Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: TEAMS
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
In this item, the base word is MYSTIQUE and you must determine which of the options cannot be formed by rearranging its letters. The question checks your ability to track which letters are available and to notice when an option introduces a new letter that the base word does not provide. This skill is fundamental to many word-based reasoning questions in competitive exams.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
We construct the set of letters from MYSTIQUE and then evaluate each option. If a word uses any letter not in this set, it cannot be formed. If all letters are in the set but the word requires a letter more times than available, it is also impossible. Because the base word does not contain the letter A, this is the most suspicious letter we should watch for in the options.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Create the letter set for MYSTIQUE: {M, Y, S, T, I, Q, U, E}.
Step 2: Check EMITS: E, M, I, T, S all appear in the letter set, and none requires repetition beyond availability, so EMITS can be formed.
Step 3: Check SUITE: S, U, I, T, E are all present in the set, so SUITE can be formed.
Step 4: Check QUIET: Q, U, I, E, T all belong to the set, so QUIET can also be formed.
Step 5: Check TEAMS: T, E, A, M, S are needed. The letter A is not present anywhere in MYSTIQUE, so TEAMS cannot be formed from the base word.
Verification / Alternative check:
A quick verification method is to list the option words and underline any letters that seem unfamiliar compared to the base word. EMITS, SUITE and QUIET all consist only of letters obviously appearing in MYSTIQUE. TEAMS, however, includes A, which never occurs in the base word. This single discrepancy is enough to prove that TEAMS is impossible to construct, confirming our earlier analysis.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
EMITS, SUITE and QUIET are all valid rearrangements or combinations of the letters in MYSTIQUE. None introduces new letters and none demands a letter more times than it appears in the base word. Since the question specifically asks for the word which cannot be formed, these options are not correct answers.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes misread the base word and believe that A is present because they mentally mix it with other similar-looking words. Another mistake is conflating the existence of letters E, I and U with the presence of A when scanning quickly. To avoid such confusion, always write down the exact set of letters from the base word and consciously scan for any new letters in the options. This approach makes it almost impossible to miss the extra letter.
Final Answer:
The word that cannot be formed from MYSTIQUE is TEAMS, so TEAMS is the correct answer.
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