Question 1

Fill in the blank (business vocabulary: being valuable to a firm)  “The stenographer is very efficient. He is ______ to his firm.”  Choose the word that best completes the sentence.

Accepted Answer

Given data An efficient stenographer is being described as valuable to the firm. Concept/Approach In business English, a highly valuable person is called an asset to the organization. Option analysis an asset — correct idiom: “an asset to his firm.”a liability — opposite meaning (a burden).an assistant — denotes a role, not value.a debtor — unrelated to efficiency. Final Answer an asset

Question 2

Fill in the blank (strategy verb for focusing on sectors)  “However, the group's long-term strategy is to ______ on core sector business connected with infrastructure and energy.”  Select the most appropriate verb.

Accepted Answer

Given data The strategy emphasizes concentrating on core sectors. Concept/Approach Focus on means “concentrate attention or resources on.” It collocates naturally with “strategy.” Option analysis focus — correct: “focus on core sector business.”diversify — means spreading into different areas; opposite of concentrating.dilute — to weaken; wrong sense.digress — to stray from a topic; not used with corporate strategy. Final Answer focus

Question 3

Fill in the blank (service action for a TV set)  “The man came in a van to ______ the television set.”  Choose the best verb.

Accepted Answer

Given data Arrival “in a van” suggests a logistics/delivery context. Concept/Approach The natural verb for bringing goods in a van is deliver. Option analysis deliver — correct: “came in a van to deliver the TV set.”demolish — means to destroy; not applicable.evict — used for removing people from property; irrelevant.confiscate — seizure by authority; does not fit. Final Answer deliver

Question 4

Fill in the blank (compulsion vs persuasion)  “Nobody can ______ me to do anything which I do not want to do.”  Select the correct verb that fits the meaning of compulsion.

Accepted Answer

Given data The sentence rejects the possibility of being forced to act against one's will. Concept/Approach Compel means “to force.” The other verbs express softer influence. Option analysis compel — correct: “Nobody can compel me …”coax / entreat / persuade — involve gentle urging or convincing, not force; the sentence stresses refusal of coercion. Final Answer compel

Question 5

Fill in the blank (classical temperaments — meaning of “sanguine”)  “A sanguine outlook is associated with the ______.”  Choose the correct noun.

Accepted Answer

Given data Term: sanguine (cheerfully optimistic), from the ancient theory of humours. Concept/Approach In the four-humour theory: sanguine = blood, choleric = yellow bile, melancholic = black bile, phlegmatic = phlegm. Option analysis blood — correct association.bile / melancholy / phlegm — correspond to other temperaments (choleric, melancholic, phlegmatic). Final Answer blood

Question 6

Fill in the blank (idiom: ______ suspicion)  “His conduct is bad, and his honesty is not ______ suspicion.”  Select the word that makes the idiom correct.

Accepted Answer

Given data Fixed idiom about being unquestionably honest. Concept/Approach The idiom is above suspicion, meaning “so honest as to be beyond doubt.” The sentence negates this state. Option analysis above — correct: “not above suspicion” = can be suspected.under / over / without — do not form the standard idiom in this context. Final Answer above

Question 7

Fill in the blank (tense after “It is … since”)  “It is 14 years since I ______ him.”  Choose the grammatically correct verb form.

Accepted Answer

Given data Construction: “It is/It has been [time] since …” Concept/Approach In standard English, since is followed by the simple past to mark the starting point in time: “It is 14 years since I saw him.” Option analysis saw — correct simple past.have seen — present perfect after since is nonstandard in this construction.had seen — past perfect needs a past reference point; incorrect here.see — base form; ungrammatical. Final Answer saw

Question 8

Fill in the blank (word choice: economic vs. economical)  “It being an ______ issue, it is not correct to introduce questions of morality into the debate.”  Select the correct adjective.

Accepted Answer

Given data The sentence concerns the domain/subject area of the issue. Concept/Approach Economic relates to the field of economics or the economy. Economical means “thrifty/saving money,” which would be wrong here. Option analysis economic — correct descriptor of topic/domain.economical — incorrect meaning (thrifty).economy — noun, not an adjective in this slot.economics — academic noun; wrong form. Final Answer economic

Question 9

Fill in the blank (idiom: “take someone for a ride”)  “Natwarlal ______ them all for a ride by producing false documents.”  Choose the verb that completes the idiom correctly.

