SSC CGL 2017 · 2017-08-21 · Shift 2

The relationship is writing instrument : its writing substance. A pencil writes using lead (graphite) contained inside it. Analogously, a pen writes using ink contained inside it. "Ball" is only a tip component, "write" is the action and "blue" is just one possible ink colour. Hence the answer is Ink.

Take the start as origin with North = +y, East = +x. Step 1 - South 17 km: position \((0,-17)\). Step 2 - East 11 km: position \((11,-17)\). Step 3 - North 9 km: position \((11,-8)\). The car is now facing North. Step 4 - Left from North = West, 11 km: position \((0,-8)\). The car ends up directly below the start, so it is 8 km South of the starting position.

Letters available in JOSTLING: J, O, S, T, L, I, N, G. INLET requires I, N, L, E, T. The letter E is not present in JOSTLING, so INLET cannot be formed. GLINT (G, L, I, N, T), INGOT (I, N, G, O, T) and JINGO (J, I, N, G, O) use only letters available in JOSTLING, so each can be formed. Hence the answer is INLET.

Hence, answer is figure 2.

Hence, the answer is A, B, G.

The relation is second number = first number × 2: \(236 \times 2 = 472\). Applying the same rule: \(123 \times 2 = 246\). Hence the missing number is 246.

Clearly, the question figure is hidden in answer figure 3). Hence, the answer is figure 3.

Each word from Melts onward shares the letter set {M, E, L} with the previous word: Melts → Realm → Muesli all contain M, E and L. The next word must also contain M, E and L. Checking the options: Missile (M, I, S, L, E) is the only one containing all three letters; Shall lacks M and E, Alien lacks M, Rifle lacks M. Hence the answer is Missile.

Step 1 — Count the days between the dates: Days from 29 July to 12 August = (31 − 29) + 12 = \(2 + 12 = 14\) days. Step 2 — Find the day shift: \(14 \bmod 7 = 0\), so the day of the week is unchanged. Akarsh's birthday (29 July) is Saturday, so Ojas's birthday on 12 August is also Saturday.

Each letter is replaced by its opposite letter in the alphabet (positions sum to 27): P(16)↔K(11), R(18)↔I(9), O(15)↔L(12), J(10)↔Q(17), E(5)↔V(22), C(3)↔X(24), T(20)↔G(7). Applying the same rule to EGO: E → V, G(7) → T(20), O(15) → L(12). Hence EGO is coded as VTL.

The possible sums using boxes from {20, 30, 60, 70}, each at most once, are: Singles: 20, 30, 60, 70. Pairs: 50, 80, 90, 100, 130. Triples: 110 (30+60+20), 120 (30+70+20), 150 (70+60+20), 160 (30+70+60). All four: 20+30+60+70 = 180. So 120, 150 and 180 are achievable, but 190 does not appear in the list and cannot be formed.

WVU, QPO and LKJ are each three consecutive letters in reverse alphabetical order (each letter one less than the previous). In GED, G → E skips F (a gap of 2), then E → D is consecutive. The sequence is not strictly consecutive reverse. Hence GED is the odd one out.

Hence, the answer is figure 2.

Option 1 st cube is not possible from unfolded cube. For circle on top and square in front, hexagon should be on the right and not the cross mark.

Each letter is encoded as (row, column) from one of the two matrices. P: Matrix-II row 9, column 9 → 99. A: Matrix-I row 2, column 3 → 23. W: Matrix-II row 7, column 7 → 77. N: Matrix-II row 5, column 9 → 59. Hence the code for PAWN is 99, 23, 77, 59.

Each letter shifts +6 positions: D(4)→J(10), G(7)→M(13), I(9)→O(15). Applying +6 to RUW (with wrap-around at 26): \(R(18)+6=24 \to X\) \(U(21)+6=27 \to 1 \to A\) \(W(23)+6=29 \to 3 \to C\) Hence RUW : XAC.

The rule is \(a@b = (a+b)\times 2\): (15+7)×2 = 44, (5+4)×2 = 18, (6+17)×2 = 46. Applying it: \(17@4 = (17+4)\times 2 = 21 \times 2 = 42\). Hence the answer is 42.

