2026 CSAT, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2026 · CSAT

Question 62: Reading Comprehension

Passage · as printed by UPSC
Passage beginning “Was it the sun-dappled ambience, the…”

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. 1.Hugh Grant was watching, from the Royal Box, the men’s semifinal match on Centre Court between Flavio Cobolli and Novak Djokovic.
  2. 2.The phrase ‘unexpected ace’ in the context uses a term from the game of tennis to highlight Hugh Grant’s somewhat uncharacteristic act of catching ‘forty winks’; an act that is viewed with opprobrium.
  3. 3.Grant subjects the demands of society to the wisdom of his body.

Select the answer using the code given below.

a1 and 2
b3 only
c2 and 3
d2 only

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (b).

Only 3 is correct: the writer sides with what the tired body needs over the pressure society puts on people to keep performing. Statement 1 changes the match stage: it was the men's singles quarterfinals, not a semifinal. Statement 2 reverses the tone: the writer applauds the nap, calling it an unexpected ace and a graceful defence of surrender, so it is not viewed with opprobrium.

  • 1. The match was in the men's singles quarterfinals, not the semifinal.
  • 2. The writer praises the nap; it is not viewed with opprobrium.
  • 3. The writer sides with what the body needs over society's pressure to perform.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (a), (c) and (d) go: each of them includes 2.

    What you needed to know: The writer praises the nap; it is not viewed with opprobrium.

Only (b) is left. You didn’t need statements 1 or 3.

This follows UPSC’s provisional key; the final key could change it.

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: 1 and 2 are both inaccurate (the stage was a quarterfinal, and the nap is praised).
  • (b) Right: only 3 matches the passage.
  • (c) Wrong: 2 reverses the tone, which is praise.
  • (d) Wrong: 2 is contradicted by the writer's praise.

Only the provisional key (27 May 2026) was found; the final key replaces it when found.

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

Practise this paper timedPrevious questionNext question

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.