VERBAL ABILITY HANDOUT

(Question types based on Vocab)

Ref: VAHO1002105
Directions for questions 1 to 5: There are two blanks 7. RIGHT
in each of the following sentences. From the pairs of (A) Driving on the right side of the road is the
words given below each sentence, choose the pair that normal practice in America.
fills the blanks most appropriately. (B) Parents are right in reprimanding their children
for bad behaviour.
1. Apart from ______ a famous victory for the Prime (C) Every woman must stand up for her rights.
Minister, the mid-term poll stratagem ______ many (D) Arathi plays the violin with a band but she is
things for him. a playback singer in her own rights.
(A) garnering . . . achieved
(B) denying . . . accumulated 8. RATE
(C) bestowing . . . rebuffed (A) There is expected to be an unprecedented
(D) thumbing down . . . confirmed increase in the rate of petrol in the next few months.
(B) Despite the low interest rate, fixed deposits of
2. The connection between physical, emotional, and
nationalised banks are safe options to invest
mental health is widely ______, and scientific
one’s money in.
research indicates that regular exercise plays a vital
(C) At any rate, he will be back at work in a couple
role in achieving ______ health in all three areas.
of weeks.
(A) regulated . . . maximum
(D) The interviewer asked me how I would rate
(B) accepted . . . optimal
myself on a scale of ten.
(C) acclaimed . . . minimal
(D) disproved . . . salubrious
9. STOP
3. ______ are among the most valuable molecules in (A) We were forced to stop the game owing to the
medicine today because of their ability to ______ incessant rain.
micro-organisms like bacteria. (B) After a brief stop, we resumed our journey.
(A) Antibiotics . . . destroy (C) He is very outspoken and nothing can stop him
(B) Steroids . . . replicate from giving vent to his thoughts.
(C) Capsules . . . fortify (D) The baby will not stop bawling unless he is
(D) Nutrients . . . nourish cuddled by his mother.