Statement 1 ("No shirts are t-shirts") is a universal negative; its converse "No t-shirts are shirts" is logically equivalent. So Conclusion II follows. For Conclusion I, the statements link t-shirts to cotton but leave the shirts-vs-cotton relation undetermined — shirts could be entirely outside the cotton set. So "Some shirts are cotton" is not guaranteed and does not follow. Hence only Conclusion II follows.

Step 1 — Replace coded operators: − → +, + → ×, ÷ → −. \(75 - 5 + 25 \div 125\) becomes \(75 + 5 \times 25 - 125\). Step 2 — Apply BODMAS: \(5 \times 25 = 125\) \(75 + 125 - 125 = 75\) Hence the answer is 75.

Consecutive differences: \(99 - 90.7 = 8.3\) and \(90.7 - 82.4 = 8.3\). Each term decreases by 8.3. Missing term = \(82.4 - 8.3 = 74.1\). Check: \(74.1 - 8.3 = 65.8\) and \(65.8 - 8.3 = 57.5\), matching the series. Hence the answer is 74.1.

13, 17 and 23 are prime numbers (divisible only by 1 and themselves). 21 = 3 × 7, so it has factors other than 1 and itself, making it a composite number. Hence 21 is the odd one out.

Car, Jeep and Van are all motor vehicles powered by an engine. A Cycle is human-powered (pedalled), not a motor vehicle. Hence Cycle is the odd one out.

Write the alphabet positions: E=5, H=8, L=12, O=15, S=19. The gaps alternate +3, +4, +3, +4. The next gap is +3, so the missing letter is at position \(19+3=22\), which is V.

Read the 3×3 grid row-wise. In each row, the middle number equals the difference of the outer two: Row 1: \(135-116=19\)... not matching. Use column rule: in each column, the middle equals the difference of the top and bottom. Column 1: \(116-95=21\) ✓. Column 3: \(135-48=87\) ✓. Column 2: \(94-47=47\). Therefore the missing number is 47.

Clearly, the only possible figure that will complete the pattern is figure 3). Hence, the answer is figure 3.

In Chola inscriptions, Pallichchhandam denoted land donated to Jaina institutions (the term ‘palli’ refers to a Jaina shrine/monastery). For contrast: Vellanvagai was land of non-Brahmana peasant proprietors, Brahmadeya was tax-free land gifted to Brahmanas, and Shalabhoga was land for the upkeep of a school.

The Gangajal Delivery Scheme was launched by the Central Government through India Post to deliver bottled Gangajal sourced from Rishikesh and Gangotri to households via the postal network, including in Bihar. Mission Bhagiratha is a Telangana piped-water project, National Apprenticeship Promotion deals with skill training, and Railway Travel Insurance covers train passengers — none involve postal delivery of Ganges water.

In MS Word, Decrease Indent shifts the selected paragraph(s) one tab-stop closer to the left margin — i.e. moves them left. Increase Indent does the opposite (moves text rightward); “Double Indent” and “Single Indent” are not standard Word commands.

J.J. Thomson discovered the electron in 1897 through his cathode-ray-tube experiments, measuring the charge-to-mass ratio of the negatively charged particles in the rays. Enrico Fermi worked on nuclear reactions, Robert Noyce co-founded Intel and pioneered the integrated circuit, and James Dyson is an inventor of vacuum cleaners — none discovered the electron.

The correct author pairings are: ‘A Visit from the Goon Squad’ — Jennifer Egan (Pulitzer 2011); ‘The Corrections’ — Jonathan Franzen; ‘The Known World’ — Edward P. Jones (Pulitzer 2004). Statement 1 is wrong (swaps Egan with Jones) and Statement 3 is wrong (swaps Jones with Egan). Statement 2 is correct. Hence the incorrect statements are 1 and 3.

The Maitree Express (‘maitree’ meaning friendship in Bengali) is the only direct passenger train between Kolkata (India) and Dhaka (Bangladesh). It was launched in April 2008, reviving a rail link severed in 1965. Dosti Express and Bangla Express are not India–Bangladesh trains; Padma Express is an internal Bangladesh service between Dhaka and Rajshahi.

