Free Verbal Ability questions with answers for MBA CET

Grammar, vocabulary, sentence correction, para jumbles, odd sentence out and critical reasoning - the verbal questions asked in MBA CET and other management entrance exams. These 102 questions are also useful for CAT, MAT and ATMA. Tap “Show answer” under any question for the correct option and the explanation.

Question 41
He studies at ___ university in Mumbai.
- (A)no article
- (B)an
- (C)the
- (D)a
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (D) a
Question 42
The manager is responsible ___ the final report.
- (A)for
- (B)with
- (C)at
- (D)of
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (A) for
Question 43
This solution is similar ___ the one suggested earlier.
- (A)to
- (B)for
- (C)from
- (D)with
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (A) to
Question 44
She is good ___ solving logical puzzles.
- (A)on
- (B)at
- (C)for
- (D)in
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (B) at
Question 45
Arrange the sentences in the most logical order: P. As a result, the store reduced waiting time. Q. The manager studied the checkout process. R. She noticed that one counter was overloaded. S. A second counter was opened during peak hours.
- (A)P-Q-R-S
- (B)Q-R-S-P
- (C)Q-S-R-P
- (D)R-Q-P-S
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (B) Q-R-S-P
Question 46
Arrange the sentences: P. The students analysed their errors. Q. They first attempted a timed mock. R. They then revised weak concepts. S. Their accuracy improved in the next test.
- (A)P-Q-S-R
- (B)R-Q-P-S
- (C)Q-P-R-S
- (D)Q-R-S-P
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (C) Q-P-R-S
Question 47
Arrange the sentences: P. The startup tested a small prototype. Q. Customers gave detailed feedback. R. The team used the feedback to improve the design. S. The revised product was launched.
- (A)Q-P-S-R
- (B)S-P-Q-R
- (C)P-Q-R-S
- (D)R-P-Q-S
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (C) P-Q-R-S
Question 48
Arrange the sentences: P. Heavy rain continued through the night. Q. Several low-lying roads were flooded. R. Authorities issued a travel advisory. S. Commuters were asked to use alternate routes.
- (A)Q-P-S-R
- (B)P-R-Q-S
- (C)P-Q-R-S
- (D)R-S-P-Q
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (C) P-Q-R-S
Question 49
Arrange the sentences: P. Meera created a monthly budget. Q. She tracked her expenses for four weeks. R. She identified unnecessary spending. S. She increased her monthly savings.
- (A)Q-R-P-S
- (B)P-Q-S-R
- (C)R-Q-P-S
- (D)Q-P-R-S
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (A) Q-R-P-S
Question 50
Combine the two sentences into a single sentence without changing their meaning. Three probable starters of the combined sentence are given as (A), (B) and (C). Any one, more or none of them may be correct. Find the correct starter(s). Last year was supposed to bring faster economic growth and a good monsoon that would end the miseries of two back-to- back years of drought. That complacency gave way to the sober realisation that optimism doesn't wait for facts. A. Optimism will wait for facts is established B. Despite last year being successful C. It was believed that last year
- (A)Only A
- (B)Both A & C
- (C)Both A & B
- (D)Only C
- (E)None
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (D) Only C
Starter (C), 'It was believed that last year ...', combines naturally: 'It was believed that last year would bring faster economic growth and a good monsoon ..., but that complacency gave way to the sober realisation that optimism does not wait for facts.' (A) is ungrammatical and reverses the meaning (the realisation is that optimism does NOT wait for facts). (B) 'Despite last year being successful' changes the meaning, because the sentences say the hopes of last year were not met. Only C is correct.
Question 51
Combine the two sentences into a single sentence without changing their meaning. Three probable starters of the combined sentence are given as (A), (B) and (C). Any one, more or none of them may be correct. Find the correct starter(s). Over five crore citizens suffered from depression, a major contributor to global suicides which occurs mainly in low-and middle- income countries. Over three crore others suffered from anxiety disorders. A. Because a major contributor to global suicides occurs B. In addition to over five crore citizens C. Ever since over three crore citizens suffer
- (A)Only A
- (B)Both A & C
- (C)Both A & B
- (D)Only B
- (E)None
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (D) Only B
(B) works: 'In addition to over five crore citizens suffering from depression, a major contributor to global suicides ..., over three crore others suffered from anxiety disorders.' The word 'others' in the second sentence shows the two groups are added together. (A) 'Because ...' creates a cause-and-effect link that is not in the sentences. (C) 'Ever since ...' creates a time relation that is not in the sentences. Only B is correct.
