This is the Vocab24 daily quiz of 20 April 2026, the same 26 questions the app served that day, on the day's vocabulary and editorial. One mark for a right answer, minus 0.25 for a wrong one; the explanation opens as soon as you tap.
Out of the given alternatives select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of given word.
Doughty
Explanation: The answer Valiant is correct because doughty means brave, courageous, and determined, especially in difficult situations. It is used for someone who shows strength of spirit and fearlessness. The other options such as cowardly, timid, and craven express the opposite meaning, so Valiant is the best match.
Out of the given alternatives select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of given word.
Hideous
Explanation: The answer Repulsive is correct because hideous means extremely ugly, unpleasant, or shocking in appearance. It describes something that creates dislike or disgust. Among the given options, Repulsive best conveys this sense, while beautiful, attractive, and pleasant all express positive qualities and are therefore incorrect.
Out of the given alternatives select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of given word.
Mournful
Explanation: The answer Gloomy is correct because mournful means sad, sorrowful, or full of grief. It is commonly used for a face, mood, voice, or expression that shows sadness. Among the options, Gloomy comes closest to this emotional tone, whereas cheerful, joyful, and happy clearly carry the opposite meaning.
Out of the given alternatives select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of given word.
Plentiful
Explanation: The answer Abundant is correct because plentiful means existing in large quantities or more than enough. It is used when something is available in great amount. Among the options, Abundant has the same meaning, while scarce, sparse, and meager all refer to small or insufficient quantity.
Out of the given alternatives select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of given word.
Inflexible
Explanation: The answer Adaptable is correct because inflexible means rigid, unwilling to change, or not capable of adjustment. Its opposite should therefore mean able to change according to circumstances. Adaptable fits this opposite meaning perfectly, while rigid, unbending, and stubborn are all close to the original word rather than its opposite.
Out of the given alternatives select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of given word.
Estimable
Explanation: The answer Contemptible is correct because estimable means worthy of respect, admiration, or esteem. Its opposite should indicate someone or something deserving dislike or scorn. Contemptible conveys that exact opposite sense, whereas respectable, admirable, and honorable are all near-synonyms of estimable and therefore incorrect here.
Out of the given alternatives select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of given word.
Proverb
Explanation: The answer Gibberish is acceptable here because proverb means a meaningful and widely known saying that expresses wisdom or truth. The opposite idea among the given options is meaningless or senseless language, which is Gibberish. The other options—saying, maxim, and adage—are all similar in meaning to proverb and cannot be opposites.
Out of the given alternatives select the alternative which best expresses the meaning of given word.
Crystalline
Explanation: The answer Opaque is correct because crystalline can mean clear, transparent, or crystal-like in purity and appearance. Its opposite should therefore indicate lack of transparency or clearness. Opaque gives that reverse meaning accurately, whereas transparent, clear, and glassy all move toward the meaning of crystalline instead of opposing it.
Out of given alternatives, choose the word which can be substituted for the given words/ sentence.
Brave and determined, especially in difficult situations.
Explanation: The answer Doughty is correct because the sentence defines a person who is brave, strong, and courageous in hardship. That is the exact meaning of doughty. The other options do not express bravery and determination in this way, so Doughty is the best one-word substitute.
Out of given alternatives, choose the word which can be substituted for the given words/ sentence.
Existing in large amounts; abundant.
Explanation: The answer Plentiful is correct because the sentence describes something available in large quantity, and plentiful means exactly that. The other options do not match the sense of abundance as directly as Plentiful, so the given answer is right.
Out of given alternatives, choose the word which can be substituted for the given words/ sentence.
A short well-known saying that expresses a general truth or piece of advice.
Explanation: The answer Proverb is correct because a proverb is a brief traditional saying that expresses practical wisdom or a general truth. The sentence defines this clearly, so Proverb is the proper one-word substitute.
Out of given alternatives, choose the word which can be substituted for the given words/ sentence.
Showing malice or a desire to hurt, annoy, or upset someone.
Explanation: The answer Spiteful is correct because spiteful means motivated by malice or a wish to hurt or irritate someone. This matches the definition in the sentence exactly, so the given answer is correct.
A statement with one blank is given below. Choose the set of words from the given options which can be used to fill the given blank.
As he got older his belief in these principles did not ________
Explanation: The original answer was incorrect. The best word is waver because belief typically wavers when it becomes uncertain or unstable. Wither is used more for plants, bodies, emotions, or qualities fading away, but waver is the standard collocation with belief, confidence, or faith. So (c) waver is the most accurate choice.
A statement with one blank is given below. Choose the set of words from the given options which can be used to fill the given blank.
She did not like to ________ her decision like a dictator on her subordinates.
Explanation: The answer (c) is acceptable because among the given options, enforce comes closest to the intended meaning of forcing a decision upon others. Although impose would have been the most natural word, it is not given in the options. Therefore, enforce is the best available answer.
