Entries Tagged 'GMAT Preparation' ↓

The Verbal Section of the question paper tests English skills. Examiners consider this section very important and this is apparent from the increase in the number of questions in this section.

B-Schools are looking to determine the student’s level of understanding of the language. This is done through an assessment of how well the student comprehends…
- the meaning of words in the given context,
- the message that is being conveyed,
- the undercurrent tones of the passage,
- correct grammar and the right use of punctuation and the conclusion made.

Particular attention is paid to how well the student answers the question after an analysis of the options provided. Students find the reading comprehension section the most difficult because it tests all of these very qualities. The section however, is easier for some who have a firm command over the language. Make it a practice to read textual material on your computer. This will help not only in this section of CAT but also in the General Awareness section of other MBA entrance tests.

To achieve fluency in any language it is imperative to learn the correct meanings of words and their usage instead of memorizing the word and the sentences. Shorter and convoluted passages now feature in the CAT. Read and understand the passage thoroughly before attempting to answer. The passages are mostly excerpts from articles on economic, social and political issues, such as those that feature in The Economist. The passages are generally about 400 words long. Reading longer articles and thinking in English builds up speed. Discussing what you read with your colleagues will help you understand the fundamental points of the article as well as the subtle nuances. It is also important to separate the opinions of the author from the facts stated.

Learning even the less-common words and their use in sentences will help build vocabulary. This again can be achieved through widespread reading. Apart from understanding the examiner’s reasoning, knowing why answers are incorrect will help prevent repetition of those mistakes. In case the options to a question contain a new word, look it up in a thesaurus. Practice makes perfect. Brushing-up your grammar and vocabulary will help you master the language and add considerably to your overall score.

A-
Ablutophobia- Fear of washing or bathing.
Acarophobia- Fear of itching or of the insects that cause itching.
Acerophobia- Fear of sourness.
Achluophobia- Fear of darkness.
Acousticophobia- Fear of noise.
Acrophobia- Fear of heights.
Aerophobia- Fear of drafts, air swallowing, or airbourne noxious substances.
Aeroacrophobia- Fear of open high places.
Aeronausiphobia- Fear of vomiting secondary to airsickness.
Agateophobia- Fear of insanity.
Agliophobia- Fear of pain.
Agoraphobia- Fear of open spaces or of being in crowded, public places like markets. Fear of leaving a safe place.
Agraphobia- Fear of sexual abuse.
Agrizoophobia- Fear of wild animals.
Agyrophobia- Fear of streets or crossing the street.
Aichmophobia- Fear of needles or pointed objects.
Ailurophobia- Fear of cats.
Albuminurophobia- Fear of kidney disease.
Alektorophobia- Fear of chickens.
Algophobia- Fear of pain.
Alliumphobia- Fear of garlic.
Allodoxaphobia- Fear of opinions.
Altophobia- Fear of heights.
Amathophobia- Fear of dust.
Amaxophobia- Fear of riding in a car.
Ambulophobia- Fear of walking.
Amnesiphobia- Fear of amnesia.
Amychophobia- Fear of scratches or being scratched.
Anablephobia- Fear of looking up.
Ancraophobia- Fear of wind. (Anemophobia)
Androphobia- Fear of men.
Anemophobia- Fear of air drafts or wind.(Ancraophobia)
Anginophobia- Fear of angina, choking or narrowness.
Anglophobia- Fear of England or English culture, etc.
Angrophobia - Fear of anger or of becoming angry.
Ankylophobia- Fear of immobility of a joint.
Anthrophobia or Anthophobia- Fear of flowers.
Anthropophobia- Fear of people or society.
Antlophobia- Fear of floods.
Anuptaphobia- Fear of staying single.
Apeirophobia- Fear of infinity.
Aphenphosmphobia- Fear of being touched. (Haphephobia)
Apiphobia- Fear of bees.
Apotemnophobia- Fear of persons with amputations.
Arachibutyrophobia- Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth.
Arachnephobia or Arachnophobia- Fear of spiders.
Arithmophobia- Fear of numbers.
Arrhenphobia- Fear of men.
Arsonphobia- Fear of fire.
Asthenophobia- Fear of fainting or weakness.
Astraphobia or Astrapophobia- Fear of thunder and lightning.(Ceraunophobia, Keraunophobia)
Astrophobia- Fear of stars or celestial space.
Asymmetriphobia- Fear of asymmetrical things.
Ataxiophobia- Fear of ataxia. (muscular incoordination)
Ataxophobia- Fear of disorder or untidiness.
Atelophobia- Fear of imperfection.
Atephobia- Fear of ruin or ruins.
Athazagoraphobia- Fear of being forgotton or ignored or forgetting.
Atomosophobia- Fear of atomic explosions.
Atychiphobia- Fear of failure.
Aulophobia- Fear of flutes.
Aurophobia- Fear of gold.
Auroraphobia- Fear of Northern lights.
Autodysomophobia- Fear of one that has a vile odor.
Automatonophobia- Fear of ventriloquist’s dummies, animatronic creatures, wax statues - anything that falsly represents a sentient being.
Automysophobia- Fear of being dirty.
Autophobia- Fear of being alone or of oneself.
Aviophobia or Aviatophobia- Fear of flying.

B-
Bacillophobia- Fear of microbes.
Bacteriophobia- Fear of bacteria.
Ballistophobia- Fear of missiles or bullets.
Bolshephobia- Fear of Bolsheviks.
Barophobia- Fear of gravity.
Basophobia or Basiphobia- Inability to stand. Fear of walking or falling.
Bathmophobia- Fear of stairs or steep slopes.
Bathophobia- Fear of depth.
Batophobia- Fear of heights or being close to high buildings.
Batrachophobia- Fear of amphibians, such as frogs, newts, salamanders, etc.
Belonephobia- Fear of pins and needles. (Aichmophobia)
Bibliophobia- Fear of books.
Blennophobia- Fear of slime.
Bogyphobia- Fear of bogeys or the bogeyman.
Botanophobia- Fear of plants.
Bromidrosiphobia or Bromidrophobia- Fear of body smells.
Brontophobia- Fear of thunder and lightning.
Bufonophobia- Fear of toads.

