GATE ME 2017 Set 2 — Question 61

MCQ+2 / -0.67EasyVocabulary (Words, Idioms, Phrases in Context)Verbal AptitudeGeneral Aptitude

General Aptitude → Verbal Aptitude → Vocabulary (Words, Idioms, Phrases in Context)

Last updated 5 September 2026

Question

"If you are looking for a history of India, or for an account of the rise and fall of the British Raj, or for the reason of the cleaving of the subcontinent into two mutually antagonistic parts and the effects this mutilation will have in the respective sections, and ultimately on Asia, you will not find it in these pages; for though I have spent a lifetime in the country, I lived too near the seat of events, and was too intimately associated with the actors, to get the perspective needed for the impartial recording of these matters." Which of the following is closest in meaning to 'cleaving'?

Correct answer (D) splitting Solution In the context of the passage, 'cleaving' refers to the division or partition of the Indian subcontinent into two parts (India and Pakistan). Therefore, 'splitting' is the closest in meaning. While 'cleave' can also mean to stick closely to something, in this context of 'mutilation' and 'antagonistic parts', it clearly means to divide. Turn this into a strength. Explore AI-powered practice and doubt support with Success Tracker.

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Correct answer (D) splitting Solution In the context of the passage, 'cleaving' refers to the division or partition of the Indian subcontinent into two parts (India and Pakistan). Therefore, 'splitting' is the closest in meaning. While 'cleave' can also mean to stick closely to something, in this context of 'mutilation' and 'antagonistic parts', it clearly means to divide.

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