CGL English Sectional Set 9

This free practice set from AndamanJobs has 25 questions to be solved in 15 minutes. Every question is listed below with four options. Open Show answer and explanation under a question to see the correct option and why it is correct. Try the timed test above first, then use this list to revise the questions you got wrong.

1. Choose the most appropriate antonym of the given word.
   ZEALOUS
   • A. Passionate
   • B. Fanatical
   • C. Indifferent
   • D. Devoted
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: C. Indifferent

   Zealous (उत्साही / जोशीला): Showing great energy and enthusiasm for a cause or goal.
   Indifferent (उदासीन / बेपरवाह): Having no interest or concern. (This is the exact Antonym of 'Zealous').
   Passionate (उत्कट / जोशपूर्ण), Fanatical (कट्टर) and Devoted (समर्पित) all express strong enthusiasm, so they are Synonyms of 'Zealous'.

2. Select the wrongly spelt word out of the four alternatives.
   • A. Conscientious
   • B. Corrigendum
   • C. Chauffueer
   • D. Chameleon
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: C. Chauffueer

   The wrongly spelt word is 'Chauffueer'; the correct spelling is 'Chauffeur'. (C-h-a-u-f-f-e-ur) Trick: It is a French loanword: 'chauff' + '-eur' (like 'amateur', 'connoisseur'), with a single 'e' before 'ur'.
   Meaning: A person employed to drive a private or hired car (निजी वाहन चालक).
   Conscientious (कर्तव्यनिष्ठ), Corrigendum (शुद्धिपत्र) and Chameleon (गिरगिट) are correctly spelt.

3. Select the wrongly spelt word out of the four alternatives.
   • A. Etiquette
   • B. Exhilarate
   • C. Ephervescent
   • D. Entrepreneur
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: C. Ephervescent

   The wrongly spelt word is 'Ephervescent'; the correct spelling is 'Effervescent'. (E-f-f-e-r-v-e-s-c-e-n-t)
   Rule: The word is built from the Latin prefix 'ef-' (a form of 'ex-', out) + 'fervescere' (to boil up), so it has a double 'ff', not 'ph'.
   Meaning: Giving off bubbles; (figuratively) lively and enthusiastic (बुदबुदाता हुआ / उत्साह से भरा).
   Etiquette (शिष्टाचार), Exhilarate (प्रफु ल्लित करना) and Entrepreneur (उद्यमी) are correctly spelt.

4. Choose the most appropriate synonym of the given word.
   Frugal
   • A. Extravagant
   • B. Economical
   • C. Generous
   • D. Wasteful
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: B. Economical

   Frugal (मितव्ययी / किफ़ायती): Careful and sparing in the use of money or food; avoiding waste.
   Economical (किफ़ायती): Using money, time or resources carefully and without waste. (This is the exact Synonym of 'Frugal').
   Extravagant (फ़िज़ूलख़र्च) and Wasteful (अपव्ययी) are Antonyms, while Generous (उदार) means giving freely to others, which is not the same as being careful with money.

5. Select the correctly spelt word to replace the underlined word in the given sentence.
   The author used a ++psuedonym++ to keep his true identity a secret.
   • A. Pseudonym
   • B. Psuedonym
   • C. Pseudonim
   • D. Pseudoname
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: A. Pseudonym

   'Pseudonym' is the correct spelling. (P-se-u-d-o-n-y-m)
   Rule: Greek 'pseudo' (false) + 'onym' (name), as in 'pseudoscience' and 'synonym'; the order is 'e-u', not 'u-e', and the ending is '-nym', not 'nim' or '-name'.
   Meaning: A fictitious name used by an author to hide his or her real identity; a pen name (छद्म नाम / उपनाम).
   Example: 'Premchand' was the pseudonym of Dhanpat Rai Srivastava.

