2012 CSAT, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2012 · CSAT

Question 12: Reading Comprehension

Passage – 3 · as printed by UPSC
Passage beginning “Today’s developing economies use much less…”Passage beginning “Today’s developing economies use much less…”

Which of the following conditions is/are necessary for sustainable economic growth ?

  1. 1.Spreading of economic prosperity more.
  2. 2.Popularising/spreading of adaptive technologies widely.
  3. 3.Investing on research in adaptation and mitigation technologies.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below :

a1 only
b2 and 3 only
c1 and 3 only
d1, 2 and 3

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).

The passage says that keeping growth going as conditions change requires knowing the environment better, inventing fresh technologies and practices for adapting, and getting them used broadly. That gives statement 2 (spreading adaptive technology) and statement 3 (investing in research for adaptation and mitigation). Spreading prosperity is mentioned as something that has gone with adaptation and helps people cope, but it is not stated as a necessary condition for sustainable growth.

  • 1. Prosperity is described as intertwined with adaptation and as helping people cope, but not as a necessary condition for sustainable growth.
  • 2. Generating adaptive technologies and practices and spreading them widely is named as a demand of sustained growth.
  • 3. Building the capacity to generate adaptation and mitigation technologies needs investment in research.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 1 is not correct, (a), (c) and (d) go: each of them includes 1.

    What you needed to know: Prosperity is described as intertwined with adaptation and as helping people cope, but not as a necessary condition for sustainable growth.

Only (b) is left. You didn’t need statements 2 or 3.

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) Wrong. It leaves out the technology conditions the passage stresses.
  • (b) Right. Spreading adaptive technology and investing in research are the conditions the passage supports.
  • (c) Wrong. It includes statement 1, which is not a stated necessary condition, and drops statement 2.
  • (d) Wrong. Statement 1 is not established as a necessary condition.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

Practise this paper timedPrevious questionNext question

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2012, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.