Question

Comprehension: In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank. Three big fat rats once found a new use for _____1_____ tails. During the night, they came ______2_____ into the larder and found a jar with treacle in it. But the jar had a ____3___ neck, and try as they might, the rats could not reach the treacle either with their mouths or their paws. At last, a bright idea ______4______ one of them. He climbed onto the jar and let his tail hang down into the treacle. Then he pulled it out nicely coated with treacle and allowed the two rats to lick it _____5_______. Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 3.

• A. narrow
• B. funny
• C. obese
• D. slow

Answer 1

Answer:

A. narrow

• Physical Logic: The passage states that the rats "could not reach the treacle either with their mouths or their paws." This implies a physical barrier. A narrow (thin or constricted) neck on a jar would prevent a rat from sticking its head or its paw inside to reach the contents. Contextual Clue: The word "But" at the beginning of the sentence signals a conflict. The rats found the treacle, but the narrow opening made it inaccessible, leading to the "bright idea" of using their thin tails instead. Opposite Comparison: If the jar had a wide neck, the rats would have simply eaten the treacle normally. The word "narrow" justifies the entire plot of the story.