SSC CGL 2017 · 2017-08-21 · Shift 1

Each letter in the first group is shifted back by 3 positions to obtain the corresponding letter in the second group: D−3=A, H−3=E, L−3=I. Applying the same rule to QUY: Q−3=N, U−3=R, Y−3=V. Therefore the answer is NRV.

Each letter of PRIMATE is shifted 3 positions backward (with wrap-around) to form MOFJXQB: P→M, R→O, I→F, M→J, A→X (wraps via Z, Y, X), T→Q, E→B. Applying the same shift to COW: C→Z (wrap), O→L, W→T. Hence COW is coded as ZLT.

Replace each symbol with its coded meaning: '+' → ×, '–' → +, '÷' → –. The expression becomes: \[11 \times 50 + 150 - 200\] Applying BODMAS: \(11 \times 50 = 550\); then \(550 + 150 = 700\); finally \(700 - 200 = 500\). Therefore the answer is 500.

The pattern across each row is: middle number = first × last + (first − last), i.e. the product plus the difference of the outer numbers. Row 1: \(18 \times 5 + (18-5) = 90 + 13 \ne 90\). Try simpler: \(18 \times 5 = 90\). Row 2: \(13 \times 11 = 143\). Row 3: \(7 \times 5 = 35\). The middle entry in each row equals the product of the outer two numbers. Hence the missing value is 35.

Track net displacement on the East–West and North–South axes. Step 1 — East/West: 7 km East then 7 km West cancel out, giving net 0 km. Step 2 — Facing direction after the third move: He is facing West. A left turn from West points him South. Step 3 — North/South: 12 km South + 10 km South = 22 km South. Therefore he is 22 km South of the starting point.

Statement 1: All steel is iron (Steel ⊂ Iron). Statement 2: No iron is solid (Iron ∩ Solid = ∅). Conclusion I (No steel is solid): Since steel lies entirely within iron, and iron is disjoint from solid, steel must also be disjoint from solid. Follows. Conclusion II (Some iron is steel): "All steel is iron" implies the steel portion of iron exists, so some iron is indeed steel (conversion by limitation). Follows. Hence both I and II follow.

Examine the differences between known consecutive terms: \(8-3=5\), \(14-8=6\), \(21-14=7\). The differences increase by 1, so earlier differences should be 3 and 4. Let the missing term be \(x\). Then \(x-(-4)=3 \Rightarrow x=-1\). Verify: \(3-(-1)=4\). Pattern holds. Therefore the missing number is −1.

Test each number for primality: 19, 41 and 59 each have only 1 and themselves as divisors, so all three are prime. However, \(63 = 7 \times 9 = 3 \times 21\), so 63 is composite. Hence the odd one out is 63.

Count days from March 8 (exclusive) to July 10 (inclusive): Remaining March: \(31-8=23\); April 30; May 31; June 30; July 10. Total = \(23+30+31+30+10=124\) days. Odd days = \(124 \bmod 7 = 5\) (since \(124=17\times7+5\)). Counting 5 days forward from Wednesday: Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun, Monday. Therefore Ritu's birthday falls on a Monday.

All options share the prefix "Life", so we order by the letters that follow. Comparing the second letters of the suffixes: 'less' (e), 'like' (i), 'line' (i), 'long' (o). Since 'e' precedes 'i', Lifeless comes before Lifelike. Hence the dictionary order is Lifeless, Lifelike, Lifeline, Lifelong, and the missing word is Lifeless.

Based on given information, Athletes who are either entrepreneurs or fathers are highlighted in above figure = F + E + D Hence, “F, E, D” is correct answer.

When we open this folded and punched sheet of paper then it will appear as shown in below figure, Hence, figure present in option 4) is correct answer.

Observe the relation between 0.5 and 2: \(\dfrac{1}{0.5}=2\). The second number is the reciprocal of the first. Applying the same rule to 0.125: \(\dfrac{1}{0.125}=\dfrac{1}{1/8}=8\). Therefore the answer is 8.

Compute the gaps between successive letters using alphabet positions: B(2)→C(3) is +1, C→E is +2, E→H is +3, H→L is +4. The increments form 1, 2, 3, 4, so the next gap should be +5. L is the 12th letter; \(12+5=17\), which is Q. Hence the missing term is Q.

