Direction: In the following passage, some of the words have been left out.…
2025
Direction: In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. First read the passage over and try to understand what it is about. Then fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
More than 8 lakh people have been displaced in Kerala, as the death toll from the worst flooding to hit the southern Indian state jumped to at least 370, with losses to infrastructure _________ at almost $3bn. As the rains subsided on Sunday, relief efforts focused on rescuing those _________ in isolated places for days and airdropping _________ to others, police and officials said. Kerala has been lashed by torrential monsoon rains _________ the end of May, triggering landslides and flash floods that have swept away entire villages; _________ downpours since August 8 have killed more than 190 people and left thousands more stranded.
On rescuing those _________ in isolated places for days.
- A.
pitched
- B.
marooned
- C.
exulted
- D.
delighted
Attempted by 1 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept:
In a meaning-based cloze blank, the correct option is the one whose dictionary meaning matches the real situation described in the passage -- not simply any word that is the same part of speech. All four choices here are past-tense/adjectival forms, so the decision rests purely on which meaning fits the disaster-relief scenario.
Application:
The sentence to complete is: "relief efforts focused on rescuing those _________ in isolated places for days." This describes flood victims who were cut off in remote spots and could not leave on their own, which is why they needed rescuing. "Marooned" means left stranded and unable to get away from a place -- exactly the condition of people trapped by rising floodwaters in isolated areas for several days.
Why the other options do not fit:
"Pitched" describes setting up a tent/camp or throwing something -- an action, not a stranded condition, so it does not describe people trapped and awaiting rescue.
"Exulted" means felt or showed great joy or triumph -- an emotion of celebration that contradicts the desperate situation of people awaiting rescue during a flood disaster.
"Delighted" means very pleased or happy -- again an emotion of joy, the opposite of the distress of people trapped by floodwaters for days.
Cross-check:
Reading the completed sentence -- "rescuing those marooned in isolated places for days" -- matches the news report's meaning that flood victims were stranded and awaiting rescue, confirming the choice independently of the other blanks in the passage.
Hence, "marooned" is the correct word for this blank.