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.
 
I had seen the magic shop from afar several times. I had passed (1)______ once or twice, a shop window of (2)______ little objects, magic balls, magic hens, wonderful cones, magic dolls and all those (3)______ of things. But never had I thought of going in (4)______ one day, Gip hauled me by my finger – right (5)______ to the window.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank No.3.

Directions: In question four alternatives are given for the Idiom/Phrase underlined in the sentences. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the Idiom/Phrase and mark it is the Answer Sheet.

Cry in the wilderness

Direction (Q.131 to 140): In the following passage there are blanks, each of which has been numbered. These numbers are printed below the passage, against each, five words are suggested, one of which fits the blank appropriately. Find out the appropriate word in each case.

Once upon a time a foolish brahmin (131) to Birbal with a strange request. He wanted to be (132) as ' pandit’. Now, the term pandit ' (133) to a man of knowledge. But unfortunately, this poor brahmin was uneducated. Birbal tried to explain the difference to him saying that it was not correct to call an uneducated man a pandit and because of this very reason it would be improper to call him so . But, the silly brahmin had his heart (134) on this title. Birbal came up with a brilliant solution and said that as the brahmin was an uneducated man he should (135) abuses and stones at anyone who dared to address him by the very same title. Then Birbal called all his servants and ordered them to call this brahmin pandit. The brahmin was very pleased. But the moment the servants started calling out to him as ' pandit ' he pretended to be very angry and (136) abusing them loudly. Then he picked up a few stones and hurled them in their direction. All this shouting and screaming (137) a crowd. When people realised that this brahmin was erupting every time someone called him pandit’, they all started to (138 ) him. Over the next couple of days, he would constantly hear the word ' pandit ' wherever he went very soon the whole town started referring to him as ' pandit ' much to his (139). The foolish brahmin never realised why people were calling him a pandit. He was extremely pleased with the result. He (140) Birbal from the bottom of his heart.

Fill in the blank (131).

In the question a sentence has been given in Direct/Indirect. Out of the four alternatives suggested, select the one which best expresses the same sentence in Indirect/Direct and mark your answer in the Answer Sheet.

He said to me, “What time do the offices close?” 

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words have been printed in bold to help you locate them while answering some of the questions.
   
Indeed the western recession is really the beginning of good news for India! But to understand that we will have to move away for a while from the topic of western recession . . . . . . . to the Japanese recession! For years the Japanese style of management has been admired. However, over the last decade or so, one key question has sprung up ‘if Japanese management style is as wonderful as described then why has Japan been in a recession for more than a decade?'
The answer to this question is very simple. Culture plays a very important part in shaping up economies. What succeeds in one culture fails in another. Japanese are basically nonmaterialistic. And however rich they become, unlike others, they cannot just keep throwing and buying endlessly. And once they have everything they need; there is a saturation point. It was only when companies like Toyota realized that they cannot keep selling cars endlessly to their home market that they went really aggressive in the western markets-and the rest is history. Japanese companies grew bigger by catering to the world markets when their home markets shrunk.

served equally well. They were lured through advertising and marketing techniques of ‘dustbinisation' of the customer; and then finally, once they became ready customers, they were given loans and credits to help them buy more and more. When all the creditworthy people were given loans to a logical limit, they ceased to be a part of the market. Even this would have been understandable if it could work as an eye-opener. Instead of taking the 'Right Step' as Toyota did, they preferred to take a 'shortcut'. Now banks went to the noncredit worthy people and gave them loans. The people expectedly defaulted and the entire system collapsed.

Now like Toyota western companies will learn to find new markets. They will now lean towards India because of its common man! The billion-plus population in the next 25 years will become, a consuming middle-class. Finally, there will be a real surge in income of these people and in the next fifty odd years, one can really hope to see an equal world in terms of material plenty, with poverty being almost nonexistent! And this will happen not by selling more cars to Americans and Europeans. It will happen by creating markets in India, China, Latin America and Africa, by giving their people purchasing power and by making products for them.
The recession has made us realize that it is not because of worse management techniques, but because of limits to growth. And they will realize that it is great for planet earth. After all, how many cars and houses must the rich own before calling it enough? It's time for them to look at others as well. Many years back, to increase his own profits, Henry Ford had started paying his workers more, so that they could buy his cars. In similar fashion, now the developed world will pay the developing world people so that they can buy their cars and washing machines.
The recession will kick - start the process of making the entire world more prosperous, and lay the foundation of limits to growth in the west and the foundation of real globalization in the world - of the globalization of prosperity. And one of its first beneficiaries will be India. 

Although admired since years, why did the scepticism over the Japanese management style start since the last decade?

HINDRANCE 

Direction: Choose the correct alternative of the following sentences.
He said, “I was sleeping.”

Directions: In question four alternatives are given for the Idiom/Phrase underlined in the sentences. Choose the alternative which best expresses the meaning of the Idiom/Phrase and mark it is the Answer Sheet.

My neighbour had to pay through his nose for a brand new car.