Read the passage carefully. Attempt Question:
To those of you who may be inclined to indulge in the sport of the man-eater hunting on foot, it will be of interest to know that the birds and animals of the jungle, and the four winds of heaven, play a very important part in this form of sport. This is not the place to give the names of the jungle folk on whose alarm-calls the sportsman depends, to a great extent, for his safety and knowledge of his quarry's movements; for in a country in which a walk up or down hill of three or four miles might mean a difference in altitude of as much as a thousand feet, the variation in fauna, in a well-stocked area, is considerable. The wind, however, at all altitudes, remains a constant factor, and a few words relevant to its importance in connection with man-eater hunting on foot will not be out of place.
Tigers do not know that human beings have no sense of smell, and when a tiger becomes a man-eater it treats human beings exactly as it treats wild animals, that is, it approaches its intended victims up-wind, or lies up in wait for them down-wind.
The significance of this will be apparent when it is realized that, while the sportsman is trying to get a sight of the tiger, the tiger in all probability is trying to stalk the sportsman, or is lying up in wait for him. The contest, owing to the tiger's height, colouring, and ability to move without making a sound, would be very unequal were it not for the wind-factor operating in favour of the sportsman.
Select the synonym for the word-
"QUARRY"
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → animal
- Quarry means an animal that is being hunted, the prey. In the passage, the sportsman follows his quarry's movements, that is, the movements of the tiger he is hunting.
Example: The hounds chased their quarry into the forest. - Of the options, animal is the word that names this hunted creature, so it is the closest synonym of quarry here.
Example: The hunters waited silently for the animal to come to the water.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: enquiry — Incorrect. An enquiry is a question or an investigation; it may be confused with "query", but it has nothing to do with quarry.
Example: The police have started an enquiry into the accident.
Option 3: hunter — Incorrect. A hunter is the one who hunts; the quarry is the one being hunted, so the two are opposite roles.
Example: The hunter hid behind a tree.
Option 4: bait — Incorrect. Bait is food put out to attract an animal so that it can be caught; it is used to catch the quarry, not the quarry itself.
Example: The fisherman put a worm on the hook as bait.