In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given. Select the most appropriate option for each blank. Agra's marble-marvel has such an overwhelming presence (1)______ other monuments in the town have been relegated (2) ______ oblivion. Amongst such 60 odd monuments in (3) ______ town, the Red Taj is the most (4) ______ and relatively well-preserved. The tomb in red sandstone was (5) ______ by Ann Hessing, widow of a Dutch officer, after his death in 1803.
Select the correct option to fill in blank 2.
to
Understanding the Passage and Blank (2)
The passage describes the city of Agra and how the famous Taj Mahal (Agra's marble-marvel) is so dominant that other historical structures are often forgotten or ignored. The sentence containing blank (2) reads: "Agra's marble-marvel has such an overwhelming presence (1)______ other monuments in the town have been relegated (2) ______ oblivion." We need to select the most appropriate option to fill in blank (2).
The key verb here is "relegated". To relegate means to assign to a lower position, rank, or status; or to consign or dismiss to an obscure position or condition.
The phrase "relegated to oblivion" is a common idiomatic expression. Oblivion means the state of being forgotten, especially by the public.
Therefore, the sentence means that the other monuments have been moved or assigned to a state of being forgotten because of the overwhelming presence of the Taj Mahal.
Analyzing Options for Blank (2) - Prepositions with Relegate
Let's look at the options provided for blank (2) and consider which preposition correctly follows "relegated" in this context:
- by: The preposition "by" is usually used to indicate the agent doing something (e.g., "the work was done by him") or a means of transport (e.g., "travel by train"). It doesn't fit here to indicate the state or condition something is moved into.
- with: The preposition "with" usually indicates accompaniment (e.g., "go with me") or possession (e.g., "a person with talent"). It does not fit the context of being moved into a state of oblivion.
- to: The preposition "to" is often used to indicate movement towards a point, place, or state (e.g., "go to the store", "reduced to tears"). It is the correct preposition used in the idiom "relegated to oblivion", indicating the state or condition the monuments have been moved into.
- on: The preposition "on" usually indicates position on a surface (e.g., "sit on the chair") or a topic (e.g., "talk on politics"). It does not fit the context of being moved into a state of oblivion.
Correct Preposition for 'Relegated'
The verb "relegate" when used to indicate moving something to a specific state, position, or category, is typically followed by the preposition "to". For example:
- He was relegated to the reserve team.
- The issue was relegated to secondary importance.
- Her achievements were relegated to a footnote in history.
In the given sentence, the monuments are being moved to the state of "oblivion". Thus, the correct preposition is "to".
The complete phrase is "relegated to oblivion".
Filling the Blank
Based on the analysis, the most appropriate option for blank (2) is "to".
The sentence fragment with the filled blank is: "...other monuments in the town have been relegated to oblivion."
Revision Table: Prepositions
| Preposition | Common Use | Fits Blank (2)? | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| by | Agent, means of transport | No | Does not indicate the state moved into |
| with | Accompaniment, possession | No | Does not fit the context of 'oblivion' |
| to | Direction, state, destination | Yes | Correct preposition for 'relegated to oblivion' |
| on | Surface, topic | No | Does not indicate the state moved into |
Additional Information on Cloze Tests and Vocabulary
Cloze tests assess your understanding of context, vocabulary, grammar, and prepositions. To perform well in cloze tests, it is helpful to:
- Read the entire passage first to understand the general meaning and context.
- Look at the words immediately before and after the blank.
- Consider the grammatical function of the missing word (e.g., verb, noun, preposition, conjunction).
- Try each option in the blank to see which one makes grammatical and contextual sense.
- Pay attention to collocations and idiomatic expressions (like "relegated to oblivion").
Understanding common phrasal verbs and prepositional phrases is crucial for many blanks in such passages.
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Important Questions from Vocab Based Questions
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (1)
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (2)
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (3)
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (4)
Select whichever word you consider most appropriate for the blank (5)