6. Select the correctly spelt word to replace the underlined word in the given sentence.
   He lived a life of ++quiesence++ in a small cottage deep within the English countryside.
   • A. Quiesence
   • B. Queiscence
   • C. Quiessence
   • D. Quiescence
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: D. Quiescence

   'Quiescence' is the correct spelling. (Q-u- i-e-s-c-e-n-c-e)
   Rule: It comes from the Latin 'quiescere' (to rest); remember the 'sc' cluster, as in 'adolescence' and 'convalescence'.
   Meaning: A state of quietness, rest or inactivity (शांति / निष्क्रियता की अवस्था).
   Option (A) omits the 'c' of 'sc', (B) reverses 'ie' to 'ei', and (C) replaces 'sc' with 'ss'.

7. Select the correct indirect form of the given sentence.
   The teacher said, "We will go for a picnic tomorrow."
   • A. The teacher said that they would go for a picnic tomorrow.
   • B. The teacher said that they would go for a picnic the next day.
   • C. The teacher said that we will go for a picnic the next day.
   • D. The teacher said that they will go for a picnic the following day.
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: B. The teacher said that they would go for a picnic the next day.

   Key Rules for Conversion (Direct to Indirect): Inverted commas are removed and the conjunction 'that' is used after 'said'. 'We' (First Person) → changes to 'they' (according to the subject of the reporting verb, 'The teacher', a third person). 'will' → changes to 'would' because the reporting verb 'said' is in the past tense, and 'tomorrow' → changes to 'the next day' (or 'the following day').
   Option (A) keeps 'tomorrow', (C) keeps 'we will', and (D) keeps 'will'. Therefore, option (B) is correct.

8. Choose the most appropriate option to fill the blank in the given sentence.
   The bunch of keys ________ lying on the table since morning.
   • A. is
   • B. are
   • C. were
   • D. had
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: A. is

   Grammar Rule (Collective Noun Phrase): In 'a/the bunch of + plural noun', the head noun is 'bunch' (गुच्छा), which is singular, so the verb must be singular: "The bunch of keys is ...". c c Hence, the plural forms 'are' and 'were' are wrong, and 'had lying' is not a valid verb form.
   Note: Because of 'since morning' (a point of time), the fully correct form is the Present Perfect Continuous: "The bunch of keys has been lying on the table since morning." No option gives 'has been', so option (A) 'is' is accepted as the only singular choice.

9. Choose the most appropriate option to fill the blank in the given sentence.
   The ________ of the symphony was so powerful that the audience remained silent long after the music ended.
   • A. fragility
   • B. discord
   • C. brevity
   • D. resonance
   Show answer and explanation

   Answer: D. resonance

   "The resonance of the symphony was so powerful that the audience remained silent long after the music ended." Resonance (गूंज / अनुनाद / गहरा प्रभाव): The quality of a sound that is deep, full and reverberating; also the power to evoke lasting emotion. (Therefore, this is the correct answer).
   The clue 'remained silent long after the music ended' shows a sound and feeling that lingered.
   Fragility (नाज़ुकपन) and Brevity (संक्षिप्तता) cannot be described as 'powerful', and Discord (बेसुरापन / कलह) is harsh, unpleasant sound that would not hold an audience spellbound.

10. Select the correct direct form of the given sentence.
    The narrator said that he had arrived in Boston the previous week.
    • A. The narrator said, "I arrived in Boston last week."
    • B. The narrator said, "I had arrived in Boston the previous week."
    • C. The narrator said, “I arrive in Boston last week.”
    • D. The narrator said, "He arrived in Boston last week."
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A. The narrator said, "I arrived in Boston last week."

    Key Rules for Conversion (Indirect to Direct): 'that' is removed and the reported words are put within inverted commas; 'he' (the narrator himself) → changes to 'I'. 'had arrived' (Past Perfect) → changes back to 'arrived' (Simple Past), because a simple past in direct speech becomes past perfect in indirect speech. 'the previous week' → changes back to 'last week'.
    Option (B) keeps the indirect-speech forms 'had arrived' and 'the previous week', (C) uses the present 'arrive' with 'last week', and (D) retains 'He'. Therefore, option (A) is correct.

