SSC CGL 2017 · 2017-08-19 · Shift 1

When we complete the above figure, we get: Hence, option 1 is the correct answer.

The question figure is embedded in the following figure:

Check divisibility by 2: 10, 20, and 30 all end in 0 and are even. Only 15 ends in 5 and is odd (\(15 \div 2\) leaves remainder 1). Hence the odd-one-out is 15.

Find every (row, column) code for each letter of SELF, then match an option. S: only in Matrix-II — 67, 79, 95. E: Matrix-I at 23; Matrix-II at 87. L: Matrix-I at 24; Matrix-II at 85. F: only Matrix-I at 41. Testing Option 1 — 95, 23, 24, 41: 95 = S, 23 = E, 24 = L, 41 = F. All valid. Other options fail at the first code (44 = D, 04 = C, 24 = L, none is S). Hence 95, 23, 24, 41.

Pattern: each letter of the second group is 2 positions before the corresponding letter of the first group. F(6)→D(4), H(8)→F(6), K(11)→I(9) — all shift -2. Applying -2 to O(15), Q(17), T(20): \(15-2=13\to M\), \(17-2=15\to O\), \(20-2=18\to R\). Hence MOR.

Relationship: result : operation. "Product" is the result of "Multiplication." By the same logic, "Sum" is the result of Addition. "Comparison," "Percentage," and "Numbers" are not the operation that produces a sum.

Step 1 — Count days from 12 April to 2 October: Remaining April (30 − 12) + May + June + July + August + September + 2 days of October = \(18+31+30+31+31+30+2 = 173\) days. Step 2 — Find odd days: \(173 \div 7\) leaves remainder \(5\), so the shift is 5 days. Step 3 — Apply shift to Wednesday: Wednesday + 5 days = Monday. Hence Shray’s birthday falls on Monday.

Clearly, fig.4 shows the correct right image of question figure.

Hence, the Americans who are not Accountants = G + H.

Clearly, when paper sheet is folded and punched, it will appear as shown below: Hence, Fig 4 is the correct answer.

Each letter of FRISKED is shifted +2 in the alphabet: F→H, R→T, I→K, S→U, K→M, E→G, D→F, giving HTKUMGF. Applying the same +2 shift to SUN: S(19)→U(21), U(21)→W(23), N(14)→P(16). The code is UWP.

The relationship is add 100: \(10001 + 100 = 10101\). Applying the same rule: \(101 + 100 = 201\). Hence the answer is 201.

Trousers, Pants and Shorts are all garments worn on the lower body. A Shirt is worn on the upper body, making it the odd one out.

Substitute symbols per the code: + → ×, ÷ → −, × → ÷, − → +. The expression becomes: \[80 \times 2 - 25 \times 5 + 10\] By BODMAS: \(160 - 125 + 10 = 45\). Hence the value is 45.

The letters of SMOTHERS are {S, M, O, T, H, E, R, S} — note there is no A. THOSE, METRO and STORE use only these letters, but TEARS requires an ‘A’, which is absent. Hence TEARS cannot be formed.

The pattern is increasing word length: win (3), note (4), grain (5), broker (6). The next word must have 7 letters. Among the options, only banking has 7 letters, so it completes the series.

Each term has 5 consecutive letters, and the starting letter advances by +6 in the alphabet: K → q → W → c → i. So the next term’s letters are i, j, k, l, m. Capitalisation alternates: terms in odd positions use Cap-low-Cap-low-Cap (like Term 3 WxYzA). The 5th term follows the same pattern, giving IjKlM.

List all subset sums of {20, 40, 60, 90}: Singles: 20, 40, 60, 90. Pairs: 60, 80, 100, 110, 130, 150. Triples: 120, 150, 170, 190. All four: 210. Possible totals = {20, 40, 60, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 150, 170, 190, 210}. Among the options, 200 is absent — it cannot be formed.

