Which of phrases given below each sentence should replace the phrase to make the grammatically correct?
Ramesh is as tall if not, taller than Mahesh.
Answer: D
It should read as tall as, if not.
The full construction is as tall as, if not taller than, Mahesh - the first comparison needs its own second as before the parenthetical clause interrupts. Dropping it leaves as tall ... than, which does not parse.
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He hesitated to listen to what his brother was saying.
Answer: B
No correction is required.
Hesitate takes the infinitive - hesitated to listen. Every alternative either reverses the two verbs or puts one in a form the construction will not take.
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We must take it granted that Madhu will not come for today’s function.
Answer: B
It should read take it for granted.
Take for granted is the fixed phrase, with for. The it is the anticipatory object standing in for the that-clause that follows.
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It was unanimously resolved that the parties should unitedly undertook launching of popular programmes.
Answer: B
It should read should unitedly undertake.
Should is a modal and takes the bare infinitive, so undertake, not undertook or undertaken. The adverb unitedly sits between the modal and the verb.
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They continued to work in the field despite of the heavy rains.
Answer: A
It should read even though it rained heavily.
Despite of is a doubling - it is either despite the rains or in spite of the rains. The keyed option replaces the phrase with a clause, which needs a subject and a finite verb: it rained heavily.
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All the allegations levelled against him were found to be baseless.
Answer: B
No correction is required.
Allegations are levelled against a person - the past participle after were, and against as the preposition. Level with means to speak frankly, which is a different idiom entirely.
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It is always better to make people realise the importance of discipline than to impose them on it.
Answer: D
It should read impose it on them.
What is imposed is the discipline, and the people are those on whom it is imposed. The original reverses them, making the people the thing imposed.
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The drama had many scenes which were so humorous that it was hardly possible to keep a straight face.
Answer: B
No correction is required.
So ... that is the correct correlative pair, and hardly possible to keep uses the infinitive properly. Two of the alternatives introduce hardly impossible, which reverses the meaning by accident.
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The orator had been left the auditorium before the audience stood up.
Answer: D
It should read had left.
The orator's leaving happened before the audience stood, so the past perfect is right - had left. Had been left is passive and says the orator was abandoned there.
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This is one of the most important inventions of this century.
Answer: C
No correction is required.
One of the most important inventions takes the plural, because of implies a group from which one is selected. All four alternatives make it singular, which breaks that construction.
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