Model Answer
0 min readIntroduction
Language proficiency is a crucial skill assessed in the UPSC Civil Services Examination, particularly in the English Compulsory paper. Questions testing vocabulary and grammatical understanding are common. These questions aim to evaluate a candidate’s ability to comprehend and articulate ideas effectively in English. A strong command of the language is essential for clear and concise communication, both in written and oral forms, which is vital for effective governance. Let's assume the question is: "The politician’s speech was full of _____, promising everything to everyone." We will proceed to fill the blank with the most appropriate word.
Understanding the Context
The sentence describes a politician’s speech. The phrase "promising everything to everyone" suggests a lack of realism or practicality. We need a word that conveys this sense of unrealistic promises or exaggeration.
Identifying Grammatical Role
The blank requires an adjective to describe the nature of the speech. The adjective should modify "speech" and fit the overall meaning of the sentence.
Analyzing Potential Options
Let's consider some possible options:
- Ambition: While politicians are ambitious, this doesn't necessarily explain unrealistic promises.
- Sincerity: The phrase "promising everything" suggests insincerity, not sincerity.
- Grandeur: This implies impressiveness, but doesn't directly relate to unrealistic promises.
- Extravagance: This suggests excess, which aligns with promising too much.
- Duplicity: This implies deceit, which is a possible interpretation, but "extravagance" is a more direct fit.
The Correct Word: Extravagance
The most appropriate word to fill the blank is extravagance. The complete sentence would be: "The politician’s speech was full of extravagance, promising everything to everyone." This conveys the idea that the speech was characterized by excessive and unrealistic promises.
Why other options are less suitable:
- Ambition focuses on the politician’s desires, not the content of the speech.
- Sincerity is the opposite of what the sentence implies.
- Grandeur describes the style of the speech, not its substance.
- Duplicity suggests intentional deception, which may be true, but "extravagance" is a more direct description of the promises themselves.
Illustrative Table of Options
| Word | Suitability | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Ambition | Low | Focuses on the politician, not the speech's content. |
| Sincerity | Very Low | Contradicts the "promising everything" phrase. |
| Grandeur | Moderate | Describes style, not substance. |
| Extravagance | High | Directly relates to excessive and unrealistic promises. |
| Duplicity | Moderate | Implies deception, but less direct than extravagance. |
Conclusion
In conclusion, selecting the correct word to fill a blank requires careful consideration of the sentence's context, the grammatical role of the missing word, and a nuanced understanding of vocabulary. "Extravagance" is the most fitting choice in our example sentence, accurately conveying the politician’s tendency to make unrealistic promises. This type of question tests not just vocabulary, but also the ability to interpret meaning and choose the most precise and appropriate word.
Answer Length
This is a comprehensive model answer for learning purposes and may exceed the word limit. In the exam, always adhere to the prescribed word count.