The rule is: \(A\,\%\,B = (\text{digit sum of }A) - (\text{digit sum of }B)\). Check: \((4+5)-(1+1)=9-2=7\) and \((5+9)-(3+4)=14-7=7\). Apply: \(55\,\%\,4 = (5+5) - 4 = 10 - 4 = 6\). Hence the answer is 6.

In the first column, the first number is obtained by adding the other two numbers. Eg : 87 + 15 = 102 and 45 + 44 = 89 Similarly, 50 + 25 = 75 Hence, '75' is the correct alternative.

Each term equals \(n^2 - 1\) where n is the position: \(1^2-1=0,\ 2^2-1=3,\ 3^2-1=8,\ 4^2-1=15,\ 5^2-1=24,\ 6^2-1=35\). The missing 4th term is 15. (Equivalent view: successive differences are odd numbers 3, 5, 7, 9, 11.)

Take the start as origin with East = +x, North = +y. Car C: 9 km South → (0, −9). Left turn from South faces East; 11 km East → (11, −9). Car D: 3 km East → (3, 0). 5 km South → (3, −5). Left turn from South faces East; 8 km East → (11, −5). Same x-coordinate; y-difference \((-5)-(-9)=4\). Hence D is 4 km North of C.

Argument I raises a serious public-safety concern — statistics-backed rise in crime and accidents — which is directly relevant and decisive against switching lights off. Hence it is strong. Argument II claims electricity is wasted because fewer vehicles ply, but street lights also serve pedestrians and security, so the “waste” premise is weak and the cost concern does not outweigh safety. Hence only Argument I is strong.

Three of the four triplets advance by +3 letters at each step: EHK (E→H→K), LOR (L→O→R), SVY (S→V→Y). Only ZBD advances by +2 letters (Z→B→D, with Z+2 wrapping to B), breaking the pattern. Hence ZBD is the odd one out.

When we fold the given figure, the circle with a ‘+’ sign will become the base of the cube and the side with only ‘+’ sign will become top, and thus they will face each other. Similarly, the sides which will face each other will be: Since, the opposite sides cannot be adjacent in the cube, thus the cube in the last option is not possible

In economics, the set of all attainable output combinations an economy can produce from its available resources and given technology is the Production Possibility Set; its boundary is the Production Possibility Frontier (PPF). “Probability” options are incorrect terminology, and “Resource Possibility Set” mis-emphasises inputs rather than producible output combinations.

The Tomara Rajputs founded and ruled Dhillika (Delhi) from around the 8th century. In the mid-12th century, the Chauhans (Chahamanas) of Ajmer, under Vigraharaja IV (Visaladeva), defeated the Tomaras and annexed Delhi to their kingdom. Prithviraja Chauhan III, based at Ajmer, later inherited this enlarged Chauhan realm including Delhi before being defeated by Muhammad Ghori in 1192. Hence the correct answer is Ajmer.

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) was founded by M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) on 17 October 1972 at Madurai, after he was expelled from the DMK following differences with M. Karunanidhi. Note: 1949 is the founding year of the parent party DMK (by C. N. Annadurai), not AIADMK. Hence the correct answer is 1972.

The 2016 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded jointly to Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Sir J. Fraser Stoddart and Bernard L. Feringa for the design and synthesis of molecular machines. J. Michael Kosterlitz won the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics (shared with David Thouless and Duncan Haldane) for topological phase transitions — not Chemistry. Hence he is the odd one out.

Meristems are classified by location: apical meristems lie at root/shoot tips (primary growth in length), lateral meristems lie along the sides of stems and roots (secondary growth in girth, e.g. cambium), and intercalary meristems lie between regions of mature/permanent tissue, typically at the base of leaves or above the nodes of grass stems. Since the question specifies meristem occurring between mature tissues, the answer is Intercalary.

According to IPCC assessments cited in NCERT and standard SSC reference material, the average global surface temperature of the Earth rose by about 0.6°C over the 20th century (the "past century" referenced here). This warming, driven mainly by greenhouse gas emissions from fossil-fuel burning, has contributed to rising sea levels, glacial retreat and more frequent extreme-weather events. Hence the correct answer is 0.6°C.

