VOCABULARY -- Word Meaning Exercises ---based on Previous Examination Questions

Exercises relating to Vocabulary - Word Meanings 

(Based on latest changed style used in Competition Exams.)

Mark the correct Meaning of the word in bold and underlined.

Exercise No.
One 

1. What I surmise is that there was a deliberate attempt to malign his reputation.

1. foresee 2. guess 3. believe 4. gather 

2. The meeting ended without any result due to inexorable attitude of both the parties.

1. adamant  2. indifferent  3. impressive  4. plausible 

3. A dissonant atmosphere prevailed throughout the meeting of the board.

1.disastrous  2.entertaining 3.monotonous 4. inharmonious 

4. The authorities need an evidence to prove her complicity in the scam.

1. innocence 2.occupation 3. participation 4. governance

5. She is in the habit of be-fooling others by  dissimulation of her feelings.

1.imitating  2.overdoing  exaggerating  4.faking  

6. She was an avid writer who wrote many books on science fiction.

1. seasoned 2. enthusiastic 3. prominent 4. established 

7. Indignant over callous attitude of his parents he decided to leave the house.

1. disappointed 2. concerned  3. exhausted  4. offended 

8. Ecosystem of the area has been jeopardized due heavy industrialization.

1. endangered 2.engraved  3.entranced   4.enhanced

9. His explanation about his behaviour helped to mitigate host's anger.

1. enhance 2. hamper 3. express 4. lessen

10. Slowly but surely Nature retrieves, impressions grow fainter, but are not effaced.

1. make out  2. dole out 3. wipe out 4. run out  

(ANSWERS : 1. (2)  2.(1)  3.(4)  4.(3)  5.(4)  6.(2) 7.(4) 8.(1) 9.(4) 10. (3) )


(EXPLANATION)

1. Surmise means to make a guess from a limited information. Foresee means to make a prophecy or to know before hand. Believe means to have belief. Gather means to collect information. Out of the given options 2.Guess is correct.

2. Inexorable means which is not willing to change i.e. of obdurate nature. Indifferent means having no concern. Impressive means that cause impression. Plausible means to be believed upon. Adamant means stubborn. So 1, adamant is correct.

3. Dissonant means which is not agreeable, lacking harmony or dissenting. Disastrous means anything causing disaster or damage. Entertainment means causing amusement.Monotonous means boring. Inharmonious means lacking harmony. 4. Inharmonious is correct.

4. Complicity means involvement in a wrong or illegal act. Innocence means having done no sin wrong act. occupation means involving some job or work. Participation means doing activities sharing with others.Governance means to exercise control or authority. 3. Participation is correct as it relates to a scam.

5.Dissimulation means faking true feelings. Imitate means to copy. Overdo means to do something in excess. Concealing means to.hide.4. Faking is the correct answer. 

6. Avid means full of enthusiasm. Seasoned means deft or experienced. Prominent means famous. Established means well known or proven over passage of time. 2. enthusiastic is correct answer.

7. Indignant means to be angry over something unfair. Disappoint means to lose hope. Concerned means to be worried. exhausted means tired or overdone. 4. Offend means to make angry is correct answer.

8.  Jeopardized means  to put in danger. Engraved means carved or etched. Entrance means  way to enter or to fascinate or cast a spell.Enhance means to increase. 1.Endanger is the correct answer.

9.Mitigate means to reduce or make less. Enhance means to increase. hamper means to hinder or cause obstacle.Express means to communicate. 4. Lessen is the correct answer.

10. Effaced means to remove by rubbing etc.Make out means to find or understand. Dole out means to give in small quantity. Run out means to use one's energy etc. 3. wipe out is to remove by wiping is correct answer.

Two 

1. Benefits of these schemes are enjoyed by elite people only and others remain bereft of those

1.privileged  2. dependent  3. deprived  4. favourite

2. His explanations could not quell the criticism slapped on him by his opponents.
1.diminish  2.appease 3.face  4. resist

