Question 1

Vocabulary and fixed phrase – complete the well-known pairing "Nature versus ____" in criminology  Fill the blank to complete the standard expression in the sentence: "The old Nature versus ______ debate regarding crime continues even today."  Choos…

Accepted Answer

Given dataThe sentence references a classic academic debate in explaining crime.Concept/ApproachThe established collocation is nature versus nurture, contrasting genetic/biological influences with environmental/learning influences on behaviour.Option analysisnurture — correct completion: "Nature versus nurture." ✅culture — related to environment but not the fixed pair.training / upbringing — aspects of nurture, but the canonical phrase uses the single word nurture.Usage tipCapitalize the first word if it begins the sentence; capitalization of Nature/Nurture varies stylistically.Final Answernurture

Question 2

Tense choice in narrative time – past simple for a completed event  Complete the sentence with the correct past form: "The Sun ______ at six this morning."  Select the verb form that best reports a completed action at a specific past time.

Accepted Answer

Given dataTime marker: "at six this morning" (finished past time).Concept/ApproachUse the simple past for completed events at a definite time in the past. The verb "rise" has an irregular past: rise → rose → risen.Option analysisrose — correct simple past: "The Sun rose …." ✅had risen — past perfect; requires a second past reference point to be meaningful.has risen — present perfect; normally used without a finished time adverb like "this morning" (when the time is finished).rises — present simple; not appropriate for a one-off completed event with a past time marker.Final Answerrose

Question 3

Preposition selection – standard collocation "applicable ____ everyone"  Complete the sentence with the correct preposition: "That rule is applicable ______ every one."  Choose the preposition that forms the natural English phrase.

Accepted Answer

Given dataPredicate adjective: "applicable".Object: "every one" (better as "everyone").Concept/ApproachThe fixed preposition with applicable is to: "applicable to everyone".Option analysisto — correct collocation. ✅on / for / with — do not collocate with "applicable" in this meaning.Usage noteSpelling: "everyone" (one word) is standard when referring to all people.Final Answerto

Question 4

Collocation and register – choose the noun that fits "give their _____ to"  Complete the sentence with the most appropriate word: "Her parents will never give their ______ to so much an unsuitable match."  Select the noun that most naturally complet…

Accepted Answer

Given dataWe need the noun that collocates with "give their ____ to".Sentence has a slightly awkward phrase "so much an unsuitable match"; idiomatically this is "so unsuitable a match", but the blank choice is unaffected.Concept/ApproachThe standard collocation is give consent to (formal permission). Parents "give their consent to" a marriage.Option analysisconsent — correct and most formal/idiomatic: "give their consent to …." ✅assent — also means agreement/approval, but "give assent to" is used more in legislative/official contexts and less with family approval of a match.approval — possible ("give their approval to"), but the most set phrase with give their is "consent".agreement — usually "reach an agreement" rather than "give agreement to".Common pitfallsConfusing assent (express agreement) with consent (permission).Final Answerconsent

Question 5

Verb choice with reflexive pronoun – defensive action against attackers  Complete the sentence with the most appropriate verb: "He tried to ______ himself against a horde of ruffians."  Choose the verb that best collocates with "oneself" and "agains…

Accepted Answer

Given dataConstruction: verb + reflexive pronoun + "against".Concept/ApproachThe natural collocation is defend oneself against (an attack/attacker). While "protect oneself from" is also correct, the preposition against strongly favours "defend".Option analysisdefend — best fit with "against": "defend himself against …." ✅safe — adjective, not a verb.secure — verb, but we usually "secure oneself against risk" in technical contexts; less idiomatic for a physical attack.protect — would typically pair with "from": "protect himself from …."Final Answerdefend

Question 6

Business English – adjective after "financially" to describe a strong company  Complete the sentence with the most suitable adjective: "According to corporate circles data is pushing through the merger to create financially ______ company in the pro…

Accepted Answer

Given dataCollocation: "financially ____ company".Context: merger leading to corporate strength/stability.Concept/ApproachIn corporate finance, a stable and healthy firm is described as financially sound. The blank needs an adjective modifying "company".Option analysissound — correct adjective: "financially sound company." ✅sounding — present participle; would modify a noun differently (e.g., "sounding board").sounded — past participle; wrong form.soundly — adverb; cannot modify the noun "company".Usage noteOther common pairings: operationally efficient, strategically aligned, cash-rich.Final Answersound

