Select the most appropriate option the fill in blank…

In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
Apart from the fact that he was at this moment, disguised as a spiritual leader ___1___ the Christian Church, there was nothing sinister about Mr. Cyril Boggis. He was ___2___ trade a dealer in antique furniture, with his own shop and showroom in the King’s Road, Chelsea. His premises ___3___ not large, and generally he did not do a great deal of business, but because he always bought very, very cheap and sold very, very ___4___ he managed to make quite a tidy little income every year. He was a talented salesman, and when buying or selling a ___5___ he could slide smoothly into whichever mood suited the client best. He was well aware of his gift using it shamelessly on every possible occasion.

Select the most appropriate option the fill in blank number 2.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D

Explanation

The correct answer is option 4 i.e. by.

Context: The sentence is describing Mr. Cyril Boggis’s profession. The writer wants to tell us what he actually does for a living, apart from being disguised as a spiritual leader. In English, the fixed phrase “by trade” is used when we mention a person’s regular profession or line of work.

Meaning of the words:

At: shows place
In: shows involvement, but the common expression is not in trade here.
From: shows source/origin
By: standard phrase to describe someone’s occupation

Correct word: The correct word is 'by'.

Reason: The standard English expression is “by trade” to describe someone’s occupation. Since the passage is telling us his actual profession, by is the most accurate choice.

Final Sentence: “He was by trade a dealer in antique furniture, with his own shop and showroom in the King’s Road, Chelsea.”

Hence, the chosen option will be correct.

SSC GD 2025 PYQ — Question 4