UPSC Prelims 2022 · CSAT

Question 51: Reading Comprehension

Passage beginning “In an economic organization, allowing mankind…” — Passage—1 · as printed by UPSC

Which of the following statements best reflects the underlying tone of the passage?

aOnly an educated population can best make use of the benefits of economic progress.

bAll economic development should be aimed at the creation of leisure.

cAn increase in the educated population of a country leads to an increase in the happiness of its people.

dUse of machines should be encouraged in order to create a large leisured population.

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (a).

The passage says machines should give people leisure, that free time becomes dull for people without worthwhile pursuits, and that people with plenty of free time will be content only if they are educated, both for enjoyment and for the practical use of technical knowledge. So the underlying tone is that education is needed to make good use of the benefits of economic progress. It does not say all development should aim at leisure, that education alone raises happiness, or that machines should be pushed to create leisure.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) Correct: education is what lets people use the gains of progress well.
(b) Overstated: leisure is a benefit of progress, not the aim of all development.
(c) Overstated: education is a condition for happy leisure, not a guaranteed cause of happiness.
(d) Wrong: encouraging machines to create leisure is not the passage's message.

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

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2022, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.