4. The recent ______ in the United States’ interest 10. ILL

rates to their lowest level in four decades was an (A) Krithika’s overt praise made me feel ill at ease.
attempt to ______ deflation from taking hold in the (B) Several people were taken ill after consuming
world’s biggest economy. the contaminated food.
(A) depletion . . . increase (C) Rahul is not my best friend but I wish him no ill.
(B) amplification . . . deter (D) The mother nursed her ill child with great care
(C) reduction . . . prevent and affection.
(D) plummet . . . abet
Directions for questions 11 to 15: For the word given
5. ______ a food recipe, the art of hospitality cannot be in each question, a contextual usage is provided. Pick
taught through a set of instructions; it has to be the word from among the choices, that is the most
imparted and ______ only through example. appropriate substitute for the question word in the given
(A) Just like . . . instructed context and mark its corresponding latter as your answer
(B) Similar to . . . observed
(C) Like . . . learnt 11. SPURT: The government has directed oil companies
(D) Unlike . . . imbibed to freeze retail prices of petrol and diesel despite
a spurt in the price of Brent crude.
Directions for questions 6 to 10: In each question, a word (A) surge (B) cascade
is used in four different ways, A to D. Choose the option in (C) torrent (D) flurry
which the usage of the word is incorrect or inappropriate.
6. PITCH 12. WHITTLED DOWN: Mr. Arun Shourie has slowly and
(A) We had little hope of getting the contract as we steadily whittled down the opposition to privatisation.
were pitched against well-established companies. (A) consumed (B) carved
(B) The protestors pitched their tent outside the (C) eroded (D) trimmed
secretariat.
(C) You must have a ear for rhythm and pitch to be 13. CONCILIATORY: It was the right conciliatory note to
a successful musician. strike in a debate that has had its fair share of heat.
(D) We all pitched a day’s salary to help the (A) propitiatory (B) ameliorative
tsunami victims. (C) condoning (D) provocative
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14. TROUNCE: The Indian Captain’s words were (C) hallowed (D) erudite
inspirational enough to help the team trounce the 23. (A) philistine (B) churlish
Pakistanis in the final. (C) indecorous (D) urbane
(A) spank (B) chastise
(C) lambast (D) rout 24. (A) tumult (B) inertia
(C) potency (D) pursuit
15. INCONTROVERTIBLE: The weapons inspector’s
report was not expected to provide incontrovertible 25. (A) abjuring (B) ensconced
evidence of weapons of mass destruction. (C) spurning (D) abdicating
(A) conclusive (B) disputable
(C) inconvenient (D) indecisive Directions for questions 26 to 30: In each question,
there are four sentences. Each sentence has pairs of
Directions for questions 16 to 20: Each question has
words/phrases that are italicized and highlighted.
a pair of CAPITALISED words followed by four pairs of
From the italicized and highlighted word(s)/phrase(s),
words. Choose the pair of words that best expresses
select the most appropriate word(s)/phrase(s) to form
a relationship similar to that expressed by the capitalized
correct sentences. Then, from the options given,
pair.
choose the best one.
16. VITUPERATIVE : SCURRILOUS
(A) Pristine : Immaculate 26. (i) It was balmy (a) / barmy (b) of Steven to
(B) Minimum : Negligent believe
(C) Reclusive : Melancholic that celestial movements could explain his
(D) Tenacious : Strident rather
mundane mishaps.
17. POTENT : IMPUISSANT (ii) Ravi struggled with himself as he pondered how to
(A) Taciturn : Stupefied broach (a) / brooch (b) the topic of his romance.
(B) Ductile : Intransigent (iii) The lobbyists strongly canvassed(a)/
(C) Diaphanous : Awkward canvased (b) the Republican candidate for his
(D) Salacious : Gratuitous pro-corporate policies.
(iv) The bough (a) / bow (b) of the Titanic was
18. BALLISTA : BOULDERS headed for a frontal collision with the iceberg.
(A) Harpoon : Spears (A) aaab (B) baab (C) abaa (D) bbab
(B) Boomerang : Missiles
(C) Bazooka : Arrows 27. (i) Unable to bear the censure (a) / censor(b)
(D) Trebuchet : Stones of his movie by the critics, the director became
reclusive.
19. BUREAUCRACY : OFFICIALS (ii) The complacent (a) / complaisant (b) nature
(A) Imperialism : Aristocrats of Shyam appealed to his friend who was
(B) Democracy : Constitution pleased with his kowtowing.
(C) Hierocracy : Priests (iii) Madhuri's wedding gown titivated (a) / titillated(b)
(D) Dictatorship : Monarch her beauty further.
(iv) The epicure’s palate (a) / pallette (b) was
20. VIGILANTES : MORALS piqued by the sheer variety of the spread on the
(A) Abetters : Coaching table.
(B) Emperors : Directions
(C) Arbiters : Disputes (A) abaa (B) baba (C) abba (D) aaaa
(D) Acolytes : Controversy
28. (i) The residents of the violence ravaged city
Directions for questions 21 to 25: Fill in the blanks in were immured (a) / inured (b) to their houses
the passage below, with the most appropriate word from by the curfew.
among the options given for each blank. The right words (ii) The dual (a) / duel (b) nature of man in
are the ones used by the author. Be guided by the conflicting impulses is explained in Jewish
author’s overall style and meaning when you choose philosophy by the yetzer tov (good impulse) and
your answer. yetzer ra (bad impulse).
With their imposing colonial era architecture, lush lawns (iii) The politician laid the wreath (a) / wreathe (b) on
and prime locations, India’s most exclusive clubs have the tomb of the long deceased national leader.
always been (21) of the privileged, of which diplomats (iv) The directors came up with their own
are an especially (22) tribe. Established through the explanation for what the rating agencies
19th century, these clubs were used by colonists implied (a) / inferred(b) in their report about the
as (23) refuges from the native hordes. Haughty future of the company.
resistance to criticism and (24)against reform means (A) abaa (B) aaba (C) baaa (D) aaaa
some rules will remain, and leave the clubs (25) in their
colonial affectations for quite a while yet. If you want in, 29. (i) The eco-conscious politician strongly eschewed(a)
get in line, it’s a long one and straighten your tie. / espoused (b) the use of plastic bags.
(ii) Rose had gone into the other room to minister
21. (A) haunts (B) preserves (a) / administer (b) to the needs of the guests.
(C) resorts (D) havens

