general english r.s. agarwal

8/10/2019 General English R.S. Agarwal

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• Comprehension Passage● Guidelines 3

● Exercise 4-5

● Antonyms 5

● Synonyms 6

• Cloze test or Numbered gaps● Concept 7

● How to crack the nut 7

● Elimination Technique 7

● Exercise 7-8● Explanation 8-9

• Sentence Rearrangement● Exercise 9

● Explanation 9

• Sentence Correction● Example with Tips 10-12

● Common errors in preposition 12

• Sentence Improvement● Exercise 13

● Explanation 14

Comprehension PassageComprehension is the act of understanding. The word 'com prehend ' means 'to

understand.' You are required to go through the given passage very carefully, unders tand

the meaning of the passage, notice the context meaning of various expressions, grasp the

tone and nature of the passage and then answer the questions based on it. It tests your

vocabulary, sense of language, ability to locate meanings, and your intelligence to assess

the real spirit of the passage and infer conclusions from the given context. The majority

of the questions will be directly rela ted to the passage; a few questions will test your

ability to find the context meaning of words and a few other questions will test your

ability to find suitable antonyms to the words used in a particular context in the passage.

Guidelines:

First, read the passage carefully and understand what is stated or implied in the passage.

Even when you do not agree with what the author of the passage is saying, do not let your

opinions or knowledge influence your judgement of what the author is saying.

General English



● It is more time saving to read the questions first, retain them in memory and then

go through the passage. This would help you pick up the answers instantly even

when you read the passage quickly.

● Before finalizing your answer, go through the other alternatives as well. This is

because a few of the given opt ions will be partially true answers and the other will

be a fully true answer . Only if you check all the options, you can choose the fully

true option.

● Certain words and expressions will be given in bold type in the passage. Glance

though them carefully and understand their context mean ing. This is because you

may have to find the synonyms and antonyms for those words.

● The nature, style and tone of the passage should be noted as well. There will bequestions based on them. The passage can be argumentative , descriptive,

explana tory or narra tive. The tone of the passage may be humorous , serious,

sympathetic, sarcastic, critical, defensive and so on.

● Quest ions can also be asked about the most suitable title for the passage as well.

The title should be based on the central idea of the passage.

● Apply ing the IEI formula (Information, Elimination and Inference) will help you

crack the passage easily.

⋄ Information- Every passage offers you some 'information.' Some

questions are straightforward and they may be answered from the

information within the passage itself.

⋄ Elimination- The process of 'elimination' is striking down the alternatives

on justi fiable grounds until you have a positive answer. Usually, it helpsin answering questions of the 't rue or false' category.

⋄ Inference- It means to arrive at a logical conclus ion. A question, which

cannot be answered by information or elimination, requires the process of

inference.

Exercise:

The strength of the electronic indust ry in Japan is the Japanese ability to organize

production and marketing, rather than their achievement in original research. The British

are generally recognized as a far more inventive collection of individuals, but they never

seem able to exploit what they invent.

Questions:

I The strength of the electronic industry in Japan is:(a) The production and marketing capabilities.

(b) Original research.

(c) Power of invent ions.

(d) That the elect ronic industry is not strong in Japan .

(e) None of these.

Answer: (a) The production and marketing capabilities.

Explanation: In the passage the answer to this question is given very clearly and even if

a candida te reads it casually, he will never miss the answer. Most of the questions for

your exam will be of this type. Here the 'informat ion' part of the IEI formula has been

worked out.

II Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE according to the above passage:

(a) The British failed to market their inventories.(b) The British are far more inventive than the Japanese .



