SSC CGL 2017 · 2017-08-23 · Shift 3

Convert each triplet to alphabet positions and check the step: ECA = 5, 3, 1 (step \(-2\)); QOM = 17, 15, 13 (step \(-2\)); WUS = 23, 21, 19 (step \(-2\)). GIK = 7, 9, 11 (step \(+2\)). It is the only ascending triplet, so GIK is the odd one out.

Teachers who are either swimmers or nurses represented by shaded part i.e. A, B and G. Hence, A, B and G is the correct answer.

Step 1 — Net North/South: 5 km N then 5 km S cancel. \(5 - 5 = 0\) Step 2 — Direction after south leg: Facing south, a right turn points west. Step 3 — Net East/West: 4 km E then 6 km W. \(4 - 6 = -2\) Therefore she is 2 km towards West of the starting point.

Rule: \(a \# b = \dfrac{a+b}{2}\). Check: \((9+3)/2=6\), \((15+3)/2=9\), \((60+4)/2=32\) — all match. Apply: \(27 \# 3 = \dfrac{27+3}{2} = \dfrac{30}{2} = 15\). Hence the answer is 15.

The relationship is division by 10: \(0.02 \div 10 = 0.002\). Applying the same to \(\tfrac{1}{3}\): \[\frac{1}{3} \div 10 = \frac{1}{3} \times \frac{1}{10} = \frac{1}{30}\] Hence the answer is 1/30.

The series is an arithmetic progression with common difference \(+1.5\): each term increases by 1.5. Missing 5th term \(= -2.75 + 1.5 = -1.25\). Check: \(-1.25 + 1.5 = 0.25\), matching the next given term. Hence the answer is -1.25.

Substitute the coded symbols: + → ×, ÷ → -, × → ÷. The expression becomes \(25 \times 10 - 240 \div 16\). Apply BODMAS: \(25 \times 10 = 250\) and \(240 \div 16 = 15\). Therefore \(250 - 15 = 235\).

Test divisibility by 11: \(253 = 11 \times 23\), \(121 = 11 \times 11\), \(209 = 11 \times 19\) — all multiples of 11. \(133 = 7 \times 19\) is not divisible by 11. Hence 133 is the odd one out.

Available letters in HUMBLING: H, U, M, B, L, I, N, G. No letter E is present. NUMB (N,U,M,B), LUNG (L,U,N,G) and GLUM (G,L,U,M) all use only available letters. BLUE requires E, which is missing, so it cannot be formed.

Opposite faces are; Option 1) It can be formed. Option 2) It can be formed. Option 3) It cannot be formed as the Blank Circle face and the Circle with two lines face are opposite to each other. Option 4) It can be formed. Hence, option 3 is not possible.

Hence, correct answer is option 4.

Logic: Number in second row × Number in third row = Number in first row Second column: → 23 × 13 = 299 Third column: → 29 × 17 = 493 Similarly, First column: → ? × 7 = 91 → ? = 91 / 7 = 13 Hence, the missing number in the table is 13.

The unfolded paper will be as follows, Hence, the unfolded paper will be similar to option 4.

Logic: Here, the position of ‘r’ is moving to next position in the subsequent term. rupees (First place), arena (Second), pursue, spare, separate (Fifth) Hence, Next term will be pusher (Sixth position).

A vertical mirror is placed, so the object at the left will appear at the right. Thus the first two options and last option will be eliminated. Hence, option 3 is the correct answer.

Encode each letter of NOTE using the matrices: N → Matrix-II (row 9, col 9) = 99; O → (row 7, col 8) = 78; T → (row 7, col 5) = 75; E → Matrix-I (row 2, col 2) = 22. The set 99, 78, 75, 22 matches option 4.

Pattern: each letter is replaced by its opposite letter, i.e. positions sum to 27 (F+U = 6+21, O+L = 15+12, etc.). For SAP: S(19) → H(8), A(1) → Z(26), P(16) → K(11). Hence SAP is coded as HZK.

