Read the following passage and answer the questions.
Mango trees are evergreen trees with thick trunks and a wide canopy. They can grow to a height of 100 feet or more, depending upon the climate and the richness of the soil.
The leaves are leathery and dark green, about 5–16 inches long. The flowers grow in large clusters, each with several hundred small white flowers. Most of the flowers function as male flowers, but some are bisexual and form fruits after pollination. Pollination takes place through flies, wasps, bees and even ants.
The mango is called the “King of Fruits” because of its creamy, rich taste and aromatic flavour. The fruit varies in size and shape, with shades of red and yellow or dull green. It can be oval, round, heart-shaped, kidney-shaped, or long and slender. It has a single flat, large seed with a fleshy layer around it.
Saplings take three to five years to bear fruit, and the fruits take 100–150 days to mature. These trees grow well in areas that are exposed to full sun. They flourish in well-drained, fertile soil. Young mango trees need extra watering during dry periods.
In Ayurveda, the bark, leaves, flowers and fruits are used to treat many ailments of the stomach and skin. The gum is used to heal cracked heels. The bark has tannins that are used for dyeing. The ripe fruit is eaten as it is and used to make juices, chutneys, desserts and jams. The unripe fruit is used to make pickles.
Mangoes contain vitamins A, B, C, E and K and minerals such as magnesium, potassium and manganese. One cup of mango provides nearly 70% of the daily need for vitamin C, which helps the immune system. Mangoes also contain plenty of water and dietary fibre that help to solve digestive problems.
Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Many parts of the mango tree, not only its fruit, are useful to people
The passage says that in Ayurveda “the bark, leaves, flowers and fruits” are used to treat illness.
- It adds that the gum heals cracked heels and the bark is used for dyeing.
- So the bark, leaves, flowers and gum are useful too. The passage does not say this in one line, but these facts show it.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: Most of the flowers on a mango tree turn into fruits — Incorrect. Contradicted: The passage says “Most of the flowers function as male flowers”. Only some flowers form fruits.
Option 3: Mango trees grow best in shady and wet places — Incorrect. Contradicted: The trees grow well in places “exposed to full sun”, not in shade.
Option 4: A mango sapling bears fruit in its first year — Incorrect. Contradicted: A sapling is a young tree. The passage says “Saplings take three to five years to bear fruit”.