For the underlined part of the sentences given in List-I, choose the correct options given in List-II
| LIST-I | LIST-II | ||
| A. | She looks as if she needs a good meal; she is so excessively thin and bony. | I. | portly |
| B. | A rather round and overweight middle-aged man offered to show us the way. | II. | corpulent |
| C. | A very tall, thin, awkward-looking boy carried our bags for us. | III. | scrawny |
| D. | A rather overweight gentleman ascended the stairs, red-faced and breathless. | IV. | gangly |
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → A-III, B-I, C-IV, D-II
| List-I | List-II | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. She looks as if she needs a good meal; she is so excessively thin and bony. | III. scrawny | Scrawny means unattractively thin and bony, as if underfed; "needs a good meal" points to it. | The scrawny kitten shivered in the rain. |
| B. A rather round and overweight middle-aged man offered to show us the way. | I. portly | Portly means rather fat and round, said mainly of a middle-aged or older man, often in a dignified way. | The portly shopkeeper greeted every customer with a smile. |
| C. A very tall, thin, awkward-looking boy carried our bags for us. | IV. gangly | Gangly means tall, thin and awkward in movement, usually of a young person. | The gangly teenager kept bumping into the furniture. |
| D. A rather overweight gentleman ascended the stairs, red-faced and breathless. | II. corpulent | Corpulent is a formal word meaning having a large, fat body; the breathlessness on the stairs suits it. | The corpulent man paused on the landing to catch his breath. |
Note: Items B and D both describe overweight men, so "portly" and "corpulent" could each fit either of them. Since A (scrawny) and C (gangly) are certain, only Option (4) matches, and B and D are settled by elimination.
The following words have also been asked in other CUET (UG) English papers:
| Word | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| portly | – | 15-05 S2 | – | – | – |
| corpulent | 18-05 S1 | 15-05 S2 | – | – | – |