) collusion cadence replica

Blank (ii) (D) indicate (E) perpetrate (F) dislodge

Ans: collusion and dislodge

12. The robbers plan to loot the bank was (i)_________ by a/an (ii)_______________ action by the security guard. When the robbers entered the bank, the security guard was dozing on his chair and accidently his nose hit the trigger of his gun and a shot was fired. As the shot was fired, the robbers got scared and fled.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) compressed perpetrated foiled

Blank (ii) (D) unscathed (E) inadvertent (F) censorious

Ans: foiled and inadvertent

II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Life imprisonment is indeed a ______________ punishment for the CEO who embezzled millions of dollars of shareholder wealth.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. yielding B. garish C. suitable D. benign E. odious F. condign

Ans: C and F

2. When a small asteroid ____________ into the earth's atmosphere, it is burnt down because of the heat generated due to its friction with the earths atmosphere.

A. impinges B. lingers C. congeals D. encroaches E. implodes F. reproaches

Ans: A and D

3. Having no credit history does not necessarily ___________ anyone from availing a bank loan.

A. delude B. preclude C. presage D. forego E. prohibit F. preserve

Ans: B and E

4. In spite of snow storms, the _________ spirit of the mountaineers was not dampened. After a brief break they resumed their journey towards the peak.
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. guileless B. dauntless C. insipid D. odious E. intrepid F. hapless

Ans: B and E

5. Being an entrepreneur is not easy. You must keep in mind that you will face formidable and almost __________ difficulties on your way to success. You need to have that drive and conviction to surmount all the difficulties.

A. insensible B. susceptible C. insurmountable D. amicable E. insuperable F. illimitable

Ans: C and E

6. The tourists were _______ after roaming in the desert for one hour; they swilled water from their cans as soon as they returned to their camp.

A. vulnerable B. parched C. unscathed D. animated E. dehydrated F. impassive

Ans: B and E
366

WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Critics have been ___________ about the young author who has just been nominated for the booker prize.

A. raving B. aping C. deprecating D. Abashing E. muddling F. gushing

Ans: A and F

8. The CEO of the company ____________ that he was aware of the fraud and has concealed the truth from the public.

A. conceived B. accrued C. conceded D. compromised E. admitted F. caroused

Ans: C and E

9. My heart still __________ with fear whenever I think of the ghost we saw in the old castle.

A. hovers B. triggers C. terminates D. palpitates E. thrives F. quivers

Ans: D and F
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. The President should ___________ no more in making a decision about the seven mercy petitions pending with him for one year now.

A. adhere B. tarry C. scurry D. rile E. disinter F. delay

Ans: B and F

11. Technology is a __________ thing. On one hand it brings people closer and on the other hand it alienates them.

A. queer B. uncensored C. gamely D. monotonous E. uncanny F. insuperable

Ans: A and E

12. The jury was unanimous in its decision to award the harshest possible sentence to the accused so that in future nobody could think of committing such a/an __________ crime again.

A. odious B. loathsome C. unwitting D. jagged E. authentic F. problematic

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A and B III. Synonyms 1. Bent

A. Resolved B. Diverted C. Transformed D. Impaired E. Ceased

Ans: A

2. Mock

A. Dismiss B. Mimic C. Compromise D. Migrate E. Ruminate

Ans: B

3. Corrode

A. Incapacitate B. Quell C. Deteriorate D. Implode E. Conclude

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Relinquish

A. Anchor B. Cleave C. Rail D. Reap E. Release

Ans: E

5. Tenacious

A. Penitent B. Persistent C. Stentorian D. Impotent E. Prim

Ans: B

6. Surveillance

A. Beauty B. Seclusion C. Supervision D. Delusion E. Reversion

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Conciliatory

A. Nugatory B. Contemptuous C. Incommodious D. Minatory E. Pacifying

Ans: E

8. Strident

A. Vociferous B. Despondent C. Prudent D. Cantankerous E. Transcendent

Ans: A

9. Interpolate

A. Extrapolate B. Extradite C. Intervene D. Interpose E. Induce

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. Receptive

A. Punitive B. Vindictive C. Amenable D. Reparable E. Equable

Ans: C

11. Sheaf

A. Boil B. Coil C. Blast D. Burden E. Bundle

Ans: E

12. Frivolous

A. Lighthearted B. Disturbing C. Engaging D. Hard E. Solemn

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

13. Mete

A. Administer B. Discuss C. Develop D. Dissect E. Drag

Ans: A

373

WORD POWER-QUIZ

31. THE PHILOSOPHER IN THE APPLE ORCHARD

31. THE PHILOSOPHER IN THE APPLE ORCHARD

I. Text Completion

1. The scientist's literary work was a (i) ________ on metaphysics. His (ii) _______ made the complicated subject understandable to common man. The (iii) _______ explanation of the complicated aspects of metaphysics was very appealing.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) prank (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) simplistic (H) irksome (I) abstruse

treatise retreat treat

scenario opus

Ans: treatise, opus and simplistic

2. After divulging the details of corruption in the flood relief fund, the news paper now intends to (i) ________ the names of the influential people behind the scam. Before publishing the entire story, the news paper management asked for police security for their staff and office, in order to (ii) __________ any attacks on them.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) obviate (E) incorporate (F) implement

disrupt dispute disclose

Ans: disclose and obviate

3. (i) ________ the impropriety of his own conduct the manager apologized to his employees. He promised to (ii) ___________ his negative attitude and to appreciate the employees honest work.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (iii)
(D) shun (E) stun (F) stem

Exploring Deploring Appreciating

Ans: Deploring and shun

4. Peters (i) _____________ that alcohol was the root cause of crime in the society has prompted him to discourage people from consuming it. He was (ii) ______ to any form of alcohol and also was harsh about his friends' (iii) _________ towards it.

Blank (i)
(A) supposition (B)

Blank (ii)
(D) averse (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) congruence (H) animosity (I) proclivity

proposition

diverse converse

(C) convulsion

Ans: supposition, averse and proclivity II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Though Sam was a doctor by profession he had a ____________ for astronomy, therefore he voluntarily studied it.

A. penchant B. penumbra C. pendant D. longevity E. gravity F. fondness

Ans: A and F

375

WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. In the current ____________ of water scarcity, every drop of water is supposed to be judiciously used.

A. scenario B. momentum C. iota D. conviction E. context F. conveyance

Ans: A and E

3. After interrogating the suspect for hours, it _________ to the police that the suspect was a deaf person.

A. conspired B. transpired C. respired D. concealed E. appeared F. perspired

Ans: B and E

4. The solution proposed by the economist to end the poverty seemed little _________. It was very difficult to understand how he would get so many stakeholders to work together.

A. unerring B. intractable C. abstruse D. partial E. complex F. universal

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: C and E

5. The bee which was lingering in the room was making very _________ buzzing sound.

A. awesome B. irksome C. languishing D. smattering E. vexing F. winsome

Ans: B and E

6. That breed of the dogs is highly ________; each female dog is capable of giving birth to twelve puppies at the same time. Generally a female dog from that breed delivers the puppies thrice a year.

A. honest B. fertile C. voluble D. fecund E. dutiful F. fruitful

Ans: B and D

377

WORD POWER-QUIZ

III. Synonyms 1. Carp

A. Careen B. Grouse C. Incarcerate D. Rouse E. Carouse

Ans: B

2. Incontrovertible

A. Incongruous B. Irksome C. Undeniable D. Uninhibited E. Unprecedented

Ans: C

3. Modicum

A. Figment B. Endearment C. Acumen D. Fragment E. Condiment

Ans: D

378

WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Postulate

A. Undulate B. Subsume C. Assume D. Assimilate E. Resume

Ans: C

5. Jibe

A. Divest B. Thrive C. Imbibe D. Preen E. Agree

Ans: E

6. Congruence

A. Agreement B. Connivance C. Indolence D. Vehemence E. Munificence

Ans: A

379

WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Demean

A. Deliberate B. Deleterious C. Debase D. Decompose E. Deprecate.

Ans: C

380

WORD POWER-QUIZ

32. THE SILVER MINE

32. THE SILVER MINE

I. Text Completion

1. Nick is known to be an (i) ___________ boss among his subordinates. He often gets angry at little (ii) __________ of his employees and therefore the employees are habituated to ignore his unreasonable anger.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) incognitos (E) (F)

irascible irresistible ignorant

ensconces peccadilloes

Ans: irascible and peccadilloes

2. The champion was not willing to share the stage with his (i) ___________ at a social gathering. He was afraid that their (ii) ___________ could unnecessarily spoil the festive mood at the gathering.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) temerity (E) (F)

apostate luminary adversary

paucity enmity

Ans: adversary and enmity

3. Because of his extravagant habits it was (i) _________ that Kevin would face a serious financial crunch. However no one expected that he would turn into a/an (ii) ________ so soon. The once rich person now roams like a poor man on the streets in (iii) ___________ clothes.

381

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) espionage (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) tatty (H) natty (I) ascetic

imminent irrelevant incessant

lunatic pauper

Ans: imminent, pauper and tatty

4. There was a (i) _______ of food supplies in the kingdom because of the flood. The king consulted his ministers and in their meeting it was decided by (ii) ______________ to approach the neighboring kingdoms for help. The neighboring kingdoms did not deny the help and assured the king that they would unconditionally send the help for the flood affected people.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) parsonage (E) (F)

paucity temerity tragedy

peccadillo consensus

Ans: paucity and consensus

5. After working for years in the (i) ________ of mineralogy, Lara has gained significant expertise in the field. Her recent discovery of a (ii) ________ of precious metals deposited beneath the crust of the volcanic plateau has brought her instant recognition. She is now working on identifying (iii) ________ ways to extract those metals.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) lode (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) convertible (H) feasible (I) interminable

balm qualm realm

abode credence

382

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: realm, lode and feasible

6. The (i) ________ commander was known for the boldness in his attacking strategies. He was capable of efficiently (ii) ______ his troops. However his profession had (iii) _________ his attachment to his family.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) emulating (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) conversed (H) quarantined (I) curtailed

brawny

timid tranquil

enjoining rejoining

Ans: brawny, enjoining and curtailed

7. A musical concert was organized to pay (i) __________ to the martyrs of the war. Fathima played a composition at the (ii)_________ of the concert. It was so touching that it brought tears in the eyes of the audience. Fathima again returned to the stage for the finale. It was again very touching.

Blank (i)
(A) homage (B) privilege (C) badinage

Blank (ii)
(D) brevity (E) prelude (F)

lassitude

Ans: homage and prelude

8. Once a/an(i) __________, Mike now is a firm believer in the God. He was in a/an (ii) ________ condition when the priest met him. The priest gave him shelter in the church house and offered him a job of a gardener so that he could earn his livelihood. Mike believes that all these events were not just by (iii) _________ but they were arranged by the graceful God.

383

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) impecunious (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) momentum (H) conceit (I) fluke

adversary potentate apostate

sanctimonious unceremonious

Ans: apostate, impecunious and fluke

9. The publisher rejected Susans literary work saying that it was very (i) __________ and he wanted to publish something refreshing. Susan felt (ii) __________ after listening to the remarks of the publisher.

Blank (i)
(A) acerbic (B) mosaic (C) prosaic

Blank (ii)
(D) crestfallen (E) tempted (F) putative

Ans: prosaic and crestfallen

10. Trying to curtail the arguments between the (i) ___________ children, the parents asked them to stay in their own rooms. After (ii) _____________ the kids for some time, the parents thought that the kids would not fight when they would see each other again.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) quarantining (E) (F)

regal well-behaved disputatious

ensconcing aggrandizing

Ans: disputatious and quarantining

384

WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. As the genteel orator was delivering his speech from the (i) _____________, he was interrupted by a few (ii) _________ people in the audience who were not in agreement with his opinions and were keen to enter into an argument with him. They even passed some (iii)_________ remarks against him. Unperturbed by their behavior, the orator politely urged them to let him finish his speech and then he would address their concerns.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) malcontent (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) acerbic (H) ostentatious (I) conscientious

warren ford podium

preeminent prolonged

Ans: podium, malcontent and acerbic

12. In their drunken (i) ____________, the revelers broke a lot of furniture at the bar. The bar owner (ii)____________ huge costs to restore the bar to its original condition.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) espionage disclosure orgy

Blank (ii) (D) incurred (E) denoted (F) devoted

Ans: orgy and incurred II. Sentence Equivalence

1. In an attempt to improve efficiencies, a few companies are promoting a flat organization structure with minimum _________.

385

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. matriarchies B. pranks C. anarchies D. hierarchies E. autocracies F. ranks

Ans: D and F

2. The vacations of the soldiers deployed on the borders were ________ in light of the intrusion attempts by the enemy across the border.

A. incurred B. curtailed C. procured D. slapped E. slashed F. slackened

Ans: B and E

3. After working in the _________ of revenue minister for 5 years, the politician decided to retire from politics as his health was not cooperating with him.

A. capacity B. felicity C. affliction D. espionage E. position F. probity

Ans: A and E

386

WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Frazer was angry with Susan as he had asked for a _____ report but she had submitted a voluminous report of 250 pages to him.

A. filthy B. pithy C. elaborate D. raspy E. brief F. genteel

Ans: B and E

5. It was indeed a powerful bike. You could increase its ________ from 0 kmph to 120 kmph within just three seconds.

A. validity B. probity C. velocity D. heed E. speed F. enmity

Ans: C and E

6. The King left his family and gave up his empire to lead a/an _________ life.

A. enigmatic B. ascetic C. frantic D. abstinent E. preeminent F. impertinent

Ans: B and D
387

WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. As the mountaineers reached the __________ of the mountain, they started feeling uncomfortable due to the lack of oxygen there.

A. peccadillo B. consensus C. seclusion D. apex E. alcove F. peak

Ans: D and F

8. A lot of people believe that a ________ will hit the earth and the life on the earth will come to an end.

A. cataclysm B. catastrophe C. brevity D. boon E. credence F. peak

Ans: A and B

9. A military official was caught while trying to sell sensitive security information to the enemy. The ___________ was sentenced to death by the court.

A. traitor B. tribunal C. chalice D. intellect E. autocrat F. defector

Ans: A and F
388

WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. Nicolas is an intelligent and articulate person. The most impressive part about him is the clarity and ___________ with which he can communicate complex ideas.

