Directions (Q. 1-10):
In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five words/ phrases are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word/phrase in each case and mark your answer.
Though most of us know him _____ (1) for his inventions, Thomas Alva Edison was first and _____  (2) a telegraph operator. Born humbly in Ohio, U.S.in 1847, he was the seventh _____ (3) last child of Samuel Ogden Edison. At the _____ (4) age of nineteen he moved to Kentucky, where he worked in night shifts. He was _____ (5) with a lead-acid battery when he spilled Sulfuric acid onto the floor it ran between the floorboards and onto his boss's desk below. The next morning Edison was ____ (6). He was ___ (7) about reading and experimenting. One of his mentors during those early years was a fellow telegrapher and inventor named Franklin Leonard Pope, who allowed the ____(8) youth to live and work in the basement of his home. The invention that first gained him notice was the phonograph in 1877. This ___ (9) was so unexpected by the public at large as to appear almost ___ (10).
1.    (1) except (2) best (3) hardly
    (4) greatly (5) sometimes
2.    (1) previous (2) only (3) foremost (4) above (5) lastly
3.    (1) between (2) before (3) with (4) and (5) of
4.    (1) elder (2) early (3) delicate
    (4) old (5) tough
5.    (1) set (2) establish (3) working (4) shared (5) purchase
6.    (1) fired (2) send (3) showed
    (4) followed (5) take
7.    (1) fame (2) character (3) passionate (4) defeat (5) poor
8.    (1) poverty (2) worry (3) problem (4) conflict (5) impoverished
9.    (1) accomplishment (2) well
    (3) fine (4) leading (5) excellent
10.    (1) partly (2) wisely (3) rarely
    (4) magical (5) almost
Directions (Q. 11-20):
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
The joy of discovery is a very real incentive to research, despite the rareness of its realization. It is on error to suppose that the scientist is unemotional, or could succeed if he were. The error has arisen through a misconception. The absolute necessity that a scientist's findings shall not be changed from objective truth in response to emotional urges of any kind does not result in his becoming a particularly unemotional person: whether a discoverer or anyone else is pleased with a discovery has no effect on its validity. 'I have been working like a madman at Drosera' wrote Darwin to Sir J.D. Hooker in reference to his study of insectivorous plants and a few days later, to the geologist, Lyell 'at the present moment I care more about Drosera that the origin of all the species in the world---- I am frightened and astounded at my results'. Kropotkin once wrote, 'There are not many joys in human life equal to the joy of the sudden birth of a generalization ---He who has once in this life experienced this joy of scientific creation will never forget it.'
11.    The author of the passage counters the misconception that a scientist is unemotional by pointing out that
    1)    the objectivity of a scientist cannot make emotional compromises
    2)    even such a great scientist as Darwin cared so much for Drosera
    3)    he has capacity to react to emotional appeals made by others
    4)    he considers scientific discovery equal to the joy of creation
    5)    he has no capacity to react to emotional appeals made by others
12.    In this passage the author tells us that scientific research leads one to
    1) rare discoveries
    2) success, sometimes
    3) sure success
    4) finding the objective truth
    5) funding rarity
13.    Darwin's letter to Lyell reveals to us that he
    1)    attached greater importance to his discovery of insectivorous pants than to his discovery of the origin of the species
    2)    used to get deeply involved in whatever research, big or small, he had on hand at a given point of time
    3)    was rather uncertain about his success in his research on insectivorous plants
    4)    was worried that insectivorous plants would destroy all species of insects
    5)    was sure of success
14.    The findings of scientific researchers
    1)    are universally welcome
    2)    result in robbing the researcher of all emotions
    3)    are objective in nature
    4)    have universal validity
    5)    no relation to present
15.    Kropotkin says about the unforgettable experience
    1) joy of scientific creation
    2) remember the experience
    3) sorrows of human life
    4) generalized observations
    5) astounding facts
Directions (Q. 16-18):
Choose the word which is MOST SIMILAR in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
16.    ASTOUNDED
    1) amazed    2) scared
    3) rescued    4) worked
    5) furnished
17.    JOY
    1) ecstasy    2) wander
    3) murmur    4) jump    5) leap
18.    INCENTIVE
    1) enticement    2) enjoyment
    3) overwhelm    4) spurious
    5) engulf
Directions (Q. 19-20):
Choose the word which is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning to the word printed in bold as used in the passage.
