NUST NET practice: English (30 MCQs)

This practice set covers the English section of the NUST Entry Test (NET). NUST does not give the English section a syllabus code or numbered sections. The topics below are the question types commonly set in the NET English portion: vocabulary (synonyms and antonyms), analogies, sentence completion, error identification (grammar and usage) and reading comprehension. Check the current NUST admission guide for the latest breakdown. Every question, sentence and passage in this set is original Mega Lecture material. You get 30 multiple-choice questions, an answer key and a short explanation for every answer. Where a question checks a grammar rule, the rule is stated so you can use it again.

How the paper is marked and how to pace yourself

• Format: the NET is mainly offered as a computer-based test (CBNET), but paper-based sittings have also been run in some cycles, so check your admit card and the current NUST admission guide. Each question has four options and only one correct answer.
• Marking: each correct answer earns one mark. In recent admission cycles NUST has said there is no negative marking. Check the current NUST admission guide before your test, as the rules can change.
• Timing: the NET gives you about one minute per question overall. English questions are usually quicker than Mathematics or Physics, so aim to finish this set of 30 in 20–25 minutes and bank the spare time for calculations.
• Order of attack: answer vocabulary and analogies quickly (you either know the word or you don't). Spend a bit longer on error identification. Read the passage once, carefully, before you look at its questions.
• Guessing: if there is no negative marking in your cycle, never leave a question blank. Eliminate the options you know are wrong and choose from the rest.

Section 1: Synonyms (Questions 1–5)

Choose the word that is closest in meaning to the word in capitals.

Tip for synonyms and antonyms: test tricks often include (i) a word that looks or sounds like the question word (for example eminent / imminent, or affect / effect), and (ii) the exact opposite planted among the synonym options (and the synonym planted among the antonym options). Before you look at the options, say what the word means in your own words.

1. CANDID

• A. cautious
• B. frank
• C. secretive
• D. cheerful

2. METICULOUS

• A. careless
• B. hasty
• C. generous
• D. painstaking

3. ABATE

• A. subside
• B. intensify
• C. abandon
• D. provoke

4. PRAGMATIC

• A. idealistic
• B. stubborn
• C. practical
• D. talkative

5. OSTENTATIOUS

• A. modest
• B. showy
• C. hostile
• D. obvious

Section 2: Antonyms (Questions 6–10)

Choose the word that is most nearly opposite in meaning to the word in capitals.

6. FRUGAL

• A. extravagant
• B. thrifty
• C. fragile
• D. fruitful

7. BENEVOLENT

• A. kind
• B. generous
• C. indifferent
• D. malicious

8. APEX

• A. summit
• B. horizon
• C. base
• D. climax

9. TRANSIENT

• A. brief
• B. permanent
• C. transparent
• D. mobile

10. COHERENT

• A. muddled
• B. logical
• C. adhesive
• D. consistent

Section 3: Analogies (Questions 11–14)

Choose the pair of words whose relationship is most like the relationship between the words in capitals.

Method for analogies: turn the given pair into a short sentence that names the relationship, for example "A PETAL is part of a FLOWER." Then put each option into the same sentence. Only one option should fit exactly. If more than one fits, make your sentence more precise.

11. CHEF : WHISK

• A. writer : novel
• B. judge : court
• C. tailor : needle
• D. farmer : harvest

12. DROUGHT : FAMINE

• A. rain : cloud
• B. hunger : food
• C. river : sea
• D. negligence : accident

13. SHELL : TORTOISE

• A. wool : sweater
• B. fur : fox
• C. bark : dog
• D. nest : tree

14. TIMID : COURAGE

• A. ignorant : knowledge
• B. wealthy : money
• C. honest : truth
• D. generous : gifts

Section 4: Sentence completion (Questions 15–20)

Choose the option that best completes the sentence.

15. Despite repeated warnings from the engineers, the committee __________ the design flaw, and the bridge had to be closed within a year.

• A. rectified
• B. highlighted
• C. investigated
• D. overlooked

16. The new timetable was meant to be a temporary trial, but students liked it so much that the school made it __________.

• A. obsolete
• B. provisional
• C. permanent
• D. illegal

17. Neither the students nor the teacher __________ aware that the exam had been rescheduled.

• A. was
• B. were
• C. are
• D. have been

18. She has been working at the research laboratory __________ 2021.

• A. for
• B. since
• C. from
• D. by

19. If I __________ you, I would accept the scholarship without a second thought.

• A. am
• B. will be
• C. had been
• D. were

20. Her argument was so __________ that even the members who had opposed her could find no flaw in it.

• A. feeble
• B. verbose
• C. cogent
• D. ambiguous

Tip for sentence completion: look for signal words. Despite, although, but, however signal a contrast. So … that, because, therefore signal cause and effect. And, also, moreover signal agreement. Decide whether the blank needs a positive or a negative word before you read the options.