A. inequity B. brevity C. ethos D. temerity E. conciseness F. irksomeness

Ans: B and E

11. The whole village refrained from climbing the ghostly hill in the night. Only Raman had the ____________ to do so.

A. timidity B. inequity C. temerity D. audacity E. acknowledgement F. apprehensiveness

Ans: C and D

12. The _________ political leader urged the populace to revolt against the ruling establishment.

A. docile B. dissident C. tractable D. rebellious E. passive F. particular

Ans: B and D
389

WORD POWER-QUIZ

III. Synonyms

1. Aggrandize

A. Bedizen B. Nullify C. Enhance D. Rhapsodize E. Stultify

Ans: C

2. Apprise

A. Comprise B. Fructify C. Ossify D. Notify E. Mollify

Ans: D

3. Conceit

A. Vanity B. Spontaneity C. Surfeit D. Pugnacity E. Propinquity

Ans: A

390

WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Disseminate

A. Abominate B. Traverse C. Indeterminate D. Detonate E. Disperse

Ans: E

5. Manacle

A. Ordain B. Ascertain C. Restrain D. Disdain E. Abstain

Ans: C

6. Quarry

A. Tarry B. Inundate C. Scurry D. Oscillate E. Excavate

Ans: E

391

WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Precursor

A. Predecessor B. Premises C. Premonition D. Precipice E. Pretext

Ans: A

8. Retrograde

A. Pervade B. Deteriorate C. Brocade D. Dissuade E. Evade

Ans: B

9. Stoic

A. Toxic B. Laconic C. Impassive D. Epic E. Maculated

Ans: C

392

WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. Inequity

A. Adjustment B. Acceptance C. Equality D. Injustice E. Irritation

Ans: D

11. Credence

A. Prudence B. Guidance C. Noise D. Pollution E. Acceptance

Ans: E

12. Prate

A. Rant B. Protract C. Allocate D. Abnegate E. Grate

Ans: A

393

WORD POWER-QUIZ

33. THE PIPE

33. THE PIPE

I. Text Completion

1. The (i) _________ visited the patient in the ward where he was recovering after his heart surgery. The patient complained of discomfort in the chest region. The doctor checked the rate at which the (ii) _________ of the surgery were healing and advised the patient to take rest.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (iii)
(G) symptoms (H) sutures (I) fissures

misogamist cardiologist ventriloquist

Ans: cardiologist and sutures

2. A psychologist was assisting an alcoholic in his (i) ________. Suffering from acute mood swings, the alcoholic desperately wanted to take small amount of alcohol. The psychologist told him that such mood swings were occurring as a/an (ii) ______________ of giving up alcohol and the frequency of their occurrence would reduce gradually over time.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) suppression (E) (F)

rehabilitation renovation debilitation

excursion repercussion

Ans: rehabilitation and repercussion

3. A (i) ____________ in the zoological park attacked the veterinary doctor and escaped out of the enclosure. The veterinary doctor was immediately treated with a/an (ii) _______ which prevented the spread of venom in his body. The snake was captured after ten hours of search operation.

394

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) antidote (E) (F)

succor viper wiper

balm poison

Ans: viper and antidote

4. A lot of experienced climbers were participating in the rock climbing competition and Richard was just a beginner. (i) _________ for the top spot in the competition was never going to be easy for Richard. He did not give up and (ii) _________ to the peak and reached very late as compared to other climbers. As he was a beginner he was (iii) _________ by the time he reached the top.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) clapped (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) listless (H) guileless (I) effortless

Vying Apprising Contorting

clamped clambered

Ans: vying, clambered and listless

5. (i) _______ by the sudden demise of her teacher, the student couldnt (ii) ________ her emotions. In the (iii) __________ she quietly prayed for her teachers soul to rest in peace.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) speculate (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) obsequies (H) wizardries (I) abeyance

Scrupled Jarred Hoodwinked

stipulate verbalize

Ans: Jarred, verbalize and obsequies

395

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Few party members of the ruling party (i) _______ to the opposition party as the opposition party offered them election tickets in the coming elections. However this seemingly unethical movement of members has not received a/an (ii) _______ from the election commission yet.

Blank (i)
(A) defected (B) affected (C) infected

Blank (ii)
(D) upshot (E) (F)

approbation suspicion

Ans: defected and approbation

7. As a result of his habit of keeping the room in a/an (i) __________ state, Tom could not find clean clothes to wear for the office. Looking at his (ii) _________ appearance the security guard did not allow him into the office, under a supposition that he was a stranger.

Blank (i)
(A) vicious (B) fastidious (C) disheveled

Blank (ii)
(D) egregious (E) (F)

elegant dilatory

Ans: disheveled and egregious

8. After the sailor accidentally fell from the ship, he swam behind the ship as long as the ship was visible. After some time the ship vanished from his eyesight, but he still continued to swim. Because of his excellent (i) _________ skills he managed to reach to the shore in a few hours. One must appreciate his courage and (ii)___________.

396

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) rendition (B) retribution (C) natation

Blank (ii)
(D) stamina (E) patina (F) timidity

Ans: natation and stamina

9. Unaware that the lady was a (i) _________ the police officer was engaged in a conversation with her. There was a (ii) _________ between the lady and the thieves who intended rob a bank. As the police officer was engrossed in talking to the lady, he could not avert the (iii) _________ incident of the robbery.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) nexus (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) ambiguous (H) untoward (I) unlikely

harbinger charlatan decoy

papyrus hiatus

Ans: decoy, nexus and untoward

10. Janes husband (i) _________ about the food she had prepared for lunch. Jane was quite upset at this and she stopped talking to her husband. Her husband noticed that she seemed (ii)__________ in her resolve of not speaking to him. Finally he took her out for a wonderful candle light dinner to (iii) ___________ out a word of affection from her.

Blank (i)
(A) averted (B)

Blank (ii)
(D) steadfast (E) blowhard (F) unilateral

Blank (iii)
(G) dawdle (H) cradle (I) wheedle

jarred

(C) gibed

Ans: gibed, steadfast and wheedle

397

WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. Since the (i) _________ of the company, the management has been (ii) _________ about the policy of providing the best customer service. Though this policy is aimed at keeping the customers happy, the (iii) _________ intent is to spread a positive word of mouth about the company which would ultimately result in increased business.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) revealing (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) underlying (H) fastidious (I) steadfast

intuition perception inception

rebelling belaboring

Ans: inception, belaboring and underlying

12. After trimming the screen presence of the lead actor from a whopping 32 minutes to mere 6 minutes in the movie, the director used the (i) __________ (ii) __________ to justify such a small role of the lead actor.

Blank (i)
(A) euphemism (B) plagiarism (C) virility

Blank (ii)
(D) cameo (E) (F)

gambit requisite

Ans: euphemism and cameo

13. The caretaker of the teenager was a (i) __________ and gave emphasis on strict discipline and tidiness. In contrast the teenager was a (ii) _________ wearing shabby clothes and having disheveled hair. Initially the teenager was (iii) ________________ towards the caretaker but slowly he started obeying her orders.

398

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) sloven (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) monotonous (H) contagious (I) contumacious

lout dilettante martinet

atheist lunatic

Ans: martinet, sloven and contumacious

14. Sams (i) __________ excuses were ignored by his friends who were going to the terrace of the sky scraper to have a look at the new helipad. While all of Sam's friends were enjoying the view from the (ii) ________, Sam was feeling (iii) __________. His friends understood the reason for his excuses and took him to a medical center before he started vomiting.

Blank (i)
(A) fickle (B) (D) (E) (F)

Blank (ii) cliff vintage point vantage point

Blank (iii)
(G) emetic (H) pathetic (I) hypocritical

askew

(C) unilateral

Ans: fickle, vantage point and emetic

15. After noticing dead fish floating on the water of the pond, the swimmer suspected that the water of the pond might be polluted and refrained from swimming in it. Many swimmers had earlier complained of (i) ______ smell of the pond water. The water of the pond was sent for lab testing to assess the (ii) _________ of these claims.

Blank (i)
(A) arid (B) florid (C) acrid

Blank (ii)
(D) scarcity (E) veracity (F) paucity

Ans: acrid and veracity

399

WORD POWER-QUIZ

16. Being a foodie, the journalist tried to persuade his editor to approve the food show conceptualized by him. The editor was in no mood to take a (i) ___________decision just because the journalist insisted on it. He studied all the (ii) ______________ details of the proposal and accepted it after a week.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) listless (E) (F)

convergent precipitant blatant

minute egregious

Ans: precipitant and minute

17. The new environmental regulations (i)____________ strict effluent treatment norms for the chemical industry. I would say that even if the regulations were not in place, it is of (ii)_______ importance for the chemical industry to have state of the art effluent treatment plants just out of social responsibility.

Blank (i)
(A) navigate (B) scruple (C) stipulate

Blank (ii)
(D) vital (E) (F)

minor blowhard

Ans: stipulate and vital

18. Nambia has announced a ___________ ceasefire against the enemy country. Apparently the enemy country has no plans to stop its attacks across the border and it plans to cause further damage to Nambias military bases. Then what does Nambia gain by this announcement? It seems like a ________ by Nambia to gain international sympathy and military support to counter the enemy forces.

400

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) trilateral (B) multinational (C) unilateral

Blank (ii)
(D) gambit (E) (F)

wizardry ambit

Ans: unilateral and gambit

19. Only a _________ creature feels pain. But if the creature gets an injury after getting ______________, it does not feel any pain.

Blank (i) (A) scintillating (B) sentient (C) dilatory

Blank (ii) (D) opiated (E) slept (F) rehabilitated

Ans: sentient and opiated II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Indian cricket team needed a break after they were ______ by England in the first test match. India had never faced such a humiliating defeat in past several years.

A. pulverized B. superseded C. wangled D. defected E. crushed F. negated

Ans: A and E

401

WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. Unable to get answers to all his questions, the Chairman kept the decision on that issue in ____________ till more information was made available to him.

A. cognizance B. abeyance C. apprehension D. summation E. suspension F. obeisance

Ans: B and E

3. The chameleon has a unique capability to __________ the predator by changing its color according to the surroundings.

A. opiate B. hoodwink C. interrogate D. prevaricate E. contort F. fool

Ans: B and F

4. This workshop aims at building basic financial modeling skills of the participants and at the same time making them more conversant with the __________ of the financial services industry.

A. terminologies B. amenities C. topologies D. jargons E. riders F. differences

402

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A and D

5. The paintings in the school exhibition were perhaps selected to __________ the curiosity of the students in modern art.

A. stipulate B. titillate C. grouse D. carouse E. calculate F. rouse

Ans: B and F

6. During their custody, they were forced to inhale ____________ fumes. Because of this some of the inmates contracted cancer and lung diseases.

A. noxious B. capricious C. harmful D. contumacious E. salubrious F. bountiful

Ans: A and C

7. In the poultry farm the eggs are ____________ artificially.

A. pulverized B. wheedled C. incubated D. stipulated E. hatched F. rehabilitated

403

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: C and E

8. The chef is well-known for his gratifying ____________ chicken curry.

A. noxious B. leery C. unctuous D. vicious E. vital F. buttery

Ans: C and F

9. The decisions taken by the husband were accepted by the family without any protest as his wife was a ____________ person.

A. objective B. submissive C. pejorative D. docile E. insatiable F. indelible

Ans: B and D

10. The _________ used for coloring of the ceramic tiles was made of lead oxide and ammonia.

A. patina B. venom C. sutures D. pigment E. shard F. color

404

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: D and F

11. A shot that could help drug addicts break the ______ habit has been developed by the UK researchers.

A. healthy B. vicious C. benign D. viscid E. malicious F. extant

Ans: B and E

12. It is a/an ___________ time for one to invest in the real estate sector as the property prices are at their historical low and are likely to rise sharply in near future as the economy improves.

A. opportune B. appropriate C. obstinate D. tumid E. pungent F. ventral

Ans: A and B

13. The flood water was flowing so forcefully that the houses were reduced to a pile of splintered timber and ________ iron rods.

405

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. straight B. contorted C. twisted D. tumid E. insensate F. pernicious

Ans: B and C

14. When some unknown hazardous gas leaked from the chemicals factory, the people from the neighboring areas started complaining of _____________ . Ten people were hospitalized with symptoms of dehydration.

A. pleasure B. influx C. virility D. nausea E. ethos F. queasiness

Ans: D and F

15. The people who got cheated after investing in the ponzi scheme should have used some common sense before making the investment decision. The kind of returns that were promised in the scheme were possible only through some ___________ and not through any rational investment strategy.

A. truism B. repercussion C. magic D. wizardry E. dross F. elegy

Ans: C and D
406

WORD POWER-QUIZ

16. Over the years, _______ access to the building has led to equipment theft and the shattering of firstfloor windows. Now the administration has decided to allow only the valid pass holders to enter the building.

A. unfettered B. strict C. free D. askew E. dilatory F. calculated

Ans: A and C

17. Whenever some unrest occurs in Bangladesh, India has to handle a heavy ___________ of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

A. influx B. assistance C. largess D. inflow E. precision F. decision

Ans: A and D

18. Yesterday a drunken man attempted to ______ his wife with a bedsheet. The lady somehow escaped and managed to call the police before falling unconscious on the ground. You could see black and blue marks of the assault on her neck area.

407

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. scruple B. throttle C. negate D. invert E. expiate F. strangle

Ans: B and F

19. Investigators who were investigating the _____ smell originating from a deserted house, finally found the partially decomposed body of a woman in the bedroom of that house.

A. pungent B. gaudy C. animated D. gullible E. scintillating F. acrid

Ans: A and F

III. Synonyms

1. Convolute

A. Distend B. Totter C. Distill D. Twist E. Bristle

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. Atone

A. Drone B. Expiate C. Condone D. Propitiate E. Expatiate

Ans: B

3. Misconstrue

A. Misinterpret B. Surmise C. Commiserate D. Dislodge E. Mediate

Ans: A

4. Accentuate

A. Pulverize B. Scrutinize C. Aggrandize D. Emphasize E. Verbalize

Ans: D

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Farcical

A. Fallacious B. Fictitious C. Frivolous D. Quizzical E. Ridiculous

Ans: E

6. Garbled

A. Colorful B. Vaunted C. Distorted D. Bedraggled E. Brindled

Ans: C

7. Supersede

A. Survive B. Efface C. Grimace D. Embrace E. Displace

Ans: E

410

WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. Prevaricate

A. Prevail B. Evoke C. Flail D. Evade E. Severe

Ans: D

9. Fastidious

A. Laborious B. Singular C. Particular D. Precocious E. Deleterious

Ans: C

10. Extricate

A. Fabricate B. Disentangle C. Wangle D. Deprecate E. Haggle

Ans: B

411

WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. Assuage

A. Ravage B. Migrate C. Rummage D. Alleviate E. Emulate

Ans: D

12. Artisan

A. Draftsman B. Policeman C. Lawyer D. Thief E. Craftsman

Ans: E

13. Ribald

A. Beautiful B. Melodious C. Vulgar D. Obscure E. Accurate

Ans: C

412

WORD POWER-QUIZ

14. Duplicity

A. Honesty B. Aggressiveness C. Innocence D. Deception E. Parsimony

Ans: D

15. Gullible

A. Notorious B. Noble C. Unknown D. Nave E. Shrewd

Ans: D

16. Tumid

A. Swollen B. Colorful C. Healthy D. Heavy E. Light

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

17. Rehabilitate

A. Prepare B. Cancel C. Wander D. Navigate E. Recover

Ans: E

18. Virile

A. Timid B. Manly C. Tumid D. Musical E. Volatile

Ans: B

19. Viscid

A. Extant B. Gluey C. Ordinary D. Witty E. Expensive

Ans: B

414

WORD POWER-QUIZ

34. THE MANUSCRIPT

34. THE MANUSCRIPT

I. Text Completion

1. Individuals who have a (i) _________ towards allergies should avoid the allergy causing agents. Any (ii) _________ in carefully identifying and avoiding the allergy causing agents may result into serious health problems.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) negligence (E) (F)

predisposition affliction supposition

indigence opulence

Ans: predisposition and negligence

2. The (i) _________ between Bob and John did not last very long after they started working on an assignment together. Though they started to work together with great enthusiasm, each of them wanted to (ii) _________ the other.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) forego (E) (F)

amity integrity unity

outright outwit

Ans: amity and outwit

3. In spite of his (i) _________ love for Ananya, Rohan was hopeful that one day she would realize how deep his love for her was. However after waiting for almost five years, Rohan (ii) _________ accepted the fact that Ananya was not really interested in him.

