Twelve families in a residential colony in Lucknow formed a residents' group when the colony kept running short of water. They meet in the colony park on the first Sunday of every month; on other days they send plans and photos on a phone messaging app. Within months, families who had washed their cars with hoses switched to buckets, as their neighbours in the group did. In March, Rakesh forgot to post the residents' letter to the municipal office, and every family went without tanker water for a week. Meera dug a rainwater pit behind her house, and families in two nearby colonies soon dug pits of their own.
Which idea about individuals and groups is best shown by what happened after Meera dug her rainwater pit?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Individuals are also capable of changing others and the society
Option (1) Individuals are also capable of changing others and the society — Correct. Meera, one person, changed what families in other colonies did. The influence runs from an individual to others and to society, so it shows that individuals can also change others and the society.
Option (2) Our lives are influenced by the nature of group membership we have — Incorrect. This idea is about the group shaping its members. It fits the families who switched from hoses to buckets after their neighbours did.
Option (3) Individuals who are trying to satisfy a need through their joint association also influence each other — Incorrect. This describes members who come together to meet a need and influence each other inside their association. The families in the nearby colonies were not part of Meera's residents' group, so it does not fit.
Option (4) Groups function either working towards a given goal, or away from certain threats facing the group — Incorrect. This is about why groups act: to reach a goal or to move away from a threat. The water shortage explains why the residents' group formed, but not why other colonies copied Meera.
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