UPSC Prelims 2015 · CSAT

Question 7: Reading Comprehension

Passage beginning “I must say that, beyond occasionally…” — Passage – 6 · as printed by UPSC

The most appropriate reason for the author to be spared many a mishap is that

ahe hardly utters or writes a thoughtless word.

bhe is a man of immense patience.

che believes that he is a spiritual person.

dhe is a votary of truth.

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (a).

The author links being spared mishaps and wasted time directly to the fact that thoughtless words almost never leave his tongue or pen. Patience, spirituality and truth appear elsewhere: silence is called part of the discipline of those devoted to truth, and he finds many others impatient to talk. But none of these is given as the reason he avoids mishaps. The question asks for the most appropriate reason, which is the one the author himself ties to the result.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) Right: the author ties having no regrets and no mishaps to rarely saying anything thoughtless.
(b) Wrong: he describes others as impatient to speak; he does not claim immense patience as his reason.
(c) Wrong: he never offers being spiritual as the reason for escaping mishaps.
(d) Wrong: truth is linked to silence as discipline, but not given as the cause of avoiding mishaps.

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

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.