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Question

Four words have been given, out of which three are alike in some manner, while one is different. Select the odd word.

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2019 (Tier 2) GS Finance & Economics Previous Year Paper (17-Nov-2020)
The correct answer is

Conduct

Finding the Odd Word Among Virtue, Conduct, Probity, Righteousness

This question asks us to identify the word that is different from the other three in a given set of four words. We are given the words: Virtue, Conduct, Probity, and Righteousness. To find the odd word, we need to understand the meaning of each term and see how they relate to each other.

Understanding the Meanings

  • Virtue: This refers to behaviour showing high moral standards. It is a quality considered morally good or desirable in a person.
  • Conduct: This means the manner in which a person behaves, especially on a particular occasion or in a particular context. It is essentially a synonym for behaviour.
  • Probity: This is the quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency. It implies complete and confirmed integrity.
  • Righteousness: This is the quality of being morally right or justifiable. It often relates to living according to religious or moral laws.

Analyzing the Relationship Between Words

Let's look at how the words relate to each other based on their meanings:

  • Virtue describes a positive moral quality or characteristic of a person's behaviour.
  • Probity also describes a positive moral quality, specifically focusing on honesty and integrity.
  • Righteousness describes the state of being morally correct or acting in a morally correct way, aligning with high moral standards.

These three words (Virtue, Probity, Righteousness) are all closely related concepts that describe aspects of good moral character or morally upright behaviour.

Now consider the word Conduct. Conduct simply means behaviour. Behaviour can be good or bad, moral or immoral, virtuous or not. It is a neutral term describing the action or manner of acting, while the other three words describe a *quality* of behaviour that is considered morally good or correct.

Identifying the Different Word

Based on our analysis, Virtue, Probity, and Righteousness are all terms indicating positive moral qualities or states of being morally correct. Conduct, however, is a term for behaviour itself, without specifying the moral quality of that behaviour.

Therefore, Conduct is the word that is different from the other three.

Word Core Meaning Relation to Others
Virtue High moral standard/quality Describes a positive moral quality
Conduct Behaviour/Manner of acting General term for behaviour, can be moral or immoral
Probity Honesty and integrity (moral principle) Describes a positive moral quality (honesty)
Righteousness Being morally right/justifiable Describes a positive moral state/quality

The odd word is Conduct because it represents the action (behaviour), whereas the other words represent positive moral qualities or characteristics of behaviour.

Revision Table: Understanding Word Categories

Category Words
Positive Moral Qualities / States Virtue, Probity, Righteousness
General Term for Behaviour Conduct

Additional Information: Word Classification and Analogies

This type of question is common in verbal reasoning and tests your vocabulary and ability to classify words based on their meaning or relationship. Questions can involve identifying words that are synonyms, antonyms, belong to the same category, or have a specific function/property.

In this case, the classification is based on semantic meaning, specifically distinguishing between a general term for action (Conduct) and terms describing the moral quality of that action or person (Virtue, Probity, Righteousness).

Understanding nuances in word meanings is crucial for solving such problems. Often, looking for synonyms or antonyms can help identify the relationships between the words provided in the options.

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Similar Questions

  1. Four words have been given, out of which three are alike in some manner and one is different. Select the word that is different.

  2. Four words have been given, out of which three are alike in some manner and one is different. Select the word that is different.

  3. Select the option that is related to the third word in the same way as the second word is related to the first word. (The words must be considered as meaningful English words and must not be related to each other based on the number of letters/number of consonants/vowels in the word)

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Important Questions from Meaning Based

  1. In the following question, a pair of words is given followed by four pairs of words as alternatives. The candidate is required to choose the pair in which the words bear the same relationship to each other as the words of the given pair bear.

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