UPSC Prelims 2024 CSAT Paper II · Q34 of 79 Comprehension medium

Passage

Passage—2 Only with long experience and opening of his wares on many a beach where his language is not spoken, will the merchant come to know the worth of what he carries, and what is parochial and what is universal in his choice. Such delicate goods as justice, love and honour, courtesy, and indeed all the things we care for, are valid everywhere but they are variously moulded and often differently handled, and sometimes nearly unrecognizable if you meet them in a foreign land, and the art of learning fundamental common values is perhaps the greatest gain of travel to those who wish to live at ease among their fellows.

With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Travel leads to an understanding of humans. 2. Travel helps those who wish to learn fundamental common values. 3. A person with long experience in travel can resolve differences amongst people. Which of the assumptions given above are valid?

  1. (a) 1 and 2 only ✓ UPSC's answer
  2. (b) 2 and 3 only
  3. (c) 1 and 3 only
  4. (d) 1, 2 and 3

Why the answer is (a)

• Assumption 1 is valid because the passage states that travel allows one to learn 'fundamental common values' and live at ease among 'fellows,' implying an understanding of human nature and shared values.

• Assumption 2 is valid as the text explicitly mentions that learning these values is the 'greatest gain of travel to those who wish to live at ease among their fellows,' directly supporting the idea that travel helps those seeking to learn common values.

• Assumption 3 is invalid because the passage discusses understanding the worth of goods and recognizing universal values in different forms, but it does not claim that travel experience enables a person to 'resolve differences' or conflicts among people.

• Therefore, only assumptions 1 and 2 are supported by the passage, making option (a) the correct answer.

Why the other options are wrong

(b) 2 and 3 only
Assumption 3 is invalid as the passage does not state that travel experience helps resolve differences among people.
(c) 1 and 3 only
Assumption 3 is invalid as the passage does not state that travel experience helps resolve differences among people.
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Assumption 3 is invalid as the passage does not state that travel experience helps resolve differences among people.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2024, held on 16 June 2024. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

Reading the answer is not the same as getting it right under a clock. Practise this question with UPSC's negative marking, and anything you miss goes into an error notebook until you get it right twice.

Practise this paper free