Cloze Test Advance
Master advanced Cloze Tests with complex vocabulary and tricky contexts.
Advance Practice Sets
Directions: In the following passages there are blanks, each of which has been denoted by letters. For each blank, three words are suggested. Following the words, five options are given. Choose the most appropriate set of words from the options that fits the blank appropriately.
Cloze Test - 1
Passage:
India's food processing industry has long been regarded as an area of (A) potential, given the country's abundant agricultural output and its large, aspirational middle class. Yet the sector has historically (B) far below its capacity, weighed down by inadequate cold chain infrastructure, fragmented supply chains, and a lack of (C) investment in processing technology. Recent years, however, have seen a (D) in policy attention toward the sector. The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for food processing was introduced to attract domestic and foreign investment, and several global food companies have since announced plans to set up manufacturing facilities in India. Proponents argue that a robust processing industry would not only add value to farm produce but also (E) post-harvest losses, which currently devour a significant share of the country's agricultural output every year.
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Advance Practice Sets
Directions: In the following passages there are blanks, each of which has been denoted by letters. For each blank, three words are suggested. Following the words, five options are given. Choose the most appropriate set of words from the options that fits the blank appropriately.
Cloze Test - 1
Passage:
India's food processing industry has long been regarded as an area of (A) potential, given the country's abundant agricultural output and its large, aspirational middle class. Yet the sector has historically (B) far below its capacity, weighed down by inadequate cold chain infrastructure, fragmented supply chains, and a lack of (C) investment in processing technology. Recent years, however, have seen a (D) in policy attention toward the sector. The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for food processing was introduced to attract domestic and foreign investment, and several global food companies have since announced plans to set up manufacturing facilities in India. Proponents argue that a robust processing industry would not only add value to farm produce but also (E) post-harvest losses, which currently devour a significant share of the country's agricultural output every year.
(A)
- Untapped
- Dormant
- Squandered
(a) Only 1 (b) Both 1 and 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 3
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (b) Both 1 and 2**The blank describes "potential" — it must be a word suggesting the potential exists but has not been used.
- Untapped: Not yet exploited or used — fits "potential" perfectly.
- Dormant: Temporarily inactive but capable of becoming active — also fits undeveloped potential.
- Squandered: Wasted carelessly — implies the potential existed and was already thrown away, which is too negative and too specific for this context.
(B)
- Operated
- Performed
- Functioned
(a) Only 1 (b) Both 1 and 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 2
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (d) All 1, 2 and 3**The blank needs a verb meaning "worked at a level." All three — operated, performed, functioned — can be used with "below its capacity."
- Operated below capacity — standard industrial/economic phrase.
- Performed below capacity — natural in business writing.
- Functioned below capacity — grammatically and contextually valid.
(C)
- Commensurate
- Adequate
- Disproportionate
(a) Both 1 and 2 (b) Only 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 2**The blank requires a word meaning "sufficient or matching the need."
- Commensurate: Proportionate or appropriate to something — "commensurate investment" fits.
- Adequate: Sufficient for the purpose — "adequate investment" is natural.
- Disproportionate: Out of proportion — this would mean investment was too much or too little in a skewed sense, which doesn't fit the "lack of" framing neatly.
(D)
- Resurgence
- Surge
- Shift
(a) Only 3 (b) Both 1 and 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (d) All 1, 2 and 3**The blank describes a change or increase in policy attention.
- Resurgence: A revival after a period of low activity — fits the turnaround described.
- Surge: A sudden strong increase — fits "recent years have seen a surge."
- Shift: A change in direction — "a shift in policy attention" is a standard phrase.
All three convey the positive change in policy focus mentioned.
(E)
- Mitigate
- Curtail
- Exacerbate
(a) Both 1 and 2 (b) Only 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 2**The blank must carry a positive meaning — reducing post-harvest losses is the benefit.
- Mitigate: Reduce the severity of — "mitigate post-harvest losses" is a common policy phrase.
- Curtail: Sharply reduce — "curtail losses" is also correct.
- Exacerbate: Make worse — this is the opposite of what the passage argues.
Cloze Test - 2
Passage:
The cooperative credit system in India represents a unique model of financial (A), where farmers pool their resources and collectively access credit at rates more (B) than those charged by commercial banks or informal lenders. At the apex of this structure sits NABARD, which provides (C) finance to state cooperative banks, which in turn lend to district and primary agricultural credit societies. Despite its reach — the cooperative network touches millions of rural households — the system has been (D) by issues of poor governance, political interference, and high levels of non-performing assets. Many cooperative banks are saddled with legacy loans that have never been repaid, eating into their capacity to lend afresh. Reformers argue that (E) auditing, stricter governance norms, and the infusion of professional management are essential to (F) the cooperative credit system as a meaningful vehicle for rural financial inclusion.
