To crack CAT VARC no shortcut tips or tricks are applicable. CAT VARC section can only be cracked with regular practice. CAT VARC fill in the blanks topic holds the weightage of around 3-6 questions in CAT exam. Therefore the section is considered soring among other sections as the questions can be solved with any lengthy calculations. However, the knowledge of the English language, grammar, and vocabulary is must crack CAT 2021.

In this article, we have listed some of Fill in the blanks type questions that have been asked in the previous year’s CAT question papers. This will give you an idea of how to solve such questions. Read the article to know more about the CAT questions on fill in the blanks. 

CAT VARC Important Topics

Before jumping to the sample questions let’s first see which topics are mainly asked in the CAT VARC section.

CAT VARC Sample Fill in the Blanks

1. More often mothers are ____________ for oddities of behavior in their offspring. ____________, single mothers’ children, raised even in difficult of times, are not seen showing any ‘outrageous’ patterns of behavior, as do those of nuclear families.

1. appreciated, consequently
2. berated, therefore
3. praised, in the same manner
4. blamed, interestingly enough

Answer: (D) blamed, interestingly enough

Explanation: For blank 1, we are talking of “oddities” in the behavior of the offspring, which is a negative thing. This indicates that options A and C are not right.

For blank 2, the second sentence shows that single mothers are better at managing kids, so they cannot be blamed for anything. This eliminates option B as “therefore” can’t fit in this blank.

Hence, option D is the correct answer.

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2. Democracy is better ___________ through the ballot box than it is through the crowding of main squares, which is a ___________ image, but a misleading representation of the “people’s will”?

1. focused, ineffective
2. affected, moving
3. effected, powerful
4. realized, fleeting

Explanation: For blank 1, the words focused and affected don’t make any sense. So, the possibilities left are effected and realized.

For blank 2, the part that reads, “but a misleading representation of the “people’s will”? shows that the word “powerful” is the right fit here.

Hence, the correct answer is option C.

3. ___________ Muhmud of Ghazni made 17 raids of India, he did not make any ___________ effort to capture India. ___________, he might seen as the founder of Turkish rule in India to the extent that his expeditions opened India to conquest from the north-west.

1. Because, systemic, therefore
2. Although, systematic, however
3. Albeit, repeated, consequently
4. Even though, systemic, nevertheless

Answer: (B) Although, systematic, however

Explanation: This question slightly differs from the above two. In this, the answer of blank 2 is the key to the answer of blank 1.

In blank 2, the words Systematic and Focused make sense. However, it’s important to note that the word systemic and systematic refer to different things. Systemic refers to a system while systematic means orderly or methodical.

Here, systemic does not make any sense. So, we are left with choices A and B for blank 1 of which “although” correctly fits in the sentence.

Also, for blank 3, the part that reads “to the extent that…” denotes that, however, or nevertheless is correct here.

Hence, the answer is option B.

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4. Romans became the strongest power in the Mediterranean, ___________ they gained control of Italy and defeated the Carthaginians. They benefited from the ___________ nature of Mediterranean politics and getting help from local allies to defeat a far-off enemy.

1. Though, fractious
2. After, facetious
3. Once, factious
4. Since, factitious

Answer: (C) Once, factious

Explanation: For blank 1, all the choices except for “though” seem correct. So we need to check the second sentence to confirm the answer.

For blank 2, we have 4 similar-sounding words. The correct answer is factious, which means dissentious or given to faction.

So the correct option is C.

5. Shakespeare’s tragedies have drawn inspiration from ancient Rome than Greece. Yet, in “Hamlet?” Polonius offers ___________ advice: “Neither a borrower nor a lender is; for a loan oft loses both itself and friend, and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry”. Greece have saved the Eurozone some grief had it followed Polonius’ ___________.

1. fatuous, caution
2. germane, council
3. apposite, counsel
4. opposite, consul

Answer: (C) apposite, counsel

Explanation: For blank 1, germane and apposite are two word choices to fill in this blank as they describe Polonius’ advice. Here fatuous and opposite don’t fit appropriately as this blank is about Polonius’ advice.

For blank 2 counsel is the correct choice as it means advice. So, the correct answer is C.

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6. Citing an improvement in exports the nation’s central bank has said that an ___________ economic recovery is underway. However, many economists remain skeptical as to whether the economy is picking up after more than a year of ___________ economic growth.