Possible subset sums of {20, 30, 40, 60}: 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 150. 150 = 20+30+40+60, 110 = 20+30+60, 130 = 30+40+60 — all achievable. 140 is not in the list, so it cannot be formed.

Bat, Stumps and Balls are all pieces of cricket equipment. Umpire is a person who officiates the game, not equipment. Hence Umpire is the odd one out.

Statement 2 says All rectangles are triangles, so the set of rectangles lies entirely within triangles. This directly gives Conclusion II: Some triangles are rectangles. Statement 1 keeps squares disjoint from rectangles but says nothing about squares vs the rest of triangles, so Conclusion I is not guaranteed. Hence only II follows.

Count days from 27 April to 28 September: April (3) + May (31) + June (30) + July (31) + August (31) + September (28) = \(154\) days. \(154 \div 7 = 22\) remainder \(0\), so the day is the same as 27 April. Hence Mitul's birthday is on Thursday.

Hence, option 4 will complete the incomplete figure.

Positions: U(21), T(20), R(18), O(15), K(11). Differences: -1, -2, -3, -4 — decreasing by 1. Next difference is -5, so next position = \(11 - 5 = 6\), which is the letter F.

The steering wheel is the part used by the driver to steer a car. The analogous control on a motorcycle is the handle bar, used by the rider to steer. Tyre, headlight and engine serve other functions (traction, lighting, power), not steering.

Each letter in VUT is the opposite of the corresponding letter in EFG (positions sum to 27): E+V=27, F+U=27, G+T=27. Apply to JIH: J(10)→Q(17), I(9)→R(18), H(8)→S(19). Hence the answer is QRS.

All three attributions are correct: Geoff Ryman wrote the science-fiction novel Air (2004); James Joyce wrote Ulysses (1922); F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby (1925). Since statements 1, 2 and 3 are all factually accurate, the correct choice is 1, 2 and 3.

The correct answer is Protonema. In mosses, the gametophyte is the dominant generation and develops in two stages. When a haploid spore germinates, it first produces a creeping, branched, filamentous green structure called the protonema — the juvenile first stage. Buds on the protonema then give rise to the second stage: the erect, leafy gametophore that bears the sex organs.

The correct answer is Vidyanjali Yojana. Launched by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in 2016, Vidyanjali Yojana enables volunteers, NRIs, and community members to contribute to government and government-aided primary schools, supporting equitable primary education. Ujjwala provides LPG connections, Surakshit Matritva covers antenatal care, and Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday focused on rural Panchayati Raj — none target primary education.

The correct answer is Padma. On entering Bangladesh, the Ganges is renamed the Padma, which is its main distributary. It flows southeast, merges with the Jamuna (Brahmaputra) and then the Meghna, before draining into the Bay of Bengal. Gandak, Kosi, and Gomti are tributaries of the Ganges within India, not distributaries in Bangladesh.

The correct answer is Complementary goods. Complementary goods are consumed jointly because the use of one increases the utility of the other — e.g. car and petrol, printer and ink. Their cross elasticity of demand is negative: a price rise in one reduces demand for the other. Substitutes replace each other; normal and inferior goods are classified by income response, not joint use.

The correct answer is Kepler's Laws. Johannes Kepler's three laws describe planetary motion: (1) planets move in ellipses with the Sun at one focus; (2) the radius vector sweeps equal areas in equal times; (3) \(T^2 \propto r^3\). Newton's laws explain the underlying gravitational cause but do not specifically describe orbital geometry. Avogadro's and De Morgan's laws belong to chemistry and logic.

The correct answer is Parliament. The President is elected by an electoral college of elected MPs of both Houses plus elected MLAs of states and UTs of Delhi and Puducherry. The Vice President is elected by members of both Houses of Parliament. Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts can be removed only by a presidential order following a special-majority motion passed by both Houses under Articles 124(4) and 217.

