Directions: In the question, there are four sentences. Each sentence has pairs…
2024
Directions: In the question, there are four sentences. Each sentence has pairs of words that are italicised and highlighted. From the italicised and highlighted words, select the most appropriate words (A or B) to form correct sentences. The sentences are followed by options that indicate the words, which may be selected to correctly complete the set of sentences. From the options given, choose the most appropriate one.
(a) Ancient archeological (A) sites / (B) cites are under threat in Syria.
(b) Put the letter into an (A) envelop / (B) envelope.
(c) One cannot (A) wreak / (B) reek vengeance when one is expected to act in a dispassionate manner.
(d) Backward regions that are otherwise well connected are proving to be tax (A) heavens / (B) havens for such industrial units as can relocate.
- A.
BBAB
- B.
ABBB
- C.
ABAB
- D.
BBBA
Attempted by 8 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Concept:
This item tests homophone/near-homophone disambiguation in English: word pairs that look or sound alike often differ in meaning or part of speech (noun vs verb, or distinct senses). The correct word must be judged by the sentence's meaning and its standard collocation, not by spelling resemblance.
Application:
(a) 'Archeological sites' needs a noun for a physical location; 'cite' is a verb meaning to quote or refer to, so it does not fit here — the required word is 'sites'.
(b) The container for a letter is spelled 'envelope' (noun); 'envelop' is a verb meaning to wrap around or surround, so it cannot name an object — the required word is 'envelope'.
(c) The fixed expression is 'wreak vengeance' (to inflict/perpetrate); 'reek' means to give off a smell and cannot take an object like 'vengeance' — the required word is 'wreak'.
(d) A 'tax haven' is a safe, low-tax region; 'heaven' refers to the sky or afterlife, an unrelated sense here — the required word is 'havens'.
Cross-check:
Each pick matches a standard fixed collocation in English — 'archeological site', 'seal an envelope', 'wreak vengeance', and 'tax haven' — confirming the alternate spellings do not substitute correctly in these set phrases.
Combining the four correct picks gives the sequence A, B, A, B.