Idioms and Phrases Exercise for Competitive Exams
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Idioms and Phrases make our language idiomatic. They are asked in competitive exams to check one's command over the vocabulary as well as they are very important in communication also. Here are some Idioms and phrases along with the sentences for a better understanding of its usage in our practical conversation.
In a fix
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Perplexed, confused
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He was unable to take a decision as he was in a fix.
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Between Scylla and Charybdis
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Surrounded by dangers
EK TARAF KUAN AUR EK TARAF KHAI
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A person who is between Scylla and Charybdis is in a fix.
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Fine tooth comb
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To check something very circumspectly.
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When I boarded the metro, I was checked with a fine tooth comb.
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ACID Test
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A test of productivity
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Jewelers put some acid to check the authenticity.
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Get ducks in a row
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To keep things well organized
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I get ducks in a row in my study room before I sleep.
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Sixes and sevens
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In disorder
TITAR BITAR
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In my study room, my books were at sixes and sevens.
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Apple pie order
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In order
VYAVASTHIT
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An apple seller keeps apples in apple pie order.
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Sail through something
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To complete some target
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Although there were many challenges but we sailed through it with our determination.
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Get the show on the road
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Putting up a plan or idea into action
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We have already gone through many phases of preparation, now it is the time to get the show on the road.
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Tricks of the trade
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Clever or expert way of doing something.
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Being in Indian Army, he knows how to fight with the enemy as he has all the tricks of the trade.
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I wanted some more help in this project and I contacted my friends, their suggestions worked like a charm.
Meaning: works very well or has the desired effects.
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Non-performers will not be entertained anymore in this organization and they may get the axe.
Meaning: lose the job.
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Those who only look for plum job have to wait a lot as such jobs don’t exist in the current scenario.
Meaning: desirable position which is well paid.
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My father got a golden handshake and lived his life luxuriously after his retirement.
Meaning: good sum of money given to a person when he leaves a company or retire.
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In the screening test, sheep are separated from goats and selected candidates stay in the selection center for next five days.
Meaning: examining a group of people and deciding their suitability.
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Dreams are not those which we get when we sleep in fact dreams are those which don’t let you sleep. Valorous people eat, sleep and breathe their dream all the time.
Meaning: being so enthusiastic and passionate
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He keeps sharing his ideas and doesn’t sit a place because he has a bee in his bonnet.
Meaning: bumptious
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The guidance of veterans makes us hit the road running and we come up with flying colors.
Meaning: hit the road running means start performing immediately
Come up with flying colors means to succeed.
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Those who live beyond means repent a lot when the resources are over.
Meaning: extravagant
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Wooden spoon- imaginary price
In a fix
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In confusion
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I was in a fix so I could not take proper decision
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Scylla and Charybdis
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Do or die
EK TARAF KUA OR EK TARAF KHAI
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It is really challenging to be in action mode when we are in Scylla and Charybdis
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Once-over
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Doing something quickly
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We must learn the things once over.
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At sixes and sevens
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In disorder
TITAR BITAR HONA
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My mother scolded me when she found my study room at sixes and sevens.
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Apple pie order
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In a well- organized manner
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Apple seller
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Rank and file
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Ordinary
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The rank and file people have normal way of thinking than officers.
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-
Rank and file live their life mundanely.
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Rank and file are not mendacious at all in fact they are trustworthy.
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Mundane (ADJ)
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Simple
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SABJI MANDI
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Mendacious (ADJ)
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False
JHOOTHA
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MEND
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I have heard that some people say that he has mended his ways but they are wrong because he is still same. so these people are mendacious.
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By fits and starts
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Irregularly
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He worked on the project by fits and starts, often procrastinating.
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-
Which all things don’t you like to do by fits and starts?
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I learn vocabulary regularly, I don’t like any gap and I don’t do it by fits and starts.
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Out of the wood
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Free from difficulties and dangers
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After months of hard work, she finally came out of the wood and achieved success.
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By dint of your hard work, you will surely come out of wood and will come up with flying colors.
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From which all things have you come out of the wood?
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A wee bit
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A little
BAHUT KAM MATRA ME
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Could you please add a wee bit more sugar to my tea?
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-
If you wait a wee bit, you will be able to meet the boss.
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Under his thumb
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Under his control
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The employees were under his thumb, following his every command.
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-
If you want your juniors to be under your thumb, you set some examples in front of them.
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At one’s wits end
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Perplexed, unable to decide what to do
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END OF WIT/ WISDOM
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Burn the midnight oil
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Work or study hard
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We burn the
midnight oil
when we are
close to exams.
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Call a spade a spade
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Speak frankly and directly
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He is known for his straightforward nature and he always calls a spade a spade.
