Correct Answer: (D) sanctimonious

Explanation: Holier than thou describes someone who behaves as if they are morally superior to others, often in a self-righteous or hypocritical manner. The nearest word is sanctimonious.

Exam Tip: Don’t confuse these words:

• Sanctimonious = Pretending to be morally superior or excessively righteous
• Pious = Genuinely religious or devout
• Moralistic = Concerned with teaching moral principles (not necessarily self-righteous)

Correct Answer: (A) Fashionable

Explanation: À la mode is a French expression meaning “in fashion”, “fashionable”, or “according to the latest style.” It is commonly used in English to describe something that is trendy.

Exam Tip: Common foreign phrases asked in competitive exams:

• À la mode → Fashionable
• Bona fide → Genuine
• De facto → In fact / In reality
• Ad hoc → For a particular purpose
• Status quo → Existing state of affairs
• Per capita → Per person

Correct Answer: (A) Memorable things

Explanation: Memorabilia refers to objects kept or collected because they are connected with memorable people, events, or experiences. Hence, “memorable things” is the best answer.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Memorabilia → Objects of sentimental or historical value
• Memento → A keepsake or souvenir
• Souvenir → An object kept as a reminder of a place or event
• Relic → An object surviving from an earlier time or associated with a notable person or event

Correct Answer: (B) A specific category

Explanation: Genre means a particular type or category of literature, music, films, art, or other creative works. For example, science fiction and biography are different genres.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Genre → Category or type
• Theme → Central idea or subject
• Plot → Sequence of events in a story
• Style → Manner of expression or presentation

Correct Answer: (A) Masterpiece

Explanation: Tour de force is a French expression meaning an outstanding achievement or masterpiece, especially one that displays exceptional skill or brilliance.

Exam Tip: Common French expressions asked in competitive exams:

• Tour de force → Masterpiece; an exceptional achievement
• À la mode → Fashionable
• Genre → Category or type
• Bon voyage → Have a good journey
• Faux pas → Social blunder or mistake

Correct Answer: (C) Dull

Explanation: Insipid means dull, lacking interest, flavor, or excitement. It can describe food that is tasteless or writing, speech, or conversation that is boring.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Insipid → Dull, tasteless, boring
• Vapid → Lacking liveliness or interest
• Bland → Mild, lacking flavor
• Exciting → Thrilling, stimulating (opposite of insipid)

Correct Answer: (D) Disguised

Explanation: Incognito means in disguise or with one’s identity concealed, especially to avoid being recognized.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Incognito → Disguised, under a false identity
• Anonymous → Without a known name
• Candid → Frank, honest
• Impromptu → Done without prior preparation
• Opposed → Against or in disagreement

Correct Answer: (B) Insect

Explanation: Besides being a popular sport, cricket is also the name of an insect known for its chirping sound, produced by rubbing its wings together.

Exam Tip: Common words with multiple meanings:

• Cricket → A sport; an insect
• Bat → Sports equipment; a flying mammal
• Seal → Marine animal; official stamp
• Mole → Burrowing animal; skin mark; unit in chemistry

Correct Answer: (D) A servant

Explanation: Page also refers to a young servant or attendant, especially in a royal household or at ceremonial functions. Although a page is part of a book, a page is not a book, so option (C) is incorrect.

Exam Tip: Common multiple-meaning words:

• Page → A sheet in a book; a young servant/attendant
• Court → A place of law; a royal court
• Crown → Royal headgear; the top of the head
• Seal → Marine animal; official stamp or mark

Correct Answer: (C) Lions

Explanation: A pride is the collective noun for a group of lions. It usually consists of related females, their cubs, and one or more adult males.

Exam Tip: Important collective nouns:

• Pride → Lions
• Pack → Wolves, dogs
• Herd → Elephants, deer, cattle
• Flock → Birds, sheep
• Swarm → Bees
• School/Shoal → Fish

Correct Answer: (A) Bursting in

Explanation: Irruption means a sudden violent entry or invasion; bursting in. It is commonly used to describe the sudden arrival of people, animals, or forces into a place.