(A)
- Intermediation
- Exploitation
- Cooperation
(a) Both 1 and 2 (b) Only 1 (c) Both 1 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 3
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (c) Both 1 and 3**The blank describes the nature of the cooperative model.
- Intermediation: The process of acting as a go-between for financial transactions — technically precise.
- Cooperation: Working together — "financial cooperation" captures the essence of cooperatives.
- Exploitation: Taking unfair advantage — clearly negative and wrong for this context.
(B)
- Exorbitant
- Concessional
- Favourable
(a) Only 1 (b) Both 1 and 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 3
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (c) Both 2 and 3**Farmers access credit "more ___ than commercial banks" — the blank must indicate lower/better rates.
- Concessional: At a reduced or special rate — "concessional rates" is standard in cooperative credit writing.
- Favourable: Beneficial, advantageous — "more favourable rates" fits perfectly.
- Exorbitant: Unreasonably high — this is the opposite of what cooperatives offer.
(C)
- Refinance
- Wholesale
- Retail
(a) Only 3 (b) Both 1 and 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (b) Both 1 and 2**NABARD's role in the cooperative structure is to provide bulk funding to state-level banks.
- Refinance: Providing funds to banks so they can lend further — NABARD's official function.
- Wholesale: Bulk lending to institutions rather than individuals — also accurate.
- Retail: Direct lending to individual customers — NABARD does not do this with state cooperative banks.
(D)
- Plagued
- Hampered
- Strengthened
(a) Both 1 and 2 (b) Only 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 2**The passage lists governance problems — the blank must indicate the system has been negatively affected.
- Plagued: Persistently troubled by problems — "plagued by poor governance" is a natural phrase.
- Hampered: Hindered or made difficult — "hampered by issues" also fits.
- Strengthened: Made stronger — completely contradicts the list of problems.
(E)
- Rigorous
- Lenient
- Independent
(a) Both 1 and 3 (b) Only 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 3**"Auditing" in the context of fixing governance problems must be described positively as strict or unbiased.
- Rigorous: Thorough and strict — "rigorous auditing" is the ideal for reform.
- Independent: Not controlled by interested parties — "independent auditing" prevents political interference.
- Lenient: Not strict — this is the opposite of what is needed to fix the problems.
(F)
- Revitalise
- Dismantle
- Rehabilitate
(a) Both 1 and 3 (b) Only 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 3**The sentence talks about making the cooperative system work better again.
- Revitalise: Give new life or energy to — "revitalise the cooperative credit system" is exactly right.
- Rehabilitate: Restore to former effectiveness — also fits a system that has deteriorated.
- Dismantle: Take apart or abolish — the opposite of what reformers want.
Cloze Test - 3
Passage:
Climate change is increasingly (A) the patterns of the Indian monsoon, a weather system upon which hundreds of millions of farmers depend for their (B). Scientists have documented a worrying trend: while total annual rainfall has remained broadly stable, its distribution has become far more (C), with heavy downpours concentrated in shorter periods and longer dry spells in between. This (D) of rainfall has devastating consequences for rain-fed agriculture, which accounts for more than half of India's cultivated area. Crops that are timed according to traditional sowing calendars often face either waterlogging or prolonged drought within the same growing season. (E), the warming of sea surface temperatures in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal is altering the intensity and track of cyclones, threatening coastal agricultural regions. Policymakers stress that building climate (F) into agricultural planning — through drought-tolerant seed varieties, improved irrigation, and crop insurance — is no longer optional but essential.
(A)
- Disrupting
- Stabilising
- Altering
(a) Only 2 (b) Both 1 and 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (b) Both 1 and 3**The passage describes negative changes to the monsoon.
- Disrupting: Causing disorder or irregularity — fits the thesis of changing monsoon patterns.
- Altering: Changing — "altering the patterns" is also correct.
- Stabilising: Making more stable — completely contradicts the passage's argument about increasing unpredictability.
(B)
- Livelihood
- Subsistence
- Recreation
(a) Only 3 (b) Both 1 and 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (b) Both 1 and 2**Farmers depend on the monsoon for their income and survival — not recreation.
