GATE Mechanical 2015 Set 3 | GA | Question: 1

Question

Choose the appropriate word/phrase, out of the four options given below, to complete the following sentence:

Apparent lifelessness _________ dormant life.

• A. harbours
• B. leads to
• C. supports
• D. affects

Answer 1

It should be A.

Apparent lifelessness harbours dormant life. What seems to be lifeless because of lack of movements might be alive, probably simply sleeping.

Answer 2

Ans : [B]

Apparent lifelessness leads to dormant life.

Comments

Hello Desert_Warrior

B is a wrong answer.Even B and D are options which can be eliminated in first look.

I don't need to add anything as it's explained in a well defined manner here

https://www.quora.com/Which-is-the-most-appropriate-word

Answer 3

"Habours" is the only one of the four choices that makes sense. The reference here is to the phenomenon of hibernation. When animals hibernate, they appear to be lifeless ("apparent lifelessness"), but in fact they are in a state of dormancy ('dormant life"). The word "harbours" here is roughly equivalent to "contains," and it further suggests a sort ofprotective containment (on analogy to a literal harbour, which holds ships in a protected and safe environment). None of the other three options comes even close to providing this sort of meaning.

Answer 4

The correct word to complete the sentence is "harbours."

"Apparent lifelessness harbours dormant life."

This choice is correct for the following reasons:

1. Meaning: "Harbours" means to contain or hold, often in a hidden or protected way. This perfectly captures the essence of the sentence, where life exists in a dormant state beneath an apparently lifeless exterior.

2. Context: The sentence describes a situation where what appears lifeless actually contains life that is inactive but capable of becoming active again. This is precisely what "harbours" conveys.

3. Protective connotation: "Harbours" suggests a protective containment, similar to how a harbor shelters ships. This aligns with how dormant life is sheltered within an apparently lifeless form.

The other options are incorrect because:

4. "Leads to" implies a causal relationship that doesn't exist here. Apparent lifelessness doesn't cause dormant life; they coexist.

5. "Supports" suggests active assistance, which is inaccurate. Apparent lifelessness merely conceals dormant life, not actively supports it.

6. "Affects" is too vague and weak. It doesn't capture the specific relationship of containment between apparent lifelessness and dormant life.

In conclusion, "harbours" is the only option that accurately describes how apparent lifelessness contains and protects dormant life, making it the correct choice for this sentence.

**from the information given by Claude AI as it is or edited.