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Directions For Questions
Direction: In the following passage, there are blanks each of which has been numbered. These numbers correspond to the question numbers; against each question, five groups of words have been suggested, one of which fills the blanks appropriately.
(1) over large parts of the Indo–Gangetic plain across Northern India in November. The annual fog problem has now become a smog problem as the Air Quality Index (AQI) readings went literally off the charts. Though the problems faced by those in Delhi and the NCR seemed to (2) coverage, as satellite pictures showed, it was a problem faced across Northern India. AQI was probably even worse in smaller, (3) such as Varanasi, Moradabad, and Ludhiana. Poor air quality affects everyone, though it does affect the breathing of children, the elderly and those with (4) even more. Blame (5) of the Aam Aadmi Party-run Delhi government, which in turn blamed it on the Congress-led Punjab government, which in turn suggested that the fault lay with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led union government, which then set up a seven-member committee to look for solutions, even though there does not seem to be any shortage of solutions to the issue. (6) and hand- wringing, what is lost is that the problem (7) incorrectly, and therefore, the solutions are being looked for in all the wrong places. (8) around air pollution, which seems to increase when the pollution is most visible, is flawed and misunderstands several aspects of the problem. (9) particulate matter in the air is a year-round problem across North India, and indeed in major Indian cities, and should be addressed as such and not (10) solutions.
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Choose the appropriate word for the filler (1) from the below option.
From the passage and especially from ‘it was a problem faced across Northern India,’ one can decipher that the passage is about smog in general and not Delhi in specific. Hence, ‘Delhi’s smog’ or ‘Delhi smog’ are incorrect eliminating options A, B, and E. ‘An obscured smog’ makes no sense. Either it should be ‘obscured by smog’ or ‘smog obscured large parts of the Indo–Gangetic plain.’
Choose the appropriate word for the filler (2) from the below option.
From ‘though the problems……..faced across Northern India,’ one can decipher that ‘though’ is used at the beginning of a subordinate clause when one has to mark a contrast with the idea in the main clause. Note that ‘as satellite pictures showed’ is the reason for the subordinate clause. Thus, the blank should have such group of words which suggest that ‘they got significant coverage.’
Option A: It is not fair as the other parts of Northern India also suffered the same but did not get the same coverage.
Options C, D and E: Prompted means to cause or bring about. The problems faced by those in Delhi and the NCR did not encourage/influence the coverage rather it was the satellite pictures which diverted the attention towards them.
Choose the appropriate word for the filler (3) from the below option.
From ‘AQI was probably even worse in smaller, _______ such as Varanasi, Moradabad, and Ludhiana,’ we can decipher that group of words in the blank should contain a noun that will connect with ‘Varanasi, Moradabad, and Ludhiana.’ The use of 'ones' in C and D makes it ambiguous with regard to whether they refer to the cities given as example or not. Thus, eliminating options C and D. A and B make use of the word 'cities' and thus are possible choices. Note that ‘smaller’ is followed by a comma. Thus, the group of words in the blank should contain comparative adjective thereby eliminating options B and E.
Choose the appropriate word for the filler (4) from the below option.
It is very obvious that smog is a type of air pollution and can cause severe problems for people with breathing difficulties. Thus, ones suffering from the breathing disorder or respiratory/lung disease get affected the most.
Choose the appropriate word for the filler (5) from the below option.
‘..blamed it on the Congress-led ……the fault lay with the Bharatiya Janata..’ shows that the group of words in the blank should be in past perfect tense. In the given context the phrase "lay (something) at (one's) feet" means "to make or hold someone responsible for something" is the correct one.
Choose the appropriate word for the filler (6) from the below option.
From the sentence just before the blank, we can decipher that they were openly putting blames on one another, thus eliminating options A and D.
From ‘______and hand-wringing, …..all the wrong places,’ we can decipher that the blank should have such group of words which mean ‘in between casting blame or assigning the blame for something to someone else.’
Choose the appropriate word for the filler (7) from the below option.
From ‘even though there does not seem….. all the wrong places,’ we can decipher that the focus is on the action (problem). It is not important or not known, however, who or what is performing the action (who is responsible for this). So, a passive form should be used in the blank.
Choose the appropriate word for the filler (8) from the below option.
From the passage, we can decipher that the group of words in the blank should mean ‘the sparkling debate.’ Ferried means to transport from one place to another on short or regular trips. A trajectory or flight path is the path that a moving object follows through space as a function of time. The object might be a projectile or a satellite. Thus, options A and B make no sense. There is no mention of ‘deaths’ in the passage; hence option C can’t be used. ‘The political forces that have mobilized’ hints towards war/military/army. Thus, this option can’t be used.
Choose the appropriate word for the filler (9) from the below option.
From ‘____particulate matter in the air is a year-round problem across North India,..,’ one can decipher that the group of words in the blank should mean ‘increasing concentration of/harmful.’ Thus, eliminating options B and E. There is no mention of ‘emission sources’ in the passage; hence option C can’t be used. Extraneous means ‘irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with’ thus, it makes no sense with the context of the passage.
Choose the appropriate word for the filler (10) from the below option.
From the passage, we can decipher that the blank should have the group of words which mean ‘unplanned/short-term/temporarily/ only for a particular purpose or need.’ Option A: Plat means to plan out or make a map of an area of land, especially a proposed site for construction; hence it makes no sense. Option B: This does not fit with the context of the passage. Option C: ‘Ad hoc’ means something created or done for a particular purpose as necessary. Option D: Instead of ‘by,’ it should be ‘through.’ Option E: Devised means to plan or invent a complex procedure, system, or mechanism by careful thought.
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