Explanation : 

Q1: Correct Answer – (c) Human beings are motivated to explore new frontiers principally by economic considerations.

Explanation – The statement that best sums up the passage given above is © Human beings are motivated to explore new frontiers principally by economic considerations. The passage describes how historically, the search for resources has been the primary driver for opening frontiers and exploring new territories. It mentions how medieval merchants risked the hazards of the Silk Road to reach the markets of China and how Portuguese caravels sailed beyond known boundaries in search of gold and spices. The passage also states that science and curiosity are weaker drivers compared to the search for resources and that creating an economic engine through resource extraction is the only way to open up space.

Therefore, based on the information given in the passage, option © Human beings are motivated to explore new frontiers principally by economic considerations best sums up its main idea.

Explanation : 

Q1: Correct Answer – (c) 1 and 3 only

Explanation – Based on the information given in the passage, assumptions 1 and 3 are valid. The passage states that BPA is known to cause developmental abnormalities in humans and that researchers were able to detect and measure BPA toxicity towards the proper specification of primary germ layers during embryonic development. This supports assumption 1 that BPA may alter embryonic development in vivo. The passage also mentions that researchers used stem cells to gauge the neurotoxic effects of BPA and were able to establish neural progenitor cells. This supports assumption 3 that embryonic stem cells could serve as a model to evaluate the physiological effects of environmental pollutants.

However, there is no information given in the passage to support assumption 2 that biochemical and cell-based assays are useful in finding out treatments for pollution-induced diseases. While these assays were used to examine gene expression profiles during differentiation upon treatment with BPA, there is no mention of their use in finding treatments for pollution-induced diseases.

Therefore, based on the information given in the passage, assumptions 1 and 3 are valid while assumption 2 is not supported by evidence from the text.

Explanation : 

Q1: Correct Answer – (c) Climate changes increase the criticality of water resources while simultaneously threatening it.

Explanation – (a) Development of regional climate models helps in choosing climate-smart agricultural practices. This statement is not directly supported by the passage. While regional climate models may help in understanding the impacts of climate change and choosing appropriate agricultural practices, this is not mentioned in the passage.

(b) Heavy dependence on groundwater resources can be reduced by adopting dry-land cropping systems. This statement is also not directly supported by the passage. While dry-land cropping systems may help reduce dependence on groundwater resources, this is not mentioned in the passage.

(c) Climate changes increase the criticality of water resources while simultaneously threatening it. This statement accurately reflects the main idea of the passage. The passage describes how climate change is affecting hydrological cycles and leading to an increased dependency on groundwater resources by farmers.

(d) Climate changes cause farmers to adopt unsustainable livelihoods and risky coping strategies. This statement is not directly supported by the passage. While climate change may cause farmers to adopt unsustainable livelihoods and risky coping strategies, this is not mentioned in the passage.

Explanation : 

Q1: Correct Answer – (d) 3 and 4 only

Explanation – Based on the information given in the passage above, assumptions 3 and 4 are valid. The passage states that effective pollination requires resources such as refuges of pristine natural vegetation. This supports assumption 3 that pollinators become scarce in cultivated areas devoid of natural vegetation. The passage also mentions that pollination is an essential service that is the result of an intricate relationship between plants and animals and that the reduction or loss of either affects the survival of both. This supports assumption 4 that diversity in insects induces diversity in plants.

So, option (d) “3 and 4 only” is correct.

Explanation : 

Q1: Correct Answer – (b) Light pollution can have a permanent adverse impact on an ecosystem.

Explanation – The most critical inference that can be made from the passage given above is that light pollution can have a permanent adverse impact on an ecosystem. This is because the low intensity amber light was shown to inhibit flowering in a wild plant of the pea family which is a source of food for the pea-aphids in grasslands. The number of aphids was also significantly suppressed under the light treatment due to the limited amount of food available. This shows that light pollution can have a cascading effect on an ecosystem.

So, option (b) “Light pollution can have a permanent adverse impact on an ecosystem” best reflects the most critical inference that can be made from the passage given above.

Explanation : 

Q1: Correct Answer – (c) (c) 4 and 5 only

Explanation – Based on the information given in the passage above, assumptions 4 and 5 are valid. The passage discusses how a social and physical environment riddled with poverty, inequities, unhygienic and insanitary conditions generates the risk of infectious diseases. It mentions that personal cleanliness can help bring down the rate of infectious diseases but that the entry of the market into this domain has created a false sense of security. The passage also discusses how experience in Western Europe shows that general improvements in environmental conditions such as clean water, sanitation and food security have brought down infant/child death/infection rates considerably.