The phenomenon of persistence of vision means the retina retains an image for roughly \(\tfrac{1}{16}\) of a second after the stimulus is removed. This is why a sequence of still frames shown faster than ~16 per second is perceived as continuous motion in film and animation.

“Population control and family planning” is Entry 20A of the Concurrent List in the Seventh Schedule (added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976). Both Parliament and State Legislatures can therefore legislate on it. The Union List covers exclusively central subjects (defence, railways); the State List covers exclusively state subjects (police, public order); “Global” is not a constitutional list.

Inferior goods have a negative income elasticity of demand — as consumer income rises, demand falls (consumers shift to better substitutes), and vice versa. This is exactly the inverse income–demand relationship the question describes. Normal goods show a positive income–demand relationship; complementary and substitute goods are defined by cross-price effects, not income.

India won the 2016 Men’s Kabaddi World Cup, hosted in Ahmedabad, by defeating Iran 38–29 in the final on 22 October 2016. It was India’s third consecutive World Cup title in the standard-style format.

Mattancherry Palace, also known as the Dutch Palace, is located in Mattancherry, Kochi, in the state of Kerala. It was built by the Portuguese around 1555 and later renovated by the Dutch, and is famous for its murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Mandamus (Latin: ‘we command’) is issued by a court to compel a public official, body, or lower tribunal to perform a legal/public duty that it has refused or failed to perform. Habeas Corpus addresses unlawful detention; Prohibition restrains a lower court from exceeding its jurisdiction; Quo Warranto questions a person’s authority to hold a public office — none of which fit “failure to perform legal duty.”

Members of class Phaeophyceae are commonly called brown algae. The brownish colour comes from the xanthophyll pigment fucoxanthin, which masks chlorophylls a and c. Green algae belong to Chlorophyceae and red algae to Rhodophyceae; “yellow algae” is not the standard name for Phaeophyceae.

The Arjuna Award, instituted in 1961 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, is conferred by the Government of India to recognise outstanding achievement in national sports. Ashok Chakra is the highest peacetime gallantry award; Dada Saheb Phalke Award honours cinema; Padma Shri is a general civilian award, not exclusive to sports.

The G20 Digital Ministerial Meeting on Digital Economy was held in Düsseldorf, Germany, on 6–7 April 2017. Germany held the G20 presidency that year and hosted the meeting to set the global agenda on digitalisation.

Debris (rock, sand, silt, clay) transported and deposited by a glacier accumulates as moraines. They form lateral, medial, terminal and ground moraines depending on position relative to the ice. Deltas form at river mouths; plateaus are tectonic/volcanic uplifts; grooves are erosional cuts on bedrock, not deposits.

A landslide is the down-slope mass movement of rock, debris or earth under gravity, often triggered by heavy rainfall, earthquakes or slope undercutting. An earthquake is ground shaking; a cyclone is a rotating wind system; a flood is overflow of water — none describe the movement of solid material down a slope.

Asterias (starfish), Echinus (sea urchin) and Antedon (sea lily) are exclusively marine animals with pentaradial symmetry, a calcareous endoskeleton and a water vascular system — the defining features of phylum Echinodermata ("spiny-skinned"). Annelida are segmented worms, Platyhelminthes are flatworms, and Arthropoda have jointed appendages and exoskeletons — none fit these examples.

Uniform motion along a straight line means equal distances are covered in equal time intervals with unchanging direction. Both the magnitude (speed) and direction of motion stay fixed, so velocity remains constant. Time and distance keep increasing; acceleration is zero (a consequence of velocity being constant), not the quantity described as remaining constant.

The presence of a notochord and a dorsal hollow nerve cord (along with pharyngeal slits and a post-anal tail) defines phylum Chordata. Fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals all belong to subphylum Vertebrata within Chordata. Mammalia, Primata and Insecta are narrower groups (class/order) and do not cover all five vertebrate classes listed.

Vinegar is a dilute aqueous solution (typically 5–8%) of acetic acid, \(\text{CH}_3\text{COOH}\), and is the common household name for it. Baking soda is \(\text{NaHCO}_3\); copper sulphate is \(\text{CuSO}_4\); magnesium oxide is \(\text{MgO}\) — none are acetic acid.

