In the following passage, certain words have been omitted from the paragraph. The omitted words have been replaced with words in bold, some which are incorrectly used either contextually or grammatically. You are provided with five options for each blank, out of which only one can replace the word in bold in order to make the sentence coherent and meaningful. If the word in bold is correctly used in the paragraph and no correction is required, mark option 5 as answer.
Click Here to View Hand tips to attempt Cloze test
Direction: Q(1-5): The total stressed assets — gross non-performing assets and restructured standard advances — are estimated at a ……1……(crispy) Rs9.64 lakh crore as of December 2016. These bad loans must be resolved, directly by the banks or by asset reconstruction companies that buy them off the banks. Cleaning up the banks’ books would help ease credit flow to business and …..2…..(command) investment and growth. In this regard, Reserve Bank of India has formed an oversight committee that would shield bankers from individual accountability for decisions and also give directions to banks to take action against ….3…..(detractors)under the bankruptcy code.
Alongwith RBI’s initiative, two things need to be kept in mind. Bankers’ remuneration must change, to align with the performance of the assets they originate. This calls for short-, medium- and long term variable pay to be a much larger ……4……(chunk)of their total remuneration, which itself should rise in line with what the market pays for such skills in other business segments.The second point is about the Ordinance route to the reform. The government should …….5……(fascinate) the Opposition to formally amend the law, ideally.
- _________________
1.relegating
2.staggering
3.audacious
4.laudable
5.No correction requiredAnswer – 2.staggering
Explanation :
Sentence talks about the high number of NPAs – 9.64 lakh crore. Hence, we need an adjective for it. ‘Relegating’ is a verb, hence eliminated. Staggering –astounding, amazing, overwhelming; Audacious – bold, daring, fearless etc.; Laudable – praiseworthy, admirable etc. Only option 2 fits in the blank. - _______________
1.incite
2.provoke
3.initiate
4.revive
5.no correction requiredAnswer – 4.revive
Explanation :
Sentence talks of good things which would happen as a result of ‘cleaning banks’ books’. So options 1, 2 and 5 can be eliminated, all of them being negative words. Initiate – begin, commence. Revive – give new strength or energy. - ______________
1.defaulters
2.criminals
3.debtors
4.prisoners
5.no correction requiredAnswer – 1.defaulters
Explanation :
Detractors – critic, disparager, attacker etc. Option 1 is the obvious choice here. Banks would take action against the defaulters. - ____________
1.partition
2.drudgery
3.addition
4.stoppage
5.no correction requiredAnswer – 5.no correction required
Explanation :
The sentence cannot be understood if we don’t know the meaning of ‘Remuneration’ – money paid for work or a service, salary, pay etc. Author is talking of ‘variable pay’ (which varies with how much work you do. More the work done, more the salary). Author suggests that ‘variable pay’ should form a big part of total salary or payment (remuneration), so that employees work harder. Hence option 5 - ___________
1.thwart
2.contract
3.permit
4.engage
5.no correction requiredAnswer – 4.engage
Explanation :
If one knows the meaning of all the options, then it becomes easy to crack this. Only option 4 makes meaningful sentence when put in the blank. Also, if one reads the newspaper daily and has a bit of knowledge about ‘ordinance route’ it gets really easy to crack the question. If the centre govt. passes the bill through ordinance route, it does not require the assent of Opposition. That is why author talks of engaging the opposition more.
Direction: Q(6-10): Thirteen years after India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire that was meant to prepare the ground for peace in Jammu and Kashmir, both countries are locked in …6…..(selenic) skirmishes that threaten to unleash a fresh storm over the Himalayas. The tragic killing of 11 bus passengers in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday, preceded by attacks on Indian troops and counter-attacks across the Line of Control (LoC), could set the stage for a ….7…..(collation) of the great duels which raged from 1989 to 2003. Hundreds of civilian and military lives were lost for no military end during that period. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon be …..8……(surrounded) with two difficult choices. He could, first, tamp down the crisis by seizing small bits of territory along the LoC, as some Indian generals advocated after Kargil, or hitting terror positions deep inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Such actions, however, ….9…..(notarize) the risk of escalating into war, and undoing the prime minister’s economic objectives. The second option is to give diplomacy another chance to…..10…..(resolve) the crisis. But if it fails, the prime minister could find India more vulnerable than before to terrorist attacks, and his own core constituency alienated.
- _______________
1.redundant
2.apologetic
3.savage
4.farcical
5.no correction requiredAnswer – 3.savage
Explanation :
One word which has been repeatedly used in the passage is skirmishes – battels, fights or combats. We need an adjective to modify noun (skirmishes). Redundant – invalid, useless. Farcical – absurd, silly. Selenic- related to metal selenium. Savage is the perfect negative adjective here meaning dreadful, terrible, calamitous. - _____________
1.resumption
2.hoping
3.match
4.disruption
5.no correction requiredAnswer – 1.resumption
Explanation :
Its important to read and understand the complete line. The sentence talks of past 1989 to 2003, the period in which both sides fought. Keeping in mind the recent skirmishes, it will resume the war between two countries. Hence option 1. Collation – combine, collect, gather. - ____________
1.Optimized
2.Facing
3.Confronted
4.Deciding
5.no correction requiredAnswer – 3.Confronted
Explanation :
’Be’ is followed by past participle, hence options 2 and 4 can be eliminated. Optimize – to improve, augment. Confront – face up and deal with something- is the right option. Faced could have been another answer. - _____________
1.Peripheral
2.Affront
3.Pose
4.Mesmerize
5.no correction requiredAnswer – 3.Pose
Explanation :
Periphery is outer limit or edge. Affront – Insult or slur. Mesmerize – Hypnotize, captivate, enthrall. Notarize – related to notary. As per the sentence, such actions are threatening and might escalate into war, hence they pose the danger of escalating into war. Pose – present, cause, produce etc. - ____________
1.Deepen
2.Orchestrate
3.Reignite
4.Equalize
5.no correction requiredAnswer – 5.no correction required
Explanation :
None of the options but 5 (resolve) make meaningful sentence. Reignite – to start again. Orchestrate – make arrangements.
