1. I have not heard from him __.
a) (a) long since
b) (b) for a long time
c) (c) since long
d) (d) for long
Answer: (d) for long
Explanation: 'For long' is an idiom used in negative sentences to mean 'for a long time'. "I haven't seen him for long" is a correct usage.
2. Honey is ____ sweet.
a) (a) very
b) (b) too much
c) (c) much too
d) (d) Excessive
Answer: (a) very
Explanation: 'Very' is an adverb used to emphasize an adjective. "Honey is very sweet" is a standard and positive statement. 'Too' or 'too much' would imply that the sweetness is excessive or undesirable.
3. Your conduct admits ____ no excuse.
a) (a) to
b) (b) for
c) (c) of
d) (d) At
Answer: (c) of
Explanation: The phrasal verb 'admits of' means to allow for or leave room for. So, "admits of no excuse" means it does not allow for any excuse.
4. I shall not ____ the examination this year.
a) (a) give
b) (b) appear at
c) (c) sit
d) (d) go for
Answer: (b) appear at
Explanation: In the context of taking an exam, the correct phrasal verbs are 'appear at', 'appear for', or 'sit for'. 'Appear at' is a very appropriate choice.
5. They travelled to Savar-
a) (a) on foot
b) (b) by walking
c) (c) on their feet
d) (d) by foot
Answer: (a) on foot
Explanation: The correct idiom for walking to a place is 'on foot'.
6. He said that he ____ be unable to come.
a) (a) will
b) (b) shall
c) (c) should
d) (d) would
Answer: (d) would
Explanation: This is an example of indirect speech. The reporting verb 'said' is in the past tense, so the 'will' from the direct speech ("I will be unable to come") changes to 'would' in the indirect speech.
7. Neither Rini nor Simi ____ qualified for the job.
a) (a) are
b) (b) is
c) (c) were
d) (d) Had
Answer: (b) is
Explanation: When subjects are joined by 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the subject closer to it. Here, 'Simi' is singular, so the correct verb is 'is'.
8. He said that he ____ the previous day.
a) (a) has come
b) (b) had come
c) (c) came
d) (d) Arrived
Answer: (b) had come
Explanation: In indirect speech, if the direct speech contains a past event (e.g., "I came yesterday"), it changes to the past perfect tense ('had come'). Also, 'yesterday' changes to 'the previous day'.
9. He watched the boat ____ down the river.
a) (a) to float
b) (b) floating
c) (c) was floating
d) (d) had floated
Answer: (b) floating
Explanation: Verbs of perception like 'see', 'watch', 'hear' are followed by an object and then either the base form of the verb (float) or the present participle (floating). 'Floating' emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action.
10. ‘Sky’ is to ‘bird’ as ‘water’ is to-
a) (a) feather
b) (b) fish
c) (c) boat
d) (d) Lotus
Answer: (b) fish
Explanation: This is an analogy of 'habitat : inhabitant'. A bird lives/moves in the sky, and a fish lives/moves in the water.
11. ‘Good’ is to ‘bad’ as ‘white’ is to-
a) (a) dark
b) (b) black
c) (c) grey
d) (d) Ebony
Answer: (b) black
Explanation: This is an analogy based on antonyms. The opposite of 'good' is 'bad', and the opposite of 'white' is 'black'.
12. ‘Botany’ is to ‘plants’ as ‘Zoology’ is to-
a) (a) flowers
b) (b) trees
c) (c) dear
d) (d) animals
Answer: (d) animals
Explanation: This is an analogy of 'subject of study : what is studied'. Botany is the study of plants, and Zoology is the study of animals.
13. The bad news struck him like a bolt from the-
a) (a) sky
b) (b) heavens
c) (c) firmament
d) (d) blue
Answer: (d) blue
Explanation: The correct idiom is 'a bolt from the blue', which means a sudden and unexpected event.
14. When one is ‘pragmatic’ he is being-
a) (a) wasteful
b) (b) productive
c) (c) practical
d) (d) Fussy
Answer: (c) practical
Explanation: 'Pragmatic' means dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.
15. Into the ____ of death rode the six hundred.
a) (a) city
b) (b) tunnel
c) (c) road
d) (d) valley
Answer: (d) valley
Explanation: This is a famous line from Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem "The Charge of the Light Brigade": "Into the valley of Death / Rode the six hundred."
16. To be or not to be, that is the ____.
a) (a) meaning
b) (b) question
c) (c) answer
d) (d) Issue
Answer: (b) question
Explanation: This is the opening phrase of a famous soliloquy from William Shakespeare's play 'Hamlet': "To be, or not to be, that is the question".
17. I have a ____ that one day this nation will live out the true meaning of its creed that all men are created equal.
a) (a) desire
b) (b) hope
c) (c) dream
d) (d) Wish
Answer: (c) dream
Explanation: This is a quote from Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
18. Who wrote the two famous novels, ‘David Copperfield’ and ‘The Tale of two Cities’?
a) (a) Thomas Hardy
b) (b) Jane Austen
c) (c) George Eliot
d) (d) Charles Dickens
Answer: (d) Charles Dickens
Explanation: 'David Copperfield' and 'A Tale of Two Cities' are two of the most famous novels by the great Victorian author Charles Dickens.
19. Who wrote the plays, ‘The Tempest’ and ‘The Mid Summer Night’s Dream’?
a) (a) Ben Johnson
b) (b) Christopher Marlowe
c) (c) John Dryden
d) (d) William Shakespeare
Answer: (d) William Shakespeare
Explanation: 'The Tempest' and 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' are two famous plays written by William Shakespeare.
20. He had a _____ headache.
a) (a) strong
b) (b) acute
c) (c) serious
d) (d) bad
Answer: (d) bad
Explanation: In English, the most common and natural collocation for a headache is 'a bad headache'. 'Severe' or 'splitting' are also used for very strong headaches.
