Read the given passage and answer the four questions that follow:-
The aim of life should be to reach one's full potential in body, mind, heart, and spirit. When we see an electric bulb, we think of Thomas Edison, the inventor of the bulb and lighting system. The sound of an aeroplane reminds us of the Wright Brothers, who proved man could fly. A ringing telephone brings to mind Alexander Graham Bell. A unique scientist, Sir C.V. Raman, pondered why the horizon looks blue during sea travel, leading to his Nobel Prize-winning explanation of light scattering.
The world is fortunate to have Mahatma Gandhi, who fought for India's independence and inspired South Africa's fight against apartheid. Madam Marie Curie won two Nobel Prizes-one in 1903 for discovering radium and another in 1911 for her research in chemistry. She is the discoverer of radiation that saves the lives of cancer patients today, improves crop yields, powers industry and nuclear weapon systems.
These individuals walked unexplored paths and strived to be unique, leaving lasting contributions to humankind. Every youth desires to be unique, but society often pressures them to conform. The challenge is to fight the hardest battle to become a "Unique You."
Alexander Graham Bell once said, "Don't stay on the beaten path; explore the woods. You'll find something new. Follow it; one discovery will lead to another." This advice inspires us to leave familiar trails and discover our potential.
Are you willing to become a unique personality, or will you settle for being like everyone else? The choice is yours.
The key challenge for youth, as highlighted in the passage, is:-
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Resisting societal pressure to conform
The passage says that every youth wants to be unique, but society often pressures them to conform, and that the challenge is to fight the hardest battle to become a "Unique You". To conform means to behave the way most people expect, following accepted rules and habits. So the key challenge for the young is to resist this pressure.
Example: Teenagers often feel they must conform to the fashion of their friends.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Gaining knowledge about famous scientists — Incorrect. Wrong focus: the scientists are named only as examples of people who chose to be unique; learning about them is not described as a challenge.
Option 2: Overcoming financial difficulties — Incorrect. Not mentioned: the passage says nothing about money problems.
Option 3: Staying on the beaten path — Incorrect. Contradicted: the beaten path is the usual, familiar way that everyone follows. Graham Bell's advice quoted in the passage is "Don't stay on the beaten path", so staying on it is what the passage warns against.
Example: The travellers left the beaten path and found a hidden waterfall.