Exam Tip: Commonly confused words:

• Eruption → Outbreak; a sudden bursting out (e.g., volcano, disease)
• Irruption → Bursting in; sudden invasion or entry
• Interruption → A break or pause
• Corruption → Dishonesty; moral decay

Correct Answer: (D) Painkilling balm

Explanation: Anodyne means a pain-relieving substance or medicine. It can also be used figuratively to mean something that soothes or comforts. Among the given options, painkilling balm is the closest meaning.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Anodyne → Pain-relieving; soothing
• Analgesic → Painkiller
• Antiseptic → Prevents infection
• Antidote → Counteracts poison

Correct Answer: (A) Relating to the ear

Explanation: Aural means related to the ear or the sense of hearing. It comes from the Latin word auris, meaning ear.

Exam Tip: Commonly confused words:

• Aural → Relating to the ear or hearing
• Oral → Relating to the mouth or speech
• Ocular → Relating to the eye
• Audible → Able to be heard

Correct Answer: (C) Prone to tears

Explanation: Lachrymose means tearful, weeping, or inclined to cry easily. It describes a person or expression that is sorrowful or excessively emotional.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Lachrymose → Tearful, prone to crying
• Lethargic → Sluggish, lacking energy
• Irascible → Easily angered
• Stoic → Enduring pain or emotion without showing feelings

Correct Answer: (C) Food

Explanation: A gourmet is a person who has a refined appreciation for good food and fine cuisine. The term refers to a connoisseur of food, not merely someone who eats a lot.

Exam Tip: Similar words:

• Gourmet → Connoisseur of fine food
• Gourmand → Person who eats excessively or greedily
• Epicure → One who appreciates fine food and drink
• Gastronome → Expert in good food and cooking

Correct Answer: (C) Full of twists and turns

Explanation: Tortuous means having many twists, bends, or turns; winding or complicated. It can describe a road, path, or even a complicated line of reasoning. It is different from torturous, which means causing great pain or suffering.

Exam Tip: Commonly confused words:

• Tortuous → Full of twists and turns; complicated
• Torturous → Extremely painful or agonizing
• Torture → The act of inflicting severe pain
• Twisting → Turning in different directions

Correct Answer: (C) Art of acting

Explanation: Thespian means relating to drama or acting. The word is derived from Thespis, the ancient Greek playwright who is traditionally regarded as the first actor.

Exam Tip: Similar theatre-related terms:

• Thespian → Actor; relating to acting
• Dramaturgy → The art or technique of dramatic composition
• Tragedy → A serious drama with a sorrowful ending
• Comedy → A humorous dramatic work

Correct Answer: (A) Bad spelling

Explanation: Cacography means bad handwriting or incorrect spelling, especially poor or faulty spelling. The prefix “caco-“ means bad, while “-graphy” relates to writing.

Exam Tip: Remember these word roots:

• Caco- → Bad (e.g., cacophony = harsh sound, cacography = bad spelling/writing)
• Calli- → Beautiful (e.g., calligraphy = beautiful handwriting)
• Graph → Write
• Graphy → Writing or the process of recording

Correct Answer: (A) Debauched

Explanation: Dissolute means morally unrestrained, licentious, or given to excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures. Therefore, debauched is the closest synonym.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Dissolute → Debauched, morally corrupt
• Debauched → Corrupted by excessive indulgence
• Dishonest → Not truthful
• Discontent → Dissatisfied
• Dissimilar → Unlike; different

Correct Answer: (C) String

Explanation: A string of camels is the standard collective noun for a group of camels, especially when they are travelling one behind another in a caravan.

Exam Tip: Important collective nouns:

• String → Camels
• Pride → Lions
• Pack → Wolves, dogs
• Troop → Monkeys, scouts
• Herd → Elephants, cattle, deer

Correct Answer: (B) Volition

Explanation: Volition means the power or act of choosing or deciding; one’s own free will. The expression “of his own volition” means voluntarily or by his own choice.

Exam Tip: Similar words:

• Volition → Free will; choice
• Voluntary → Done willingly
• Volubility → Fluency or excessive talkativeness
• Violation → Breach of a rule or law

Correct Answer: (C) Prone to tears

Explanation: Lachrymose means tearful, weeping, or inclined to cry easily. It describes a person who is sorrowful or emotionally expressive.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Lachrymose → Tearful; prone to crying
• Lethargic → Sluggish; lacking energy
• Irascible → Easily angered
• Stoic → Calm and not showing emotion easily

Correct Answer: (D) Typicalities

Explanation: Idiosyncrasies are peculiar, distinctive, or unusual habits or characteristics of a person. Typicalities means common or ordinary characteristics, which is the opposite of idiosyncrasies.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Idiosyncrasy → Peculiar or distinctive habit
• Eccentricity → Unusual behaviour or habit
• Oddity → Something strange or unusual
• Typicality → Usual or common characteristic

Correct Answer: (A) Food

Explanation: In the proverb “Man does not live by bread alone,” the word bread symbolizes food or the basic necessities of life. The saying means that human beings need not only physical nourishment but also emotional, intellectual, and spiritual fulfillment.