19.    OBJECTIVE
    1) purpose    2) subjective
    3) change    4) bonus
    5) increment
20.    FRIGHTENED
    1) ghastly    2) beastly
    3) horrified    4) courageous
    5) happy
Directions (Q. 21-25):
Each question below has two blanks, each blank indicating that something has been omitted. Choose the set of words from the five options for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
21.    Scientists fear that many birds ----- heading towards a unisex existence that would ----- to extinction.
    1) is… make    2) are.. making
    3) is… moving    4) are…lead
    5) were…leading
22.    Using ------ from government survey, he found ------ support for his line of reasoning.
    1) data… strong    2) date…much
    3) doubt…many
    4) dates…very    5) date…meek
23.    Science consists of ------, Art consists of ------.
    1) naming…pleading
    2) knowing…doing
    3) doing... pleasing
    4) creation…erosion
    5) evolution…inspection
24.    Technology is important but what is of great ---------- is the capturing of tacit knowledge.
    1) important    2) import
    3) improvement    4) importance
    5) importantly
25.    The ------ of the hour is to evolve measures to tackle the issue.
    1) time    2) moment    3) need    
    4) pride    5) speed
Directions (Q. 26-30):
Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical mistake/ error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. Mark the number of that part with error as your answer. If there is 'No error', mark (5) as your answer.
26.    There is a misconception (1)/that freedom means(2)/to be doing (3)/your own thing.(4)/No error (5)
27.    Shakespeare was (1)/ better than any poet(2)/of his days (3)/ acc-ording to critics. (4)/ No error (5)
28.    I ordered for a cup of tea (1)/ but the bearer (2)/brought it only (3)/ at the end of the tea-session. (4)/ No error (5)
29.    Lack of honesty(1)/ is sometimes labeled as(2)/tact public relations (3)/or politics. (4)/ No error (5)
30.    in the aftermath of the September 11th (1)/ the American president's speech was (2)/ broadcasted and televised (3)/ all over the world. (4)/ No error (5)

Directions (Q. 31-35):
Which of the phrases (1), (2), (3) and (4) given below each sentence should replace the phrase printed in bold in the sentence to make it grammatically correct? If the sentence is correct as it is given and no correction is required, mark (5) as the answer.
31.    The minister hit out at his critics and categorically denied his involvement in the scam.
    1) hit up    2) hit back
    3) hit upon    4) hit around
    5) no correction
32.    He can strike out a friendship even with complete strangers.
    1) strike up    2) strike at
    3) strike on    4) strike back
    5) no correction
33.    I prefer listening to soft music to help me wind over after a stressful day.
    1) wind up    2) wind down
    3) wind off    4) wind of
    5) no correction
34.    The scheme has fallen out due to paucity of funds.
    1) fallen through    2) fallen over
    3) fallen apart        4) fallen back
    5) no correction
35.    Over the years several extremists laid up their arms and joined the mainstream.
    1) laid out    2) laid upon
    3) laid by    4) laid down
    5) no correction

Key
1) 2;    2) 3;    3) 4;    4) 3;    5) 3;
6) 1;    7) 3;    8) 5;    9) 1;    10) 4;
11) 1;    12) 4;    13) 1;    14) 3;    15) 1;
16) 1;    17) 1;    18) 1;    19) 2;    20) 4;
21) 4;    22) 1;    23) 2;    24) 4;    25) 3;
26) 3;    27) 2;    28) 1;    29) 2;    30) 3;
31) 2;    32) 1;    33) 2;    34) 1;    35) 4.