GATE CS Basic vocabulary: 3 chapters, 11 previous year questions (52% of Verbal Aptitude), 180 practice questions and one solved question from each chapter.
A question from this chapter
Question 1
Level 3: Exam Standard
Consider the following four pairs of words. How many of these pairs represent complementary (absolute) antonyms rather than gradable or relational antonyms?
Finite : Infinite
Rich : Poor
Employer : Employee
Valid : Invalid
Question 2
Level 3: Exam Standard
A student analyzes the word 'Bird' and identifies four relationships: Habitat (Nest), Product (Egg), Function (Fly), and Part/Whole (Feather).
The student then claims: "For the analogy 'Bird : Egg :: Bee : ______', the word 'Nest' is a valid completion because both 'Nest' and 'Egg' are strongly associated with 'Bird'."
Which of the following statements identifies the fundamental logical boundary violation in the student's claim?
Question 3
Level 3: Exam Standard
Read the following passage and evaluate the statements below:
"The new software architecture was not a mere patchwork of legacy code, but a foundational scaffolding, the architectural equivalent of a keystone, upon which the entire digital ecosystem would rest."
How many of the following statements correctly interpret the vocabulary in context?
I. "Patchwork" is invoked to describe a carefully curated, cohesive integration of legacy code.
II. "Foundational scaffolding" implies the architecture is fragile and intended to be discarded once the ecosystem is built.
III. "Keystone" is used metaphorically to represent the central, indispensable element that holds the system together.
IV. The author uses "mere" to diminish the perceived value of a "patchwork", contrasting it with the new architecture's critical role.
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GATE CS Basic vocabulary: 3 chapters, 11 previous year questions (52% of Verbal Aptitude), 180 practice questions and one solved question from each chapter.
About Basic vocabulary Notes
Full study notes for Basic vocabulary in GATE CS, organised across 3 chapters. Each chapter page explains concepts from the basics with worked examples and the formulas you need.
Basic vocabulary Weightage in GATE CS
Basic vocabulary accounts for 11 of 21 Verbal Aptitude previous year questions in our bank (52%), about 1.4 per paper across 8 papers.
One Solved Question from Each Basic vocabulary Chapter
Question 1 · Synonyms, Antonyms and Contextual VocabularyMCQ
Consider the following four pairs of words. How many of these pairs represent complementary (absolute) antonyms rather than gradable or relational antonyms?
Finite : Infinite
Rich : Poor
Employer : Employee
Valid : Invalid
A.
1
B.
2
C.
3
D.
4
Correct Answer:
B
Step-by-Step Solution
Key idea: This is a count_how_many question testing the dimensional antonym trap, recognizable because it requires bounding the semantic space of each pair into binary (complementary), spectrum (gradable), or interdependent (relational) categories.
Step 1: Define the categories. Complementary antonyms are absolute binaries with no middle ground. Gradable antonyms exist on a spectrum. Relational antonyms describe a relationship where one defines the other.
Step 2: Evaluate Pair 1 (Finite : Infinite). This is an absolute binary in mathematics and logic. Something is either finite or infinite. -> Complementary.
Step 3: Evaluate Pair 2 (Rich : Poor). Wealth exists on a spectrum; one can be middle-class, comfortable, or impoverished. -> Gradable.
Step 4: Evaluate Pair 3 (Employer : Employee). These are relational opposites; the concept of an employer requires the existence of an employee in the context of the work relationship. -> Relational.
Step 5: Evaluate Pair 4 (Valid : Invalid). In logic and law, these are absolute opposites with no middle ground. A contract or argument is either valid or invalid. -> Complementary.
Step 6: Count the complementary pairs. Pairs 1 and 4 are complementary. Total = 2.
Answer: B
Question 2 · Word Analogies and Semantic RelationshipsMCQ
A student analyzes the word 'Bird' and identifies four relationships: Habitat (Nest), Product (Egg), Function (Fly), and Part/Whole (Feather).
The student then claims: "For the analogy 'Bird : Egg :: Bee : ______', the word 'Nest' is a valid completion because both 'Nest' and 'Egg' are strongly associated with 'Bird'."
Which of the following statements identifies the fundamental logical boundary violation in the student's claim?
A.
It violates the relationship boundary by substituting a 'Habitat' (Nest) for a 'Product' (Egg), breaking the strict requirement that the relationship type must remain identical across both pairs.
B.
It violates the biological boundary because bees do not lay eggs in nests, making the analogy factually invalid.
C.
It violates the grammatical boundary by attempting to map a noun ('Egg') to another noun ('Nest') without a connecting verb.
D.
It violates the taxonomic boundary by comparing a vertebrate ('Bird') to an invertebrate ('Bee') in the same analogy.
Correct Answer:
A
Step-by-Step Solution
Key idea: This is a 'contradiction' question testing the strict boundaries of relationship types in analogies.
Step 1: Analyze the given pair 'Bird : Egg'. The relationship is explicitly 'Organism : Product' (a bird produces an egg).
Step 2: Evaluate the student's proposed completion. The student suggests 'Nest' for the bee.
Step 3: Identify the relationship of the proposed completion. 'Bee : Nest' (or Hive) represents an 'Organism : Habitat' relationship.
Step 4: Find the contradiction. The student is substituting a 'Habitat' relationship for a 'Product' relationship. The golden rule of analogies is that the relationship type must remain identical. The student's justification ("both are associated with Bird") is a classic secondary relationship trap.
Read the following passage and evaluate the statements below:
"The new software architecture was not a mere patchwork of legacy code, but a foundational scaffolding, the architectural equivalent of a keystone, upon which the entire digital ecosystem would rest."
How many of the following statements correctly interpret the vocabulary in context?
I. "Patchwork" is invoked to describe a carefully curated, cohesive integration of legacy code.
II. "Foundational scaffolding" implies the architecture is fragile and intended to be discarded once the ecosystem is built.
III. "Keystone" is used metaphorically to represent the central, indispensable element that holds the system together.
IV. The author uses "mere" to diminish the perceived value of a "patchwork", contrasting it with the new architecture's critical role.
A.
One
B.
Two
C.
Three
D.
Four
Correct Answer:
B
Step-by-Step Solution
Key idea: This is a vocabulary-in-context evaluation question focusing on metaphorical interpretation and contrast markers.
Step 1: Evaluate Statement I. "Patchwork" typically denotes a haphazard or disjointed collection. The author uses it to describe what the architecture is NOT. Describing it as "carefully curated" is False.
Step 2: Evaluate Statement II. While scaffolding can be temporary, the phrase "foundational scaffolding... upon which the entire digital ecosystem would rest" paired with "keystone" emphasizes enduring, critical support, not fragility or discard. False.
Step 3: Evaluate Statement III. A "keystone" is the central stone at the summit of an arch, locking the whole together. This metaphor correctly represents the central, indispensable element. True.
Step 4: Evaluate Statement IV. "Mere" is a limiting adjective used to diminish the importance of "patchwork", setting up the explicit contrast with the critical new architecture. True.