According to the RBI's data on India's outward Foreign Direct Investment for 2015-16, Mauritius was the single largest destination for Indian overseas investment, receiving the highest share of outward FDI commitments. This was primarily driven by the favourable India-Mauritius Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA), which made Mauritius the preferred routing jurisdiction. Switzerland, Saudi Arabia and Australia received much smaller flows. Hence the answer is Mauritius.

For motion with uniform acceleration, the kinematic convention is: \(u\) = initial velocity, \(v\) = final velocity, \(a\) = acceleration, \(s\) = displacement. The formula \(\text{average velocity}=\dfrac{u+v}{2}\) is the arithmetic mean of the starting and ending velocities, so \(u\) denotes the initial velocity.

The pitch of the human voice depends on the length and thickness of the vocal cords (folds) in the larynx — shorter, thinner cords vibrate faster and give a higher pitch. Adult male vocal cords measure roughly 17-25 mm, while adult female vocal cords measure about 12-17 mm — on average women's cords are about 5 mm shorter than men's, which is why women's voices are typically higher-pitched.

Nalanda Mahavihara, the great Buddhist monastic university in present-day Bihar, was founded in the 5th century CE during the Gupta period. Its construction was started by the Gupta emperor Kumaragupta I (reigned c. 415-455 CE). It was later expanded by successors like Harshavardhana and Pala kings (including Dharmapala), but the initial foundation is credited to Kumaragupta. Hence the answer is Kumaragupta.

Article 15(2) of the Indian Constitution, part of the Right to Equality (Articles 14-18), explicitly bars discrimination against any citizen on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth in matters of access to shops, public restaurants, hotels, places of public entertainment, wells, tanks, bathing ghats and roads maintained out of State funds or dedicated to the public. Hence the correct Fundamental Right is the Right to Equality.

During an earthquake, the point inside the Earth where the rupture begins and seismic energy is released is called the focus (or hypocentre). The point on the Earth's surface lying vertically above the focus is the epicentre, and it usually experiences the strongest shaking. "Incentre" and "circumcentre" are geometric terms for triangle centres, unrelated to seismology. Hence the answer is epicentre.

India's total geographical area is about 3,287,263 sq km, roughly 2.4% of the world's land surface. The six countries larger than India by area are Russia, Canada, China, United States, Brazil and Australia — making India the 7th largest country in the world by area (though it is the most populous). Hence the answer is 7th.

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), launched on 28 August 2014, is the Central Government's flagship financial-inclusion scheme aimed at providing affordable access to banking, remittance, credit, insurance and pension services to the weaker and unbanked sections of society. Sukanya Samridhi and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao target the girl child specifically, and Bal Swachta Mission relates to child sanitation — none provides broad financial services. Hence the answer is Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana.

The 8th Rugby World Cup was held from 18 September to 31 October 2015, with England as the host nation (a few pool matches were played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales). New Zealand won the final, defeating Australia 34-17, to become the first nation to retain the Webb Ellis Cup. Hence the host nation was England.

Checking each statement: (1) Charles Stross wrote the 2006 novelette "Missile Gap" — correct. (2) "Bird Box" (2014) was written by Josh Malerman, not Victor LaValle — incorrect. (3) China Mieville wrote "The City & the City" (2009) — correct. So only statements 1 and 3 are correct.

William Herschel, a German-born British astronomer, discovered Uranus on 13 March 1781 while conducting a systematic telescopic survey of the night sky. He initially mistook it for a comet, but follow-up observations confirmed it as the first planet discovered with a telescope, extending the solar system beyond Saturn. Newton (laws of motion) and Copernicus (heliocentric model) predate the discovery; Fox Talbot was a photography pioneer, unrelated to astronomy.

Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) is the standard markup language used to structure web pages and programs served over the web. Browsers request HTML documents from web servers and render the marked-up content into visible pages. The other options — Hyper Text Marketing Language, Hotmail Text Markup Language, and Home Text Markup Language — are not recognised web technologies.