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Spill the beans
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Disclose the secret
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I had many surreptitious things but my friend spilled the beans.
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By the skin of the teeth
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With a minute gap
BADI MUSHKIL SE
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I caught this flight by the skin of teeth.
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A narrow escape
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To be safe with a minute gap
BAAL BAAL BACHNA
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Come off with flying colors
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To be highly successful
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Despite facing challenges, she came off with flying colors in the exam.
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Hoping against hope
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Without hope
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He continued searching for his lost wallet, hoping against hope that he would find it.
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In seventh heaven
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To be extremely happy
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After the declaration of the results, he was in seventh heaven.
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After burning midnight oil, I came off with flying colors. I was in seventh heaven when my result was declared. I had a lot of sangfroid and sanguineness. I never had a condition of hoping against hope. This attitude always rejuvenated my spirit of learning. Although I had many situations of Scylla and Charybdis but I came out of wood with my determination. I never tried to do my work by fits and starts so it added perseverance in me and the consistency of work made my preparation in an apple pie order. All challenges of this competition were under my thumb as I was so vivacious to accomplish my goal by hook or by crook. I have always got a good score rather than qualifying the exam just by the skin of the teeth. My intellectual approach never put me in my wit’s end in fact I always been forward to share my opinion and I have always called a spade a spade. My inner peace always kept me focused rather than keeping me at sixes and sevens. I went on becoming special as compared to rank and file with my successive efforts. The process of developing OLQs was being done with bells on.
Valor (N)
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Courage
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JIGAR
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Valorous (ADJ)
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Courageous
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Vigor (N)
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Audacity
DAM, SAAHAS
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JIGAR
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Vigorous (ADJ)
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Audacious
BAHADUR
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VIGOR
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Voracious (ADJ)
Voraciousness (N)
Voracity (N)
Voraciously (ADV)
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Hungry
BHUKKHAD
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BORA
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-
He is always voracious and keeps looking for the opportunity to have something.
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Because of voracity/ voraciousness he is unable to study.
-
He ate MOMOS voraciously.
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Veracious (ADJ)
Veracity (N)
Veraciously (ADV)
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Truthful
SACHCHA
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VAR CITY ME HAI
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-
YE LADKA SACHCHA HAI AUR HER MATTER ME SPASHT BOLTA HAI.
This boy is veracious. He always calls a spade a spade.
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MAI SACHCHAI JANTA HU ISILIYE MAI SAHI NIRNAY LETA HU.
I know the veracity that is why I take the right decisions.
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MERE PITA JI SATYATA SE APNE BUSINESS KO KRTE HAIN.
My father does his business veraciously.
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To take the bull by the horns
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To tackle a problem boldly
BAHADURI SE SAMASYAA KA SMAMNA KRNA
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BULL
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-
In order to succeed, you need to take the bull by the horns and face the challenges head on.
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In Which all problems have you taken the bull by the horns?
Whenever I am into any problem, I take the bull by the horns.
Facing the principal was just like taking the bull by the horns as she was very strict.
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Baffled (ADJ)
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Amazed, perplex, puzzled
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Buffalo
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To keep at bay
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Keep something at a distance
DOOR RKHNA
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BAY- KHADI
BEY OF BENGAL
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-
The guard kept the intruders at bay, preventing them from entering the restricted area.
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At an arm’s length
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To keep at bay
DOORI BNA KE RKHNA
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EK HATH KI DOORI
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-
Amid CORONA, we used to keep ourselves at an arm’s length from others.
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Make a clean breast of it
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Confess when something wrong is done
SVEEKAR KRNA
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SAAF DIL
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Cat and dog life
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Life full of quarrels
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CAT DOG
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Cock and bull story
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Made up story
MAN GADANT KAHANI
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COCK AND BULL
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A lame excuse
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A false statement
JHOOTHA BAHANA
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LAME EXCUSE
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Cry for the moon
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Ask for the impossible
ASAMBHAV VASTU KI KAAMNA KRNA
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The pros and cons
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The various aspects of a matter
MAAMLE KE DONO PHLU
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HAR SIKKE KE DO PAHLU HOTE HAI.
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Every coin has two aspects in the same manner one must consider the pros and cons of a matter.
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Let’s weave all these idioms and words into a single scene
We should take the bull by the horns whenever our patience is tested. Instead of taking decision vigorously, we must consider the pros and cons of the matter before vigourtaing the team. Although we should keep bad people at bay. We should avoid cat and dog life and we should live our life audaciously. Only slackers run away by giving lame excuses. People become bellicose as they start crying for the moon. People may clean their breast with discussions not only by quarrels. We should settle a dispute by making cock and bull story in fact we should try to highlight the veracity of the matter so that such matter may not take place again.
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