Question 52
Combine the two sentences into a single sentence without changing their meaning. Three probable starters of the combined sentence are given as (A), (B) and (C). Any one, more or none of them may be correct. Find the correct starter(s). Expectation of the buyer is different in different geographies. Companies must understand the psyche of the buyer and then come up with a product based on what they need. A. Even if buyers understand the psyche of B. While coming up with a product C. When expectation of the buyer is
- (A)Both B and C
- (B)Both A and C
- (C)Both A & B
- (D)Only B
- (E)None
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (A) Both B and C
(B) 'While coming up with a product, companies must understand the psyche of the buyer ...' and (C) 'When the expectation of the buyer is different in different geographies, companies must understand ...' both keep the meaning. (A) 'Even if buyers understand the psyche of ...' makes the buyers, not the companies, the ones who must understand, so it changes the meaning. Both B and C are correct.
Question 53
Combine the two sentences into a single sentence without changing their meaning. Three probable starters of the combined sentence are given as (A), (B) and (C). Any one, more or none of them may be correct. Find the correct starter(s). Migration to urban areas is a worldwide phenomenon. Currently thirty-two percent of the population live in urban areas in another five years, it is estimated to grow to thirty-eight percent. A. Even though thirty-two percent of the population B. When it is estimated that the population growth C. Urban areas are saturated with worldwide
- (A)Only A
- (B)Both A and C
- (C)Both A & B
- (D)Only B
- (E)None
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (E) None
(A) 'Even though thirty-two percent of the population ...' introduces a contrast that the two sentences do not contain. (B) 'When it is estimated that the population growth ...' does not lead into a correct combined sentence with the same meaning. (C) 'Urban areas are saturated with worldwide ...' adds a claim that is not in the sentences. None of the starters is correct.
Question 54
Combine the two sentences into a single sentence without changing their meaning. Three probable starters of the combined sentence are given as (A), (B) and (C). Any one, more or none of them may be correct. Find the correct starter(s). Laws to protect the privacy and financial details of people using electronic payments are on the cards. The move, aimed at preventing data theft, comes in the wake of a surge in phone banking and electronic payments. A. In the wake of a surge in phone banking B. Preventing data theft is not a priority C. In order to protect financial details
- (A)Only A
- (B)Both A and C
- (C)Both A & B
- (D)Only B
- (E)None
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (B) Both A and C
(A) 'In the wake of a surge in phone banking and electronic payments, laws to protect the privacy and financial details ... are on the cards' keeps the meaning. (C) 'In order to protect financial details and privacy ..., laws are on the cards' also keeps it, because the move is aimed at preventing data theft. (B) 'Preventing data theft is not a priority' contradicts the second sentence. Both A and C are correct.
Question 55
The first satellites launched five years ago, could send off pictures of just 3,000 square kilometres a day, but the satellites have followed a trajectory of improving more closer to that seem in cell phones and the latest satellites can be covered 2.5 million square kilometres a day. A. can send- advancement close- can report on B. could send back- improvement similar- can cover C. would send- improvement skin- are covering
- (A)Only (B) & (C)
- (B)All (A), (B) & (C)
- (C)Only (A) & (B)
- (D)Only (B)
- (E)No correction required
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (D) Only (B)
Check each set of replacements against the sentence. (A) 'can send' loses the contrast with the latest satellites (the first ones 'could send'), and 'report on' changes the meaning. Wrong. (B) 'could send back' (what the first satellites were able to do), 'improvement similar to that seen in cell phones' and 'can cover' are all correct. Right. (C) 'would send' and 'improvement skin' do not fit. Wrong, even though 'are covering' alone would be acceptable. Only (B) is correct.
Question 56
Italy's fragmented banking industry is consolidating. The resolution in November 2015 of four tiny banks, in which bondholders were bailed in, caused uproar. Now UBI Banca, the fifth-largest lender hopes to buy three of the four "good" residual banks for €1. ( ). Another is on the horizon, of two Venetian banks. Analysts at Credit Service suggest that the government's €20 billion fund should suffice to plug any remaining capital gaps. All this is necessary-but not sufficient.
- (A)Carved, a ratings agency, predict that by 2018, bad loans will always be back to their pre-crisis level-although
- (B)A merger finalized on January 1stcreated Banca BPM, now Italy's third largest bank.
- (C)All this is necessary- but not sufficient- the vicious cycle will be hard to break.
- (D)The finance minister says, the banking system is turning a page and he is yet to be proved right.
- (E)All the given options fit.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (B) A merger finalized on January 1stcreated Banca BPM, now Italy's third largest bank.