India shares its border with China through five states/UTs: Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Among the options, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim all touch the China border. Bihar lies in eastern India and shares an international border only with Nepal, not with China. Hence Bihar is the correct answer.

The male sex accessory ducts carry sperm from the testis outward in this sequence: rete testis → vasa efferentia → epididymis → vas deferens. The question lists the last three, so the missing duct is the rete testis, the network within the mediastinum testis that collects sperm from the seminiferous tubules. The cervix is a female structure; seminiferous tubules are the site of sperm production (not an accessory duct); “glands” refers to accessory glands, not ducts.

When market supply exceeds market demand at a given price, unsold stock accumulates — this surplus is called excess supply, and it pushes the price downward toward equilibrium. Equilibrium requires supply = demand; excess demand is the opposite case (demand > supply); marginal revenue is a firm-level revenue concept, unrelated to market clearing.

The dominant organic acid in grapes is tartaric acid (\(\text{C}_4\text{H}_6\text{O}_6\)), which gives grapes their characteristic tartness and is central to wine stability. Malic acid is also present in smaller amounts, but tartaric acid is the signature acid. Lactic acid occurs in sour milk and muscle tissue, formic acid in ant venom, and acetic acid in vinegar — none are the principal acid of grapes.

Rayon is called artificial silk. It is a regenerated cellulose fibre made by chemically processing wood pulp or cotton linters and extruding the solution through spinnerets. The resulting filaments have the lustre, smoothness and drape of natural silk, which earned Rayon its nickname. Nylon, polyester and acrylic are fully synthetic petrochemical-based fibres; acrylic in particular is known as artificial wool, not silk.

Members of phylum Platyhelminthes — planarians, flukes and tapeworms — have dorsoventrally flattened, bilaterally symmetric, triploblastic, acoelomate bodies. This flattened body plan is the reason they are commonly called flatworms. Mollusca includes soft-bodied snails and octopuses; Chordata includes vertebrates with a notochord; Ctenophora are the radially symmetric comb jellies — none are flatworms.

The Dandi March, the central act of the Salt Satyagraha, began on 12 March 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram and ended on 5 April 1930 at Dandi on the Gujarat coast, where Gandhi broke the salt law the next morning (6 April). The journey of roughly 240 miles was completed in 24 days of walking by Gandhi and his 78 volunteers, making 24 the correct answer.

Step 1 — Slope of the given line: Rewrite \(5x+3y=6\) as \(y=-\tfrac{5}{3}x+2\), so \(m_1=-\tfrac{5}{3}\). Step 2 — Perpendicular slope: For perpendicular lines \(m_1 m_2=-1\), giving \(m_2=\tfrac{3}{5}\). Step 3 — Apply Y-intercept \(c=-3\): \[y=\tfrac{3}{5}x-3 \implies 5y=3x-15\] Therefore the required equation is \(5y=3x-15\).

Step 1 — Side ratio from BPT: Since \(DE\parallel BC\), \(\triangle ADE\sim\triangle ABC\). With \(AD:DB=2:5\), we get \(\tfrac{AD}{AB}=\tfrac{2}{7}\). Step 2 — Area ratio (square of side ratio): \[\frac{[\triangle ADE]}{[\triangle ABC]}=\left(\tfrac{2}{7}\right)^2=\tfrac{4}{49}\] Step 3 — Find area of \(\triangle ABC\): \[[\triangle ABC]=8\times\tfrac{49}{4}=98\text{ cm}^2\] Step 4 — Quadrilateral area: \([BDEC]=98-8=\boldsymbol{90}\) cm2.

