UPSC Prelims 2011 · GS Paper I
Question 31: Economy and Social Development
In the context of global oil prices, "Brent crude oil" is frequently referred to in the news. What does this term imply ?
- 1.It is a major classification of crude oil.
- 2.It is sourced from North Sea.
- 3.It does not contain sulphur.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
AnswerThe answer is (b).
Brent crude is a major benchmark grade of crude oil, produced from fields in the North Sea, and its price is used to price a large share of the world's oil. It is a light, sweet crude. 'Sweet' means low in sulphur, not that sulphur is absent: Brent still contains a small amount. So statements 1 and 2 hold and statement 3 is false.
- 1. Brent is one of the major benchmark classes of crude oil.
- 2. It is sourced from fields in the North Sea.
- 3. It is low in sulphur but not free of it.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 1 is correct, (a) goes: it leaves 1 out.
What you needed to know: Brent is one of the major benchmark classes of crude oil.
- Then, if you were sure statement 3 is not correct, (c) and (d) go: each of them includes 3.
What you needed to know: It is low in sulphur but not free of it.
Only (b) is left. You didn’t need statement 2.
This follows an unofficial answer: UPSC has not published its key for this year, and if that answer is wrong, so is this path.
Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Leaves out statement 1, since Brent is a major classification of crude.
- (b) Right: Brent is a major classification of crude, sourced from the North Sea.
- (c) Includes statement 3 (no sulphur), which is false; it is low-sulphur, not sulphur-free.
- (d) Includes the false statement 3.
Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2011, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.