What is a Cloze test?
Cloze test is a combination of reading comprehension and fill in the blanks. It is one of the most scoring topics under English section. If you master this topic, it will definitely improve your sectional as well as overall score in both prelims and Mains exam.New pattern Cloze test.
Usually Cloze test will be a passage with certain words missing. You have to find the appropriate words from the given options,which fulfill the meaning of the passage. sentences in a Cloze test will be logically connected from starting till the end. In new pattern Cloze test certain changes are been done. Each blank will be followed by a word, which may or may not fulfill the meaning of the sentence. If the word followed by the blank is the appropriate answer, then the option ' No changes required' has to be choosen. If the word followed by the blank is not the appropriate answer, then the answer has to be choosen from the remaining options.Steps to approach new pattern Cloze test
1. Skim through the passage
First, understand the main theme of the passage by skimming through it. The main theme of the passage can be a moral story, financial, social, political or economic based passage.2. Understand the logical relationship
If you can able to understand the relationship between the sentences, then it will be easier for you to choose an appropriate word in the blanks.3. Use substitution method
First read the sentence by substituting the word, which followed by the blank. If it fulfils the meaning, then Choose the option 'No correction required'. If it doesn't fit the blank, then read the sentence by filling the blanks with other options one by one. Choose the option which is most suitable. Still, if you can't able to find the proper word, skip the sentence and apply the above rules in the following sentences. Try to fill the blanks which you are 100 percent sure.4. Use Elimination techniques
After finding the proper words for the sentence you are 100 percent sure, come for the remaining sentences, which you have left. Now use Elimination technique to find out the answer. Eliminate the words which will not fit the blank, try to understand the real meaning of the sentence and fill the blank with words which will fit. To eliminate the options you must be good in vocabulary. To improve your vocabulary part, you should practice as much as possible.5. Avoid negative Marking
After applying substitution and Elimination methods, if you are not sure about the appropriate words which fits the sentence, skip that particular question. Don't guess the answer blindly. It will simply increase your negative marks. You can guess, only if you are 90 percentage sure about the answer.Conclusion
Cloze test can be a game changer. To improve your sectional cutoff in English section, better practice a lot of cloze test based on new pattern. Even if you are weak in grammar, it is possible to score good Mark in Cloze test, if your vocabulary is good.
Cloze test for practice
Example
In the following passage, there are words highlighted and has been numbered. these numbers are printed below the passage and against each, four words are given and marked as A, B, C and D out of which only one word fits the blank. Incase if the given word itself is appropriate then Mark the option E as the answerIt is becoming increasingly fashionable to tax the super-rich. Taxing the super rich primarily involves (1) channelising the rates of personal income tax or property taxes. It ignores what actually happens with the incomes of the super- rich. Higher expenditure on goods and services results in more revenue being (2) generated through indirect taxes. Moreover if taxes are low, there is no incentive to (3) trade either income or the acquisition of goods and services. Beyond a point, most income is then invested in financial institutions which, in turn, help fuel industrial and economic growth.
It is axiomatic that a small percentage of the population in any country will always control a major portion of its wealth. The top five percent will always earn more than fifty percent of the total income and generate most of nation's wealth. (4) incoherently taxing this class will result in the (5)alienation of a class of the dishonest rich. If a man cannot become rich honestly, he will do so dishonestly. Alternatively, if he has a sense of values and ethics, he has no option but to escape to other countries. The (6) migration of a large number of India's brightest engineers and doctors was in no small measure due to our socialist principles and heavy taxes.
The (7) penultimate of the tax system is that the honest tax payer is (8) favourably attacked again and again. The dishonest tax payer (9) judiciously pays his tax dues. If the goal is to earn greater revenue, then taxing the super-rich will be counter productive. The marginal gain in revenue will be temporary and there will be greater loss of revenue through (10) alarming collection of indirect taxes. Hence it is necessary to re examine these myriad wasteful welfare schemes.
1.
A. Truncating
B. Increasing
C. Focusing
D. Reducing
E. No changes required
2.
B. Increasing
C. Focusing
D. Reducing
E. No changes required
2.
A. Derived
B. Lowered
C. Validated
D. Propagated
E. No changes required
3.
B. Lowered
C. Validated
D. Propagated
E. No changes required
3.
A. Merge
B. Explore
C. Violate
D. Conceal
E. No changes required
B. Explore
C. Violate
D. Conceal
E. No changes required
4.
A. Heavily
B. Marginally
C. Temporarily
D. partially
E. No changes required
5.
B. Marginally
C. Temporarily
D. partially
E. No changes required
5.
A. Defamation
B. Creation
C. Transition
D. Suppression
E. No changes required
6.
B. Creation
C. Transition
D. Suppression
E. No changes required
6.
A. Attrition
B. Termination
C. Retention
D. Coalition
E. No changes required
7.
B. Termination
C. Retention
D. Coalition
E. No changes required
7.
A. Probation
B. Tragedy
C. Charge
D. Incentive
E. No changes required
8.