Accept Reject , Mobile Stationary

Accumulate Scatter Natural Artificial

Abundance Lack, shortage, dearth, want Notorious Reputable,famous

Acquit Condemn, charge, blame Neat Untidy

Admiration Condemnation Obedient Disobedient

Acquisition Loss Obstinate Docile, facile

Belief Doubt, suspicion, distrust Ordinary Unusual

Benevolence Malice, venom, enmity Pacify Irritate, annoy

Bliss Sorrow, woe, distress Plenty Scanty, deficient

Bless Curse Quack Expert

Brutal Humane,compassionate,merciful Refusal Consent

Calamity Fortune, happiness, joy, peace Rear Front

Certain Ambiguous, obscure Rash Careful, cautious

Cheap Expensive, dear Rejoice Grieve, mourn

Compel Persuade Restless Calm

Delight Grief, displeasure Retrospect Prospect

Deviate Abide, persist, converge Security Risk

Dispute Consent, comply, agree, accede Sincere Deceitful

Endanger Protect Summit Base

Encourage Discourage Tainted Pure

Feeble Robust,strong, vigorous, brawny Theory Practice

Fickle Firm Triumph Failure

Foe Ally, colleague, associate, friend Trivial Important

(c) Product ion and marketing abilit ies and original research work are

important for the development of the industry.

(d) The Japanese elect ronic industry has posed a threat to the British.

(e) All statements are true.

Answer: (d) The Japanese electronic industry has posed a threat to the British.

Explana tion: It is not mentioned in the passage that the Japanese electronic industry has

posed any threat to the British. All other statements are true. What is important is that all

these statements are based on the 'inference' (IEI formula), we have drawn from the

passage. Therefore, you have to analyse the given information carefully and draw

conclusion from it.

Ill Which of the following statements is/are TRUE as per passage?(a) Japanese elect ronic industry is not strong.

(b) British seem to be able to exploit what they invent.

(c) Japanese ability to organize product ion and marketing is the strength of

their electronic industry.

(d) The strength of Japanese electronic industry depends on achievement in

original research.

(e) All of the above.

Answer: (c) Japanese ability to organize production and marketing is the strength of

their electronic industry.

Explanation: As per the passage, all the options except (c) are wron g and hence can be

eliminated. The eliminat ion part of the IEI formula has been applied here to eliminate the

wrong alternative and come to the positive answer.



Glut Scarcity Ulterior Stated

Genuine Fake Utility Uselessness

Hope Despair Urban Rural

Hesitate Decide,resolve, settle, determine Virtue Vice

Innocent Wicked Vivacious Languid

Insert Remove Volunteer Desert

Languid Energetic Wholesale Retail

Magnify Reduce Worry Comfort

Modest Arrogant Youth Age

Synonyms:

Abandon Leave, desert, forsake Hypocrisy Pretence, imposture

Abhor Hate, abominate, detest Idolize Adore, worship,admire

Absurd Ridiculous,silly, foolish Imminent Near, due, threatening

Affliction Distress, sorrow Impostor Cheat, conman

Amicable Friendly Intricate Complex, difficult

Apathy Indifference, neutrality Jaded Tired

Appalling Terrific, horrible Jester Clown, comedian

Assent Agree, consent Knead Workup,press,squeeze

Audacious Bold, courageous Keen Sharp, accurate

Brisk Active, fast, busy, alert Languish Die, weaken, droopBizarre Strange, curious, odd Legitimate Genuine, lawful

Brittle Frail, fragile Latent Hidden

Callous Hard, indifferent Lenient Gentle, tolerant, mild

Candid Sincere, straightforward Opponent Opposer, antagonist

Celibacy Bachelorhood, chastity Pragmatic Practical, empirical

Conceal Hide, cover, shelter Precarious Critical, dangerous

Coy Modest, shy, reserved Proliferate Multiply

Cynical Captious, sarcastic Putrefy Decay,rote,decompose

Damn Curse, swear, scold Prodigal Spender, waste

Decipher Translate,interpret,solve Queer Eccentric, abnormal

Defiant Proud, provocative Quirk Twist, deviation

Demise Death, decease, expiry Quandary Doubt, dilemmaDelusion Illusion, fancy, error Rabble Crowd, throng

