Directions : Two paragraphs with a blank space are provided in each of the…
2023
Directions : Two paragraphs with a blank space are provided in each of the following questions. Fill in the blank space with the most appropriate one out of the four options given below, taking into consideration the consistency and compatibility of the two paragraphs. If none of the given options seems appropriate to fill in the blank space, choose option (e) as your answer choice.
Q. (I) Education forms the bedrock of individual and societal progress, providing the knowledge and competencies needed for personal development, economic well-being, and active citizenship, whether through formal or lifelong learning.
(II) Furthermore, education fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. It empowers individuals to make informed decisions, contributes to economic competitiveness, and promotes social cohesion.
(III) _______________________________
- A.
In today's globalized world, access to quality education is essential for reducing inequality and achieving sustainable development.
- B.
Education can perpetuate social inequalities by favoring privileged groups, and the pressure to conform to standardized testing can stifle creativity and critical thinking.
- C.
Despite its significance, education is solely focused on academic achievements, neglecting the development of essential life skills and practical knowledge.
- D.
Educational systems universally prioritize memorization over critical thinking, undermining the ability to adapt to real-world challenges and stifling creativity.
- E.
None of the above
Attempted by 2 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Concept
This is a paragraph-coherence (sentence-insertion) item. The rule: the inserted sentence must preserve the tone, stance and thematic direction already established by the surrounding text. A sentence that reverses the established stance or introduces a contradictory claim breaks consistency and is rejected, no matter how true it may be in isolation.
Application
Trace the stance built across the two given paragraphs:
Paragraph (I) presents education as the bedrock of progress — a wholly positive, enabling force for personal development, economic well-being and citizenship.
Paragraph (II) opens with “Furthermore”, signalling continuation, and adds more benefits: critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, informed decisions, economic competitiveness, social cohesion.
So the established direction is consistently affirmative and forward-looking. The blank must extend that same affirmative arc. The sentence “In today’s globalized world, access to quality education is essential for reducing inequality and achieving sustainable development” keeps the positive stance and broadens it from the individual/economic frame to a global-development frame — a natural next step after “Furthermore.”
Cross-check / Contrast
Reducing inequality and sustainable development: affirmative and continuous with (I) and (II) — fits.
Education perpetuating inequality and stifling creativity: an adversative claim that reverses the positive stance — breaks consistency.
Education being solely about academics and neglecting life skills: a critical, limiting claim that contradicts the empowering tone — breaks consistency.
Systems universally prioritising memorisation over critical thinking: directly contradicts (II), which credits education with fostering critical thinking — self-contradictory.
Because exactly one affirmative continuation exists among the choices, “None of the above” is not needed.
Hence the affirmative, globally-framed sentence is the only consistent and compatible completion.