Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: by and large
Explanation:
Given sentence
Although India is still by far a poor country, it can become rich if its natural and human resources are fully utilised.
Concept/Approach
We are improving word choice/collocation. 'By far' is an intensifier meaning 'to a great degree', which does not match the concessive nuance here. The sentence wants an overall characterization — 'on the whole' — which is conveyed by the idiom by and large.
Option analysis
• by and large = 'on the whole; generally.' Fits after 'still' to mean 'still generally a poor country'.• 'few and far between' = rare/scarce; illogical here.• 'by and by' = soon/after a while; wrong meaning.• 'No improvement' keeps a less suitable intensifier.
Final Answer
by and large
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