GATE Civil 2024 Set 2 | GA | Question: 1

Question

If ' $\rightarrow$ ' denotes increasing order of intensity, then the meaning of the words
[drizzle $\rightarrow$ rain $\rightarrow$ downpour] is analogous to [$\_\_\_\_\_$ $\rightarrow$ quarrel $\rightarrow$ feud].

Which one of the given options is appropriate to fill the blank?

• A. bicker
• B. bog
• C. dither
• D. dodge

Answer 1

"drizzle $\rightarrow$ rain $\rightarrow$ downpour" signifies an increasing intensity of rainfall, starting from light (drizzle), progressing to moderate (rain), and culminating in heavy (downpour).

Similarly, "quarrel $\rightarrow$ feud" represents an escalation in the intensity of conflict or disagreement, starting from a relatively minor argument (quarrel) and escalating to a more serious and prolonged dispute (feud).

So, in the analogy, "bicker" would be the appropriate word to fill the blank because it corresponds to the initial, less intense stage of a conflict, much like "drizzle" is the initial, lighter form of rainfall in the rain sequence.

Answer 2

To solve this problem, let's think through it step by step:

1. We're given a sequence of words related to rain, arranged in increasing order of intensity:
   drizzle → rain → downpour

2. We need to find a similar sequence for an argument or conflict, where the middle term is "quarrel" and the last term is "feud".

3. Let's consider the meaning and intensity of each term:
   - Drizzle: light rain
   - Rain: moderate precipitation
   - Downpour: heavy rain

4. Now, let's look at the options and their meanings:
   1. Bicker: to argue about petty things
   2. Bog: to sink or submerge (not related to arguments)
   3. Dither: to be indecisive
   4. Dodge: to avoid or evade

5. We're looking for a word that represents a less intense form of argument than "quarrel", just as "drizzle" is less intense than "rain".

6. Among the given options, "bicker" fits this criteria best. It represents a minor argument or disagreement, which could potentially escalate to a quarrel and then to a feud.

Therefore, the most appropriate word to fill in the blank is "bicker".

The complete analogy would be:
drizzle → rain → downpour
bicker → quarrel → feud

Both sequences show an increasing intensity of the phenomenon they describe.

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