List all possible subset sums of {30, 40, 50, 80}: singles 30, 40, 50, 80; pairs 70, 80, 90, 110, 120, 130; triples 120, 150, 160, 170; all four 200. The achievable totals are {30, 40, 50, 70, 80, 90, 110, 120, 130, 150, 160, 170, 200}. Among the options, 110 (30+80), 120 (40+80) and 130 (50+80) are achievable, but 100 is not. Hence 100 cannot be formed.

The logic followed here is: When we fold the given figure, the side with a '5 dots' sign will become the base of the cube and the side with only '4 dots' 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 third option is not possible. Hence, the correct answer is "Option 3" .

Book, Page and Diary are all items related to written content — a Book and Diary contain pages, and a Page is the surface on which one writes. Pen, however, is the instrument used for writing, not something written on or made of pages. Hence Pen is the odd one out.

The letters available in DUPLICATE are D, U, P, L, I, C, A, T, E. PLATE (P, L, A, T, E), DUCTILE (D, U, C, T, I, L, E) and LUCID (L, U, C, I, D) can each be formed from this set. TEAM requires the letter M, which is absent in DUPLICATE. Hence TEAM cannot be formed.

When we complete the above figure, we gets: Now first figure will complete the above figure as shown.

The question figure is embedded in the figure shown below, Hence. Image of option 2) is correct answer.

A vertical mirror is placed, so the object at the left will appear at the right and vice-versa. The half arrow currently pointing north east will face north west in the mirror image, thus first two options are eliminated. Also, for the smaller arrows in the semi circle, the 1st arrow is pointing upwards, similarly, in the mirror image it will face upwards but the direction will be reversed, thus third option is not possible. Above figure shows mirror image of given question figure.

Locate each letter of VERY in the matrices: V appears in Matrix-I at row 3, column 1 → 31. E appears in Matrix-I at row 2, column 4 → 24. R appears in Matrix-I at row 1, column 1 → 11. Y appears in Matrix-II at 55, 59 or 87 (row 8, column 7). Only option 2 gives the valid sequence 31, 24, 11, 87.

The pattern uses the difference of the two numbers: \(7 \times 1: (7-1)\times 2 = 12\) \(5 \times 4: (5-4)\times 2 = 2\) \(6 \times 4: (6-4)\times 2 = 4\) Applying to \(7 \times 4\): \((7-4)\times 2 = 6\). Hence the answer is 6.

Check the alphabetical gaps between consecutive letters: EGI: E(+2)G(+2)I — ascending, step +2. MOQ: M(+2)O(+2)Q — ascending, step +2. UWY: U(+2)W(+2)Y — ascending, step +2. NLJ: N(-2)L(-2)J — descending, step -2. NLJ is the odd one out as it moves backward while the others move forward.

The relationship is adult animal : its young one. A calf is the young of a cow. Similarly, the young one of a hen is a chick. A cock is the adult male, an egg is the pre-hatching stage, and a fly is unrelated.

This is the First Law of Reflection: the incident ray, the normal at the point of incidence, and the reflected ray are coplanar. The normal is the perpendicular drawn to the reflecting surface at the point where the ray strikes. “Surface” and “tangent” do not define the standard reference line of reflection, and “angle of reflection” is an angle, not a line that lies in a plane with rays.

“Vitriol” is the old chemists’ name for hydrated metal sulphates with a glassy lustre. Hydrated copper sulphate, \(CuSO_4 \cdot 5H_2O\), forms vivid blue crystals and is therefore called Blue Vitriol. Green vitriol is FeSO4·7H2O and white vitriol is ZnSO4·7H2O; oxygen, copper metal and magnesium oxide are not sulphates.

An inferior good is one whose demand falls when consumer income rises, because consumers shift to preferred substitutes (e.g. moving from coarse grain to better cereals, or from bus travel to a private car). Therefore, the demand for an inferior good decreases with an increase in the consumer's income. This inverse income-demand relation distinguishes inferior goods from normal goods.

The 2018 FIFA Men's World Cup was hosted by Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, across 12 venues in 11 cities, with the final at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. France won the tournament. It was the first FIFA World Cup held in Eastern Europe. Japan and South Korea co-hosted earlier in 2002; China has never hosted the men's World Cup.

Shelter belts (also called windbreaks) are rows of trees and shrubs planted across the direction of prevailing winds in coastal and arid regions. They reduce wind velocity near the ground, preventing the wind from lifting and carrying away loose topsoil. Mulching conserves soil moisture, contour barriers and rock dams check water erosion on slopes — none of these target wind erosion. Hence shelter belts is correct.