Step 1 — Set up: Let the common time be \(T\) hours. Extra distance at higher speed: \[15T-9T=3\] Step 2 — Solve for T: \(6T=3 \implies T=\tfrac{1}{2}\) hr. Step 3 — Actual distance: \[D=9\times\tfrac{1}{2}=\boldsymbol{4.5\text{ km}}\]

Substitute the standard values \(\sin 30^\circ=\tfrac{1}{2}\) and \(\cos 30^\circ=\tfrac{\sqrt{3}}{2}\): \[\sin 30^\circ-\sqrt{2}\cos 30^\circ=\tfrac{1}{2}-\sqrt{2}\cdot\tfrac{\sqrt{3}}{2}=\tfrac{1}{2}-\tfrac{\sqrt{6}}{2}=\tfrac{1-\sqrt{6}}{2}\] Therefore the value is \(\dfrac{1-\sqrt{6}}{2}\).

Given \(A=\tfrac{5}{7}B\) and \(C=\tfrac{10}{7}B\), divide to eliminate B: \[\frac{C}{A}=\frac{\tfrac{10}{7}B}{\tfrac{5}{7}B}=\frac{10}{5}=2\] Hence C : A = 2 : 1.

Step 1 — Set up: Let the four consecutive odd numbers be \(n, n+2, n+4, n+6\). Step 2 — Apply average: \[\frac{4n+12}{4}=64 \implies n+3=64 \implies n=61\] Step 3 — Largest number: \(n+6=61+6=\boldsymbol{67}\).

Given: Revenue in 2015 (in lakh rupees) Revenue in 2016 (in lakh rupees) A 300 330 B 500 525 C 100 120 D 50 100 Calculation: Total revenue collected in both years = (300 + 330 + 500 + 525 + 100 + 120 + 50 + 100) = Rs. 2025 lakhs = 20.25 crores Given: cost of producing and selling the four products in 2 years = 2 × 10 = 20 crores Profit = 20.25 - 20 = 0.25 crores = 25 lakhs ∴ Profit is 25 lakhs

Let the fraction be \(x\). The condition gives: \[2x+\frac{3}{x}=\frac{29}{3}\] Step 1 — Clear denominators (multiply by \(3x\)): \[6x^{2}+9=29x \;\Rightarrow\; 6x^{2}-29x+9=0\] Step 2 — Factorise: \[(2x-9)(3x-1)=0 \;\Rightarrow\; x=\tfrac{9}{2}\ \text{or}\ x=\tfrac{1}{3}\] Only \(\tfrac{9}{2}\) appears in the options. Check: \(2(\tfrac{9}{2})+3(\tfrac{2}{9})=9+\tfrac{2}{3}=\tfrac{29}{3}\). Therefore the fraction is 9/2.

With successive rates 5% and 15%, the amount after 2 years is: \[x\times 1.05\times 1.15=9660\] \[x=\frac{9660}{1.2075}=8000\] Verification: \(8000\times1.05=8400\); \(8400\times1.15=9660\). Hence x = Rs 8000.

Given: Revenue in 2015 (in lakh rupees) Revenue in 2016 (in lakh rupees) A 300 330 B 500 525 C 100 120 D 50 100 Calculation: In 2015(Revenue in Rs lakhs): A = 300, B = 500, C = 100, D = 50 Least = D(Rs. 50 lakhs) In 2016(Revenue in Rs. lakhs): A = 330, B = 525, C = 120, D = 100 Least = D(Rs 100 lakhs) ∴ In both the cases D has the least revenue

By the distance formula: \[(k-2)^{2}+(-5-7)^{2}=13^{2}\] \[(k-2)^{2}+144=169 \;\Rightarrow\; (k-2)^{2}=25\] \(k-2=\pm 5\), so \(k=7\) or \(k=-3\). Among the options, only k = 7 is listed.

Total MRP: \(100+3\times300=1000\). Total discount: \(10\%\ \text{of}\ 100+20\%\ \text{of}\ 900=10+180=190\). Effective discount: \(\frac{190}{1000}\times100=19\%\) Hence the effective discount is 19%.

