Comprehension Passage
Direction: In the passage given below there are 5 blanks, each followed by a word given in bold. Each blank has four alternative words given in options (1), (2), (3) and (4). You have to tell which word will best suit the respective bank. Mark (5) as your answer if the word given in bold after the blank is your answer i.e. No improvement required.
The government announced more relief and ________ (A) ________[stringent] measures on Tuesday. Much like the previous ones, these are over-indexed on guaranteed credit schemes. It isn’t difficult to see why the government prefers these over direct cash transfers, which will have an impact on the fiscal deficit. Not everyone ________ (B) ________[Whose] avails credit through the various schemes the government has announced since last May will default; those who have been really ________ (C) ________[Infected] by the pandemic will, and for them, the scheme will pretty much function like a cash transfer — except that the impact on the ________ (D) ________[Fiscal] deficit will be delayed, and hopefully come at a time when the economy is in better shape. Seen thus, the targeted credit schemes, including the one for the tourism sector and tour guides, or that for micro-finance companies, takes ________ (E) ________[Over] a new meaning.Which of the following words most appropriately fits the blank labelled (A)?
1
Pervasive
2
Stimulus
3
Turgid
4
Harsh
5
No improvement required