CAT 2008 — VARC Question 15
In each of the questions, a word/phrase has been used in sentences in five different ways. Choose the option corresponding to the sentence in which the usage of the word/phrase is incorrect or inappropriate.
Buckle
Answer & solution
- A
After the long hike our knees were beginning to buckle.
The horse suddenly broke into a buckle.
- C
The accused did not buckle under police interrogation.
- D
Sometimes, an earthquake can make a bridge buckle.
- E
People should learn to buckle up as soon as they get into a car.
“Beginning to buckle” in option 1 indicates that their knees were ready to collapse or that they were extremely tired.
“Buckle” is inappropriately used in option 2. The horse can break into a trot or a gallop. It may buck or it may even break into somebody’s garden, but not “into a buckle”.
Option 3 uses “buckle” in the sense of ‘collapse’ or ‘surrender’.
In option 4, “buckle” again refers to ‘bend’ or ‘collapse’, even ‘break’.
“To buckle up”, in option 5, means ‘to fasten one's belt, seat belt, or buckles’.
Hence, the correct answer is option 2.