GENERAL GRAMMAR
Q. 1 By any method you please, distinguish the two words in each of the following pairs:
(i) Temperance, abstinence; (ii) risk, attempt; (iii) spend, lavish;
(iv) boundless, endless (v) childish, childlike (vi) genus, species.
Q. 2 Explain the meaning of each of the following expressions:
(i) to break the ice (ii) French leave, (iii) to read the riot act,
(iv) the devil’s advocate (v) a die hard, (vi) to bring to book.
Q. 3 Give the best single word to express the meaning conveyed by each of the following:-
(i) a note help the memory, (ii) sear with hot iron or caustic,
(iii) covering of canvas spread over a place to protect it from the sun,
(iv) letters of introduction carried by ambassadors in foreign countries,
(v) deduction from the price of a commodity in consideration of its being paid for promptly or in advance, (vi) nest of a bird of prey, especially eagle, that builds high up.
Q. 4 Given the meaning of any eight of the following words:-
(i) Ordinance, (ii) prorogue, (iii) iconoclast, (iv) fiasco,
(v) appraise, (vi) ostracize, (vii) vicarious, (viii) idiom
(ix) dynasty, (x) affirm, (xi) insufferable (xii) lukewarm.
Q. 5 Point out the errors in the following sentences:-
(i) His voice was unable to be heard.
(ii) Say whether you your prefer to see the play acted or to read it.
(iii) He is that clever that I should not be at all surprised to see him come out top, or near the top.
(iv) It is absurd to expect householders to build a wooden fence between of their gardens.
(v) A big salary will go to whomsoever it elected.
(vi) It I might be allowed to say so, I would not do it that way.
(b) Given the meaning of each of the following, and state, with reasons, whether you think it should be replaced by its English equivalent:
(i) Viva voce, (ii) ad lib, (iii) avoir faire, (iv) billet doux,
(v) Faux pas, (vi) nouveau riche.
Q. 6 Use each f the following words metaphorically in a separate sentence:-
(i) carpet, (ii) lip, (iii) drown, (iv) smile
(v) comb, (vi) Hinge
Q. 7 Select any six of the following phrases, and by any method you please, show that you fully understand their use and meaning;
(i) Nothing to speak of, (ii) fair game, (iii) the swing of the pendulum, (iv) to the fore,
(v)Skip over (vi) in a brown study, (vii) a broken reed, (viii) kick over the traces.
Q. 8 Select six of the following words, and for each word supply another of similar meaning;-
(i) trait, (ii) pendulous, (iii) pollute, (iv) disparage,
(v) adroit, (vi) hazardous, (vii) jeopardize,(viii) expedient (noun).
Q. 9 Select eight of the following, and replace each by a less hackneyed word or expression:-
(i) sleep the sleep of the just, (ii) conspicuous by his absence, (iii) more sinned against than sinning (iv) at the tender mercies of,
(v) iron horse, (vi) the land of Nod, (vii) filthy lucre, (viii) nasal organ, (ix) denizens of the deep, (x) tug at one’s heart strings.
Q. 10 Use each of the following adjective with a suitable noun in such a way as to bring out the full meaning of the adjective:
(i) discordant, (ii) irrevocable, (iii) legendary, (iv) authentic, (v) comprehensive,
(vi) captions, (vii) sterling, (viii) meteoric.
Q. 11 Give the word, with its meaning, that has been derived from each of the following names:-
(i) Machiavelli, (ii) Tantalus, (iii) Oporto, (iv) Mausolus, (v) Lethe, (vi) Malaprop, (vii) Spooner, (viii) Mesmer.
Q. 12 Use each of the following phrases in a separate sentence to show that you fully understand its use and meaning:-
(i) run to each (iii) at sixes and sevens, (iii) all along the line, (iv) scope for, (v) to hand fire, (vi) once and for all, (vii) matter of fact, (viii) by and by.

Q. 13 Give the plural form of each of the following words:-

(i) Proof, (ii) ox, (iii) mother-in-law, (iv) syllabus, (v) court martial, (vi) genius, (vii) lord justice, (viii) index.

Q. 14 Select eight of the following words, and give their meaning:-

(i) saturnine, (ii) desultory, (iii) mercurial, (iv) omnipotent, (vi) humane, (vi) incredulous, (vii) disconsolate, (viii) vindictive, (ix) epitome, (x) chagrin.

