Question of the Day-Verbal Ability

QUESTION:-
Fill in the blanks in the passage with the most appropriate set of words from the options for each blank.


In the revision of this well-known work I have held my hand, rather than the___1___, trying to bear always in mind that it was the hand-book of Mr. Charles Boutell and not a production of my own. My ___2___ have been concerned chiefly with bringing the volume up to date, a necessity imposed by the creation of new orders of knighthood, and change of Sovereign. I have certainly omitted a few remarks which I have thought might be the cause of leading students of science___3__: I have altered ___4___wording to emphasize the real, and I have kept, no doubt, the originally intended meaning.

OPTIONS
1) Contrary, alterations, astray, clear
2) Contrary, alterations, astray, ambiguous
3) Similar, alterations, astray, ambiguous
4) Similar, altercations, on course, ambiguous
5) Contrary, altercations, on course, clear

Solution


The correct usage for the 1st blank is “contrary” and not “similar”. This is because the author says in the paragraph that he has tried not to modify the work much because it is someone else’s work.
‘Altercation’ means ‘a heated argument’ whereas ‘an alteration’ means ‘to change something’. The paragraph says “....have been concerned chiefly with bringing the volume up to date” implying that he has changed the matter. This makes “alterations” the correct option.
Since the remarks are omitted, they are ones that lead students "astray" then make things "clear" to them.
Again, since the wording has been altered, it is "ambiguous" rather than "clear".
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.

.