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Kochi Entrance English practice questions

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Question 1Reading Comprehension

Read this short passage: 'Meera reached the station at six, but the platform was empty. The train she had planned to take had been cancelled the night before, and no one had told her.' What is the main reason the platform is empty?

  1. The station closes at six o'clock.
  2. The other passengers were on another platform.
  3. The train was cancelled the previous night. Correct answer.
  4. Meera arrived much too early.

Explanation

The passage states directly that the train Meera planned to take had been cancelled the night before, which explains why nobody is waiting. The other details in the passage do not offer an alternative cause for the emptiness.

Question 2Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The old library had no computers, yet students queued outside its doors every morning. They came for the silence, the worn wooden desks, and the librarian who remembered every book they had borrowed.' Which statement best expresses the main idea?

  1. Students preferred the library because it was close to their homes.
  2. The library's appeal came from its atmosphere and its librarian rather than technology. Correct answer.
  3. The library was soon going to be modernised.
  4. The librarian refused to let students use computers.

Explanation

The passage contrasts the absence of computers with the daily queue of students, then lists silence, desks and a attentive librarian as the reasons they came. This shows the library's attraction lay in atmosphere and personal service.

Question 3Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'Although the recipe looked simple, the chef warned that the sauce would spoil if it were left unattended.' What does the word 'spoil' most nearly mean here?

  1. be doubled in quantity
  2. be served cold
  3. become ruined Correct answer.
  4. become expensive

Explanation

In cooking contexts, 'spoil' means to become ruined or unfit, which fits the warning about leaving the sauce unattended. The surrounding words about a simple-looking recipe and a chef's warning support this meaning.

Question 4Reading Comprehension

Read: 'Ravi had studied all week, so he walked into the examination hall calmly. When he saw the first question, however, his confidence vanished.' What does the sentence suggest about Ravi's feelings?

  1. He was calm throughout the whole examination.
  2. His calm mood changed suddenly when he began the paper. Correct answer.
  3. He decided to leave the examination hall.
  4. He had not studied as much as he claimed.

Explanation

The word 'however' signals a contrast: Ravi entered calmly but lost his confidence on seeing the first question. The passage describes a sudden change of feeling, not a lack of preparation.

Question 5Reading Comprehension

Which option correctly completes the sentence? 'The report, together with its appendices, ____ due on Friday.'

  1. have been
  2. are
  3. were
  4. is Correct answer.

Explanation

The subject is 'the report', which is singular; the phrase 'together with its appendices' is additional information and does not change the subject. A singular subject takes the singular verb 'is'.

Question 6Reading Comprehension

A notice reads: 'Passengers are advised to keep their belongings with them at all times.' What is the notice asking passengers to do?

  1. Leave their luggage at the station office.
  2. Check their belongings before boarding only.
  3. Share their belongings with other passengers.
  4. Keep their bags and valuables close by. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Keep their belongings with them at all times' means passengers should not leave their possessions out of their sight. The phrase 'at all times' rules out a one-off action.

Question 7Reading Comprehension

Choose the sentence that uses the colon correctly.

  1. She packed three things: a map, a torch and a raincoat. Correct answer.
  2. She packed three things a map, a torch and a raincoat: so she was ready.
  3. She packed: three things a map, a torch and a raincoat.
  4. She packed three things, a map, a torch and a raincoat: for the trip.

Explanation

A colon follows a complete clause and introduces a list that explains or expands it. In the correct option, 'She packed three things' is a full clause and the list follows naturally.

Question 8Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The village well was repaired in March. By June, the women who once spent two hours fetching water had started a tailoring class in the afternoons.' What is the most reasonable link between these two events?

  1. The tailoring class paid for the well repairs.
  2. The well was repaired because the women wanted a class.
  3. The time saved from fetching water allowed the women to start a class. Correct answer.
  4. The women stopped using the well after June.

Explanation

The passage places the well repair first and the new class later, and notes that fetching water once took two hours. The natural inference is that the saved time made the afternoon class possible.

Question 9Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'The committee's decision was far from unanimous; indeed, it was so contentious that two members resigned.' Which word best describes the decision?

