English Grammar Quiz

Directions (Q. No. 1-5): Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical or idiomatic error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence, the number of that part is the answer. If there is "No error", the answer is 5. (Ignore errors of punctuation, if any)

1. In the Babri Masjid case, there (1)/ are contradictory opinions of many (2)/ historians that there was (3)/ no temple there at a time. (4)/ No error (5). 

2. This book is full of world's most (1)/ inspiring epitomes and thoughtful quotations (2)/ that surely will influence (3)/ life, career and character of all ages and mood. (4)/ No error (5).

3. When I examine myself and my methods of thoughts, (1)/ I came to the conclusion that (2)/ the gift of fantasy had meant more to me (3)/ than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge (4)/ No error (5).

4. I studied the lives of great men and famous women (1)/ and I find that the men and women
who got to the top were those who did (2)/ the jobs they had in hand with everything (3)/ they
had of energy and enthusiasm and hard work. (4)/ No error (5).

5. Remember, in the space of time, all successful(1)/people have had to suffer many setbacks in life (2)/ but they do not (3)/ lose their hearts easily. (4)/ No error (5).

Directions (Q. No. 6 - 10): In each of these questions, two sentences (I) and (II) are given. Each sentence has a blank in it. Five words 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are suggested, out of these only one fits at both the places in the context of each sentence. The number of that word is the answer.

6. I. We were on a hill, right on the ___ of town.
II. But underneath the humour there is an ___ of bitterness.
1) inside
2) edge
3) essence
4) epicentre
5) edifice

7. I. The weather grew ___, chilly and unpredictable.
II. It is a pity she has such a loud ___ voice.
1) pleasant
2) pricky
3) cold
4) harsh
5) soothing

8. I. They ___ arm in arm past the shop fronts.
II. He got fed up as bank staff __ over cashing him a cheque.
1) dawdled
2) daunted
3) darned
4) swayed
5) gestured

9. I. The ___ state actually lies somewhere between being awake and being asleep.
II. His songs are often both ___ and pleasant.
1) telepathic
2) hypersensitive
3) hypnotic
4) lilting
5) hallucinogenic

10. I. He retired from professional chess because he had lost the ___ for winning.
II. Mix the rest of the olive oil with the ___ and juice of the lemon.
1) desire
2) test
3) energy
4) interest
5) zest

Directions (Q. No. 11 - 15): In the following questions, a sentence has been given with some of its part in bold. To make the sentence correct, you have to replace the bold part with the correct alternative given below. If the sentence is correct as it is, please give 5 as your answer i.e., No correction required. 

11. It is my desire added with will power to once go on adventure trip.
1) added will with
2) coupled with will
3) mixed with will
4) with combined will
5) No correction required

12. There is nothing so easy to learn as experience and nothing so hard to apply.
1) to learn so easy as
2) as easy to learn as
3) too easy to learn
4) so easy to learn that
5) No correction required

13. Let us never waste a minute on thinking of people we don't like.
1) to think about
2) on thinking for
3) thinking about
4) by thinking on
5) No correction required

14. Nothing in the world can take place in persistence.
1) the place in
2) the place of
3) place of
4) the place in lieu of
5) No correction required

15. Napoleon Bonaparte was short in height but gained incomparable stature to become one of the greatest generals that history could boast of.
1) but has gained
2) but had been gained
3) yet had been gained
4) yet gained
5) No correction required

Directions (Q. No. 16-20): Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it.
Certain words/ phrases are given in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions. Some scientists have engineered a form of the deadly H5N1 virus that is easily transmissible and could cause lethal human pandemics. The World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a stern warning to scientists who have engineered a highly pathogenic form of the deadly H5N1 bird
flu virus, saying their work carries significant risks and must be tightly controlled. The United Nations health body said it was "deeply concerned about the potential negative consequences" of work by two leading flu research teams who this month said they had found ways to make H5N1 into an
easily transmissible form capable of causing lethal human pandemics. The work by the teams, one in
The Netherlands and one in the United States, has already prompted an unprecedented censorship call from US security advisers, who fear that publishing details of the research could give potential attackers the know how to make a bio-terror weapon. The US National Science Advisory Board for Bio-security has asked two journals that want to publish the work to make only redacted versions of studies available, a request to which the journal editors and many leading scientists object. In its first comment on the controversy, the WHO said: "While it is clear that conducting research to gain such knowledge must continue, it is also clear that certain research and especially that which can generate more dangerous forms of the virus.. has risks." H5N1 bird flu is extremely deadly in people who are directly exposed to it from infected birds. Since the virus was first detected in 1997, about 600 people have contracted it and more than half of them have died. But so far it has not yet naturally mutated into a form that can pass easily from person to person, although many scientists fear this kind of mutation is likely to happen at some point and will constitute a major health threat if it does.
Flu researchers around the world have been working for many years, trying to figure out which mutations would give H5N1 the ability to spread easily from one person to another, while at the same time maintaining its deadly properties. The US National Institute of Health funded the two research teams to carry out research into how the virus could become more transmissible in humans, with the aim of gaining insight on how to react if the mutation occurred naturally.

16. What do you mean by "pandemic" as used in the passage?
1) Panic situation
2) A disease causing panic amongst people
3) An outbreak of a disease
4) Losses
5) None of these

17. What does the author want to point out by saying "deeply concerned about the potential negative consequences"?
1) The latest researches can be very dangerous if they fell in wrong hands.
2) The latest researches need to be done in a very preserved environment so that the general mass is not affected.
3) The deep concern is whether these kinds of researches should be carried on or not.
4) Not yet naturally mutated into a form that can pass easily from person to person.
5) All the above

18. The author has used the phrase "redacted versions". What do you mean by this phrase?
1) Very informative
2) Rightly informative
3) Censored information
4) Very elaborated information
5) None of the above

19. What is the meaning of "mutation" in the context of the passage?
1) Organic development
2) Organic synthesis
3) Biological conversion
4) A permanent change in the DNA sequence
5) None of these

20. In the passage there is repetitive reference to leading flu research teams. Where are they form?
A) WHO team 
B) USA
C) The Netherlands
1) Only A
2) Only B
3) Only C
4) B & C
5) A & C

Directions (Q. No. 21-23): Choose the word/ group of words which is MOST SIMILAR in meaning to the word/ group of words printed in BOLD as used in the passage. 

21. Lethal
1) Sluggish
2) Healthy
3) Deadly
4) Invigorating
5) Heavy

22. Significant
1) Obscure
2) Anonymous
3) Inconsequential
4) Inexplicable
5) Important

23. Potential
1) Magnetic
2) Latent
3) Excessive
4) Capability
5) Dormant

Directions (Q. No. 24-25): Choose the word/ group of words which is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning to the word/ group of words printed in BOLD as used in the passage.

24. Another
1) Else
2) Fresh
3) Added
4) Same
5) Otherwise

25. Pass
1) Move
2) Hand over
3) Reach
4) Transfer
5) Persist