There are two blanks in each sentence given below. These blanks would be filled with the words in the options given below each sentence. Choose the best alternative to complete the sentences. 

Q1. Despite the team’s initial ________, the project was ultimately a ________ due to unforeseen technological limitations.

(a) enthusiasm / triumph

(b) trepidation / debacle

(c) fervor / success

(d) indifference / failure

(e) zeal / culmination

Q2. The novel’s protagonist is caught in a/an ________ moral quandary, one that tests the bounds of his ________ conscience.

(a) inexorable / elastic

(b) inextricable / malleable

(c) insipid / rigid

(d) inscrutable / tenuous

(e) impeccable / stalwart

Q3. The government’s ________ was evident in its ________ policy shifts that appeased neither the progressives nor the conservatives.

(a) obstinacy / vacillating

(b) decisiveness / steadfast

(c) equivocation / mercurial

(d) assertiveness / unyielding

(e) clarity / oscillating

Q4. The philosopher’s ________ on the subject of free will created a/an ________ among his contemporaries.

(a) treatise / consensus

(b) diatribe / ambivalence

(c) exposition / schism

(d) thesis / uniformity

(e) discourse / harmony

Q5. Her work in the lab was marked by a/an ________ attention to detail that bordered on the ________.

(a) meticulous / obsessive

(b) negligent / careless

(c) casual / disinterested

(d) haphazard / meticulous

(e) slipshod / fastidious

Q6. The chef’s new fusion dish was an ________ concoction, defying traditional categories and ________ the culinary purists.

(a) abhorrent / alienating

(b) eclectic / vexing

(c) orthodox / appeasing

(d) anachronistic / satisfying

(e) insipid / enlivening

Q7. The __________ of the ancient ruins was __________ by the dense jungle, making them nearly impossible to locate.

(a) visibility / obscured

(b) clarity / enlightened

(c) structure / sustained

(d) presence / augmented

(e) articulation / diminished

Q8. The philosopher’s argument was __________; his points seemed __________, leading many to question his credibility.

(a) cogent / consistent

(b) convoluted / disparate

(c) lucid / uniform

(d) coherent / analogous

(e) succinct / parallel

Q9. Her __________ for perfection was __________ by her peer’s laid-back approach to the project.

(a) disdain / complemented

(b) aspiration / undermined

(c) contempt / harmonized

(d) quest / mitigated

(e) repugnance / balanced

Q10. The film’s plot was __________, filled with __________ twists that left audiences both thrilled and perplexed.

(a) straightforward / predictable

(b) simplistic / unanticipated

(c) linear / expected

(d) labyrinthine / serpentine

(e) uncomplicated / foreseeable

ANSWERS AND SOLUTION

S1. Ans. (b)

 The correct combination is (b) trepidation / debacle.

– Enthusiasm means intense and eager enjoyment or interest, which wouldn’t normally lead to a negative outcome like “triumph” which means a great victory or achievement.

– Trepidation is a feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen, fitting well with “debacle,” which means a sudden and ignominious failure.

– Fervor is passionate intensity, which is not usually paired with a negative outcome.

– Indifference implies a lack of interest or concern, which does not collocate naturally with “failure” in this context.

– Zeal is great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective, and doesn’t logically precede “culmination,” which means the highest or climactic point of something, especially as obtained after a long time.

S2. Ans. (b)

 The correct combination is (b) inextricable / malleable.

– Inexorable means impossible to stop or prevent and does not usually describe a moral quandary. Elastic suggests flexibility, but this does not typically relate to the “bounds” of a conscience.

– Inextricable means impossible to disentangle or separate, fitting with “malleable,” which means easily influenced; pliable, indicating a conscience that can be shaped or tested by complex situations.

– Insipid means lacking flavor or interest, not a typical way to describe a moral quandary. Rigid means unable to bend or be forced out of shape, which does not correspond to a conscience being tested or stretched.

– Inscrutable means impossible to understand or interpret, which is not a natural descriptor for a moral quandary, and tenuous means very weak or slight, which doesn’t align with the idea of a conscience being tested.

– Impeccable means in accordance with the highest standards; faultless, which is not usually paired with moral quandary, and stalwart means loyal, reliable, and hardworking, which doesn’t depict a conscience that is being tested or could potentially change.

S3. Ans. (c)

The correct combination is (c) equivocation / mercurial.

– Obstinacy, meaning stubbornness, does not logically lead to “vacillating” (which means indecisive) policy shifts.

– Decisiveness is the quality of being able to make decisions quickly and confidently, which is not congruent with “steadfast” (firmly fixed in place) as it implies no shift at all.

– Equivocation is the use of ambiguous language to conceal the truth or to avoid committing oneself, which pairs well with “mercurial,” meaning subject to sudden or unpredictable changes, to describe policy shifts that are unclear and changeable.

– Assertiveness is confidently aggressive or self-assured behavior, which is inconsistent with “unyielding” policy shifts since assertiveness does not inherently imply indecisiveness.

– Clarity means the quality of being clear, in particular, which does not fit with “oscillating” (moving back and forth at a regular speed) as this would imply a lack of clarity.