Starting from \(\dfrac{4\left(\tfrac{2x}{5}-\tfrac{3}{2}\right)}{3}+\dfrac{7}{5}=\dfrac{37}{5}\): Step 1 — Move \(7/5\): \[\frac{4\left(\tfrac{2x}{5}-\tfrac{3}{2}\right)}{3}=\frac{30}{5}=6\] Step 2 — Multiply by 3 and divide by 4: \[\frac{2x}{5}-\frac{3}{2}=\frac{18}{4}=\frac{9}{2}\] Step 3 — Solve: \[\frac{2x}{5}=\frac{9}{2}+\frac{3}{2}=6 \;\Rightarrow\; x=15\] Therefore x = 15.

Reflection in a horizontal line \(y=c\) keeps the x-coordinate and maps \(y\to 2c-y\). With \(c=-2\) and the point \((4,-3)\): \[y'=2(-2)-(-3)=-4+3=-1\] So the image is (4, -1). Check: both points lie 1 unit from \(y=-2\) on opposite sides.

In right-angled ΔXYZ with the right angle at Y, ZX is the hypotenuse and YZ is the side adjacent to \(\angle Z\). \[\cos Z=\frac{YZ}{ZX} \;\Rightarrow\; YZ=ZX\cos 60^{\circ}\] \[YZ=9\sqrt{3}\times\frac{1}{2}=\frac{9\sqrt{3}}{2}\ \text{cm}\] Hence YZ = 9√3/2 cm.

Since \(\sec\theta=\dfrac{\text{hyp}}{\text{adj}}=\dfrac{13}{12}\), take hypotenuse 13 and adjacent 12. By Pythagoras: \[\text{opp}=\sqrt{13^{2}-12^{2}}=\sqrt{25}=5\] \[\sin\theta=\frac{\text{opp}}{\text{hyp}}=\frac{5}{13}\] Hence sin θ = 5/13.

Together A and B finish in \(6.75=\tfrac{27}{4}\) days, so combined rate = \(\tfrac{4}{27}\) job/day. A's rate alone = \(\tfrac{1}{9}\) job/day. \[\text{B's rate}=\frac{4}{27}-\frac{1}{9}=\frac{4-3}{27}=\frac{1}{27}\] Therefore B alone needs 27 days.

From the first sale, \(\text{CP}\times 1.20=960\), so \(\text{CP}=800\). New profit = \(1120-800=320\). \[\text{Profit }\%=\frac{320}{800}\times100=40\%\] Hence the new profit percentage is 40%.

For an AP, \(a_n=a_1+(n-1)d\). Given \(a_7=-15\) and \(a_{12}=5\): \[d=\frac{a_{12}-a_7}{12-7}=\frac{5-(-15)}{5}=4\] Using \(a_{16}=a_{12}+(16-12)d\): \[a_{16}=5+4\times4=21\] Hence the 16th term is 21.

Surface area of a sphere: \(A=4\pi r^{2}\). Using \(\pi=\tfrac{22}{7}\): \[4\times\frac{22}{7}\times r^{2}=154 \;\Rightarrow\; r^{2}=\frac{154\times7}{88}=\frac{49}{4}\] \(r=\tfrac{7}{2}=3.5\) cm, so diameter \(d=2r=\) 7 cm.

Given: Revenue in 2015 (in lakh rupees) Revenue in 2016 (in lakh rupees) A 300 330 B 500 525 C 100 120 D 50 100 Calculation: Total revenue by selling all the four products in 2015 = 300 + 500 + 100 + 50 = 950 Total revenue by selling all the four products in 2016 = 330 + 525 + 120 + 100 = 1075 ∴ Required value = 1075 - 950 = Rs.125 lakhs = 1.25 crore

Given: Revenue in 2015 (in lakh rupees) Revenue in 2016 (in lakh rupees) A 300 330 B 500 525 C 100 120 D 50 100 Calculation: Revenue from sale of product B in 2016 = Rs. 525 lakh Revenue from sale of product B in 2015 = Rs. 500 lakh ∴ Required % = [(525 - 500)/500]100 = 5%

Prime factorise: \(64=2^{6}\) and \(56=2^{3}\times7\). LCM uses the highest power of each prime: \[\text{LCM}=2^{6}\times7=64\times7=448\] Hence the LCM is 448.