Aurelia (jellyfish — medusa form) and Adamsia (sea anemone — polyp form) are both radially symmetrical, diploblastic, aquatic animals with cnidocytes (stinging cells) and a gastro-vascular cavity. These are defining features of Phylum Coelenterata (Cnidaria). Ctenophora lacks cnidocytes; Annelida (segmented worms) and Aschelminthes (roundworms) are triploblastic and bilaterally symmetrical.

Biological (scientific) names follow binomial nomenclature introduced by Carl Linnaeus, and are written in Latin or are Latinised. Latin is preferred because it is a stable, non-evolving ("dead") language — meanings do not drift over time — and it was the universal language of European scholarship when the system was formalised. This ensures uniform identification of species worldwide.

Organisms that can tolerate and thrive across a wide range of temperatures are called eurythermal (Greek eurys = wide, therme = heat). Examples include most mammals and birds. Stenothermal organisms tolerate only a narrow temperature range. "Osmotic" and "hydrothermal" refer to water/solute balance and hot-water environments respectively, not temperature tolerance.

Under the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, the Union List contains subjects on which only Parliament can legislate, while the Concurrent List contains subjects on which both Parliament and State Legislatures can legislate (with Parliament's law prevailing in case of conflict, Article 254). The Ministry of Defence and PMO are executive bodies, and SEBI is a statutory regulator — none make primary laws. Hence Parliament is correct.

Members of class Rhodophyceae are commonly known as red algae. The name comes from Greek rhodon = rose/red. Their characteristic red colour is due to the dominant pigment phycoerythrin (with phycocyanin and chlorophylls a and d), which masks the green chlorophyll. They are mostly marine and store food as floridean starch.

The Ashok Chakra is India’s highest peacetime gallantry award, granted for the most conspicuous bravery, daring valour or self-sacrifice otherwise than in the face of the enemy — i.e. away from the battlefield. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is for cinema, the Arjuna Award for sports, and the Padma Shri is a civilian honour — none is a military gallantry decoration.

Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat, launched in 2015, pairs states and Union Territories to celebrate India’s diversity through cultural exchanges, tourism, language learning and academic ties, deepening the bond between states, regions and districts. UDAN aims at regional air connectivity, Urja Ganga is a gas-pipeline project for eastern India, and Namami Gange targets rejuvenation of the river Ganga — none is centred on national integration.

The correct answer is friction. When moving parts of a machine slide against each other, the resistive force of friction does negative work on them. By conservation of energy, that mechanical work is converted into thermal energy (heat), which dissipates into the surroundings and cannot be recovered for useful output — hence it is "wasted". Burning and combustion are chemical reactions with oxygen, not the cause of heat in passive mechanical parts. Lubrication is the remedy used to reduce frictional heating, not its source.

The correct answer is Weathering. Weathering is the in-situ breakdown of rocks and minerals on the Earth's surface by physical (freeze-thaw, thermal expansion), chemical (oxidation, hydrolysis) or biological (roots, lichens) action — the rock fragments stay where they form. Erosion is the subsequent transport of those fragments by wind, water or ice. Attrition and abrasion are specific wearing mechanisms that occur during transport, not the initial in-place breaking.

The correct answer is 1 and 2. Statement 1 is correct: Accelerando (2005), a singularity-themed SF novel, was written by British author Charles Stross. Statement 2 is correct: The Windup Girl (2009), a biopunk post-apocalyptic novel, was written by Paolo Bacigalupi and won the Hugo and Nebula awards. Statement 3 is wrong: The Devil in Silver (2012) was written by Victor LaValle, not Josh Malerman (Malerman wrote Bird Box). Hence only 1 and 2 are correct.

The correct answer is phosphorus (specifically red phosphorus). The striking strip of a safety matchbox contains powdered glass (for friction) and red phosphorus (the reactive ignitor). When the match head — containing potassium chlorate and sulphur — is struck, friction converts a trace of red phosphorus into reactive white phosphorus vapour, which ignites the chlorate and starts the flame. Antimony (as antimony trisulphide) is a fuel in the match head, not on the strip; arsenic is too toxic for use; silicon plays no chemical role here.

