Read the following passage carefully and answer the question: Animals…
2023
Read the following passage carefully and answer the question:
Animals communicate with one another in many ways. They may use signs, gestures, facial expressions, body posture, sounds, smells, or even light produced by their bodies. Song and dance are also means of communication. Animals use mock charges, grimaces, or sounds to warn others of danger. They also use sounds to call their mates. Bees inform other members of the hive about the location of food by dancing, while young birds call their parents for attention, help, and food.
The ocean is far from a silent world. Fish, molluscs, sea lions, walruses, dolphins, whales, and other animals use a variety of sounds to communicate, including whistles, squeaks, clicks, and groans. These range from low-pitched sounds that humans can hear to ultrasonic sounds that humans cannot hear. The sounds produced by whales and dolphins can be so beautiful that these animals are sometimes called “musicians of the sea.”
In this passage, “para-shravya” (ultrasonic) sounds are sounds that:
Answer: D. are inaudible to humans — ConceptA context-clue question is solved by combining a term’s word structure with the contrast around it. Prefixes can alter a root’s scope, while nearby…
- A.
are liked by humans
- B.
are audible to humans
- C.
are disliked by humans
- D.
are inaudible to humans
Attempted by 49 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Concept
A context-clue question is solved by combining a term’s word structure with the contrast around it. Prefixes can alter a root’s scope, while nearby opposing descriptions separate meanings based on preference from meanings based on perception.
Application
The passage contrasts low-pitched sounds that humans can hear with ultrasonic sounds that humans cannot hear. The term para-shravya points beyond the normal human hearing range, so it refers to sounds that are inaudible to humans.
Contrast
“are liked by humans” and “are disliked by humans” express preference, not a hearing-range property.
“are audible to humans” names the opposite side of the passage’s hearing contrast.
“are inaudible to humans” matches ultrasonic sound beyond the human hearing range.
Result
Therefore, para-shravya sounds are inaudible to humans.