  1. secret
  2. delayed
  3. routine
  4. disputed Correct answer.

Explanation

'Contentious' and 'far from unanimous' both point to strong disagreement, which is the meaning of 'disputed'. The resignation of two members reinforces that the decision caused conflict.

Question 10Reading Comprehension

Read: 'The museum's new wing was designed to let visitors walk among the exhibits rather than view them from behind glass. Curators reported that visitors stayed, on average, forty minutes longer.' What conclusion do the two sentences support?

  1. Forty minutes is the recommended length of a museum visit.
  2. Visitors disliked the older sections of the museum.
  3. The museum removed all its glass display cases.
  4. Closer access to exhibits increased the time visitors spent in the museum. Correct answer.

Explanation

The first sentence describes a design change giving visitors closer access; the second reports a longer average stay. Together they support a link between the design and the longer visits.

Question 11Reading Comprehension

Which option best combines these two sentences without changing the meaning? 'The road was flooded. The bus took a longer route.'

  1. The road was flooded, and the bus took a longer route, but neither mattered.
  2. The bus took a longer route although the road was flooded.
  3. Because the road was flooded, the bus took a longer route. Correct answer.
  4. The road was flooded, so the bus took a longer route than the flooded road.

Explanation

The original sentences imply cause and effect: the flooding led to the detour. 'Because' expresses that relationship cleanly while keeping both ideas intact.

Question 12Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'Every year the town holds a mango festival. Farmers bring their best fruit, children compete in eating contests, and visitors leave with boxes stacked to the roof of their cars.' What does the last detail mainly suggest?

  1. Visitors have unusually large cars.
  2. Visitors buy a great deal of fruit at the festival. Correct answer.
  3. Farmers give their fruit away for free.
  4. The festival lasts only one day.

Explanation

Boxes 'stacked to the roof' of a car is a vivid image of quantity, showing that visitors take home large amounts of mangoes. This supports the idea that the festival generates heavy buying.

Question 13Reading Comprehension

Choose the option that correctly completes the sentence: 'Hardly ____ the hall when the lights went out.'

  1. did we entered
  2. we had entered
  3. we entered
  4. had we entered Correct answer.

Explanation

When a sentence begins with the negative adverb 'hardly', the subject and auxiliary are inverted. The past perfect form 'had we entered' correctly follows this inverted pattern.

Question 14Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The scientist's notes were famously messy. Colleagues joked that only she could read them, yet her published papers were models of clarity.' What is the effect of the contrast in this passage?

  1. It shows that messy notes always lead to poor research.
  2. It highlights that untidy private work can still produce clear public writing. Correct answer.
  3. It suggests the scientist's colleagues wrote her papers for her.
  4. It implies the scientist was careless about her conclusions.

Explanation

The passage sets messy notes against clear published papers, and the word 'yet' marks the contrast. The effect is to show that disorder in private working habits need not affect the clarity of finished work.

Question 15Reading Comprehension

Read: 'Applications must reach the office by 5 p.m. on 30 April. Late applications will be considered only if places remain.' What can an applicant safely conclude?

  1. Late applications will never be considered.
  2. Submitting on time guarantees consideration before late entries. Correct answer.
  3. All places are already filled.
  4. The office closes permanently on 30 April.

Explanation

The notice gives priority to on-time applications and allows late ones only if places remain. An applicant can therefore rely on being considered ahead of late entries by applying before the deadline.

Question 16Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'The proposal was received with cautious optimism by the residents, who welcomed the plan but questioned its cost.' Which pair of words best captures the residents' attitude?

  1. supportive but doubtful Correct answer.
  2. entirely indifferent
  3. completely hostile
  4. enthusiastically certain

Explanation

'Cautious optimism' combines welcome with reservation, and the residents question the cost while welcoming the plan. 'Supportive but doubtful' captures both halves of that attitude.

Question 17Reading Comprehension

Which sentence uses the semicolon correctly?

  1. The results were inconclusive the team; decided to repeat the experiment.
  2. The results; were inconclusive the team decided to repeat the experiment.
  3. The results were inconclusive; and the team decided to repeat the experiment.
  4. The results were inconclusive; the team decided to repeat the experiment. Correct answer.

