SSC Selection Post 2025 PYQ — Question 73

Correct Answer

an, the

Explanation

Meaning: The sentence states a general fact about aviation, noting that any singular aircraft represents the quickest mode of transportation available to reach any global destination on Earth. To solve this quickly for an exam, break down the rules for both blanks:

First Blank: The word "aeroplane" starts with a vowel sound ('ae'). When referring to a singular, countable noun in a general sense, we use an indefinite article. Because it begins with a vowel sound, it strictly takes "an" (e.g., an aeroplane).

Second Blank: The word "world" is a unique, singular entity—there is only one world that we live on. According to standard grammar rules, unique geographical objects or cosmic bodies (like the sun, the moon, the sky, the world) always require the definite article "the".

Combining these two rules, Option 4 (an, the) is the only grammatically correct combination.

Key Points

Definition: Using articles requires identifying vowel vs. consonant sounds for indefinite items ($an$/$a$) and recognizing globally unique nouns that mandate the definite article ($the$).

Grammatical Role: Selecting a combination of an indefinite article and a definite article to correctly modify a general subject and a unique geographical object.