The correct answer is Myanmar. Bangladesh is bordered on the west, north and most of the east by India, and on the south-east by Myanmar (about 271 km, along the Chittagong Hill Tracts). These two are its only land neighbours; the Bay of Bengal forms the southern boundary. China and Bhutan come close but are separated from Bangladesh by Indian territory (the Siliguri corridor / West Bengal); Laos lies far away in mainland Southeast Asia.

The correct answer is George de Mestral. Swiss engineer George de Mestral invented the hook-and-loop fastener (Velcro) in 1941 after noticing how burrs clung to his dog's fur; under a microscope he saw tiny hooks catching on loops. He patented the design in 1955. The name "Velcro" combines French velours (velvet) and crochet (hook). Edison is known for the light bulb and phonograph, William Harvey described blood circulation, and Robert Boyle gave the gas law — none invented Velcro.

The correct answer is Germany. In March 2017, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) switched on "Synlight", then the world's largest artificial sun, at Jülich. It uses an array of 149 xenon short-arc lamps to concentrate light to about 10,000 times the intensity of natural sunlight, mainly to research solar-driven hydrogen fuel production. China, USA and Russia have other solar/fusion projects, but the specific "largest artificial sun" activated in March 2017 was Synlight in Germany.

The correct answer is Normal goods. A normal good is one whose demand moves in the same direction as consumer income — demand rises when income rises and falls when income falls. Its income elasticity of demand is positive, \(\varepsilon_I > 0\). Inferior goods show the opposite (demand falls as income rises, \(\varepsilon_I < 0\)). Complementary and substitute goods are classified by their price relationship with other goods, not by income response.

The correct answer is Concurrent list. The Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution distributes legislative subjects across three lists. "Prevention of cruelty to animals" is Entry 17 of List III (the Concurrent List), so both Parliament and State Legislatures can legislate on it — the central Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 is enacted under this power. The Union List covers national subjects (defence, railways), the State List covers local subjects (police, public order), and "Global" is not a list under the Schedule.

The correct answer is Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah. The Charminar was built in 1591 CE by Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah, the fifth ruler of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, to mark the founding of his new capital Hyderabad (shifted from Golconda) and, by tradition, to commemorate the end of a plague. Its four minarets and grand arches are a landmark of Indo-Islamic architecture. Humayun was a Mughal emperor of north India, Ashoka ruled the Mauryan empire (3rd century BCE), and no Narasimha is linked with the Charminar.

The correct answer is Increase Indent. In Microsoft Word, the Increase Indent command (Home tab → Paragraph group) pushes the left edge of selected paragraphs one tab stop to the right, increasing the gap from the left margin. Decrease Indent does the opposite, moving text back toward the left margin. "Double Indent" and "Single Indent" are not standard Word commands.

The correct answer is Shalabhoga. Chola inscriptions classify land by purpose. Shalabhoga was land whose revenue was earmarked for the upkeep of a shala (school) — paying teachers and running costs of educational institutions. Vellanvagai was land of non-Brahmana peasant proprietors, Brahmadeya was tax-free land gifted to Brahmanas, and Devadana was land granted to temples for ritual and maintenance expenses.

The correct answer is Jahangir. Prince Salim was the birth name of the eldest surviving son of Emperor Akbar. On his accession to the Mughal throne in 1605, he took the regnal title Nur-ud-din Muhammad Jahangir ("Conqueror of the World") and ruled until 1627. Babur founded the dynasty, Humayun was his grandfather, and Akbar was his father — none of them was ever called Prince Salim.

Winning candidate is A, A’s number of votes are 27000 After A, second is F, F’s number of votes are 21000 Difference = 27000 – 21000 = 6000 ∴ The difference between the number of votes are 6000

Step 1 — Set up the profit relation: Let the cost price of one item be \(C\) and the selling price be \(S\). Profit on 6 items equals the SP of 1 item: \[6S - 6C = S\] Step 2 — Solve for the SP:CP ratio: \[5S = 6C \implies S = \tfrac{6}{5}C\] Step 3 — Compute profit %: Profit per item \(= S - C = \tfrac{1}{5}C\), so \[\text{Profit \%} = \frac{S-C}{C}\times 100 = \frac{1}{5}\times 100 = 20\%\] Therefore the profit percentage is 20%.

