The Hindu Business Line : Put on your thinking cap

In each question, there are four sentences. Each sentence has pairs of words/phrases that are italicised . From the italicised word(s)/phrase(s), select the most appropriate word(s)/phrase(s) to form correct sentences. Then, from the options given, choose the best one.

The cricket council that was (A) / were (B) elected last March is (A)/ are (B) at sixes and sevens over new rules.

The critics censored (A) / censured (B) the new movie because of its social unacceptability.

Amit’s explanation for missing the meeting was credulous (A) / credible (B).

She coughed discreetly (A) / discretely (B) to announce her presence.

(1) AABBA; (2) AAABA; (3) BBBBA; (4) BBAAA; (5) BBBAA.

The above question is from Section III (verbal aptitude) of the Common Admission Test (CAT) held on November 18 for MBA aspirants. Try your hand at a few more:

II) The further [A] / farther [B] he pushed himself, the more disillusioned he grew.

For the crowds it was more of a historical [A] / historic [B] event; for their leader, it was just another day.

The old man has a healthy distrust [A] / mistrust [B] for all new technology.

This film is based on a real [A] / true [B] story.

One suspects that the compliment [A] / complement [B] was backhanded.

(1) BABAB (2) ABBBA (3) BAABA (4) BBAAB (5) ABABA

III) Regrettably [A] / Regretfully [B] I have to decline your invitation.

I am drawn to the poetic, sensual [A] / sensuous [B] quality of her paintings.

He was besides [A] / beside [B] himself with rage when I told him what I had done.

After brushing against a stationary [A] / stationery [B] truck my car turned turtle.

As the water began to rise over [A] / above [B] the danger mark, the signs of an imminent flood were clear.

(1) BAABA (2) BBBAB (3) AAABA (4) BBAAB (5) BABAB

Edited extracts from CAT 2007 question paper.