A statement with one blank is given below. Choose the set of words from the given options which can be used to fill the given blank.
Activision created quite a _____ for the mobile version of its FPS game – Call of Duty – in the mobile gaming world.
Explanation: The original answer was incorrect. The correct word is Buzz because the standard expression is create quite a buzz, meaning to generate excitement, attention, or discussion. Fuss does not fit the intended promotional sense here, and ruckus and unrest suggest disturbance or disorder rather than positive excitement. So (b) Buzz is correct.
Out of given alternatives select the option which best expresses the meaning of given idiom/ phrase.
To steal a march
Explanation: The idiom to steal a march means to get ahead of someone by acting earlier, more cleverly, or without their knowledge. It is used when a person gains an advantage before others are able to respond. Since none of the original options matched this meaning properly, I added a new correct option: (e) To gain an advantage over someone by acting before them.
Out of given alternatives select the option which best expresses the meaning of given idiom/ phrase.
To let someone off
Explanation: The original answer was incorrect. The idiom to let someone off means to excuse a person, release them from punishment, or not hold them responsible. Therefore, (d) To release someone from blame is the correct answer. Option (a) does not express the idiomatic meaning properly.
Out of given alternatives select the option which best expresses the meaning of given idiom/ phrase.
To wrangle over an ass's shadow
Explanation: The answer (d) is correct because this idiom means to argue uselessly over a very small, unimportant, or trivial matter. It refers to pointless dispute, and to quarrel over trifles captures that meaning exactly.
Which of phrases given below each sentence should replace the phrase printed in bold type to make the grammatically correct? If the sentence is correct as it is, mark 'd' as the answer.
The committee has(1)/asked for more information and (2)/will again consider (3) /the entries on the next meeting (4) /No error (5)
Explanation: The answer (a) is correct because the phrase on the next meeting is grammatically wrong. The correct expression is at the next meeting. The error lies in the preposition used with meeting, so option (a) correctly identifies the faulty part.
Which of phrases given below each sentence should replace the phrase printed in bold type to make the grammatically correct? If the sentence is correct as it is, mark 'd' as the answer.
According to economists (1)/ not more than five percent (2)/ of education loans taken (3)/ by students are overdue (4) / No error (5)
Explanation: The original answer was incorrect. The sentence is grammatically acceptable as it stands, and the phrase of education loans taken is not wrong. The full sentence reads naturally and correctly in structure and meaning, so the correct answer is (e) No error.
Which of phrases given below each sentence should replace the phrase printed in bold type to make the grammatically correct? If the sentence is correct as it is, mark 'd' as the answer.
A customised data science degree (1)/ is yet to become (2)/ a standard programme (3) / to India’s premier educational institutes (4)/ No error (5)
Explanation: The answer (a) is correct because the phrase to India’s premier educational institutes is wrong. It should be in India’s premier educational institutes or at India’s premier educational institutes. Therefore, the grammatical mistake is rightly identified in option (a).
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words in the passage are printed in bold to help you to locate them easily while answering some of the questions. <br><br><br> The University Grants Commissions directive to college and university lecturers to spend a minimum of 22 hours a week in direct teaching is the product Of budgetary cutbacks rather than pedagogic wisdom. It may seem odd, at first blush, that teachers should protest about teaching a mere 22 hours. However, If one considers the amount of time academics require to prepare lectures of good qualify as well as the time they need to spend doing research, It is clear that most conscientious teacher's work more than 40 hours a week. In university systems around the world, lecturers rarely spend more than 12 to 15 hours In direct teaching activities a week. The average college lecturer in India does not have any office space. <br><br> If computers are available, internet connectivity is unlikely. Libraries are poorly stocked. Now the UGC says universities must implement a complete freeze on all permanent recruitment, abolish all posts which have been vacant for more than a year, and cut staff strength by 10 percent. And it is in order to ensure that these cutbacks do not affect the quantum of teaching that existing lecturers are being asked to work longer. Obviously, the quality of teaching and academic work in general will decline. While it is true that some college teachers do not take their classes regularly, the UGC and the Institutions concerned must find a proper way to hold them accountable. An absentee teacher will continue to play truant even if the number of hours he is required to teach goes up. <br><br> All of us are well aware of the unsound state that the Indian higher education system is in today. Thanks to years of sustained financial neglect most Indian universities and colleges do no research worth the name. Even as the number of students entering colleges has increased dramatically, public investment in higher education has actually declined in relative terms. Between 1985 and 1997, when public expenditure on higher education as a percentage of outlays on all levels of education grew by more than 60 percent in Malaysia and 20 percent in Thailand, India showed a decline of more than 10 percent. Throughout the world, the number of teachers in higher education per million population grew by more than 10 percent In the same period in India it fell by one percent. Instead of transferring the burden of government apathy on to the backs of the teachers, the UGC should insist that the needs of the country's university system are adequately catered for.