The correct answer is Inflammable. Inflammable (synonymous with flammable) substances have very low ignition temperatures and catch fire readily on contact with a flame — examples include petrol, alcohol, LPG, and kerosene. Incombustible means the opposite (will not burn). Hazardous and perilous are general danger terms and do not specifically describe low ignition temperature.

The correct answer is Japan. Tokyo, Japan was selected by the IOC in 2013 to host the Games of the XXXII Olympiad. Although the event was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it retained the branding "Tokyo 2020". This was Tokyo's second time hosting the Summer Games after 1964.

The correct answer is Dada Saheb Phalke Award. Instituted in 1969 and named after Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, the father of Indian cinema, the Dada Saheb Phalke Award is India's highest cinematic honour, presented annually by the Government of India for outstanding lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. Ashok Chakra is a peacetime gallantry award, Arjuna Award is for sports, and Padma Shri is a general civilian award.

The correct answer is Brahmadeya. Chola inscriptions classify land by beneficiary: Brahmadeya was tax-free land gifted to Brahmanas, often managed by a sabha. Vellanvagai was land of non-Brahmana peasant proprietors, Shalabhoga supported schools, and Devadana was granted to temples for their upkeep.

The correct answer is Chahamana. Prithviraja III (1168–1192 CE) was the most celebrated ruler of the Chahamana (Chauhan) dynasty of Ajmer/Sapadalaksha. He defeated Muhammad Ghori at the First Battle of Tarain (1191) but lost the Second Battle of Tarain (1192). The Gahadavalas ruled Kannauj, the Chalukyas the Deccan, and "Brahmana" is a varna, not a dynasty.

The correct answer is Frederick Banting. In 1921–22 at the University of Toronto, Canadian physician Frederick Banting, working with Charles Best under J.J.R. Macleod (and later purified by James Collip), isolated insulin from pancreatic extracts. Banting and Macleod received the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Fleming discovered penicillin, Watt improved the steam engine, and Hopkins discovered vitamins.

The correct answer is Oracle. Oracle sued Google alleging copyright infringement over the use of 37 Java APIs in Android. In May 2016, a federal jury in San Francisco ruled that Google's use of the Java APIs constituted fair use, handing Oracle a high-profile defeat at that stage of the litigation. Apple, Microsoft, and Intel were not parties to this Java/Android API case.

The correct answer is Mulching. Mulching covers bare soil between plants with a layer of organic matter such as straw, leaves, or compost. It shields soil from raindrop impact, retains moisture, suppresses weeds, regulates temperature, and adds nutrients as it decomposes. Contour barriers and rock dams check runoff on slopes and gullies, and terrace farming reshapes hillsides into steps.

The correct answer is zero. An object at rest does not change its position relative to a chosen reference frame, so the distance covered in any time interval is zero. Since \(\text{speed}=\dfrac{\text{distance}}{\text{time}}\), the speed evaluates to zero. Increasing, decreasing, or "inverse" speed all imply motion.

Fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are all distinct Classes of vertebrates. These classes share a common notochord/vertebral column and are grouped together under the Phylum Chordata. Species and Genus are far narrower (below Class). Kingdom (Animalia) is broader and also includes non-chordate phyla like Arthropoda and Mollusca, so it is not the immediate grouping of these classes. Hence the answer is Phylum.

Erosion is the geological process in which earth materials are worn away and transported by natural agents such as water, wind, and ice. Weathering only breaks rocks down in place without transport. Attrition is the wearing of transported particles against one another. Abrasion is a specific mechanism (scraping) within erosion. The umbrella term covering wearing away by water, wind, and ice is Erosion.

The Dhamek Stupa stands at Sarnath, near Varanasi, marking the spot where the Buddha delivered his first sermon. Its original structure was commissioned by Mauryan emperor Ashoka around 249 BCE, later enlarged during the Gupta period. Akbar and Humayun were 16th-century Mughal rulers unconnected with ancient Buddhist stupas; no king named Narasimha is linked to Dhamek. Hence the answer is Ashoka.

