In the given text, the blanks are numbered (i)−(iv). Select the best match for all the blanks.
Yoko Roi stands ______ (i) as an author for standing ______ (ii) as an honorary fellow, after she stood ______ (iii) her writings that stand ______ (iv) the freedom of speech.
(i) out (ii) down (iii) in (iv) for
(i) down (ii) out (iii) by (iv) in
(i) down (ii) out (iii) for (iv) in
(i) out (ii) down (iii) by (iv) for
ANSWER
(D): (i) out, (ii) down, (iii) by, (iv) for.
Official answer: DSource: Official answer key, GATE 2024 IN (IISc Bengaluru)
Every blank completes a phrasal verb built on stand, so start by fixing what each particle means. Stand out means to be noticeable or distinguished. Stand down means to resign from or give up a post. Stand by means to keep supporting something (here, one's own words). Stand for means to represent or uphold.
Blank (ii): someone stands ______ as an honorary fellow. An honorary fellowship is a position, and the phrasal verb for leaving a position is stand down. So (ii) = down. That rules out (B) and (C), which both give (ii) = out. Both of them also give (iv) = in, and writings that stand in the freedom of speech makes no sense, so they fail twice.
Blank (i): Yoko Roi stands ______ as an author. She is being praised as a distinguished author because she gave up a fellowship on principle, so she stands out. So (i) = out, which agrees with (A) and (D).
Blank (iii): she stood ______ her writings. Refusing to take back what you wrote is standing by it. Stood in her writings means nothing here (stand in means to act as a substitute). So (iii) = by, which rules out (A).
Blank (iv): writings that stand ______ the freedom of speech. Writings that champion a value stand for it. So (iv) = for.
The completed sentence reads: "Yoko Roi stands out as an author for standing down as an honorary fellow, after she stood by her writings that stand for the freedom of speech." The sequence out, down, by, for is option (D).
KEY IDEA
All four blanks are phrasal verbs built on stand, and the particle changes the meaning completely: stand out (be distinguished), stand down (resign a post), stand by (keep supporting one's words), stand for (represent or uphold). Pin down the blank with the strongest clue first. Here that is (ii), because a fellowship is a post you step down from. Then eliminate options one blank at a time.
WATCH OUT FOR
Picking (A) because (i), (ii) and (iv) are all right, and missing that stood in her writings means nothing. Stand in means to act as a substitute. The idiom for refusing to take back what you wrote is stand by. A second trap is swapping out and down for (i) and (ii). Stands down as an author would mean she quit writing, which contradicts a sentence praising her as an author.
From the GATE 2024 IN paper. Every question of this paper · Download the full paper · All 32 Grammar & vocabulary questions, with notes
