Directions (1-15): For each of the words given below, a contextual usage is provided. From the alternatives given, pick the word that is the most inappropriate as a substitute in the given context and mark its number as your answer.
Q1. Abjure: I have decided to abjure smoking.
(a) relinquish
(b) renounce
(c) abnegate
(d) discontinue
(e) abandon
Q2. Acquittal: His acquittal in spite of the incriminating evidence surprised all of us.
(a) dismissal
(b) vindication
(c) exoneration
(d) deliverance
(e) exculpation
Q3. Presage: The phenomenal growth of this chain of stores presaged globalization and was a glitzy part of it.
(a) supported
(b) signaled
(c) prophesised
(d) portended
(e) threatened
Q4. Unassailable: Its brand image is unassailable.
(a) impregnable
(b) invincible
(c) inviolable
(d) invisible
(e) secure
Q5. Venom: The venom in his voice was unmistakable.
(a) rancour
(b) abhorrence
(c) malice
(d) malevolence
(e) bitterness
Q6. Despondent: After their trauma, they were exhausted and despondent.
(a) doleful
(b) morose
(c) defiant
(d) crestfallen
(e) dismal
Q7. Fitfully: She felt groggy in the morning as she had slept fitfully the previous night.
(a) faintly
(b) intermittently
(c) irregularly
(d) discontinuously
(e) erratically
Q8. Incredulous: He was incredulous regarding the potential benefits of the tiny gadget.
(a) cynical
(b) disbelieving
(c) weary
(d) skeptical
(e) dubious
Q9. Misconstrue: His introverted behaviour is often misconstrued as haughtiness.
(a) erred
(b) misinterpreted
(c) misunderstood
(d) confused
(e) miscalculated
Q10. Embellish: On the occasion of the festival, the deity was embellished with jewels of many types.
(a) adorned
(b) beautified
(c) studded
(d) decorated
(e) beatified
Q11. Paean: The student leader ended his speech singing paeans about the initiatives adopted by the new principal.
(a) panegyric
(b) accolades
(c) eulogy
(d) anathema
(e) tribute
Q12. Sprightly: Her sprightly disposition camouflaged her illness.
(a) voracious
(b) vivacious
(c) jaunty
(d) perky
(e) frisky
Q13. Ubiquitous: The ubiquitous internet cafes have helped increase the level of its accessibility to the common man.
(a) pervasive
(b) dominating
(c) prevalent
(d) extensive
(e) rife
Q14. Tyro: His subtle discomfort in front of the camera reveals that he is a tyro in this field.
(a) novice
(b) veteran
(c) beginner
(d) neophyte
(e) trainee
Q15. Variegated: The variegated religions and the multitude of cultures contribute to the rich spiritual heritage of our country.
(a) kaleidoscopic
(b) psychedelic
(c) many-hued
(d) diversified
(e) colourful
Solutions
S1. Ans.(d)
Sol. ‘Abjure’ means to solemnly renounce. Hence, it can mean renounce, relinquish (give up) or abnegate (renounce or reject) or abandon but not discontinue (stop) discontinue is a common word by comparison.
S2. Ans.(a)
Sol. ‘Acquittal’ means declared not guilty. Hence it can mean vindication (shown to be right or justified), exoneration (officially absolve from blame), and deliverance (the process of being set free), and exculpation but not dismissal (order or allow to leave).
S3. Ans.(a)
Sol. ‘Presage’ means a sign or warning. It also means predict. Hence, in the context it can be replaced by signalled (indicate a state) or prophesied (predicted) or portended (sign or warning) or threatened but not supported (bear the weight or give assistance).
S4. Ans.(d)
Sol. ‘Unassailable’ means not liable to attack hence ‘impregnable’, (unconquerable) invincible’ or ‘secure’ or ‘inviolable’ but not ‘invisible’ (not seen).
S5. Ans.(b)
Sol. ‘Venom literally means poison and by extension hatred and bitterness. In this context it can mean rancor (bitterness) malice (hatred) malevolence (ill-will) and bitterness. It cannot mean abhorrence which is disgust.
S6. Ans.(c)
Sol. ‘Despondent’ means being in low spirits from loss of hope or courage. It can mean doleful (sorrowful), morose (sullen) or crestfallen (sad and disappointed) dismal, but not defiant (resistance or disobedient).
S7. Ans.(a)
Sol. ‘Fitfully’ means occurring intermittently, not regularly. Hence, it means erratically intermittently, irregularly discontinuously but it does not mean faintly which means ‘barely perceptible’.
S8. Ans.(c)
Sol. ‘Incredulous’ means unwilling to believe. Hence, it can be dubious, cynical meaning, sceptical (doubtful) and disbelieving but not weary (tired).
S9. Ans.(d)
Sol. ‘Misconstrued’ means ‘interpreted wrongly, hence it can mean miscalculated, misinterpreted or misunderstood (wrongly understood) or erred (mistaken) but not confused which means bewildered or lacking order.
S10. Ans.(e)
Sol. ‘Embellished’ means adorned or decorated or studded and hence beautified but not beatified (sanctified).
S11. Ans.(d)
Sol. ‘Paeans’ means a song of praise hence it can mean tribute, panegyric (in praise of someone) accolade (special honour), eulogy (praise someone highly) but not anathema (something that one vehemently dislikes).
S12. Ans.(a)
Sol. ‘Sprightly’ means lively, energetic, hence it can mean frisky, vivacious (attractively lively) jaunty (lively and self confident manner) perky (cheerful and lively) but not voracious which means greedy or insatiable.
S13. Ans.(b)
Sol. ‘Ubiquitous’ means found everywhere, hence it means rife, pervasive (widespread), prevalent (widespread or existing) and extensive (covering a large area) but not dominating which means have a commanding or controlling influence over.
S14. Ans.(b)
Sol. ‘Tyro’ means a beginner or novice hence it can mean trainee, beginner novice or neophyte (a person who is new to a subject) but not veteran (a person who has long experience in a field) which is the opposite.
S15. Ans.(d)
Sol. ‘Variegated’ means exhibiting different colours hence colourful, kaleidoscopical (changing patterns, psychedelic (vivid colours and swirling abstract patterns) and many hued (many colours) but not diversified (enlarge the range).