C-
Cacophobia- Fear of ugliness.
Cainophobia or Cainotophobia- Fear of newness, novelty.
Caligynephobia- Fear of beautiful women.
Cancerophobia or Carcinophobia- Fear of cancer.
Cardiophobia- Fear of the heart.
Carnophobia- Fear of meat.
Catagelophobia- Fear of being ridiculed.
Catapedaphobia- Fear of jumping from high and low places.
Cathisophobia- Fear of sitting.
Catoptrophobia- Fear of mirrors.
Cenophobia or Centophobia- Fear of new things or ideas.
Ceraunophobia or Keraunophobia- Fear of thunder and lightning.(Astraphobia, Astrapophobia)
Chaetophobia- Fear of hair.
Cheimaphobia or Cheimatophobia- Fear of cold.(Frigophobia, Psychophobia)
Chemophobia- Fear of chemicals or working with chemicals.
Cherophobia- Fear of gaiety.
Chionophobia- Fear of snow.
Chiraptophobia- Fear of being touched.
Chirophobia- Fear of hands.
Cholerophobia- Fear of anger or the fear of cholera.
Chorophobia- Fear of dancing.
Chrometophobia or Chrematophobia- Fear of money.
Chromophobia or Chromatophobia- Fear of colors.
Chronophobia- Fear of time.
Chronomentrophobia- Fear of clocks.
Cibophobia- Fear of food.(Sitophobia, Sitiophobia)
Claustrophobia- Fear of confined spaces.
Cleithrophobia or Cleisiophobia- Fear of being locked in an enclosed place.
Cleptophobia- Fear of stealing.
Climacophobia- Fear of stairs, climbing, or of falling downstairs.
Clinophobia- Fear of going to bed.
Clithrophobia or Cleithrophobia- Fear of being enclosed.
Cnidophobia- Fear of stings.
Cometophobia- Fear of comets.
Coimetrophobia- Fear of cemeteries.
Coitophobia- Fear of coitus.
Contreltophobia- Fear of sexual abuse.
Coprastasophobia- Fear of constipation.
Coprophobia- Fear of feces.
Consecotaleophobia- Fear of chopsticks.
Coulrophobia- Fear of clowns.
Counterphobia- The preference by a phobic for fearful situations.
Cremnophobia- Fear of precipices.
Cryophobia- Fear of extreme cold, ice or frost.
Crystallophobia- Fear of crystals or glass.
Cyberphobia- Fear of computers or working on a computer.
Cyclophobia- Fear of bicycles.
Cymophobia or Kymophobia- Fear of waves or wave like motions.
Cynophobia- Fear of dogs or rabies.
Cypridophobia or Cypriphobia or Cyprianophobia or Cyprinophobia - Fear of prostitutes or venereal disease.

D-
Decidophobia- Fear of making decisions.
Defecaloesiophobia- Fear of painful bowels movements.
Deipnophobia- Fear of dining or dinner conversations.
Dementophobia- Fear of insanity.
Demonophobia or Daemonophobia- Fear of demons.
Demophobia- Fear of crowds. (Agoraphobia)
Dendrophobia- Fear of trees.
Dentophobia- Fear of dentists.
Dermatophobia- Fear of skin lesions.
Dermatosiophobia or Dermatophobia or Dermatopathophobia- Fear of skin disease.
Dextrophobia- Fear of objects at the right side of the body.
Diabetophobia- Fear of diabetes.
Didaskaleinophobia- Fear of going to school.
Dikephobia- Fear of justice.
Dinophobia- Fear of dizziness or whirlpools.
Diplophobia- Fear of double vision.
Dipsophobia- Fear of drinking.
Dishabiliophobia- Fear of undressing in front of someone.
Domatophobia- Fear of houses or being in a house.(Eicophobia, Oikophobia)
Doraphobia- Fear of fur or skins of animals.
Doxophobia- Fear of expressing opinions or of receiving praise.
Dromophobia- Fear of crossing streets.
Dutchphobia- Fear of the Dutch.
Dysmorphophobia- Fear of deformity.
Dystychiphobia- Fear of accidents.

E-
Ecclesiophobia- Fear of church.
Ecophobia- Fear of home.
Eicophobia- Fear of home surroundings.(Domatophobia, Oikophobia)
Eisoptrophobia- Fear of mirrors or of seeing oneself in a mirror.
Electrophobia- Fear of electricity.
Eleutherophobia- Fear of freedom.
Elurophobia- Fear of cats. (Ailurophobia)
Emetophobia- Fear of vomiting.
Enetophobia- Fear of pins.
Enochlophobia- Fear of crowds.
Enosiophobia or Enissophobia- Fear of having committed an unpardonable sin or of criticism.
Entomophobia- Fear of insects.
Eosophobia- Fear of dawn or daylight.
Ephebiphobia- Fear of teenagers.
Epistaxiophobia- Fear of nosebleeds.
Epistemophobia- Fear of knowledge.
Equinophobia- Fear of horses.
Eremophobia- Fear of being oneself or of lonliness.
Ereuthrophobia- Fear of blushing.
Ergasiophobia- 1) Fear of work or functioning. 2) Surgeon’s fear of operating.
Ergophobia- Fear of work.
Erotophobia- Fear of sexual love or sexual questions.
Euphobia- Fear of hearing good news.
Eurotophobia- Fear of female genitalia.
Erythrophobia or Erytophobia or Ereuthophobia- 1) Fear of redlights. 2) Blushing. 3) Red.