11. Given below are four jumbled parts of a sentence. Select the option that gives their correct order and forms a meaningful sentence.
    takes students (A) / this scholarship programme
    (B) / to remote parts (C) / of the world (D)
    • A. A B C D
    • B. B A C D
    • C. B C A D
    • D. B A D C
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: B. B A C D

    B (this scholarship programme) is the subject and must come first.
    A (takes students) follows as the verb with its object; the verb 'take' is then completed by a destination phrase beginning with 'to'.
    C (to remote parts) gives the destination, and D (of the world) completes it as a prepositional phrase.
    Thus, the correct order is B A C D: "This scholarship programme takes students to remote parts of the world."

12. Given below are four jumbled parts of a sentence. Select the option that gives their correct order and forms a meaningful sentence.
    ecological consequences (A) / lead to major (B) / minor environmental (C) / changes can (D)
    • A. A B C D
    • B. D C B A
    • C. C D B A
    • D. C B D A
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: C. C D B A

    C (minor environmental) must open the sentence because it is an incomplete noun phrase whose noun 'changes' is in part D.
    D (changes can) completes the subject and supplies the modal 'can', which must be followed by the base verb 'lead' in part B.
    B (lead to major) carries the phrasal verb 'lead to' (परिणाम देना / की ओर ले जाना), and A (ecological consequences) supplies the noun that 'major' qualifies.
    Thus, the correct order is C D B A: "Minor environmental changes can lead to major ecological consequences."

13. In the following question, out of the four e / alternatives, choose the one which can be substituted for the given words/sentence.
    A labourer involved in loading and unloading the ships.
    • A. Stevedore
    • B. Plagiarist
    • C. Polyglot
    • D. Nonagenarian
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A. Stevedore

    Stevedore (गोदी मज़दूर / जहाज़ पर माल लादनेउतारने वाला): A person employed at a port to load and unload ships. (Therefore, this is the correct answer).
    Plagiarist (साहित्यिक चोर): A person who copies another's work or ideas and passes them off as his or her own.
    Polyglot (बहुभाषी): A person who knows and uses several languages.
    Nonagenarian (नब्बे वर्षीय व्यक्ति): A person between 90 and 99 years old.

14. Choose the option that contains the homonym of the underlined word in the given sentence.
    The massive naval ++vessel++ disappeared into the thick fog as it left the harbor.
    • A. A small fishing vessel was spotted drifting aimlessly in the middle of the Atlantic.
    • B. The explorer spent years searching for the wreckage of a Spanish vessel lost at sea.
    • C. A damaged vessel carrying cargo had to be towed back to the port for urgent repairs.
    • D. Doctors explained that the blockage in the patient's coronary vessel required immediate surgery.
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: D. Doctors explained that the blockage in the patient's coronary vessel required immediate surgery.

    Homonym Concept: In the given sentence, 'vessel' means a ship or large boat (जलयान / पोत).
    In options (A), (B) and (C), 'vessel' has the same meaning of a ship or boat (fishing vessel, Spanish vessel, cargo vessel).
    In option (D), 'coronary vessel' is a blood vessel (रक्त वाहिका), a tube that carries blood in the body: same spelling and pronunciation, different meaning.
    Therefore, option (D) contains the homonym.

15. In the sentence below, choose the option that is closest in meaning to ephemeral.
    The artist was interested only in ephemeral beauty rather than permanence.
    • A. Enduring
    • B. Lasting
    • C. Transitory
    • D. Eternal
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: C. Transitory

    Ephemeral (क्षणभंगुर / अल्पकालिक): Lasting for a very short time; the contrast with 'rather than permanence' confirms this meaning.
    Transitory (अस्थायी / क्षणिक): Not permanent; passing quickly. (This is the exact Synonym of 'Ephemeral').
    Enduring (स्थायी), Lasting (टिकाऊ) and Eternal (शाश्वत / अनंत) all suggest permanence, so they are Antonyms of 'Ephemeral'.