22. (A) exasperating (B) galling

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 (iii) The accused was inculpated (a) / exculpated (A) encumbered (B) composed
(b) of all charges for lack of incontrovertible (C) examined (D) mustered
evidence.
(iv) The tenacious pursuit (a) / perusal (b) of the 32. FRAGMENTED: We live in a world in which time
documents finally yielded some concrete and space are fragmented and our attention is
results. divided, continually switching back and forth
(A) abbb (B) baba (C) aabb (D) bbab between different streams of sensory inputs.
(A) shattered (B) splintered
30. (i) The petty criminal beseeched (a) /bespoke (b)
(C) compounded (D) broken
the judge for mercy.
(ii) Culture doesn't exist in a vacuum. We often 33. BEREFT: Several areas where tiger poaching is
conflate (a) / conflagrate (b) elements from non-existent are surprisingly bereft of the amber-
various civilizations. eyed cat because its preferred prey have become
(iii) A person/s indigence (a) / indolence (b) is not rare or have even vanished.
always a matter of choice. Who you are born to (A) devoid (B) emitted
has something to do with how well you do in life (C) robbed (D) divested
financially.
(iv) The actor's inept (a) / adept (b) portrayal of 34. BESET: The primordial ignorance which besets all
human beings due to the Lord's power of ‘Maya’,
Julius Caesar drew severe flak from the theatre
can be overcome only by divine grace and not by
enthusiasts. human ingenuity.
(A) aaba (B) babb (C) aaaa (D) aabb (A) encloses (B) exerts
(C) besieges (D) perplexes
Directions for questions 31 to 35: In each of the
questions below, a word with its usage is given. Select as 35. STULTIFYING: Inadequate English equivalents of
your answer, the word that is inappropriate as a Urdu words, idioms and other expressions have had
replacement to the question word in the sentence. a stultifying effect on the English language abilities of
some of the Urdu speaking people in the sub-
31. COLLATE: Many disclaimers in web pages avow continent.
that they have collected and collated the information (A) benumbing (B) stirring
(C) constraining (D) hampering
in good faith but proclaim that they are not
responsible for its accuracy.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE

Directions for questions 1 and 2:There are two blanks (C) Opprobrium: Perfidy
in each of the following sentences. From the pairs of (D) Recalcitrance : Docility
words given below each sentence, choose the pair that
fills the blanks most appropriately. 4. HUMANE : FIENDISH
(A) Gregarious : Sociable
1. In 1915, Einstein succeeded in ______ the theory of (B) Defamatory : Complimentary
relativity to matter in acceleration, resulting in a new (C) Risible : Ludicrous
theory of gravitation, where mass was ______ as (D) Catastrophic : Calamitous
the curvature of space-time.
(A) relating ...considered Directions for question 5: In the following question,
(B) reaching ...named there are five sentences. Each sentence has pairs of
(C) formulating ...classified words/phrases that are italicized and highlighted.
(D) extending ...identified From the italicized and highlighted word(s)/phrase(s),
select the most appropriate word(s)/phrase(s) to form
2. The dismal health and nutrition situation, implying correct sentences. Then, from the options given,
a poor state of food and nutrition ______ in both choose the best one.
rural and urban India, needs to be ______ on a war
footing. 5. (i) While she had realised that her father would be
(A) security...addressed unhappy about her decision to discontinue
(B) value ...directed studies, she did not expect him to fulminate (a)
(C) shares ...attended / culminate (b)as he did.
(D) standard ...focussed
(ii) It hurts to see him flounder (a) / founder (b)in
Directions for questions 3 and 4: Each question has a the simplest of situations, especially when we
pair of CAPITALISED words followed by four pairs of recall how self-assured he was before his illness.
words.Choose the pair of words that best expresses a (iii) In his answers to the prosecutor's questions
relationship similar to that expressed by the capitalized about the accident, the eye-witness displayed
pair. absolute integrity (a) / honesty (b).
(iv) Locating his house (a) / home (b) took me the
3. ECLAT : PANACHE better part of the day.
(A) Rectitude : Probity
(B) Timorousness: Defiance
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 (v) He's such an egotist (a) / egoist (b),thathe (A) aabaa (B) aaaaa (C) abbba (D) aabba
actually thinks we'd be sad to see him go!.

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