Enrage Irritate, annoy, anger Rabid Furious,mad, fanatical

Eccentric Irregular, abnormal Repulsive Ugly, repelling

Elucidate Illuminate, elaborate Redundant Wordy, needless

Exuberant Abundant, plentiful Salutary Healthy, beneficial

Exploratory Investigative,probing,examining Sagacious Wise, shrewd

Fatigue Extort,tiredness,exhaustation Satiate Gratify, saturate

Felon Criminal, sinner, bandit Sedition Plotting, incitement

Flaccid Soft, loose, weak Salubrious Wholesome

Furious Angry, fuming, enraged Scintillating Glittering

Grave Serious, sober, demure Turmoil Storm, turbulence

Gaiety Festivity, hilarity Trait Characteristic

Gallantry Courage, bravery, heroism Terrain Land



Garner Gather, accumulate, collect Understand Perceive, grasp

Gay Happy, joyous, merry Urge Spur,prompt,stimulate

Glimpse Glance, (quick) look Unguent Ointment

Gullible Simple, easy, credulous Veracity Reality, honesty

Hamper Impede, block, bind Vivid Clear, bright

Havoc Devastation, distruction,ruin Variegated Multicolored, spotted

Hedge Fence, hem Wrath Anger

Hostile Adverse, opposing, inimical Zenith Peak, summit

Cloze test or numbered gaps

Concept:Cloze test is an extensive variation of the sentence completion test. Here you are

required to make a choice from multiple alternatives for each word blanked out, not in a

sentence, but in a passage. Thus this test evaluates your vocabulary power and your

ability to jud ge the overall meaning of a passage even when some words are missing.

How to crack the nut:

First of all, read the whole passage, get a rough idea of its contents and keep them in your

mind as a background. Concentra te on the background to find clues. Use the following

tips as well.

● If you know the answer, immediately tick it. No technique is to be adopted. The

whole process will work in a flash.

● When you are not sure of the answer, make the right choice through the process of

elimination.Elimination technique:

1. Judge if any of them does not Fit into the structure (eliminate).

2. Judge if any of them does not Fit in with the meaning (eliminate).

3. Among/between the remaining apply your awareness of the common usage or

nuances of words.

4. Try to find out a clue in the sentence preceding or succeeding it. Sometimes,

the clue is hidden many sentences away.

5. If the final choice has not been reached even now apply the method of

reasoning to hit the target.

Exercise:

I 1 the first flat we lived in 2 our marr iage very well . I was not

3 much , and Radha was 4 a student , so our weekly income was very

small, and we simply 5 to find a cheap flat about. Looking over lots of places,

we 6 found one that we could 7 and it was not too uncomfortab le.

There was a big sitting room and a tiny kitchen , jus t big 8 for one 9 to

get 10 .

1. (a) Recollect (b)

2. (a) Before (b)

3. (a) Obtaining (b)

4. (a) Just (b)

5. (a) Have (b)

6. (a) Would(b)7. (a) Sell (b)

X. (a) About (b)

Remember (c) Forget (d)

During (c) In (d)

Earning (c) Paying (d)

Hardly (c) Firmly (d)

Had (c) Will have(d)

Have (c) Will (d)

Rent out (c) Give away (d)

Adequa te (c) Efficient (d)

Decorate (e) Furnish

After (e) For

Gaining (e) Collecting

Fast (e) Chiefly

Have had (e) Would have

Had (e) Could

Afford (e) Use

Afford (e) Enough



9. (a) Group (b) Family (c) Personal (d) Get- together (e) Party

10. (a) About (b) By (c) Along (d) Down (e) In

Explanation:

1. Decorate and furnish are eliminated as they do not fit into the structure (step 1).

The word 'li ved ' make s the past form of the sentence clear. Thus decorated or furnished

could have been right. Recollect, remember and forget indicate the past, but forget is

eliminated as it does not fit with the meaning (step 2). Recollect and remember, both are

correct, but remember is in common use. And if we go by tone also, recollect indicates

call ing up some incident and remember some object or person. Thus recollect is

eliminated (step 3). Hence remember is the right choice.2. In and during do not fit into the structure and hence eliminated (step 1). For is

elimina ted as the spirit of the passage makes the meaning clear (step 2). In our society

the live together normal ly after marr iage . Therefore by the method of reasoning before is

eliminated (step 5). Hence after is the right choice.