- Livelihood: The means of earning a living — "farmers depend on monsoon for their livelihood" is natural.
- Subsistence: Maintaining bare survival — "subsistence farming" and "subsistence" both fit small farmers.
- Recreation: Leisure or entertainment — farmers do not depend on monsoon for recreation.
(C)
- Erratic
- Predictable
- Irregular
(a) Both 1 and 3 (b) Only 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 3**The passage describes heavy rain in short bursts and long dry spells — clearly unpredictable distribution.
- Erratic: Unpredictably irregular — "erratic rainfall distribution" is a commonly used phrase.
- Irregular: Not regular or consistent — also fits the pattern described.
- Predictable: Can be foreseen — this is the opposite of what the passage describes.
(D)
- Unpredictability
- Variability
- Consistency
(a) Only 3 (b) Both 1 and 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (b) Both 1 and 2**The blank refers to the problem of rainfall patterns — a negative word is needed.
- Unpredictability: Inability to be forecast reliably — "unpredictability of rainfall" is correct.
- Variability: The fact of being subject to variation — "variability of rainfall" is a standard scientific term.
- Consistency: The quality of always behaving the same — this would be a positive trait, contradicting the passage.
(E)
- Furthermore
- Additionally
- Conversely
(a) Only 3 (b) Both 1 and 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (b) Both 1 and 2**The sentence adds another climate threat — the connector must signal addition, not contrast.
- Furthermore: In addition; used to introduce a further point — correct.
- Additionally: As an extra point — also correct.
- Conversely: Introducing a contrasting point — the second fact (sea temperature) is not a contrast but an additional threat.
(F)
- Resilience
- Fragility
- Adaptability
(a) Both 1 and 3 (b) Only 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 3**"Building climate ___ into agricultural planning" requires a word meaning the ability to cope with climate stress.
- Resilience: The capacity to recover from difficulties — "climate resilience" is a key policy phrase.
- Adaptability: The ability to adjust to new conditions — "climate adaptability" also works.
- Fragility: Weakness or vulnerability — building fragility into planning is the opposite of what policymakers want.
Cloze Test - 4
Passage:
Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have emerged as one of the most (A) tools for rural women's empowerment in India. These informal collectives — typically comprising 10 to 20 women from the same village — pool their savings regularly and use the (B) corpus to provide small loans to members for income-generating activities. The NABARD-promoted SHG-Bank Linkage Programme has helped (C) these groups into the formal financial system, giving millions of rural women their first access to bank credit. Beyond finance, SHGs serve as platforms for collective bargaining, social awareness, and (D) against domestic violence and child marriage. Research consistently shows that women who participate in SHGs gain (E) decision-making power within their households and are more likely to invest in their children's education and health. Critics, however, caution that the potential of SHGs can be (F) when groups are captured by local elites or when the quality of facilitation by NGOs and government agencies is poor.
(A)
- Potent
- Effective
- Superficial
(a) Both 1 and 2 (b) Only 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 2**SHGs are described positively — the blank must carry a positive meaning.
- Potent: Having great power or influence — "potent tools for empowerment" fits.
- Effective: Producing intended results — also fits the positive description.
- Superficial: Lacking depth; not thorough — this would undermine the passage's argument.
(B)
- Accumulated
- Disbursed
- Collective
(a) Only 2 (b) Both 1 and 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (b) Both 1 and 3**The blank describes the savings pool used to provide loans.
- Accumulated: Built up over time through regular contributions — "accumulated corpus" is precise.
- Collective: Belonging to all members — "collective corpus" captures the shared nature.
- Disbursed: Already paid out — if the corpus has been disbursed, it cannot be used for lending.
(C)
- Integrate
- Link
- Disconnect
(a) Both 1 and 2 (b) Only 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 2**The SHG-Bank Linkage Programme's purpose is to connect SHGs to the banking system.
- Integrate: Combine into a whole — "integrate into the formal financial system" is correct.
- Link: Connect — the programme's name literally contains "Linkage," making this apt.
- Disconnect: Separate — completely contradicts the programme's purpose.
(D)
- Advocacy
- Resistance
- Acceptance
(a) Only 3 (b) Both 1 and 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (b) Both 1 and 2**SHGs are described as platforms for opposing harmful social practices.
- Advocacy: Active campaigning for change — "advocacy against domestic violence" is natural.
- Resistance: Opposition to something — "resistance against domestic violence" also fits.
- Acceptance: Willingness to tolerate — accepting domestic violence is the opposite of the group's purpose.
