Direction: Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow by selecting the most appropriate option. Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the odd to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity. At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and trackless centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her success and her failures. Through good and ill fortune alike she never lost sight of that quest or forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We end today a period of ill fortune and India discovers herself again. The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity to greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future? Freedom and power brings responsibility. That responsibility rests upon this Assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India.
Out of the following which one has the opposite meaning to the word 'suppressed' in the passage -
Incite
Understanding 'Suppressed' in the Passage
In the given passage, the phrase "the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance" refers to the idea that the spirit or voice of India had been held back, stifled, or prevented from being expressed for a long time. The word 'suppressed' here means to forcibly put an end to, or to prevent the development, action, or expression of something. It implies restraint, control, or keeping something down.
Analyzing the Options for Opposite Meaning
To find the word with the opposite meaning to 'suppressed', let's examine each option:
- Subdue: This word means to overcome, quieten, or bring under control. For example, to subdue a rebellion. This meaning is very similar to 'suppressed'.
- Crush: This word means to violently subdue or defeat. For example, to crush an uprising. This also carries a similar meaning to 'suppressed', implying forceful restraint or termination.
- Incite: This word means to encourage or stir up (violent or unlawful behavior or a strong feeling). It means to provoke, stimulate, or urge on. For instance, to incite a riot. This is the direct opposite of holding something back or preventing its expression; instead, it means to actively encourage or bring it out.
- Conquer: This word means to overcome and take control of (a place or people) by military force, or to overcome a problem or weakness. While it implies control, it doesn't directly convey the idea of preventing expression in the same way 'suppressed' does; rather, it's about gaining dominance. However, in the context of action or spirit, it leans more towards 'subdue' than an opposite to 'suppress'.
Identifying the Antonym of 'Suppressed'
Based on the analysis, 'suppressed' means to hold back, restrain, or prevent something from being expressed. The word that has the opposite meaning is 'incite', which means to stir up, encourage, or provoke the expression or action of something. When something is 'suppressed', it is kept down; when it is 'incited', it is brought forth or encouraged to emerge.
Therefore, 'Incite' is the most appropriate word with the opposite meaning to 'suppressed' in the context of the passage.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
Why, according to the writer can't people be motivated to use a resource prudently?
1. They feel that others may overuse the resource
2. It is possible to substitute the resource
3. Abundance of the resource availability
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
When do people use resources exhaustively?
The self-interest of people affects the use of renewable resources
People rooted in a locality
Which among the following is closest in meaning with the word 'deplete'?
