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Question

Directions: Each of the following sentences in this section has a blank space and four words or groups of words given after the sentence. Select whichever word or group of words you consider most appropriate for the blank space and indicate your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly

The soldiers waiting to go into battle for the first time were full of_____.

This question was previously asked in
NDA I 2018 GAT Previous Year Paper (22-Apr-2018)
The correct answer is

apprehension

Analyzing Emotions: Soldiers Before Battle

The question asks us to fill in the blank in the sentence: "The soldiers waiting to go into battle for the first time were full of_____." We need to choose the word that best describes the emotional state of soldiers facing combat for the very first time.

Understanding the Options for Soldier's Feelings

Let's look at the meanings of the given options and consider how they relate to soldiers waiting for their first battle:

  • apprehension: This means anxiety or fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen. Facing battle for the first time is a highly dangerous situation where unpleasant and bad things are very likely to happen. Soldiers would naturally feel anxious or fearful about this unknown and risky experience.
  • consideration: This refers to careful thought or thinking about something carefully. While soldiers might have considered the risks beforehand, "consideration" is a cognitive process, not an emotional state they would be "full of" just before entering battle.
  • anticipation: This means expecting or predicting something. Anticipation can be positive (expecting something good) or negative (expecting something bad). While soldiers might anticipate the battle, "apprehension" specifically captures the negative, fearful aspect of anticipating a dangerous event like a first battle, which is a more fitting emotional state.
  • frivolity: This means a lack of seriousness or being lighthearted. Facing a life-threatening situation like a battle for the first time would be incredibly serious, making frivolity an inappropriate emotion.

Selecting the Most Appropriate Word

Considering the meanings, "apprehension" best describes the intense feeling of anxiety and fear that soldiers would likely experience when waiting to go into battle for the very first time. It accurately reflects the natural human response to anticipating a dangerous and potentially life-altering event.

Revision Table: Key Vocabulary

Here’s a quick summary of the words and their meanings in this context:

Word Meaning in Context Fit for Soldiers Before First Battle?
apprehension Anxiety or fear about future unpleasantness Yes, highly likely
consideration Careful thought No, a thought process, not an emotion they are "full of"
anticipation Expectation or prediction Possibly, but apprehension is more specific to fear/anxiety in this context
frivolity Lack of seriousness No, completely inappropriate

Additional Information: Emotions in Stressful Situations

Understanding vocabulary related to emotions is crucial for English language skills, especially in sentence completion tasks. Different situations evoke different feelings. For example, waiting for exam results might cause "anxiety" or "eagerness" (types of anticipation), while winning a competition leads to "exhilaration" or "joy". Facing a dangerous, unknown event like a first battle is a high-stress situation where negative emotions like fear, anxiety, and dread are common. "Apprehension" is a specific term for anticipating something bad with anxiety.

When choosing a word to fill a blank, always consider the specific context of the sentence and the nuance of each word's meaning.

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