Assumption 4 states that scientific and micro-level interventions are not sufficient to bring down the burden of infectious diseases. This is supported by the information in the passage which suggests that while personal hygiene can help reduce infection rates, it is not sufficient on its own and must be accompanied by general improvements in environmental conditions.

Assumption 5 states that it is community hygiene implemented through public health measures that is really effective in the battle against infectious diseases. This is also supported by information in the passage which discusses how general improvements in environmental conditions have been effective at reducing infection rates.

Assumptions 1, 2 and 3 are not supported by information given in the passage.

Therefore, based on this reasoning, option © 4 and 5 only would be my answer to this question.

Explanation : 

Q1: Correct Answer – (a) Computers are not completely safe.

Explanation – The passage discusses how computers are increasingly dealing with the real world of physical objects and vulnerable human bodies. It mentions that the arrival of the “Internet of Things” will see computers embedded into everything from road signs to insulin pumps. However, there is little evidence that these gadgets will be any more trustworthy than their desktop counterparts. The passage gives examples of hackers taking remote control of internet-connected cars and pacemakers.

Based on this information, the most critical inference that can be made from the passage is that (a) Computers are not completely safe. This option reflects the main concern raised in the passage about the trustworthiness and safety of computers embedded in physical objects.

Option (b) Companies producing the software do not take cyber security seriously is not supported by information in the passage. Option © Stringent data security laws are needed may be a possible solution to address computer safety concerns but it is not an inference that can be made from the given information. Option (d) The present trend of communication technologies will affect our lives in future is a general statement that does not reflect a critical inference from the given information.

Explanation : 

Q1: Correct Answer – (a) 1, 4 and 5 only

Explanation – Based on the information given in the passage, farming practices 1 (cover crops), 4 (mixed farming), and 5 (polyculture) can be compatible with agroecology. The passage mentions that agroecology aims to mimic the biodiversity levels and functioning of natural ecosystems and to close nutrient loops by returning all nutrients that come out of the soil back to the soil. It also mentions intercropping and integrating trees with livestock and crops as examples of agroecological practices. Cover crops can help build soil fertility and prevent erosion, mixed farming involves integrating crops with livestock, and polyculture involves growing multiple crops in the same area. All these practices can contribute to increasing biodiversity levels and closing nutrient loops in agroecosystems. So the correct answer is (a) 1, 4 and 5 only.

Fertigation (option 2) is a method of applying fertilizers through irrigation systems. While it can help improve nutrient use efficiency and reduce fertilizer runoff, it does not necessarily involve closing nutrient loops or mimicking natural ecosystems.

Hydroponics (option 3) is a method of growing plants without soil, using mineral nutrient solutions in water. While it can help conserve water and nutrients, it does not involve returning nutrients to the soil or mimicking natural ecosystems.

Vertical farming (option 6) involves growing crops in vertically stacked layers using artificial lighting and climate control. While it can help increase crop yields in urban areas with limited space, it does not necessarily involve closing nutrient loops or mimicking natural ecosystems.

Explanation : 

Q1: Correct Answer – (d) 1, 3 and 4 only

Explanation – Based on the information given in the passage, assumptions 1, 3 and 4 are valid. The passage states that fig trees provide food for wildlife when other resources are scarce and support a high density and diversity of frugivores. This suggests that fig trees can often be keystone species in natural forests (assumption 1). The passage also mentions that sacred fig trees may promote frugivore abundance and that under favorable microclimate, plenty of seedlings of other tree species would grow around fig trees. This suggests that sacred trees can have a role in biodiversity conservation (assumption 3) and that fig trees have a role in the seed dispersal of other tree species (assumption 4). However, the passage does not provide any information to support assumption 2. So the correct answer is (d) 1, 3 and 4 only.

Explanation : 

Q1: Correct Answer – (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Explanation – The correct answer is (d) Neither 1 nor 2. The passage states that rising GDP creates employment and investment opportunities and allows households, communities, and governments to set aside funds for the production of things that make for a good life. However, it does not state that rising GDP is essential for a country to be a developed country or that it guarantees a reasonable distribution of income to all households. These are assumptions that are not supported by the information given in the passage.