415

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) begrudgingly (E) precisely (F) consequently

unkempt ungainly unrequited

Ans: unrequited and begrudgingly

4. George had to pay a heavy price for his (i) ____________. In his public speeches he openly criticized well established religious practices. Fearing that George would become a source of wide spread unrest in the country, the authorities have (ii) __________ him of his fundamental right of expressing his opinions in public.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) despoiled (E) impugned (F) outwitted

conventionalism exigency heterodoxy

Ans: heterodoxy and despoiled

5. The author has brilliantly (i) __________the character of the orphan child in her book. Her depiction of his two (ii)________ qualities: ambitiousness and integrity is wonderful. Though the child was constantly (iii) _____ by the society, he never gave up his earnest attempts to earn himself a decent and honorable life.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) indicated indicted indited

Blank (ii) (D) random (E) distinctive (F) derivative

Blank (iii) (G) harried (H) adored (I) touted

Ans: indited, distinctive and harried

416

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Due to the (i) _____________ arrangements made by the organizers for the event, the image of the company has definitely been tarnished. The management of the company has clearly stated their apprehension that the damage done to the companys brand image might be (ii)_________ and they have held the organizers solely responsible for it and sued them. If the management wins the case, the organizers would become (iii)__________ to pay a hefty sum to the company.

Blank (i)
(A) slapdash (B)

Blank (ii)
(D) provisional (E) reparable (F) immutable

Blank (iii)
(G) liable (H) inscrutable (I) gullible

consummate

(C) lugubrious

Ans: slapdash, immutable and liable

7. Suspecting her husbands (i) ____________, Susan rummaged through her husbands cupboard. She found some letters indicating her husband's infidelity. Looking at them she was (ii) ____________ and she felt as if she was about to faint; but she wanted to discuss the matter with her husband before coming to any conclusion.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) sapped (E) sordid (F) ethereal

compliance exposition integrity

Ans: integrity and sapped

8. The (i) _________ writing style adopted in the training manual makes it a very effective tool to train an apprentice in the skills necessary for the job of software testing. It can be considered as a comprehensive guide for any (ii) _________ in this domain.

417

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) sentinel (E) (F)

distinctive pellucid inscrutable

vagrant novice

Ans: pellucid and novice

9. The recent introduction of the $3000 car has caused ripples in the auto industry. Although the car is very cheap it is decently spacious. In fact it is as (i) _____________ as any other hatchback car currently in the market.

Blank (i)
(A) commodious (B) voluminous (C) cramped

Ans: commodious II. Sentence Equivalence

1. The miserable performance of the CSK team has _______ many of its local supporters. They have now started supporting the KEP team.

A. activated B. estimated C. burnished D. alienated E. congealed F. rankled

Ans: D and F

418

WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. In spite of several allegations of corruption against him, the bureaucrat did not hesitate to _______ his achievements.

A. tout B. shout C. tolerate D. flaunt E. embrace F. flag

Ans: A and D

3. The banks are doubtful about the ___________ of the loans if the customers have unreliable credit history and no concrete proof of owning an immovable asset.

A. readability B. hilarity C. infidelity D. retrievability E. mutability F. recoverability

Ans: D and F

4. Remembering the times of their school days, the alumni became ___________.

A. nostalgic B. yielding C. sentimental D. lethargic E. fundamental F. vital

Ans: A and C
419

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. The movie is definitely the worst directed movie of this year. At several instances, you notice the _________ attempts by the director to impart a classy touch to the movie.

A. maladroit B. clumsy C. dutiful D. resentful E. facile F. bountiful

Ans: A and B

6. The sad fact is that the journalists have also started accepting bribes to either publicize or suppress a matter. This has ________the quality of journalism in our country.

A. eroded B. appended C. belabored D. stipulated E. improvised F. deteriorated

Ans: A and F

7. When it rains, the otherwise agile people feel like __________ sitting at home just enjoying steaming tea and hot snacks.

A. slothfully B. indolently C. randomly D. abruptly E. loyally F. absurdly

420

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A and B

8. We had a fantastic time together yesterday. The weather was great and John was in a/an ________ mood. He cracked many hilarious jokes yesterday.

A. cheerful B. somber C. inordinate D. jocund E. accommodating F. dismal

Ans: A and D

9. I did not like the movie at all. I fail to understand why there was such a/an ___________ amount of hype about this movie.

A. excessive B. crabbed C. inordinate D. limited E. circumspect F. esoteric

Ans: A and C

421

WORD POWER-QUIZ

III. Synonyms

1. Exposition

A. Exhilaration B. Exploitation C. Explanation D. Exertion E. Exaltation

Ans: C

2. Irreverent

A. Willful B. Dispassionate C. Dutiful D. Disinterested E. Disrespectful

Ans: E

3. Impugn

A. Charge B. Deign C. Scrutinize D. Energize E. Arraign

Ans: A

422

WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Disband

A. Bandy B. Dissolve C. Absolve D. Resolve E. Disdain

Ans: B

5. Animosity

A. Proximity B. Enormity C. Suavity D. Enmity E. Verity

Ans: D

6. Infidelity

A. Disregard B. Disturbance C. Turbulence D. Danger E. Disloyalty

Ans: E

423

WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Kudos

A. Perspiration B. Hesitation C. Acclaim D. Aspiration E. Depletion

Ans: C

8. Circumspect

A. Cautious B. Difficult C. Docile D. Mobile E. Pejorative

Ans: A

9. Probe

A. Disinclination B. Negation C. Rehabilitation D. Investigation E. Summation

Ans: D

424

WORD POWER-QUIZ

35. CAPTAIN VENENO'S PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE

35. CAPTAIN VENENO'S PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE

I. Text Completion

1. The court did not grant divorce to the belligerent man stating that he would first have to agree to pay Rs. 40,000/- per month as a/an (i) _________ to his wife and then only the court would dissolve the (ii) _________ relationship between them.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) satirical (E) (F)

alimony larceny testimony

offensive connubial

Ans: alimony and connubial

2. As the right hand of the factory worker was severely damaged in an accident at the workplace, it had to be (i) ___________. The worker was depressed after this (ii) ___________ loss. Realizing his plight the factory management decided to retain him as an employee in a role that did not require any physical effort.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (iii)
(D) translucent (E) irretrievable (F) impuissant

implicated amputated spliced

Ans: amputated and irretrievable

3. The entire cast of the play was dressed in (i) ___________ outfits with the pattern of a chessboard. The play was a (ii) ___________ representation of the playoffs in politics conveyed through the game of chess. In the play a subtle (iii) ___________ towards politicians was evident.

425

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) implausible (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) asperity (H) austerity (I) suavity

tessellated titillated tinged

vertical satirical

Ans: tessellated, satirical and asperity

4. 2010 was definitely a year marked by a (i)__________ of anti-Chinese demonstrations. There were countless demonstrations against buying Chinese products all across the country. Even six year old kids were seen shouting slogans on the streets with banners of (ii)_________ Chinese Products in their hands. What does a six year old know about imports and exports?

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) vanguard thrall spate

Blank (ii) (D) Boycott (E) Temporize (F) Gouge

Ans: spate and Boycott

II. Sentence Equivalence

1. In an attempt to ___________ the reputation of the restaurant, the rivals posted negative comments about it on the social networking website.

A. besmirch B. bewitch C. beget D. saturate E. boycott F. taint

426

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A and F

2. You must appreciate Linda for her good parenting of her kids. Her kids are very studious, quiet and ___________. They respect elders.

A. tractable B. lout C. retrievable D. obedient E. obstinate F. verbose

Ans: A and D

3. People with sedentary jobs and senior citizens with decreased activity can lose muscle tone and develop significant muscle __________. Therefore it is very important to ensure an active lifestyle to avoid any damage to our muscles.

A. physiology B. atrophy C. duration D. deterioration E. aggregation F. patronage

Ans: B and D

4. It seems ___________ that we represent the only advanced civilizations in the universe. Simple back of the envelop calculations suggest that there should be at least one more civilization in the universe that is more advanced than ours.

427

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. implausible B. unlikely C. plausible D. adorable E. commendable F. deplorable

Ans: A and B III. Synonyms

1. Saturate

A. Stanch B. Dehydrate C. Drench D. Frustrate E. Blanch

Ans: C

2. Boycott

A. Rehabilitate B. Repress C. Refurbish D. Reject E. Resume Ans: D

428

WORD POWER-QUIZ

3. Beget

A. Buffet B. Betray C. Fret D. Produce E. Prompt

Ans: D

4. Fundamental

A. Volatile B. Difficult C. Reliable D. Basic E. Relaxing

Ans: D

5. Anathema

A. Curse B. Euphemism C. Ignorance D. Incantation E. Quintessence

Ans: A

429

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Incantation

A. Demand B. Design C. Designation D. Charm E. Alarm

Ans: D

430

WORD POWER-QUIZ

36. COLONEL STARBOTTLE FOR THE PLAINTIFF

36. COLONEL STARBOTTLE FOR THE PLAINTIFF

I. Text Completion

1. Jerome, a noted (i) _______, was very excited and anxious about his latest play. However his play failed to evoke much interest in the audience as it lacked a smooth flow. The scenes in the play seemed (ii) _______ and the audience was unable to relate to them. The play also did not receive as much (iii) ___________ from critics as anticipated by Jerome.

Blank (i)
(A) thespian (B)

Blank (ii)
(D) pensive (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) acclamation (H) indignation (I) tribulation

gruff

mellifluous disjointed

(C) anthropoid

Ans: thespian, disjointed and acclamation

2. The magistrate (i) __________ the marital bond of the couple after acknowledging that there was an irreconcilable difference of opinion between them. Neither the husband nor the wife was ready to (ii) ________ inflated ego and continue with their marital relationship.

Blank (i)
(A) attained (B) accepted (C) annulled

Blank (ii)
(D) eschew (E) surpass (F)

resume

Ans: annulled and eschew

3. Solar eclipse is a phenomenon that occurs when the moon (i) _________ the sun. During the solar eclipse a direct (ii) _____________ of the human eye to the sun rays can damage the retina and may result into permanent blindness. Hence it is (iii) ____________ to observe the eclipse without proper UV filters.

431

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) composure (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) infelicitous (H) portentous (I) momentous

deludes includes occludes

exposure imposition

Ans: occludes, exposure and infelicitous

4. The teacher insisted that her students should avoid making a (i) ________ copy of the textbook while answering the questions. She was of the opinion that the students would learn more effectively if they (ii) __________ the answers in their own words. This would also inculcate a (iii) ________ for writing among the students.

Blank (i)
(A) bolt (B)

Blank (ii)
(D) paraphrase (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) flair (H) compliance (I) poise

amuck

desecrate underscore

(C) verbatim

Ans: verbatim, paraphrase and flair

5. The orthodox religious leaders insist that the (i) __________ of our thousands of years old civilization hold good still today. Therefore they (ii) __________ these to form the core of the code of conduct of the society today. The moderate leaders however do not agree with this and they believe that their relevance to the current form of society is (iii) ________________.

Blank (i)
(A) stanzas (B)

Blank (ii)
(D) amalgamate (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) insubstantial (H) integral (I) provisional

credos

advocate allocate

(C) citadels

Ans: credos, advocate and insubstantial

432

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. There was a minor bomb blast at the main junction of roads. The police arrived immediately and barricaded the site so that the (i) ____________ evidence of the blast could be gathered. The barricades caused a major traffic jam as the junction was a (ii) ____________ point of two major roads of the city. Though it was required of the police to barricade roads in such a scenario, the situation could have been handled with more (iii) ____________ to avoid the chaos.

Blank (i)
(A) baleful (B)

Blank (ii)
(D) confluence (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) distinction (H) legitimacy (I) efficacy

forensic

coincidence providence

(C) intrinsic

Ans: forensic, confluence and efficacy

7. The youth in the country are fed up with the prevalent (i) _________ in the country. Though there is a democracy in the country, it is the same set of leaders and their children who assume the key decision making positions. Therefore the youth have organized a (ii) ________ of all the college students interested in politics to discuss how a change could be (iii) _________ in the current political scenario.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) rendezvous (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) engendered (H) endured (I) enamored

oligarchy monarchy patriarchy

larder revelry

Ans: oligarchy, rendezvous and engendered

8. Recently all the mobile companies have been directed to adhere to a standard protocol for encoding and decoding the data on their network. This directive has invited (i) ___________ from various service providers. Their concern is that this kind of regulations may make their networks vulnerable to security attacks.

433

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) endorsement (B) retraction (C) stricture

Ans: stricture

9. The priests rivals intended to (i) ____________ his image with allegations of sexual misconduct. The allegations of (ii) _________ behavior by the priest were proved to be false through the police investigation. The police severely reprimanded the priests rivals and warned them to (iii)__________ their malicious activities immediately.

Blank (i)
(A) chide (B)

Blank (ii)
(D) infectious (E) licentious (F) legitimate

Blank (iii)
(G) stem (H) resume (I) mollify

defile

(C) deign

Ans: defile, licentious and stem

10. The vintner was happy when he tasted the first (i) ________ of wine produced from his vineyard. His (ii)________efforts to produce tasty wine had borne great results.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) varying (E) (F)

clarion falcon flagon

painstaking scathing

Ans: flagon and painstaking

434

WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. Tom suffered a lot in his professional life because of his habit of postponing the things. Therefore Tom decided to stop (i) ________ the things and to take immediate action on any important issue.

Blank (i)
(A) retrospecting (B) procrastinating (C) tribulation

Ans: procrastinating

12. The father (i) ________ his son for his amoral behavior and denied him any share in his property. The agitated son went on to file a (ii) ___________ in the court against his father claiming his rights on his fathers property.

Blank (i)
(A) berated (B) reverberated (C) rejuvenated

Blank (ii)
(D) indignation (E) affliction (F) litigation

Ans: berated and litigation

13. Sara built a holiday home almost at the (i) _______ of a hill station with an intention to keep herself (ii) _____ from the citys hectic life. She would break away from her busy city life at least once a month to unwind herself in the remote hill top home.

Blank (i)
(A) quagmire (B) pith (C) zenith

Blank (ii)
(D) aloof (E) abstract (F)

bellicose

Ans: zenith and aloof

435

WORD POWER-QUIZ

14. The narrator was a (i) _________ before he was spotted by a director. The director noticed that the narrator's voice was very flexible and that he could (ii) _________ it to suit any character. Now the narrator is a favorite among various other directors as a voice dubbing artist for cartoon characters.

Blank (i)
(A) cynosure (B) waif (C) nonentity

Blank (ii)
(D) modulate (E) reiterate (F) instigate

Ans nonentity and modulate

15. The designer took a painstaking effort in making the bridal outfit attractive at the same time not too showy. The bridal outfit had a balanced use of (i) ____________ and trappings on it without making it look (ii) ____________.

Blank (i) (A) carriers (B) bangles (C) spangles

Blank (ii) (D) omniscient (E) pretentious (F) exceptional

Ans: spangles and pretentious

16. Even though the plot of the book was good, the narration of the story was pathetic. The manuscript was full of (i) ___________ words and phrases. It needed a lot of rework and therefore the editor (ii) ________ the publication of the book.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) scuttled (E) (F)

converse extraneous iridescent

defrocked deferred

436

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: extraneous and deferred

17. He was an author of an exceptional caliber. He used to write stories that were wonderfully (i)________ of the pastoral life. No other author has ever matched his ability to depict the niceties of the personalities of the rural people. He also led a simple life free from any controversies. He refrained from any activities that attracted (ii) ___________ public attention.

Blank (i)
(A) evocative (B) abortive (C) attentive

Blank (ii)
(D) interminable (E) inscrutable (F) gratuitous

Ans: evocative and gratuitous

18. After almost facing a bankruptcy, Smith has decided to observe (i) __________. He has now resolved to (ii) ____________ the habit of wasteful spending.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) abduct (E) abdicate (F) arouse

contingent continence prescience

Ans: continence and abdicate

19. As the government did not adhere to its pre-electoral promises, there was widespread anger among the masses against the government. Their anger was further (i) _________ by the imposition of a new tax code. After several protests across the country, the government had to (ii) _____________ the new tax code.