Step 1 — Convert cosec to sin: \[\sin\theta = \frac{1}{\csc\theta} = \frac{7}{25}\] So opposite \(= 7\), hypotenuse \(= 25\). Step 2 — Find the adjacent side (Pythagoras): \[\text{adj} = \sqrt{25^2 - 7^2} = \sqrt{625-49} = \sqrt{576} = 24\] Step 3 — Compute cos θ: \[\cos\theta = \frac{\text{adj}}{\text{hyp}} = \frac{24}{25}\] Therefore \(\cos\theta = \tfrac{24}{25}\).

If A is disqualified then the winner would be F because he is having the highest number of votes after A

Number of votes E is having are 16000 So, F and C will get 16000/2 = 8000 votes each ⇒ Number of votes F will have = 21000 + 8000 = 29000 ⇒ Number of votes C will have = 6000 + 8000 = 14000 Now we can see that F is having the maximum number of votes and having 2000(29000 - 27000) more votes than A ∴ F would have won by 2000 votes

Step 1 — Combined one-day work: \[\frac{1}{15}+\frac{1}{30}=\frac{2+1}{30}=\frac{1}{10}\] So A and B together finish the whole work in 10 days. Step 2 — Time for 50% of the work: \[\text{Time}=\frac{1}{2}\times 10=5\text{ days}\] Therefore A and B together complete half the work in 5 days.

Divide 329 by 7: \(329=7\times 47+0\), so the remainder is 0. Since 329 is already exactly divisible by 7, the least number that must be added is 0.

Step 1 — Average speed in km/h: \[\text{Speed}=\frac{81}{1.5}=54\text{ km/h}\] Step 2 — Convert to m/s using \(1\text{ km/h}=\tfrac{5}{18}\text{ m/s}\): \[54\times\frac{5}{18}=3\times 5=15\text{ m/s}\] Therefore the required average speed is 15 m/s.

Use the identity \(a^3+b^3=(a+b)^3-3ab(a+b)\). Let \(s=a+b\): \[72=s^3-3(8)s=s^3-24s\] So \(s^3-24s-72=0\). Test \(s=6\): \(216-144-72=0\). ✓ Therefore \(a+b=\mathbf{6}\).

Let the fraction be \(x\). Then: \[4x+\frac{7}{x}=16\] Multiplying by \(x\) gives \(4x^2-16x+7=0\). Factorising: \[(2x-1)(2x-7)=0\implies x=\tfrac{1}{2}\text{ or }\tfrac{7}{2}\] From the given options, the fraction is \(\mathbf{\dfrac{7}{2}}\). Check: \(4(\tfrac{7}{2})+7(\tfrac{2}{7})=14+2=16\). ✓

Compute the nested percentages: \[125\%\times 25\%\times 80=\frac{125}{100}\times\frac{25}{100}\times 80\] \[=1.25\times(0.25\times 80)=1.25\times 20=\mathbf{25}\]

Clear fractions by multiplying both sides of \(\tfrac{5}{2}\!\left(\tfrac{8x}{3}-\tfrac{1}{2}\right)+\tfrac{13}{2}=\tfrac{2x}{3}\) by 12: \[30\!\left(\tfrac{8x}{3}-\tfrac{1}{2}\right)+78=8x\] \[80x-15+78=8x\implies 72x=-63\] Therefore \(x=-\dfrac{63}{72}=\mathbf{-\dfrac{7}{8}}\).

Step 1 — Set up equations from \(a_n=a_1+(n-1)d\): \[a_1+2d=-1,\quad a_1+7d=19\] Step 2 — Solve: subtracting gives \(5d=20\Rightarrow d=4\), hence \(a_1=-9\). Step 3 — Sum of first 11 terms: \[S_{11}=\frac{11}{2}\bigl(2(-9)+10\cdot 4\bigr)=\frac{11}{2}(22)=\mathbf{121}\]

For successive discounts \(d_1,d_2\), the effective discount is: \[d_1+d_2-\frac{d_1 d_2}{100}=15+50-\frac{15\times 50}{100}=65-7.5=\mathbf{57.5\%}\] Check on Rs. 100: after 15% off it is 85; after 50% off, 42.5, a total discount of 57.5%.

Angles in a triangle sum to 180°. With \(\angle B=90^\circ\) and \(\angle A=60^\circ\): \[\angle C=180^\circ-90^\circ-60^\circ=30^\circ\] Hence \(\cot C=\cot 30^\circ=\mathbf{\sqrt{3}}\).