16. Choose the one-word substitution for the underlined phrase in the sentence below.
    She made a donation out of ++selfless concern for++ others.
    • A. Fastidious
    • B. Nefarious
    • C. Altruism
    • D. Obsequious
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: C. Altruism

    Altruism (परोपकारिता / निःस्वार्थ भाव): Selfless concern for the well-being of others. (Therefore, this is the correct answer: "She made a donation out of altruism.") Fastidious (बहुत बारीकी चाहने वाला / अति-सावधान): Very attentive to detail and hard to please.
    Nefarious (दुष्ट / घृणित): Wicked or criminal.
    Obsequious (चापलूस / जी-हुज़ूरी करने वाला): Excessively eager to please or obey.
    Also, 'Altruism' is the only noun among the options, and the phrase after 'out of' needs a noun.

17. The sentences of a passage have been shuffled and labelled P, Q, R, and S. Rearrange these sentences to form the most logically coherent and meaningful paragraph. Choose the correct sequence from the options provided.
    P: Shortly after this, he was accused of complicity in an abortive conspiracy against the Medici, imprisoned, and put to the question by torture.
    Q: On the return of the Medici, Machiavelli, who for a few weeks had vainly hoped to retain his office under the new masters of Florence, was dismissed by decree dated 7th November 1512.
    R: He has left a very interesting description of his life at this period, which elucidates his methods and his motives in writing “The Prince”
    in a letter to Francesco Vettor.
    S: The new Medicean pope, Leo X, procured his release, and he retired to his small property at San Casciano, near Florence, where he devoted himself to literature.
    • A. PQRS
    • B. RQPS
    • C. SPRQ
    • D. QPSR
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: D. QPSR

    Para jumble (Sentence Rearrangement)
    Logic: Q opens the account with a dated event: on the return of the Medici, Machiavelli was dismissed from office in November 1512.
    P follows with 'Shortly after this', which refers back to the dismissal, and narrates his arrest and torture.
    S must come after P because Pope Leo X "procured his release" from that imprisonment; he then retired to San Casciano and turned to literature.
    R concludes with 'at this period', referring to his retired life, described in his letter about writing "The Prince".
    Thus, the correct sequence is QPSR.

18. A sentence has been divided into four fragments. From the options provided, identify the fragment that contains a grammatical error.
    National liberation struggles/were driving with a diverse/range of radical, reformist,/and Marxist ideologies.
    • A. National liberation struggles
    • B. were driving with a diverse
    • C. range of radical, reformist,
    • D. and Marxist ideologies.
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: B. were driving with a diverse

    The error is in part (B) "were driving with a diverse".
    Grammar Rule (Passive Voice): The struggles e did not drive anything; they were pushed forward by ideologies, so the passive form 'were driven by' (… से प्रेरित थे) is required.
    In the passive, the agent is introduced by 'by', not 'with'.
    Therefore, "National liberation struggles were driven by a diverse range of radical, reformist, and Marxist ideologies." is correct. ”

19. In the following sentence, four parts are given. Choose the part that contains a grammatical error.
    • A. The proposal which the board
    • B. approved after several revisions
    • C. are likely to improve
    • D. the admission process significantly.
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: C. are likely to improve

    The error is in part (C) "are likely to improve".
    Grammar Rule (Subject-Verb Agreement): The verb agrees with the head noun 'The proposal' (singular); the relative clause 'which the board approved after several revisions' does not affect the number of the verb.
    The plural noun 'revisions' placed just before the verb is a trap (error of proximity / attraction).
    Therefore, "The proposal which the board approved after several revisions is likely to improve the admission process significantly." is correct.

20. Select the most appropriate option to improve the underlined part of the given sentence.
    The advisor, as well as the assistants, ++were responsible++ for checking the final health advisory.
    • A. are responsibles
    • B. was responsible
    • C. were being responsible
    • D. have responsible responsible
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: B. was responsible

    Grammar Rule (Subject-Verb Agreement with 'as well as'): When two subjects are joined by 'as well as', 'along with', 'together with' or 'in addition to', the verb agrees with the first subject.
    Here the first subject is 'The advisor' (singular), so the verb must be 'was'; the phrase 'as well as the assistants' is parenthetical.
    Option (A) wrongly pluralises the adjective ('responsibles' does not exist), and options (C) and (D) are ungrammatical.
    Therefore, "The advisor, as well as the assistants, was responsible for checking the final health advisory." is correct.

21. Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
    
    Complete the following passage by filling in the blanks with the most appropriate words from the options given below. The prospect of "de-extinction" has moved from the realm of (A) ________ science fiction to the high-tech laboratory, yet the moral landscape governing such ventures remains profoundly ambiguous. While the ability to sequence ancient DNA is a marvel of modern genomics, the ethical framework required to manage the consequences is still in its infancy. We are, in essence, attempting to ) rewrite natural history without a full grasp of the original narrative. While the technical prowess required to revive a species is immense, the ecological ramifications are even more significant. Introducing a longlost herbivore into a modern ecosystem could trigger a trophic (B) ________ that shifts the entire balance of local flora and fauna. These environments have evolved for millennia in the absence of such creatures, and a sudden reintroduction could be more disruptive than restorative. There is also a significant opportunity cost associated with these "vanity" projects. Critics argue that we might better spend our finite resources on protecting extant species that are currently facing (C) ________ threats of extinction. Diverting funds toward the resurrection of the woolly mammoth may inadvertently accelerate the demise of the living elephant species we still have left. Furthermore, the reintroduced species might find itself a "biological orphan", bereft (D) ________ the social structures and environmental cues it once thrived upon. A mammoth born to a surrogate elephant mother would lack the ancestral knowledge of migration patterns and social hierarchies. It would be a creature displaced in time, existing as a lonely curiosity rather than a functional member of a biological community. Ultimately, the question is not whether we possess the genetic tools to reach into the past, but whether we ought to proceed. Just because a scientific "could" exists doesn't (E) ________ a moral "should" follows. We must decide if our role is to be the restorers of the past or the responsible guardians of the present.
    Fill in the blank (A) with the correct word selecting from the given alternatives.
    • A. speculative
    • B. speculator
    • C. speculated
    • D. speculation
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A. speculative

    "The prospect of 'de-extinction' has moved from the realm of speculative science fiction to the high-tech laboratory ..." The blank stands before the noun phrase 'science fiction', so it needs an adjective to qualify it.
    Speculative (काल्पनिक / अनुमान पर आधारित): Based on guesswork or theory rather than fact. (Therefore, this is the correct answer).
    Speculator is a noun (सट्टेबाज़), speculated is a verb form, and speculation is an abstract noun (अटकल); none can properly qualify the noun phrase here.

22. Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
    
    Complete the following passage by filling in the blanks with the most appropriate words from the options given below. The prospect of "de-extinction" has moved from the realm of (A) ________ science fiction to the high-tech laboratory, yet the moral landscape governing such ventures remains profoundly ambiguous. While the ability to sequence ancient DNA is a marvel of modern genomics, the ethical framework required to manage the consequences is still in its infancy. We are, in essence, attempting to ) rewrite natural history without a full grasp of the original narrative. While the technical prowess required to revive a species is immense, the ecological ramifications are even more significant. Introducing a longlost herbivore into a modern ecosystem could trigger a trophic (B) ________ that shifts the entire balance of local flora and fauna. These environments have evolved for millennia in the absence of such creatures, and a sudden reintroduction could be more disruptive than restorative. There is also a significant opportunity cost associated with these "vanity" projects. Critics argue that we might better spend our finite resources on protecting extant species that are currently facing (C) ________ threats of extinction. Diverting funds toward the resurrection of the woolly mammoth may inadvertently accelerate the demise of the living elephant species we still have left. Furthermore, the reintroduced species might find itself a "biological orphan", bereft (D) ________ the social structures and environmental cues it once thrived upon. A mammoth born to a surrogate elephant mother would lack the ancestral knowledge of migration patterns and social hierarchies. It would be a creature displaced in time, existing as a lonely curiosity rather than a functional member of a biological community. Ultimately, the question is not whether we possess the genetic tools to reach into the past, but whether we ought to proceed. Just because a scientific "could" exists doesn't (E) ________ a moral "should" follows. We must decide if our role is to be the restorers of the past or the responsible guardians of the present.
    Which word best completes the scientific term in blank (B) to describe the ecological phenomenon mentioned?
    • A. siphoning
    • B. catalysis
    • C. cascade
    • D. symbiosis
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: C. cascade

