ENGLISH PRACTICE SET 03

Amid the on-going India-China border tension, a Parliamentary Standing Committee report on Sino-India relations post the Doklam __________(1)_ – prepared after border visits, intense discussions and testimonies from top officials of the external affairs and defense ministries –_________(2)_ significance as it is the only detailed report on the border issue that has been made available to the public. ___________(3)_ by the Shashi Tharoor-led Standing Committee on External Affairs, the report on Sino-India relations including Doklam, the border situation and cooperation in international organizations, had _____________(4)_ the government that it needed to have “healthy skepticism” while dealing with China. The report was ___________(5)_ after following “tough questions and frank assessment”, Tharoor said in a tweet on Friday.

1.(a) drop-off

   (b) lay-off

   (c) stand-off

   (d) back-off

2.(a) assume

   (b) assumes

   (c) assumed 

   (d) assuming 

3.(a) Capitulate

   (b) Capitulated

   (c) Submit

   (d) Submitted

4.(a) abandoned 

   (b) cautioned 

   (c) functioned

   (d) imagined 

5.(a) prepare

   (b) prepares

   (c) prepared

   (d) preparing

Answers

1.(c) stand-off

drop-off - fall asleep easily, especially without intending to

lay-off - give up or stop doing something

stand-off - to defend against someone or something

back-off - to stop threatening, criticizing, or annoying someone

We are talking about border tension and report on Sino-india relations and that must be the post Doklam 'stand-off'.

Hence, 'stand-off' must be chosen.

2.(b) assumes - In simple present tense, we take s/es with singular nouns.

Here, we are talking about a report, which is singular in nature.

Hence, "assumes" is correct option.

3.(d) Submitted 

Capitulate - cease to resist an opponent or an unwelcome demand; yield

Submit - accept or yield to a superior force or to the authority or will of another person

The report must have been submitted not capitulated.

Also, in past tense, second form of verb is used.

Hence, "Submitted" must be chosen.

4.(b) cautioned

abandoned - ceased to support or looked after (someone); desert

cautioned - care taken to avoid danger or mistakes

functioned - worked or operated in a proper or particular way

imagined - formed a mental image or concept of

According to context, the government must have been cautioned not imagined, functioned or abandoned.

Hence, "cautioned" is the correct option.

5.(c) prepared - in passive form, third form of verb is used.

Hence, "prepared" is the correct option.