Step 1 — Find the rate from SI: SI of 32% in 4 years means \[\frac{P\cdot R\cdot 4}{100} = 0.32P \;\Rightarrow\; R = 8\%\] Step 2 — Apply CI for 3 years: \[A = 24000\,(1.08)^3 = 24000\times 1.259712 = 30233.088\] Step 3 — CI = A − P: \[\text{CI} = 30233.088 - 24000 = 6233.088 \approx 6233\] Therefore CI ≈ Rs 6233.

For similar triangles, the ratio of perimeters equals the ratio of corresponding sides. Side AB corresponds to PQ, so: \[\frac{AB}{PQ}=\frac{3}{7}\implies AB=\frac{3}{7}\times 21=\mathbf{9}\text{ cm}\]

Total number of voters can be given as Total = 27000 + 11000 + 6000 + 9000 + 16000 + 21000 = 90000 given that, 90000 is 60% of total voters, total voters can be given as ⇒ Total voters × (60/100) = 90000 ⇒ Total voters = 90000/0.6 = 150000 ∴ Total number of voters are 150000

If \(P\) is the midpoint of \(AB\), then \(B=(2x_P-x_A,\;2y_P-y_A)\). \[x_B=2(1)-(-3)=5,\quad y_B=2(3)-8=-2\] Therefore \(B=\mathbf{(5,\,-2)}\).

[NOTE: ordering check — this is the profit-share question with answer_index 3 → Rs. 7500.]

[NOTE: equilateral triangle area — answer_index 0 → 25√3.]

Reflecting a point \((x, y)\) across the vertical line \(x = c\) keeps the y-coordinate unchanged and maps the x-coordinate to \(2c - x\). With \((x, y) = (-3, 2)\) and \(c = -2\): \[x' = 2(-2) - (-3) = -4 + 3 = -1, \quad y' = 2\] Therefore the reflection is (-1, 2).

Step 1 — Slope of given line: \[m = \frac{2 - (-2)}{4 - 3} = \frac{4}{1} = 4\] Step 2 — Perpendicular slope: Perpendicular slopes satisfy \(m_1 \cdot m_2 = -1\), so \[m_\perp = -\frac{1}{m} = -\frac{1}{4}\] Therefore the required slope is -1/4.

Using standard values \(\sec 45^\circ = \sqrt{2}\) and \(\tan 30^\circ = \dfrac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\): \[2\sec 45^\circ + \tan 30^\circ = 2\sqrt{2} + \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\] Taking the common denominator \(\sqrt{3}\): \[\frac{2\sqrt{2} \cdot \sqrt{3} + 1}{\sqrt{3}} = \frac{2\sqrt{6} + 1}{\sqrt{3}}\] This matches Option 1.

Step 1 — Convert averages to totals: \[A + B + C = 3 \times 49 = 147\] \[A + B = 2 \times 35 = 70\] \[B + C = 2 \times 62 = 124\] Step 2 — Solve for B: Adding the last two equations: \[(A + B) + (B + C) = 70 + 124 = 194\] \[(A + B + C) + B = 194 \implies 147 + B = 194\] Therefore B = 47 kg.

Cynicism is an attitude of distrust marked by a negative, disillusioned outlook on people's motives. Among the options, Bitterness — a feeling of resentment and sour negativity — best mirrors that pessimistic, jaded tone. "Conviction" and "Credence" denote belief or trust (opposite in spirit), while "Intuition" means immediate insight, unrelated to distrust.

Befuddle means to confuse or muddle someone's thinking. Its opposite must mean to make clear or explain. Explicate means to analyse and explain in detail — the direct antonym. "Baffle", "Daze" and "Fluster" are all synonyms of Befuddle (all denote confusing or unsettling).

The passage states: "By my calculations, dark chocolate is healthy, so I'm still following Earth Loaf, Pascati and Mason & Co." This directly identifies Earth Loaf as a chocolate-related page. Buzzfeed Tasty, TasteMade and Tiny Kitchen are listed among the pages the writer unfollowed, and are general food/recipe pages, not chocolate-specific.

The active sentence is in simple past ("paved"), so the passive must use was/were + past participle. The object "the entire stretch of the road" becomes the subject; the verb becomes "was paved" (singular subject, past tense); the doer follows as "by the labourers". This gives: The entire stretch of the road was paved by the labourers. Option 1 uses present tense "is paved" — wrong tense. Options 2 and 4 use the awkward nominalised structure "Paving of...".

