A2Z English Full Test 10

Directions (Qs.86 to 95): Read the following passage to answer the given questions based on it. Some words/phrases are printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.

A Russian proverb advises us not to buy a house, but the neighbourhood. While till some years ago, it was impossible to dictate who lived with you in the same quarters, today when you think of buying a home, you could actually create your own dream neighbourhood - thanks to the Internet and the group buying model.

The group buying model has been applied in different industries, from cars to baby merchandise to pet care products. Now, the trend is catching on in the real estate sector, with many sites as well as broking firms offering group deals on real estate projects in India. The way it works is simple. Take xxx.com for example. This is an online and offline integrated platform which showcases property. It uses social media networks to let buyers know about possible good deals, and leaving it to them to do some viral marketing. Once a large group of buyers is thus formed, xxx.com introduces it to the developer and helps negotiate a suitable discount.

Since, the developer doesn’t have to pay for the marketing, it is willing enough to pay these companies a transaction fee which is a percentage of the total value of the deal. For the buyers, it offers the best rates at no fee, thus making it a win-win proposition for all involved. The developers also benefit by getting substantial cash flow, giving them a good amount of working capital. “In today’s real estate scenario, bulk buying could be the answer to the market slump and the long awaited cash flow,” says the Founder of xxx.com.

Sometimes, the discount size is not to be sneered at. Discounts on group buying vary from 5-30 per cent, the average divergence from market rate being 25-30 per cent. Customer ‘buy-in’ is the model. But is it a temporary fad? In a way, the online group buying set-up is similar to the model developers share with speculators, who buy in bulk even before the project gets kick-started and get discounts of 30-40 per cent. They pay 50 per cent of the property value upfront. Group buying companies prove more beneficial for developers as they get away with providing lesser discounts than to speculators.

Some sound a note of caution on the trend. Present conditions are conductive for this business model as group buying works well in a situation where stocks are moving slowly, markets are jittery and there is ample supply. It may not work in a seller’s market. Another caution is - very often the builders do not offer the best inventory to the group in terms of location and utility. The buyers have to use their astute Judgement to avoid such traps.

86. Which of the following best describes the meaning of the Russian proverb being quoted?
(1) It is better to rent a house than to buy it
(2) Don’t buy a single flat, buy multiple flats
(3) Fools build houses, wise-people live in them
(4) Buy house after negotiating the deal
(5) None of these

87. Which of the following is one of the questions posed in the passage?
(1) Is group-buying model a temporary fad?
(2) Is the builder offering you the best inventory?
(3) Should we buy a house or the neighbourhood?
(4) Are present market conditions conducive for this business?
(5) Speculators vs Group Buyers?

88. Which of the following is true in the context of the passage?
(1) The buyers, though have to pay higher fee and price, get their dream neighbourhood
(2) The Customer ‘buy-in’ model is not dependent on market conditions
(3) Group buying companies don’t buy with the same objective as that of speculators
(4) The builders/developers offer the best available property to the group buyers
(5) The Speculators generally pay 30-40 per cent of the property value upfront even before the project gets started

89. In which of the following situations, Customer ‘buy-in’ model may not work?
(1) Buyer’s market
(2) When markets are booming with ample supply
(3) When there is short supply
(4) When houses are comparatively cheap
(5) It is a model for all seasons

90. Which of the following is not true in the context of the passage?
(1) The Speculators also buy in bulk
(2) Social media network is used for marketing group buying
(3) The group buying companies take a transaction fee from both Buyers as well as Developers
(4) The Speculators get a better deal in terms of discounts as compared to that of other Group
buying companies
(5) The present conditions, as given in the passage, are not so good for Developers of real estate

Directions (Qs.91 to 93): Choose the word(s) which is most nearly the same in meaning of the word/group of words printed in bold, as used in the passage.
91. dictate
(1) read (2) manipulate (3) speak (4) wish (5) control

92. catch on
(1) continue on (2) get interested (3) enthusiastic about (4) become popular (5) get involved

93. fad
(1) period (2) trend (3) focus (4) luxury (5) face

Directions (Qs.94 to 95): Choose the word which is most opposite in meaning of the word printed in bold, as used in the passage.
94. astute
(1) intelligent (2) sharp (3) insider (4) statute (5) naive

95. integrated
(1) inorganic (2) refreshed (3) isolated (4) volatile (5) impersonal

Directions (Qs.96 to 100): Which of the phrases (1), (2), (3) and (4) given below should replace the phrase given in bold in the following sentence to make the sentence grammatically meaningful and correct. If the sentence is correct as it is and ‘No correction is required’, mark (5) as the answer.

96. He behaved though it was his fault, but we knew he was not responsible for it.
(1) even though it was (2) though it was not (3) as if it was
(4) despite it was not (5) No correction required

97. She never felt that it was not of her business to get involved in somebody else’s family matter.
(1) were not of her business (2) was none of her business (3) was of not her business
(4) was not of her businesses (5) No correction required

98. Being born in a certain family is not in our control.
(1) Be born (2) Taking born (3) By birth
(4) Being borned (5) No correction required

99. I was taken back by his sudden comment on this issue.
(1) would be taken back by (2) was taken backwards by (3) was taken back for
(4) was taken aback by (5) No correction required

100. In a matter of seconds, we come to know of what is happening anywhere in the world.
(1) came to know of (2) come to be known of (3) come to know off
(4) are coming to know of (5) No correction required

Directions (Qs.106 to 110): Read each sentence to find out whether there is any grammatical mistake/error in it. The error if any, will be in one part of the sentence. Mark the number of the part with error as your answer. If there is no error, mark (5).

106. In order to claim (1)/ any tax benefit you (2)/ have to submit the Fixed Deposit Receipt (3)/ issued from the Bank. (4)/ No error (5)

107. During I was in (1)/ college I preferred (2)/ eating out to (3)/ the simple food in the hostel. (4)/ No error (5)

108. Banks which do not (1)/ meet its priority sector (2)/ targets are required to (3)/ pay high penalties. (4)/ No error (5)

109. This year a large number of frauds (1)/ have been prevented by (2)/ alert clerical staff who insisted (3)/ that customers provide valid identity proof. (4)/ No error (5)

110. As the price of (1)/ gold is higher (2)/ you should keep (3)/ your jewellery in a locker. (4)/ No error (5)

Directions (Qs.111 to 120): In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage and against each, five words are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.

In the 1980s Japan was regarded as a highly developed country. However in recent years, Japan’s growth has (111) and the recent (year 2011) earthquake and tsunami have (112) devastated the country. As their nation (113) to cope with the disaster, its youth are (114) to meet the challenges. Many young Japanese have become (115) not only contributing essential items and money, (116) also co-ordinating rescue efforts. Few people (117) that Japan’s young people would bring about its (118) after all nearly
one in ten youth were unemployed, many (119) only part-time and young people were only supposed to have (120) on their minds. Often it takes a huge crisis to make a society change to achieve its potential.

111. (1) stop (2) decrease (3) drop (4) declined (5) fell

112. (1) too (2) also (3) not (4) caused (5) complete

113. (1) competes (2) efforts (3) need (4) struggling (5) tries

114. (1) together (2) started (3) rising (4) co-operative (5) failing

115. (1) heroes (2) volunteer (3) jobless (4) powerful (5) knowledgeable

116. (1) without (2) even (3) instead (4) but (5) besides

117. (1) thought (2) dream (3) realize (4) know (5) perceived

118. (1) changes (2) downfall (3) renewal (4) reforms (5) independence

119. (1) worked (2) earnings (3) employee (4) wages (5) hire

120. (1) business (2) troubles (3) fun (4) responsibility (5) worry