Institute of Advanced Management [(H.M.) Kolkata] Exam., 2009

English Language Proficiency 

(Exam Held on 12-4-2009) 

Directions—(Q. 1–5) In each of the following sentences four words or phrases are given in bold. Only one bold part in each sentence is not acceptable in Standard English. Find out that part and darken the circle having its letter A, B C or D in your Answer-Sheet.

1. If the government is bent on (A) conciliatory measures their (B) intention has produced no effect (C) on the insurgents. (D)
Ans : (B)

2. Our strongest (A) reason for siding (B) with (C) the Communists is because (D) our father is a Communist.
Ans : (D)

3. He ordered (A) the servants to prepare (B) a feast, had the gates opened (C) and to fire (D) a salute.
Ans : (C)

4. The whole (A) block of flats including (B) two shops were (C) destroyed in (D) fire.
Ans : (C)

5. Those who (A) are desirous (B) of applying for the post they (C) should do on forms (D) supplied by the office.
Ans : (C)

Directions—(Q. 6–10) Each of the following words in capital letters is followed by four likely synonyms. One of them is not the correct synonym. Pick-up that.

6. ABRIDGE
(A) Contract
(B) Venerate
(C) Abstract
(D) Abbreviate
Ans : (B)

7. COGNIZANT
(A) Aware
(B) Conscious
(C) Vindict
(D) Informed
Ans : (C)

8. FISSURE
(A) Slit
(B) Chasm
(C) Ravine
(D) Fusion
Ans : (D)

9. INNOCUOUS
(A) Immoral
(B) Harmless
(C) Unobjectionable
(D) Impeccable
Ans : (A)

10. PERENNIAL
(A) Ceaseless
(B) Perishable
(C) Recurrent
(D) Continual
Ans : (B)

Directions—(Q. 11–15) Each of the following words in capital letters is followed by four likely antonyms. One of them is not the correct antonym. Pick that up.

11. LATENT
(A) Apparent
(B) Exposed
(C) Manifest
(D) Officious
Ans : (D)

12. NAIVE
(A) Crafty
(B) Diplomatic
(C) Brave
(D) Wily
Ans : (A)

13. REGAL
(A) Legal
(B) Beggarly
(C) Slavish
(D) Poor
Ans : (A)

14. TRANQUILITY
(A) Calmness
(B) Excitement
(C) Agitation
(D) Disturbance
Ans : (A)

15. AMALGAMATE
(A) Dissociate
(B) Unravel
(C) Untangle
(D) Seethe
Ans : (D)

Directions—(Q. 16–20) Select the lettered pair of words which are related in the same way as the capitalised words are related to each other.

16. TEPID : HOT : :
(A) winter : summer
(B) pat : slap
(C) pink : blue
(D) paper : page
Ans : (A)

17. MODESTY : ARROGANCE : :
(A) obese : fat
(B) soldier : army
(C) debility : strength
(D) shout : speak
Ans : (C)

18. GERM : DISEASE : :
(A) man : woman
(B) doctor : medicine
(C) shopkeeper : goods
(D) war : destruction
Ans : (D)

19. BOUQUET : FLOWER : :
(A) skin : body
(B) chain : link
(C) product : factory
(D) page : book
Ans : (B)

20. ENCOURAGE : RESTRICT : :
(A) deprive : supply
(B) gain : succeed
(C) detain : deny
(D) laugh : smile
Ans : (A)

Directions—(Q. 21–25) Fill in the blanks by selecting appropriate alternative.

21. It was time for us………preparation to leave.
(A) start to make
(B) starting to make
(C) start to making
(D) to start making
Ans : (D)

22. We……… start now to work for our project.
(A) had better
(B) better
(C) have better
(D) are better
Ans : (A)

23. He took up the letter from the table and……… it aloud to his father.
(A) was reading
(B) had read
(C) read
(D) has been reading
Ans : (C)

24. When I met him he was walking ………the crowded street.
(A) upon
(B) into
(C) against
(D) down
Ans : (D)

25. He is the only boy in the class who………a book whenever he gets time.
(A) reads
(B) has read
(C) is reading
(D) has been reading
Ans : (A)

Directions—(Q. 26–30) Each sentence below has one or two blanks. Choose the word or set of words that best completes the sentence meaningfully.

26. If you come to the conference table with such an………attitude, we cannot expect to reach any harmonious agreement.
(A) exemplary
(B) indolent
(C) adamant
(D) unwonted
Ans : (C)

27. This well-documented history is of importance because it carefully……… the………accomplishments of Indian artists who are all too little known to the public at large.
(A) recognizes, negligible
(B) overlook, purported
(C) scruitinizes, illusory
(D) substantiates, considerable
Ans : (C)

28. Because he is so……… we can never predict what course he will take at any moment.
(A) incoherent
(B) superficial
(C) capricious
(D) conventional
Ans : (C)

29. He was convinced that people were driven by……… motives and there was no such thing as a purely unselfish act.
(A) sentimental
(B) personal
(C) ulterior
(D) intrinsic
Ans : (B)

30. He found himself in the………position of appearing to support a point of view which he abhorred.
(A) obvious
(B) anomalous
(C) enviable
(D) innocuous
Ans : (B)

Directions—(Q. 31–40) For these questions a paragraph with many numbered blanks is given. Read the paragraph carefully and for each question choose the appropriate word from the given alternatives to fill up the blank. Mark your answer in the answer-sheet as instructed.

Primitive man was perhaps more concerned with fire as a source of warmth and as a means of cooking food than as a source of light …(31)… he discovered less laborious ways of making fire, he had to …(32)… it and whenever he …(33)… on a journey he carried …(34)… firebrand with him. His discovery …(35)… the firebrand, from which …(36)… torch may well have developed, …(37)… used for illumination was …(38)… accidental to the primary purpose …(39)… preserving a flame. Lamps too probably developed by accident. Early man …(40)… his first conception of a lamp while watching a twig or fibre burning in the molten fat dropping from a roasting carcass.

31. (A) as soon as
(B) no sooner
(C) as
(D) before
Ans : (C)

32. (A) conserve
(B) keep
(C) preserve
(D) retain
Ans : (B)

33. (A) did go
(B) went
(C) had gone
(D) was going
Ans : (B)

34. (A) a
(B) some
(C) such
(D) any one
Ans : (A)

35. (A) of
(B) that
(C) as
(D) once
Ans : (A)

36. (A) a
(B) our
(C) a new
(D) the
Ans : (A)

37. (A) could
(B) can be
(C) is
(D) could be
Ans : (D)

38. (A) presumably
(B) probably
(C) perhaps
(D) supposedly
Ans : (B)

39. (A) of
(B) for
(C) to
(D) in
Ans : (D)

40. (A) have had
(B) had had
(C) may have had
(D) might have had
Ans : (D)