Explanation

A semicolon can join two independent clauses that are closely related, without a conjunction. The correct option places it between two complete clauses.

Question 18Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The company installed sensors in every delivery van. Within a year, fuel use fell by twelve per cent, though the number of deliveries stayed the same.' Which statement is best supported by the passage?

  1. Fuel prices fell by twelve per cent that year.
  2. The company reduced the number of its delivery vans.
  3. Drivers were paid less after the sensors were installed.
  4. The sensors were linked to more efficient driving or routing. Correct answer.

Explanation

Deliveries stayed constant while fuel use dropped, so the change must come from how the vans were driven or routed after the sensors were fitted. This supports a link between the sensors and efficiency.

Question 19Reading Comprehension

Choose the option that best replaces the underlined part: 'The teacher asked the students to read the chapter, to underline key terms and summarising it in their own words.'

  1. and summarising them
  2. and to summarise it Correct answer.
  3. to summarising it
  4. and summarise it

Explanation

The sentence lists three parallel infinitive actions: to read, to underline and to summarise. Keeping the infinitive form with 'and to summarise' preserves that parallel structure.

Question 20Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'She kept the letter for forty years. The paper yellowed and the ink faded, but she never moved it from the drawer where she had first hidden it.' What does the passage most strongly suggest about the letter?

  1. It holds lasting personal importance for her. Correct answer.
  2. It is valuable enough to sell.
  3. It contains information she is afraid to read.
  4. It was written by someone she has forgotten.

Explanation

Keeping a letter for forty years and never moving it from its hiding place indicates enduring personal significance. The details about yellowing paper and faded ink emphasise how long she has treasured it.

Question 21Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'His argument, however elegantly phrased, rested on a premise that his own evidence contradicted.' What is the writer's main criticism?

  1. The argument's style does not rescue its flawed foundation. Correct answer.
  2. The argument was phrased too clumsily to follow.
  3. The evidence was insufficient in quantity.
  4. The argument reached the wrong conclusion by accident.

Explanation

The sentence concedes elegant phrasing but says the underlying premise is contradicted by the speaker's own evidence. The criticism therefore targets the logical foundation, not the style or amount of evidence.

Question 22Reading Comprehension

Read: 'Critics praised the novel's ambition while quietly noting that its three hundred characters rarely reappear. The praise, in other words, came with an asterisk.' What does 'came with an asterisk' mean here?

  1. The praise was printed in a special edition.
  2. The critics refused to publish their reviews.
  3. The novel's title contained a symbol.
  4. The praise carried a hidden qualification. Correct answer.

Explanation

An asterisk marks a footnote or exception, so praise 'with an asterisk' is praise that comes with a reservation. The earlier mention of a quiet criticism confirms this reading.

Question 23Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The council approved the new bypass. Supporters pointed to shorter journeys; opponents noted that the route cut through the last remaining wetland in the district.' Which statement best evaluates the passage's balance?

  1. It argues that the bypass should be cancelled.
  2. It gives only the supporters' point of view.
  3. It clearly favours the opponents of the bypass.
  4. It presents both economic and environmental considerations without judging between them. Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage reports the supporters' travel benefit and the opponents' environmental concern in neutral wording. It offers no evaluative language of its own, so it presents both sides without taking a position.

Question 24Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'No sooner had the announcement been made than the phones began to ring.' Which rewrite preserves the meaning exactly?

  1. The phones rang for a long time before the announcement.
  2. The phones stopped ringing as soon as the announcement came.
  3. The announcement was made because the phones had rung.
  4. The phones began to ring immediately after the announcement was made. Correct answer.

Explanation

'No sooner ... than' means one event followed another almost instantly, and the inversion 'had ... been made' keeps the announcement first. The rewrite preserves both the order and the immediacy.

Question 25Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The historian warns against reading diaries as transparent windows. A diarist, she notes, writes for an imagined reader, even when that reader is only a future self.' What is the historian's point about diaries as evidence?

