In the following passage, there are blanks each of which has been numbered.…
2025
In the following passage, there are blanks each of which has been numbered.
These numbers correspond to the question numbers; against each question, five words have been suggested, one of which fills the blanks appropriately. Claude Picasso once said: “I could have been born into any family. I was fortunate that I was born to an artist as extraordinary as Picasso, and Picasso turned out to be the family business.” Most of us who run family businesses can (___1____) with the words of Claude Picasso. There is great satisfaction that comes from trying to grow and build a dream that was (___2___) by one’s family. While I am not the biggest believer in (___3___), I realise that
there is a great responsibility to carry ahead the company built by previous generations and in turn pass it on to future generations.
Today, family business is the most common form of enterprise. However, with the pros come the cons. Standard wisdom is that the first generation starts the company, the second builds it and the third (___4____) the business. This is particularly true because they are brought up with silver spoons and want to start their own businesses. Also, they are tech-savvy, talented and armed with attractive foreign university degrees. But they also have to (__5___) with the fear of the unknown. Not all startups that we see mushrooming these days are successful.
Find out the appropriate word in 2nd case.
- A.
Starved
- B.
Develop
- C.
Repressed
- D.
Nurtured
Attempted by 251 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Answer: Nurtured
Why this fits:
The blank modifies the noun "dream" in the phrase "a dream that was ____ by one’s family," so the correct choice must be a past participle or adjective that describes how the dream was treated.
"Nurtured" means fostered, cared for, or encouraged, which matches both the positive sense in the passage and the required grammatical form.
Elimination of the other choices:
"Starved": implies deprivation or lack, and does not convey the intended idea of being cherished or fostered.
"Develop": is the base verb form; the sentence needs a past participle (e.g., "developed") or an adjective. In addition, the nuance of "develop" is less about care/fostering than "nurtured."
"Repressed": means suppressed or held back, which is the opposite of being encouraged or cherished, so it conflicts with the passage's positive tone.
Therefore, "Nurtured" correctly matches both the meaning and the grammatical form required in the sentence.