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Comprehension and Grammar Exercises

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
114 views4 pages

Comprehension and Grammar Exercises

Uploaded by

cherishmediha
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

1

COMPREHENSION
[Link] the following passage and answers the questions that follow. (20)
And still it moves. The words of Galileo, murmured when the tortures of the
Inquisition had driven
him to recant the Truth he knew, apply in a new way to our world today. Sometimes,
in the knowledge of all that has been discovered, all that has been done to make life
on the planet happier and more worthy, we maybe tempted to settle down to enjoy
our heritage. That would, indeed, be the betrayal of our trust.
These men and women of the past have given everything --- comfort, time, treasure,
peace of mind
and body, life itself --- that we might live as we do. The challenge to each one of us is
to carry on their work for the sake of future generations.
The adventurous human mind must not falter. Still must we question the old truths
and work for the
new ones. Still must we risk scorn, cynicism, neglect, loneliness, poverty,
persecution, if need be. We must shut our ears to the easy voice which tells us that
‘human nature will never alter’ as an excuse for doing nothing to make life more
worthy.
Thus will the course of the history of mankind go onward, and the world we know
move into a new
splendour for those who are yet to be.
Questions:
(i) What made Galileo recant the Truth he knew?
(ii) What is the heritage being alluded to in the first paragraph?
(iii) What does the ‘betrayal of our trust’ imply?
(iv) Why do we need to question the old truths and work for the new ones?
(v) Explain the words or expressions as highlighted/underlined in the passage.

GRAMMAR

Q2. From the given options find the word that means the same as the word in
quotation marks.
1. The committee was not 'disposed' to hold another meeting.
inclined
disorganized
annoyed
excited
2. The special TV report 'disrupted' regular programming.
satisfied
complemented
interrupted
continued
3. He 'dissipated' his inheritance in less than six months.
accumulated
wasted
saved
hoarded
4. If enough members 'dissent', the new bill won’t be approved.
agree
disagree
2

support
question
5. A thunderstorm came up and 'dispersed' the picnickers.
gathered
scattered
summoned
organized
6. The boy’s recklessness 'dismayed' his mother.
impressed
distressed
pleased
annoyed
7. The 'disguised' commandos slipped through the enemy’s defense.
camouflaged
skilled
trained
experienced
8. Laws have been passed against religious 'discrimination'.
tolerance
intolerance
bias
fanaticism
9. The dog luckily 'disgorged' the bone from his throat.
expelled
swallowed
choked
gulped
10. The plane would probably 'disintegrate' at that high speed.
fuse
crumble
merge
stop

Q3. Fill in the blanks with the words opposite (Antonyms) in meaning to those
underlined.
1. What looks like a convenient shortcut may prove to be very ………………………
in the long run.
2. No one wants to listen to an ignorant man but everybody listens to a
………………….. man.
3. Gold in an expensive metal while iron is ……………………
4. My application was accepted but his was ……………………….
5. The teacher tried to make the student confident but he still looked very
………………………..
6. He failed to qualify in the first two attempts but …………………. in the third one.
7. He often visits me but I ………………….. go to his house.
8. He is brave but his brother is …………………….
9. An airplane consumes more fuel while ascending than while
……………………….
10. Tigers are very common in India but lions are …………………
3

Q4. Change the narration from direct to indirect or indirect to direct speech.

A. David said, “I’m baking a chocolate cake for you.’’


B. Peter said, “Are you from Australia?”
C. Brad said, “Who will come with me?”
D. The man said, “Please, bring me a chair.”
E. The officer said, “Fall back!”
F. I said, “Simon read Wordsworth yesterday.”
G. Mother said, “Come home now.”
H. “Bring the money with you.” said Jessie.
I. The friends said, “We will meet here tomorrow.”
J. “You had better not leave your room unlocked”, said my friends.
K. “If you don’t keep quiet I shall punish you”, he said to him in a calm voice.
L. He said to her, “What a cold day it is!”
M. Father said to me, “May you pass the examination”
N. The old man said to his son, “Haris! You are such a coward.”
O. “I’ll have a cup of tea,” my father said, “because I’m not hungry.”
P. Pamela said, “Man is mortal.”
Q. He said to me, “How long will you stay here?”
R. The man said to the officer, “Please help me.”
S. She asked me, “Are you happy in your new job?”
T. “Don’t waste time”, the teacher said to the students.
U. John said to his mother, “I shall go to bed now.”
V. He said to me, “Let’s go home together.”
W. He said to me, “May you be happy.”