The paragraph describes a consolidation: UBI Banca is buying three residual banks, 'Another [consolidation] is on the horizon, of two Venetian banks'. The missing sentence must describe an earlier merger so that 'Another' makes sense. Only option B, a merger that created Banca BPM, does that.
Question 57
Work smarter, not harder: It is one of the more irritating things a book can tell you. But at the macroeconomic level, it is important Growth can come from having more labour (recruiting more workers, or making existing employees work for longer hours), more capital, or from using that labour and capital more effectively- something known as total factor productivity (TFP). This can come from the kind of brilliant innovations devised by Thomas Edison. ( )
- (A)This shows that at the global level, total factor productivity fell last year, was flat the two years before, and has barely budged since 2007.
- (B)It could also come from the less-heralded but equally important improvements such as the adoption of the moving conveyor belt to speed up assembly work.
- (C)Whatever the reason, economic growth did not rebound until productivity perked up,
- (D)A recovery has been underway for a while.
- (E)Others might counter that the full benefits of new technology are not reflected in the data
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (B) It could also come from the less-heralded but equally important improvements such as the adoption of the moving conveyor belt to speed up assembly work.
The paragraph says growth can come from using labour and capital better (total factor productivity), and that this can come from brilliant innovations like Edison's. The missing sentence naturally adds the other source: 'It could also come from the less-heralded but equally important improvements such as the adoption of the moving conveyor belt.' (A), (D) and (E) jump to the recent productivity slowdown and recovery, and (C) draws a conclusion ('Whatever the reason') before the possible reasons have been listed.
Question 58
( ). Rising prosperity in the region means the cost of manual work, outsourced to the region is rising. Labour shortages loom. Certain jobs require craft skills which are becoming rarer. From the first sketch of a completely new pair of trainers to making and testing prototypes, ordering materials, sending samples back and forth, rebooting a factory, working up production and eventually shipping the finished goods to the shops can take the industry as long as 18 months.
- (A)Currently, trainers (shoes) are made mostly by hand in giant factories, often in Asian countries, with people assembling components or shaping, bonding and sewing materials.
- (B)In Asia wealth is rising.
- (C)Many people now have the wherewithal to avoid tasks that are thought of as manual and monstrous.
- (D)The company will use robots and novel production techniques such as 3D printing to reinvent its manufacturing process.
- (E)All the given options fit.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (A) Currently, trainers (shoes) are made mostly by hand in giant factories, often in Asian countries, with people assembling components or shaping, bonding and sewing materials.
The blank is the first sentence. The next sentence refers to 'the region' and to manual work 'outsourced to the region', so the opening sentence must introduce both. (A) says trainers are mostly made by hand in giant factories in Asian countries, which sets this up. (B) 'In Asia wealth is rising' only repeats the idea in the next sentence ('Rising prosperity in the region'), and (C) and (D) do not introduce the region and manual work.
Question 59
( ). By 2022 more than 4.5 million are expected every year- about the same as the country's resident population. Tourism has overtaken dairy produce as the biggest export, helped by a large In the number of visitors from China. They are seen to experience the natural beauty promised by the country's "100% pure New Zealand" advertising campaign and shown off in the film adaptations of "The Lord of the Rings" and 'The Hobbit", which were shot in New Zealand's breathtaking wilderness.
- (A)In 2016 New Zealand hosted 3.5 million tourists from overseas.
- (B)Tourists already contribute around NZ $1.1 billion through the country's 15 percent sales tax.
- (C)It would be difficult to prevent tourists from sneaking around the toll booths.
- (D)Many New Zealanders foresee a huge influx of foreigners who have been seeking to four national parks.
- (E)All the given options fit.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (A) In 2016 New Zealand hosted 3.5 million tourists from overseas.
The blank must come before 'By 2022 more than 4.5 million are expected every year - about the same as the country's resident population'. It must give the present number of visitors. Only A, 3.5 million tourists in 2016, does that.
Question 60
Which of these sentences is/are correct? A. The spokesperson announced that a female police officer would be the next Commissioner of the police force. B. Wounds made by words are hard to hear. C. The film depicts an inspirational story of a young tribal girl who dreams of climbing Mount Everest. D. The captives used this woollen sticks to write on the internal side of envelopes.
- (A)Only B
- (B)Only B, C and D
- (C)Only A and D
- (D)Only A and C
- (E)All are correct
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: (D) Only A and C
A is correct. B is wrong because wounds made by words are hard to 'heal', not 'hear'. C is correct. D is wrong: 'this woollen sticks' should be 'these woollen sticks' (and 'inner side' reads better than 'internal side'). So only A and C are correct.

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