437

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) inflated (B) intimated (C) exempted

Blank (ii)
(D) retract (E) contract (F) subtract

Ans: inflated and retract

20. In recognition of the (i) _______ performance by the players in the latest Commonwealth games, the Prime Minister presented them with (ii) _______. He congratulated the (iii) _______ for their splendid performance and urged them to aim for Olympic medals.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) mementos (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) prodigies (H) bohemians (I) champions

stellar angular culpable

novelties clarions

Ans: stellar, mementos and champions

21. The comedian exhibited a (i) __________ for bringing forth serious issues through funny anecdotes. His satire on the education system was very (ii) ____________ to todays scenario. It aptly highlighted the shortcomings of our so called (iii) __________ education system.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) arrogant (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) impeccable (H) undeniable (I) infelicitous

flair flare flavor

conversant relevant

Ans: flair, relevant and impeccable

438

WORD POWER-QUIZ

22. The employees of the company were waiting with _________ breath for any news about the rumors of acquisition of their company by a larger competitor. However all the queries to their top management regarding this issue did not ______ any response.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) berated bated foul

Blank (ii) (D) elicit (E) refer (F) embed

Ans: bated and elicit II. Sentence Equivalence

1. It is a well-made regional movie that captures the essence of the Punjab region through visuals, music and the __________ language.

A. imperial B. collateral C. colloquial D. reverend E. everyday F. transient

Ans: C and E

2. The girl in the ______ outfit was the cynosure of all eyes in the market. A couple of people even made a lewd passing remark at her.

439

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. raspy B. skimpy C. osseous D. expeditious E. scanty F. meticulous

Ans: B and E

3. Prof. Wayne has had the ___________ of being awarded the Nobel Prize twice for his outstanding work in the field of biological sciences.

A. distinction B. abomination C. honor D. collation E. facade F. arcade

Ans: A and C

4. While _____________ through the crowd, Peter fumbled upon a stone and got hurt.

A. plumbing B. scuttling C. wangling D. scurrying E. adhering F. enciphering

Ans: B and D

440

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. As the lion ___________ in the circus ring, the kids in the gallery cheered and clapped.

A. espoused B. eschewed C. strutted D. berated E. transfigured F. paraded

Ans: C and F

6. John was often _____________ by his classmates because of his short stature.

A. belittled B. rehabilitated C. inflated D. prevaricated E. allocated F. disparaged

Ans: A and F

7. The _____________ story told by the narrator left the audience feeling depressed.

A. hermitic B. balmy C. pessimistic D. septic E. tumid F. gloomy

Ans: C and F

441

WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. Scientists have successfully invented an artificial kidney that could _____________ almost all the functions of an actual kidney.

A. simulate B. revert C. perpetuate D. incubate E. perform F. navigate

Ans: A and E

9. The criminal received a/an _______________ from the court as his shrewd lawyer was able to point out a few inconsistencies in the charge sheet and in the testimonies of the witnesses.

A. precinct B. acquittal C. parody D. acclamation E. exoneration F. opprobrium

Ans: B and E

10. His claim that light travels in the wave form is quite _______ to the prevailing belief that light is a stream of particles.

A. berserk B. commodious C. converse D. convivial E. contrary F. conscientious

442

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: C and E

11. Tom is in the__________ of wasting money over useless things. Someone has to advise him to observe continence.

A. wont B. context C. contempt D. tenet E. levity F. habit

Ans: A and F

12. The recent controversies about the micro finance institutions (MFIs) have fostered a climate of __________ towards them. A few months back MFIs were looked at as a powerful instrument to alleviate poverty in the country but now a mere mention of the term MFI evokes feelings of hatred in the minds of the people.

A. liking B. boon C. antipathy D. aversion E. blessing F. penchant

Ans: C and D

13. The popular actress has been _________ about her plans to get married this year. Her golden reserve has given rise to may speculations in the media.

443

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. taciturn B. silent C. angry D. voluble E. blushing F. gushing

Ans: A and B

14. The great leaders of the history have gone through a lot of hardships to _______ the society in positive ways. When one wants to bring about even a small change in the society one has to face a lot of resistance.

A. transfigure B. transfer C. transform D. trouble E. target F. terminate

Ans: A and C

15. Richard was criticized severely for his _________ and tasteless comments on the relationship between Jane and Bob. However, Jane and Bob did not pay any particular attention to his frivolous remarks.

A. whimsical B. lethargic C. allergic D. magnetic E. flippant F. facetious

Ans: E and F
444

WORD POWER-QUIZ

16. There is nothing new in the storyline of the movie. Period. Despite a/an ________ storyline, the film has entertainment value and a decent presentation.

A. injurious B. banal C. novel D. predictable E. innovative F. fictional

Ans: B and D

17. Even though James could not go through the entire report in detail, he carefully went through its ________ and thought that the key findings of the report were quite insightful.

A. summary B. appendix C. story D. news E. author F. synopsis

Ans: A and F

18. Tatiana told the audience that the duty to vote was________ and everybody must obey it from the bottom of the heart.

A. useless B. sacrosanct C. sacred D. banal E. fugitive F. futile

445

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and C

19. The people were extremely delighted to watch the circus. They were particularly impressed by the breathtaking display of acrobatic abilities by the _______performers.

A. cursive B. retentive C. humid D. lithe E. agile F. dissolute

Ans: D and E

20. Michael wonderfully explained the five ______ from the book of successful entrepreneurs: vision, flexibility, perseverance, discipline and frugality.

A. tendencies B. pages C. instances D. tenets E. principles F. solecisms

Ans: D and E

21. That's interesting since the distrust between the two countries is such that it is rare to see such _______ views originating from them on this particular issue of the disputed land.

446

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. inane B. rave C. original D. harmonious E. immature F. concordant

Ans: D and F

22. Andrews unsporting behavior on the field was _______ from all corners of the society. After all Cricket was supposed to be a gentlemans game.

A. condemned B. apprised C. reprobated D. praised E. procrastinated F. consecrated

Ans: A and C

23. Many public health _________ organizations are funded by pharmaceuticals companies. Then how can you believe in their credibility?

A. asperity B. advocacy C. gustation D. venue E. pathos F. encouragement

Ans: B and F

447

WORD POWER-QUIZ

III. Synonyms

1. Transfigure

A. Transform B. Transpire C. Debilitate D. Dissipate E. Transcribe

Ans: A

2. Renowned

A. Forgotten B. Well-known C. Impertinent D. Weird E. Impending

Ans: B

3. Espouse

A. Effuse B. Champion C. Diffuse D. Lionize E. Suffuse

Ans: B

448

WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Intransigence

A. Inception B. Inversion C. Inflexibility D. Integrity E. Infidelity

Ans: C

5. Elicit

A. Reduce B. Revolve C. Evoke D. Stoke E. Protrude

Ans: C

6. Sumptuous

A. Incredible B. Osseous C. Peevish D. Expeditious E. Lavish

Ans: E

449

WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Humid

A. Damp B. Ample C. Tumid D. Adamant E. Timid

Ans: A

8. Cite

A. Incite B. Denote C. Indite D. Quote E. Dote

Ans: D

9. Insubstantial

A. Insignificant B. Inanimate C. Intimate D. Impertinent E. Ingenuous

Ans: A

450

WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. Abstract

A. Farcical B. Satirical C. Intangible D. Ironical E. Whimsical

Ans: C

11. Behoove

A. Belie B. Forbear C. Imbibe D. Betray E. Befit

Ans: E

12. Embed

A. Bedizen B. Implant C. Enjoin D. Incur E. Incubate

Ans: B

451

WORD POWER-QUIZ

13. Compensate

A. Compute B. Mollify C. Exonerate D. Atone E. Drone

Ans: D

14. Citadel

A. Bastion B. Panoply C. Frugality D. Medium E. Excerpt

Ans: A

15. Forswear

A. Forget B. Ignore C. Imagine D. Worship E. Disavow

Ans: E

452

WORD POWER-QUIZ

16. Bellicose

A. Fat B. Tumid C. Turbid D. Belligerent E. Tangential

Ans: D

17. Sequester

A. Engender B. Encipher C. Isolate D. Underscore E. Consecrate

Ans: C

18. Nemesis

A. Bishop B. Interlocutor C. Arch-rival D. Trader E. Intellect

Ans: C

453

WORD POWER-QUIZ

19. Levity

A. Gravity B. Indifference C. Intensity D. Disparagement E. Frivolity

Ans: E

20. Excerpt

A. Extract B. Lunge C. Defeatism D. Reprobation E. Finale

Ans: A

21. Repudiate

A. Receive B. Educate C. Excite D. Renounce E. Explain

Ans: D

454

WORD POWER-QUIZ

22. Raconteur

A. Actor B. Narrator C. Driver D. Author E. Comedian

Ans: B

23. Modulate

A. Adapt B. Advise C. Assure D. Ascertain E. Ascribe

Ans: A

24. Vulpine

A. Innocent B. Beautiful C. Thin D. Clever E. Dumb

Ans: D

455

WORD POWER-QUIZ

25. Desecrate

A. Devise B. Profane C. Invest D. Burn E. Polish

Ans: B

456

WORD POWER-QUIZ

37. THE GOLDEN INGOT

37. THE GOLDEN INGOT

I. Text Completion

1. During the rainy season the weather in the coastal city was cloudy and (i) ______. To dry his washed clothes, John had kept them hanging for three days on a rope in the backyard but they were still wet after three days. In fact they were (ii)__________ badly and you could see some fungal growth on them.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) jarring (E) (F)

dank idyllic balmy

leaking reeking

Ans: dank and reeking

2. The chef in the restaurant was injured in a kitchen (i) ____________. His hand was (ii) _________ as a large flame suddenly emanated from the stove. As a first aid a (iii) ________ was applied on his hand and then he was rushed to a hospital for further treatment.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) mishap misconduct mistake

Blank (ii) (D) seared (E) transfigured (F) inflated

Blank (iii) (G) nutrient (H) phlegm (I) poultice

Ans: mishap, seared and poultice

3. The (i) ________ team leader had anticipated an increased work load on his team when the new project was taken up. Therefore he had carefully divided the work amongst his team members to ensure a good work-life balance for his team. Though he was considerate in allocating the workload to his team members, he would never show any (ii) ________ if an agreed deadline was not met.

457

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) leniency (E) exigency (F) diplomacy

foresighted hindmost niggardly

Ans: foresighted and leniency

4. The (i) ________ from the insurance company came to the ill-fated site of the fire accident. He had a (ii) ________ to assess the damage caused due to the fire and to submit a report to the insurance company. He informed the (iii) ________ that the report would be submitted within two days and the compensation would be provided in a week.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) mandate (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) contemporary (H) beneficiary (I) functionary

assayer betrayer poseur

proclivity capacity

Ans: assayer, mandate and beneficiary

5. Though he did not bring any business to the company, the marketing executive was prompt in getting his expenses (i)__________. His superior soon found that the executive did not improve on his (ii) ________ presentation of the products. The presentation was not good enough to (iii) ________ the clients to buy their products.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) lackluster (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) probe (H) prod (I) avert

reimbursed recounted reaped

virulent noxious

Ans: reimbursed, lackluster and prod

458

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. In an attempt to (i) ________ the disappointment of its investors, the company decided to offer additional shares to them. However many of the investors wanted to be (ii) ________ by cash. Paying the investors by cash would have been terribly (iii) ________ for the company.

Blank (i)
(A) scruple (B)

Blank (ii)
(D) reinvested (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) onerous (H) sonorous (I) ominous

gouge

reimbursed stipulated

(C) mitigate

Ans: mitigate, reimbursed and onerous

7. After learning that the President and the Prime Minister were visiting the town, Sam (i) ________ that the main airport road would be blocked for a long duration to let their convoy pass through. Therefore he took a/an (ii) ________ route so that he could reach the airport on time.

Blank (i)
(A) improvised (B) prognosticated (C) prompted

Blank (ii)
(D) ancillary (E) dowdy (F)

hybrid

Ans: prognosticated and ancillary

8. The latest regional song was a (i) ________ composition which had the elements of both traditional and contemporary music. However a majority of traditional composers passed (ii)_________ comments against the composition as they could not appreciate the dilution of traditional music with contemporary music.

459

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) hybrid (B) ancillary (C) niggardly

Blank (iii)
(D) pertinacious (E) hermetic (F) trenchant

Ans: hybrid and trenchant

9. After the fall of the (i) ________ rule, the royal family had to flee the country. Their once (ii) ________ palaces are now in a (iii) ________ state; hence the democratic government has taken over the management of the palaces and will very soon convert them into museums.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) lustrous (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) dissipated (H) diluted (I) dilapidated

imperial trenchant mercenary

sensuous conscious

Ans: imperial, lustrous and dilapidated

10. The police arrested a (i)_________ who deceived women by claiming that he had a magic solution that could convert silver into gold. His (ii)_________ were finally exposed when he tried to cheat a Chemistry professor with the same claims.

Blank (i) (A) hovel (B) quack (C) libertine

Blank (ii) (D) bluffs (E) pallets (F) hoards

Ans: quack and bluffs

460

WORD POWER-QUIZ

II. Sentence Equivalence

1. The ministry of health has detected __________ of arsenic in the beef meat imported from Argentina. Hence it has suspended the import of meat from Argentina for next three months.

A. deposits B. hue C. residue D. gruel E. pallet F. hoard

Ans: A and C

2. Angry over their teams dismal performance, the furious fans got involved in a/an ___________ with the fans of the opposite team. This led to a big commotion in the stadium and ultimately the police had to intervene.

A. volition B. embroilment C. humility D. kismet E. brawl F. contract

Ans: B and E

3. Generally an equipment supplier will not _________ a customer if the customer does not use the equipment as per the specifications/scope of use provided by the equipment supplier.

461

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. decry B. execute C. indemnify D. arrest E. compensate F. concur

Ans: C and E

4. Because of the ___________ attachments John decided to stay with his parents even after his marriage.

A. filial B. perennial C. celestial D. trivial E. jovial F. familial

Ans: A and F

5. The health minister did not pay any heed to the lies and _____________ of the tobacco companies who claimed that second hand smoking was not hazardous to health.

A. subterfuges B. jocundities C. stratagems D. animosities E. acclamations F. intuitions

Ans: A and C

462

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. The hostile behavior of the diplomats has caused ___________ damage to the relationship between the two countries. Now only a war can resolve the dispute between the two countries.

A. irresolute B. irrelevant C. irreverent D. irrevocable E. ungainly F. irremediable

Ans: D and F

7. Even though the CEO has refused to draw any salary in the wake of the financial crisis, the Board has said that it will make sure that the CEO gets a salary that is_____________ to his performance.

A. commensurate B. proportionate C. inadequate D. drastic E. dowdy F. euphonious

Ans: A and B

8. Impure drinking water is a major source of health problems in children. It is a pity that only 8% population in our country has an access to ______ drinking water.

A. understated B. emancipated C. uncontaminated D. pure E. derogatory F. niggardly

463

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: C and D

9. When a _____________ dressed man tried to enter the club, the security guard stopped him at the entrance itself and explained to him that his dress was not as per the dress code of the club.

A. dowdily B. calmly C. virulently D. shabbily E. retentively F. cursively

Ans: A and D

10. The President ____________ the mindless attacks on innocent civilians. He particularly expressed his grief over the death of ten children in the recent attack.

