Directions (1-5): In the following questions four alternatives are given for idioms/phrases in now. Choose the one that best expresses the meaning of the given idiom/phrase.
Q1. Touch and go
(a) To waste
(b) Dangerous and Uncertain
(c) Conduct Secretly
(d) Pleasant and Certain
S1. Ans.(b)
Q2. Be hand and foot
(a) In all possible ways; by all means
(b) To be lazy to move your hands and foots
(c) To fall between two great difficulties
(d) In disorder
S2. Ans.(a)
Q3. To set at naught
(a) To like
(b) To ruin
(c) To admire
(d) To be agree
S3. Ans.(b)
Q4. In the black
(a) In a financially profitable condition
(b) In extreme difficulty
(c) In the absence of money
(d) To be unsuccessful
S4. Ans.(a)
Q5. Gray matter
(a) Kindness
(b) Intelligence
(c) Cruelty
(d) Weakness
S5. Ans.(b)
Directions (6-10): In the following questions, sentences are given with blanks to be filled in with an appropriate word(s). Four alternatives are suggested for each question. Choose the correct alternative out of the four as your answer.
Q6. _______________ the people looked well enough, but when one looked more closely one saw that their faces were filled with despair.
(a) At first looking
(b) At first observation
(c) On first sight
(d) At first sight
S6. Ans.(d)
Sol. At first sight (idiom): immediately; at first glance; when you see somebody or something for the first time. Hence, ‘At first sight’ is the right usage.
Q7. Our monthly expenditure _______________ by five hundred rupees when we decided to buy milk from the milkman.
(a) shot up
(b) got up
(c) lifted up
(d) grew up.
S7. Ans.(a)
Sol. Shot up (phrasal verb): rose suddenly by a large amount. Hence, shot up is the right usage.
Q8. Please write to me _______________ this address.
(a) upon
(b) at
(c) to
(d) on
S8. Ans.(b)
Sol. at (preposition) is used for specific addresses. Hence, at (prep.) is the right usage.
Q9. Raj was tired of Puja’s _______________ approach, so he asked her to make her final decision by that evening.
(a) silly-willy
(b) dilly-daily
(c) wasting
(d) dilly-nally
S9. Ans.(b)
Sol. dilly–daily (verb): to take too long to do something. Hence dilly–daily is the right usage.
Q10. Students of St. Xavier’s _______________ all the prizes.
(a) bear of
(b) bore away
(c) bore on
(d) bear on
S10. Ans.(b)
Sol. Bear away (Phrasal verb): bear off; carry away; take away. Bear on (Phrasal verb): to be relevant to or burdensome to.