When iron is exposed to moist air, it reacts with oxygen and water to form hydrated iron(III) oxide, \(Fe_2O_3 \cdot nH_2O\) — the brownish, flaky film commonly called Rust. Dust is unrelated loose particulate matter; shovel and spade are tools, not chemical products. Hence the answer is Rust.

In Microsoft Word, the command that changes the colour of selected characters is Font Colour, found in the Font group on the Home tab (icon: an "A" with a coloured bar). "Text Colour" and "Change Colour" are not standard Word commands. "Background Colour" affects shading behind text, not the characters themselves. Hence the answer is Font Colour.

By the Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns, as units of a variable input are added to a fixed input, marginal product first rises (specialisation), peaks, then falls and can turn negative. Plotting MP against input units yields a curve that goes up, peaks, then comes down — the classic inverse U shape. Hence the answer is U.

The Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution distributes legislative subjects across the Union, State, and Concurrent Lists. "Public health and sanitation; hospitals and dispensaries" appears as Entry 6 of the State List (List II), giving state legislatures primary responsibility. Defence, banking, etc. lie on the Union List; education and forests on the Concurrent List; there is no "Global List". Hence the answer is State.

Freshwater and seawater differ sharply in salt concentration. By osmosis, water moves across an animal's body membranes from the dilute side to the concentrated side. A freshwater animal placed in seawater loses water and shrivels; a marine animal in freshwater swells and bursts — these are osmotic problems. Eurythermal and stenothermal describe temperature tolerance; hydrothermal refers to hot water vents. Hence the answer is Osmotic.

Arthropoda is the largest phylum in Kingdom Animalia, accounting for over 80% of all known animal species. It includes insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and myriapods, distinguished by jointed appendages, segmented bodies, and chitinous exoskeletons. Insects alone form the largest class within Arthropoda. Annelida (segmented worms), Chordata (vertebrates and allies), and Platyhelminthes (flatworms) are much smaller and exclude insects. Hence the answer is Arthropoda.

Step 1 — Divide 518 by 13: \(518 = 13 \times 39 + 11\) The remainder is 11. Step 2 — Interpret: To make 518 exactly divisible by 13, subtract the remainder. Check: \(518 - 11 = 507 = 13 \times 39\). Hence the least number to subtract is 11.

Step 1 — Apply the identity: \[(a+b)^3 = a^3 + b^3 + 3ab(a+b)\] Step 2 — Substitute \(a^3+b^3 = 341\) and \(ab = 30\), letting \(S = a+b\): \[S^3 = 341 + 90S\] Step 3 — Solve: Test \(S=11\): \(1331 - 990 = 341\). Therefore a + b = 11.

For reflection of a point \((x_1, y_1)\) in the vertical line \(x = c\), the y-coordinate is unchanged and the new x-coordinate is \(2c - x_1\). With \((x_1, y_1) = (-4, 3)\) and \(c = -2\): \[x_2 = 2(-2) - (-4) = -4 + 4 = 0,\quad y_2 = 3\] Therefore the image is (0, 3).

For \(\angle F = 45^\circ\): \[\sin 45^\circ = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}},\quad \tan 45^\circ = 1\] \[\sin F \times \tan F = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}} \times 1 = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\] Hence the value is \(\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\).

Successive selling prices multiply: Customer price = Wholesaler cost \(\times 1.05 \times 1.10\). \[2000 = C_W \times 1.05 \times 1.10 = 1.155\, C_W\] \[C_W = \frac{2000}{1.155} \approx 1731.6\] Hence the wholesaler's cost is approximately Rs. 1731.6.

Buying 4 and getting 1 free means receiving 5 shirts while paying for 4. The discount equals the value of 1 shirt out of 5 shirts received. \[\text{Effective discount} = \frac{1}{5} \times 100\% = 20\%\] Hence the effective discount on each shirt is 20%.

An increase of 69 takes the number from 100% to 103%, so 69 represents 3% of the original number. \[3\% \text{ of } x = 69 \implies x = \frac{69}{0.03} = 2300\] Therefore the number is 2300.

