Read the given passage and answer the questions that follow:-
Virtues are the result of repeated actions, as habits lay the foundation of moral excellence. Right from the beginning of their lives, children are taught good habits by their parents and teachers. Magnanimity, helpfulness and sacrifice are great virtues which need to be well cultivated in human beings. Trees give shade for the benefit of others, while they themselves stand enduring the scorching heat of the sun. They selflessly bear the fruit which is consumed by birds, animals and human beings. Rivers travel hundreds of kilometers, irrigating the land and providing water for all living beings. Flowers spread their scent to make the environment pleasant. Nature teaches us to tolerate pain for the sake of service to others. Henna yields its reddish hue when ground into a paste. Sugarcane yields sweet juice when it is pressed. Flowers get pierced through with a needle to embellish us with garlands.
The character of virtuous men and women is also like the above things and elements of Nature. What is the use of this perishable and mortal frame if it is not used for the benefit of others? To live our life only for ourselves is to live like cats and dogs. People who are noble at heart do not abandon human virtues even if they have to lose their lives. A Sanskrit couplet says - "Whether men praise them or no, whether they get riches or no, whether they live long or soon die, the virtuous will never waver from the path of righteousness."
In the passage, what is meant by "mortal frame"?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Human body
Mortal means sure to die one day, and a frame here is the body (its bones and build). The passage asks, "What is the use of this perishable and mortal frame if it is not used for the benefit of others?" Only the human body is perishable, will die, and can be used to serve others, so "mortal frame" means the human body.
Example: The old athlete's mortal frame had grown weak, but his spirit was still strong.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Nature — Incorrect. Wrong link: Nature is the model the passage holds up; the virtuous are compared to it. The question about the "mortal frame" is asked of human beings, not of Nature.
Option 2: Animals — Incorrect. Wrong link: animals appear only in the comparison "to live like cats and dogs"; the "mortal frame" is our own body.
Option 3: Land — Incorrect. Wrong link: land is mentioned only as what rivers irrigate; it has nothing to do with the phrase.