Iron lies above copper in the reactivity series, so iron displaces copper from copper sulphate solution in a single-displacement reaction: \[\text{CuSO}_4(aq) + \text{Fe}(s) \rightarrow \text{FeSO}_4(aq) + \text{Cu}(s)\] The blue solution turns pale green and a reddish-brown deposit of copper forms on the iron.

Prince Khurram was the third son of Emperor Jahangir; on ascending the Mughal throne in 1628 he took the regnal title Shah Jahan ("King of the World"), and his reign is famous for the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort. Jahangir (Prince Salim) was his father, Akbar his grandfather, and Babur was the dynasty's founder.

Organisms that survive only within a narrow temperature range are called stenothermal (Greek steno- = narrow). They are restricted to thermally stable habitats such as deep oceans or polar waters. Eurythermal organisms tolerate a wide range; "osmotic" relates to water/solute balance, and "hydrothermal" describes hot-water environments, not tolerance.

An inferior good has an inverse relationship with consumer income: as income falls, consumers substitute away from costlier alternatives and demand for the inferior good rises. Hence demand increases with a decrease in income. An increase or doubling of income would reduce demand; "constant" contradicts the income effect entirely.

For reflection of a point \((x, y)\) in a horizontal line \(y = k\), the x-coordinate is unchanged and the y-coordinate becomes \(2k - y\). With \((x, y) = (6, -1)\) and \(k = 2\): \[y' = 2(2) - (-1) = 4 + 1 = 5\] Therefore the reflection is (6, 5).

By the midpoint formula, the x-coordinate of midpoint P equals the average of the endpoints' x-coordinates: \[8 = \frac{5 + x}{2}\] \[5 + x = 16 \implies x = 11\] Therefore x = 11.

Step 1 — Set up rates: Let Bimal's one-day work be \(R_B\). Anil is twice as efficient, so \(R_A = 2R_B\). Combined rate \(= 3R_B\). Step 2 — Find total work: Together they finish in 9 days, so total work \(W = 3R_B \times 9 = 27R_B\). Step 3 — Anil's time alone: \[T_A = \frac{W}{R_A} = \frac{27R_B}{2R_B} = \frac{27}{2} = 13.5\] Therefore Anil alone takes 13.5 days.

Step 1 — Expand and clear fractions: Multiply through by 6. \[6\cdot\tfrac{14}{3}+3(x-\tfrac{7}{3})=-4x\] \[28+3x-7=-4x\] Step 2 — Collect terms: \[21+3x=-4x \implies 7x=-21\] Therefore \(x=-3\).

From \(C=2\pi r=22\) with \(\pi=\tfrac{22}{7}\): \[r=\frac{22\times 7}{2\times 22}=\frac{7}{2}\text{ cm}\] Area \(=\pi r^2=\tfrac{22}{7}\times\tfrac{49}{4}=\tfrac{1078}{28}=38.5\) sq. cm.

Using the identity \(a^3+b^3=(a+b)^3-3ab(a+b)\): \[a^3+b^3=(10)^3-3(24)(10)=1000-720=280\] Therefore \(a^3+b^3=280\).

Step 1 — Find common difference: Subtracting \(a_3=a+2d=13\) from \(a_6=a+5d=-5\): \[3d=-18 \implies d=-6\] Step 2 — Jump from 6th to 11th term: \(a_{11}=a_6+5d\). \[a_{11}=-5+5(-6)=-5-30=-35\] Therefore the 11th term is \(-35\).

Take 4 L of milk. CP \(=4\times 25=\text{Rs. }100\). Water added \(=\tfrac{1}{4}\times 4=1\) L, giving 5 L of mixture. SP \(=5\times 26=\text{Rs. }130\). Gain \(=130-100=30\). \[\text{Gain }\%=\frac{30}{100}\times 100=30\%\]

Runs scored in 40 overs \(=4.8\times 40=192\). Runs still needed \(=241-192=49\) in the remaining 10 overs. \[\text{Required rate}=\frac{49}{10}=4.9\text{ runs/over}\]

Slope-intercept form: \(y=mx+c=\tfrac{1}{3}x+5\). Multiply by 3 and rearrange: \[3y=x+15 \implies x-3y=-15\] Therefore the equation is \(x-3y=-15\).