F-
Febriphobia or Fibriphobia or Fibriophobia- Fear of fever.
Felinophobia- Fear of cats. (Ailurophobia, Elurophobia, Galeophobia, Gatophobia)
Francophobia- Fear of France or French culture. (Gallophobia, Galiophobia)
Frigophobia- Fear of cold or cold things.(Cheimaphobia, Cheimatophobia, Psychrophobia)

G-
Galeophobia or Gatophobia- Fear of cats.
Gallophobia or Galiophobia- Fear France or French culture. (Francophobia)
Gamophobia- Fear of marriage.
Geliophobia- Fear of laughter.
Geniophobia- Fear of chins.
Genophobia- Fear of sex.
Genuphobia- Fear of knees.
Gephyrophobia or Gephydrophobia or Gephysrophobia- Fear of crossing bridges.
Germanophobia- Fear of Germany or German culture.
Gerascophobia- Fear of growing old.
Gerontophobia- Fear of old people or of growing old.
Geumaphobia or Geumophobia- Fear of taste.
Glossophobia- Fear of speaking in public or of trying to speak.
Gnosiophobia- Fear of knowledge.
Graphophobia- Fear of writing or handwriting.
Gymnophobia- Fear of nudity.
Gynephobia or Gynophobia- Fear of women.

H-
Hadephobia- Fear of hell.
Hagiophobia- Fear of saints or holy things.
Hamartophobia- Fear of sinning.
Haphephobia or Haptephobia- Fear of being touched.
Harpaxophobia- Fear of being robbed.
Hedonophobia- Fear of feeling pleasure.
Heliophobia- Fear of the sun.
Hellenologophobia- Fear of Greek terms or complex scientific terminology.
Helminthophobia- Fear of being infested with worms.
Hemophobia or Hemaphobia or Hematophobia- Fear of blood.
Heresyphobia or Hereiophobia- Fear of challenges to official doctrine or of radical deviation.
Herpetophobia- Fear of reptiles or creepy, crawly things.
Heterophobia- Fear of the opposite sex. (Sexophobia)
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia- Fear of the number 666.
Hierophobia- Fear of priests or sacred things.
Hippophobia- Fear of horses.
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia- Fear of long words.
Hobophobia- Fear of bums or beggars.
Hodophobia- Fear of road travel.
Hormephobia- Fear of shock.
Homichlophobia- Fear of fog.
Homilophobia- Fear of sermons.
Hominophobia- Fear of men.
Homophobia- Fear of sameness, monotony or of homosexuality or of becoming homosexual.
Hoplophobia- Fear of firearms.
Hydrargyophobia- Fear of mercurial medicines.
Hydrophobia- Fear of water or of rabies.
Hydrophobophobia- Fear of rabies.
Hyelophobia or Hyalophobia- Fear of glass.
Hygrophobia- Fear of liquids, dampness, or moisture.
Hylephobia- Fear of materialism or the fear of epilepsy.
Hylophobia- Fear of forests.
Hypengyophobia or Hypegiaphobia- Fear of responsibility.
Hypnophobia- Fear of sleep or of being hypnotized.
Hypsiphobia- Fear of height.

I-
Iatrophobia- Fear of going to the doctor or of doctors.
Ichthyophobia- Fear of fish.
Ideophobia- Fear of ideas.
Illyngophobia- Fear of vertigo or feeling dizzy when looking down.
Iophobia- Fear of poison.
Insectophobia - Fear of insects.
Isolophobia- Fear of solitude, being alone.
Isopterophobia- Fear of termites, insects that eat wood.
Ithyphallophobia- Fear of seeing, thinking about or having an erect penis.

J-
Japanophobia- Fear of Japanese.
Judeophobia- Fear of Jews.

K-
Kainolophobia or Kainophobia- Fear of anything new, novelty.
Kakorrhaphiophobia- Fear of failure or defeat.
Katagelophobia- Fear of ridicule.
Kathisophobia- Fear of sitting down.
Kenophobia- Fear of voids or empty spaces.
Keraunophobia or Ceraunophobia- Fear of thunder and lightning.(Astraphobia, Astrapophobia)
Kinetophobia or Kinesophobia- Fear of movement or motion.
Kleptophobia- Fear of stealing.
Koinoniphobia- Fear of rooms.
Kolpophobia- Fear of genitals, particularly female.
Kopophobia- Fear of fatigue.
Koniophobia- Fear of dust. (Amathophobia)
Kosmikophobia- Fear of cosmic phenomenon.
Kymophobia- Fear of waves. (Cymophobia)
Kynophobia- Fear of rabies.
Kyphophobia- Fear of stooping.

L-
Lachanophobia- Fear of vegetables.
Laliophobia or Lalophobia- Fear of speaking.
Leprophobia or Lepraphobia- Fear of leprosy.
Leukophobia- Fear of the color white.
Levophobia- Fear of things to the left side of the body.
Ligyrophobia- Fear of loud noises.
Lilapsophobia- Fear of tornadoes and hurricanes.
Limnophobia- Fear of lakes.
Linonophobia- Fear of string.
Liticaphobia- Fear of lawsuits.
Lockiophobia- Fear of childbirth.
Logizomechanophobia- Fear of computers.
Logophobia- Fear of words.
Luiphobia- Fear of lues, syphillis.
Lutraphobia- Fear of otters.
Lygophobia- Fear of darkness.
Lyssophobia- Fear of rabies or of becoming mad.