1. incipient, anaemic
2. slow, weak
3. insipient, steady
4. insipid, astounding

Answer: (A) incipient, anaemic Explanation: Here the two words “insipient” and “incipient” create confusion. Incipient means at the beginning stage while insipient means foolish. For blank 1, the words slow and incipient are sensible. But as the precedent of the blank is “an”, the word slow cannot be appropriate here. For blank 2, weak and anaemic make sense. But as slow is not the right option anymore, the word anemic is correct here. Hence, the right answer is option A.

7. Religious belief is fluid and protean, ___________ ideology is procrustean, enforcing uniformity. Religion can be syncretic ___________ ideology is restrictive.

1. while, whereas
2. hence, but
3. similarly, yet
4. by contrast, likewise

Answer: (A) while, whereas Explanation: Protean means something that changes shape easily. In the first sentence, the lines “Religious belief is fluid. Ideology enforces uniformity” are in contrast. So, either “while” or “by contrast” can join these into sentences. For blank 2, the sentences “Religion can be syncretic.” and “Ideology is restrictive” can be conjugated with “whereas” or “but”. Only option A has both the right words. So, the correct answer is A.

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8. For as long as men have had access to mirrors, they have been fretting about their scalps going ___________. It was a particular obsession of Julius Caesar; the wreath of Laureis he wore was less a ___________ to roman tradition than an attempt at covering up his shiny pate.

1. barren, bow
2. barred, blow
3. bare, nod
4. bared, note

Answer: (C) bare, nod Explanation: For blank 1, the options bared, barred, and barren does not fit appropriately as they don’t match the context. Bare, meaning “uncovered” is right for this blank. For blank 2, we have bow, blow, nod and note. Nod means to acknowledge something and it has been paired with bare. Hence, it is the correct answer for blank 2. So, the right option is C.

9. ___________ of protestors had joined the agitation and did not heed the requests by the police not to ___________ the barricades.

1. hordes, breach
2. hordes, breech
3. hoards, breach
4. hoards, breech

Answer: (A) hordes, breach

Explanation: For both blanks, we have two choices. Starting with blank 1, we have two words here: hordes meaning a large group of people, and hoards meaning a stock pile or cache. In this sentence, the word “hordes” fits in correctly.

For blank 2, the options we have are breech and breach. Breach means to break through and breach means the lower part of something. The correct word in this context is a breach.

Therefore, the right answer is option A.

10. Laughter is a complex and ___________ social signal. People interpret laughter in a way that is ___________ with their interpretations of other people’s intentions.

1. ambiguous, consistent
2. ambivalent, compatible
3. misleading, contrary
4. misconstrued, accordant

Answer: (A) ambiguous, consistent

Explanation: Here, the second sentence has the key to the first one. So, let’s consider blank 2 first. All the options except option C, fit into the blank correctly, as the word “contrary with” is not idiomatic. The meaning of the sentence remains the same regardless of the word choices.

For the first blank, “ambivalent” will not fit in, as it describes a person with mixed feelings. And laughter cannot be ambivalent. But the word “ambiguous” fits in well. Laughter is open to interpretation and is not a clear signal.

Therefore, the correct option is A.

11. It’s the ___________ nature of experiential purchases that endears us to them. They are not around long enough to become imperfect. And if they are imperfect, our memories and stories of them get sweet with time. Even a bad experience becomes a ___________ story.

1. ephemeral, engaging
2. lasting, compelling
3. fleeting, good
4. enduring, disquieting

Answer: (C) fleeting, good

Explanation: According to the second sentence, experiential purchases are not around long enough to be imperfect. Thus, the options “lasting” and “enduring” can be eliminated directly. Also, both fleeting and ephemeral fit blank 1

. For blank 2, we are only left with two choices, “engaging” and ”good”. But the article “a” in front of the blank shows that the word engaging is inappropriate.

Hence, the correct answer is option C.

12. Before newspaper editorials shrank into vestigial artifacts of a bygone era, their impact was ___________. Editorial boards have long tended to have durable leanings which ___________ their persuasive power over partisan politics.

1. formidable, underpin
2. pronounced, subvert
3. self-limiting, undermine
4. negligible, bolster

Answer: (C) self-limiting, undermine

Explanation: The first sentence states that newspaper editorials have shrunk into “vestigial artifacts” of a “bygone” era. This shows that they are not relevant anymore. So, when the author begins by saying that even before newspaper editorials were relegated to this state their impact was negligible or self-limiting. So we have choices C and D left with us. In the second sentence, it is stated that editorial boards have long tended to have durable leanings. So if the stance of the editorial board is predictable their ability to persuade the reader reduces instead of boosting. That’s why the word “undermine” is appropriate for this blank.

Hence, the correct answer is C.

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