Let total wealth = \(W\). Charity gets \(0.25W\); the family gets the remaining \(0.75W\). \[\frac{\text{Family}}{\text{Charity}}\times100=\frac{0.75W}{0.25W}\times100=300\%\] So the family receives 300% of the amount willed to charity.

Use the identity \(a^{3}-b^{3}=(a-b)^{3}+3ab(a-b)\). Substituting \(a-b=4\) and \(ab=-3\): \(a^{3}-b^{3}=4^{3}+3(-3)(4)=64-36=28\) Hence \(a^{3}-b^{3}=\) 28.

The idiom "to have at one's fingertips" means to have information or knowledge so familiar that it can be recalled or used instantly, as if it were physically within reach. This matches "Recall of factual information at one's command". The other options take the phrase literally (keyboard speed, percussion playing) or describe note-taking, none of which capture the figurative sense of ready knowledge.

Part (2) "sat close him" is wrong. When close indicates physical proximity to a person or object, it must take the preposition to: "sat close to him." Parts (1) and (3) are grammatically sound, so the error lies in part 2.

Sanguine means cheerfully optimistic, especially in a hard or seemingly unfavourable situation — a direct match for the phrase. Pallid and sallow describe an unhealthy pale/yellowish complexion. Pessimistic is the exact opposite of optimistic. Hence Sanguine is the best substitute.

The blank joins the last two items in a list of bird types ("...the tanagers, the humming-birds ______ many of the sparrows"). A list of items is concluded with the additive conjunction and. Because introduces a cause, but a contrast, and if a condition — none of these fit a simple enumeration. Hence And.

Pillage means to rob a place violently, especially in war. Among the options, Desecrate — to violate or treat a place with violent disrespect — is the closest in sense, since both involve violent violation of a place and often theft or damage. Bequeath (leave by will) and entrust (give in trust) are opposites; consign means to hand over or assign, unrelated to violent plunder.

An epidemic is a widespread, large-scale outbreak of disease. Its opposite must capture the idea of being restricted in scale. Limited means confined or small in scope, directly contrasting "widespread." Contagious and infectious describe how a disease spreads, not its scale; endemic means constantly present in an area but is not a true antonym. Hence Limited.

The blank links "habits" to "Brewer's blackbird," showing the habits belong to the bird. The possessive relative pronoun is whose. Who (subject) and whom (object) cannot show possession; whoever means "anyone who" and does not refer back to a specific antecedent. Hence Whose.

The sentence contrasts the grackles (not common in the Rockies) with Brewer's blackbird, which the Rockies do boast. The contrast/substitution is expressed by the phrase instead of. Beside of, next of and near of are not standard English; only Instead (with "of") fits both grammatically and contextually.

Part (2) "a big cat brush side me" is wrong. The verb brush, when describing light contact while passing, takes against or past: "brush past me" / "brush against me." "Brush side me" is not a valid English construction. Parts (1) and (3) are correct, so the error is in part 2.

The required noun means "the act of putting a mechanism into action." The correct spelling is Actuation, formed from the verb actuate + the standard noun suffix -ion. Actuasion, Actation, and Actasion use non-standard suffixes (-uasion, -asion) or drop the required u, and are not English words.

The opening clause is "The resulting brain change is ______." After "is," we need a complement describing what the brain change is. Z ("regarded as the true") naturally follows the verb. X ("concomitant of") then completes the noun phrase, requiring an object, which Y ("the sensation") supplies. Reading ZXY: "The resulting brain change is regarded as the true concomitant of the sensation" — a grammatical, meaningful statement. Hence ZXY.

A rampart is a raised defensive wall or bank. Its opposite should denote a sunken or hollow structure — a ditch, a long narrow trench dug into the ground. Barricade, fort and embankment are all raised or defensive structures, similar in character to a rampart rather than opposite. Hence Ditch.

Tutelage means guardianship — protection, care, or authority exercised over someone, typically a ward by a guardian. This matches the given phrase exactly. Autonomous (self-governing), nonaligned (politically neutral), and unaided (without help) all imply independence — the opposite of being under another's authority. Hence Tutelage.

