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SSC Selection Post 2024 PYQ — Question 18

SSC Selection Post - Higher Secondary Level - 26 June 2024 - Shift 2 • English • Q18

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In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.

Smoking is the leading cause of death from bronchogenic carcinoma of the lungs, as well as a cause of death from larynx, oral cavity, oesophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, stomach, uterine cervix and coronary heart disease. Nicotine is the (1)_______ addictive component of tobacco smoke. The additives, too, cause (2)_______ to the body; for example, ammonia can result in a 100-fold increase in nicotine's (3)_________ to enter the nose. Nicotine's 'kick' can be amplified by levulinic acid, an additive used to conceal the nicotine's harsh taste, by (4)________ the binding of nicotine to brain receptors. More than four thousand compounds and more than forty known carcinogens are found in cigarette smoke. Tobacco smoke has been well (5)______ as a proven carcinogen and cancer cause for many years.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank no. 3.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D

Explanation

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

Context: The sentence talks about how ammonia, a chemical additive in cigarettes, increases the ability of nicotine to enter the body (specifically, through the nose). We need a noun that describes nicotine’s potential or ability to enter the nose which is best conveyed by the word “capacity.”

The ability or potential to enter is best expressed by “capacity.”

Hence, the chosen option will be correct.