Read the following passage and answer the question by choosing the correct options:

The hero of Rangabhoomi, Surdas, is a unique character in the history of the Indian novel. He is a blind beggar who runs after vehicles begging for a pice. With the profession of begging he combines an inordinate self-respect, generosity of heart and capacity to fight for popular rights. He combines the qualities of Mahatma Gandhi with the traditional Indian beggar's profession. Prem Chand had known a blind beggar of this kind at Lamahi who used to run after carriages of passers-by begging for small change. He had also come across a blind singer-boy at Gorakhpur and used to listen to his songs in the evening, after resigning from government service. On these memories of blind beggars Prem Chand superimposed a personality which keeps reminding one of that supreme beggar in the history of modern India, Mahatma Gandhi.

Rangabhoomi is a novel with numerous multi-coloured threads running through its texture. The central thread is the life of the village community in all its poverty and suffering. There is the Christian family of Mr. John Sewak who is desirous of setting up a cigarette factory in the village- pasture. There are the rich people with all their numerous contradictions, their greed, ambitions and desire for fame. Then there are the states with all their princes and oppression. Much keeps happening in the novel. The pace at which events happen is swift, almost melodramatic. It is a tempestuous river running down mountain-gorges, not slow majestic waters flowing through level plains and flooding them.

The novel is very loose in its form, carrying many suggestions of the influence of stories of adventure earlier studied by him. Mr. John Sewak acquires the piece of land belonging to Surdas for a paltry sum of money and sets up his factory in Pandepur. With the factory come numerous evils like liquor, gambling, roughs, obscenity. For the first time village women are molested by outsiders. The villagers are ousted from their homes, because residential quarters have to be put up for the factory workers. Surdas goes to the city and rouses the conscience of the community against the injustice done to him and the village people. The people's wrath is roused against the tyrants. In the end Surdas dies in the fire which is destroying his hut.

Choose the correct meaning of the word "PALTRY".

trivial

The correct answer is Option (1) → trivial

Explanation

• The sentence "Mr. John Sewak acquires the piece of land belonging to Surdas for a paltry sum of money" specifies that Surdas receives a very small amount of money for his land.
• Trivial means "of little importance or value," which aligns perfectly with the context. Receiving a small sum implies the land's worth wasn't recognized or fairly compensated.

The other options don't fit the context:

• Significant: This means important or having a great impact, which contradicts the idea of a small amount.
• Important: Similar to significant, it suggests considerable value, which isn't conveyed by "paltry" in this sentence.
• Worthy: This implies deserving respect or merit, which doesn't directly relate to the amount of money received.