Accepted Answer

Given data Idiom meaning “to deceive or cheat someone.” Concept/Approach The fixed expression is take someone for a ride. In past tense: took. Option analysis took — correct past tense of the idiom.gave / sent / drove — do not form the idiom and change the meaning. Final Answer took

Question 10

Vocabulary and structure: choose the verb that best completes a definition-style sentence about brevity  Complete the sentence with the most idiomatic verb: "True brevity ______ in saying only what needs to be said."  Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

Given data Sentence frame: "True brevity ______ in saying only what needs to be said." We must supply the verb that makes the definition natural and idiomatic. Concept/Approach English commonly uses the fixed pattern "X lies in Y" to state where the essence of something is found. Thus, "True brevity lies in saying only what needs to be said." This is an established collocation in careful written English. Option analysis lies — correct: idiomatic definition form "lies in". ✅consists — would require "consists of", not "consists in" here; also less idiomatic for this aphoristic sentence.results — would change the meaning to an outcome, not an essence.persists — semantic mismatch; persistence is not the intended meaning. Common pitfalls Writing "consists of saying" — reads clumsily in a maxim; "lies in" is the fixed expression. Choosing a verb that requires a different preposition, breaking the grammar. Final Answer lies

Question 11

Fixed expression: complete the idiom meaning "not to be treated lightly"  Fill the blank to complete the well-known caution: "Health is too important to be ______."  Choose the option that best completes the idiomatic warning.

Accepted Answer

Given data A cautionary sentence: "Health is too important to be ______." We need the fixed phrase that expresses "must not be treated lightly". Concept/Approach The idiom is not to be trifled with (i.e., not to be treated lightly or carelessly). Hence, "Health is too important to be trifled with." Option analysis trifled with — correct idiomatic collocation. ✅neglected / ignored — grammatically possible but do not capture the set idiom.played with — informal and unidiomatic in this caution. Usage note The negative version is common: "X is not something to be trifled with." Final Answer trifled with

Question 12

Vocabulary: correct noun for comfort under a tree in hot weather  Complete the sentence with the most natural word: "In hot weather I like lying in the ______ of a tree."  Choose the best option.

Accepted Answer

Given data Context: resting under a tree in hot weather. We need a noun that collocates with "of a tree". Concept/Approach Shade is the general term for relative coolness/dimness provided by blocking direct sunlight; we say "the shade of a tree." Shadow refers to the dark shape cast by an object, not the cool area for resting. Option analysis shade — correct collocation: "in the shade of a tree." ✅shadow — incorrect in this sense; denotes the silhouette, not the cool area.shelter — too general; typically "shelter under a tree," but "shade of" is the fixed phrase.cool — adjective; does not fit the noun slot. Final Answer shade

Question 13

Preposition choice after an evaluative adjective: "unreasonable ____ him to …"  Complete the sentence with the correct preposition: "It was indeed unreasonable ______ him to leave this job and start business."  Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

Given data Construction: adjective of personal judgement + pronoun + infinitive. Concept/Approach With adjectives expressing judgement of a person's action (e.g., "kind", "foolish", "unreasonable"), English uses the pattern "adjective + of + person + to + verb": "It was unreasonable of him to leave." Option analysis of — correct: "unreasonable of him to …." ✅for — used when the adjective describes the situation, not the person (e.g., "It is unusual for him to …").to / from — wrong prepositions for this structure. Final Answer of

Question 14

Political vocabulary: supply the phrase for a serious point of disagreement  Complete the sentence with the most appropriate expression: "One major ______ between the Election Commission and the Union Government related to the powers of the former r…

Accepted Answer

Given data Institutional disagreement over powers concerning deployment of central police forces. We need a set phrase for a specific contentious issue. Concept/Approach The idiomatic expression for a specific, persistent cause of disagreement is bone of contention. It precisely captures "one major point of dispute" between bodies. Option analysis bone of contention — correct idiom for a particular issue causing conflict. ✅difference — too mild and generic.dispute — a general quarrel; the sentence prefers a specific point of dispute.dissent — typically refers to disagreement in opinion within a body, less to a bilateral issue. Language cleanup note Corrected word order (for clarity): "… at places where elections are held." Final Answer bone of contention