Q1. Write the correct option with the help of word bank/description provided
below:
a. We could not _________ the explanation. (except/accept)
b. The chemical had _______ effects on her system (averse/adverse)
c. The cost will _______ the final contract. (effect/affect)
d. The agreement was made ________ two employees of the business.
(between/among)
e. The owners _______ the building in the fall. (apprised/appraised)
f. The defendant did his best to _______ the plaintiff that the damage
was minimal. (assure/ensure)
g. The committee read the document and _________ objectionable parts.
(censured/censored)
h. The firm agreed that increasing client satisfaction was our _______
goal.(common/mutual)
i. The new subsidiary ________ the focus of the larger company.
(complimented/complemented)
j. The legal team is _________ of staff members from three firms.
(comprised/composed)
k. Mark's ______ absence resulted in his termination.
(continuous/continual)
l. Both tried to be ______ about their romance, but were unable to keep it
secret. (discreet/discrete)
4

m. Dr. Rogers was an _________ scientist. (imminent/eminent)


n. The city's zoning ordinance became an _________ the builders could
not overcome. (obstacle/impediment)
o. The minister's statement ______ that he knew who had stolen the
books. (inferred/implied)
p. The ____________ reason we did not pursue it was the cost.
(principle/principal)

VOCABULARY BANK
 Adverse, averse. I am averse to (against) the adverse (detrimental) effects of the new
compensation plan.
 Affect, effect. In the sense most common in business, affect is a verb -- to change or
influence. Effect is a noun -- an outcome, result, or condition. High energy costs adversely
affect profits. High energy costs have a negative effect on profits.
 Among, between. Between applies to a group of two: among applies to a group of three or
more: Between the two of us, but among the three of [Link] speaking, between applies to
two people or things; among applies to three or more people or things. Between the two
candidates, Jane is better qualified. Among the three candidates, Jane is best qualified.
 Appraise, apprise. To appraise is to set a price or value on something. To apprise is to
notify or brief someone (of a situation).
 Discreet, discrete. Discreet means prudent, diplomatic. Discrete means separate and distinct.
 Principal, principle. A high school has a principal. Ms. Jennings is a principal of ABC
Company. The principal reason for accepting the proposal was the vendor's experience. Ms.
Jennings is a woman of principle. The training program explained important
business principles.
 Continual, continuous. Continual means ongoing, frequently recurring. Continuous means
without interruption. The meeting was continually interrupted by questions. The meeting ran
continuously for 8 hours.
 Accept, except. I accept your proposal, except for the fourth clause.
 Assure means "to reinforce the likelihood that something is attained" or "to state
convincingly." Ensure means "to make certain." Insure means "to guarantee monetary
replacement in case of loss."
 A censor is one who supervises conduct and morals by censoring objectionable material.
Censure is strong disapproval or condemnation. For example, members of the Senate
occasionally censure one of their colleagues for unethical conduct.
 Common means mutual good, shared by more than one, whereas mutual means a mutual
[Link] used as adjectives, common means mutual, whereas mutual means having the
same relationship, each to each [Link] is also verb with the meaning: to
communicate (something).
 As a noun, compliment means “a polite expression of esteem, admiration, or affection.”Send
my compliments to the chef. Dinner was [Link] used as a verb, compliment means “to
express praise, respect, or affection.”I wanted to compliment Diana on her beautiful [Link]
a noun, complement means “something that completes or makes better.”The shoes were the
perfect complement to the entire [Link] used as a verb, complement means “to
complete or add to something in a way that improves it.”The earrings really complement
your blue eyes.
 The impediment, stays; the obstacle resists; the obstruction, puts an entire stop to.
We say, remove the impediment; surmount the obstacle; take away or vanquish the
[Link] small impediments, sometimes, prove such obstacles, as obstruct our best
[Link] word, impediment, seems to express something, rising from the nature and proper
circumstances of what we are about; that, of obstacle, something, from a foreign cause; that of
obstruction, something, proceeding from a superior force.
Imply refers to giving information, while infer refers to receiving information.
 "Comprise" means "to consist of." "Compose" means "to make up."

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