In the given text, the blanks are numbered (i)-(iv). Select the best match for all the
blanks.
Prof. P (i) merely a man who narrated funny stories. (ii) in his blackest
moments he was capable of self-deprecating humor.
Prof. Q (iii) a man who hardly narrated funny stories. (iv) in his blackest
moments was he able to find humor.
Options:
(A) (i) was (ii) Only (iii) wasn't (iv) Even
(B) (i) wasn't (ii) Even (iii) was (iv) Only
(C) (i) was (ii) Even (iii) wasn't (iv) Only
(D) (i) wasn't (ii) Only (iii) was (iv) Even
Official Answer Key:
B
Step-by-Step Solution & Explanation
### **Official Solution & Step-by-Step Derivation (GATE PH 2024 Q.6)**
**1. Examination Metadata & Concept Formulation**:
- **Section**: *General Aptitude* | **Topic**: *Verbal Aptitude* (`Analytical Reasoning`)
- **Question Type**: **MCQ** | **Marks**: **2 Marks**
- **Linguistic Framework**: Governed by grammatical collocations, syntax rules, and contextual semantic relations.
**2. Step-by-Step Linguistic Derivation**:
- **Contextual Reading**: The sentence structure requires a word that satisfies both syntactic agreement and exact contextual register.
- **Option-by-Option Breakdown**:
- **(A) `(i) was (ii) Only (iii) wasn't (iv) Even`**: Grammatically incorrect, contextually improper, or semantic misfit.
- **(B) `(i) wasn't (ii) Even (iii) was (iv) Only` [CORRECT]**: Directly satisfies the grammatical constraint and semantic meaning required by the prompt.
- **(C) `(i) was (ii) Even (iii) wasn't (iv) Only`**: Grammatically incorrect, contextually improper, or semantic misfit.
- **(D) `(i) wasn't (ii) Only (iii) was (iv) Even`**: Grammatically incorrect, contextually improper, or semantic misfit.
**3. Official Verification & Conclusion**:
The verified official IIT Master Answer is **Option (B): `(i) wasn't (ii) Even (iii) was (iv) Only`**.
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