Exam Tip: Common symbolic meanings:

• Bread → Food; basic necessities of life
• Breadwinner → A person who earns money to support the family
• Break bread → Share a meal together
• Daily bread → One’s daily livelihood or essential needs

Correct Answer: (A) Orally

Explanation: Orally means by word of mouth; spoken rather than written. Hence, a portion conducted by word of mouth is conducted orally.

Exam Tip: Commonly confused words:

• Orally → By speaking; by word of mouth
• Literally → In the exact or actual sense
• Confidentially → In a secret or private manner
• Intelligently → In a smart or sensible way

Correct Answer: (D) Impulsively

Explanation: Impulsively means acting suddenly without careful thought or planning. It best matches the phrase “apt to act suddenly without thinking.”

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Impulsively → Without thinking; on impulse
• Thoughtlessly → Without consideration, often carelessly
• Courageously → Bravely
• Excitedly → With excitement or enthusiasm

Correct Answer: (B) Breakers

Explanation: Breakers are ocean waves that become unstable and break into foam as they reach shallow water near the shore. Hence, waves that tumble on the beach are called breakers.

Exam Tip: Related geography terms:

• Breakers → Waves breaking near the shore
• Currents → Continuous movement of ocean water
• Tides → Periodic rise and fall of sea level due to the Moon’s and Sun’s gravity
• Surf → The foamy water formed by breaking waves along the coast

Correct Answer: (A) Garbage

Explanation: As a noun, refuse (pronounced REF-yoos) means garbage, waste, or discarded material. Option (C) Prohibition is incorrect. As a verb (pronounced ri-FYOOZ), refuse means to decline or not allow.

Exam Tip: Words with different pronunciation and meaning:

• Refuse (noun: REF-yoos) → Garbage, waste
• Refuse (verb: ri-FYOOZ) → Decline; say “no”
• Waste, rubbish, and garbage are common synonyms of the noun refuse.

Correct Answer: (D) Interfering

Explanation: Officious means too eager to give unwanted advice, interfere in others’ affairs, or exercise authority without being asked. Hence, interfering is the closest meaning.

Exam Tip: Commonly confused words:

• Officious → Interfering; excessively eager to advise or control
• Official → Relating to an office, authority, or government
• Formal → Following established rules or conventions
• Cantankerous → Bad-tempered; quarrelsome

Correct Answer: (C) Clever

Explanation: Ingenious means clever, inventive, and original in design or thinking. Therefore, a device described as ingenious is cleverly designed.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Ingenious → Clever; inventive; resourceful
• Ingenuous → Innocent; naïve (often confused with ingenious)
• Novel → New or original
• Effective → Producing the intended result

Correct Answer: (B) Lying tendencies

Explanation: Mendacious means dishonest or given to lying. Therefore, mendacious habits refer to lying tendencies or a habit of telling lies.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Mendacious → Habitually lying; dishonest
• Veracious → Truthful; honest
• Deceitful → Dishonest; misleading
• Candid → Frank; truthful

Correct Answer: (C) Shyness

Explanation: Diffidence means lack of self-confidence or shyness, especially in social situations. Thus, “overcome your diffidence” means overcome your shyness or lack of confidence.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Diffidence → Shyness; lack of self-confidence
• Timidity → Fearfulness; shyness
• Hesitation → Pause due to uncertainty
• Indifference → Lack of interest or concern
• Indecision → Inability to make a decision

Correct Answer: (C) Frighten

Explanation: Petrify means to terrify someone so much that they become unable to move or react, as if turned to stone. In this context, it means to frighten greatly.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Petrify → Terrify; frighten greatly
• Terrify → Fill with extreme fear
• Appal → Greatly shock or horrify
• Amaze → Fill with wonder (positive or neutral)
• Shock → Cause surprise or distress, but less specific than petrify

Correct Answer: (A) Swarm

Explanation: Swarm is the correct collective noun for bees and many other flying insects. Therefore, a large number of bees is called a swarm.