  1. They are usually written for publication.
  2. They are more reliable than official records.
  3. They are shaped by the writer's sense of an audience and so need careful interpretation. Correct answer.
  4. They are worthless as historical sources.

Explanation

The metaphor of 'transparent windows' is rejected because diarists write with some reader in mind, even a future self. The historian therefore treats diaries as mediated texts requiring careful reading rather than plain records.

Question 26Reading Comprehension

A library notice reads: 'Return books to the drop box before the desk closes; items left on the counter are not checked in until morning.' What is the notice mainly telling borrowers to do?

  1. Hand their books to a staff member at the counter
  2. Pay a fine before the desk closes
  3. Keep borrowed books until the following morning
  4. Use the drop box so their returns are recorded the same day Correct answer.

Explanation

The notice contrasts the drop box with the counter: only items in the box are checked in before the desk closes, while counter items wait until morning. The purpose is therefore to direct borrowers to the box for same-day returns.

Question 27Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The old lighthouse was automated in 1987. The last keeper, a retired sailor, stayed on for a month to teach the engineers which rocks were dangerous in fog.' Which statement is best supported by the passage?

  1. The keeper's local knowledge was considered useful during the change Correct answer.
  2. The lighthouse was closed permanently in 1987
  3. The engineers had never visited the coast before
  4. The keeper refused to leave until he was paid

Explanation

The keeper stayed specifically to show the engineers which rocks were dangerous in fog, which shows his local knowledge was valued. The passage supports only that limited claim about his usefulness.

Question 28Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'The new bridge, ____ design won an international award, opened to traffic on Monday.' Which option completes the sentence correctly?

  1. whose Correct answer.
  2. that
  3. who
  4. which

Explanation

The gap marks possession: the design belongs to the bridge, so the relative pronoun must be the possessive 'whose'. 'Which', 'that' and 'who' cannot express possession before a noun in this structure.

Question 29Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The bakery opens at four in the morning. By seven, the shelves are usually empty, and the owner has already begun preparing dough for the next day.' What can be inferred about the bakery?

  1. Its bread sells out quickly each morning Correct answer.
  2. It bakes only once a week
  3. It closes at seven in the morning
  4. Its owner works only in the afternoon

Explanation

Empty shelves by seven, only three hours after opening, imply that the bread sells fast. The passage gives no closing time, so the inference must stay limited to demand.

Question 30Reading Comprehension

A form states: 'Applicants must attach a copy of their degree certificate. Originals should be brought only if an interview is offered.' What should an applicant do at the first stage?

  1. Bring the original certificate to the office
  2. Send a copy of the certificate with the application Correct answer.
  3. Wait for an interview before sending anything
  4. Post the original certificate with the form

Explanation

The first stage requires a copy to be attached to the application, while originals are reserved for a later interview. The instruction therefore asks for a copy now.

Question 31Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'Neither the manager nor the employees ____ informed about the schedule change.' Which option completes the sentence correctly?

  1. has been
  2. were Correct answer.
  3. is
  4. was

Explanation

With 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject, which here is the plural 'employees'. The past plural 'were' therefore fits, and the singular forms do not.

Question 32Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The village well was repaired in March. By June, the women who once spent two hours fetching water had started a sewing group in the afternoons.' What does the passage suggest about the repair?

  1. It caused the sewing group to close
  2. It freed time that residents used for a new activity Correct answer.
  3. It reduced the number of wells in the village
  4. It made the water unsafe to drink

Explanation

The two hours once spent fetching water were replaced by an afternoon sewing group, so the repair released time for a new activity. The passage links the events as cause and effect.

Question 33Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'She spoke so quietly ____ only the people in the front row could hear her.' Which option completes the sentence correctly?

  1. which
  2. that Correct answer.
  3. then
  4. as

Explanation

The pattern 'so + adverb + that' introduces a result clause, so 'that' is required here. The other options do not form a result clause after 'so quietly'.

Question 34Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The council approved the new bypass. Supporters pointed to shorter journeys; opponents noted that the route cut through a protected meadow.' Which statement best describes the passage?

