Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow:-
Virtues are the result of repeated actions, as habits lay the foundation of moral excellence. Right from the beginning of their lives, children are taught good habits by their parents and teachers. Magnanimity, helpfulness and sacrifice are great virtues which need to be well cultivated in human beings. Trees give shade for the benefit of others, while they themselves stand enduring the scorching heat of the sun. They selflessly bear the fruit which is consumed by birds, animals and human beings. Rivers travel hundreds of kilometers, irrigating the land and providing water for all living beings. Flowers spread their scent to make the environment pleasant. Nature teaches us to tolerate pain for the sake of service to others. Henna yields its reddish hue when ground into a paste. Sugarcane yields sweet juice when it is pressed. Flowers get pierced through with a needle to embellish us with garlands.
The character of virtuous men and women is also like the above things and elements of Nature. What is the use of this perishable and mortal frame if it is not used for the benefit of others? To live our life only for ourselves is to live like cats and dogs. People who are noble at heart do not abandon human virtues even if they have to lose their lives. A Sanskrit couplet says - "Whether men praise them or no, whether they get riches or no, whether they live long or soon die, the virtuous will never waver from the path of righteousness."
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Being truthful is the most important sign of virtuosity.
The passage names magnanimity, helpfulness and sacrifice as great virtues and praises service to others. Truthfulness is never mentioned, and nothing is called "the most important sign" of virtue, so this statement is not in the passage.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: Nature teaches us to endure pain and serve others. — Incorrect. True in the passage: in almost the same words, Nature teaches us to tolerate pain for the sake of service to others.
Option 3: A self-centred existence is a bestial existence. — Incorrect. Bestial means like an animal, not fit for a human being. True in the passage: to live only for ourselves is to live like cats and dogs, which is the same idea.
Example: The villagers were shocked by the bestial cruelty of the robbers.
Option 4: Not abandoning the right path even in the face of death. — Incorrect. True in the passage: noble people do not abandon human virtues even if they have to lose their lives.