3. During his election campaign Trump bragged about cheaper health care for people.

1.declared  2.announced  3. decided    4. boasted

4. Her past still haunts her and often perturbs her.

1.influence   2. coerce 3.stalk   4. dread

5. Cartoons and caricatures galore in the social media showing their break up.

1. figure 2.decorate   3. abound 4. flash

6. Scurrilous and unfounded allegations were leveled against him to defame him.

1. offensive 2. serious 3, grave 4, speculative 

7. She, vulnerable and anguished, acted in a heroic manner in the days of misery.

1. disgusted 2. distressed 3. dissipated 4, depressed 

8. As the news of bomb explosion spread, all the people started running helter and skelter.

1. dreadfully  2. swiftly 3. haphazardly 4. brashly

9. Trump's recent statements drew expressions of consternation and extreme disbelief.

1. enmity 2. aversion 3. suspicion 4. dismay

10. The markets responded with trepidation after a series of scandals in the country.

1. confusion 2. mistrust 3. dread 4. suspicion  



(ANSWERS 1.(1) 2.(2) 3.(4) 4.(3) 5.(3) 6.(1) 7.(2) 8.(3) 9.(4) 10.(3))

1. Elite means person having a privileged position. Dependent means one  supported by another. Deprived means lacking something. Favourite means one liked by another.1. Privileged is the correct answer.

2. Quell means to stop or suppress something. Diminish means to reduce. Face means to encounter. Assist means to aid. 2. Suppress is the correct answer.

3. Bragged means boasted. Other options Declared, announced and decided are incorrect. Boasted is the correct answer.

4. Haunt means to cause uneasiness by reminding past. Influence means to affect. Coerce means to force. Stalk means to follow. Dread means to be afraid is the correct answer.

5. Galore means to be present in a large number. Figure means to occur. Decorate means to beautify. Flash means to emit sudden light. Abound means in large number is the correct option

6. Scurrilous means  outrageous or insulting.  Options serious and grave are not in order here. Speculative means abstract is also not correct. Option offensive is the correct answer.

7. Anguished means  painful or distressed.  Disgusted means shocked or offended. Dissipated means degenerate. Depressed means dejected or disheartened.Distressed is the correct answer.

8. Helter and skelter means here and there or not in an orderly manner. Dreadfully means being afraid of. Swiftly means fast or with speed. Brashly means rudely and forcefully. Haphazardly means not in a proper way is the correct answer.

9. Consternation means state of dismay or shock. Enmity means hostility or hate. Aversion means hatred. Suspicion means doubt or mistrust. Dismay means  sadness or disappointment is the correct answer.

10. Trepidation means anxiety or nervousness. Confusion means misunderstanding. Mistrust means distrust. Suspicion means doubt.3.Anxiety is the correct answer. 

Vocabulary Building --- Meaning & Explanation

VOCABULARY BUILDING

Meaning --

Use of appropriate words in the text while writing or speaking a language is as essential as the text or subject matter. It not only communicates the matter properly but also makes it befitting and look elegant.

Explanation --

Vocabulary building is not a one time exercise but it is a constant process. One has to find new words and find out what they mean. It does not end here but finding out their appropriate use is also essential. Further the problem is to remember these words and to fix them in one's mind

It is a common experience that a person forgets the words to which he is introduced as quickly as he forgets the names of people he is casually introduced to at a crowded party unless he meets them again and again or unless he spends some time with them.

One of the effective ways fixing the meaning of words is getting at the roots of words -- taking words apart. Thus an attempt is made to know about -- left flank (prefixes) , right flank (suffixes) and the most important the centre (roots). In this way one can find out what makes a word tick and how to make it stick.

Here a warning is required to be sounded that reliability of roots of words is limited. In some cases roots may be misleading too.

Examples --

Here are some words to illustrate explained in previous paragraphs.

Take example of the  prefix 'in' meaning 'to go inside' or 'to enter'.

'Inject'  means to put in or into.
'Inscribe' means to write in or on.
'Invade' means enemy going in or into.
'Intrude' means to enter uninvited.

'Pre' means prior to, before or in front of.  Prepone, Prediction, Prepaid etc.
'Re' means back or backward. Recede, Retrograde etc.
'Re' means again. Readjust, Reactivate, Repay, Rejoin etc.

In a number of cases the prefix 'in' undergoes changes while adding before a word i.e. in case of 'illogical' it changes into 'il' and in case of 'imbibe' and 'implant' it changes into 'im'  and in case of 'irradiate' it changes into 'ir'. This change is called assimilation. Similarly the prefix 'ad' also undergoes a change while it is added before a word as in 'assume' , 'appeal' , 'arrogant' and  'accord' etc. The prefix 'sub' meaning 'under'also assimilates as in case of words support, surrogate,suffer and suggest etc.