GATE 2026 CY – Question 1
"He often _____ the numbers. False claims are not going to help. Honesty _____ trust", said the manager.
Choose the option with the correct order of words to fill the blanks.
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Correct answer: (A) exaggerates; engenders
Explanation
Read the two sentences for the sense that each blank needs.
**First blank:** "He often ______ the numbers. False claims are not going to help." The manager is complaining about false claims, so the verb must mean stretching or overstating the figures: **exaggerates**.
**Second blank:** "Honesty ______ trust." Honesty is offered as the remedy, so the verb must mean *produces* or *creates*: **engenders**.
- Excels / encourages: *excels* does not take "the numbers" in this sense. ✗
- Aggravates / alleviates: makes worse / eases, which does not fit "honesty ... trust". ✗
- Diminishes / eliminates: honesty would then destroy trust, the opposite of the point. ✗
Answer **exaggerates; engenders** (A).