    "Introducing a long-lost herbivore into a modern ecosystem could trigger a trophic cascade that shifts the entire balance of local flora and fauna." Trophic cascade (खाद्य-शृंखला में क्रमिक प्रभाव): An ecological process in which adding or removing one species at one level of the food chain sets off a chain of changes at other levels.
    The words 'trigger' and 'shifts the entire balance' show a chain reaction, which is exactly what 'cascade' (शृंखलाबद्ध प्रभाव) means.
    Siphoning (खींच लेना), Catalysis (उत्प्रेरण, a chemical process) and Symbiosis (सहजीवन, mutually beneficial living) do not form this ecological term.

23. Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
    
    Complete the following passage by filling in the blanks with the most appropriate words from the options given below. The prospect of "de-extinction" has moved from the realm of (A) ________ science fiction to the high-tech laboratory, yet the moral landscape governing such ventures remains profoundly ambiguous. While the ability to sequence ancient DNA is a marvel of modern genomics, the ethical framework required to manage the consequences is still in its infancy. We are, in essence, attempting to ) rewrite natural history without a full grasp of the original narrative. While the technical prowess required to revive a species is immense, the ecological ramifications are even more significant. Introducing a longlost herbivore into a modern ecosystem could trigger a trophic (B) ________ that shifts the entire balance of local flora and fauna. These environments have evolved for millennia in the absence of such creatures, and a sudden reintroduction could be more disruptive than restorative. There is also a significant opportunity cost associated with these "vanity" projects. Critics argue that we might better spend our finite resources on protecting extant species that are currently facing (C) ________ threats of extinction. Diverting funds toward the resurrection of the woolly mammoth may inadvertently accelerate the demise of the living elephant species we still have left. Furthermore, the reintroduced species might find itself a "biological orphan", bereft (D) ________ the social structures and environmental cues it once thrived upon. A mammoth born to a surrogate elephant mother would lack the ancestral knowledge of migration patterns and social hierarchies. It would be a creature displaced in time, existing as a lonely curiosity rather than a functional member of a biological community. Ultimately, the question is not whether we possess the genetic tools to reach into the past, but whether we ought to proceed. Just because a scientific "could" exists doesn't (E) ________ a moral "should" follows. We must decide if our role is to be the restorers of the past or the responsible guardians of the present.
    Which word best completes blank (C) to describe the nature of the threats facing extant species?
    • A. immanent
    • B. eminent
    • C. impervious
    • D. imminent
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: D. imminent

    "... protecting extant species that are currently facing imminent threats of extinction." Imminent (आसन्न / सिर पर मंडराता हुआ): About to happen very soon; the word 'currently' signals an immediate danger. (Therefore, this is the correct answer).
    These are confusables (मिलते-जुलते शब्द): Immanent (अंतर्निहित / सर्वव्यापी) means inherent or existing within, and Eminent (प्रतिष्ठित / प्रख्यात) means famous and respected.
    Impervious (अप्रभावित / अभेद्य) means unaffected by something and makes no sense with 'threats'.

24. Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
    
    Complete the following passage by filling in the blanks with the most appropriate words from the options given below. The prospect of "de-extinction" has moved from the realm of (A) ________ science fiction to the high-tech laboratory, yet the moral landscape governing such ventures remains profoundly ambiguous. While the ability to sequence ancient DNA is a marvel of modern genomics, the ethical framework required to manage the consequences is still in its infancy. We are, in essence, attempting to ) rewrite natural history without a full grasp of the original narrative. While the technical prowess required to revive a species is immense, the ecological ramifications are even more significant. Introducing a longlost herbivore into a modern ecosystem could trigger a trophic (B) ________ that shifts the entire balance of local flora and fauna. These environments have evolved for millennia in the absence of such creatures, and a sudden reintroduction could be more disruptive than restorative. There is also a significant opportunity cost associated with these "vanity" projects. Critics argue that we might better spend our finite resources on protecting extant species that are currently facing (C) ________ threats of extinction. Diverting funds toward the resurrection of the woolly mammoth may inadvertently accelerate the demise of the living elephant species we still have left. Furthermore, the reintroduced species might find itself a "biological orphan", bereft (D) ________ the social structures and environmental cues it once thrived upon. A mammoth born to a surrogate elephant mother would lack the ancestral knowledge of migration patterns and social hierarchies. It would be a creature displaced in time, existing as a lonely curiosity rather than a functional member of a biological community. Ultimately, the question is not whether we possess the genetic tools to reach into the past, but whether we ought to proceed. Just because a scientific "could" exists doesn't (E) ________ a moral "should" follows. We must decide if our role is to be the restorers of the past or the responsible guardians of the present.
    Which word best completes the phrase in blank (D)?
    • A. from
    • B. of
    • C. in
    • D. to
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: B. of

    "... the reintroduced species might find itself a 'biological orphan', bereft of the social structures and environmental cues ..."
    Grammar Rule (Fixed Preposition): The adjective 'bereft' (वंचित / रहित) is always followed by 'of': bereft of = deprived of or lacking something.
    Similar words that take 'of': devoid of, deprived of, destitute of.
    Therefore, "of" is the correct choice; 'from', 'in' and 'to' do not collocate with 'bereft'.

25. Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow.
    
    Complete the following passage by filling in the blanks with the most appropriate words from the options given below. The prospect of "de-extinction" has moved from the realm of (A) ________ science fiction to the high-tech laboratory, yet the moral landscape governing such ventures remains profoundly ambiguous. While the ability to sequence ancient DNA is a marvel of modern genomics, the ethical framework required to manage the consequences is still in its infancy. We are, in essence, attempting to ) rewrite natural history without a full grasp of the original narrative. While the technical prowess required to revive a species is immense, the ecological ramifications are even more significant. Introducing a longlost herbivore into a modern ecosystem could trigger a trophic (B) ________ that shifts the entire balance of local flora and fauna. These environments have evolved for millennia in the absence of such creatures, and a sudden reintroduction could be more disruptive than restorative. There is also a significant opportunity cost associated with these "vanity" projects. Critics argue that we might better spend our finite resources on protecting extant species that are currently facing (C) ________ threats of extinction. Diverting funds toward the resurrection of the woolly mammoth may inadvertently accelerate the demise of the living elephant species we still have left. Furthermore, the reintroduced species might find itself a "biological orphan", bereft (D) ________ the social structures and environmental cues it once thrived upon. A mammoth born to a surrogate elephant mother would lack the ancestral knowledge of migration patterns and social hierarchies. It would be a creature displaced in time, existing as a lonely curiosity rather than a functional member of a biological community. Ultimately, the question is not whether we possess the genetic tools to reach into the past, but whether we ought to proceed. Just because a scientific "could" exists doesn't (E) ________ a moral "should" follows. We must decide if our role is to be the restorers of the past or the responsible guardians of the present.
    Which word best completes the logic of the argument in blank (E)?
    • A. mean
    • B. means
    • C. meant
    • D. meaning
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A. mean

    "Just because a scientific 'could' exists doesn't mean a moral 'should' follows."
    Grammar Rule (Do-support): After the auxiliary 'do/does/did' (including the negative 'doesn't'), the main verb is always in the base form (V1). 'Means', 'meant' and 'meaning' are inflected forms and cannot follow 'doesn't'.
    The structure "Just because X doesn't mean Y" (के वल इसलिए कि X है, इसका अर्थ यह नहीं कि Y भी होगा) is a common pattern for rejecting a false inference.
    Therefore, "mean" is correct.