New Pattern English

Directions (1-10): The following sentences contain an error part in bold. Each sentence is followed by five different ways of wording the part that contains the error. Answer choice (A) always repeats the original; the other four choices are different. If you think that the original sentence displays the best way of wording the bold part, choose answer (A); otherwise, select the best alternative.

Q1. Although few outside academe have heard of him, today William Dean Howells is among America’s most successful literary critics and novelists.

(a) Although few outside academe have heard of him today, William Dean Howells

(b) However difficult it may be to find someone outside of academe who has heard of him, today, William Dean Howells

(c) As difficult as it is to find someone outside of academe who has heard of him today, William Dean Howells

(d) William Dean Howells is not heard of by very many outside of academe today, but he

(e) Although today William Dean Howells is not heard of by very many people outside of academe, 

Q2. Although the stock market seems to offer the possibility of great personal gain, you must understand that to invest in stocks is accepting the risk of financial ruin as well.

(a) is accepting the risk of financial ruin as well

(b) is to accept the risk of financial ruin as well

(c) is to accept the risk as well as financial ruin

(d) are accepting the risk of financial ruin as well

(e) are to accept the risk of financial ruin as well

Q3. Since the past twenty years, thousands of magnificent United States elms have been killed by infestations of the tiny European bark beetle.

(a) Since the past twenty years

(b) Since twenty years have passed

(c) During the past twenty years

(d) Twenty years ago

(e) After twenty years

Q4. The new biography of Thomas Jefferson contains some startling insights about the man who was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence.

(a) about the man who was the primary author

(b) into the man who was the primary author

(c) into the character of the man who was the primary author

(d) into the character of a man who was the primary author

(e) into the character of the man who was primarily the author

Q5. Although completely withered, the botanists were able to conclude from what remained of the flower that the species was very rare.

(a) Although completely withered

(b) Although totally withered

(c) Although withering completely

(d) Although it was completely withered

(e) While it withered completely

Q6. Four days a week, parking is permitted only on alternate sides of the street on account of enabling the mechanical street sweepers to pass close to the curbs.

(a) on account of enabling

(b) for the reason of enabling

(c) to permit

(d) so as to allow

(e) therefore allowing

Q7. What I would call personal style depends not so much on the actual clothing you wear but one’s choice of jewelry and make-up.

(a) but one’s choice of

(b) but one’s choosing

(c) but your choice of

(d) as your choice of

(e) as your choosing

Q8. The actual votes cast by incumbents can provide voters with a more accurate picture of their attitudes than the speeches they make while campaigning for re-election.

(a) their attitudes than  the speeches they make

(b) the actual votes cast …… the attitudes of incumbents than the speeches they make

(c) the actual votes cast …… the attitudes of incumbents than do the speeches they make

(d) the actual  votes cast …… the attitudes of incumbents than do the speeches

(e) the actual votes cast …… the attitudes of incumbents than the speeches

Q9. With the writing of Huckleberry Finn, it marked the first time that the American vernacular was used in a novel.

(a) With the writing of Huckleberry Finn, it marked the first time that the American vernacular was used in a novel.

(b) Marking the first time that the American vernacular was used in a novel was Huckleberry Finn.

(c) The writing of Huckleberry Finn, a novel, was the first time that the American vernacular was used.

(d) Huckleberry Finn marked the first time that American vernacular was used in a novel.

(e) The first time that the American vernacular was used in a novel was Huckleberry Finn.

Q10. Parents and teacher are becoming increasingly concerned about protecting children and the drugs which are available to them, and several parent-teacher organizations, dedicated to educating children about the dangers of drug addition, have recently been formed.

(a) protecting children and the drugs which are available to them

(b) protecting of children and the drugs which are available to them

(c) protecting children from their availability to drugs

(d) protecting children from the drugs availability to them

(e) protecting children from the drugs available to them

Directions (11-15): Pick out the most effective pair of words from the given pair to make the sentences meaningfully complete.

Q11. Unless new reserves are found soon, the world’s supply of coal is being __________ in such a way that with demand continuing to grow at present rates reserves will be __________ by the year 2050.

(a) consumed, completed

(b) depleted, exhausted

(c) reduced, argument

(d) burnt, destroyed

(e) utilized, perished

Q12. If you are __________ you tend to respond to stressful situations, in a calm, secure, steady and __________ way.

(a) resilient, rational

(b) obdurate, manageable

(c) propitious, stable

(d) delectable, flexible

(e) supportive, positive

Q13. Management can be defined as the process of __________ organizational goals by working with and through human and non-human resources to __________ improve value added to the world.

(a) getting, deliberately

(b) managing, purposefully

(c) targeting, critically

(d) realizing, dialectically

(e) reaching, continuously

Q14. If you are an introvert, you __________ to prefer working alone and if possible, will __________ towards projects where you can work by yourself or with as few people as possible.

(a) like, depart

(b) advocate, move

(c) tend, gravitate

(d) express, attract

(e) feel, follow

Q15. Despite __________ knowledgeable, he remained __________ all through.

(a) having, ignorant

(b) of, doubtful

(c) owing, through

(d) having, enriched

(e) being, poor

Solutions

S1. Ans.(a)
Sol. Although few outside academe have heard of him today, William Dean Howells

S2. Ans.(b)
Sol. is to accept the risk of financial ruin as well. We need to maintain the parallelism in the both parts of the sentence.

S3. Ans.(c)
Sol. During the past twenty years. Since shows exact point of time, here a time period is shown, hence During in the correct word.

S4. Ans.(c)
Sol. into the character of the man who was the primary author.

S5. Ans.(d)
Sol. Although it was completely withered. We need a subject(it) to express the idea correctly.

S6. Ans.(c)
Sol. to permit. Other choices are wordy in nature and incorrect word order.

S7. Ans.(d)
Sol. as your choice of. In this option the correct possessive pronoun “your” is used.

S8. Ans.(c)
Sol. the actual votes cast …… the attitudes of incumbents than do the speeches they make

S9. Ans.(d)
Sol. Huckleberry Finn marked the first time that American vernacular was used in a novel.

S10. Ans.(e)
Sol.  protecting children from the drugs available to them

S11. Ans.(b)
Sol.  depleted, exhausted fit in the context of the sentence correctly.

S12. Ans.(a)
Sol.  resilient, rational fit in the context of the sentence correctly.

S13. Ans.(d)
Sol.  realizing, dialectically fit in the context of the sentence correctly.

S14. Ans.(c)
Sol.  tend, gravitate fit in the context of the sentence correctly.

S15. Ans.(e)
Sol.  being, poor fit in the context of the sentence correctly.