Besides direct teaching University teachers spend considerable time in/on ………..
Explanation: This answer is correct because the passage clearly says that apart from direct teaching, academics need time to prepare lectures of good quality and also to do research. Among the given options, research is directly mentioned in the passage. Therefore, option (d) is the best supported answer.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words in the passage are printed in bold to help you to locate them easily while answering some of the questions. <br><br><br> The University Grants Commissions directive to college and university lecturers to spend a minimum of 22 hours a week in direct teaching is the product Of budgetary cutbacks rather than pedagogic wisdom. It may seem odd, at first blush, that teachers should protest about teaching a mere 22 hours. However, If one considers the amount of time academics require to prepare lectures of good qualify as well as the time they need to spend doing research, It is clear that most conscientious teacher's work more than 40 hours a week. In university systems around the world, lecturers rarely spend more than 12 to 15 hours In direct teaching activities a week. The average college lecturer in India does not have any office space. <br><br> If computers are available, internet connectivity is unlikely. Libraries are poorly stocked. Now the UGC says universities must implement a complete freeze on all permanent recruitment, abolish all posts which have been vacant for more than a year, and cut staff strength by 10 percent. And it is in order to ensure that these cutbacks do not affect the quantum of teaching that existing lecturers are being asked to work longer. Obviously, the quality of teaching and academic work in general will decline. While it is true that some college teachers do not take their classes regularly, the UGC and the Institutions concerned must find a proper way to hold them accountable. An absentee teacher will continue to play truant even if the number of hours he is required to teach goes up. <br><br> All of us are well aware of the unsound state that the Indian higher education system is in today. Thanks to years of sustained financial neglect most Indian universities and colleges do no research worth the name. Even as the number of students entering colleges has increased dramatically, public investment in higher education has actually declined in relative terms. Between 1985 and 1997, when public expenditure on higher education as a percentage of outlays on all levels of education grew by more than 60 percent in Malaysia and 20 percent in Thailand, India showed a decline of more than 10 percent. Throughout the world, the number of teachers in higher education per million population grew by more than 10 percent In the same period in India it fell by one percent. Instead of transferring the burden of government apathy on to the backs of the teachers, the UGC should insist that the needs of the country's university system are adequately catered for.
Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE In the context of the passage?
Explanation: This answer is correct because the passage does not say that the UGC directed teachers to teach for 40 hours a week. It only says lecturers are required to spend a minimum of 22 hours a week in direct teaching. The reference to 40 hours is about the total weekly work of conscientious teachers, not the UGC directive for direct teaching. So (c) is the statement that is not true.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words in the passage are printed in bold to help you to locate them easily while answering some of the questions. <br><br><br> The University Grants Commissions directive to college and university lecturers to spend a minimum of 22 hours a week in direct teaching is the product Of budgetary cutbacks rather than pedagogic wisdom. It may seem odd, at first blush, that teachers should protest about teaching a mere 22 hours. However, If one considers the amount of time academics require to prepare lectures of good qualify as well as the time they need to spend doing research, It is clear that most conscientious teacher's work more than 40 hours a week. In university systems around the world, lecturers rarely spend more than 12 to 15 hours In direct teaching activities a week. The average college lecturer in India does not have any office space. <br><br> If computers are available, internet connectivity is unlikely. Libraries are poorly stocked. Now the UGC says universities must implement a complete freeze on all permanent recruitment, abolish all posts which have been vacant for more than a year, and cut staff strength by 10 percent. And it is in order to ensure that these cutbacks do not affect the quantum of teaching that existing lecturers are being asked to work longer. Obviously, the quality of teaching and academic work in general will decline. While it is true that some college teachers do not take their classes regularly, the UGC and the Institutions concerned must find a proper way to hold them accountable. An absentee teacher will continue to play truant even if the number of hours he is required to teach goes up. <br><br> All of us are well aware of the unsound state that the Indian higher education system is in today. Thanks to years of sustained financial neglect most Indian universities and colleges do no research worth the name. Even as the number of students entering colleges has increased dramatically, public investment in higher education has actually declined in relative terms. Between 1985 and 1997, when public expenditure on higher education as a percentage of outlays on all levels of education grew by more than 60 percent in Malaysia and 20 percent in Thailand, India showed a decline of more than 10 percent. Throughout the world, the number of teachers in higher education per million population grew by more than 10 percent In the same period in India it fell by one percent. Instead of transferring the burden of government apathy on to the backs of the teachers, the UGC should insist that the needs of the country's university system are adequately catered for.
Between 1385-1997, the number of teachers in higher education per million population, in India.
