Sentence completion exercises
We have seen in detail the KE method
which is useful to answer the exercises on sentence completion in our
previous session. By recollecting the clues that have been suggested in
the last session let us practice some exercises.
1. The villagers ________ the death of their leader by keeping all the shops closed.
a) Consoled
b) avenged
c) mourned
d) protested
Here the answer is (C), 'mourned' because the word in use for
expressing sorrow over the death of someone is 'mourn'. This is a
matter of usage.
2. While on a routine flight, the aircraft was hit by a missile and ______ into flames
a) Shot
b) burst
c) caught
d) blew
Here the answer is (B), 'burst' because all other words are not in
keeping with 'into' and thus they are eliminated at the first stage-
structure.
3. Authority _____ when it is not supported by the moral purity of its users.
a) Empowers
b) crumbles
c) prevails
d) waits
The answer is (B), 'crumbles' because other alternatives are eliminated
at Stage 2-meaning. 'Empower' is opposite in meaning, 'prevails' is
also oppo-site in meaning and 'waits' is not in accord with the meaning.
Thus the only choice left is 'crumbles'.
4. He did not register a _________ to the proposal.
a) Dissent
b) disfavor
c) divergence
d) deviation
The answer is (A), 'dissent', because other alternatives may have
similar meanings, but 'dissent', is the word in use for showing
agreement to an idea or a proposal. So other alternatives are eliminated
at Stage 3.
5. No sooner had he entered the room ___ the light went out and everyone started talking loudly.
a) But
b) than
c) if
d) and
The answer is (B). Here the rule of grammar operates.
6. When I saw him through the window _______
a) I have run out to open the door
b) I ran out to open the door
c) I am running out to open the door
d) I should run out to open the door
The answer is (B). Here the rule of tense operates.
7. He congratulated me ________ my success.
a) On
b) for
c) at
d) in
The answer is (A). 'On'. It is a rule of preposition.
8. I prefer drinking Tea ___ Coffee.
a) Than
b) to
c) over
d) as
The answer is (B), 'to' it is rule of preposition.
9. The school festival is always of a very high order because the students have a number of ______ before any performance.
a) Practices
b) exercise
c) rehearsals
d) repetitions
Here the answer is (C), 'rehearsals'. Here the point to remember is
common usage, for preparations done beforehand for performances in
dance, drama and theatre the word in common usage is 'rehearsal'.
10. I read 'Trojan War' because it was __________ by my friend who said it was very exciting.
a) Recommended
b) exhorted
c) motivated
d) commended
Here the answer is (A), 'recomm-ended'. The word commonly used in such a context is 'recommended'.
11. His German was roughly _____ with my English, so communi-cation was rather difficult.
a) in accordance with
b) at par
c) in time
d) in tune
Here the answer is (B), 'at par'. The correct phrase with the required meaning is 'at par'.
12. I could not _______ what he wanted to say.
a) Make up
b) make out
c) make in
d) make away
Here the correct phrase is 'make out' and thus the answer is (B).
13. A committee has been set up to ________ on the problem of unemployment in this region.
a) Investigate
b) inquire
c) research
d) report
Here the answer can be either 'investigate' or 'report'. Since the connecting word is 'on', the choice will be report.
14. We can't eat this food; it is ____.
a) Rotten
b) old
c) bad
d) rancid
Here the answer is (A), 'rotten', because this word has the required nuance of meaning.
15. Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were leaders of the same period; they were _______
a) Contemporary
b) colleague
c) associate
d) co-writers
Here the word 'contemporary' sta-nds for the expression of the same period and thus (A) is the answer.
16. Ramu has been nominated as the person to settle the dispute between the two warring parties; he is the _____
a) Judge
b) advocate
c) arbitrator
d) barrister
Here the answer is (C), 'arbitrator' because this is the substitute word.