A. extolled B. exaggerated C. decried D. exclaimed E. extricated F. condemned

Ans: C and F

464

WORD POWER-QUIZ

III. Synonyms

1. Inopportune

A. Inevitable B. Unfaltering C. Iniquitous D. Untimely E. Intrepid Ans: D

2. Invocation

A. Supposition B. Supplication C. Avocation D. Imprecation E. Ramification Ans: B

3. Outstrip

A. Outwit B. Outdo C. Tout D. Flout E. Oust Ans: B

465

WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Pertinacious

A. Pernicious B. Pervasive C. Persistent D. Perennial E. Perceptive Ans: C

5. Skinflint

A. Niggard B. Plaintiff C. Champion D. Vintner E. Stickler

Ans: A

6. Uniform

A. Universal B. Consistent C. Multiform D. Unilateral E. Munificence

Ans: B

466

WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Foster

A. Endure B. Bolster C. Nurture D. Banter E. Conjure

Ans: C

8. Incorrigible

A. Irrefutable B. Inveterate C. Irresponsible D. Ineradicable E. Irrepressible

Ans: D

9. Mountebank

A. Ingrate B. Libertine C. Feminist D. Athlete E. Charlatan

Ans: E

467

WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. Rancor

A. Rumor B. Anchor C. Malice D. Dint E. Piety

Ans: C

11. Execrate

A. Curse B. Exhume C. Excite D. Exclude E. Exemplify

Ans: A

12. Assuage

A. Appeal B. Append C. Alter D. Appease E. Advise

Ans: D

468

WORD POWER-QUIZ

38. THE COUNTRY OF THE BLIND

38. THE COUNTRY OF THE BLIND

I. Text Completion

1. As the Nile River flows through Egypt, it takes a variety of forms. At some places it takes the form of a shimmering (i) ______, at some places it (ii) ________ with energy and some other places it drifts silently.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) cascade barricade accolade

Blank (ii) (D) integrates (E) blusters (F) inveighs

Ans: cascade and blusters

2. After noticing a long (i) ________ of people waiting outside the main entrance of the auditorium, Adam (ii) __________ towards the special entrance from where only the staff and family members of the performers could enter. The guard at the special entrance (iii) _____________ Adam from entering into the auditorium from that entrance.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) indicted (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) interdicted (H) introspected (I) intimidated

collage bulwark queue

veered leered

Ans: queue, veered and interdicted

3. Though supporting the military uprising was against its (i) _________, the opposition party used it to come to power. This act of the opposition party leadership failed to (ii) _________ support from its own party workers and they deserted the party. The (iii) ________ party workers publicly criticized the party leaders for their greed for power.

469

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) bolster (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) devious (H) tedious (I) mutinous

theologies ideologies chronologies

muster decipher

Ans: ideology, muster and mutinous

4. The Big Bang Theory is a theory proposed to explain the (i) _________ of the universe. Although this theory so far has provided the most (ii) _______ explanation, there are other contending theories to explain the beginning of universe.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) plausible (E) (F)

nemesis synopsis genesis

audible inevitable

Ans: genesis and plausible

5. The group which started as a small (i) _______ to help the downtrodden tribes has now grown into a large organization. However the ideology of the group has mutated with the (ii) __________ of a new leadership in the group. The new leaders do not hesitate to use violent ways to fight for the cause.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) egoism (E) (F)

coterie battery nonentity

invocation advent

Ans: coterie and advent

470

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. When the company was in a/an (i) _________ stage it hardly had any cash. But after (ii)________ for initial few months it got into its groove and started generating positive cash flows and there was some respite for the founders.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) exorcising (E) floundering (F) interdicting

paranoid embryonic cardinal

Ans: embryonic and floundering

7. The critics (i) ____________ the scholar for his unconventional opinions. The scholar was unmoved by the scathing remarks by the critics. This (ii) ________ attitude of the scholar further irritated his critics.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (iii)
(D) inert (E) veracious (F) raucous

reviled revealed replenished

Ans: reviled and inert

8. The fledgling singer was scared to go onto the stage and sing. Her stage fear was the greatest (i) ________ for her to become successful. After a few conscious attempts she was able to (ii) ________ her fear and then she went on to become a famous singer.

Blank (i)
(A) endearment (B) impediment (C) accoutrement

Blank (ii)
(D) inscribe (E) circumspect (F) circumvent

471

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: impediment and circumvent

9. The rock climbers took it as a challenge to scale the (i) ________ of the rocky cliff. After they reached the (ii) ________ they had a cheerful celebration. From the top the gorge appeared (iii) ________ but this could not dampen their spirits.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) longevity gravity acclivity

Blank (ii) (D) vertex (E) cortex (F) vortex

Blank (iii) (G) dilapidated (H) disturbed (I) abysmal

Ans: acclivity, vertex and abysmal

10. The trekkers found a rare variety of (i) __________ rocks during their trek. These rocks were formed hundreds of years ago in a volcanic eruption. They consulted a geologist to (ii) __________ the age of these rocks.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) induce (E) deduce (F) flounder

igneous odious ingenuous

Ans: igneous and deduce

11. The bridge could not bear the impact of the flood water and was badly damaged. This further (i) _________ the transportation of goods to the other side of the river. The (ii) ________ river just seemed in no mood of showing any mercy towards human beings.

472

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) marred (B) matched (C) fluctuated

Blank (ii)
(D) febrile (E) feeble (F) feral

Ans: marred and feral

12. The cost of laying down the foundation of a building can (i)____________ depending on the method used. In the areas prone to earthquakes, additional (ii)________ work may be required.

Blank (i) (A) adapt (B) fluctuate (C) enfranchise

Blank (ii) (D) seismic (E) cognitive (F) noncommittal

Ans: fluctuate and seismic

13. At least forty policemen have lost their lives in attacks by the (i) ___________ over the last six months. The Home Ministry has committed a (ii)_______ error in estimating the capabilities of these rebellion groups. It had just issued a directive to the police force to combat these groups without making sure that they were well equipped for the combat.

Blank (i) (A) laggards (B) insurgents (C) skinflints

Blank (ii) (D) cardinal (E) corporeal (F) coy

Ans: insurgents and cardinal

473

WORD POWER-QUIZ

14. This book is an excellent resource to know more about the religious beliefs and social (i)___________ during the Roman (ii)___________. It also provides you with information about social hierarchies that existed during the Roman Empire.

Blank (i) (A) introspection (B) mores (C) invocation

Blank (ii) (D) avalanche (E) regeneration (F) ascendancy

Ans: mores and ascendancy

15. When John refused to visit the Church every Sunday for prayers, Bob (i)___________ remarked that John was the most profane and (ii)______ person on earth.

Blank (i) (A) obtusely (B) acidulously (C) haphazardly

Blank (ii) (D) impious (E) veracious (F) cognitive

Ans: acidulously and impious

16. The state of Alabama has been considered a/an (i)________ in infrastructure development. Therefore the state government has undertaken a massive infrastructure development project. It has floated a tender for it and several leading infrastructure companies are in the (ii)_________ for this project.

Blank (i) (A) agrarian (B) laggard (C) ethnic

Blank (ii) (D) introspection (E) fray (F) betrothal

474

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: laggard and fray 17. Thousands of students have passed the 10th class exam this year in India. But when you will go and have a chat with them, you will realize that many of them understood and learned nothing during their school years and remain __________ today.

Blank (i) (A) pied (B) obtuse (C) fitful

Ans: obtuse II. Sentence Equivalence

1. The product development team had to bear the ____________ of the false promises made by the marketing team to the client.

A. brunt B. gorge C. pallet D. hovel E. collage F. impact

Ans: A and F

2. In the match against India, the South African cricket team had built its own ________ by keeping excess grass on the pitch. The pitch conditions proved to me more detrimental to the South African batsmen than the Indian batsmen.

475

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. maxim B. coup d'etat C. sepulcher D. fray E. ideology F. tomb

Ans: C and F

3. To ________ the scanty food supplies from within the country the government will have to import food grains from foreign countries.

A. interdict B. augment C. converge D. supplement E. revile F. instigate

Ans: B and D

4. The funds from the venture capitalist acted as a __________ for accelerating the sluggish growth of the company.

A. carrion B. sepulcher C. catalyst D. impediment E. stimulus F. lumen

Ans: C and E

476

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. The ___________ debate between the inmates of the house transformed the house into a battle field.

A. cosmic B. acrimonious C. benign D. belligerent E. torrid F. seismic

Ans: B and D

6. The ______________ surrounding the saint represents the energy of his wisdom.

A. coterie B. egoism C. residue D. aureole E. hoard F. radiance

Ans: D and F

7. The laborers ___________ against the unreasonable obligations imposed by the factory management upon them.

A. emulated B. inveighed C. initiated D. disclaimed E. remonstrated F. recuperated

Ans: B and E

477

WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. Frank was one of the ___________ scientists who got short listed for the prestigious young scientist award.

A. fledgling B. paranoid C. churlish D. promising E. acidulous F. endemic

Ans: A and D

9. Though the _________ was filled with food grains, the region had a weak public distribution system which resulted in the rotting of the grain.

A. granary B. ford C. achieve D. sanctuary E. warren F. storehouse

Ans: A and F

10. The rainfall continued throughout the day, becoming _______________ by the evening. We hoped it would completely stop sometime very soon.

A. plausible B. exotic C. intermittent D. acoustic E. cathartic F. sporadic

478

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: C and F

11. The college administration staff used to behave very rudely with the students. Therefore the agitated students launched protests against the __________ attitude of the college administration.

A. modish B. churlish C. igneous D. sluggish E. peevish F. ethnic

Ans: B and E

12. Einstein was _________ with immense intelligence and wisdom.

A. blustered B. endued C. veered D. bestowed E. deduced F. listed

Ans: B and D

13. The ____________ attempts by the terrorists to infiltrate our borders have continued over the last five years, but our vigilant and brave soldiers have ensured that the terrorists do not succeed in their malicious intent.

479

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. fitful B. recumbent C. maverick D. cognitive E. intermittent F. canine

Ans: A and E

14. The opposition team launched many threatening attacks on the Southern Warrior teams goalpost, but the Warriors defense remained __________.

A. recumbent B. antediluvian C. paranoid D. impregnable E. invulnerable F. haphazard

Ans: D and E

15. Least bothered about the traffic regulations, many of the commuters park their vehicles in a ______ manner, hampering smooth movement on major roads.

A. ancillary B. niggardly C. haphazard D. disorganized E. derogatory F. onerous

Ans: C and D

480

WORD POWER-QUIZ

16. Brandon and his _________ wife Linda are attempting to put their differences aside and reconcile for the sake of their children.

A. estranged B. separated C. mitigated D. emancipated E. deranged F. redoubtable

Ans: A and B

17. The England coach was __________ in the press conference yesterday when he was asked about the future of their star player Arnold. Though Arnold is a superstar player, his form has recently witnessed a slump.

A. noncommittal B. formidable C. voluble D. evasive E. dedicated F. trenchant

Ans: A and D

18. The police officers suspected that Russels account was less than ___________ as they found blood stains on his clothes. Therefore they arrested him.

A. exaggerated B. inconsequential C. veracious D. true E. aimless F. saline

481

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: C and D III. Synonyms

1. Versatile

A. Multifarious B. Mercantile C. Multitalented D. Monotonous E. Multilingual

Ans: C

2. Insubordinate

A. Disobedient B. Insuperable C. Incontrovertible D. Disinterested E. Disconsolate

Ans: A

3. Replete

A. Scintillating B. Dcollet C. Abounding D. Discrete E. Accommodating

Ans: C

482

WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Viable

A. Indelible B. Practical C. Amicable D. Whimsical E. Hypocritical

Ans: B

5. Torrid

A. Lurid B. Ardent C. Arid D. Florid E. Diffident

Ans: B

6. Respite

A. Sybarite B. Libretto C. Breather D. Breach E. Requisite

Ans: C

483

WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Virtual

A. Virulent B. Implicit C. Explicit D. Nebulous E. Refulgent

Ans: B

8. Aggression

A. Arrogance B. Repercussion C. Obtrusion D. Virility E. Hostility

Ans: E

9. Converge

A. Ignite B. Indite C. Incite D. Cite E. Unite

Ans: E

484

WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. Rakish

A. Jaunty B. Paranoid C. Colorless D. Huge E. Irresponsible

Ans: A

11. Antediluvian

A. Vivacious B. Elementary C. Eternal D. Ethereal E. Antiquated

Ans: E

12. Hirsute

A. Foolhardy B. Funny C. Vivid D. Hairy E. Vital

Ans: D

485

WORD POWER-QUIZ

13. Husband

A. Advise B. Conserve C. Avoid D. Abuse E. Convert

Ans: B

14. Putrid

A. Rosy B. Restless C. Riveting D. Rotten E. Rakish

Ans: D

15. Maverick

A. Coy B. Satirical C. Froward D. Nonconformist E. Bully

Ans: D

486

WORD POWER-QUIZ

16. Deadpan

A. Immaculate B. Expressionless C. Horrible D. Edible E. Demanding

Ans: B

17. Distrait

A. Disastrous B. Distracted C. Deliberate D. Droll E. Demanding

Ans: B

18. Corporeal

A. Mental B. Cognitive C. Physical D. Desultory E. Canine

Ans: C

487

WORD POWER-QUIZ

39. THE DUPLICITY OF HARGRAVES

39. THE DUPLICITY OF HARGRAVES

I. Text Completion

1. After a series of (i) ____________ reports about police officials looting cars on the highway, the police chief (ii) _________ the responsibility of resolving this issue to a group of capable officers. These officers investigated the matter swiftly and arrested the (iii) _________ cops who were in fact notorious criminals posing as police officers.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) ascribed (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) unfeigned (H) veritable (I) bogus

unceremonious sanctimonious calumnious

described subscribed

Ans: calumnious, ascribed and bogus

2. People facing the issue of hair fall are being (i) __________ by the misleading TV advertisements that make unrealistic claims of stopping the hair fall within just five days.

Blank (i)
(A) bilked (B) sulked (C) placated

Ans: bilked

3. The factory workers were happy to receive their (i) ________ for the month along with the (ii) _______ of previous 6 months. The factory was not in a good financial condition for quite some time and therefore the management could not pay the complete salary to the workers. The workers however remained (iii) _________ to the company during this crisis.

488

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) requitals (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) allegiant (H) diligent (I) incessant

emoluments denouements endearments

accolades arrears

Ans: emoluments, arrears and allegiant

4. It is a pathetic movie. Its (i)____________ of the era of 1930s is a mere (ii) _________ of the golden
old times. It fails to evoke the true essence of that period.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) correlation depiction extenuation

Blank (ii) (D) credulity (E) apogee (F) travesty

Ans: depiction and travesty

5. The tech critics were (i)__________ of the technology company which launched a very lackluster product after making (ii)____________ claims.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) economical asymmetric hypercritical

Blank (ii) (D) stilted (E) unabridged (F) avuncular

Ans: hypercritical and stilted

6. He worked ceaselessly for three years to transform the eroded areas into (i)_______ land by using ancient (ii)___________ agriculture techniques.

489

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) avid arable partisan

Blank (ii) (D) indigenous (E) anonymous (F) discursive

Ans: arable and indigenous

7. Our society needs to mature now. We should stop (i) __________ gay and lesbian couples and (ii)__________ them to a subordinate stratum of our society.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) adapting stigmatizing circumventing

Blank (ii) (D) relegating (E) expurgating (F) obfuscating

Ans: stigmatizing and relegating

8. The storyline of the movie is highly (i)__________. It drifts between the past and the present and it beautifully depicts the contrast in the definition of love between the two times.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) derogatory discursive auspicious

Ans: discursive

490

WORD POWER-QUIZ

9. It is good to be proud of you culture and at the same time be open to embrace what is new. But it is not good to have a/an (i)___________ sense of pride in culture and to refuse to appreciate what is new.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) overweening auspicious anonymous

Ans: overweening

10. Ramsung has taken an entirely novel approach for designing TVs. Unlike the traditional TVs, Ramsung has designed them in a/an _____________ fashion. The left half of the TV is curvy while the right half of the TV is angular.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) asymmetric pontifical supererogatory

Ans: asymmetric

491

WORD POWER-QUIZ

II. Sentence Equivalence

1. To make the hilly landscape cultivable, the farmers had to take up the ___________ task of leveling the entire area.

A. arduous B. pious C. formidable D. precocious E. affable F. notable

Ans: A and C

2. To __________ the angry employees the employer had to introduce a lot of employee safety and welfare measures.

A. provoke B. protect C. placate D. prod E. belittle F. pacify

Ans: C and F

3. The employees were ________ as their salary was overdue for six months.

A. bolstered B. intimidated C. festered D. insinuated E. enthralled F. galled

492

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: C and F

4. Robert is a/an ________ book reader and he is always on the look-out for new books to read.

A. abstract B. avid C. witty D. passionate E. sportive F. superfluous

Ans: B and D

5. A memorial was commissioned in the city to ________ the martyrs of the war.

A. commemorate B. hoodwink C. amalgamate D. substantiated E. honor F. scrutinize

Ans: A and E

6. Because of his ________ spending during his good times, Doyle had to borrow money from his friends during his difficult time.