Use standard values \(\cot 45^\circ = 1\) and \(\csc 60^\circ = \tfrac{2}{\sqrt{3}}\). \[1 + \frac{1}{3}\cdot\frac{2}{\sqrt{3}} = 1 + \frac{2}{3\sqrt{3}} = 1 + \frac{2\sqrt{3}}{9} = \frac{9 + 2\sqrt{3}}{9}\] Therefore the value is (9 + 2√3)/9.

Since \(\cot\theta = \dfrac{\text{adj}}{\text{opp}} = \dfrac{21}{20}\), take adjacent = 21 and opposite = 20. By Pythagoras, hypotenuse \(= \sqrt{21^2 + 20^2} = \sqrt{441 + 400} = \sqrt{841} = 29\). Therefore \(\sec\theta = \dfrac{\text{hyp}}{\text{adj}} = \dfrac{29}{21}\).

For equal distances at two speeds, average speed is the harmonic mean: \[\bar v = \frac{2 v_1 v_2}{v_1 + v_2} = \frac{2 \times 40 \times 24}{40 + 24} = \frac{1920}{64} = 30 \text{ km/hr}\] Therefore the average speed is 30 km/hr.

Using \(\text{SI} = \dfrac{P \cdot R \cdot T}{100}\), solve for P: \[P = \frac{\text{SI} \times 100}{R \times T} = \frac{5400 \times 100}{12.5 \times 4} = \frac{540000}{50} = 10800\] Therefore the sum is Rs. 10,800.

As seen from pie-chart, Fiction and Historical genres of movies were liked the least.

Parallel lines share the same slope, so compute the slope through \((3,-4)\) and \((-2,5)\): \[m = \frac{y_2 - y_1}{x_2 - x_1} = \frac{5 - (-4)}{-2 - 3} = \frac{9}{-5} = -\frac{9}{5}\] Therefore the required slope is −9/5.

Step 1 — Find common difference: \[a_8 - a_5 = 3d \implies -17 - 1 = 3d \implies d = -6\] Step 2 — Find first term: \[a + 4d = 1 \implies a = 1 - 4(-6) = 25\] Step 3 — Sum of 13 terms: \[S_{13} = \tfrac{13}{2}[2(25) + 12(-6)] = \tfrac{13}{2}(-22) = -143\] Therefore S13 = −143.

For similar triangles, the ratio of corresponding sides equals the ratio of perimeters: \[\frac{XY}{PQ} = \frac{4}{9} \implies XY = \frac{4}{9} \times 27 = 12 \text{ cm}\] Therefore XY = 12 cm.

A regular hexagon decomposes into 6 equilateral triangles of side s, so: \[A = 6 \times \frac{\sqrt{3}}{4}s^2 = \frac{3\sqrt{3}}{2}s^2 = \frac{3\sqrt{3}}{2}(81) = \frac{243\sqrt{3}}{2}\] Therefore the area is 243√3/2 sq cm.

Surveyed said they liked Historical movies = 1200 × 4/ (13 + 16 + 4 + 7 + 11 + 9) = 1200 × 4/60 = 80

Surveyed like Drama movies = 1200 × 11/60 Surveyed like Romance movies = 1200 × 9/60 ∴ Difference = 1200 × 11/60 - 1200 × 9/60 = 1200 × (11 - 9)/60 = 20 × 2 = 40

Combined rate equals sum of individual rates: \[\frac{1}{T_B} = \frac{1}{12} - \frac{1}{20} = \frac{5 - 3}{60} = \frac{2}{60} = \frac{1}{30}\] Therefore B alone takes 30 days.

The incorrect total exceeds the correct total by \(62 - 26 = 36\). This excess is spread across 40 students, so the average drops by: \[\frac{36}{40} = 0.9\] Therefore correct average \(= 34 - 0.9 = 33.1\).

