Read the given passage and answer the four questions that follow:-
He had no idea what it would be like, of course, and was pleased when Robinson Street proved to be leafy and relatively quiet, lined with large mansions. Number twenty-two was one of the older buildings, a massive four-story edifice, studded with graceful columned balconies: probably once the grandest building on the street, its Doric facade was now much bruised and discoloured, its plaster blacked with mildew. He went up to the fourth floor in a rattling birdcage of a lift that ascended through the center of a winding teak wood staircase. When the lift came to a stop, Murugan stepped gingerly on to the splintered planks of a wooden landing. A beam of sunlight, shining through a hole in a stained-glass window, revealed a small sign beside the tall door to his right. It said: 'The Robinson Guest House'. Beneath it was a nameplate for 'N. Aratounian'. Dragging his leather suitcase behind him, Murugan went to the door and rang the bell. Several minutes later, he heard footsteps on the other side. The door swung open, and he found himself looking at an ashen-faced, elderly woman in a frayed dressing grown and rubber slippers. 'Hi,' said Murugan, sticking out a hand. 'Any vacancies today?' Ignoring his hand, the woman looked him up and down, frowning through her gold rimmed bifocals.
Murugan went to Robinson guest house _____.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → in the hope of finding work
A vacancy is an opening that is free to be filled, such as a job that nobody holds yet or a room that is not taken. Murugan arrives at the Robinson Guest House, rings the bell and his first words are "Any vacancies today?". He has come because he hopes that something is open for him there.
Example: The company has two vacancies for drivers.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: to spy on the elderly woman — Incorrect. Contradicted: he did not know the woman. He greeted her openly and offered his hand.
Option 3: to enquire about the history of Robinson Street — Incorrect. Wrong focus: he asks about vacancies, not about the street's past. He did not even know what the street would be like.
Option 4: to explore the mystery of the guest house — Incorrect. Not mentioned: the passage describes the building's shabby state, but there is no mystery that Murugan sets out to solve.
Note: In the original NTA paper, Option 3 read "to spend some quiet time in Robinson Street". NTA accepted this option as a correct answer as well. To leave only one correct answer and avoid confusion for students, it has been changed here to "to enquire about the history of Robinson Street".
Advice for the exam: In the real exam, mark the answer that is grammatically or factually correct. If NTA’s provisional answer key marks a different option, challenge it during the answer-key challenge window and give the reason in one or two lines.