A. stilted B. calumnious C. improvident D. rakish E. reckless F. niggardly

493

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: C and E

7. The couple had decent earnings, but they preferred to spend a/an ______________ life. They wanted to save some money that would be handy in future in case of any financial hardships.

A. auspicious B. economical C. thrifty D. tendentious E. pontifical F. belated

Ans: B and C

8. The _______ of the problem is the absence of a single platform to reconcile the data from the two departments. This has caused a great difficulty in the two departments working together.

A. abbreviation B. roster C. latitude D. crux E. credulity F. core

Ans: D and F

9. The stock market witnessed a/an _____________ start to the New Year with an increase of 500 in the benchmark index. We hope that the same positive trend will continue going forward.

494

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. promising B. anonymous C. partisan D. auspicious E. tendentious F. elysian

Ans: A and D

10. The ________ of the newly formed political group is increasing in the state and it is expected to do well in the coming assembly elections.

A. influence B. doubt C. clout D. stereotype E. latitude F. expenditure

Ans: A and C III. Synonyms

1. Broach

A. Induce B. Introduce C. Betray D. Deduce E. Breach

Ans: B

495

WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. Deter

A. Assuage B. Detonate C. Discourage D. Engage E. Determine

Ans: C

3. Arable

A. Affable B. Inscrutable C. Cultivable D. Notable E. Equitable

Ans: C

4.

Prune

A. Incriminate B. Trim C. Grimace D. Reprimand E. Primp

Ans: B

496

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Equilibrium

A. Requital B. Inequity C. Expertise D. Treatise E. Balance

Ans: E

6. Depraved

A. Voluptuous B. Belated C. Unabridged D. Unfeigned E. Corrupt

Ans: E

7. Replicate

A. Repress B. Refurbish C. Endure D. Resume E. Reproduce

Ans: E

497

WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. Sophisticated

A. Refined B. Elated C. Vaunted D. Coveted E. Demented

Ans: A

9. Disapprobation

A. Commotion B. Condemnation C. Compassion D. Compensation E. Composure

Ans: B

10. Apogee

A. Summit B. Refectory C. Abbreviation D. Caption E. Credulity

Ans: A

498

WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. Roster

A. Confusion B. Husband C. Abbreviation D. List E. Resilience

Ans: D

499

WORD POWER-QUIZ

40. HOW THE WIDOW WON THE DEACON

40. HOW THE WIDOW WON THE DEACON

I. Text Completion

1. The management tried to (i) ________ the weak unit by investing the profit from the strong unit into it. However the weak unit still did not flourish. A board meeting was (ii) ________ to discuss the issue of (iii) ___________ both the units thereby consolidating the business.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) convened (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) splurging (H) merging (I) propounding

nurture venture enrapture

conveyed converted

Ans: nurture, convened and merging

2. Due to heavy rains the (i) ________ river was posing a serious threat to the low lying areas on the river bank. To add to the woes the supply of the aid to these areas was already (ii) _________ due to the heavy rains.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) pampered (E) (F)

bellowing billowing mellowing

relegated hampered

Ans: billowing and hampered

3. Used to excessive (i) __________ at home, the little girl found it difficult to adapt to the new atmosphere at the boarding school. Understanding her restlessness the warden tried to pacify her saying that her homesickness was (ii) _____ and she would soon start liking the place.

500

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) hortatory (E) (F)

coddling wrangling nurturing

perfunctory transitory

Ans: coddling and transitory

4. After noticing a group of (i)__________bears near the pond through his binoculars, the tourist insisted on the driver taking him closer to the pond. The driver however (ii) ________ on the tourists proposition saying that it was best advisable for them to stay away from the (iii) ____________ of such beasts as they might be unpredictably dangerous.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) allayed (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) clique (H) trick (I) clime

sloth slump sump

annoyed animadverted

Ans: sloth, animadverted and clique

5. The industry will go through a phase of (i)_________ as scale will become increasingly important to maintain profitability going forward. Therefore the small companies will have to set aside their (ii)____________ and be prepared to get acquired by large companies.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) reprisal appellation consolidation

Blank (ii) (D) hubris (E) application (F) clout

Ans: consolidation and hubris

501

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. The issue of agricultural subsidies is a/an (i)_______________ one. Sometime the politicians announce unwarranted subsidies to gain some political mileage; but these subsidies lead to a/an (ii)_______ financial condition for the state.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) contentious mendacious sadistic

Blank (ii) (D) avid (E) precarious (F) allegiant

Ans: contentious and precarious II. Sentence Equivalence

1. In the Physics exam the students faced a tough question that asked them to calculate the ____________ force required to take an aircraft to the take off speed.

A. propulsive B. corrosive C. incisive D. impassive E. submissive F. driving

Ans: A and F

2. The ____________ of coming up with an explanation for the failed mission lies with the project leader.

502

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. onus B. genus C. obligation D. terminus E. mutability F. retrievability

Ans: A and C

3. In spite of the unfortunate incident that crippled the city yesterday, the __________Mumbai is back on its feet today and its business as usual today.

A. bloated B. thematic C. resilient D. illimitable E. inscrutable F. buoyant

Ans: C and F

4. The expenditure figures are __________ to such an extent that anybody with a basic understanding of the business will laugh at those.

A. halted B. bloated C. braided D. inflated E. instigated F. discounted

Ans: B and D

503

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. The rumors of major policy changes by the central bank have increased the ____________ of the investors.

A. hierarchy B. paucity C. skittishness D. consensus E. ladder F. restlessness

Ans: C and F

6. The ____ given to the penguins at the zoo included fish, shrimps and eggs.

A. diadem B. facet C. gossamer D. replica E. food F. provender

Ans: E and F III. Synonyms

1. Wispy

A. Deleterious B. Thin C. Raspy D. Indelible E. Skimpy

Ans: B
504

WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. Catapult

A. List B. Corrode C. Impinge D. Shoot E. Carp

Ans: D

3. Annihilate

A. Enunciate B. Postulate C. Effectuate D. Obviate E. Eradicate

Ans: E

4. Slither

A. Slur B. Dislodge C. Slide D. Wither E. Smother

Ans: C

505

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Unison

A. Negligence B. Harmony C. Pathos D. Mayhem E. Hardship

Ans: B
6. Propound

A. Propose B. Oppose C. Assist D. Spread E. Cheat

Ans: A
7. Mendacious

A. Belligerent B. Frightening C. Intelligent D. Untruthful E. Athletic

Ans: D

506

WORD POWER-QUIZ

41. THE SHOT

41. THE SHOT

I. Text Completion

1. Clothes with delicate embroidery on them (i) ___________ great care while washing and storing. Annie has a (ii) ____________ of gowns with a lot of fine embroidery on them. She has employed a (iii) ___________ to do the job for her.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) squire (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) luxuriant (H) pedestrian (I) proletarian

entrust entail engrave

gamut consort

Ans: entail, gamut and proletarian

2. The (i) _________ between the boxers of the two groups is part of an annual event. Though the fight for victory is expected to be fierce, the referee has been instructed to stop the match if it turns (ii) __________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) mercenary (E) sanguinary (F) culinary

dual duel gruel

Ans: duel and sanguinary

3. Ronald, who was alleged of using (i) _________ language during the match, got a/an (ii) _________ when the jury investigating the allegations found no clear evidence of misbehavior and hence cleared him of the charges.

507

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) illusive (B) abusive (C) pensive

Blank (ii)
(D) stamina (E) reprieve (F) obsequy

Ans: abusive and reprieve

4. It was (i) ___________ to the employees of the company that their CEO be replaced before he completed the tenure as he was quite popular with the employees. The management had abruptly decided to replace him after a derogatory article was published in a local (ii) _________. This was however a (iii) ______________ act of the CEOs rivals within the company.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) gazette (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) disconsolate (H) distinguished (I) disingenuous

irrefutable unavoidable unpalatable

gadget synopsis

Ans: unpalatable, gazette and disingenuous

5. The (i) ____________ from the traditional billing system to the computerized billing system is prevalent among various retail outlets these days. This change provides the outlets with a/an (ii) __________ method of accurately managing their inventory and accounts. Unlike the traditional manual system, the computerized system is (iii) __________ and robust.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) subjective (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) inerrant (H) illegitimate (I) indigenous

transgression transcription transition

constrained optimum

Ans: transition, optimum and inerrant

508

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. Because of his (i) ______________, Adam became the successor of his father's empire. His younger brothers willingly accepted to work under his leadership. According to the (ii) _________ of history, Adam was a very generous ruler. In fact Adam was the first member of his (iii)___________to have donated huge sums of money for the construction of prayer houses for all the religions.

Blank (i)
(A) conjecture (B)

Blank (ii)
(D) annals (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) tutelage (H) lineage (I) mileage

entourage

victuals reverie

(C) primogeniture

Ans: primogeniture, annals and lineage

7. The dissatisfaction of the army regarding their emoluments (i) _______ a probable revolt in the army. The country would fall into deep crisis if such a/an (ii) __________ happened. The military head communicated the (iii) _______ feelings of the soldiers to the King so that he could take appropriate action.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) instigation (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) benign (H) vitriolic (I) metabolic

loaded boded waded

insurrection diminution

Ans: boded, insurrection and vitriolic

8. The military commander of the dethroned king tried to (i) _________ the injustice done to his master. His master was (ii) _________ by his brother through deceitful means. (iii) ___________ to what was done to his master the commander also orchestrated a rebellion against the current ruler.

509

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) supplanted (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) Transitory (H) Compatible (I) Analogous

ensue avenge rally

supplicated supplemented

Ans: avenge, supplanted and Analogous

9. Rele is the most (i)________ goal scorer in the history of football. In a career that spanned from 1954 until 1977, he scored more than 1000 goals. No doubt he has won a (ii)_______________ of awards and accolades for this feat.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) genre (E) plethora (F)

sedate fractious prolific

gamut

Ans: prolific and plethora

10. After the recent riots the leading news paper wrote in a (i)___________ tone that the (ii) ___________ and often bitter religious politics in our country is always looking for ways to make our country bleed so that it could benefit in one way or the other from it.

Blank (i) (A) caustic (B) compatible (C) valedictory

Blank (ii) (D) jocular (E) fractious (F) conversant

Ans: caustic and fractious

510

WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. The project of launching a satellite is very complex with a lot of (i)___________ risks. If these risks are left (ii)_____________, then your project is bound to be doomed.

Blank (i) (A) static (B) inherent (C) plenary

Blank (ii) (D) unmitigated (E) subjective (F) perforated

Ans: inherent and unmitigated

12. If you (i)____________ deep into what all scams took place in Georges (ii)__________ as the Chief Minister, your head will spin looking at the magnitude of frauds he and his cronies have committed.

Blank (i) (A) beleaguer (B) delve (C) hibernate

Blank (ii) (D) colloquy (E) tenure (F) wake

Ans: delve and tenure II. Sentence Equivalence

1. The defense department declared the mission to be successful after the test missile accurately hit the target by following the ______________programmed in the system.

A. trajectory B. promontory C. refectory D. girth E. path F. throe

511

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A and E

2. Being an innate __________, George failed to save decent money for his future needs.

A. sanguinary B. spendthrift C. valedictory D. squanderer E. sedate F. vitriolic

Ans: B and D

3. Post economic liberalization there has been an increased __________ of wealth in the society. The poor have become poorer and the rich have become richer.

A. parity B. disparity C. posterity D. celerity E. alacrity F. inequity

Ans: B and F

4. The apparently insane criminal defended the murder in the court by claiming that he heard voices in his head and he took them as _________ messages from the CIA to kill the person.

A. subliminal B. hibernal C. hidden D. rational E. prolific F. inherent

512

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A and C

5. In spite of several urges by its owner to clear the road, the _____________ buffalo did not move an inch from her position at the middle of the road where she was sitting coolly.

A. perfunctory B. promontory C. refractory D. baleful E. wonderful F. obstinate

Ans: C and F

6. After a spectacular win of their team, the drunken __________ of the fans began as they moved shirtless on the street hailing their victorious team.

A. antics B. psychotics C. sophistries D. skeptics E. buffooneries F. beneficiaries

Ans: A and E

7. The candidates are advised to select an appropriate career path so that there is a minimum __________ between their aspirations and their capabilities.

513

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. disjunction B. premonition C. perdition D. disconnect E. appreciation F. cerebration

Ans: A and D

8. What came first-chicken or egg? is a big ___________ that nobody could solve so far.

A. excess B. plethora C. filigree D. odyssey E. puzzle F. conundrum

Ans: E and F

9. The business tycoon categorically stated that the ________ and insulting allegations against him of bribing politicians were completely false.

A. spiteful B. malicious C. casual D. static E. subjective F. stationary

Ans: A and B

10. 80% of IT managers in the USA expect the IT budgets to decline or in the best possible case remain _______over the next year. This is a bad news for the IT outsourcing industry.
514

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. mobile B. static C. stagnant D. agile E. rife F. perforated

Ans: B and C

11. Fortunately the interviewer asked me my opinion on the issue of imposing a ban on usage of plastic carry bags. Being a chemical engineer myself, I was quite __________ with all the facets of the issue and thats why we could have a good discussion about it.

A. deviated B. invalidated C. riddled D. warranted E. acquainted F. conversant

Ans: E and F

12. ______________ by creditors demanding their money back, John fled the country.

A. Beleaguered B. Betrayed C. Reimbursed D. Indemnified E. Mitigated F. Harassed

Ans: A and F

515

WORD POWER-QUIZ

III. Synonyms

1. Foreshadow

A. Premeditate B. Deprecate C. Presage D. Preclude E. Prevaricate

Ans: C

2. Sedate

A. Inordinate B. Economical C. Commensurate D. Calm E. Calumnious

Ans: D

3. Promiscuous

A. Prominent B. Wanton C. Indigenous D. Raucous E. Viscous

Ans: B

516

WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Sententious

A. Pithy B. Swarthy C. Factitious D. Earthy E. Expeditious

Ans: A

5. Protuberance

A. Trance B. Exuberance C. Bulge D. Assurance E. Brunt

Ans: C

6. Ramshackle

A. Crinkled B. Dilapidated C. Fickle D. Dilatory E. Prosaic

Ans: B

517

WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Facilitate

A. Assist B. Annotate C. Resuscitate D. Simplistic E. Vital

Ans: A

8. Diminution

A. Promotion B. Distinction C. Redolence D. Sanction E. Reduction

Ans: E

9. Renovate

A. Renew B. Destroy C. Disturb D. Regenerate E. Reduce

Ans: A

518

WORD POWER-QUIZ

10. Superannuated

A. Fashionable B. Outmoded C. Colorful D. Wet E. Heavy

Ans: B

11. Missile

A. Pet B. Epigram C. Sheath D. Projectile E. Arbitrator

Ans: D

12. Rife

A. Ambidextrous B. Jocular C. Abundant D. Perforated E. Subjective

Ans: C

519

WORD POWER-QUIZ

42. A PROBLEM IN COMMUNICATION

42. A PROBLEM IN COMMUNICATION

I. Text Completion

1. Though the candidate was academically (i) ________, he did not have the relevant work experience for the job. Hence the interviewers offered the candidate a/an (ii) ________ instead of a full time job. They thought that this would help the candidate to (iii) _________ himself towards the domain and also to get useful hands-on experience.