  1. It presents two opposing views of a single decision Correct answer.
  2. It explains how the bypass was designed
  3. It reports that the bypass was rejected
  4. It argues that the bypass should be cancelled

Explanation

The passage reports one approval and then balances the supporters' benefit against the opponents' concern. That structure presents two sides of a decision without taking a side.

Question 35Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'No sooner had the announcement been made than the phones began to ring.' Which rewrite preserves the meaning?

  1. The phones stopped ringing when the announcement was made
  2. The announcement was made because the phones rang
  3. The phones rang for a long time before the announcement
  4. The phones began to ring immediately after the announcement Correct answer.

Explanation

'No sooner...than' means one event followed another almost instantly, so the phones rang right after the announcement. Any rewrite must keep that close sequence.

Question 36Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The historian warns against reading diaries as transparent windows. A diarist, she notes, writes for an imagined reader and shapes events into a story.' What is the historian's main point?

  1. Diaries reflect how writers chose to present events, not bare fact Correct answer.
  2. Diarists usually write for publication
  3. Diaries are worthless as historical sources
  4. Historians should avoid reading diaries at all

Explanation

The historian argues that diarists shape events for an imagined reader, so diaries show a constructed presentation rather than unmediated fact. This is a caution, not a rejection of diaries.

Question 37Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'The teacher asked the students to read the chapter, ____ the key terms, and prepare three questions.' Which option completes the sentence correctly?

  1. underlining
  2. underline
  3. underlined
  4. to underline Correct answer.

Explanation

The sentence lists three parallel infinitive phrases after 'asked the students': to read, to underline, and to prepare. Only 'to underline' keeps that parallel structure with the surrounding items.

Question 38Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The company installed sensors in every delivery van. Within a year, fuel use fell by twelve per cent, though the drivers complained that the devices tracked their breaks.' Which conclusion is best supported?

  1. Drivers welcomed the sensors as a safety measure
  2. The sensors produced a measurable saving but met resistance from staff Correct answer.
  3. The sensors were removed after a year
  4. Fuel use rose by twelve per cent

Explanation

The passage reports a twelve per cent fall in fuel use alongside drivers' complaints about tracking, which supports both a benefit and staff resistance. The conclusion must include both halves.

Question 39Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'The proposal was received with cautious optimism by the residents, who welcomed the plan but questioned its cost.' Which phrase best captures the residents' attitude?

  1. Complete rejection
  2. Unqualified enthusiasm
  3. Support tempered by doubt Correct answer.
  4. Indifference

Explanation

'Cautious optimism' plus welcoming the plan while questioning its cost describes support limited by doubt. The attitude is mixed rather than one-sided.

Question 40Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'Applications must reach the office by 5 p.m. on 30 April. Late applications will be considered only if places remain after all on-time applications have been reviewed.' What does the passage say about late applications?

  1. They are rejected automatically without review
  2. They must be delivered in person by 5 p.m.
  3. They are given the same priority as on-time applications
  4. They are considered only after on-time applications have been reviewed Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage makes late applications conditional: they are reviewed only if places remain after on-time applications are handled. This gives them lower priority, not automatic rejection.

Question 41Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'Hardly ____ the hall when the lights went out.' Which option completes the sentence correctly?

  1. she had entered
  2. she entered
  3. had she entered Correct answer.
  4. did she entered

Explanation

A negative adverbial such as 'hardly' at the start of a clause triggers inversion, giving 'had she entered'. The auxiliary moves before the subject, and the main verb stays in its past participle form.

Question 42Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The museum's new wing lets visitors walk among the exhibits rather than view them behind glass. Curators report that visitors now spend nearly twice as long in the galleries.' What is the effect of the new design?

  1. The exhibits have been moved behind glass
  2. Curators have reduced the number of galleries
  3. Visitors leave sooner because there is less to see
  4. Visitors stay longer because they can move among the exhibits Correct answer.

Explanation

The passage links the walk-among design to visitors spending nearly twice as long in the galleries. The design change is presented as the cause of longer visits.

Question 43Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'The committee's decision was far from unanimous; indeed, it was so contentious that two members resigned.' What does the sentence imply about the decision?

