Read the given passage and answer the following questions:

During post- industrialisation period, the tree trunks became dark due to industrial smoke and soots. Under this condition the white-winged moth did not survive due to predators, dark-winged or melanised moth survived. Before industrialisation set in, thick growth of almost white-coloured lichen covered the trees - in that background the white winged moth survived but the dark-coloured moth were picked out by predators. They will not grow in areas that are polluted. Hence, moths that were able to camouflage themselves, i.e., hide in the background, survived . This understanding is supported by the fact that in areas where industrialisation did not occur e.g., in rural areas, the count of melanic moths was low. This showed that in a mixed population, those that can better-adapt, survive and increase in population size. Remember that no variant is completely wiped out. Similarly, excess use of herbicides, pesticides, etc., has only resulted in selection of resistant varieties in a much lesser time scale. This is also true for microbes against which we employ antibiotics or drugs against eukaryotic organisms/cell. Hence, resistant organisms/cells are appearing in a time scale of months or years and not centuries. These are examples of evolution by anthropogenic action. This also tells us that evolution is not a directed process in the sense of determinism. It is a stochastic process based on chance events in nature and chance mutation in the organisms.

Why did white-winged moths survive before industrialisation?

Due to the presence of white-colored lichens on tree trunks

The correct answer is Option (1) -Due to the presence of white-colored lichens on tree trunks

Before industrialization, tree trunks were covered with light-colored lichens. In this environment, the white-winged moths blended in with the background, making it harder for predators to spot them. This camouflage allowed the white-winged moths to survive, while the dark-winged moths, which stood out against the light background, were more easily picked off by predators. The white-winged moths' ability to hide in their surroundings gave them an advantage in survival during that time.