From the chart we can see that only B is having more tigers than D but less than F.

Initially total number of tigers can be given as ⇒ Total tigers = 29 + 11 + 5 + 10 + 22 + 13 = 90 After the poaching and addition of tigers ⇒ Total tigers remaining = 90 - 3 + 9 = 96 ∴ Remaining tigers are 96 tigers

Let the tiger population 20 years before be y Total tiger population after 20 years = 29 + 11 + 5 + 10 + 22 + 13 = 90 According to the problem statement ⇒ y(1 + 20/100)(1 + 25/100) = 90 ⇒ y(1.2)(1.25) = 90 ⇒ y = 60 ∴ The tigers population 20 years back is 60.

Let the fraction be \(x\). Then \(x+\tfrac{3}{x}=\tfrac{19}{4}\). Multiplying by \(4x\): \[4x^2-19x+12=0 \implies (4x-3)(x-4)=0\] So \(x=\tfrac{3}{4}\) or \(x=4\). Since the problem asks for a fraction and only \(\tfrac{3}{4}\) appears in the options, the answer is \(\tfrac{3}{4}\).

Compound-interest amount: \(A=P\left(1+\tfrac{R}{100}\right)^n\). \[5324=P\left(\tfrac{11}{10}\right)^3=P\cdot\tfrac{1331}{1000}\] \[P=\frac{5324\times 1000}{1331}=4000\] Therefore the principal is Rs. 4000.

Total tigers in sanctuaries in E and F can be given as ⇒ 22 + 13 = 35 tigers Total tigers in sanctuaries in D and C can be given as ⇒ 10 + 5 = 15 tigers Ratio is 35/15 = 7/3 ∴ The required ratio is 7 : 3

Moving towards each other, relative speed \(=20+25=45\) km/hr. Time \(=56\) min \(=\tfrac{56}{60}=\tfrac{14}{15}\) hr. \[\text{Distance}=45\times\tfrac{14}{15}=3\times 14=42\text{ km}\]

In \(\triangle ABC\) right-angled at B, AC is the hypotenuse and AB is adjacent to \(\angle A\). \[\cos A=\frac{AB}{AC} \implies AB=AC\cos 30^\circ=10\cdot\tfrac{\sqrt{3}}{2}\] Therefore \(AB=5\sqrt{3}\) cm.

For an altitude from the right angle to the hypotenuse, the geometric mean relation gives \(AB^2=AD\cdot AC\), where \(AC=AD+DC=3+9=12\). \[AB^2=3\times 12=36 \implies AB=6\text{ cm}\]

Let the number be \(x\). Then \(x+120=1.3x\), so \(0.3x=120\). \[x=\frac{120}{0.3}=400\] Check: \(400+120=520=130\%\) of 400.

Let the counts be \(3x,5x,7x\). Total value in paise: \[3x(200)+5x(50)+7x(25)=600x+250x+175x=1025x\] Setting \(1025x=5125\) gives \(x=5\). Number of 50-paise coins \(=5x=25\).

Standard values: \(\cot 60^\circ=\tfrac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\) and \(\sec 45^\circ=\sqrt{2}\). \[\cot 60^\circ-\sec 45^\circ=\tfrac{1}{\sqrt{3}}-\sqrt{2}=\frac{1-\sqrt{6}}{\sqrt{3}}\] Rationalising by \(\sqrt{3}\): \[\frac{(1-\sqrt{6})\sqrt{3}}{3}=\frac{\sqrt{3}-\sqrt{18}}{3}=\frac{\sqrt{3}-3\sqrt{2}}{3}\]

Use the identity \(1+\cot^2\theta=\csc^2\theta\): \[\csc^2\theta=1+\left(\tfrac{24}{7}\right)^2=\tfrac{49+576}{49}=\tfrac{625}{49}\] So \(\csc\theta=\tfrac{25}{7}\), giving \(\sin\theta=\tfrac{7}{25}\). Equivalently, in a right triangle with adjacent \(=24\) and opposite \(=7\), the hypotenuse is \(\sqrt{24^2+7^2}=25\), so \(\sin\theta=\tfrac{7}{25}\).

