NDA (II) 2016 General Ability Test · Question 41 of 150

Correct — A, because. Two complete clauses are sitting side by side and need a conjunction between them; 'because' is the one that also states the true relation, since wanting money one does not have is precisely the reason a person applies for a loan.

• (b)even if — 'Even if' makes the second clause a supposition that would not have stopped him, which contradicts the plain past 'he didn’t have' and turns the natural cause of the loan into an obstacle to it.
• (c)requiring — 'Requiring' is a participle, not a linking word, so it cannot be followed by the finite clause 'he didn’t have sufficient resources'.
• (d)NO IMPROVEMENT — 'Also' is an adverb of addition and has no power to join two clauses; the sentence as printed simply runs one clause into another.

Only a conjunction can join two finite clauses, and the conjunction chosen must also name the right relation between them.

This item asks two questions in sequence. The first is structural — is the word between the clauses able to join them at all, which removes 'also' and 'requiring'. The second is about sense — of the two conjunctions left, one gives the reason and one grants a concession, and only the reason fits a man asking for a loan because he is short of funds.

• 'Also', 'besides', 'moreover' and 'however' are adverbs; they add or contrast, but they do not join clauses.
• 'Because', 'since' and 'as' introduce reasons, while 'even if' and 'even though' introduce concessions.

• Using 'also' or 'however' to stitch two clauses together.
• Choosing a conjunction that is grammatical but reverses the logic of the sentence.

Asked as a sentence-improvement item where an adverb has been put in a conjunction's slot and the options test both structure and sense.

No directly related past PYQ was found.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which option best improves the underlined part — She stayed at home <u>also</u> the roads were flooded.

  • (a)since
  • (b)besides
  • (c)moreover
  • (d)No improvement

  Answer(a) since — only a conjunction can join the two clauses, and the second gives the reason.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which option best improves the underlined part — He signed the contract <u>however</u> he had not read it.

  • (a)although
  • (b)also
  • (c)therefore
  • (d)No improvement

  Answer(a) although — a conjunction is needed, and the second clause concedes rather than explains.