M-
Macrophobia- Fear of long waits.
Mageirocophobia- Fear of cooking.
Maieusiophobia- Fear of childbirth.
Malaxophobia- Fear of love play. (Sarmassophobia)
Maniaphobia- Fear of insanity.
Mastigophobia- Fear of punishment.
Mechanophobia- Fear of machines.
Medomalacuphobia- Fear of losing an erection.
Medorthophobia- Fear of an erect penis.
Megalophobia- Fear of large things.
Melissophobia- Fear of bees.
Melanophobia- Fear of the color black.
Melophobia- Fear or hatred of music.
Meningitophobia- Fear of brain disease.
Menophobia- Fear of menstruation.
Merinthophobia- Fear of being bound or tied up.
Metallophobia- Fear of metal.
Metathesiophobia- Fear of changes.
Meteorophobia- Fear of meteors.
Methyphobia- Fear of alcohol.
Metrophobia- Fear or hatred of poetry.
Microbiophobia- Fear of microbes. (Bacillophobia)
Microphobia- Fear of small things.
Misophobia or Mysophobia- Fear of being contaminated with dirt or germs.
Mnemophobia- Fear of memories.
Molysmophobia or Molysomophobia- Fear of dirt or contamination.
Monophobia- Fear of solitude or being alone.
Monopathophobia- Fear of definite disease.
Motorphobia- Fear of automobiles.
Mottephobia- Fear of moths.
Musophobia or Muriphobia- Fear of mice.
Mycophobia- Fear or aversion to mushrooms.
Mycrophobia- Fear of small things.
Myctophobia- Fear of darkness.
Myrmecophobia- Fear of ants.
Mythophobia- Fear of myths or stories or false statements.
Myxophobia- Fear of slime. (Blennophobia)

N-
Nebulaphobia- Fear of fog. (Homichlophobia)
Necrophobia- Fear of death or dead things.
Nelophobia- Fear of glass.
Neopharmaphobia- Fear of new drugs.
Neophobia- Fear of anything new.
Nephophobia- Fear of clouds.
Noctiphobia- Fear of the night.
Nomatophobia- Fear of names.
Nosocomephobia- Fear of hospitals.
Nosophobia or Nosemaphobia- Fear of becoming ill.
Nostophobia- Fear of returning home.
Novercaphobia- Fear of your step-mother.
Nucleomituphobia- Fear of nuclear weapons.
Nudophobia- Fear of nudity.
Numerophobia- Fear of numbers.
Nyctohylophobia- Fear of dark wooded areas or of forests at night
Nyctophobia- Fear of the dark or of night.

O-
Obesophobia- Fear of gaining weight.(Pocrescophobia)
Ochlophobia- Fear of crowds or mobs.
Ochophobia- Fear of vehicles.
Octophobia - Fear of the figure 8.
Odontophobia- Fear of teeth or dental surgery.
Odynophobia or Odynephobia- Fear of pain. (Algophobia)
Oenophobia- Fear of wines.
Oikophobia- Fear of home surroundings, house.(Domatophobia, Eicophobia)
Olfactophobia- Fear of smells.
Ombrophobia- Fear of rain or of being rained on.
Ommetaphobia or Ommatophobia- Fear of eyes.
Oneirophobia- Fear of dreams.
Oneirogmophobia- Fear of wet dreams.
Onomatophobia- Fear of hearing a certain word or of names.
Ophidiophobia- Fear of snakes. (Snakephobia)
Ophthalmophobia- Fear of being stared at.
Opiophobia- Fear medical doctors experience of prescribing needed pain medications for patients.
Optophobia- Fear of opening one’s eyes.
Ornithophobia- Fear of birds.
Orthophobia- Fear of property.
Osmophobia or Osphresiophobia- Fear of smells or odors.
Ostraconophobia- Fear of shellfish.
Ouranophobia or Uranophobia- Fear of heaven.

P-
Pagophobia- Fear of ice or frost.
Panthophobia- Fear of suffering and disease.
Panophobia or Pantophobia- Fear of everything.
Papaphobia- Fear of the Pope.
Papyrophobia- Fear of paper.
Paralipophobia- Fear of neglecting duty or responsibility.
Paraphobia- Fear of sexual perversion.
Parasitophobia- Fear of parasites.
Paraskavedekatriaphobia- Fear of Friday the 13th.
Parthenophobia- Fear of virgins or young girls.
Pathophobia- Fear of disease.
Patroiophobia- Fear of heredity.
Parturiphobia- Fear of childbirth.
Peccatophobia- Fear of sinning or imaginary crimes.
Pediculophobia- Fear of lice.
Pediophobia- Fear of dolls.
Pedophobia- Fear of children.
Peladophobia- Fear of bald people.
Pellagrophobia- Fear of pellagra.
Peniaphobia- Fear of poverty.
Pentheraphobia- Fear of mother-in-law. (Novercaphobia)
Phagophobia- Fear of swallowing or of eating or of being eaten.
Phalacrophobia- Fear of becoming bald.
Phallophobia- Fear of a penis, esp erect.
Pharmacophobia- Fear of taking medicine.
Phasmophobia- Fear of ghosts.
Phengophobia- Fear of daylight or sunshine.
Philemaphobia or Philematophobia- Fear of kissing.
Philophobia- Fear of falling in love or being in love.
Philosophobia- Fear of philosophy.
Phobophobia- Fear of phobias.
Photoaugliaphobia- Fear of glaring lights.
Photophobia- Fear of light.
Phonophobia- Fear of noises or voices or one’s own voice; of telephones.
Phronemophobia- Fear of thinking.
Phthiriophobia- Fear of lice. (Pediculophobia)
Phthisiophobia- Fear of tuberculosis.
Placophobia- Fear of tombstones.
Plutophobia- Fear of wealth.
Pluviophobia- Fear of rain or of being rained on.
Pneumatiphobia- Fear of spirits.
Pnigophobia or Pnigerophobia- Fear of choking of being smothered.
Pocrescophobia- Fear of gaining weight. (Obesophobia)
Pogonophobia- Fear of beards.
Poliosophobia- Fear of contracting poliomyelitis.
Politicophobia- Fear or abnormal dislike of politicians.
Polyphobia- Fear of many things.
Poinephobia- Fear of punishment.
Ponophobia- Fear of overworking or of pain.
Porphyrophobia- Fear of the color purple.
Potamophobia- Fear of rivers or running water.
Potophobia- Fear of alcohol.
Pharmacophobia- Fear of drugs.
Proctophobia- Fear of rectums.
Prosophobia- Fear of progress.
Psellismophobia- Fear of stuttering.
Psychophobia- Fear of mind.
Psychrophobia- Fear of cold.
Pteromerhanophobia- Fear of flying.
Pteronophobia- Fear of being tickled by feathers.
Pupaphobia - Fear of puppets.
Pyrexiophobia- Fear of Fever.
Pyrophobia- Fear of fire.

