English Language

Fill in the Blanks

13,781 Questions
All Contextual Vocabulary 2563 Prepositional Usage 2021 Tense and Aspect 1751 Determiners 1005 Phrasal Verbs 949 Confusable Vocabulary 908 Pronoun Antecedent 867 Subject-Verb Agreement 735 Collocations 654 Idiomatic Expressions 627 Conjunctions and Connectors 557 Modals 390

Fill in the Blanks Questions

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the word or set of words for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Ironically, Carver’s precision in sketching lives on the edge of despair ensures that his stories will sometimes be read too narrowly, much as Dickens’ social - reformer role once caused his broader concerns to be ___________.

  1. ignored

  2. reinforced

  3. contradicted

  4. diminished

  5. diversified
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Here, keyword is 'read too narrowly' which suggests that the stories were actually ignored and not much read.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the word or set of words for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

As painted by the constable, the scene is not one of bucolic _____; rather it shows a striking emotional and intellectual ______.

  1. intensity … boredom

  2. complacence … detachment

  3. serenity … tension

  4. vitality … excitement

  5. nostalgia … placidity
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

'Bucolic' refers to 'rural life' and the word 'serenity' fits here with it. The second option should be presenting an opposite view and the word 'tension' fits here.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the word or set of words for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Some palaeontologists debate whether the diversity of species has _________ since the Cambrian period or whether imperfections in the fossil record only suggest greater diversity today, while in actuality there has been either __________ or decreased diversity.

  1. changed … escalation

  2. increased .. stasis

  3. expanded … discontinuity

  4. declined … reduction

  5. improved … deviation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Two opposing views are presented, so word in the first blank must be opposite to "decreased" and word in the second blank must be similar to it. So, increased and stasis are the correct words.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the correct set of words to fill the blanks.

New research on technology and public policy focuses on how seemingly _____________ designs feature, generally overlooked in most analyses of public works, projects or industrial machinery, actually __________ social choices of profound significance.

  1. insignificant, mask

  2. inexpensive, produce

  3. innovative, represent

  4. ingenious, permit

  5. inopportune, hasten
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The key word is 'generally overlooked'. It signifies that the design features are not significant which leads to their being overlooked. So, 'insignificant' is the only word which fits. The second option also fits the second blank.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the correct set of words to fill in the blanks.

Even though the general’s carefully qualified public statement could hardly be ______, some people took _____ it.

  1. respected, liberties with

  2. inoffensive, umbrage at

  3. faulted, exception to

  4. credited, potshots at

  5. dismissed, interest in
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Since the statement is carefully qualified, it would be close to perfect or something which could not be faulted. Even though it was without faults, some people were not happy with it and took exception.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the word or set of words for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

As Juanita argued, this new code of conduct is laughable; its principles are either ______, offering no wisdom but the obvious, or are so devoid of specific advice as to make almost any action ______.

  1. irresolute … unlikely

  2. corroborative … redundant

  3. platitudinous … justifiable

  4. homogeneous … impartial

  5. labyrinthine … unacceptable
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

 The key words are 'offering no wisdom but the obvious'. So, platitudinous meaning commonplace fits in appropriately.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the word or set of words for each blank that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Liberty is not easy, but far better to be an ________ fox, hungry and threatened on its hill, than a __________ canary, safe and secure in its cage.

  1. unfriendly …fragile

  2. aging … young

  3. angry … content

  4. unfettered … well-fed

  5. imperious .. lethargic
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Unfettered means to be free from restraints. As the sentence talks about liberty, this fits the blank correctly. As the rest of the words with canary are positive to its well being, 'well-fed' is the appropriate option.