Section 5: Error identification (Questions 21–25)

Each sentence is divided into four parts. The letter in brackets comes just before the part it labels. Exactly one part contains an error of grammar or usage. Choose that part.

21. (A) Each of the players have (B) been given (C) a new kit (D) for the tournament.

22. (A) The committee members discussed (B) about the proposal (C) for nearly three hours (D) before reaching a decision.

23. (A) The manager, along with (B) his two assistants, (C) is expected (D) to arrive at tomorrow.

24. (A) Ayesha is one of those students (B) who always (C) submits their assignments (D) before the deadline.

25. (A) Mathematics are (B) a subject that (C) many first-year students find (D) challenging at first.

Checklist for error identification (check the parts in this order):

1. Subject–verb agreement: find the real subject. Ignore phrases that sit between the subject and the verb, such as of the boys (in "one of the boys"), as well as or together with.
2. Prepositions: look for extra ones (enter into the room, order for a pizza, reach at the station) and missing or wrong ones.
3. Tense consistency and the correct form after linking pairs such as hardly … when and no sooner … than.
4. Pronouns: check that each one agrees with the noun it refers to.
5. Word form: adjective or adverb, singular or plural noun.

Section 6: Reading comprehension (Questions 26–30)

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow. Base your answers only on what the passage states or clearly implies.

The Karez

For centuries, farmers in the dry valleys of Balochistan have relied on the karez, an underground channel that carries groundwater from the foot of the hills to fields and villages further downhill. A karez needs no pump and no fuel: gravity does all the work. Because the water travels below the surface, very little of it is lost to evaporation, even in the fierce summer heat. A line of vertical shafts, dug at intervals along the route, allows workers to climb down into the tunnel to clear silt and repair collapses.

Maintaining a karez has always been a shared duty. The families who draw water from it also contribute labour, and the flow is divided among them by time rather than by volume. In recent decades, however, many karez systems have run dry. Electric tube wells, which lift water quickly from deep underground, have lowered the water table below the level that the old channels can reach. Tube wells offer a faster reward, but they draw on reserves that may take generations to refill. Some planners now argue that the karez, far from being a relic, offers a lesson in living within the limits of the land.

26. Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage?

• A. The karez was first invented in Balochistan.
• B. The karez is a sustainable traditional water system that is now under threat.
• C. Tube wells are the best long-term solution to water shortage.
• D. Farmers in Balochistan no longer need to irrigate their fields.

27. According to the passage, why is very little karez water lost to evaporation?

• A. The water is moved quickly by pumps.
• B. The vertical shafts are sealed during summer.
• C. The water is shared among families by time.
• D. The water flows below the surface.

28. As used in the last sentence, the word relic most nearly means

• A. something that survives from an earlier time.
• B. an object kept and honoured because it belonged to a saint.
• C. a recent invention.
• D. a damaged tunnel.

29. Which of the following can most reasonably be inferred about tube wells?

• A. Like the karez, they need no fuel or power.
• B. They are usually maintained by the whole community.
• C. They can use up groundwater faster than it is naturally replaced.
• D. They raise the water table and so help the karez.

30. What is the purpose of the vertical shafts described in the passage?

• A. To let air cool the water before it reaches the fields
• B. To give workers access so they can clean and repair the tunnel
• C. To measure the share of water each family receives
• D. To lift water to the surface using buckets

Answer key

Question	Answer	Question	Answer	Question	Answer
1	B	11	C	21	A
2	D	12	D	22	B
3	A	13	B	23	D
4	C	14	A	24	C
5	B	15	D	25	A
6	A	16	C	26	B
7	D	17	A	27	D
8	C	18	B	28	A
9	B	19	D	29	C
10	A	20	C	30	B

Answer distribution: A = 8, B = 8, C = 7, D = 7.

Worked solutions

Synonyms

1. B (frank). Candid means open and honest in what you say. Frank means the same. Secretive is close to the opposite, and cautious describes someone who holds back. 2. D (painstaking). Meticulous means taking great care over every detail, and so does painstaking. Careless and hasty are opposites planted as traps. 3. A (subside). To abate is to become less strong (the storm abated), which is the meaning of subside. Abandon only looks similar, and intensify is the opposite. 4. C (practical). A pragmatic person deals with problems in a realistic, practical way. Idealistic is the opposite trap. 5. B (showy). Ostentatious means displaying wealth or skill to impress others, which is showy. Obvious means easy to see, not deliberately displayed, and modest is the opposite.

Antonyms

6. A (extravagant). Frugal means spending very little and avoiding waste. Extravagant means spending too much, so it is the opposite. Thrifty is a synonym planted as a trap. 7. D (malicious). Benevolent means wishing others well. Malicious means wishing others harm, the exact opposite. Indifferent (not caring either way) is only a partial opposite, so it is weaker. 8. C (base). The apex is the top or highest point of something, such as a pyramid, and the base is its bottom. Summit and climax are near-synonyms of apex, and horizon is unrelated. 9. B (permanent). Transient means lasting only a short time, so the opposite is permanent. Brief is a synonym, and transparent only looks similar. 10. A (muddled). Coherent means clear and logically connected. Muddled means confused and disorganised. Logical and consistent are synonyms, and adhesive plays on the sense of cohere meaning "stick together".