R-
Radiophobia- Fear of radiation, x-rays.
Ranidaphobia- Fear of frogs.
Rectophobia- Fear of rectum or rectal diseases.
Rhabdophobia- Fear of being severely punished or beaten by a rod, or of being severely criticized. Also fear of magic.(wand)
Rhypophobia- Fear of defecation.
Rhytiphobia- Fear of getting wrinkles.
Rupophobia- Fear of dirt.
Russophobia- Fear of Russians.

S-
Samhainophobia: Fear of Halloween.
Sarmassophobia- Fear of love play. (Malaxophobia)
Satanophobia- Fear of Satan.
Scabiophobia- Fear of scabies.
Scatophobia- Fear of fecal matter.
Scelerophibia- Fear of bad men, burglars.
Sciophobia Sciaphobia- Fear of shadows.
Scoleciphobia- Fear of worms.
Scolionophobia- Fear of school.
Scopophobia or Scoptophobia- Fear of being seen or stared at.
Scotomaphobia- Fear of blindness in visual field.
Scotophobia- Fear of darkness. (Achluophobia)
Scriptophobia- Fear of writing in public.
Selachophobia- Fear of sharks.
Selaphobia- Fear of light flashes.
Selenophobia- Fear of the moon.
Seplophobia- Fear of decaying matter.
Sesquipedalophobia- Fear of long words.
Sexophobia- Fear of the opposite sex. (Heterophobia)
Siderodromophobia- Fear of trains, railroads or train travel.
Siderophobia- Fear of stars.
Sinistrophobia- Fear of things to the left or left-handed.
Sinophobia- Fear of Chinese, Chinese culture.
Sitophobia or Sitiophobia- Fear of food or eating. (Cibophobia)
Snakephobia- Fear of snakes. (Ophidiophobia)
Soceraphobia- Fear of parents-in-law.
Social Phobia- Fear of being evaluated negatively in social situations.
Sociophobia- Fear of society or people in general.
Somniphobia- Fear of sleep.
Sophophobia- Fear of learning.
Soteriophobia - Fear of dependence on others.
Spacephobia- Fear of outer space.
Spectrophobia- Fear of specters or ghosts.
Spermatophobia or Spermophobia- Fear of germs.
Spheksophobia- Fear of wasps.
Stasibasiphobia or Stasiphobia- Fear of standing or walking. (Ambulophobia)
Staurophobia- Fear of crosses or the crucifix.
Stenophobia- Fear of narrow things or places.
Stygiophobia or Stigiophobia- Fear of hell.
Suriphobia- Fear of mice.
Symbolophobia- Fear of symbolism.
Symmetrophobia- Fear of symmetry.
Syngenesophobia- Fear of relatives.
Syphilophobia- Fear of syphilis.

T-
Tachophobia- Fear of speed.
Taeniophobia or Teniophobia- Fear of tapeworms.
Taphephobia Taphophobia- Fear of being buried alive or of cemeteries.
Tapinophobia- Fear of being contagious.
Taurophobia- Fear of bulls.
Technophobia- Fear of technology.
Teleophobia- 1) Fear of definite plans. 2) Religious ceremony.
Telephonophobia- Fear of telephones.
Teratophobia- Fear of bearing a deformed child or fear of monsters or deformed people.
Testophobia- Fear of taking tests.
Tetanophobia- Fear of lockjaw, tetanus.
Teutophobia- Fear of German or German things.
Textophobia- Fear of certain fabrics.
Thaasophobia- Fear of sitting.
Thalassophobia- Fear of the sea.
Thanatophobia or Thantophobia- Fear of death or dying.
Theatrophobia- Fear of theatres.
Theologicophobia- Fear of theology.
Theophobia- Fear of gods or religion.
Thermophobia- Fear of heat.
Tocophobia- Fear of pregnancy or childbirth.
Tomophobia- Fear of surgical operations.
Tonitrophobia- Fear of thunder.
Topophobia- Fear of certain places or situations, such as stage fright.
Toxiphobia or Toxophobia or Toxicophobia- Fear of poison or of being accidently poisoned.
Traumatophobia- Fear of injury.
Tremophobia- Fear of trembling.
Trichinophobia- Fear of trichinosis.
Trichopathophobia or Trichophobia- Fear of hair. (Chaetophobia, Hypertrichophobia)
Triskaidekaphobia- Fear of the number 13.
Tropophobia- Fear of moving or making changes.
Trypanophobia- Fear of injections.
Tuberculophobia- Fear of tuberculosis.
Tyrannophobia- Fear of tyrants.

