Comprehension : Comprehension

Q 8 / 466

UPSC CSE Prelims 2026

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the items that follow. Your answers should be based solely on the passage.
Passage: Cattle from the nearby villages came to the common ground to graze, and there was still a cool freshness in the air. Hori took several deep breaths and thought of sitting down for a while, since he'd be dying of heat in the scorching 'loo' wind the rest of the day. A number of farmers were eager to lease this bit of land and had offered a good price, but Rai Sahib - God bless him - had plainly told them it was reserved for grazing and would not be relinquished for any price. If he'd been one of those selfish Zamindars, he'd have said the cattle could go to hell, that there was no reason for him to miss the chance to make a little money. But the Rai Sahib still held to the old values, feeling that any landlord who didn't look after his tenants was less than human.
Which of the following conclusions is/are correct?
  1. All landlords essentially have some goodness trapped within them.
  2. The common grazing grounds of a village are intended for use by the cattle of that village.
  3. Landlords who believe in tradition tend to be more concerned about their tenants.
  4. Winds later in the day tend to be cooler post the hot winds of the morning.
Select the answer using the code given below.

EXPLANATION

The correct option is (c) - 3 only.

[as per provisional answerkey]

Why this is correct

The passage explicitly contrasts "selfish Zamindars" with Rai Sahib, who "still held to the old values." It states that because of these values, he felt a landlord must look after his tenants. This directly supports Conclusion 3: that landlords who adhere to traditional values (the "old values") tend to be more concerned about the welfare of their tenants (in this case, providing grazing land). The logical link between "old values" and "looking after tenants" is clearly established in the final sentence of the text.

Why the other options are incorrect

  • Conclusion 1 - All landlords essentially have some goodness: This is an overgeneralization. The passage actually suggests the opposite by mentioning "selfish Zamindars" who would let cattle "go to hell" for money, implying that not all landlords possess this inherent goodness.
  • Conclusion 2 - Common grazing grounds are intended for use by the cattle of that village: While the passage mentions cattle from nearby villages using the ground, it does not define the "intent" or legal purpose of common grounds in a general sense. It only describes the specific situation where Rai Sahib chose to reserve this land for grazing.
  • Conclusion 4 - Winds later in the day tend to be cooler: This contradicts the passage. The text states Hori wanted to rest because he would be "dying of heat in the scorching 'loo' wind the rest of the day," indicating that the weather becomes much hotter, not cooler, as the day progresses.

Key Concept

Passage-based inference requires distinguishing between specific character traits described in the text and broad generalizations or external factual knowledge not supported by the narrative.