Direction: In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Fill in the…
2025
Direction: In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given. Select the most appropriate option for each number.
The pandemic has left women farmers even more economically ______(1)______, and added the burden of caring for out-of-school children and the sick and elderly. Covid-19 has also decreased ______(2)______ to women farmers left at home. With more ______(3)______ coming home, there is also greater demand on the land, putting the tenuous hold of women on land in greater jeopardy.
Question:
Which of these words most appropriately fits the blank labelled (1)?
- A.
Extinct
- B.
Weak
- C.
Unguarded
- D.
Vulnerable
Attempted by 11 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Answer: Vulnerable
Why this fits:
“Vulnerable” means exposed to the possibility of being harmed or at increased risk. The sentence describes how the pandemic made women farmers worse off financially and increased their care burdens, so the idea is that they are now more at risk of economic harm. The collocation “economically vulnerable” is natural and precise here.
Why the other words are not appropriate:
“Extinct”: means no longer in existence; does not apply to people or their economic condition.
“Weak”: indicates lack of strength but does not convey exposure to harm or risk in an economic sense as clearly as “vulnerable.”
“Unguarded”: usually refers to lack of physical protection or oversight and is not a common collocation with “economically.”
Usage example:
The pandemic has left women farmers even more economically vulnerable.
Antonyms (for reference):
Extinct → Extant
Weak → Strong
Unguarded → Guarded
Vulnerable → Invulnerable