The passage explicitly states: "I could share videos of myself deadlifting and doing back squats... It gave me accountability: I challenged myself to go to the gym for 30 classes straight, and I did it." The pronoun "It" refers to sharing the workout videos on social media, so Option 1 is correct. Unfollowing pages helped cleanse the feed but is not cited as the source of accountability; gym attendance and deadlifts were the outcomes that the shared videos enforced.

The idiom "Get the message" means to grasp what is being communicated indirectly — to pick up on a hint or implication rather than an explicit statement. Option 1 captures this precisely. Option 2 (secret language) and Option 3 (foreign-language difficulty) refer to literal communication problems, while Option 4 (firing someone) is unrelated to the idiom's meaning.

The modal "must" referring to a past action follows the fixed structure must + have + past participle. The base form "have" (never "has") follows any modal. The past participle of "change" is "changed", giving: He must have changed clothes during the night. This expresses a deduction about the past. Option 2 ("has changed") is invalid after a modal; Option 3 ("have changes") mixes a noun/3rd-person form; "no improvement" fails since the original "has change" is ungrammatical.

Understanding the Task: Ordering Sentence Fragments The goal is to find the most logical order for the given sentence fragments: X: "Secondly, it is consistent" Y: "-with human experience that" Z: "-places and be depressed in others" We need to arrange X, Y, and Z to form a coherent paragraph, selecting the best fit from the provided options. Analyzing the Sentence Fragments and Context Fragment X: "Secondly, it is consistent" - This begins a statement, indicating that the point being made aligns with something else, possibly a previous argument (implied by "Secondly"). The keyword is consistent. Fragment Y: "-with human experience that" - This fragment connects a preceding idea to human experience, suggesting that the concept aligns with what people commonly observe or understand. Fragment Z: "-places and be depressed in others" - This fragment describes contrasting situations happening in different places. It implies phenomena like land rising ('rise gradually') in some areas and falling ('be depressed') in others. Implied Context: The phrase "-land should rise gradually in some" seems to be missing context needed to fully connect X and Z logically. Evaluating the Logical Flow of Order XZY The option 4 suggests the order XZY. Let's see how these fragments fit together in this sequence: Start with X: Begin the paragraph with "Secondly, it is consistent". This introduces the core idea that something aligns with a known pattern or fact. Connect with Z: Follow with Z: "Secondly, it is consistent ... places and be depressed in others". This arrangement implies that the 'consistency' applies to the phenomena described in Z. The implied context ("land should rise gradually in some") would logically fit here, elaborating on the consistency related to variations in different places. Link to Y: Conclude with Y: "... places and be depressed in others -with human experience that". Placing Y at the end frames the entire observation (consistency in how places change) as being aligned with or explained by human experience. Justification for the XZY Order The sequence XZY ("Secondly, it is consistent" ... "places and be depressed in others" ... "with human experience that") builds a coherent argument: It establishes consistency (X). It describes the specific contrasting phenomena related to places (Z), likely involving land changes. It grounds this observation within the relatable framework of human experience (Y). This order connects the idea of consistency (X) to the specific observation about variations in different places (Z), and then relates this observation to human experience (Y), creating a logical progression of ideas. Final Determination By arranging the fragments in the order XZY, we construct a meaningful sequence that discusses consistency in geographical changes observed through human experience. This order effectively links the core concepts presented in the fragments.

The writer unfollows Buzzfeed Tasty and TasteMade (Tiny Kitchen) — both food-content pages — to avoid triggers like the pizza-party memory that derailed her fitness plan. Dark chocolate pages are kept because she considers them healthy, which confirms that the broader category she removes is Food. Make-up and Sari are never mentioned in the passage.

The intro ends with the pronoun "we", which needs a verb — X ("spied a little pile of boulders rising") supplies it. The participle "rising" then needs a complement of origin, which Z ("out of the plain, and to") provides. Z ends with "and to", a preposition pointing to a destination, which Y ("this we dragged ourselves") completes via the pronoun "this" referring back to the boulders. The full sentence reads: "...we spied a little pile of boulders rising out of the plain, and to this we dragged ourselves." Hence the order is XZY.

“Supplant” means to displace someone and take their position, usually by force or strategy. The opposite must convey yielding one’s position rather than seizing another’s, which is Surrender. Supersede, Usurp and Oust all denote replacing or driving out — they are synonyms, not antonyms.