17. He has been winning the election, but this time his popularity is on the _________ he may not win this time.
a) Rise
b) wane
c) ascendance
d) increasing
Here the answer is (B), 'wane' as an antonym is required.
18. Do not ________ him; he has done no harm to any of you.
a) Accuse
b) admire
c) discuss
d) refer
Here the answer is (A), 'accuse', as an antonym is required.
19. I ____ him because of his ____ .
a) Love, impertinence
b) hate, rudeness
c) admire, hypocrisy
d) detest, generosity
Here the answer is (B); in the first option one cannot love because of
impoliteness, we love someone for their good quality not for a bad
trait, in the same way in option C we cannot admire if one has double
stand-ards and in the last option to hate someone because of generosity
is not correct so the answer is B.
20. The influence of the environment on man is revealed by an ___ study.
a) Anthropological
b) ecological
c) epigraphic
d) ecumenical
Here the answer is (B). It is a word used to indicate a branch of study.
PRACTICE TEST
1. The lawyer was threatened _______ dire consequences.
a) From
b) by
c) with
d) of
2. Richa is not _____ for this kind of job.
a) Cut in
b) cut up
c) cut through
d) cut out
3.
A good teacher-student relationship helps create a _____ and peaceful
atmosphere where there is no room for any ______ of educational
activity.
a) Harmonious, interruption
b) congenial, development
c) quiet, confusion
d) delightful, exaggeration
4. It is indeed ______that 65 years after independence, we have failed to ______ a suitable edu-cation or examination system.
a) Bad, produce
b) improper, create
c) sad, evolve
d) objectionable, present
5. The meeting was presided _______ by the President.
a) very
b) upon
c) over
d) on
6. The girl you met yesterday is in class _______.
a) Fifth
b) the five
c) the fifth
d) five
7. The data entry operator is very efficient. He is ____ to his firm.
a) A credit
b) a blessing
c) an asset
d) a boon
8. The soldiers were instructed to _______ restraint and handle the situation peacefully.
a) Control
b) prevent
c) exercise
d) enforce
9. If I _______ a doctor, I would _______ you free.
a) Were, treat
b) am, see
c) was, examine
d) be, advice
10. Not to ______ of milk, even _______ was not there.
a) Talk, bread
b) mention, rice
c) speak, water
d) discuss, tea
11. In ___ of international matters, there is always an element of risk in _____ one might do.
a) View, whichever
b) many, doing
c) defence, wrong
d) case, whatever
12. These essays are intellectually _______ and represent various levels of complexity.
a) Revealing
b) modern
c) superior
d) demanding
13. Anita is ______; she weighs all options before making a decision.
a) Careless
b) bold
c) thoughtful
d) educative
14. The ______ of meat in your refrigerator doesn't necessarily indicate that you are ______.
a) Presence, hungry
b) absence, vegetarian
c) taste, carnivorous
d) amount, herbivorous
15. My Violin teacher dislikes ______ music. For this reason she only teaches ______ music.
a) Traditional, old
b) contemporary, classical
c) modern, popular
d) new, recent
16. Unlike the misleading television documentary, the biography was ____
a) Phony
b) interesting
c) accurate
d) attractive
17. After our team ______ the game, everybody ______.
a) Tied, smiled
b) lost, cheered
c) won, celebrated
d) watched, laughed
18. Mina felt_____; the committee rejected her proposal.
a) Pleased
b) overjoyed
c) miserable
d) delighted
19. The ______ shopkeeper ______ us; we certainly won't buy anything from him again.
a) Sleepy, excited
b) greedy, overcharged
c) generous, welcomed
d) polite, thanked
20. Customer satisfaction and meeting customers' needs are two ______ but ______ goals.
a) Definite, trivial
b) different, important
c) similar, unimportant
d) analogous, petty
Answers:
1) c 2) d 3) a 4) c 5) c 6) d 7) c 8) c 9) a 10) c
11) d 12) a 13) c 14) b 15) b 16) c 17) b 18) c 19) b 20) b