3. Obtaining, gaining and collecting do not make the meaning clear. Paying will

also, not fit with the mean ing, as it is obvious from the background in the passage. Thus

all the four are eliminated (step 2). Thus earning is the right choice.

4. Hardly, firmly, fast and chiefly- all these adverbs do not fit in the structure of the

sentence and thus are eliminated (step 1). If any doubt persists about any of them, it is

eliminated at step 2. Just is thus the right choice, common usage.

5. Have had and would have are eliminated as they do not fit in the structure(step 1).

Will have and have are also eliminated as the sentence is in the past tense (step 1). Thushad is the right choice.

6. Would, will and could do not fit in the structure. Have is also structurally wrong

as it does not go with the past tense. All the four are thus eliminated (step 1). Hence had

is the right choice.

7. Sell, rent out and give away do not fit with the meaning of the sentence and hence

eliminated (step 2). Use i s eliminated on the basis of the clue in the previous part of the

sentence 'income was very small ' (step 4). Thus afford is the right choice.

8. About, adequate, efficient and less do not fit in the structure and thus are

eliminated (step 1). Enough is the right choice. It is also confirmed by the common

usage.

9. Personal does not fit with the structure and hence eliminated (step 1). Get-

together and party are eliminated as they do not fit with the meaning (step 2). Group iseliminated according to the common usage (step 3). A wife and a husband do not make a

group, but a family. Thus family is the right choice.

10. By, down and in are eliminated as they do not fit with the meaning (step 2). About

is eliminated as get along is in commo n usage (step 3). Hence along is the right choice.

Sentence RearrangementIn any paragraph there would be:

(a) A central Theme around which the passage is framed. Identify the central theme,

which is usually the first sentence.

(b) A logical sequence is present which usually describes the central theme.

(c) Sentences that begin with 'And', 'But' etc usually follow the central theme with anexplanation to the same or give additional information.



1. Wrong:

Right:

There is a rise of temperature today.

There is a rise in temperature today.

Rise/increase/fall/decrease - in

2. Wrong:

Right:

I am afraid about dogs.

I am afraid of dogs.

Afraid/fearful/scared/ frightened/horrified/terrified - of

3. Wrong:

Right:

The car crashed with a bus.

The car crashed into a bus.

Crashed/ jump into, but collide with

4. Wrong:

Right:

Fill the glass by water.

Fill the glass with water.

(d) Sentences that have full names mentioned are either the starting or come in the first

few sentences of the paragraphs. Similarly, the sentences that have 't hey ', 'hi m' or

'her ' or the short names would only come after the proper introduction of the person.

Exercise:

(A) Miss Sullivan arrived at the Keller home when Helen was seven.

(B) The deaf and blind Helen learned to communic ate verbally.

(C) But, eventually, Miss Sulliva n's effort was rewarded.

(D) Before Helen Keller was two years old, she lost her sight and her hearing.

(E) Miss Sullivan worked closely with Helen, her new student.

(F) At times the teacher became frustrated.

(a) DEFACB

(b) DAEFCB

(c) ACFDEB

(d) CFDABE

(e) FDACEB

Explanation:

Upon reading the above paragraph, we come to see that in A, B, E, F, the names

mentioned are short while in D, the full name is mentioned. Hence D is the first

sentence. Next we see that Ms. Sul livan comes into the picture when Helen is seven

years old and hence A is the second sentence. The paragraph revolves around Helen's

learning and hence E states what joi ns Helen and Ms. Sullivan.Sentence F states that the teacher became frustrated at times which is followed by 'C

(starts with 'B ut' whiqh indicates that in spite of somethin g Ms. Sullivan's efforts

were rewarded). Sentence B follows stating how the teacher's efforts were rewarded

and is the conclusion to a set of events.

Sentence Correction: Examples with tips.



Fill with, but full of

5. Wrong:

Right:

The car collided into a bus.

The car collided with a bus.

Crashed/smashed/break/split/cut/divide - into

6. Wrong:

Right:

I am confident in my success.

I am confident of my success.