Question 7

Everyday collocation – beverage consumption with present continuous  Complete the sentence appropriately: "Indeed, all over the world, more and more people are ______ coffee."  Choose the verb that naturally collocates with "coffee" in this progress…

Accepted Answer

Given dataStructure: present continuous "are ______".Object: "coffee".Concept/ApproachThe most common verb with beverages is drink. In the progressive: "are drinking coffee."Option analysisdrinking — correct and idiomatic. ✅having — possible in conversation ("having coffee"), but "are having coffee" implies a specific occasion rather than a global trend.taking — non-idiomatic with "coffee" in global-trend statements (regional usage exists but is less standard).devouring — used for solid food; inappropriate for liquids.Final Answerdrinking

Question 8

Fixed phrase – "its ____ share" to indicate the usual or proper amount  Complete the sentence with the correct adjective: "Like any other country India has its ______ share of superstitions."  Select the option that fits this set expression.

Accepted Answer

Given dataExpression: "its ____ share of …".Concept/ApproachThe idiomatic expression is its fair share, meaning a typical or expected amount (not necessarily positive).Option analysisfair — correct fixed phrase: "its fair share." ✅equal — would need an explicit comparison ("equal share with").due — "due share" exists but is used in legal/distribution contexts, not in this idiom.enough — unidiomatic directly before "share" here.Final Answerfair

Question 9

Planning and policy – select the best noun for "provides a useful ____"  Complete the sentence with the most suitable planning term: "The new education policy provides a useful ______ for the planners to remove illiteracy."  Choose the noun that bes…

Accepted Answer

Given dataWe need a planning/structural noun that a policy can "provide".Concept/ApproachPolicies commonly "provide a framework" — an organized structure and set of principles within which detailed plans can be made and executed.Option analysisframework — best collocation with "policy provides …". ✅guideline — usually plural ("guidelines"); also weaker than a full structural framework.platform — used for political promises or a tech base; less precise here.foundation — metaphorically possible, but "provide a foundation" is less common than "provide a framework" in policy language.Final Answerframework

Question 10

Fill in the blank (common collocation with betting)  “People who ______ on horses usually lose in the end.” Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence.

Accepted Answer

Given dataSentence about people who put money on horse races.Concept/ApproachBet on is the standard verb-preposition collocation for gambling on outcomes (e.g., horses, matches). Present tense fits the generic truth in the sentence.Option analysisbet — correct base form collocating with “on horses.”wagered — past tense; tense mismatch with the general statement.speculate — used for financial markets; not the standard verb for gambling on races.backed up — phrasal verb meaning “support” or “create a queue”; wrong meaning.Final Answerbet

Question 11

Fill in the blank (workforce change vocabulary)  “About twenty clerks were made ______ when the banks introduced computers.” Select the word that best completes the sentence.

Accepted Answer

Given dataContext: Introduction of computers led to staff reductions.Concept/ApproachWhen positions are eliminated because the role is no longer required, employees are made redundant (standard HR/legal usage).Option analysisredundant — correct technical term for role elimination.retired — happens due to age/service; not implied here.resigned — voluntary act by the employee; not implied.jobless — a general state, but the idiom is “made redundant,” not “made jobless.”Final Answerredundant

Question 12

Fill in the blank (weather idiom)  “After the rain the weather ______ and the sun came out.” Choose the phrasal verb that best completes the sentence.

Accepted Answer

Given dataRain stopped; sun appeared.Concept/ApproachThe idiomatic phrasal verb for bad weather ending is clear up (“it cleared up”).Option analysiscleared up — correct idiom after rain.improved over — wrong preposition; not idiomatic.lightened of — incorrect construction.moderated up — nonstandard.Final Answercleared up

Question 13

Fill in the blank (correct usage with “comprise”)  “The building comprises ______ sixty rooms.” Select the word that makes the sentence grammatically correct and natural.

