Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

English

Chapter

Comprehension - (Narrative / Factual)

Question:

Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions:

It is your duty to train and develop your mind and acquire knowledge, as much as you possibly can obtain. Knowledge is like a deep well, fed by perennial springs, and your mind is the little bucket that you drop into it: you will get as much as you can assimilate. The brain, which is the physical organ of the mind, is one of the two precious products of the aeons of evolution, the other is the imponderable 'Social Instinct'. This wonderful Brain, whose every convolution represents millions of years of Time, really distinguishes you from animals. Many animals have very powerful sense organs; the eagle, the ant and the dog have keener sense of sight than Man. But no animal has a more evolved Brain and Higher intelligence. If you do not develop and use this Brain to the utmost of your power, you are more akin to the beasts than to Homo sapiens. 

Knowledge and mental self-culture confer untold blessings upon you. You will not be the victim of superstition and demagogy in religion and politics, not to be doped and duped by the priests and politicians of capitalism and so called Socialism: is this not a nobel aim worth striving for? Most men and women today are not free and wise. 

They are fleeced and fooled on account of their ignorance. Half the ills of man are due to ignorance.

According to the passage, knowledge and mental self-culture can bestow unimaginable blessings on us because:

(A) knowledge and mental self-culture will make us classy and elegant 

(B) mental self-culture will help us get free of prejudice, and arrogance due to the wisdom we gain from knowledge 

(C)  knowledge will lead to a prosperous carrier only

(D) knowledge and mental self-culture will push us towards arrogance and superstitions 

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Options:

(A) only

(D) only

(B) only

(C) only

Correct Answer:

(B) only

Explanation:

The correct answer is: Option 3: (B) only

According to the passage, knowledge and mental self-culture are blessings because they:

a. Free us from superstition and manipulation: The passage criticizes those who exploit ignorance for personal gain (priests, politicians). Knowledge empowers us to make informed decisions and avoid being misled.
b. Promote wisdom and critical thinking: The passage emphasizes the importance of developing the brain and using it to its full potential. This suggests that knowledge should lead to a deeper understanding of the world, not just the accumulation of facts.

Therefore, only option (B) aligns with the core message of the passage. It highlights how knowledge and mental self-culture can empower us to be more independent and discerning individuals, free from the constraints of ignorance.

Here's why the other options are incorrect:

Option (A): The passage doesn't mention knowledge or mental self-culture making someone classy or elegant. It focuses on the benefits of being free from ignorance.

Option (C): While knowledge can be beneficial for a career, the passage emphasizes the broader benefits of avoiding manipulation and superstition.

Option (D): The passage explicitly states that knowledge and mental self-culture will help avoid superstition and arrogance, not promote them.