Directions: 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. The Great Stupa at Sanchi is one of the oldest stone structures in India. It was originally commissioned (1)______ Emperor Ashoka, in the 3rd century BCE. Its nucleus (2)______ a simple hemispherical brick structure built (3)______ the relics of the Buddha. It was crowned by the chhatri, a parasol-like (4)______ symbolizing high rank, which was (5)______ to honor and shelter the relics.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank No.1
by
Understanding the Passage: The Great Stupa at Sanchi
The passage describes the historical significance of the Great Stupa at Sanchi, one of India's oldest stone structures. It talks about its origin, construction, and purpose related to the relics of the Buddha.
Analyzing Blank No. 1
The sentence containing blank No. 1 is: "It was originally commissioned (1)______ Emperor Ashoka, in the 3rd century BCE." We need to choose the most appropriate preposition to fill this blank, indicating who commissioned the structure.
Evaluating the Options for Blank No. 1
Let's look at the provided options:
- by: This preposition is commonly used to indicate the agent (the person or thing that performs the action) in a passive voice sentence. The sentence "It was commissioned..." is in the passive voice.
- with: This preposition usually indicates accompaniment, possession, or using something as a tool. It doesn't fit the context of identifying the person who commissioned something.
- from: This preposition typically indicates origin, source, or separation. It doesn't fit the context of identifying the person who commissioned something.
- to: This preposition usually indicates direction, destination, or relationship. It doesn't fit the context of identifying the person who commissioned something.
Determining the Correct Preposition
The sentence "It was originally commissioned ______ Emperor Ashoka" uses the passive voice ('was commissioned'). In a passive sentence, the person or thing performing the action (the agent) is introduced by the preposition 'by'. Emperor Ashoka is the agent who performed the action of commissioning the Stupa.
Therefore, the correct preposition to indicate that Emperor Ashoka is the person who commissioned the Great Stupa is 'by'. The complete phrase is "commissioned by Emperor Ashoka".
Final Answer for Blank No. 1
Based on the analysis, the most appropriate option to fill blank No. 1 is 'by'.
| Blank No. | Sentence Part | Options | Correct Option | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | commissioned ______ Emperor Ashoka | by, with, from, to | by | 'By' is used to indicate the agent in a passive sentence. |
Revision Table: Key Concepts
| Concept | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Passive Voice | A sentence structure where the subject receives the action, and the agent (doer of the action) is often introduced by 'by'. | The book was written by him. |
| Preposition 'by' | Used to show the person or thing that does the action in a passive sentence. | The painting was created by the artist. |
Additional Information: Passive Voice and Agent
Understanding the passive voice is helpful in fill-in-the-blank questions involving prepositions. In an active sentence, the subject performs the action (e.g., Emperor Ashoka commissioned the Stupa). In the passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject (e.g., The Stupa was commissioned...). The original subject (Emperor Ashoka) is often included as the 'agent' using 'by'.
Using 'by' after a passive verb correctly identifies the performer of the action. This grammatical structure is common when the action is more important than the doer, or when the doer is obvious or unknown. In this case, identifying Emperor Ashoka as the commissioner is important historical information, and 'by' is the standard way to present this in the passive voice.
Important Questions from Cloze Test
What would come in blank space (1)?
What would come in blank space (2)?
What would come in blank space (3)?
What would come in blank space (4)?
What would come in blank space (5)?