Blank (i)
(A) quantified (B)

Blank (ii)
(D) courtship (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) entreat (H) proscribe (I) orient

qualified

indentureship appellation

(C) rescinded

Ans: qualified, indentureship and orient

2. The tyrannical ruler was a religious (i) ___________ and he compelled his citizens to convert to his religion. He promoted religious events to increase the (ii) __________ of his religion. He also authored a/an (iii) _________________ account on the religion which he practiced.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) bohemian sentinel chauvinist

Blank (ii) (D) evasiveness (E) pervasiveness (F) animadversion

Blank (iii) (G) hypocritical (H) eulogistic (I) erudite

Ans: chauvinist, pervasiveness and eulogistic

3. Confident about his military might the king issued a/an (i) ____________to the neighboring ruler to admit defeat and consequently he sent his general for (ii) ______________ of the border to check the military preparedness of the enemy. The king asked his (iii) _______________ to be ready for the attack.

520

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) reminiscence (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) armada (H) llama (I) hireling

ultimatum dictum arboretum

renaissance reconnaissance

Ans: ultimatum, reconnaissance and armada

4. After learning that his (i) _____________ had accumulated the riches by deceiving nave villagers, Sam decided to give away all his inherited wealth to the needy people. According to Sam (ii) _____________ innocent people was a sin.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) cozening (E) (F)

conspirator auditor progenitor

rescinding prohibiting

Ans: progenitor and cozening

5. The (i) ____________ of the steel factory, where men and machine worked together in complete harmony, was quite impressive. Though it started as a small steel workshop, due to the hard work of its employees its fortunes (ii) ____________and it went on to become a large scale steel factory.

Blank (i)
(A) fiasco (B) microcosm (C) fanaticism

Blank (ii)
(D) taxed (E) waxed (F)

perplexed

Ans: microcosm and waxed

521

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. The (i) _________ of crimes, especially during the late night hours, prompted the police to take an immediate action to curb it. The police (ii) ____________ people from moving in groups after midnight and also doubled the frequency of night patrol. A few days after taking these measures, the crime rate started (iii) ______________ and gradually crimes after the evening hours became unheard of.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) delayed (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) wading (H) waning (I) whining

proliferation infiltration constitution

rescinded prohibited

Ans: proliferation, prohibited and waning

7. The lazy young professional dreamed of landing into a job that was a (i) _______. But he landed into a job that required him to work for at least fifteen hours per day. The (ii)____________ of surviving in this competitive and demanding job affected his health adversely and he became very thin.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) impetus (E) (F)

sinecure microcosm duress

incubus hiatus

Ans: sinecure and incubus

8. Because of vehement protests by the opposition party members in the Parliament, the Parliament could not function normally for over a week. The stubborn opposition party members were alleging that the corruption was shamelessly flourishing under the (i) _______ of the government. Finally the Prime Minster had to intervene to break the Parliament (ii)_________.

522

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) aegis (B) foray (C) reconnaissance

Blank (ii)
(D) application (E) pandemic (F) impasse

Ans: aegis and impasse

9. The (i) ___________ was home to rare flora from remote corners of the world. (ii) ____________ botanists from all over the world carried out their research there.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) Erudite (E) Agile (F)

arboretum atrium lobby

Nominal

Ans: arboretum and Erudite

10. The town was known for its (i) _________ harmony where people from various religious backgrounds lived together happily. There was no (ii) __________ there based on color, race etc.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) incrimination (E) (F)

communal symmetrical nominal

discrimination termination

Ans: communal and discrimination

11. The book intended to (i)______________ explain all the key messages of the doctrine. The author (ii) _________ all the relevant information related to the doctrine and presented it very clearly and

523

WORD POWER-QUIZ

logically.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) concatenated (E) (F)

perspicuously pragmatically symmetrically

converted collated

Ans: perspicuously and collated

12. The Kush government welcomes feedback and criticism from all corners of the society. It has consistently thrown its doors open to (i)________ opinions and views from various sources, the opposition (ii)__________.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) omnipotent divergent lackadaisical

Blank (ii) (D) inclusive (E) apolitical (F) idolatrous

Ans: divergent and inclusive

13. Fossil fuels like oil and coal are considered (i)________ resources because they exist in limited quantities and are produced over the course of millions of years through natural processes that cannot be controlled by humans. Therefore importance of biofuels is increasing. Biofuels are environment friendly as well. The greenhouse gas emission related with biofuels is (ii)___________ when compared to the corresponding emissions from fossil fuels.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) finite brittle idolatrous

Blank (ii) (D) obvious (E) negligible (F) astronomical

524

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: finite and negligible

14. Ian was very much aware of the (i)_____________ of passing any (ii) _____________ remark against the tyrannical dictator. In spite of that he did not hesitate in spitting vile against the dictator in his speech.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) disparities affiliations implications

Blank (ii) (D) scurrilous (E) symmetrical (F) pragmatic

Ans: implications and scurrilous

15. Couples view (i)______ as an alternative to marriage, they feel that on (ii) ________ grounds it is much more flexible and convenient than marriage.

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) cohabitation hieroglyphic proselyte

Blank (ii) (D) symmetrical (E) pragmatic (F) ambiguous

Ans: cohabitation and pragmatic II. Sentence Equivalence

1. The gravitational force of the earth is ________________. It holds the car to the road, it holds the driver to the car seat and it also holds the moon close to the earth.

525

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. omnipresent B. ominous C. all-pervading D. industrious E. lackadaisical F. vague

Ans: A and C

2. It seemed quite _____________ to launch the conference with a speech from Mr. Brown, the most authoritative expert on the theme of the conference.

A. mandatory B. unequivocal C. apropos D. pivotal E. communal F. fitting

Ans: C and F

3. The people thought that the increase in the income tax rate by a whopping 10% was a __________ measure by the government to reduce the fiscal deficit. They launched nationwide protests against these measures.

A. wonderful B. draconian C. tangential D. symmetrical E. severe F. perspicuous

Ans: B and E

526

WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. In spite of several conspiracies against the ruling regime, the rebels completely failed to challenge the ____________________ of the ruling regime.

A. sinecure B. preponderance C. heresy D. dominance E. stint F. impasse

Ans: B and D

5. The army completely __________ the capital city of the enemy country by bombarding missiles.

A. concatenated B. razed C. compiled D. chaffed E. collated F. demolished

Ans: B and F

6. A grasshopper ____________itself so effectively that it is next to impossible to notice it in green surroundings.

A. blunders B. buries C. camouflages D. resolves E. conceals F. exalts

Ans: C and E
527

WORD POWER-QUIZ

7. Looking at the gigantic eggs of the dinosaur, Rachel __________ in astonishment.

A. gaped B. flouted C. retained D. gawked E. rankled F. compiled

Ans: A and D

8. Till 1995 Infolink was a very small IT services company. But after 1995 it aggressively grabbed very large Y2K projects and that explains its _____________ rise as a dominant IT player in the late nineties.

A. tangential B. imperialistic C. meteoric D. materialistic E. methodical F. spectacular

Ans: C and F

9. The star player moved back to the Manchester United club after the club offered to pay him a/an ____________ amount of money.

A. imminent B. astronomical C. farcical D. massive E. satirical F. cursive

528

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and D

10. To maintain his dominance over the country, the dictator ___________ the powers of everyone else in the political sphere of the country.

A. succumbed B. circumscribed C. adhered D. restricted E. deliberated F. levitated

Ans: B and D

11. The king became a ___________ ruler when his son became the military head. His son became the sole authority to approve all the major decisions in the state.

A. titanic B. titular C. presumptuous D. draconian E. idolatrous F. nominal

Ans: B and F

12. For a long period, Toogle was not present in the mobile operating system space. But early this year Toogles acquisition of Anbroib marked its __________ into the world of mobile operating system.

A. foray B. cession C. implication D. invasion E. aversion

529

WORD POWER-QUIZ

F. interstice

Ans: A and D

13. The company had a very strict dress code. It was ___________ for all the employees to wear business formals every day.

A. olfactory B. nugatory C. mandatory D. receptive E. imperative F. impassive

Ans: C and E

14. Our government has become a mere puppet in the hands of the PSA. If the PSA sneezes, our ___________ government rushes to it with a handkerchief in its hands.

A. pliable B. tractable C. brittle D. negligible E. lackadaisical F. perspicacious

Ans: A and B

15. The police are on the lookout for the religious Guru who ____________ hundreds of his devotees of thousands of rupees.

530

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. mulcted B. swindled C. pored D. emended E. concatenated F. beautified

Ans: A and B

16. The notorious criminal claimed in the court that his confession of the murder given to the police was obtained by the police under _______ and hence should not be held valid in the court.

A. duress B. perk C. cession D. juggernaut E. cubicle F. force

Ans: A and F III. Synonyms

1. Pinnacle

A. Debacle B. Reconnaissance C. Acme D. Chronicle E. Cleft

Ans: C

531

WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. Rescind

A. Induce B. Indulge C. Revoke D. Instigate E. Stigmatize

Ans: C

3. Exculpate

A. Dissipate B. Extirpate C. Placate D. Vindicate E. Emancipate

Ans: D

4. Proscribe

A. Transcribe B. Discern C. Ascribe D. Disinter E. Disallow

Ans: E

532

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Descry

A. Discern B. Suppress C. Decry D. Descry E. Condescend

Ans: A

6. Contravene

A. Indicate B. Oppose C. Intimidate D. Repose E. Wean

Ans: B

7. Compile

A. Beguile B. Gather C. Tether D. Reconcile E. Slither

Ans: B

533

WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. Codify

A. Scoff B. Classify C. Cogitate D. Coin E. Compromise

Ans: B

9. Presumptuous

A. Conscientious B. Facetious C. Audacious D. Propitious E. Surreptitious

Ans: C

10. Paradigm

A. Equity B. Decimation C. Heresy D. Perk E. Model

Ans: E

534

WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. Lackadaisical

A. Demotic B. Decadent C. Beautiful D. Languid E. Hearty

Ans: D

12. Decadent

A. Finite B. Pivotal C. Corrupt D. Pragmatic E. Congruent

Ans: C

13. Congruent

A. Horrible B. Harmonizing C. Horrendous D. Pragmatic E. Pivotal

Ans: B

535

WORD POWER-QUIZ

14. Chaff

A. Banter B. Fauna C. Propeller D. Hieroglyphic E. Implication

Ans: A

15. Pivotal

A. Negligible B. Cold C. Sharp D. Malleable E. Vital

Ans: E

16. Emend

A. Correct B. Cultivate C. Cook D. Disturb E. Deviate

Ans: A

536

WORD POWER-QUIZ

43. WHY THOMAS WAS DISCHARGED

43. WHY THOMAS WAS DISCHARGED

I. Text Completion

1. Scientific theory suggests that a/an (i) ____________ hit the earth millions of years ago. As a result of this impact dinosaurs were (ii) __________ from the planet. Present day lizards and reptiles are believed to have the same (iii) ______________ as that of dinosaurs.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) coagulated (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) genealogy (H) chronology (I) oncology

asteroid bugaboo missile

insinuated obliterated

Ans: asteroid, obliterated and genealogy

2. The (i) ___________ feature of the new economic policy is the promotion of inclusive growth. Industries especially in the (ii) ___________ are encouraged as it may lead to the development of remote and less developed parts of the country. The policy also (iii) _____________ several incentives like subsidies and tax holidays for industries in such parts of the country.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) asylum (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) encompasses (H) decelerates (I) derives

eclectic salient prurient

sanctuary hinterland

Ans: salient, hinterland and encompasses

3. The (i) _________ professor grew over confident due to his achievements and recognition. When asked to present his research at a conference the professor did not bother to prepare and delivered the talk (ii) ______________. Due to the lack of preparation the presentation appeared (iii) __________ and irrelevant.

537

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) enthusiastically (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) rarefied

disconsolate laureate innate

extemporaneously (H) brackish explicitly

(I) staccato

Ans: laureate, extemporaneously and staccato

4. There was a (i) ________ within the medical fraternity about the benefits of the new drug in the market. This new drug was alleged to introduce an unusual type of (ii) ________ substance in the blood. The accumulation of this substance in the lungs could lead to chronic (iii) ________ complications.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) indivisible (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) abdominal (H) cardiac (I) pulmonary

penance benevolence dissonance

indissoluble homogeneous

Ans: dissonance, indissoluble and pulmonary

5. The opening ceremony of world championship exemplified (i) __________ cultures from different parts of the world. Towards the end of the opening ceremony, the (ii) _________ stadium was illuminated with spectacular laser shows and fireworks.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) elliptical (E) methodical (F) graphical

acetic enigmatic eclectic

Ans: eclectic and elliptical

538

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. The (i) ___________ in the back waters was an annual event attracting participants from different corners of the world. The participants would come to the location of the race a few days in advance so that they could (ii) _______________ themselves to the local conditions.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) accredit (E) (F)

regatta espionage inception

accompany acclimate

Ans: regatta and acclimate

7. Gold is the most popular metal for making ornaments as it is chemically stable, bright, attractive and (i) _________ in nature. Although it can be shaped easily, gold cannot be used in its pure form for ornaments because of its (ii) __________. Hence generally a/an (iii) _________ of gold mixed with copper is used to make ornaments.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) publicity (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) alloy (H) ally (I) archetype

malleable active contraband

elasticity plasticity

Ans: malleable, plasticity and alloy

8. The business (i) __________ was tired of the rat race of the materialistic world and hence he decided to retire from his business responsibilities. He advised his successors that rivalry and misery are inevitable (ii) ____________ to worldly success and that one should be very careful while making business decisions. He left his business and became a (iii) ___________ seeking nirvana and peace of mind.

539

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i) (A) (B) (C) lunatic magnet magnate

Blank (ii) (D) novelties (E) cubicles (F) concomitants

Blank 3 (G) recluse (H) bohemian (I) prude

Ans: magnate, concomitants and recluse

9. The enforcement of the new trade law has clipped the wings of the traders involved in trading of (i) __________ goods. These greedy traders are left with no other (ii) __________ but to refrain from indulging in trading of such banned goods.

Blank (i) (A) perspicuous (B) mandatory (C) contraband

Blank (ii) (D) option (E) duration (F) contention

Ans: contraband and option

10. The (i) ____________ at the hill station was a favorite place for music enthusiasts to learn music. The training program was (ii) _____________ so innovatively that the students did not find it tiring to practice music even for more than eight hours a day.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) conflated (E) exacerbated (F) implemented

observatory conservatory orthography

Ans: conservatory and implemented

540

WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. The relation between the two superstars was already strained. The matter was further (i)_______ when one of the stars made (ii)________________ remarks against the other star in a party attended by the luminaries of the industry.

Blank (i) (A) exacerbated (B) loitered (C) coagulated

Blank (ii) (D) vituperative (E) mawkish (F) innovative

Ans: exacerbated and vituperative

12. When the doctor administered (i)_____________ to the patient before the regular plastic surgery, the patients heart started beating in a/an (ii)____________ fashion and the patient died within a couple of minutes. The doctor could not understand the reason behind the erratic behavior of the patients heart. Later it came to light that the patient was suffering from a cardiac condition which he did not disclose to the doctor before the surgery.