  1. It was accepted without debate
  2. It was postponed indefinitely
  3. It divided the committee sharply Correct answer.
  4. It was made by only two members

Explanation

'Far from unanimous' and 'contentious', followed by resignations, show deep division. The sentence stresses disagreement rather than agreement.

Question 44Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'The scientist's notes were famously messy. Colleagues joked that only she could read them, yet her published papers were models of clarity.' What contrast does the sentence draw?

  1. Early drafts versus later rejection
  2. Careless research versus accurate results
  3. Untidy private notes versus clear published work Correct answer.
  4. Friendly colleagues versus a distant scientist

Explanation

The sentence sets messy notes against published papers that were models of clarity, using 'yet' to mark the contrast. The comparison is between private and public writing.

Question 45Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'Critics praised the novel's ambition while quietly noting that its three hundred characters rarely reappear. The book, they concluded, was easier to admire than to enjoy.' What is the critics' overall judgement?

  1. The novel is enjoyable but poorly written
  2. The novel was ignored by critics
  3. The novel has too few characters to follow
  4. The novel is impressive in scope but hard to take pleasure in Correct answer.

Explanation

'Easier to admire than to enjoy' sums up the verdict: ambition is admired, but reading pleasure is limited. The passage supports admiration for scope alongside difficulty in enjoyment.

Question 46Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'His argument, however elegantly phrased, rested on a premise that his own evidence contradicted.' What is the main criticism of the argument?

  1. Its language is clumsy and unclear
  2. Its central assumption conflicts with the evidence presented Correct answer.
  3. It relies on too many examples
  4. It was never written down

Explanation

The criticism is logical rather than stylistic: the premise, or central assumption, is contradicted by the speaker's own evidence. 'However elegantly phrased' concedes style while denying soundness.

Question 47Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The council's report notes that recycling rates rose after bins were collected weekly. It adds, however, that the same period saw a sharp rise in the amount of waste generated, so the tonnage sent to landfill barely changed.' What does the report suggest about the recycling rate?

  1. A higher rate did not by itself reduce landfill tonnage Correct answer.
  2. Recycling rates fell during the period
  3. Weekly collection caused waste to fall
  4. Landfill tonnage dropped sharply

Explanation

The report separates the rate from the total: recycling rose, but more waste was produced, so landfill tonnage barely changed. A rising rate therefore did not guarantee less landfill.

Question 48Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'The paper's findings are suggestive rather than conclusive; the sample, though carefully chosen, numbered only forty participants.' Which statement best evaluates the paper's evidence?

  1. The results are conclusive because the sample was carefully chosen
  2. The findings are worthless because the sample was small
  3. The results hint at a pattern but are too limited to settle the question Correct answer.
  4. The paper draws no conclusions at all

Explanation

'Suggestive rather than conclusive' plus a sample of forty means the results point toward a pattern without proving it. Careful selection improves quality but does not remove the limit of size.

Question 49Reading Comprehension

Passage: 'The town's mango festival began as a single stall in 1990. Today it draws thousands of visitors, yet the organisers still refuse sponsorship from soft-drink companies, preferring to keep the event small enough for local farmers to set the prices.' Which tension does the passage describe?

  1. Conflict between farmers and soft-drink companies over prices
  2. A dispute about whether the festival should continue
  3. Growth in visitors against a wish to keep the event locally controlled Correct answer.
  4. A fall in visitors against a rise in sponsorship

Explanation

The passage contrasts drawing thousands of visitors with organisers' preference for keeping the event small and locally controlled. That is the tension it describes.

Question 50Reading Comprehension

Sentence: 'Scarcely had the results been published when three laboratories offered to replicate the study.' Which rewrite preserves the meaning?

  1. Three laboratories offered to replicate the study almost as soon as the results appeared Correct answer.
  2. Three laboratories offered to replicate the study long before the results appeared
  3. The results were published because three laboratories offered to replicate the study
  4. Three laboratories refused to replicate the study after the results appeared

Explanation

'Scarcely...when' signals that the second event followed the first almost immediately, so the offers came right after publication. The rewrite must keep both the order and the near-immediacy.