U-
Uranophobia or Ouranophobia- Fear of heaven.
Urophobia- Fear of urine or urinating.

V-
Vaccinophobia- Fear of vaccination.
Venustraphobia- Fear of beautiful women.
Verbophobia- Fear of words.
Verminophobia- Fear of germs.
Vestiphobia- Fear of clothing.
Virginitiphobia- Fear of rape.
Vitricophobia- Fear of step-father.

W-
Walloonphobia- Fear of the Walloons.
Wiccaphobia: Fear of witches and witchcraft.

X-
Xanthophobia- Fear of the color yellow or the word yellow.
Xenoglossophobia- Fear of foreign languages.
Xenophobia- Fear of strangers or foreigners.
Xerophobia- Fear of dryness.
Xylophobia- 1) Fear of wooden objects. 2) Forests.
Xyrophobia-Fear of razors.

Z-
Zelophobia- Fear of jealousy.
Zeusophobia- Fear of God or gods.
Zemmiphobia- Fear of the great mole rat.
Zoophobia- Fear of animals.

The accuracy is highest in such questions, and the time spent solving them can be quite less if one has done a good amount of practice. The questions that are asked in logical reasoning require one to find out whether the given conclusion is valid or not. For example:

1. All drunken drivers meet with an accident.
Salman is a drunken driver.
Conclusion – Salman will meet with an accident
This one is pretty straightforward. Since Salman belongs to a group, all members of which meet with an accident, he would meet with an accident.

2. Most males are intelligent.
Mr. X is a male
Conclusion – Mr. X may or may not be intelligent
Here there are two possibilities. Either Mr. X is a part of the group of intelligent males or he is not. Hence, it follows that he may or may not be intelligent.

In the exam the questions that are asked have two statements followed by two conclusions and you have to determine which conclusion is correct. Obviously the questions are not so easy as the above examples and may require one to draw venn diagrams to solve the questions. E.g.

1. Statements –
some students are smart
all students are hardworking

Conclusions – (i) some hardworking students are smart
(ii) some smart students are hardworking
Solution – Both the conclusions are correct, as some students are definitely both smart and hardworking.

2. Statement–
tennis players get married only to models

Conclusions – (i) Madhu is married to a tennis player
(ii) Madhu is not married to a tennis player
Solution – Here either Madhu can be married to a tennis player or to someone who is not a tennis player. So either conclusion (i) or (ii) follow but not both.

3. Statements –
some roses are red
some red are black.

Conclusions – (i) no black is a rose.
(ii) no rose is a black
Solution – Here both the statements are possibilities. It may be that some roses are black or no roses are black. Hence neither of the conclusions follows.

You need to adopt different approaches for different passages.
These are as follows:

Read Passage –> Answer Questions:

This is the traditional way or reading the passage first and then approaching the questions.

Answer Questions -> Read Passage –> Answer Questions:

This approach most commonly used is to have a look at the questions first and then read the passage, underlining part of the passage where an answer to the questions read may be found. After reading the passage, one can go to the questions and if need be just revisit the underlined part. However, while one is reading the questions, one must not waste a lot of time reading any inference-based questions and just keep a look out for names, events and terms that can be found in the passage.

Answer Questions -> Read Passage -> Answer Questions -> Read Passage:

In this approach, one never ends up reading the passage. A question is taken one at a time and its answer is searched for in the passage. Obviously not many inference-based questions can be answered in this way, so these questions will have to be left. But if it were a fact-based passage, these types of questions would be minimal. Also one can take advantage that usually the answers to the questions would lie sequentially in the passage.

You could also follow this approach. Around one-third of the passage is read, which gives one a fair idea of the structure of the passage. Then questions are looked at and all those questions whose answers lie in the part of passage read are attempted. Then for the remaining passage the same approach is followed. This also helps in saving time searching for the answers as the amount of passage unread is less and also one understands the flow of the passage. A few inferential questions can also be answered using this approach.

The above approaches coupled with a proper selection of the passages to be attempted should help one comfortably clear the cut-offs of the Reading Comprehension section.

Selecting the correct passages:

The number of passages asked will be minimum five. If 3 are attempted it is a fair attempt. Passages should be selected based on the following.
1. The Comfort level with the topic of the passage
2. Degree of Difficulty level of the language used
3. Trying Understanding the structure of the passage
4. Knowing Length of the passage and number of the questions asked

Management:

1. Any Edition of Harvard Business Review
2. Case Studies of Businessworld Magazine
3. What They Don’t Teach You At Harvard Business School - Mark H. McCormack

Physics/Science:

1. Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking
2. Any work of Isaac Asimov
3. The Tao of Physics - Fritjof Capra

Philosophy:

1. Zen And The Art of Motor Cycle Maintenance
2. The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand

Abstract Topic:

Futureshock, Power Shift, Third Wave - Alvin Toffler

Literary Works:

1. God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy
2. Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie

Business:

Made In Japan - Akio Morito

Religion:

Any book written by Swami Vivekanand

Sports:

Idols - Sunil Gavaskar

General:

Uncommon Wisdom - Fritjof Capra

Law:

Any of John Grisham’s works

Medical:

Doctors - Erich Segal

Anthropology/Sociology:

1. Manwatching
2. The Naked Ape - Desmond Morris

Note: The above list is just an indicative list.

Lessons in Imperative Sentences-
Study the following base form of the verbs and see how they are used in the imperative sentences. Imperative sentences are the sentences, which express commands, advice, and suggestions. The second person ‘you’ is always addressed in the imperative sentences.