Analogies

11. C (tailor : needle). Relationship: "a worker uses this as a tool of the trade". A tailor uses a needle just as a chef uses a whisk. A novel is a writer's product, a court is a judge's workplace and a harvest is a farmer's product. 12. D (negligence : accident). Relationship: "the first causes the second". Drought causes famine, and negligence causes accidents. Rain : cloud has the order reversed, because clouds produce rain. 13. B (fur : fox). Relationship: "the first is the natural outer covering of the animal in the second". A shell covers a tortoise, and fur covers a fox. Wool is a material for a sweater, bark : dog plays on a different meaning of bark (the covering of a tree, not a dog), and a nest is not part of a tree. 14. A (ignorant : knowledge). Relationship: "a person who is the first lacks the second". A timid person lacks courage, and an ignorant person lacks knowledge. The other three pairs describe someone who has or gives the thing.

Sentence completion

15. D (overlooked). Despite repeated warnings signals a contrast, and the bridge closing shows that the flaw was ignored. Overlooked (failed to notice or act on) is the only option that fits. Rectified would mean the flaw was fixed. 16. C (permanent). Meant to be temporary, but sets up a contrast with temporary, so the blank needs permanent. Provisional means temporary, and obsolete means out of date. 17. A (was). Rule: with neither … nor and either … or, the verb agrees with the subject nearer to it. That is the teacher (singular), and the sentence is in the past, so the verb is was. 18. B (since). Rule: with the present perfect (continuous), use since for a point in time (since 2021, since Monday) and for for a length of time (for three years). 2021 is a point in time. 19. D (were). Rule: an imaginary or unreal condition takes the past subjunctive were for all persons in the second conditional: "If I were you, I would …". Was is heard in casual speech but is not the accepted form in tests. 20. C (cogent). So … that signals cause and effect: the argument must have been strong for no one to find a flaw. Cogent means clear, logical and convincing. Feeble and ambiguous would make flaws easy to find, and verbose means wordy.

Error identification

21. A. The subject is Each, which is singular. Of the players is only a phrase describing it. Correct part A to "Each of the players has". 22. B. Discuss is a transitive verb and takes a direct object with no preposition. Correct it to "discussed the proposal". (The noun takes "about": "a discussion about the proposal".) 23. D. Tomorrow is used as an adverb, so it takes no preposition. Correct it to "to arrive tomorrow". Part C is correct: the subject is The manager (singular), and along with his two assistants does not change it. 24. C. The antecedent of who is those students (plural), because Ayesha is one of a group of students who all submit on time. The verb must therefore be plural: "who always submit their assignments". Their already agrees with students. Some modern style guides accept the singular here, but test papers follow the traditional rule: the verb agrees with the plural noun after "one of those". 25. A. Names of subjects ending in -ics (mathematics, physics, economics) are treated as singular when they mean the subject. Correct it to "Mathematics is a subject …".

Reading comprehension

26. B. The first paragraph explains what the karez does well (no pump or fuel, little evaporation, shafts that allow cleaning and repair), and the second explains why many have run dry. Together they describe a sustainable system under threat. The passage never says where the karez was invented (A), it presents tube wells as a threat to long-term water reserves (C), and it shows that fields still depend on water from the karez or tube wells (D). 27. D. The passage says directly: "Because the water travels below the surface, very little of it is lost to evaporation." Option A contradicts the passage ("needs no pump"), and B and C are not given as reasons. 28. A. Far from being a relic is set against the idea that the karez still "offers a lesson" today. A relic here is an old thing that has survived from the past and might seem useless now. The religious sense (B), a saint's belonging kept as a sacred object, is a real meaning of the word but does not fit this context. 29. C. The passage says tube wells lower the water table and "draw on reserves that may take generations to refill". From this we can infer that they take out groundwater faster than nature replaces it. A is wrong because they are electric, B describes the karez, not tube wells, and D is the reverse of what the passage says. 30. B. The passage says the shafts let workers "climb down into the tunnel to clear silt and repair collapses", so they provide access for cleaning and repair. Water shares are divided by time (not measured at the shafts), and nothing is said about cooling or lifting water. After you mark your answers: list every word from Sections 1–4 that you did not know, together with its meaning and one sentence of your own. Write down the grammar rule behind every grammar question you missed (Questions 17–19 and 21–25), because the same rules (agreement, prepositions, conditionals, since/for) come up again and again. For reading, check whether each wrong answer came from missing a detail or from guessing beyond the text. Then practise reading only what the passage supports.