Q&A: practice questions with answers

Concept: Verbs ending in '-ic' add a 'k' only before -ed, -ing, -y (panicked, picnicking).

1. The base word is Panic — no 'k'.
2. Panicked, Picnicked, Picnic are correct.

Trick: 'k' appears only before a suffix starting with e/i/y.

Answer: (A) Panick

Concept: Stupendous means extremely impressive, amazing, magnificent.

1. Opposite: Terrible = very bad, of poor quality.
2. Smart and Perfect are positive; Jealous is unrelated.

Trick: Stupendous = stunning/great ↔ terrible.

Answer: (A) Terrible

Concept: Comparing one with all others ('in a decade') needs the superlative with 'the'.

1. Bad → worse → worst.
2. 'The worse' (comparative) is wrong; 'most worse' and 'very worst' are double comparisons.
3. Correct: This is the worst famine this country has seen in a decade.

Trick: the + superlative when one is compared with the whole group.

Answer: (D) the worst

Concept: Cause to continue, keep up, preserve = maintain.

1. e.g. 'maintain peace', 'maintain a record'.
2. Mainly = mostly; Mainstay = chief support; Maintop = platform on a ship's mainmast.

Trick: Maintain → maintenance (keeping something going).

Answer: (C) maintain

Concept: A host who introduces performers in a variety show or TV programme is a compere.

1. Compere (noun and verb) = master of ceremonies / anchor.
2. Compeer = an equal or peer (trap option, sounds alike).
3. Calligrapher = expert in beautiful handwriting; Cypher = code/zero.

Trick: compere = host (anchor); compeer = peer.

Answer: (C) Compere

Concept: Obstruct means to block or hinder.

1. Opposite: Assist = help, support.
2. Disrupt, Spoil, Repress all carry a hindering sense — synonyms, not antonyms.

Trick: Obstruct (hinder) ↔ assist/facilitate.

Answer: (B) Assist

Concept: Crying wolf = raising a false alarm; asking for help when it is not needed.

1. From Aesop's fable of the shepherd boy who falsely shouted 'Wolf!' again and again.
2. When the wolf really came, nobody believed him.

Trick: False alarm → crying wolf.

Answer: (C) To ask for help when you don’t need it

Concept: Glee means great delight or joy.

1. Mirth = amusement, laughter, joy — synonym.
2. Anxiety, Abhorrence (hatred), Distress are negative feelings.

Trick: Glee ≈ mirth ≈ merriment.

Answer: (C) Mirth

Concept: Inflame → inflammation → inflammatory: the noun/adjective has double 'm'.

1. Correct spelling: inflammatory.
2. neurological, numerous, metabolic are correct.

Trick: inflaMMation, inflaMMatory — two m's.

Answer: (A) inflamatory

Concept: A belly laugh is a deep, loud, hearty laugh.

1. It comes 'from the belly' — loud and unrestrained.
2. Not mocking, and not 'with inhibition' (that would be restrained laughter).

Trick: Belly laugh = laugh till the stomach shakes.

Answer: (C) A loud and unrestrained laugh

Concept: Taking heed or care; being conscious of something = mindful.

1. e.g. 'Be mindful of your words.'
2. Mindless = careless (opposite); Mindset = attitude; Mind-read = guess thoughts.

Trick: Mind + ful = full of attention.

Answer: (A) Mindful

Concept: A chip off the old block = a child who resembles a parent in character or behaviour.

1. The granddaughter collects coins just like her numismatist (coin-collector) mother.
2. So she is similar to her parent — option (B).

Trick: A chip has the same wood as the block → child like parent.

Answer: (B) A person who is similar in behaviour or actions to his/her parents

Concept: Two subjects joined by 'and' take a plural verb.

1. 'He and his father' = plural subject → take (no -s).
2. 'takes' would need a singular subject; 'taking' leaves no finite verb; 'an ride' is wrong article.
3. So the sentence is already correct.

Trick: A and B → plural verb.

Answer: (B) No substitution required

Concept: Prodigal means spending money or resources wastefully.

1. Extravagant = spending too much — synonym.
2. Economical, Scrimping, Conserving all mean saving — antonyms.

Trick: Prodigal son of the parable wasted his inheritance.

Answer: (C) Extravagant

Concept: 'In distress' means in serious trouble or danger.

1. Correct spelling: distress (dis-), not 'destress'.
2. bail, definitely, realised (British spelling) are correct.

Trick: dis + stress → distress (SOS = distress signal).

Answer: (C) destress

Concept: A mare's nest = a complicated, confused situation; also a false 'discovery'.

1. A mare (female horse) has no nest, so the phrase suggests a muddle or illusion.
2. Among the options, 'complicated situation' fits.

Trick: Mare's nest = mess/muddle.

Answer: (C) Complicated situation

Concept: Beside oneself = overwhelmed by strong emotion (anger, joy, grief), almost out of one's senses.

1. e.g. 'She was beside herself with grief.'
2. The person loses self-control — nearly out of the senses.

Trick: Beside oneself = outside one's normal self.

Answer: (A) Almost out of one’s senses

Concept: Plain sailing = easy and free from difficulty.

1. She feared too much work, 'but' it turned out easy — the contrast word 'but' confirms it.
2. Exhausting, risky, boring do not match.

Trick: Smooth sea → plain sailing → very easy.

Answer: (B) very easy

Concept: 'The former … the latter' refer to the first and second of two named things.

1. Saima is the second → latter is correct; present tense 'is' matches 'the former is'.
2. 'Later' = afterwards (time); 'letter' = written message.
3. So no change is needed.

Trick: former = first, latter = last of two.

Answer: (C) No substitution required

Concept: The scientific study of insects (popularly including worms and bugs) is entomology.

1. Greek entomon = insect.
2. Anatomy = body structure; Zoology = all animals; Anemology = study of winds.

Trick: Entomology (insects) ≠ etymology (word origins).

Answer: (A) Entomology