Question

Out of four alternatives, choose the one which can be substituted for the given word/sentence. Extreme old age when a man behaves like a fool

• A. Imbecility
• B. Senility
• C. Dotage
• D. Superannuation

Hint:

Dotage specifically refers to cognitive decline in extreme old age, leading to irrational or foolish behavior.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

This is a one-word substitution question, so the fastest route is matching the two key ideas in the sentence, "extreme old age" and "behaves like a fool", to a single word.
Imbecility is general foolishness, not tied to age. Senility is general age-related decline, not specifically foolish behaviour. Superannuation is about retirement, unrelated to foolishness.
Only Dotage combines both ideas, extreme old age together with foolish behaviour, in one word.
So, the correct answer is Dotage.

Answer 2

Since three of the four options can be eliminated by checking whether they involve "old age" at all, let's eliminate first and confirm the survivor:

1. Imbecility: Eliminated, it is a general term for foolishness or mental weakness that can describe a person of any age, it carries no notion of old age.
2. Senility: Eliminated, though it does relate to old age, it describes general mental and physical decline rather than the specific "foolish behaviour" the sentence needs.
3. Superannuation: Eliminated, it refers to being retired or too old for service, an employment-related idea, not a description of foolish conduct.
4. Dotage: The only option left standing, and checking its dictionary sense confirms it, it means the weakness of intellect that comes with extreme old age, exactly the "behaves like a fool" idea in the sentence.

Elimination leaves only one option that satisfies both parts of the definition.

Therefore, the correct answer is Dotage.