Instructions: Read the following passage and answer the questions. Namita Gokhale's latest novel reminds us of the human cost of the pandemic, lest we forget. "What did the virus look like?" Matangi-Ma, the blind matriarch and the central character of Namita Gokhale's novel wonders, "Did the virus have feelings? Was it angry with the world ?" As we grapple with the uncertainities created by another variant of the corona virus, her question's seem opposite. The pandemic has warped our sense of time and space. While the days drag, months fly by. The holiday paradox explains this distortion in time perception the fewer the memories from a period, the shorter its remembered duration. The scant number of experiences for some of us during the lockdown has made us think of them as interludes, brief periods of in convenience to be skimmed over. The Blind matriarch stops us in our tracks. It is a reminder of the human cost of the last two years, lest we forget.
The "Scant" number of experiences. Here Scant is used as an
Analyzing the Word 'Scant' in the Passage
The question asks us to identify the grammatical function of the word 'Scant' within the phrase "The Scant number of experiences" as used in the provided passage.
Understanding the Phrase Context
Let's look at the sentence from the passage where the phrase is used:
"The scant number of experiences for some of us during the lockdown has made us think of them as interludes, brief periods of in convenience to be skimmed over."
Here, the phrase "The Scant number of experiences" is the subject of the clause.
Identifying the Role of 'Scant'
Let's break down the phrase:
- 'The' is a definite article.
- 'number' is a noun, referring to a quantity.
- 'of experiences' is a prepositional phrase modifying the noun 'number', telling us *what kind* of number is being referred to.
- 'Scant' is placed directly before the noun 'number'.
Words that modify or describe nouns are called adjectives. In this case, 'Scant' is describing the quality or quantity of the 'number' of experiences, indicating that the number was small or insufficient.
Evaluating the Options
Based on our analysis, let's consider the given options:
- Adjective: An adjective modifies a noun or pronoun. Since 'Scant' modifies the noun 'number', this is a strong possibility.
- Adverb: An adverb typically modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. 'Scant' is not modifying any of these in this context; it is modifying the noun 'number'.
- Phrase: A phrase is a group of two or more words that function together as a unit. 'Scant' is a single word, not a group of words.
- None of the above: Since 'Scant' functions as an adjective, this option is unlikely.
Conclusion
The word 'Scant' is used to describe the noun 'number' in the phrase "The Scant number of experiences". Words that describe nouns are adjectives. Therefore, 'Scant' is used as an adjective in this context.
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'?
