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GATE 2024 EE GA Q.6: solution and answer

GATE 2024 · EEGA Q.6 · 2 marks · MCQ

In the given text, the blanks are numbered (i)−(iv). Select the best match for all the blanks.

Following a row ______(i) the shopkeeper ______(ii) the price of a frying pan, the cook stood ______(iii) a row to withdraw cash ______(iv) the ATM booth.

  1. (A)

    (i) with (ii) over (iii) at (iv) with

  2. (B)

    (i) at (ii) over (iii) over (iv) in

  3. (C)

    (i) with (ii) over (iii) in (iv) at

  4. (D)

    (i) over (ii) with (iii) over (iv) at

See the question in the paper
GATE 2024 EE GA question 6Tap to open full size

Answer and solution

ANSWER

The answer is (C): (i) with, (ii) over, (iii) in, (iv) at.

Official answer: CSource: Official answer key, GATE 2024 EE (IISc Bengaluru)

  1. The word "row" appears twice with two different meanings. In the first clause it means a quarrel (rhymes with "cow"). In the second it means a line of people (rhymes with "go"). Each blank has to be read with the correct meaning.

  2. Blank (i): the pattern is "a row with someone", naming the person you quarrel with. So the phrase is "a row with the shopkeeper". This rules out (B), which has "at", and (D), which has "over".

  3. Blank (ii): the pattern is "a row over something", naming what the quarrel is about. So the phrase is "over the price of a frying pan". Both remaining options, (A) and (C), have "over".

  4. Blank (iii): you stand in a row, meaning you are part of a line or queue. "Stood at a row" is not idiomatic, which rules out (A). Only (C) remains.

  5. Blank (iv) confirms it. A single point of location such as a booth takes at, as in "withdraw cash at the ATM booth". "With the ATM booth" from (A) makes no sense.

  6. The full sentence reads: "Following a row with the shopkeeper over the price of a frying pan, the cook stood in a row to withdraw cash at the ATM booth." This is option (C).

KEY IDEA

"Row" is used in two senses. "A row with someone over something" is a quarrel: "with" names the other person and "over" names the cause. "Stand in a row" is a line of people, and "at" marks a point location such as an ATM booth.

WATCH OUT FOR

Reading both uses of "row" as a quarrel, or both as a line, and then picking "at a row" or "over a row" for blank (iii). Another mistake is putting "over" in blank (i) as in (D). "Over" names what the quarrel is about, not who it is with.

From the GATE 2024 EE paper. Every question of this paper · Download the full paper · All 32 Grammar & vocabulary questions, with notes

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