NDA (II) 2022 General Ability Test · Question 20 of 150

Correct — C, expel. To excommunicate is to cut a person off formally from membership of a church, and of these four words only 'expel', meaning to force someone out of a body they belonged to, carries that idea.

• (a)admit — 'Admit' lets a person in, while excommunication does the reverse by putting an existing member out.
• (b)reward — Excommunication is a punishment for conduct the church condemns, not a reward for it.
• (d)promote — 'Promote' raises a person's standing inside the body, whereas excommunication severs the tie altogether.

'Excommunicate' is a term of church discipline, built from the Latin ex- meaning out of and communio meaning fellowship, so it means to put out of communion.

The prefix ex- fixes the direction and is the fastest route in. Three of the options move the man towards the church or up within it, and only one moves him out. The phrase 'for his actions' confirms that a penalty is meant.

• The prefix ex- means out of, as in exclude, exile and expel.
• Excommunication removes a person from the sacraments and the fellowship of a church.

• Guessing from the religious setting alone and choosing a word about status rather than about removal.
• Ignoring the prefix, which already tells you the direction of the action.

Asked as a vocabulary item — choose the word closest in meaning to the tested word.

No directly related past PYQ was found.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which word is nearest in meaning to 'ostracise'?

  • (a)welcome warmly
  • (b)exclude from a group
  • (c)pay a fee to
  • (d)teach patiently

  Answer(b) exclude from a group — to ostracise is to shut someone out of society.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which word is nearest in meaning to 'reinstate'?

  • (a)dismiss for good
  • (b)restore to a former position
  • (c)delay indefinitely
  • (d)fine heavily

  Answer(b) restore to a former position — the prefix re- signals putting back.