(E)
- Enhanced
- Diminished
- Greater
(a) Both 1 and 3 (b) Only 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 3**The passage presents SHG participation as empowering — decision-making power increases.
- Enhanced: Improved or increased — "enhanced decision-making power" is a standard phrase.
- Greater: More significant — "greater decision-making power" fits the positive outcome.
- Diminished: Reduced or weakened — this is the opposite of empowerment.
(F)
- Undermined
- Amplified
- Squandered
(a) Both 1 and 3 (b) Only 2 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 3**The critics warn that SHG potential can be lost under poor conditions.
- Undermined: Gradually weakened or made less effective — "potential can be undermined" is natural.
- Squandered: Wasted carelessly — "potential can be squandered" also fits when elite capture occurs.
- Amplified: Made greater — this would be a benefit, not a risk as the critics describe.
Cloze Test - 5
Passage:
India's nitrogen cycle has come under considerable (A) from environmental scientists and agricultural experts who argue that the country's heavy reliance on urea fertilisers is causing widespread ecological damage. Unlike other nutrients, nitrogen applied to fields is not fully (B) by crops — a large fraction leaches into groundwater, (C) into the atmosphere as nitrous oxide (a potent greenhouse gas), or runs off into water bodies, causing algal blooms and aquatic dead zones. India's fertiliser policy has historically (D) urea use by keeping its price heavily subsidised, creating a perverse incentive for farmers to apply far more than agronomically required. Improving nitrogen use efficiency is therefore both an environmental and an economic (E). Agronomists recommend site-specific nutrient management, the use of coated or slow-release fertilisers, and soil health testing to help farmers apply (F) the right quantity of nitrogen at the right growth stage.
(A)
- Scrutiny
- Acclaim
- Attention
(a) Only 2 (b) Both 1 and 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (b) Both 1 and 3**The blank introduces the concern raised by scientists — the word must suggest critical examination.
- Scrutiny: Close critical observation — "come under scrutiny" is a standard phrase.
- Attention: Notice directed at something — "come under attention" is also valid in this context.
- Acclaim: Enthusiastic praise — the scientists are raising concerns, not praising nitrogen use.
(B)
- Absorbed
- Assimilated
- Released
(a) Both 1 and 2 (b) Only 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 2**The blank describes how crops take up nitrogen — a biological uptake process.
- Absorbed: Taken in through natural processes — "absorbed by crops" is correct.
- Assimilated: Incorporated into the body or system — "assimilated by crops" also works.
- Released: Let out or discharged — nitrogen being released by crops would mean the opposite.
(C)
- Volatilises
- Escapes
- Condenses
(a) Both 1 and 2 (b) Only 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 2**The blank describes nitrogen moving into the atmosphere as a gas.
- Volatilises: Evaporates or turns into gas — "volatilises into the atmosphere" is the agronomic term.
- Escapes: Breaks free and moves away — "escapes into the atmosphere" is also natural.
- Condenses: Changes from gas to liquid — this is the opposite direction (atmosphere → liquid).
(D)
- Incentivised
- Encouraged
- Discouraged
(a) Both 1 and 2 (b) Only 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 2**Heavy subsidies create incentives to use urea — the policy encouraged its use.
- Incentivised: Created an incentive for — "incentivised urea use" is direct and precise.
- Encouraged: Supported or promoted — "encouraged urea use" also fits.
- Discouraged: Made less likely or attractive — the opposite of what subsidies do.
(E)
- Imperative
- Challenge
- Luxury
(a) Both 1 and 2 (b) Only 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 2**The blank characterises the importance of improving nitrogen efficiency.
- Imperative: An essential requirement — "both an environmental and economic imperative" is strong and appropriate.
- Challenge: A difficult problem requiring effort — "both an environmental and economic challenge" also fits.
- Luxury: Something non-essential — the passage says this improvement is needed urgently, making "luxury" wrong.
(F)
- Precisely
- Accurately
- Excessively
(a) Both 1 and 2 (b) Only 3 (c) Both 2 and 3 (d) All 1, 2 and 3 (e) Only 1
Answer & Explanation
**Answer: (a) Both 1 and 2**The purpose of soil testing is to apply the exact right amount — the adverb must mean "in the correct amount."
- Precisely: Exactly and accurately — "apply precisely the right quantity" is natural.
- Accurately: Correctly and without error — "apply accurately the right quantity" also fits.
- Excessively: More than is necessary or appropriate — this is the problem being solved, not the solution.
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