21.
(a) The creature on Mars, if any
(b) are bound to be very different from us
(c) not only in shape but also in size
(d) because of different gravitational conditions
Answer: (a) The creatures on Mars, if any,
The plural of ‘creatures’ is used to agree with the verb ‘are’.
22.
(a) In order to identify a bird
(b) you must note it’s peculiar marking
(c) and then refer to a guide book
(d) and match them with those of different birds
Answer: (b) …. Note its peculiar The third person, neuter gender, possessive case is ‘its’. There is no need for the apostrophe unless one says “the bird’s markings”.
23.
(a) My friend who returned from Florida
(b) after a stay of many years there said
(c) that the climate of Florida is
(d) very much like Madras in summer
Answer: (c) ….of Florida was
The sentence is in Indirect Speech (as the reporting verb “said” indicates) and hence a past tense in the principal clause is followed by a past tense in the subordinate clause.
24.
(a) The set of enactments passed by the assembly
(b) have been sent to the Council
(c) for consideration by its members
(d) before being notified in the gazette
Answer: (b) has been sent..
Some nouns which are plural in form, but singular in meaning, take a Singular verb; as, The news is true.
25.
(a) Much of the students in the class
(b) are weak in Mathematics and therefore
(c) the Headmaster has arranged for special tuition
(d) in the evening after class-hours
Answer: (a) Many of the
‘Many’ and ‘much’ both are comparative adjectives but the adjective ‘many’ is generally used for number and the adjective ‘much’ for quantity.
26.
(a) The speaker gave a lucid exposition of
(b) the butterfly, its evolution
(c) its growth, its varieties
(d) and how it is used to eat
Answer: (d) how it eats
The simple present is used to express habitual actions.
27.
(a) He is so versatile
(b) that he is capable of beating
(c) all his other classmates
(d) both in studies, public speaking and sports
Answer: (d) in studies, public speaking and sports.
The word ‘both’ is used to refer to two things.
28.
(a) It was the drug and not the disease
(b) that killed him
(c) he would have been alive today
(d) if he did not take the drug
Answer: (d) if he had not taken the drug
The action of taking the drug occurred before he died.
29.
(a) Neither the warning of his father
(b) nor the punishment by his teacher
(c) have had any effect on Ramu, who
(d) continues to be absent from classes frequently
Answer: . (c) has had any …….
The singular form ‘has’ is to be used as both his father and his teacher refer to the singular (third person) Two or more singular subjects connected by or, nor, neither – nor, either— or, take a verb in the singular.
30.
(a) Which of the three puppies
(b) do you like better
(c) the white, the black
(d) or the brown one?
Answer: (b) do you like best
The word ‘better is a Comparative Adjective. The Superlative ‘best’ is used when more than two things (or sets of things) are compared.
31.
(a) We have given up trying to reform him
(b) since we found that the more we advised him
(c) the least he was inclined
(d) even to listen to us
Answer: (c) the less he was…
‘More’ is a comparative adjective and should be followed by the comparative form of ‘little’ (i.e. less) and not the superlative.
32.
(a) India was the country whom
(b) everyone thought would win the hockey cup
(c) but, to the surprise of all,
(d) it was eliminated in the first round
Answer: (a) ……the country which
The relative pronoun ‘which’ is used for things without life and for animals. It may refer to a singular or plural noun. Here it is introducing the defining adjective clause.
33.
(a) Since neither my wife nor me
(b) was willing to go to the movie with her
(c) my daughter had to sit at home
(d) and just watch the TV
Answer: (a) ……my wife nor I
34.
(a) The Prime Minister declared emphatically
(b) in Parliament last week that
(c) his Government will not tolerate indiscipline
(d) in any public sector undertaking
Answer: (c) his Government would not……
In indirect Speech ‘will’ is changed into ‘would’.
35.
(a) The old movie shown today on the TV
(b) was better than any movie
(c) that had been shown
(d) during the last eight months
Answer: (b) ……better than any other movie
When a comparison is instituted by means of a Comparative followed by than the thing compared must be always excluded from the class of things with which it is compared, by using other or some such words.
36.
(a) Is it true, I would like to know
(b) that less persons die of snake-bites
(c) than of traffic accidents
(d) in this country at present
Answer: b) that fewer persons die….
She adjective ‘less’ refers to quantity and the adjective ‘few’ is used to denote number.
37.
(a) The student, who the friends have nicknamed
(b) Jolly John, bunks classes often
(c) and goes to movies even after
(d) repeated warnings by the teacher
Answer: (a) The student, whom the ……
The relative pronoun ‘whom’ is used with the Accusative and the relative pronoun ‘who’ with the Nominative.
When a pronoun or, noun is used as the Subject of a verb, it is said to be in the Nominative case and when it is used as the Object of a verb it is said to be in the Accusative Case.
To find the Nominative, put ‘Who/What’ before the verb and to find the Accusative put ‘Whom/What’ before the verb and its subject.
Whom\What have the friends (subject) nicknamed as Jolly John (object)?
It is the relative pronoun who which has different forms for Accusative (i.e. whom) and Genitive (i.e. whose).
The case of a relative pronoun depends upon the use oi the pronoun in the clause which it Genitive (i.e. whose) introduces —not upon the case of its antecedent. Compare the following two sentences in which the antecedent (i.e. the noun to which the pronoun refers or relates) is in the Nominative case but the pronouns are in the nominative and accusative cases, respectively, because of their use in their own clauses.
• This he who came yesterday. (nominative—subject of the verb came)
• This is he whom you saw. (accusative — object of saw)
• The student who is selected must be reliable. (subject of the verb is selected)
• The student whom you select must be reliable. (object of the verb select)
• Whom do you want? (object of the verb do want)
• Who do you think will be there? (subject of the verb will be)
38.
(a) Whenever I see a movie that
(b) has a tragic ending,
(c) I feel badly for at least two more days
(d) and so I avoid them
Answer: (c) I feel bad for at ……
Some adverbs have two forms, the form ending in – ly and the form which is the same as the adjective. For e.g.
• He sings very loud.
• He sings very loudly.
The word ‘bad’ is appropriate in the sentence given.
39.
(a) Though I take coffee or tea,
(b) whichever is offered,
(c) I consider coffee more preferable
(d) if I am given a choice
Answer: (c) I consider coffee preferable to tea
The word ‘preferable’ has the force of a Comparative (Hence the Comparative’ more’ is redundant) and is generally followed by the preposition ‘to’.
40.
(a) After the option to study French was abolished,
(b) the college attracted less students
(c) and the strength of our class
(d) is just thirty now
Answer: (b) attracted fewer students