Read the passage and answer the question.
Next to elephants, the two wild animals that tended to impress human beings most with their prowess were the tiger and the lion. Despite their different external appearances, they have great anatomical similarity. Historically, the tiger, in all its sub-species, has been confined to Asia, and (in the past) Europe and West Asia. Sharing so many common traits, the two species are drawn to similar natural habitats though the lion can tolerate drier country much better than the tiger, which, on the other hand, can go up to high altitudes and flourish in wet zones. Given this situation, it is rather surprising that the Indus Civilization, confined to the drier zone, has produced no depictions of the lion, while the tiger appears on as many as sixteen extant seals. But the lion is represented on a magnificent gold bowl from the Quetta hoard belonging to the subsequent Sibri culture (2100-1400 BC). Further, it is the lion (simha) that is mentioned in the Rigveda on nine occasions, whereas the tiger is not referred to even once. The Rigveda, we may remember, was composed mainly in the relatively dry zone of the upper Indus basin; and so we can almost infer that the lion had by now replaced the tiger through an eastward migration in the second millenium BC. This line of speculation is strengthened by the fact that the Atharvaveda, which gives evidence of a considerable eastward shift in its geographical horizons, has twelve mentions of the tiger (vyaghra) as against nine of the lion, with both animals being mentioned together at as many as five places.
Which of the following is true?
A. Historically, the tiger has been generally confined to Africa, and (in the past) Europe and West Asia while the lion has been confined to Asia.
B. The Atharvaveda has twelve mentions of the tiger (Vyaghra)
C. Both the lion and the tiger have never been mentioned together in the Atharvaveda
D. The Atharvaveda has twelve mentions of the lion (Vyaghra)
E. It is not at all surprising that the Indus Civilization has produced no depictions of the lion
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → B only
A. Historically, the tiger has been generally confined to Africa ... while the lion has been confined to Asia. — False.
- Contradicted: the passage says the tiger has been confined to Asia, and (in the past) Europe and West Asia.
- Africa is not named for the tiger.
B. The Atharvaveda has twelve mentions of the tiger (Vyaghra) — True.
- The Atharvaveda "has twelve mentions of the tiger (vyaghra) as against nine of the lion".
C. Both the lion and the tiger have never been mentioned together in the Atharvaveda — False.
- Contradicted: the two animals are mentioned together "at as many as five places".
D. The Atharvaveda has twelve mentions of the lion (Vyaghra) — False.
- Misread: the twelve mentions are of the tiger.
- Vyaghra is the word for tiger, and the lion is mentioned nine times.
E. It is not at all surprising that the Indus Civilization has produced no depictions of the lion — False.
- Contradicted: the passage calls it "rather surprising", since the lion suits the dry zone in which that civilization lay.