In the following sentences, ‘you’ is the subject, though understood: -

1. Believe in God.
2. Worship Ma Sarswatiji, Ma Durgaji, Ma Luxmiji.
3. Don’t be superstitious.
4. Don’t deceive anyone.
5. Always speak the truth.
6. Vishwamitra said to Rama, “Send Ram and Lakshman with me. Don’t suspect my intention.”
7. Get up early in the morning. Have a long walk. Do exercises and yoga to keep yourself fit.
8. Never lose your patience. Be brave and courageous.
9. Don’t pluck flowers, as they enhance the beauty of nature.
10. Drink eight glasses of water daily, as it is very conducive to health.
11. Never tease the poor and the weak.
12. Do justice to get justice from God.
13. Don’t advise anyone unless you are asked for.
14. Work at the behest of your conscience.
15. The officer said to the servant, “Bring a glass of water. Always keep the office neat and clean.”
16. Be considerate to others and never think negatively.
17. The principal told the students, “Discipline yourself at every step of your life. Attend your classes regularly and punctually. Don’t come late. Pay attention to what your teachers teach you.”
18. Be honest, as honesty always pays; sooner or later.
19. Try to understand the motive of your opponents before you take any step against them.
20. Mother said to her son, “Mend your ways, if you want me to lead a happy life.”

Pay Attention: In the above-mentioned sentences, the verbs in their base form are “believe, worship, be, deceive, speak, send, get up, lose, do, pluck, drink, tease, advise, work, bring, keep, think, discipline, attend, come, pay, try, mend”.

Lessons in Modal Auxiliaries-

Modal Auxiliaries:

The modal verbs are - shall, will, can, may, must, should, would, could, might, ought to, need, dare.

Pay Attention: Most of the modal verbs are always followed by the first form (bare infinitive) of verbs in Active Voice, and be + 3rd form of the verb in Passive Voice.

A.. ‘Will’ and its past form ‘Would’

It (will) is used with second and third persons (you, thou, he, she, they, all the nouns).

in Future Tense -

1. Time will decide what will happen in coming days.
2. What will you decide in my absence?
3. The best students of our college will be awarded by the manager.
4. The problems regarding the condition of the poor will be discussed later on.
5. Who will feed you if you don’t work?
6. Nothing will be done if we await the right time.
7. I asked my friend when he would go to Mumbai.

Pay Attention: Conjunctions showing time and condition are not followed by ’shall’ or ‘will. Such conjunction are - if, till, provided, in case, supposing, unless, until, till, as long as, so long as, as if, as though, before, when, as soon as, since, while, after. The past form of ‘will’ or’ shall’ (would, should) is also not used.

1. Will you take your bath before you leave for your office?
2. As long as atom-bombs continue to be made, threats of war will remain.
3. The students will continue their agitation till the Government takes its decision back.
4. We shall hold a meeting after the students have gone home.
5. As soon as we discard ‘laziness’, we shall find that we shall be able to do a lot.

1. Etihad Airways is the name of the national airlines of…

a. Afghanistan
b. Iraq
c. Kuwait
d. United Arab Emirates

2. Who was the chairman of the twelfth finance commission of India?
a. MS Ahluwalia
b. C Rangarajan
c. Rakesh Mohan
d. Bimal Jalan

3. General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC) is chaired by…
a. N Rangachari
b. RK Joshi
c. MK Garg
d. Ashok Lahiri

4. This site/search engine was in the news in January 2005 as it had plans to offer the famous libraries of the world online. Can you identify the name of the engine in question from the given options?
a. Yahoo. com
b. Google.com
c. Altavista. com
d. AOL

5. Aramco is one of the world’s biggest….
a. Cement firm
b. Steel firm
c. IT firm
d. Oil firm

6. Mukand Steel is the key company owned by…
a. Birlas
b. Bajajs
c. Tatas
d. Ruias

7. ‘Cottons’ is the name of garment collection by….
a. Madura Garments
b. Century Textiles
c. Indigo Nation
d. Raymond

8. Servo is an oil brand from….
a. HPCL
b.IOC
c. BPCL
d. None of these

9. Progeon is the name of the BPO arm of this Indian software giant. Identify it from the given operations.
a. Wipro Technologies
b. Infosys Technologies
c. HCL Technologies
d. Polaris Softwares

10. According to the Union Budget 2005-2006, which of the following represents the outlay for the defence sector?
a. Rs. 66,000 cr
b. Rs. 77,000 cr
c. Rs. 83,000 cr
d. Rs. 90,000 cr

11. ‘Mahila card’ is an international debit card meant exclusively for women. This card belongs to the stable of …
a. ICICI Bank’
b. UTI Bank
c. Induslnd Bank
d. Canara Bank

12. Which of the following represents the limit of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the construction sector?
a. 49 per cent
b. 66 per cent
c. 74 per cent
d. 100 per cent

13. Who is the chairman of IDBI?
a. M. Damodaran
b. VP Shetty
c. PP Vora
d. KV Kamath

14. You would associate Corp Kisan Card with …
a. Canara Bank
b. Corporation Bank
c. ICICI Bank
d. HDFC Bank

15. Itz Cash, a pre-paid card, belongs to the stable of…
a. Tatas
b. Essel group
c. Essar group
d. None of these

16. Who among the following is the CMD of National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)?
a. VP Sinha
b. b. C P Jain
c. AK Purwar
d. PS Shenoy

17. ‘Aapka Fayda’ is the punch line that you would associate with….
a. Sahara Samay
b. NDTV India
c. CNBC TV 18
d. Zee Business

18. ‘Data One’ is the name of the broadband service of ….
a. Reliance Infocomm
b. BSNL
c. MTNL
d. Tata Indicom

19. Food-World, Giant, Health 8′ Glow and Music World are all retail outlets of …
a. Pantaloon
b. RPG
c. Shopper’s Stop
d. HLL

