Fill in the blanks - Previous Year CAT/MBA Questions

Answer: Option C

Text Explanation :

The statement condemns the way the genocides have been described and states the description to be sinister. The word for the first blank has to be synonymous to sinister.
Options 1 and 2 with ‘innovative’ and ‘enchanting’ can be eliminated as they do not give any negative connotations.
Option 4 too can be eliminated as ‘exigent’ has more to do with ‘demanding and urgent’ than something terrible.
In option 5, “tragic” does not fit in the context with ‘mis-described’ and ‘hand-washing rhetoric’.
‘disingenuous’ - ‘insincere’, ‘deceitful’, ‘hypocritical’ fits contextually with the word “manner” which follows the blank. In the second blank, a contrasting word to “perpetrators” is required. ‘Victims’ is a better fit compared to the words in all the other options.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

Answer: Option D

Text Explanation :

The first blank can have any of the three words mentioned in the options - ‘scrutinizers’, ‘observers’, ‘students’.
‘Scrutinizer’ means ‘one who examines or observes with great care; inspects critically’.
‘Observer’ means ‘a person who watches, views or notes for a scientific, official, or other special purpose.’
‘Student’ means ‘an individual formally engaged in learning, especially one enrolled in a school or college; pupil’
Out of these three, the part of the sentence prior to the first blank clearly suggests that the people involved in the exercise were experts in the subject under consideration. This eliminates the possibility of ‘students’ fitting into the first blank, and thus option 5.
The second blank has four possible alternatives.
‘Believe’ means ‘to have confidence in the truth, the existence or the reliability of something’.
‘Agree’ means ‘to have the same views’.
‘Suggest’ means ‘to mention or introduce’.
‘Concede’ means ‘admit; surrender or yield’.
The verb prior to the second blank denotes that the action is not voluntary but performed under duress.
It is not possible to be forced to place confidence in something. Therefore, it is difficult to be forced to ‘believe’ in something. This eliminates option 1.
The first part of the sentence makes it clear that contrary evidence was being gathered. If evidence opposite in nature or character is being gathered then it cannot be said that the ancient astronomers had the same view.
This removes ‘agree’ from further consideration as fitting into the second blank. This eliminates option 2.
The very element of force or compulsion eliminates ‘suggest’ as an appropriate fit for the second blank.
Therefore, option 3 is eliminated.
Both ‘observers’ and ‘concede’ fit in correctly.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

Answer: Option B

Text Explanation :

The first word needs to be related to something that is ‘inborn’, because it is an endowment or gift. Two words come close to mean that- ‘congenital’ and ‘genetic’.
‘Congenital’, may be ‘innate’ or ‘inherited’ or caused by the “environment”.
“Genetic,” means ‘pertaining to origins’.
However, the “effect of the environment” is more related to general teaching or ‘education’ than to ‘pedagogy’. ‘Pedagogy’ is ‘the function or work of a teacher’ or ‘science of teaching; education; instructional methods’.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

Answer: Option A

Text Explanation :

The first blank can have ‘institutions’, ‘departments’, ‘organs’ or ‘tenets’. ‘Aspects’, compared to other options can be eliminated.
The second blank has the key to the answer. The phrase ‘suited by’ can be best followed by ‘fixated’, to make the sense complete- minds which were suited by ‘fixation’ or a preoccupation with one subject, issue, an obsession “to an earlier kind of world”. Also, ‘fixation’ flows perfectly with the idea of ‘an earlier kind of world’.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

Answer: Option C

Text Explanation :

In an out-of-season resort hotel, there should be less people. Similarly if the white house resembled this serene hotel, it should have empty (option 3) corridors.
Hollowis incorrect, as it does not blend with the context very well.
The corridors could be white but then again, we need a word which goes with the idea of an out-of-season hotel.
‘Striking’ too goes out of context.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

Answer: Option A

Text Explanation :

If people were speaking in low-pitched voices, they would not be loud (option 3) or stentorian (marked by loud voice, option 4).
Quiet goes more with the idea of low-pitched voices, therefore, we can eliminate ‘faded’ (option 2) as well.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

Answer: Option D

Text Explanation :

The only colour or choler (anger, irritability) was provided by the president; therefore, his ‘temper’ (option 4) would easily set off. Since the author indicates anger, humour and laughter can be ruled out. ‘Curiously’ does not go with the idea of anger.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

Answer: Option A

Text Explanation :