Step 1 — Marked price: A 150% markup on CP gives \[MP=x+1.5x=2.5x\] Step 2 — Selling price after 40% discount: \[SP=0.6\times MP=0.6\times 2.5x=1.5x\] Step 3 — Solve: Setting \(1.5x=600\) gives \(x=400\). Therefore the cost price is Rs. 400.

Convert 99 to binary by repeated division by 2 and reading remainders bottom-up: \(99=2\times 49+1\); \(49=2\times 24+1\); \(24=2\times 12+0\); \(12=2\times 6+0\); \(6=2\times 3+0\); \(3=2\times 1+1\); \(1=2\times 0+1\). Reading remainders upward: 1100011. Check: \(64+32+2+1=99\).

The opening fragment ends with "is quite in accordance, as" — this is completed by X: "before stated, with the analogy of changes". Wait — X actually reads "first appear, is quite in accordance, as", which directly continues the opening "This idea, however startling it may at". Then Y ("before stated, with the analogy of changes") completes the phrase "as before stated". Finally Z ("now going on in certain regions of the globe") describes the changes. Order: XYZ.

"Incentive" means something that encourages or motivates action. Its opposite must denote something that obstructs or discourages action. Hindrance means an obstruction or impediment — the direct opposite. "Impetus", "Stimulus" and "Enticement" are all synonyms of incentive, not antonyms.

"Belligerent" means hostile, aggressive or eager to fight. Antagonistic — showing active opposition or hostility — matches this meaning. "Co-operative" is the opposite; "Dandy" (stylish) and "Delightful" (pleasant) are unrelated.

The opening "There was no need to" needs a verb phrase. X ("set a watch, for we had nothing") supplies it and ends mid-clause with "nothing". Y ("to fear from anybody or") completes "nothing to fear" and ends with "or". Z ("anything in that vast untenanted plain") completes the pair "anybody or anything". Order: XYZ.

The phrase asks for a single word meaning calm or undisturbed. Tranquil directly means peaceful and free from disturbance. "Antiquated" means old-fashioned (unrelated); "Chaotic" and "Violent" are opposites.

The blank needs an adverb describing intense laughter at something "extremely funny". Hysterically — meaning uncontrollably, with wild emotion — fits both grammatically and in intensity. "Lot" is a noun (would need "a lot"); "Crazy" is an adjective, not a standard adverb here; "Guffaw" is a noun/verb, not an adverb.

The phrase asks for a single word meaning calm or undisturbed. Tranquil means peaceful and free from disturbance — a direct synonym. "Antiquated" (old-fashioned) is unrelated; "Chaotic" and "Violent" denote disorder and force, which are opposites.

The base verb is "murmur" (single r after each u). Adding the suffix "-ing" gives murmuring. The stress is on the first syllable, so the final r is not doubled. The other options either double the r incorrectly ("murmurring", "murrmurring") or insert an extra r in the stem ("murrmuring").

The passage lists Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Mozambique, Malawi and Angola as countries where genetically unique black-rhinoceros populations have disappeared. Tanzania, by contrast, is named among the five countries (along with South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe) where the species still survives. Hence the “except” country is Tanzania.

The base verb is "possess" (double s). Third-person singular present tense adds "-es", giving possesses. The other options drop one or both of the s's in the stem and are misspellings.

The active sentence is in the simple past: subject "He", verb "mailed", object "his application for a new job". The passive form is Object + was/were + past participle + by + agent. Since "application" is singular and the tense is past, we use "was mailed". Hence: The application for a new job was mailed by him. Option 1 wrongly uses "is mailed" (present); options 3 and 4 are paraphrases, not passive transformations.

"To make a fuss about" means to show exaggerated concern, complaint or commotion over something — often more than it warrants. This matches "An excessive display of attention or activity". The other options describe delight, perseverance, or strictness, none of which capture the sense of overreaction.

A modal verb (here should) must be followed by the base form of the verb, not by a finite phrase like "has to be". The required passive/perfect form after "should" is have been, giving the modal-perfect construction "should have been". Corrected sentence: I should have been with them tonight. "Has been" fails subject-verb agreement with "I"; "been" cannot follow a modal directly; "no improvement" is wrong because "should has to be" is ungrammatical.

