CAT 2025 Lesson : Fill in the Blanks - Other Strategies

The sentences below contain blank spaces, each indicating an omitted word or phrase. Beneath the sentence are four sets of words. Choose the set that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

I somehow summoned the nerve to knock on his office door to ask if he might consider teaching an unofficial course in which he would meet once a week with undergraduates like us to answer questions about anything we might ask. The whole thing would be informal - no homework, no tests, no grades, and no course credit. I knew he was a/an ______________ with no patience for bureaucracy, and was hoping the__________ of structure would appeal to him.

(1) iconoclast, lack
(2) sceptic, mention
(3) maverick, arrear
(4) innovator, expression

Solution

We can solve this question by understanding its message. The author is requesting someone (possibly a professor) to hold an informal class once a week.

Based on this logic, we can easily infer that lack is the only choice suitable for the second blank. The only option similar in meaning is arrear, which is not grammatically suitable (typically arrear is used in plural).

Mention and expression do not convey the informal structure, and can be eliminated.

Iconoclast means a person who attacks or criticizes cherished beliefs or institutions. As such a person would have no patience with bureaucracy and would like the lack of structure being proposed.

Sceptic (meaning a person inclined to question or doubt accepted opinions) is similar in meaning.
Maverick (meaning an unorthodox or independent-minded person) is also suitable. However, we have already eliminated options (2) and (3).

Innovator can also be eliminated using the same reasoning. Therefore, option (1) is the correct choice.

Answer: (1) iconoclast, lack

The question below contains a blank space. Beneath the sentence are four words. Choose the word that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.
[FMS 2010]

New concerns about growing religious tension in Northern India were ________________ this week after at least fifty people were killed and hundreds injured or arrested in rioting between Hindus and Muslims.

(1) invalidated            (2) restrained            (3) fuelled            (4) lessened           

Solution

This question can be solved in two ways – we can either select fuelled outright if we know its idiomatic reference (meaning boosted, increased or stimulated).

We can also use logic to solve this. Fuelled is the only word which implies that the concerns are increasing. All the other options are reducing or nullifying – invalidated means nullified, whereas restrained and lessened both mean reduced. Since people were killed and injured, we can infer that the concerns of religious tension will increase and not decrease. Therefore, we can eliminate options (1), (2) and (4).

Answer: (3) fuelled

Read the following paragraph and choose the correct alternative for the blanks:

An estimated 120 million cars will be equipped with voice-recognition systems next year. Within five years, the vast majority of new vehicles will have some form of voice recognition. That means more drivers will have access to technology that alerts them to a sale at a nearby store — via an audio __________ or an on-screen prompt — or ensures that their latte is ready when they swing by their local Starbucks. But manufacturers, marketers, and businesses may gain even more. Once artificial intelligence becomes better at understanding and __________ speech across a range of __________, accents, and colloquialisms, cars will be able to __________ even deeper insight into drivers’ behaviour and share that information with other companies.

(1) cue, interpreting, dialects, glean
(2) prompt, translating, languages, extract
(3) reminder, explaining, tones, draw
(4) signal, comprehending, voices, derive

Solution

In this paragraph, the author is talking about voice-recognition systems in cars, and how these will benefit customers as well as manufacturers, marketers, and businesses. Let us consider the blanks.

The first blank is describing a prompt through audio or on-screen. We can infer that the word filling in the blank should be similar in meaning to prompt. Therefore we can select either cue (meaning signal, prompt) or signal for this blank. Prompt itself is not suitable, because it would then be repeated – the correct usage would have been via an audio or on-screen prompt. Similarly, reminder is not preferable, as the system is informing drivers about a sale at a nearby store, not reminding them.

The second blank is about understanding speech – therefore, we can select from interpreting and comprehending. The voice-recognition program may not translate or explain speech, it only needs to act on the speech after understanding it. Therefore, we can eliminate options (2) and (3), since these words are not suitable for the first two blanks.

For the third blank, we can see that the author is trying to describe people talking differently – meaning the same thing but using different accents or words (colloquialism means using colloquial or informal language). Therefore, dialects (meaning form of language endemic to a particular group or region) is more suitable than voices for this blank. Dialect is similar in class to accents, and more suitable logically.

The fourth blank can be suitably filled with glean (meaning obtain information from different sources). Thus, option (1) is the correct choice.

Answer: (1) cue, interpreting, dialects, glean

The question below contains a blank space. Beneath the sentence are four words. Choose the word that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

It is one of those gratuitous incidents without__________ or reason; it is entirely odd and there is no reason why it should be funny.

(1) cause            (2) rhyme            (3) logic            (4) emotion           

Solution

As we have learnt, no rhyme or reason means no reasonable explanation, and therefore, we can immediately select option (2) as the correct choice.

Logic is also a suitable option for this blank, but rhyme is more suitable as it is a commonly used phrase.

Answer: (2) rhyme

The question below contains a blank space. Beneath the sentence are four words. Choose the word that best fits the meaning of the sentence as a whole.

Workplace bullying and harassment has many guises. Sometimes, it is gendered. Sometimes it is racist. For women of colour, it’s often both. We have no idea of the trials and ___________ that many employees face.

(1) disadvantage
(2) issues
(3) tribulations
(4) harassment

Solution

Trials and tribulations is a commonly used expression, which means difficult experiences, problems. Therefore, option (3) should be the correct choice.

All the other words are suitable in meaning for the blank, and we need to know this usage to get the correct answer.

Answer: (3) tribulations