Question 15

Legal register: pick the verb that collocates with "to ______ to statements" (court usage)  Complete the sentence with the best legal/formal verb: "We shall not be able to use your ability in court unless we can find someone to ______ to statements.…

Accepted Answer

Given data Context: courtroom evidentiary use; need a verb that fits "to ______ to statements". Concept/Approach Attest means to affirm or certify the truth/correctness of something, and it takes the preposition "to": one can "attest to statements / facts". Option analysis attest — correct legal collocation: "attest to statements." ✅testify — usually "testify to the fact" or "testify in court"; could work but most idiomatic with "statements" is "attest to".confirm — requires a direct object ("confirm the statements") and does not use "to".vouch — usually "vouch for someone/something", not "to statements". Common pitfalls Mixing prepositions ("testify for statements"). Choosing verbs that demand different complements. Final Answer attest

Question 16

Degree construction: "too … to …" with an infinitive expressing inability  Complete the sentence using the correct infinitive phrase: "He is too dull ______ this problem."  Choose the option that completes the standard "too … to …" structure.

Accepted Answer

Given data Pattern: "too + adjective + _____ + object". Intended meaning: insufficient ability to do something. Concept/Approach The correct construction is "too + adjective + to + verb": "too dull to solve this problem." Option analysis to solve — correct infinitive form. ✅to solving — incorrect; gerund cannot follow "too".for solving / for solve — wrong after "too + adjective". Final Answer to solve

Question 17

Adverb choice before "to blame": select the word that fits best  Complete the sentence with the most natural intensifier: "He is the person who is ______ to blame."  Choose the option that best collocates with "to blame".

Accepted Answer

Given data Sentence: "He is the person who is ______ to blame." We need the most idiomatic adverb/qualifier with "to blame". Concept/Approach Solely is the standard adverb meaning "exclusively" and pairs naturally with "to blame": "solely to blame". Option analysis solely — correct and idiomatic: "solely to blame." ✅only — can modify nouns ("the only person to blame") but is awkward in this slot.alone — usually follows the noun ("he alone is to blame"), not before "to blame".completely — changes the meaning to degree rather than exclusivity; less precise. Final Answer solely

Question 18

Precise vocabulary: choose the adjective meaning "long and indirect" for route  Complete the sentence with the best descriptive term: "We had to pay more taxi fare because the driver brought us by a ______ route."  Choose the most accurate option.

Accepted Answer

Given data Context: a taxi took a longer, indirect way, increasing the fare. We need an adjective describing an unnecessarily indirect route. Concept/Approach Circuitous means "roundabout; longer than the most direct way," which precisely matches the context. Option analysis circuitous — correct: long and indirect route. ✅circular — literally shaped like a circle; not the idiomatic description of an indirect trip.serpentine — winding like a snake; possible in shape description, but less standard than "circuitous" for taxi fare complaints.longish — informal and imprecise; does not imply indirectness. Final Answer circuitous

Question 19

Preposition after "accused": supply the correct connector for a charge  Complete the sentence with the right preposition: "He was accused ______ stealing his aunt's necklace."  Choose the correct option.

Accepted Answer

Given data Verb-preposition combination: "accused _____ doing something". Concept/Approach The fixed collocation is accused of + gerund/noun: "accused of stealing". Option analysis of — correct preposition after "accused". ✅for — used for reasons/purposes, not legal charges in this structure.with — used in legalese for charging someone with a named offence ("charged with theft") but not with "accused".about — wrong connector here. Common pitfalls Confusing "accused of" with "charged with". Both are valid in their own patterns but not interchangeable. Final Answer of

Question 20

Fill in the blank (collocation describing excessive pride)  “He knew everything better than anybody else, and it was an affront to his ______ vanity that you should disagree with him.”  Choose the most appropriate word to complete the sentence.

Accepted Answer

Given data Sentence expresses that disagreeing with him offends his pride. Concept/Approach Overweening means excessively arrogant or conceited—an apt qualifier for “vanity.” Option analysis overweening — correct, standard collocation with “vanity.”injured — describes the state of vanity after an insult, not the type of vanity.modest / diffident — the opposite of vain; contradicts the idea of an affront. Final Answer overweening

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