UPSC Prelims 2012 · GS Paper I
Question 91: Environment and Ecology
Consider the following kinds of organisms :
- 1.Bat
- 2.Bee
- 3.Bird
Which of the above is/are pollinating agent/agents?
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (d).
Pollination is done by animals as well as by wind and water. Bees are the most important pollinators; bats pollinate nectar-rich flowers that open at night, as in silk cotton and agave; and birds such as sunbirds pollinate brightly coloured flowers. All three are pollinating agents.
- 1. Bats pollinate night-flowering, nectar-rich plants.
- 2. Bees are the most important pollinators.
- 3. Birds such as sunbirds pollinate many flowers.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 2 is correct, (c) goes: it leaves 2 out.
What you needed to know: Bees are the most important pollinators.
- Then, if you were sure statement 3 is correct, (a) and (b) go: each of them leaves 3 out.
What you needed to know: Birds such as sunbirds pollinate many flowers.
Only (d) is left. You didn’t need statement 1.
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) Incomplete: birds also pollinate flowers.
- (b) Incomplete: bats and birds also pollinate flowers.
- (c) Incomplete: bees are also pollinating agents, indeed the most important.
- (d) Correct: bats, bees and birds all pollinate.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2012, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.