Let present ages be \(P = 7x\) and \(Q = 9x\). Ten years ago: \[\frac{7x - 10}{9x - 10} = \frac{5}{7} \implies 7(7x - 10) = 5(9x - 10)\] \[49x - 70 = 45x - 50 \implies 4x = 20 \implies x = 5\] Therefore Q's present age \(= 9 \times 5 = 45\) years.

A divides BC in ratio 5 : 1 with \(B(6,-4)\), \(C(0,8)\). By the section formula with \(m=5, n=1\): \[A = \left(\frac{5(0) + 1(6)}{6}, \frac{5(8) + 1(-4)}{6}\right) = \left(\frac{6}{6}, \frac{36}{6}\right) = (1, 6)\] Therefore A = (1, 6).

Distribute and simplify: \[\frac{4x}{5} - \frac{1}{6} + \frac{1}{3} = \frac{9x}{5}\] Move x-terms right, constants left: \[\frac{2}{6} - \frac{1}{6} = \frac{9x - 4x}{5} \implies \frac{1}{6} = \frac{5x}{5} = x\] Therefore \(x = \tfrac{1}{6}\).

Let the fraction be x. Then \(x + \tfrac{3}{x} = \tfrac{31}{6}\). Multiply by 6x: \[6x^2 - 31x + 18 = 0 \implies (2x - 9)(3x - 2) = 0\] So \(x = \tfrac{9}{2}\) or \(x = \tfrac{2}{3}\). Only 9/2 appears in the options.

24% of mailed people = 1200 So,100% of mailed people = 1200/24 × 100 = 5000 ∴ The survey questionnaire was mailed to 5000 people

The phrasal verb give up (meaning to stop a habit) is followed by a gerund, not an infinitive or bare verb. So "gave up" + drinking is the correct form: "I gave up drinking many years ago." The infinitive "to drink" and the bare "drink" are ungrammatical after "give up".

The lead-in "In the Northeast, the sun" needs a verb, so Z ("rises as early as four in the") follows. Z ends mid-phrase with "in the", which connects to Y ("morning and in winter it"). Y's trailing "it" then leads into X ("sets by four in the evening"). Hence the order is ZYX.

For a Wh-question in indirect speech, the wh-word becomes the connector and the clause takes statement order (subject + verb). The reporting verb "asked" is past, so present "is" shifts to past "was", and "your" becomes "her". Result: Navneet asked her how old her grandmother was.

Phobic is the adjective form of phobia, defined as an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something — an exact match for the clue. Valiant and stout imply bravery; foolhardy means recklessly bold — all opposite to fearful.

Active: Subject (Lions) + verb (roam) + object (sanctuary). Passive form for Simple Present is "object + is/are + past participle + by + subject". So "The majestic Asiatic Lions roam the sanctuary" becomes "The sanctuary is roamed by majestic Asiatic lions."

Sullen means bad-tempered, sulky, or gloomy. Its antonym must describe someone pleasant and easy to deal with. Glum and crabby are synonyms (gloomy / irritable); silent is a related trait, not an opposite. Only Agreeable — pleasant and congenial — is the true opposite.

The idiom is "so far", meaning "up to this point". "Has so far outweighed" indicates that, until now, the promise of nuclear power has exceeded the concerns. Less, near, and closely do not combine with "so ... outweighed" to form a standard English phrase.

The passage talks about replacing fossil fuels with other energy options. Alternatives means "available choices/substitutes", which fits perfectly: "non-fossil alternatives" = options other than fossil fuels (wind, solar, nuclear). Compulsions, obligations, and constraints denote pressures or limits, not energy options.

Correct spelling rule: the word comes from Latin diligentia, retaining "i" in both the first and second syllables, and "e" in the third — diligence. The other forms (deligence, delegence, dilegence) misplace the vowels.

Stupor is a state of near-unconsciousness or dazed insensibility. Slumber (deep sleep) similarly denotes reduced awareness and responsiveness, making it the closest synonym here. Sensibility, liveliness, and consciousness all denote alert, active states — opposites of stupor.

