Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 1

Comprehension:
In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and
select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
Naval architects never claim that a ship is unsinkable, but the sinking of the passenger-and-car
ferry Estonia (1) ____ the Baltic surely (2) ______ never have happened. It was well designed
and (3) ______ maintained. It carried the proper number of lifeboats. It (4)______ thoroughly
inspected on the day of its fatal voyage. Yet hours later, the Estonia rolled over and (5)
_______ in a cold and stormy night.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C

Explanation

The correct answer is option 3 i.e. in

Context: The sentence is — “the sinking of the passenger-and-car ferry Estonia (1) ____ the Baltic surely should never have happened.”
Here we need a preposition that correctly connects the ship with the location (the Baltic Sea).

Meaning of the words:

On: Shows surface position (on the table, on the road).
Over: Shows movement above something, not touching.
In: Shows being inside an area/place (in the sea, in the park).
Up: Shows direction or movement to a higher place.

Correct word: In

Reason: A ship sinks in a sea or ocean, because it is inside the water area. Therefore, “in the Baltic” is grammatically and contextually correct.

Final Sentence: The sinking of the passenger-and-car ferry Estonia in the Baltic surely should never have happened.

Hence the chosen option is correct.

SSC GD 2025 PYQ — Question 5