The president was not prowling the corridors as there is no mention of the president wanting to catch hold of someone (no predatory instinct that is). A stroll is a leisurely walk and in his angry mood, the president cannot be taking a leisurely walk! ‘Stormed’ will not fit where usage is concerned. A person may storm in or out of a corridor. Paced is the correct word. Pace is a manner of walking in which a person may stride or walk back and forth.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

Answer: Option B

Text Explanation :

The statement that the person himself did not file returns is a straightforward or a blunt statement, no deceitfulness (treachery) or tact (diplomacy) or pretension (to give a false appearance). Therefore, ‘blunt’ is the best adjective here.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

Answer: Option A

Text Explanation :

The principal tax has already been mentioned, so we can eliminate option 3. Ramesh has mentioned that he has not filed his returns; hence the answer is not option 4 either. If the 20,000 became 60, 000 it could be because of interest levied. Therefore, ‘interest’ is more suitable option than ‘taxes’.
Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

Answer: Option D

Text Explanation :

If Ramesh has not paid income tax for the years mentioned, most likely, the IT department will levy charges. The charges could take the form of interests and fines. One of the options (the precious question) was ‘interest’. It follows that the second could be ‘fines’. Working with the options also gives us the same answer. Ramesh will not get a refund (option 2) unless he files his returns. IT department does not charge fees (option 3). There are no sanctions (option 1) involved in income tax.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

Answer: Option C

Text Explanation :

In legal terms, attach means ‘to seize persons or property by legal writ’. Impound also has a similar meaning– ‘to seize and retain in legal custody’. The word is generally used in terms of confiscating illegal possessions. But, for royalties and trust funds when seized by the use of a legal writ are said to be attached. Detached being the opposite, does not apply. Nor does the word ‘closed’.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

Answer: Option B

Text Explanation :

The income tax department is a not violent mob which would destroy (smash) or dismantle (take apart) automobiles. Nor will it freeze an automobile. The correct word is seized. It can seize or get hold of automobiles.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

Answer: Option D

Text Explanation :

The person who does not file his or her IT returns becomes an offender. He is neither an investor (option 3) in Income tax nor is he a purchaser (option 1). Since, it is Ramesh’s fault (by not filing his IT returns), he does not become a victim (option 2).
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

Answer: Option C

Text Explanation :

It is easier to tackle this question by eliminating the incorrect options.
Option 2 has a tense error. Instead of ‘have had’, use of ‘have’ is sufficient to remove the tense inconsistency.
Option 1 is inappropriate as the first that is redundant, it is not required.
Option 4 has a pronoun error. With the use of antecedent ‘things’, pronoun should be plural,
i.e- ‘they’ should be used in place of ‘it’.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

Answer: Option D

Text Explanation :

Option 1 can be eliminated because the usage should be ‘estimated … to be … 3400 years old.’
Similarly, option 3 is also incorrect. ‘With reasonable certainty’ modifies ‘estimated’ and should be placed close to it.
Option 2 is awkward. We can rephrase the sentence to begin with ‘estimated’. Also, ‘pottery’ is singular (plural is potteries) and therefore, ‘are estimated’ cannot apply to singular ‘pottery’. Plus, the sentence looks grammatically inconsistent. One is not sure whether ‘are estimated’ applies to archaeologists or the pottery.
Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

Answer: Option C

Text Explanation :

In option 1, ‘to bring down’ shows tense inconsistency. Since the sentence is in the present tense it should read, ‘bringing down audiocassette prices...’
Option 2 has an error of parallelism. Verb ‘suggest’ is not consistent in usage with verb ‘advocating’ in the same sentence. Both should take the same form.
Option 4 can also be eliminated as ‘… prices to be  ...’ should be replaced by ‘should be’.
Option 3 is grammatically correct.
Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

Answer: Option B

Text Explanation :

Option 1 can be eliminated as M&S would not be interested in acquiring something which is its own!
The second word ‘auction’ also does not fit the idea that well, as the operative word here is ‘sell’. M&S was trying to sell King’s. Also, people do not ‘ratify’ defeat. Therefore, option 4 can also be eliminated.
‘Dispose’ in option 3 is used along with the preposition ‘of’- “He disposed of the problem quickly.” Therefore, option 3 can be eliminated as well.
Moreover, ‘conceding’ defeat sounds fine (which means agreeing that one has been defeated). ‘Offload’ here means ‘relieve of’ and is correct for the second blank.

Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

Answer: Option C

Text Explanation :

The clue lies in the second part of the sentence. Tendency to develop friendships outside college “masks” or hides signals of maladjustment means there is an off-putting or unhelpful influence. Therefore, the second blank cannot have ‘facilitated’ (option 2) or ‘helped’ (option 4).
Option 3 is appropriate here. Early ‘identification’ of maladjustment in college is ‘complicated’ by people developing friendships outside the college.
In option 1, although the second word makes sense, the first word ‘treatment’ does not go with ‘compounded’. The ‘identification’ or detection of maladjustment can become ‘complicated’ or ‘compounded’ but not the ‘treatment’.

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

Answer: Option A

Text Explanation :

A difficult question, perhaps because they (the paper setters) have given you synonyms of ‘different’ in all options. I suggest you skip this kind of question in the actual paper if possible (in earlier CAT papers you had choices!). For the first blank, the operative word is ‘different’. The regions have unique cultures and therefore they are different (unlike in form, quality, amount or nature).
‘Divergent’, you may be able to eliminate, because primarily it means ‘drawing apart from a common point’ and nothing in the sentence suggests that. So, let us eliminate option 3.
For the second blank, ‘competing’ does not fit that well. Competition is generally there for some advantage or a goal. The sentence does not suggest that either and therefore, we can do away with option 4.
Options 1 and 2 are very close, so instead of incorrect we would simply look at a more appropriate answer. We will go with option 1 because ‘different’ seems the best word for the first blank. Also, ‘disparate’ (option 2, word for the second blank) is slightly stretched for the sentence. ‘Disparate’ means ‘fundamentally distinct or different in kind; entirely dissimilar’ (too much!) and ‘containing or composed of dissimilar or opposing elements’. That is a bit extreme for a country.

Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

Answer: Option A

Text Explanation :

 If the students end up ‘replacing’ the original teachers who are finally left with less-paying jobs or no jobs, the professionals are definitely not going to appreciate that or welcome that trend. Therefore, option 3 is eliminated.
Option 4 uses a neutral ‘are’ for the first blank, whereas the latter part of the sentence indicates that there should be a feeling of resentment or bitterness among those professional experts whose jobs are taken away from them or who have to be content with lower pay. Therefore, we can do away with option 4 as well.
Between options 1 and 2, option 1 is the best contender. ‘Resent’ is proper than ‘resist’, as the sentence does not imply that these professionals ‘resist’ or oppose to train foreigners, just that they dislike getting a raw deal in the end.

Hence, the correct answer is option 1.

Answer: Option D

Text Explanation :

If the companies are ‘giving’ (option 1), ‘bestowing’ (option 2) or ‘conferring’ (option 3) rewards why would that encourage negative kinds of behaviour?
Option 4 makes more sense. If the companies ‘withhold’ rewards, they are unable to ‘foster’ or promote a genuine interest in doing the work well.

Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

Answer: Option D

Text Explanation :

There is an absence of a contrasting keyword like but, although etc. Therefore, the two words for the blanks have to be synonyms here. Plus, both the words apply to the same thing, that is, ‘achievement in the field of literature’. Either the achievement would be insignificant or really significant but not both at the same time.
Magnificent (superb) and irresponsible (careless, negligent) do not share similar meanings (option 1).
Something which is influential has some degree of significance and not insignificance (option 2).
Paltry or worthless would be an antonym of significant (option 3).
Only in option 4 both unimportant and trivial share similarity. Something unimportant is trivial.

Hence, the correct answer is option 4.

Answer: Option B

Text Explanation :

Grovel is to behave in a servile or demeaning manner. If someone groveled before her, she would not look at them with admiration (option 1) or a positive attitude. Therefore, we are looking for words with negative connotations.
Options 1 and 4 can be eliminated (fidelity in option 4 means faithfulness).
Temperance is ‘moderation and self-restraint in behaviour or expression’. Not a very negative thought (although impertinence is. It means disrespect). Thus, option 3 can be done away with as well.
Being indifferent (option 2) is to be apathetic, and have no concern. Her feelings were a blend of apathy and disdain (contempt, dislike).

Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

Answer: Option D

Text Explanation :

Let us look at the second blank first. One does not maximize decisions (option 1). Plus, one does not need to enact (to make into law or act on stage) real estate, personal or professional decisions (into law!).  Again, one can be under an umbrella but not a decision. But, one can face decisions. Therefore, we can eliminate options 1, 2 and 3.
The simplified guide (option 4) … a must read for anyone facing … decisions. 

Hence, the correct answer is option 4.