RELATIVE SYNONYMS & ANTONYMS SHORTCUTS PREPARATION
As mentioned earlier, there are five to six questions on Relative Synonyms and Antonyms. Generally some words or phrases in the passages are printed in bold. Below the passage these words/phrases are given, followed by five options. A candidate is to select the correct Synonym/Antonym of the given words in context to the meanings of the words in the passage.
In English a word generally bears several meanings. So the meaning which a word bears in particular de¬pends upon the context in which it is being used.Nowadays, generally no ques¬tion is asked on Absolute Synonym or Antonym. So, a discussion on that topic is futile. But for the convenience one must have a clear idea about the meanings and synonyms/antonyms of certain important terms. Besides that a candidate should develop the qual¬ity to guess the meaning a word bears in a particular passage in a particular context. That can be developed gradu¬ally only if a candidate is a regular newspaper reader. But an idea on ab¬solute synonyms/antonyms of certain words is helpful. Remember, unlike absolute Synonyms/Antonyms, Rela¬tive Synonyms and Antonyms are se¬lected on the basis of the meaning a word bears in the passage.
Now consider the following ex¬ample:
Directions (1-10) : Read the fol¬lowing passage very carefully and answer the questions given below appropriately. There are certain words in the passage printed in bold letters to lead you to find them out easily in order to help you in answering some of the questions.
I worked as health secretary for about five years from the middle of 1962 to the middle of 1967. Thereaf¬ter I worked as finance secretary until the end of 1969. Indiscipline was rampant in the health department. In¬tense lobbying to secure plum postings was the order of the day. Ministers, legislators, senior offic¬ers and other influential people openly pleaded the cause of their pro¬teges. The Health Minister was an honest, well-meaning politician. He approved my proposals to bring about some system and objectivity in postings and transfers and put an end to lobbying. But those efforts met with only limited success. Doctors suc¬ceeded in getting desired postings by resorting to bribery. On the eve of the elections, the then minister sent down over 100 transfer orders from his camp office. They were in conflict \\lith the g.uidelines and quite a few were con¬fusing in as much as two doctors were posted to the same place, or one per¬son was posted to more than one post. I did not carry out the orders. I submitted a note to Chief Minister
through the Chief Secretary pointing out why the orders should not be implemented. The Chief Secretary supported me. The Chief Minister de¬cided that the minister's orders should not be implemented. All the doctors who had paid money were disap¬pointed. In several other departments also corruption became widespread. In the works departments corruption had existed since a long time in the matter of awarding contracts. Now bribes were freely offered to 'Secure transfer to particular posts, and even for getting promotions.
_ As Finance Secretary I found that the finances of the state were in a precarious condition. Financial disci¬pline had evaporated. Long before the advent of the wireless and the tele¬phone, the British had included in the Treasury Code a rule (Rule 27) em¬powering collectors to draw money from the treasury to meet emergencies like floods, earthquakes, devastating fires, etc. To my dismay I found that col¬lectors were freely drawing money for all manner of trivial purposes. under Rule 27 of the Treasury Code .. In one case a collector had drawn money under the rule to buy a staff car for the SDO of another district. All checks and balances had disappeared. There was no accountability and anyone could do what he pleased. Resorting to a number of harsh measures I could restore a measure of financial discipline. But the administration con¬tinued to be in disarray.-
1 . How many years did the author work as health secretary ?
(1) He worked as health secre¬tary until the end of 1969
(2) He worked as health secre¬tary before he took over• as finance secretary
(3) He worked as health secre¬tary till the health minister was found to be a man of integrity
(4) He worked as health secre¬tary for about five years
(5) He did not work as health secretary at all
2. According to the author what was the order of the day?
(1) Strict discipline
(2) Cut throat competition
(3) Racial discrimination (4) Intense lobbying
(5) None of these
3. How did the doctors succeed in getting desired postings ?
(1) Through dedicated service (2) By working in the health minister's constituency
(3) By joining hands with the un-derworld criminals
(4) 8y resorting to sycophancy (5) 'By resorting to bribery
-4. When the health minister sent down 100 transfer orders from his camp office, how did the author react? (A) He immediately obeyed the minister
(B) He did not carry out the orders (C)He submitted a note to Chief Minister through the Chief Secretary (1) Only (A)
. (2) Only (B)
(3) Only (A) & (B) (4) Only (B) & (C) (5) Only (A) & (C)
5. What happened whan the Chief Minister decided that the minister's orders should not be imple¬mented?
(1) The author was very happy (2) The author arranged a tea party to celebrate his victory
(3) The doctors resigned and left the hospitals
(4) The health minister submitted his resignation
(5) All the doctors who had paid money were disappointed
Directions (6-10) : Choose the word whiCh is MOST OPPOSITE in meaning of the word given in bold as used in the passage.
6. Intense
(1) Active (3) Feeble (5) Devise 7. Success
(1) Defeat (3) Abrupt (5) Difficult 8. Conflict
(1) Conformity
(2) Disagreement (3) Attest 4) Combat (5) Manifest
9. Supported
(1) Advocated (2) Betrayed
(3) Opposed (4) Abandoned
(5) Proposed 10. Promotion
(1) Premonition (2) Facilitate
(3) Demotion (4) Obstruction
(5) Encourage
[Syndicate Bank Clerk Exam., 17.04.2005]
ANSWERS
1. (4) 2. (4) 3. (5) 4. (4)
5. (5) 6. (3) 7. (4) 8. (1)
9. (3) 10. (3)
§ EXPLANATIONS §
6.(3) The word 'intense' means very strong. Out of the given answer choices the word 'feeble' means weak, faint. Hence, the words intense and feeble are antonymous.
7.(4) The words success and fail¬ure are antonymous.
8.(1) In the passage, the word 'conflict' means a serious disagree-ment. Out of the given answer choices, the word 'conformity' means behaviour etc. that conforms to estab¬lished rules, customs etc. Hence, the words conflcit and conformity are antonymous.
9.(3) In the passage the word support (Verb) means to help some-body/something by one's approval. Out of the answer choices, the word oppose (Verb) means to express strong disapproval of or disagreement with something/somebody with the aim of preventing or changing a course of action. Hence, the words supported and opposed are antonymous.
10.(3) The words promotion and demotion are antonymous .