With here introduces the context against which the promise is measured: "With rapid progress ... the collapse of oil prices ... that promise diminished." It signals concurrent conditions affecting the outcome. To, from, and for express direction, origin, and purpose — none fits.

Menace means a person or thing likely to cause harm — a direct match for the clue. Cordial (warm/friendly), festal (festive), and blithe (casually cheerful) carry positive or neutral senses and do not denote danger.

Winding mountain roads at night involve hidden, unpredictable dangers — exactly what treacherous denotes ("dangerous because of hidden hazards"). Carefree contradicts the danger; beastly and obnoxious describe unpleasantness or rude behaviour, not a perilous road.

The preposition without must be followed by a noun or gerund (-ing form). "Saying goodbye" is already the correct gerund construction. The alternatives ("say even", "even said", "say") either disrupt word order or use the wrong verb form. Hence, no improvement is needed.

Wind and solar power are textbook examples of renewable energy — naturally replenished sources. So "other renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power" fits perfectly. Brief and temporary denote short duration; untenable means indefensible — none describes wind/solar.

The error lies in part (3). The preposition "upon" with a gerund indicates an action completed just before the main verb (e.g., "Upon hearing the news, she fainted"). Here, the lady was knocked down during the act of crossing, so "while crossing the road" is required to express simultaneous action.

The opener "I've taken out my" requires a noun — only Y ("ear buds so I can") fits next. Y introduces purpose ("so I can"), which needs an action verb, so Z ("listen for announcements") follows. X ("and stay poised and vigilant") concludes by adding a parallel purpose. Hence the order is YZX: "I've taken out my ear buds so I can listen for announcements and stay poised and vigilant."

Summon means to call or order someone to be present, often formally. Its opposite is Dismiss, meaning to send someone away or order them to leave. "Invite" is a near-synonym (also a call to be present), "Mobilise" means to gather/assemble (similar), and "Draft" means to conscript — none are opposites.

The base verb is bereave (to be deprived of a loved one). When a suffix beginning with a vowel like -ing is added to a word ending in silent e, the e is dropped: bereave + ing → bereaving (compare: believe → believing, make → making). The other options either keep the silent e or misspell the root.

The blank follows a description of recent developments (renewables progressing, oil prices collapsing, gas expanding) that have weakened nuclear's appeal up to the present. This calls for the present perfect tense — an action begun in the past with continuing relevance now. Subject "promise" (singular) agrees with "Has dimmed". The infinitive "To dim", gerund "Dimming", and simple past "Was dim" all fail to link past causes to a present effect.

The sentence is grammatically sound throughout. Subject-verb agreement ("grandfather led") is correct, the past tense "led" matches the past context of retirement, the article "a peaceful life" is correctly used, the pronoun "his" properly refers to grandfather, and "retirement from the army" uses the correct preposition. Hence the answer is No Error (4).

Subtle means delicate, not obvious, or expressed in an indirect, low-key manner. Understated means presented without emphasis or showiness — the same idea of restraint and lack of overtness. "Harsh" (rough/severe) and "Open" (frank/obvious) are opposites; "Ignorant" (lacking knowledge) is unrelated.

The idiom "At the drop of a hat" originates from the practice of dropping a hat as a signal to start a race or fight — an immediate trigger. Figuratively, it means doing something instantly, without hesitation or prior planning. Example: "He'll travel at the drop of a hat." Hence option (1) is correct.

An emigrant is someone who leaves their own country to settle elsewhere, while an immigrant is someone who arrives in a new country to settle. The preposition cue here is decisive: one emigrates from a country and immigrates to a country. Since the sentence says "_____ from India," the correct word is emigrant. "Native" (born in a place) doesn't capture the migration sense.

The idiom "Beat a dead horse" describes continuing to argue, discuss, or work on an issue that is already settled, decided, or beyond change — making the effort futile. Option (3), "To uselessly dwell on a subject far beyond its point of resolution," captures this exactly. The other options misread the idiom literally (cruelty/exploitation) or describe a different futility (a losing game still in play).