To convert an interrogative beginning with Who + past-tense verb into passive voice, use the pattern: By whom + was/were + (object) + past participle ...? The object "you" requires were, and the past participle of teach is taught. The infinitive "to ride" stays unchanged, giving "By whom were you taught to ride?" Option 1 uses the wrong helping verb "is"; options 3 and 4 distort the structure with "Riding by you."

Rules for converting a wh-question to indirect speech with a past reporting verb: Reporting verb: "said to" becomes asked. Conjunction: the wh-word "how" itself links the clauses. Pronoun: "you" (referring to me) becomes I. Tense: present perfect "have solved" shifts to past perfect had solved. Demonstrative: "this" changes to that. Applying all changes: Sheetal asked me how I had solved that problem. Options 2–4 fail on tense or demonstrative.

The idiom "to not have a clue" means to have no knowledge or information about something — to be completely unaware of a topic or situation. Option 4, "To not know about something," captures this meaning exactly. The other options refer to poverty, exam failure, or a sudden loss of confidence — none of which relate to ignorance or absence of knowledge.

Wistfully means with a feeling of fond longing or gentle sadness for something in the past. It matches the nostalgic tone of looking back at fun childhood summers on a grandfather's farm. Fiscally relates to finances and is irrelevant. Hopefully points to the future, not memory. Awfully either means "badly" (contradicting "fun") or informally "very," which is grammatically awkward as a manner adverb before "recall."

Cluster means a group or collection of similar things close together (e.g., a cluster of stars). Assemblage also means a gathering or collection of people or things, making it the closest synonym. Individual and solitary imply singleness or isolation — opposites of cluster — while specific means precise or particular, an unrelated idea.

The opening "We entered, and" needs a verb phrase next, so Z ("found that a hut") must follow — supplying the verb "found" and introducing the noun "hut." The noun "a hut" then needs a verb describing what happened to it: X ("had been assigned"). Finally, the passive "had been assigned" requires a recipient, supplied by Y ("to each of us"). The complete sentence reads: "We entered, and found that a hut had been assigned to each of us." Hence the order is ZXY.

The adjective different is standardly followed by the preposition from when expressing distinction between two things. The sentence becomes: "West (with one exception) are different from those of East." "Different for" indicates variation by recipient, "different of" is non-standard, and "different to" is informal British usage and less preferred in formal/exam English.

The sentence asks about the duration of a state — "Since when ... been so easy?" — which requires the present perfect structure "has/have + been." The grammatical subject is the gerund phrase "starting a business," which is singular and therefore takes has. The corrected sentence reads: "Since when has starting a business been so easy?" Hence option 3 is correct. "Has started" and "Have starting" produce ungrammatical structures, and "No improvement" leaves the original broken.

The fixed idiom "done nothing but + bare verb" means "done only." It fits the sentence: "she has done nothing but wallow in self-pity" — i.e., the only thing Anita has done is wallow. "None," "no," and "never" do not pair with "done ... but" in standard English; "no" needs a following noun and "never" is an adverb of time, not the object of "done."

The clue "but are not common" signals occasional, infrequent sightings — so an adverb of frequency is needed. Sometimes means "occasionally / from time to time" and fits perfectly: "the latter are sometimes seen on the plains of Colorado, but are not common." Sometime refers to an unspecified future point, at time is ungrammatical, and any time means "whenever" — none convey frequency.

The word describes something damaged by moths and is formed from moth + eaten (past participle of "eat"). The correct closed-form spelling is Motheaten. Options 1–3 misspell the "eaten" portion as "eatan," "aten," or "atan," which are not valid English forms.

The subject "Those films" is plural and the adverb "now" signals the present continuous. The films are receivers of the action, so the passive form is needed: are + being + made. "Was being" is singular and past; "Is being" is singular; the original "being made" lacks an auxiliary. Only "are being" gives the correct sentence: "Those films are being made now."