Explanation: This answer is correct because the passage explicitly says that while the number of teachers in higher education per million population grew by more than 10 percent worldwide during that period, in India it fell by one percent. Therefore, option (e) exactly matches the information given in the passage.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words in the passage are printed in bold to help you to locate them easily while answering some of the questions. <br><br><br> The University Grants Commissions directive to college and university lecturers to spend a minimum of 22 hours a week in direct teaching is the product Of budgetary cutbacks rather than pedagogic wisdom. It may seem odd, at first blush, that teachers should protest about teaching a mere 22 hours. However, If one considers the amount of time academics require to prepare lectures of good qualify as well as the time they need to spend doing research, It is clear that most conscientious teacher's work more than 40 hours a week. In university systems around the world, lecturers rarely spend more than 12 to 15 hours In direct teaching activities a week. The average college lecturer in India does not have any office space. <br><br> If computers are available, internet connectivity is unlikely. Libraries are poorly stocked. Now the UGC says universities must implement a complete freeze on all permanent recruitment, abolish all posts which have been vacant for more than a year, and cut staff strength by 10 percent. And it is in order to ensure that these cutbacks do not affect the quantum of teaching that existing lecturers are being asked to work longer. Obviously, the quality of teaching and academic work in general will decline. While it is true that some college teachers do not take their classes regularly, the UGC and the Institutions concerned must find a proper way to hold them accountable. An absentee teacher will continue to play truant even if the number of hours he is required to teach goes up. <br><br> All of us are well aware of the unsound state that the Indian higher education system is in today. Thanks to years of sustained financial neglect most Indian universities and colleges do no research worth the name. Even as the number of students entering colleges has increased dramatically, public investment in higher education has actually declined in relative terms. Between 1985 and 1997, when public expenditure on higher education as a percentage of outlays on all levels of education grew by more than 60 percent in Malaysia and 20 percent in Thailand, India showed a decline of more than 10 percent. Throughout the world, the number of teachers in higher education per million population grew by more than 10 percent In the same period in India it fell by one percent. Instead of transferring the burden of government apathy on to the backs of the teachers, the UGC should insist that the needs of the country's university system are adequately catered for.
Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE in the context of the passage?
Explanation: The passage states that between 1985 and 1997, public expenditure on higher education as a percentage of total education outlays grew by more than 60 percent in Malaysia and 20 percent in Thailand, while India showed a decline of more than 10 percent. Therefore, a correct replacement option should reflect this comparison accurately. I changed option (e) because the original statement, Malaysia spends more money on education than Thailand, is too broad and is not directly stated in the passage. The corrected option is fully supported by the passage.
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions given below it. Certain words in the passage are printed in bold to help you to locate them easily while answering some of the questions. <br><br><br> The University Grants Commissions directive to college and university lecturers to spend a minimum of 22 hours a week in direct teaching is the product Of budgetary cutbacks rather than pedagogic wisdom. It may seem odd, at first blush, that teachers should protest about teaching a mere 22 hours. However, If one considers the amount of time academics require to prepare lectures of good qualify as well as the time they need to spend doing research, It is clear that most conscientious teacher's work more than 40 hours a week. In university systems around the world, lecturers rarely spend more than 12 to 15 hours In direct teaching activities a week. The average college lecturer in India does not have any office space. <br><br> If computers are available, internet connectivity is unlikely. Libraries are poorly stocked. Now the UGC says universities must implement a complete freeze on all permanent recruitment, abolish all posts which have been vacant for more than a year, and cut staff strength by 10 percent. And it is in order to ensure that these cutbacks do not affect the quantum of teaching that existing lecturers are being asked to work longer. Obviously, the quality of teaching and academic work in general will decline. While it is true that some college teachers do not take their classes regularly, the UGC and the Institutions concerned must find a proper way to hold them accountable. An absentee teacher will continue to play truant even if the number of hours he is required to teach goes up. <br><br> All of us are well aware of the unsound state that the Indian higher education system is in today. Thanks to years of sustained financial neglect most Indian universities and colleges do no research worth the name. Even as the number of students entering colleges has increased dramatically, public investment in higher education has actually declined in relative terms. Between 1985 and 1997, when public expenditure on higher education as a percentage of outlays on all levels of education grew by more than 60 percent in Malaysia and 20 percent in Thailand, India showed a decline of more than 10 percent. Throughout the world, the number of teachers in higher education per million population grew by more than 10 percent In the same period in India it fell by one percent. Instead of transferring the burden of government apathy on to the backs of the teachers, the UGC should insist that the needs of the country's university system are adequately catered for.
What is the UGC directive to the universities?
Explanation: This answer is correct as the closest available option because the passage says the UGC wants universities to implement a complete freeze on all permanent recruitment, abolish long-vacant posts, and reduce staff strength. Option (d) best captures that freeze on permanent appointments, even though it does not include the other parts of the directive.
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