Blank (i) (A) anesthesia (B) temperance (C) orthography

Blank (ii) (D) extrovert (E) rarefied (F) arrhythmic

Ans: anesthesia and arrhythmic

13. It is difficult to precisely describe the status of our economy. It is (i) ___________between recession and recovery. The government has already tried out all the known schemes to stabilize the economy. Now there is a need for exploring some (ii)___________ ways to address this issue.

541

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i) (A) matriculating (B) vacillating (C) pinioning

Blank (ii) (D) innovative (E) fawning (F) insular

Ans: vacillating and innovative

14. The location of BIEC is (i) _________ for the organization of such a large international exhibition as it is (ii)__________ from the entertainment, shopping and commercial hubs of the city and the state capital.

Blank (i) (A) monolithic (B) innovative (C) expedient

Blank (ii) (D) accessible (E) fawning (F) extrovert

Ans: expedient and accessible II. Sentence Equivalence

1. A _______________ of flora is found in the rain forests as the land is quite fertile and the climate is conducive for the growth of trees.

A. multiplicity B. tenacity C. veracity D. virility E. integrity F. variety

Ans: A and F

542

WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. The departing CEO was paid hefty __________ package by the company.

A. severance B. ablution C. rejuvenation D. separation E. regatta F. dissonance

Ans: A and D

3. The proximity of the asteroid to the earth resulted in a lot of speculations and predictions about its effect on the __________ life.

A. temporal B. terrestrial C. meteoric D. earthly E. lunar F. tangential

Ans: B and D

4. While addressing the press conference the agitated CEO told the reporters not to _________ the issue of the recent management reshuffle with the issue of corporate governance as these two issues were completely unrelated.

A. resign B. garnish C. intervene D. conflate E. bask F. merge

543

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: D and F

5. If the river fish are introduced into the sea, they immediately die as they are not attuned to survive in the ____________ sea water.

A. malleable B. sedentary C. brackish D. brittle E. saline F. mawkish

Ans: C and E

6. Todays ____________ lifestyle has given rise to many health related problem such as spondylitis, obesity etc.

A. terrestrial B. sedentary C. homogeneous D. pulmonary E. parallel F. inactive

Ans: B and F

7. The __________ attitude of the patient towards her diet has worsened her health.

A. slipshod B. innovative C. careless D. fawning E. vacillating F. staccato

544

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: A and C

8. The board has also directed schools to involve teachers of other schools in evaluation of exam papers, to avoid ________.

A. indentation B. partiality C. preponderance D. equanimity E. equity F. favoritism

Ans: B and F

9. The selection of the final five vendors was based on a rigorous evaluation of over 50 vendors on several _________ like expertise, team profile, financial stability and cost structure.

A. parameters B. entree C. paraphernalia D. jaunt E. paradox F. aspects

Ans: A and F

10. This particular chemical test does not give proper results if the there is any moisture content in the compound. Therefore the compound needs to be properly ____________ before carrying out the test.

545

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. coagulated B. loitered C. beautified D. concatenated E. dehydrated F. desiccated

Ans: E and F

11. He was born in a very poor family. After his graduation he somehow managed to find the job of a shop floor worker. Starting from there, he achieved a meteoric rise till he reached _______ heights on the corporate ladder when he became the CEO of the company.

A. piquant B. rarefied C. esoteric D. insular E. homogenous F. mawkish

Ans: B and C

12. It may sound _________ or foolish to non-dog lovers, but I must say that there is no other creature on the earth that is as honest, humble, innocent and loyal as a dog.

A. insular B. parallel C. analogous D. monolithic E. over-sentimental F. mawkish

Ans: E and F

546

WORD POWER-QUIZ

13. Roberto repented ignoring the true love of Maria and running after the _______ beauty of Jasmine.

A. historical B. fleeting C. symmetrical D. unequivocal E. omnipotent F. fugitive

Ans: B and F

14. In todays world once you become a celebrity, the media and your __________ fans jostle to keep track of every detail of your personal life.

A. parallel B. piquant C. fawning D. homogenous E. sycophantic F. blas

Ans: C and E III. Synonyms

1. Contention

A. Contempt B. Revelry C. Rivalry D. Sophistry E. Granary

Ans: C
547

WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. Slipshod

A. Culinary B. Paltry C. Chary D. Tawdry E. Careless

Ans: E

3. Germinate

A. Tout B. Flout C. Sprout D. Outwit E. Outstrip

Ans: C

4. Hone

A. Affix B. Hover C. Behoove D. Drone E. Improve

Ans: E

548

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Bombardment

A. Regatta B. Transgression C. Attack D. Collusion E. Propulsion

Ans: C

6. Derivative

A. Derived B. Derisive C. Illusive D. Responsive E. Depraved

Ans: A

7. Permeate

A. Grouse B. Diffuse C. Summon D. Nauseate E. Erase

Ans: B

549

WORD POWER-QUIZ

8. Decelerate

A. Hurtle B. Diminish C. Slow down D. Subjugate E. Delineate

Ans: C

9. Beset

A. Retaliate B. Berate C. Flounder D. Beleaguer E. Beget

Ans: D

10. Piquant

A. Tangy B. Insular C. Parallel D. Colorful E. Tangential

Ans: A

550

WORD POWER-QUIZ

11. Carnage

A. Insurrection B. Diminution C. Lineage D. Vivacity E. Massacre

Ans: E

12. Blas

A. Uptight B. Careful C. Horrible D. Nonchalant E. Beautiful

Ans: D

13. Pinion

A. Refuse B. Release C. Revise D. Revolve E. Restrain

Ans: E

551

WORD POWER-QUIZ

14. Extrovert

A. Introvert B. Reclusive C. Rebellion D. Ramshackle E. Outgoing

Ans: E

15. Reprise

A. Repetition B. Reduction C. Refraction D. Rejection E. Reminder

Ans: A

16. Insular

A. Impressive B. Arid C. Agile D. Isolated E. Novel

Ans: D

552

WORD POWER-QUIZ

44. FATHER AND SON

44. FATHER AND SON

I. Text Completion

1. The city has witnessed a surge of burglary and thefts in the recent times and ironically the perpetrators of these (i) _________ crimes are still roaming free. The (ii) _________ delay by the law enforcing agencies to arrest these criminals has resulted in a huge public unrest.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) indomitable (E) ineluctable (F) unconscionable

inconsequential existential pestilential

Ans: pestilential and unconscionable

2. With growing (i) _________ trade between Australia and South Africa, the sea route between the two countries has (ii) _________ attention of the leading global shipping companies.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) consigned (E) garnered (F) niggled

meteoric maritime apolitical

Ans: maritime and garnered

3. The (i) _________ mentor followed a rigorous methodology to train his mentees. Known for his rough but affable manner, the mentor would make his mentees proficient by subjecting them to his (ii) ___________ techniques. But sometimes the rigor of his techniques would demoralize a mentee; in that case he had to (iii) ____________ from his standard course and use a soft approach to motivate the mentee.

553

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) stuff (B)

Blank (ii)
(D) contingent (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) niggle (H) converge (I) deflect

bluff

stringent refulgent

(C) blunt

Ans: bluff, stringent and deflect

4. (i) __________by the noise of the drilling machine, Paul was unable to concentrate on his studies. He was so upset by the noise that he had to use a few meditation techniques to ______ himself; but still he could not concentrate on his studies. Therefore he had to put earplugs into his ears; but they were of no use. (iii) ____________ he decided to go out and talk to the drilling machine owner if he could stop his work for a few hours.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) ally (E) (F)

Blank (iii)
(G) Ultimately (H) Unconscionably (I) Implicitly

Phased Razed Fazed

array allay

Ans: Fazed, allay and Ultimately

5. After being accidentally (i) ________ inside the house for one week, Susan was freed by a stranger who was passing by the house. When Susan came out, she looked terribly (ii) _______ as there wasnt enough food to eat in the house in which she was locked up.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) qualified (E) (F)

deflected immured garnered

mawkish anemic

Ans: immured and anemic

554

WORD POWER-QUIZ

6. The civic authorities want to establish a playground in the place of the graveyard. Therefore they have
started (i)___________ the bodies so that they could be re-buried in a new location identified for the graveyard. After this work is over, they will (ii) __________ the complete structure of the graveyard.

Blank (i) (A) condoling (B) exhuming (C) liquidating

Blank (ii) (D) demolish (E) defray (F) dissimulate

Ans: exhuming and demolish II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Joseph often quoted a popular _________ at the start of his speech to grab the attention of the audience.

A. aphorism B. paroxysm C. cataclysm D. plagiarism E. collage F. adage

Ans: A and F

2. The company has successfully launched so many innovative products thanks to the vision and ________ attitude of its management team.

555

WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. multilingual B. enterprising C. impending D. creative E. pessimistic F. ancillary

Ans: B and D

3. Zidane received more praise than ____________ for his headbutting during the soccer world cup.

A. detraction B. retrospection C. conviction D. potion E. apparition F. deprecation

Ans: A and F

4. People thought that after going through a near death experience in his trip to Congo, he would altogether stop taking up such adventurous trips. But on the contrary that experience has only ____________ his appetite for more adventurous trips.

A. consigned B. niggled C. immured D. whetted E. coagulated F. enhanced

Ans: D and F

556

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Dont be ___________ by your own pessimistic thoughts. Aim for the high and put in all your efforts
to reach there.

A. liquidated B. constrained C. consigned D. lapped E. shackled F. predetermined

Ans: B and E

6. In the welcome speech, the principal sternly warned the new students that the college administration
would not ________ any indiscipline in the college.

A. countenance B. tolerate C. alloy D. desiccate E. dehydrate F. permeate

Ans: A and B III. Synonyms

1. Irremediable

A. Inevitable B. Illimitable C. Incurable D. Inscrutable E. Interminable

557

WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: C

2. Niggle

A. Dwindle B. Trifle C. Nettle D. Warble E. Hurtle

Ans: B

3. Remuneration

A. Reward B. Bard C. Hazard D. Shard E. Canard

Ans: A

4. Implicit

A. Active B. Inherent C. Definite D. Explicit E. Glacial

Ans: B

558

WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Mentor

A. Misnomer B. Oracle C. Phoenix D. Welter E. Coach

Ans: E

6. Welter

A. Barb B. Confusion C. Abbreviation D. Roster E. Clout

Ans: B

7. Glacial

A. Difficult B. Hot C. Invisible D. Heavy E. Unfriendly

Ans: E

559

WORD POWER-QUIZ

45. THE HAUNTED ORCHARD

45. THE HAUNTED ORCHARD

I. Text Completion

1. The epic was interesting but the narrative was too long to be made into a single movie. Therefore the director planned to make a (i) _________ of the movies. For him, this was a better option than (ii) _________ the narrative of the wonderful epic to fit into one single movie.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) truncating (E) (F)

trilogy cosmology analogy

supplicating bifurcating

Ans: trilogy and truncating

2. The (i) _________ and vague talk by the Professor did not help the students in understanding the complex concept. They wished the Professor could bring some clarity and crispiness in his (ii) _________.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) sniffle (E) (F)

rigorous spontaneous circuitous

waffle scuffle

Ans: circuitous and waffle

3. The (i) _________ boy was caught by the principal for playing a silly prank during the class. The principal asked him to come to his office. Boy's heart (ii) _________ with anxiety as he entered the principals' office.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) palpitated (E) (F)

modish sluggish waggish

precipitated agitated

Ans: waggish and palpitated II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Dilbert is ___________ cartoon character known for his satirical office quips.

A. sluggish B. waggish C. outlandish D. modish E. jaunty F. peevish

Ans: B and E

2. Climate changes can best be explained by a map or _______ information.

A. spatial B. glacial C. spacial D. superficial E. provincial F. beneficial

Ans: A and C

3. If you go to the market to by a pager device, you wont get it as it has become ____________; nobody uses it now.
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WORD POWER-QUIZ

A. obsolete B. outdated C. special D. risky E. crazy F. vulnerable

Ans: A and B

4. He had a ____________ mind. He could never focus on achieving one single important thing in his life. His definition of success and priorities in life always kept on changing.

A. vicarious B. villainous C. varied D. mercurial E. vulnerable F. fickle

Ans: D and F III. Synonyms 1. Inalienable

A. Irresolute B. Deplorable C. Unassailable D. Insatiable E. Dissolute

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. Secrete

A. Decelerate B. Congeal C. Surmount D. Conceal E. Convert

Ans: D

3. Jaded

A. Mannered B. Unfettered C. Inured D. Uncensored E. Tired

Ans: E

4. Rend

A. Split B. Stick C. Solve D. Sing E. Sew

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

5. Somatic

A. Silly B. Idiotic C. Physical D. Melodious E. Unreliable

Ans: C

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

46. THE ANGEL OF THE ODD

46. THE ANGEL OF THE ODD

I. Text Completion

1. The school managements efforts to generate funds through corporate sponsorship were (i) _________ by some agitated parents. The parents claimed that any corporate advertisement inside the school campus would adversely affect the sanctity of the school as an institution to gain knowledge. Though the sole intention of the management was to generate the much required funds for the schools ailing infrastructure, this (ii) _________ unfortunately debased its reputation.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) depiction (E) prediction (F) predicament

stymied stammered staggered

Ans: stymied and predicament

2. Gracebook has officially ____________ the myth that it is going to shut down on March 15, 2011. In its official press release, Gracebook claimed that the news is a complete ___________ perpetuated over the weekend and it will try to zero in on the source of this news.

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) impasse (E) (F)

debunked destroyed contravened

anecdote hoax

Ans: debunked and hoax

3. Janes umbrella acted as a (i) ________ for her from the fury of the scorching sun of the midsummer. Otherwise her beautiful hair would have been (ii) __________ under such intense heat.

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Blank (i)
(A) (B) (C)

Blank (ii)
(D) parried (E) (F)

fender colander blunder

puckered singed

Ans: fender and singed

4. Tina was in great trouble because of constant (i)____________ by the (ii)__________ who were
staying in an apartment next to hers. She went to the police station to lodge a complaint against the goons; but the police refused to cooperate with her.

Blank (i) (A) acrophobia (B) harassment (C) bombardment

Blank (ii) (D) ruffians (E) actuaries (F) satellites

Ans: harassment and ruffians II. Sentence Equivalence

1. Deeply moved by the __________ remarks of the opposition, the innocent minister offered to submit his resignation.

A. illusive B. pensive C. abrasive D. thrifty E. nasty F. petty

Ans: C and E

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

2. The vendor accidentally ______________ the information of his key customers from his computer. It was indeed a big loss for him. He called one engineer to check if he could somehow retrieve that data.

A. deleted B. assuaged C. derived D. erased E. implemented F. synchronized

Ans: A and D

3. But when I took a spoonful in my mouth, my cheeks ___________ in horror. The soup was full of salt!

A. wandered B. glowed C. puckered D. rambled E. wondered F. furrowed

Ans: C and F

4. The office stair cases are made sufficiently wide so that rapid ______________ of the employees can be made possible during an emergency.

A. piazza B. egress C. slag D. escape E. dinghy F. magnate

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

Ans: B and D III. Synonyms

1. Chasten

A. Discipline B. Delineate C. Incline D. Augment E. Circumvent

Ans: A

2. Denounce

A. Convene B. Condemn C. Contravene D. Concatenate E. Conflate

Ans: B

3. Parry

A. Deflect B. Reflect C. Conflict D. Neglect E. Eject

Ans: A

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WORD POWER-QUIZ

4. Filch

A. Count B. Fill C. Wander D. Imagine E. Steal

Ans: E 5. Peregrination

A. Rubble B. Slag C. Falsification D. Journey E. Disturbance

Ans: D

6. Disparate

A. Frustrated B. Unrelated C. Tired D. Content E. Hidden

Ans: B

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