Q. 15 Select six of the following phrases, and use each in a separate sentence to show that you fully understand its use and meaning:-

(i) batten on, (ii) small fry, (iii) spoil for a fight, (iv) in default of, (v) set on foot, (vi) keep open house, (vii) follow the lead of, (viii) strike at the root of.

Q. 16 Given one word for each of the following expressions;-

(i) general pardon, (ii) a universal remedy, (iii) one who practices severe self discipline, (iv) the closing portion of speech, (v) glowing with heat, (vi) commonplace remark, (vii) desirous of doing evil to others, (viii) cannot be tired out.

Q. 17 By any method you please, show that each of the following words has two different meanings:-

(i) concern, (ii) scour, (iii) brief, (iv) diversion, (v) cope, (vi) quiver, (vii) down, (viii) sound.

Q. 18 Select any six of the following, and given the meaning of each:-

(i) Alma Mater, (ii) Hobson’s choice, (iii) Pyrrhic victory, (iv) unlicked cub, (v) yellow press, (vi) king’s evidence, (vii) rod in pickle, (viii) Tom Tiddler’s ground, (ix) an act of God, (x) in chancery.

Q. 19 Use the following words in a paragraph so as to bring out clearly the precise meaning of each:-

(i) Stockholder, (ii) debenture, (iii) speculative, (iv) compensatory, (v) security, (vi) assets.

Q. 20 Make clear the distinotion between the two words in each of the following pairs:-

(i) wit and humour, (ii) stolid and phlegmatic, (iii) antagonist and protagonist, (iv) invoke and provoke, (v) volume and tone, (vi) prudent and discreet.

Q. 21 Use the each of the following phrases in a separate sentence to show that you fully understand its use and meaning:-

(i) against the grain, (ii) six of one and half-a-dozen of the other, (iii) to the force, (iv) a man of parts, (v) pocket an insult, (vi) a man of straw, (vii) not yet out of the wood, (viii) in the long run.

Q. 22 Supply a noun to each of the following adjectives, and then use both in a sentence to illustrate their meaning:-

(i) mercurial, (ii) partial, (iii) inarticulate, (iv) academic, (v) premature, (vi) innocuous, (vii) pallid, (viii) ephemeral.

Q. 23 Given the meaning of any six of the following words:-

(i) expurgate, (ii) bombastic, (iii) anomalous, (iv) inept, (v) mercurial, (vi) regale, (vii) omnivorous, (viii) caustic, (ix) obloquy, (x) culpable.
Q. 24 Point out the difference in meaning between the words in each of the following pairs:-

(i) provision, prevision; (ii) acquisition, acquirement, (iii) baneful, baleful; (iv) comprehensibly, comprehensively; (v) confidant, confident; (vi) corporeal, corporate; (vii) paradigm, parody;

Q. 25 Explain what is meant by the following:-
(i) prima facie evidence, (ii) a priori argument, (iii) a la mode, (iv savoir-faire, (v) faux pas, (vi) ex cathedra, (vii) protégé, (viii) sine qua non, (ix) al fresco lunch, (x) interim.
Q. 26 Use each f the following expressions in a separate sentence to show that you fully understand its use and meaning:-

(i) rule of thumb, (ii) follow a will o’ the wisp, (iii) bell the cat, (iv) to show the cloven hood, (v) the writing is on the wall,
(vi) wild-cat scheme.
Q. 27 Explain the force of the italicized prefixes and suffixes in the following words:-
(i) pantheism, (ii) aristocracy, (iii) protagonist, (iv) tripod, (v) retrospection, (vi) changeling, (vii) perimeter, (viii) byproduct, (ix) picturesque, (x) ambidextrous.
Q. 28 Explain the meaning of each of the following expressions;-
(i) Gilbertian situation, (ii) Utopian scheme (iii) Gargantuan feast, (iv) Homeric laughter, (v) Rabelaisian, humour, (vi) Machiavellian policy, (vii) Atlantean shoulders, (viii) Herculean task.
Q. 29 Select six of the following words, and give the meaning of each:-
(i) diffidence (ii) stigma, (iii) induce, (iv) vestige, (v) regale, (v) inveterate, (vii) suave, (viii) adage.

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