Comprehension:
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:-
One day several months ago, my elder brother, who was ninety-five years old then, called me, on phone from Rameswaram. He started the conversation by narrating an incident about my friend’s visit to him. During the discussion, my friend asked my brother, “How old is your house?” He said, “The house was built by our father, more than a century ago. My younger brother, and my earning grandchildren have now come out with a proposal to build a new house in the same place after demolishing this one.” My friend said he would not want to see such a historical place demolished. He was willing to make an arrangement through a trust to transform the house into a museum and library, while alternative accommodation was worked out for my brother and his family. My brother, was calling me, to say he was against the friend’s proposal. "I would like to live in the house where I have grown and lived for ninety-five years. I would like to build a new house in the same place through the earnings of my kith and kin. I would not like to have any other arrangements. You thank your friend in a nice way". It struck me,—here is a man who would like to lead his life on his own terms and does not want any help, well-meant though it might be. It was a great learning for me, and I saw in my brother, a reflection of my father, who lived to 103 years and inculcated such a tradition in us.
Choose the correct option to complete the sentence-
The narrator’s friend did not want the house to be demolished because it was ____________.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → a historical building
The friend said that he "would not want to see such a historical place demolished". The house had been built by the narrator's father more than a century ago.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: a magnificent building — Incorrect. Not mentioned: the passage never describes the house as grand or splendid; its value lies in its age and history.
Option 3: an architectural marvel — Incorrect. Not mentioned: nothing is said about the design or construction of the house.
Option 4: a newly constructed building — Incorrect. Contradicted: the house is more than a hundred years old; it is the new house that the family planned to build.