Question:

Instructions: Each of the following items is followed by four words or group of words. Fill in the blank with the appropriate word or group of words.


When indecision grips a nation, free men feel the need for an ____ ruler and are prepared to throw democracy overboard.

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The sentence contrasts the blank word with democracy, so think of its direct opposite.
Updated On: Jul 16, 2026
  • optimistic
  • autocratic
  • eccentric
  • energetic
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

This question tests whether you can connect the second half of the sentence, which talks about abandoning democracy, back to the correct kind of ruler described in the first half.

  1. Optimistic: a ruler being hopeful or positive has nothing to do with giving up on democracy, so this word does not connect logically to the rest of the sentence.
  2. Autocratic: an autocratic ruler is one who holds absolute power and rules alone, without shared or democratic decision making. This is exactly the kind of ruler people would turn to if they were willing to throw democracy overboard, since democracy is the direct opposite of one person ruling with total authority.
  3. Eccentric: this describes unusual or unconventional personal behavior, which has no logical link to a nation choosing to give up democratic rule.
  4. Energetic: describes vigor and enthusiasm, which again does not connect to the specific idea of abandoning democratic government for a single powerful ruler.

Only autocratic logically completes the sentence, since it is the direct opposite of democratic rule, so option B is correct.

Let's summarize:

  • The clause "prepared to throw democracy overboard" is the key clue, it demands a word that is the opposite of democratic.
  • Autocratic means rule by one person with absolute power, the natural opposite of democracy.
  • The other three options describe personality traits unrelated to the type of political rule being discussed.

In this type of question, always identify the logical relationship, here a contrast, between the blank and the rest of the sentence before checking the options.

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