“Keep at bay” means to hold something undesirable at a distance so that it cannot harm you — i.e. to control something and prevent it from causing you problems. It has nothing to do with hiding problems, guarding a secret, or maintaining a long-distance relationship.

An oxymoron is a figure of speech that joins two contradictory terms for effect. "Pretty" (attractive) and "ugly" (unattractive) directly contradict each other, so "pretty ugly" is a classic oxymoron, like "deafening silence" or "bittersweet". A simile would need "like" or "as"; a metaphor would equate two unlike things; alliteration would require repeated initial sounds ("p" and "u" differ). Hence the answer is oxymoron.

The sentence implies repeated warnings preceded the trip to the principal, so the blank needs a word meaning "many". Numerous means "a large number of" and fits perfectly. "Singular", "lone" and "unique" all suggest only one warning, which contradicts the idea of escalating discipline. Hence numerous is correct.

The adjective comes from palate (roof of the mouth) + the suffix -able, giving palatable, meaning pleasant to taste or acceptable. The root has a single "l" and the standard suffix is "-able", not "-eble". "Palateble" and "pallateble" use the wrong suffix; "pallatable" and "pallateble" double the "l" incorrectly. Hence palatable is correctly spelt.

Part (3) contains the error. The preposition among is used for being surrounded by a group, not for thoughts inside a person's mind. The fixed idiom is "going on in his head". The corrected sentence reads: "His expression gave no clue of what was going on in his head." Hence the answer is (3).

The passage states explicitly: "I challenged myself to go to the gym for 30 classes straight, and I did it." This directly supports option 3 - the writer succeeded in attending 30 gym classes without a break. The other options fail against the text: weight loss is never claimed; the writer admits ordering pizza despite training plans; and they continue following dark-chocolate accounts rather than removing them.

For a yes/no question in reported speech, "said" becomes asked (with the listener as a direct object, no "to"), the conjunction whether (or "if") introduces the clause, the structure becomes assertive, and the present-tense "is" shifts to past "was". The pronoun "your" becomes "my". Only option 4 satisfies all four changes: "The visitor asked me whether my mother was at home." Options 1 and 3 keep "is" and the interrogative form; option 2 wrongly inserts "to" after "asked".

The passage explicitly mentions "Day One of Couch to 5K training", naming the programme the writer had enrolled in (even if she stayed on the couch). "30 straight gym classes" is a personal challenge undertaken later, "Mason & Co" is a dark-chocolate brand the writer follows, and "Eat chocolate to lose weight" is not a named programme. Hence the answer is Couch to 5K.

Part (2) contains the error. "Cross" is a verb/noun, not a preposition of movement; the correct preposition meaning "from one side to the other" is across. The corrected sentence reads: "A slow smile worked its way across his face and into his eyes." Hence the answer is (2).

After "not to", a negative infinitive is formed, which requires the base form of the verb. "Heard" is the past form and is ungrammatical here; the correct form is hear. The improved sentence reads: "Tom pretended not to hear a thing." "Hearing" and "be hearing" do not fit the negative-infinitive pattern, and "no improvement" is wrong because the original is faulty.

Sadistic describes a person who derives pleasure or satisfaction from inflicting pain, cruelty or humiliation on others - an exact match for the given phrase. "Genial" means friendly and cheerful, "tender" means gentle and kind, and "placid" means calm and peaceful - all positive traits that contradict the idea of enjoying others' suffering. Hence sadistic is correct.

A virtuoso is a person highly skilled in music or another fine art, particularly noted for technical mastery - exactly matching the given phrase. An "amateur" pursues music as a hobby, a "novice" is a beginner, and a "dabbler" engages superficially without serious skill. None denotes high skill, so the answer is virtuoso.

The base verb is unnerve (to make nervous), spelt with a double "n" (un- + nerve). When adding "-ing" to a verb ending in silent "e", the "e" is dropped: unnerve + ing → unnerving. "Unnerveing" wrongly keeps the "e"; "unerving" and "unerveing" drop one "n" from the prefix. Hence unnerving is correctly spelt.

Pinnacle means the highest point or peak of achievement. Culmination likewise means the highest or climactic point of a process - a direct synonym. "Nadir" (lowest point), "nethermost" (lowest in position) and "basal" (forming the base) are all antonyms relating to the bottom. Hence culmination is the correct synonym.