Accepted Answer

Given dataVerb: comprise takes a direct object (no “of”).Approximate quantity: ~60 rooms.Concept/ApproachTo express approximation with comprise, use a modifier like about/approximately before the number: “comprises about sixty rooms.”Option analysisabout — correct for approximation.to / by / for — incorrect prepositions in this structure and do not express approximation.Common pitfallsUsing “comprises of” (incorrect). The correct forms are “comprises X” or “is comprised of X.”Final Answerabout

Question 14

Fill in the blank (qualification ownership verb)  “Namrata was found to ______ the required qualifications for the job.” Choose the verb that best completes the sentence.

Accepted Answer

Given dataAssessment of candidate's qualifications at the time of evaluation.Concept/ApproachPossess is the precise verb meaning “to have/own” qualifications or skills at that time.Option analysispossess — correct collocation: “possess the required qualifications.”acquire / obtain — imply the act of getting, not the state of already having.had — tense/structure mismatch; parallel to “was found to have,” but that wording isn't offered here.Final Answerpossess

Question 15

Fill in the blank (national-day tradition in India)  “Government buildings are ______ on the Republic Day.” Select the most appropriate verb.

Accepted Answer

Given dataRepublic Day observances in India.Concept/ApproachA common practice is to illuminate prominent government buildings with lights.Option analysisilluminated — correct and customary usage.decorated — sometimes true, but the most distinctive and widely stated action is illumination.repaired / closed — unrelated to the occasion.Final Answerilluminated

Question 16

Fill in the article (countable singular noun)  “We had ______ wonderful time at the party last night.” Choose the correct article.

Accepted Answer

Given dataNoun phrase: “______ wonderful time.”Concept/ApproachWith a singular countable noun beginning with a consonant sound (“wonderful”), use the indefinite article a.Option analysisa — correct: “a wonderful time.”the — specific reference; not intended here.an — used before vowel sounds; “wonderful” starts with /w/ consonant sound.one — numeral, unnatural in this idiom.Final Answera

Question 17

Fill in the blank (precision in notices/ads)  “An employment advertisement should ______ the number of vacancies.” Select the most accurate verb.

Accepted Answer

Given dataAdvertisements must clearly state openings.Concept/ApproachSpecify means to state explicitly and clearly, which is the requirement for vacancy counts.Option analysisspecify — correct: to state precisely.imply — suggest indirectly; not acceptable for job ads.conceal / inflate — unethical and opposite to the requirement.Final Answerspecify

Question 18

Fill in the blank (idiom/simile)  “When Varun left the cocktail party he was as ______ as a judge.” Choose the word that completes the standard simile.

Accepted Answer

Given dataStandard English simile: “as ______ as a judge.”Concept/ApproachThe fixed simile is as sober as a judge, meaning completely not drunk; especially relevant after a cocktail party.Option analysissober — correct set phrase.drunk — opposite meaning.silent / strict — possible traits but not the idiom.Final Answersober

Question 19

Fill in the blank (legal/political phrase)  “The criminal seems to have acted in ______ the three others.” Select the phrase that best completes the expression.

Accepted Answer

Given dataCriminal acted together with others.Concept/ApproachThe legal phrase is in collusion with meaning secret agreement/cooperation for deceitful or illegal purposes.Option analysiscollusion with — correct fixed phrase following “in.”collision with — physical crash; wrong meaning.collaboration to — wrong preposition/structure.conspiracy to — requires a verb (e.g., “conspiracy to defraud”); does not fit “in ______ the three others.”Final Answercollusion with

Question 20

Fill in the blank (collocation with “prone to”)  Complete the sentence: “Soft-minded individuals are ______ to embrace all kinds of superstitions.”  Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence.

Accepted Answer

Given dataSentence about people readily embracing superstitions.Concept/ApproachProne to is the standard collocation meaning “likely or susceptible to.” It fits neutral statements of tendency.Option analysisprone — correct collocation: “prone to embrace.”averse — means “strongly opposed to,” opposite sense.immune — means “not affected by,” opposite sense.indifferent — means “having no interest in,” not a susceptibility.Common pitfallsConfusing prone to with liable to. Although both can indicate likelihood, liable to often suggests negative consequences; here prone is more natural.Final Answerprone

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