Indiscreet means lacking caution, prudence, or good judgment — especially in speech or revealing private matters. The closest match is Careless, which also denotes a lack of attention or thought leading to mistakes. "Attentive" is the opposite; "Choosy" means selective; "Accurate" means precise — none capture the lack-of-prudence sense.

For an exclamatory sentence in indirect speech: drop the interjection, change "said" to exclaimed (with an adverb of feeling), introduce the reported clause with that, convert the exclamation into an assertive statement, and back-shift the tense since the reporting verb is in the past. Applying this: "what a dirty child!" becomes "the child was very dirty". Option 3 — My aunt exclaimed disgustedly that the child was very dirty — correctly uses "that" and the past tense "was". Options 1 and 4 retain exclamatory structure; option 2 wrongly keeps the present tense "is".

The passage states: "a low genetic diversity decreases the ability of a species to survive and reproduce." This establishes a direct proportionality — as genetic diversity rises, so does the species' survival and reproductive ability. Population size, inbreeding, and extinction are mentioned only as related consequences or causes, not as the proportional quantity. Hence the answer is the ability of a species to survive and reproduce.

The passage explicitly states: "From the second half of the 20th century, however, poaching for horns has dramatically depleted their population and genetic diversity, especially in Kenya and Tanzania." Colonial rule and big game hunting are linked to the earlier origins of genetic erosion, not the post-1950 decline. Fall in genetic diversity is an effect, not the cause. Hence the answer is Poaching.

"The air" refers to broadcast airwaves. The idiom to go off the air means a radio or TV programme stops being broadcast (the opposite of "on the air", meaning currently broadcasting). The other options describe medical, dietary, or behavioural actions unrelated to broadcasting. Hence the correct answer is To stop broadcasting a radio or TV program.

Modal verbs (here must) are followed by the base form of the verb, not the to-infinitive. In the passive voice with a modal, the structure is: modal + be + past participle. Applying this: "must not" + be + left. The corrected sentence is "He must not be left like this." "Being left" and "Been left" do not follow a bare modal; "to be left" wrongly retains "to". Hence the answer is option 3 — Be left.

The phrase "round us" is incorrect here. To mean "in our surroundings/vicinity", standard English uses the preposition around. "Round" implies circular motion or being positioned in a circle, which does not fit the abstract sense of the world surrounding us. The corrected sentence reads: "Economically, we understand the world around us in terms of scarcity." The error therefore lies in part (3).

The sentence needs a verb describing a skill used to intimidate suspects into confessing. To bluff means to deceive by pretending to have stronger evidence, knowledge or position than one actually does — a classic interrogation tactic that pressures suspects into confessing. "Stuff", "cough" and "enough" have no semantic link to intimidation. Hence the answer is Bluff.

The passage opens by stating that “Genetic variation is the cornerstone of evolution, without which there can be no natural selection.” That makes genetic variation the prerequisite on which natural selection (and therefore evolution) acts. A large population or mixing of species can support variation but are not themselves identified as the cornerstone; “survival of the fittest” is an outcome of natural selection, which itself depends on variation.

Benediction means a blessing or expression of approval/good wishes. Its antonym must convey disapproval or condemnation. Criticism — the expression of disapproval based on perceived faults — directly opposes this sense. "Approbation" means approval (a synonym, not antonym); "Beatitude" means supreme happiness; "Innovation" is unrelated. Hence the answer is Criticism.

A wreath is, by definition, an arrangement of flowers or leaves fastened in a ring, commonly laid on graves or memorials as a mark of remembrance. This matches the given description exactly. A "brier" is a thorny shrub; a "prickle" is a small sharp point on a plant; a "splint" is a rigid support for a broken bone. None describes a floral ring. Hence the answer is Wreath.

The idiom for being in transit toward a destination is on one's way, not "onto one's way". "Onto" indicates movement to a surface (e.g., "jumped onto the table") and does not fit before the abstract noun "way". The corrected sentence reads: "The two children, brother and sister, were on their way to school." The error therefore lies in part (2).