NDA (II) 2016 General Ability Test · Question 29 of 150

Correct — D, dynamic. The clause 'and will take us forward' is an approving prediction, so the adjective joined to it by 'and' must also be approving, and 'dynamic' — full of energy, drive and new ideas — is the only option that praises rather than criticises.

• (a)haughty — 'Haughty' means arrogantly proud and looking down on others, a fault rather than a qualification, so it pulls against the confidence of the second half.
• (b)intoxicated — 'Intoxicated' means drunk, or carried away past good sense, which is not a reason to expect a leader to take anyone forward.
• (c)fanciful — 'Fanciful' describes someone given to unrealistic notions, and an unrealistic leader is the opposite of one who can be relied on to make progress.

A word-choice item in which the tone of the second clause, not its literal content, fixes the adjective.

The word 'and' is the whole clue. It joins the blank to a promise of progress, so whatever fills the blank has to point the same way. Three options carry a negative charge and can be struck out together the moment a candidate asks whether the sentence is praising the leader or complaining about him.

• 'Dynamic' comes from Greek dunamis, power, and is used of people to mean energetic and forceful in bringing change.
• 'Haughty' and 'arrogant' both describe overbearing pride; 'haughty' stresses the looking-down, 'arrogant' the claiming of more than one's due.

• Reading the blank in isolation and choosing a vivid adjective whose charge clashes with the rest of the sentence.

Asked as a fill-the-blank item where one linking word decides whether the adjective must praise or criticise.

No directly related past PYQ was found.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Choose the word that best fills the blank — She is a ________ officer and has already turned the department round.

  • (a)diffident
  • (b)resourceful
  • (c)querulous
  • (d)indolent

  Answer(b) resourceful — 'and has already turned the department round' calls for an approving word.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Choose the word that best fills the blank — He is a ________ man and no one in the office dares to disagree with him.

  • (a)genial
  • (b)modest
  • (c)domineering
  • (d)obliging

  Answer(c) domineering — the second clause reports fear, so the adjective must be a fault.