20. Sarthak Behuria is the chairman-cum-managing director of…
a. ONGC
b. lac
c. BPCL
d.HPCL

Answer Key:

1. d. United Arab Emirates
2. b. C. Rangarajan
3. b. RK Joshi
4. b Google.com
5. d. Oil firm
6. b. Bajajs
7. b. Century Textiles
8. b. 10C
9. b. Infosys Technologies
10. c. Rs. 83.000 cr
11. c. Induslnd Bank
12. d. 100 per cent
13. b. VP Shelly
14. b. Corporation Bank
15. b. Essel Group
16. b. CP Jain
17. d. Zee business
18. b. BSNL
19. b. RPG
20. b. 10C

1. Mat expands to…

a: Medium Advisory Tax
b. Minimum Accounted Tax
c. Minimum Automated Tax
d. Minimum Alternate Tax

2. This company was i.n the news in march 2005 as ‘U’ was planned to be its new logo. Can you identify the name of the company from the given options?
a. P&G
b. HLL
c. Nestle
d. Dabur

3. What is the expected GDP growth rate in 2005-2006, according to the Union Budget 2005-2006?
a. 6 per cent
b. 6.1 per cent
c. 6.3 per cent
d. 6.9 per cent

4. Identify the indirect tax from the given options.
a. Wealth Tax
b. Gift Tax
c. Sales Tax
d. Corporation Tax

5. Which of the following represents the expansion of ‘R’ in RFID?
a. Regional
b. Radio
c. Recorded
d. Reliance

6. This bank, in collaboration with NGOs, launched the ’social card’ for those people who want to contribute to the welfare of the society but either do not have time to do so or do not know which cause they would like to support. Can you identify the name of the bank in question from the given options?
a. Canara Bank
b. SBI
c. Punjab National Bank
d. Bank of India

7. Kishore Biyani, who is considered India’s largest retailer owns….
a. Shoppers Stop
b. Pantaloon
c. West Side
d. RPG Enterprises

8. The year in which the World Bank was incorporated in the UN system was….
a. 1994
b. 1946
c. 1947
d. 1949

9. The United Nations named the year 2005 as…
a. Year of savings
b. Year of investments
c. Year of micro finance
d. Year of macro finance

10. The name of the Air India’s budget airline, that was launched in April 2005, is …
a. Air l.ndia Aviator
b. Air India Express
c. Air India Smarty
d. Air India Genie

11. Which of the following represents the expansion of ‘T’ in ‘TIN’?
a. Trade
b. Tax
c. Transmission
d. Total

12. Which of the following personalities is the author ofJeh: A Life of JRD Tata?
a. RM Lala
b. BK Dadabhoy
c. Dwijendra Tripathi
d. BK Karanjia

13. Which of the following represents the worth of the deal in which Adhikari brothers sold the SAB TV brand to the Sony TV in March 2005?
a. $7 million
b. $10 million
c. $13 million
d. $15 million

14. Which city hosted the G-20 meet in the third week of March 2005?
a. Lahore
b. Sau Paulo
c. New Delhi
d. Phuket

15. Identify the incorrect match. Automobile company Car Model
a. Fiat Automobiles Panda
b. Skoda Automobiles Fabia
c. Honda Automobiles Civic
d. All of them are matched properly

16. This personality was the FORBES Asian Businessman of the year 2004. Can you identify him from the given options?
a. Ratan Tata
b. Anil Ambani
c. KV Kamath
d. Nusli Wadia

17. According to a survey conducted by Hewitt Associates, which of the following companies was adjudged as the best employer of 2004?
a. P & G India
b. NTPC
c. Bharti Televentures
d.TCS

18. Awaz is the Hindi business news channel that belongs to the stable of …
a. NDTV
b. CNBC TV 18
c. Zee News
d. Sony TV

19. ‘Make your own road’ is the catchphrase that you would associate with….
a. Chevrolet Tavera
b. Tata Safari
c. Tata Sumo
d. Ford Endeavor

20. The maximum revenue to the government comes from….
a. Service tax
b. Custom duty
c. Excise duty
d. Income tax

Answer key:

1. d. Minimum Alternate Tax
2.b.HLL
3. d. 6.9 per cent
4. c. Sales Tax
5. b. Radio (RFID: RadioFrequency. Identification)
6. b. SBI
7. b. Pantaloon
8. c.1947
9. c. Year of micro finance
10. b. Air India Express
11. b. Tax(TaxlnformationNetwork)
12. b. BK Dadabhoy
13. c. $13 million
14. c. New Delhi
15. d. All of them are matched properly
16. a. Ratan Tata
17. d. TCS
18. b. CNBC TV 18
19. b. Tata Safari
20. c.. Excise Duty

1. Read:
This is the best in quality as one sees the usage and the context. However, it’s not a direct method for vocab improvement and the ROI in terms of new words learnt for an hr put in is low unless one’s vocab is less than average. This is assuming the average Indian English newspaper. Plus, there is additional bother of looking up a dictionary every time.

2. Vocab books like Norman Lewis and Rosenbaum:
These books look at the roots of the words, origins etc. Thus, each word has a history etc. very easy to pick up certain words and also helps to guess the meaning of a word using its roots even the one had never seen it until that moment. Downside, there are only a few words with a story. Also the roots can give misleading results at times.

3. Word lists:
Every coaching/prep book has them. Very direct approach and has a high ROI. But it looks a monumental task to finish a few thousand words. Can be done with regular effort and tools such as flash cards. The key is to learn the usage and not to memorize the words.

One can choose depending upon one’s needs. If you find it difficult to get started, option 2 is probably the best. If you’re pretty strong already reading and combining through word list may be a good way. If your English is particularly weak, read and do the word lists. Option 2 can be a support.