Sure/certain/optimisti c - of confident of, but confident in

7. Wrong:

Right:

I am complaining about a headache.

I am complaining of a headache.

•

Complaining 'about' something/somebody

Complaining 'to' a person

Complaining 'of a disease

8. Wrong:

Right:

I cannot agree with your idea.

I cannot agree to your idea.

Agree 'to' an idea, but agree 'with' a person.

9. Wrong:

Right:

He died from cancer.

He died of cancer.

Die 'of a disease

Die 'in' an accident

Die 'from' other reason

Eg: Rajiv Gandhi died from bomb explosion.

He died in a plane crash.

10. Wrong: I am looking forward to get a good jo b.Right: I am looking forward to getting a good jo b.

Preposition + verb in continuous

The following words will take 'to' as preposition

Look forward/be used/ be accustomed/ be dedicated/ be devoted/ with a view/

listen/ refer/ object/ -to+ (verb) ing.

Eg: (a) I am used to writing with my left hand,

(b) She is accus tomed to living in big cities.

i



11. I used to work with compu ters .

12. Wrong: He entered into my room.

Right: He entered my room.

13: The following verbs will not take any prepositions

Enter/order/discuss/marry/wed/resemble/accompany/consider/teach/ask/

tell/reach

Eg: Wrong: We discussed about the problem.

Right: We discussed the problem.

14. Wrong: India and Pakistan entered an agreement.

Right: India and Pakistan entered into an agreement

15. 'As if, 'as though'- contrary to facts:

Eg: He treats me as if I were his son (Past form of "be" is used)

It looks as if she is mad (Present form of "be" is used since followed by It looks).

16. Wrong: Despi te of the rain, we went out.

Right: Despi te the rain, we went out.

Wrong: Inspite him being a gentleman, he behaves rudely sometimes.

Right: Inspite of him being a gentleman, he behaves rudely sometimes.

Inspite of= Despite

Com mon errors in the use of prepos itions:

Wrong Right

Write with ink Write in ink

Sit under the shade of a tree Sit in the shade of a tree

Pakistan is in the west of India Pakistan is to the south of India.

Good/weak in mathematics Good/weak at mathematics

Time in your watch Time by your watch

To meet in the way To meet on the way

Send on my address Send to my address

To go in train To go by train

The birds build nest on the trees The birds build nest in the trees

Quarrel for a trifle. Quarrel over a trifle.

To be sick from life. To be sick of life.Blind of defects Blind to defects

Subject +used to+ root form of the verb = past habitual actions



Congratulate him for his success Congratulate him on his success

Pray God Pray to God

Bed to lie Bed to lie in

She is fond to talk She is fond of talking

What are you dreaming about? What are you dreaming of?

I complained to the doctor about my

stomachache

I complained to the doctor of my

stomachache

I complained to the manager of the rude behaviour of the staff

I complained to the manager about the rude behaviour of the staff

Marry was married John Marry was married to John

SENTENCE IMPROVEMENTThis is similar to spotting the error s. In this type of quest ion, a sentence will be given

with a word/phrase italicized or bolded. You are asked to choose the right alternative that

will substitute the italicized or bolded part that can make the sentence grammatically

correct. If the italicized part is correct, then your option is 'n o correction is required. ' In

some questions we may also be required to do a spell-check.

Exercise:

1. They are waiting for her since morning.

(a) Have been waiting

(b) Were waiting

(c) Wait

(d) Was waiting

(e) No improvement

2. Hardly had he entered the police station when the SHO began to beat him

(a) Than '

(b) Before

(c) Since

(d) After

(e) No correction

3. The greater the demand, higher the price

(a) High

(b) The high

(c) The higher

(d) The highest

(e) No improvement

4. If you would have seen the movie, you would have enjoyed it.

(a) Had you been seen

(b) If you have had seen

(c) Had you seen

(d) I f you would see

(e) No correction required

5. He is extra-ordinar ily cleve r at mimicking his friends.

(a) Clever for mimicking(b) Clever in mimicking

(c) Clever to mimic

(d) Clever of mimicking

general english r.s. agarwal

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