S4. Ans. (c)

The correct combination is (c) exposition / schism.

– A treatise is a written work dealing formally and systematically with a subject, usually not leading to a “consensus” (general agreement), which would imply no division among contemporaries.

– A diatribe is

 a forceful and bitter verbal attack, which is unlikely to result in “ambivalence” (mixed or conflicting feelings about something), since it typically provokes a strong, not mixed, response.

– An exposition is a comprehensive description and explanation of an idea or theory, which can lead to a “schism,” meaning a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, due to differing interpretations.

– A thesis is a statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved, which does not typically create “uniformity” (consistency, lack of variation), especially in philosophical circles.

– Discourse is written or spoken communication or debate, which does not naturally result in “harmony” (agreement or concord), as philosophical discussions often provoke debate rather than immediate agreement.

S5. Ans. (a)

The correct combination is (a) meticulous / obsessive.

– Meticulous means showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise, which correlates well with “obsessive,” which means excessively preoccupied with a perceived fault or detail.

– Negligent means failing to take proper care over something, which is contradictory to “careless,” as they are synonyms and do not imply a transition or bordering on another state.

– Casual means relaxed and unconcerned, which does not logically border on “disinterested,” meaning not influenced by considerations of personal advantage.

– Haphazard means lacking any obvious principle of organization, which is at odds with “meticulous.”

– Slipshod means characterized by a lack of care, thought, or organization, which does not naturally border on “fastidious,” meaning very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.

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S6. Ans. (b)

 The correct combination is (b) eclectic / vexing.

– “Eclectic” means deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources, which suits the idea of a fusion dish that is a mix of different cuisines. This could “vex” (make someone feel annoyed, frustrated, or worried) culinary purists who prefer traditional methods.

– “Abhorrent” means inspiring disgust and loathing, which doesn’t typically apply to a dish unless it’s being criticized, and “alienating” means causing someone to feel isolated or estranged, which doesn’t pair well in this context.

– “Orthodox” means conforming to what is traditionally accepted as right or true, which doesn’t fit with the idea of a fusion dish that defies traditional categories, and “appeasing” means pacifying or placating, which is inconsistent with the reaction of purists to a non-traditional dish.

– “Anachronistic” means belonging to a period other than that being portrayed, which is not applicable to a fusion dish, and “satisfying” does not collocate naturally with the intended meaning.

– “Insipid” means lacking flavor, which contradicts the description of a noteworthy fusion dish, and “enlivening” means making something more entertaining or interesting, which does not fit the context of provoking purists.

S7. Ans. (a)

 The word “visibility” refers to the state of being able to see or be seen, while “obscured” means to keep from being seen; conceal. These words fit the context meaningfully, as ruins can be hidden by jungle overgrowth. “Clarity” and “enlightened” do not fit because they refer to clear understanding and having gained great knowledge, respectively, which do not make sense in this context. “Structure” is irrelevant here, “sustained” suggests continuous support. “Presence” could be tempting but “augmented” means having been made greater in size or value which does not match the second blank. “Articulation” is out of context here and “diminished” means made smaller or less, which would not fit the first blank properly.

S8. Ans. (b)

 “Convoluted” means extremely complex and difficult to follow, and “disparate” means essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison. The combination indicates that the argument was complex and the points were very different from each other. “Cogent” and “consistent” both indicate a strong, logical argument, which contradicts the context implying the argument led to questions about his credibility. “Lucid” and “uniform” both suggest clarity and sameness, respectively, which would not lead to questioning credibility. “Coherent” suggests something logical and consistent, and “analogous” means comparable, which are both positive attributes, not fitting the context. “Succinct” means briefly and clearly expressed, and “parallel” means side by side and having the same distance continuously between them, which do not indicate a problematic argument.

S9. Ans. (d)

 “Quest” refers to a search or pursuit made in order to find or obtain something, and “mitigated” means to make less severe, serious, or painful. The phrase “quest for perfection” fits well as it describes her pursuit of perfection which was lessened (or made to seem less intense) by her peer’s relaxed approach. “Disdain” means the feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one’s consideration or respect, and “complemented” means add to in a way that enhances or improves, which does not fit the context well. “Aspiration” and “undermined” could be confusing, but “undermined” suggests a weakening effect, not just a contrasting approach. “Contempt” and “harmonized” are contradictory because “contempt” is a strong word for dislike and “harmonized” suggests a positive blending. “Repugnance” is a strong word for disgust, which is too intense for the context, and “balanced” does not convey a sense of impact on her quest.

S10. Ans. (d)

 “Labyrinthine” suggests something intricate and complicated like a labyrinth, while “serpentine” suggests something complex, twisting, and winding like a serpent’s movement. These words fit the context of a film plot that is complicated and filled with complex twists. “Straightforward” and “predictable,” “linear” and “expected,” and “uncomplicated” and “foreseeable” are all pairs that suggest simplicity and a lack of complexity, which contradicts the second part of the sentence. “Simplistic” is misleading because while it suggests simplicity, “unanticipated” contradicts it as it means not foreseen or expected.