21. Scientists have long recognized the promise of research involving human embryos and foetuses for the advancement of basic science as well as for the development of life saving vaccines and therapies.
(a) the promise of research involving human embryos and foetuses for the advancement of
(b) the promise of research involving human embryos and foetuses to advance
(c) the promising research which involves human embryos and foetuses for the advancing of
(d) the promising research, which involves human embryos and foetuses in advancing
Answer: (a) The question tests the idiomatic expression. ‘Recognizing the promise’ is correct expression and ‘promise of X’ as well as ‘for Y’ is idiomatic expression. Both criteria are met and thus the sentence is correct in the given form. (a) Correct. This option correctly uses the object ‘promise’ and uses the idiomatic expression ‘for the advancement of ’.
(b) ‘promise’ to is with a different meaning from ‘promise for’. The second sense is correct in the given situation.
(c) Recognizing the promise is correct idiom, while this option uses ‘the promising research’ giving a sense that they recognize the ‘research’ rather than the ‘promise’ of it.
(d) The error of illogical shift of object is not corrected. Moreover, the use of ‘in advancing’ is not idiomatic.
22. By finding, dating, and interpreting the trash and treasures of ancient generations, our curiosity about our past as a species is satisfied in archaeology, and shows us how we have become what we are.
(a) generations, our curiosity about our past as a species is satisfied in archaeology, and shows
(b) generations satisfy, in archaeology, our curiosity about our past as a species and show
(c) generations, our past as a species satisfies our curiosity in archaeology and shows
(d) generations, archaeology satisfies our curiosity about our past as a species and shows
Answer: (d) Dangling modifier and illogical predication. The sentence starts with a prepositional phrase that should logically modify the subject. In the given sentence the prepositional phrase by ‘finding, dating, and interpreting…’ illogically modifies ‘our curiosity’, resulting in dangling modifier error. Furthermore, the use of ‘curiosity’ as subject makes it mean that our curiosity ‘shows how have become what we are’. This is the error of illogical predication.
(a) The illogical predication and dangling modifier error with the prepositional phrase ‘by finding…’ make this option incorrect.
(b) The prepositional phrase ‘by finding…’ cannot function as subject of the verb ‘satisfy’. This would have been correct, though awkward, in the absence of preposition ‘by’.
(c) The subject ‘our past’ is illogically modified the prepositional phrase beginning the sentence creating dangling modifier error. The problem of illogical predication persists as the structure means ‘our past satisfies our curiosity’.
(d) Correct. The use of archaeology as subject removes both the dangling modifier error and illogical predication error. The sentence is parallel with parallel verbs ‘satisfies’ and ‘shows’.
23. Full of speculation that the United States was in a ‘housing bubble’ that was about to burst, the popular press ran feature stories depicting the irrational run-up in home prices and a potential crash which was very likely.
(a) stories depicting the irrational run-up in home prices and a potential crash which was very likely.
(b) stories about the irrational run-up in home prices and that there would be a potential crash.
(c) Stories that describe about the irrational run-up in home prices and about the potential for a crash.
(d) stories about the irrational run-up in home prices and about the potential for crash.
Answer: (d) Wordiness and parallel structure. The sentence presents a redundancy problem by using the words ‘likely’ and ‘potential’ together. The sentence uses a relative clause in stead of a phrase making the structure wordy.
(a) Redundancy of expression makes this sentence incorrect.
(b) The expression is wordy and unparallel because ‘stories about X’ and ‘that there would be a potential crash’ are not parallel.
(c) The use of relative clause after stories makes it not only wordy but also unparallel to the prepositional phrase after ‘and’.
(d) Correct. The sentence uses prepositional phrase using concise structure and is parallel because it use two prepositional phrases with conjunction ‘and’.
24. Seeing that there was an ongoing sale in one of her favourite stores, Seeta made a bee line for it immediately after entering the mall.
(a) made a bee’s line for
(b) make bees lined to
(c) made a bee line to
(d) No correction required
Answer: (d) Idiom make a bee line for something means : to go straight towards something / somebody as quickly as you can.
25. Sharon made it to work in the nicks of times, or else she would have missed the meeting.
(a) nick of time
(b) nicked time
(c) nick of timeliness
(d) nick and time
Answer: (a) Idiom in the nick of time means : at the very last moment; just in time before something bad happens.
26. Varun was on cloud nine after having stood first in his class.
(a) in ninth cloud
(b) on nine clouds
(c) a cloudy nine
(d) cloud on nine
Answer: (e) Idiom on cloud nine means : extremely happy.
27. Vithal had a habit of pass the buck when it came to important issues at work.
(a) pass to bucking
(b) passing buck
(c) passing the buck
(d) pass buck
Answer: (c) passing the bucks
28. Puneet raked his brains and tried to find an answer to a tricky question given in the paper but couldn’t find one.
(a) rake his brain
(b) racked his brains
(c) racked brains
(d) raked brain
Answer: (b) Idiom rack your brain (s) means : to think very hard or for a long time about something.
29. US secretary of state made it clear that time running out for diplomacy over Iran’s nuclear programme and said that talks aimed at preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon would resume in April.
(a) runs out
(b) was running out
(c) ran out
(d) run
Answer: (a) runs out.
30. While the war of the generals rage on, somewhere in small town India, wonderful things are happening, quietly and minus fanfare.
(a) rage
(b) raging
(c) rages on
(d) raged on
Answer: (c) rages on.
31. According to WWF, the small island nation of Samoa was the first in switch off its lights for Earth Hour.
(a) first to switch of
(b) the first to switch off
(c) the first of switch off
(d) first in switch of
Answer: (b) the first to switch off.
32. The campaign is significant because not just the youths are directly appealing to the world but because their efforts challenge the chimera of normalcy in the area.
(a) not just because
(b) just not because
(c) not just
(d) because just
Answer: (a) not just because.
33. The doctor’s association has threatened to go on indefinite strike support of their teachers.
(a) on supporting to
(b) to supporting
(c) for support
(d) in support of
Answer: (d) in support of.
34. If one prays honestly and sincerely, God will listen to one’s prayer.
(a) If one pray
(b) One if prays
(c) If one will praying
(d) No correction required
Answer: No correction required
35. Not only I but also my parents are looking forward to see you soon.
(a) am looking forward to seeing
(a) are looking to see forward
(c) are looking forward seeing
(d) are looking forward to seeing
Answer: (d) are looking forward to seeing
36. They are waiting for her since morning.
(a) are waiting
(b) are awaiting to
(c) have been a waiting
(d) have been waiting for
Answer: (d) have been waiting for
37. If he had asked me, I would have helped him.
(a) If he ask
(b) had he asked
(c) He had asked
(d) No correction required
Answer: No correction required
38. I am sure that scientists must discover a cure for AIDS by the end of next decade.
(a) will have discovered
(b) might discovered
(c) have discovered
(d) must discover
Answer: (a) will have discovered
39. It is important that whatever else happens, these two factors should not be messed around with
(a) It is important that
(b) It is a fact that
(c) It should be urgently understood that
(d) It should be understood that
Answer: (d) is correct because whatever is important should be understood. 40. (b) is correct as the word “swelled” is the better option to use than “flourished”, as swelled means growing.
40. The appetite of banks for funds was lost under the onslaught of the slowdown, corporates refused to borrow- even as bank deposits flourished.
(a) bank deposits flourished
(b) bank deposits swelled
(c) bank deposits were enhanced
(d) bank deposits flummoxed
Answer: (b) is correct as the word “swelled” is the better option to use than “flourished”, as swelled means growing.