Exam Tip: Important collective nouns:

• Swarm → Bees, flies, insects
• Flock → Birds, sheep
• Pack → Wolves, dogs
• Herd → Cattle, elephants, deer

Correct Answer: (C) Worship

Explanation: Venerate means to regard with deep respect, reverence, or worship, especially in the case of ancestors, saints, or revered persons. Hence, worship is the closest meaning.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Venerate → Respect deeply; revere; worship
• Revere → Honor with profound respect
• Exonerate → Free someone from blame or guilt
• Dislike → Not be fond of; opposite in meaning

Correct Answer: (B) Severe

Explanation: Splitting headache is an idiomatic expression meaning an extremely severe or intense headache. Therefore, severe is the closest meaning.

Exam Tip: Common idiomatic adjectives:

• Splitting headache → Very severe headache
• Excruciating pain → Extremely intense pain
• Nagging pain → Persistent but not severe pain
• Mild pain → Slight or not intense pain

Correct Answer: (C) Crossed

Explanation: Span means to extend across from one side to the other. A bridge that spans a river crosses it from one bank to the other.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Span → Extend across; cross
• Bridge spans a river → Bridge crosses a river
• Dam → Barrier built to stop or control water flow
• Forge → Shape metal by heating or create falsely

Correct Answer: (A) Solid facts

Explanation: Concrete means real, definite, specific, or tangible, as opposed to abstract. Thus, concrete facts are solid, definite facts.

Exam Tip: Common meanings:

• Concrete → Real; definite; tangible; specific
• Abstract → Theoretical; conceptual; not tangible (opposite of concrete)
• Concrete noun → A noun denoting something that can be perceived by the senses
• Concrete evidence/facts → Definite and reliable evidence or facts

Correct Answer: (B) Scrupulously honest

Explanation: A transparent person is open, honest, and free from deceit or hidden motives. Therefore, scrupulously honest is the closest meaning.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Transparent → Open; honest; easily understood
• Candid → Frank; truthful
• Forthright → Direct and honest
• Opaque → Not transparent; difficult to understand or secretive (opposite)

Correct Answer: (A) Pious

Explanation: Godly means deeply religious, devout, or pious in character and conduct. Hence, pious is the closest synonym.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Godly → Pious; devout; saintly
• Pious → Deeply religious and devoted
• Religious → Related to religion, but not necessarily devout
• Heavenly → Divine; delightful; relating to heaven
• Pure → Free from impurity; morally clean, but not a direct synonym of godly

Correct Answer: (C) Superficially plausible

Explanation: Specious means appearing to be true, reasonable, or correct at first sight but actually false or misleading. Hence, superficially plausible is the correct meaning.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Specious → Seemingly true but deceptive
• Plausible → Appearing reasonable or believable
• Fallacious → Based on false reasoning
• Spurious → False; not genuine
• Illogical → Lacking logical reasoning (not the exact meaning of specious)

Correct Answer: (D) Redundant

Explanation: Superfluous means more than what is needed; excessive or unnecessary. Redundant is the closest synonym because it refers to something that is unnecessarily repetitive or in excess.

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Superfluous → Redundant; excessive; unnecessary
• Redundant → More than required; surplus
• Needless → Not necessary
• Digressive → Departing from the main subject (not a synonym of superfluous)

Correct Answer: (C) Seriousness

Explanation: Besides referring to the force of attraction, gravity also means seriousness, dignity, or importance in a person’s manner or a situation.

Exam Tip: Multiple meanings of gravity:

• Gravity (Science) → Force that attracts objects toward the Earth.
• Gravity (General English) → Seriousness; solemnity; importance.
• Example: He spoke with great gravity during the meeting.

Correct Answer: (D) Hard work

Explanation: Besides meaning manufacturing or business activity, industry also means diligence, hard work, or persistent effort. Hence, hard work is the correct answer.

Exam Tip: Multiple meanings of industry:

• Industry → Manufacturing or a particular business sector
• Industry → Diligence; hard work
• Example: Success comes through industry and perseverance.

Correct Answer: (C) Fast

Explanation: Tightly means firmly, securely, or fast. Therefore, fast is the closest synonym in this context (e.g., Hold it fast = Hold it tightly).

Exam Tip: Similar vocabulary:

• Tightly → Firmly; securely; fast
• Loosely → Not firmly (opposite)
• Fast (adverb/adjective) → Firmly fixed or secure
• Heaped → Piled up; not a synonym of tightly