English Test - 2

The correct answer is 'abundance'.

Key Points

• 'Dearth' is a noun used to define scarcity or lack of something.
• The best antonym for 'dearth' is 'abundance', which implies a large quantity of something.
• Therefore, 'abundance' correctly opposes the meaning of scarcity expressed by 'dearth'.
• Other options such as 'breadth', 'living', 'smartness' don't work as antonyms for 'dearth'.

Conclusion: Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1 (abundance).

Additional Information

• 'Breadth': the measure of the second-largest dimension of a plane or solid figure; width.
• 'Living': the pursuit of a lifestyle.
• 'Smartness': the quality or state of being smart or elegant in manners or dress.

The correct answer is "the first to arrive".

Key Points

• The phrase "early birds" typically refers to people who arrive somewhere or do something before the expected or usual time.
• It is often associated with the idea of gaining an advantage by doing something ahead of others - a concept encapsulated in the idiomatic saying "the early bird catches the worm."
  • For Example - They were always the early birds during our college days, reaching the library to secure the best seats for studying.

Therefore, the correct answer is "Option 3".

The correct answer is 'No substitution'.

Key Points

• The sentence is grammatically and contextually correct and does not require any substitution.
• It uses a correct subject-verb agreement. The singular subject "It" is accompanied by the singular verb "was".
• The noun phrase "his partner’s behaviour" acts as the direct object of the infinitive verb "to bear".
• The expression "to bear with" means to have patience with or endure someone or something that is challenging or frustrating.
  • Example  - "After a long and tiring day, it was difficult for the teacher to bear with the unruly behavior of her students."
• In this context, it fits perfectly because it describes the difficulty the person is having in tolerating his partner's behavior.
• The other three options either do not fit contextually or have completely different meaning.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 3.

Additional Information 

• "To bank on" means to rely or depend on something or someone.
• "To bear out" means to confirm or substantiate something.
• "To bail out" generally means to rescue someone from a problem or difficulty.

The erroneous part of the sentence is: you will be playing 

Key Points

• The error lies in the use of the future continuous tense ("will be playing") in this context. It doesn't make sense to use the future continuous tense when specifying a duration of time.
• We use the future perfect tense ("will have been playing") to indicate an action that will start in the future (tomorrow) and continue up to a specific point in the future.
• This tense is appropriate because it aligns with the timeframe mentioned in the sentence.
• The original sentence attempted to convey the idea of playing the violin for a specified duration (48 hours). However, using the future continuous tense ("will be playing") in this context would imply an ongoing action without specifying the duration.
• The corrected sentence, "By this time tomorrow, you will have been playing the violin for 48 hours," is grammatically accurate and conveys a specific sense of time and duration.

Therefore, the correct answer is option 1.

The correct answer is 'The crowds said to the band, "Unbelievable! You have delivered an extraordinary performance​."

Key Points

• The reported speech is in the past perfect tense ('they had delivered').
  • It refers to an action fully completed before another past time. As this action has taken place and ended in the past, it is expressed in the present perfect tense while converting back to direct speech ('You have delivered').
• Rule: Past Perfect (Subject + had + V3 + Object) is converted into Present Perfect (Subject + have/has + V3 + Object) 
• The reported speech statement uses 'stating.' Indicating that the crowd was not just cheering but also expressing their opinion about the band's performance.
• Hence, an expression of exclamation ('Unbelievable!') is added, expressing the cheering nature of the crowd in a more direct and emphatic way in the direct conversion.
• 'Extraordinary performance' remains the same in both reported and direct speech. It refers to the high-quality performance by the band, remarked by the audience. The adjective 'extraordinary' adds emphasis to the remarkably high-quality nature of the performance, which the spectators felt compelled to comment on.
• The subject of the sentence, the crowd, becomes the speaker and directly addresses the band. This communicates the immediate and direct engagement between the crowd and the band in the direct speech, thereby making the sentence more engaging and personal ('The crowds said to the band').
• 'they' will be changed into 'you'.

Therefore, the correct answer is Option 1.

The correct answer is "Mark said that he would go to the gym."

Key Points

• The sentence is in direct speech, future simple ("I will go to the gym").
• In indirect speech, "will" is typically shifted to "would".
• ."I will go" shifts to "he would go".
• The correct sentence is: "Mark said that he would go to the gym."
• It keeps the correct subject 'he' (referencing 'I' in the original sentence).

Therefore, the correct answer is option 1.

Additional Information

Let's consider other options:

• Mark said that he will go to the gym. This option maintains the future simple tense, which is incorrect when shifting to indirect speech in this context.
• Mark said that he go to the gym. This option is grammatically incorrect as it lacks the auxiliary verb ‘will’.
• Mark said that I would go to the gym. This option changes the primary subject 'I' to 'he', which is incorrect.

The correct answer is 'He gave up his seat instantly to a lame old man'.

Key Points

• According to the passage, the boy letting go of his seat for an elderly man shows that he is courteous.
• Caring for the elderly is an admirable quality.
• The gentleman gets very impressed by this act of the boy and decides to hire him.

The correct answer is 'To get an assistant for the gentleman in his office'.

Key Points

• The gentleman posted an advertisement to hire an assistant in his office.
• He found a suitable match in a polite and courteous boy.
• The gentleman was impressed by the boy's qualities and decided to hire him.

The correct answer is 'Importance of good grooming and manners'.

Key Points

• The passage talks about this well-groomed and well-mannered boy who gets the job for his good qualities.
• The gentleman is impressed by his courteousness and tidy demeanor.

The correct answer is "Many applied for the post".

Key Points

• In order to discover the right response, we must first carefully study the passage.
• The commencing line of this passage "A gentleman once advertised for a boy to assist him in his office, and many applied" clearly states that many applied for the job advertised by the gentleman.
• Therefore, the statement which is true is: Many applied for the post

Additional Information

• The paragraph describes a well-mannered and well-groomed child who is hired due to his positive traits.
• His politeness and neat appearance impress the gentleman.
• This passage is teaching us the importance of good grooming and manners.