B. Tragedy
C. Charge
D. Incentive
E. No changes required
8.
A. Savagely
B. Earnestly
C. Hardly
D. Visually
E. No changes required
9.
B. Earnestly
C. Hardly
D. Visually
E. No changes required
9.
A. Actively
B. Always
C. Seldom
D. Secretly
E. No changes required
10.
B. Always
C. Seldom
D. Secretly
E. No changes required
10.
A. Startling
B. Regaining
C. Reassuring
D. Worsening
E. No changes required
Answer with Explanation
1. Option B
By skimming through the passage it is clear that the theme of the passage is about taxing super rich people in the society.
From the very first sentence truncating, reducing and channelising cannot be the answer. All the above-mentioned words have a similar meaning. By substituting focusing and increasing in the blank, increasing perfectly fits the sentence.
2. Option E
Validated means to check
Propagate means to spread widely
Derived means to obtain something from
Generated means to produce
Here revenue cannot be either propagated, derived or validated. Only possible word which perfectly fits the blank will be generated.
3. Option D
Merge means to combine
Explore means to evaluate
Violate means fail to respect
Conceal means to keep secret
Here trade, explore and merge cannot be the answer.word conceal fits the sentence appropriately
4. Option A
Partially, temporarily and marginally can be Eliminated. Incoherently means illogically. While substituting incoherently and heavily in the sentence, the word heavily gives perfect meaning to the sentence.
5. Option B
Defamation means damaging good name of a person
Alienation means transfer of ownership of property rights
Transition means process of changing from one state to another
Suppression means to suppress
Defamation and suppression gives opposite meaning to the sentence.
Alienation and transition cannot be the answer since it doesn't fit the sentence, therefore the word creation will be the answer.
6. Option E
Retention gives opposite meaning, so it is Eliminated.
Attrition means process of reducing something
Termination means to stop
Coalition means temporary alliance for combined action.
Migration means movement of people from one place to another place.
From the above four words migration gives the perfect meaning to the sentence.
7. Option B
Probation, charge and incentive can be Eliminated
Penultimate means last but one in a series, which doesn't give meaning to the sentence. Since the sentence implies negative meaning tragedy Will be the perfect answer.
8. Option A
Visually and favourably gives opposite meaning to the sentence. Word hardly can't be the answer.
Savagely means uncontrolled manner
Earnestly means seriously
Among the above 2 words savagely gives appropriate meaning to the sentence.
9. Option C
Actively, always and judiciously gives opposite meaning to the sentence.
Word Secretly can be Eliminated.
Seldom means rarely, which will be the perfect answer to the sentence.
10. Option A
Regaining, Reassuring give opposite negative meanings. Worsening means to make or become worse. Among the other three words, Startling fits the sentence properly.
B. Regaining
C. Reassuring
D. Worsening
E. No changes required
Answer with Explanation
1. Option B
By skimming through the passage it is clear that the theme of the passage is about taxing super rich people in the society.
From the very first sentence truncating, reducing and channelising cannot be the answer. All the above-mentioned words have a similar meaning. By substituting focusing and increasing in the blank, increasing perfectly fits the sentence.
2. Option E
Validated means to check
Propagate means to spread widely
Derived means to obtain something from
Generated means to produce
Here revenue cannot be either propagated, derived or validated. Only possible word which perfectly fits the blank will be generated.
3. Option D
Merge means to combine
Explore means to evaluate
Violate means fail to respect
Conceal means to keep secret
Here trade, explore and merge cannot be the answer.word conceal fits the sentence appropriately
4. Option A
Partially, temporarily and marginally can be Eliminated. Incoherently means illogically. While substituting incoherently and heavily in the sentence, the word heavily gives perfect meaning to the sentence.
5. Option B
Defamation means damaging good name of a person
Alienation means transfer of ownership of property rights
Transition means process of changing from one state to another
Suppression means to suppress
Defamation and suppression gives opposite meaning to the sentence.
Alienation and transition cannot be the answer since it doesn't fit the sentence, therefore the word creation will be the answer.
6. Option E
Retention gives opposite meaning, so it is Eliminated.
Attrition means process of reducing something
Termination means to stop
Coalition means temporary alliance for combined action.
Migration means movement of people from one place to another place.
From the above four words migration gives the perfect meaning to the sentence.
7. Option B
Probation, charge and incentive can be Eliminated
Penultimate means last but one in a series, which doesn't give meaning to the sentence. Since the sentence implies negative meaning tragedy Will be the perfect answer.
8. Option A
Visually and favourably gives opposite meaning to the sentence. Word hardly can't be the answer.
Savagely means uncontrolled manner
Earnestly means seriously
Among the above 2 words savagely gives appropriate meaning to the sentence.
9. Option C
Actively, always and judiciously gives opposite meaning to the sentence.
Word Secretly can be Eliminated.
Seldom means rarely, which will be the perfect answer to the sentence.
10. Option A
Regaining, Reassuring give opposite negative meanings. Worsening means to make or become worse. Among the other three words, Startling fits the sentence properly.
