Q: Statement: Should shifting agriculture be practised?
Arguments:
I. No. It is a wasteful practice.
II. Yes. Modern methods of farming are too expensive.
A. Only argument I is strong
B. Only argument II is strong
C. Either I or II is strong
D. Both I and II are strong
Solution: Clearly, shifting agriculture is a practice in which a certain crop is grown on a land and when it
becomes infertile it is left bare and another piece of land is chosen. Clearly, it is a wasteful practice. So, only argument I holds.
Q: Statement: Is pen mightier than a sword?
Arguments:
I. Yes. Writers influence the thinking of the people.
II. No. With the help of physical force one can conquer all.
A. Only argument I is strong
B. Only argument II is strong
C. Either I or II is strong
D. Both I and II are strong
Solution: Physical force can accomplish a task by compulsion, while the influential writings can mould
the thinking of an individual and change his discretion into accomplishing the task wilfully. So,
only argument I holds strong.
Q: Statement: Should the sex determination test during pregnancy be completely banned?
Arguments:
I. Yes. This leads to indiscriminate female foeticide and eventually will lead to social
imbalance.
II. No. People have a right to know about their unborn child.
A. Only argument I is strong
B. Only argument II is strong
C. Either I or II is strong
D. Both I and II are strong
Solution: Parents indulging in sex determination of their unborn child generally do so as they want to
only a boy child and do away with a girl child. So, argument I holds. Also, people have a right
to know only about the health, development and general well-being of the child before its
birth, and not the sex. So, argument II does not hold strong.
Q: Statement: Should persons convicted of criminal offences in the past be allowed to contest
elections in India?
Arguments:
I. No. Such persons cannot serve the cause of the people and country.
II. Yes. It is democracy - let people decide whom to vote.
A. Only argument I is strong
B. Only argument II is strong
C. Either I or II is strong
D. Both I and II are strong
Solution: Clearly, persons with criminal background cannot stand to serve as the representatives of the
common people. So, they should not be allowed to contest elections. Thus, only argument I
holds, while II does not.
Q: Statement: Should officers accepting bribe be punished?
Arguments:
I. No. Certain circumstances may have compelled them to take bribe.
II. Yes. They should do the job they are entrusted with, honestly.
A. Only argument I is strong
B. Only argument II is strong
C. Either I or II is strong
D. Both I and II are strong
Solution: Clearly, officers are paid duly for the jobs they do. So, they must do it honestly. Thus, argument II alone holds.
Q: Statement: Should there be a complete ban on use of all types of chemical pesticides in
India?
Arguments:
I. No. The pests will destroy all the crops and the farmers will have nothing to harvest.
II. Yes. The chemical pesticides used in agriculture pollute the water underground and
this has become a serious health hazard.
A. Only argument I is strong
B. Only argument II is strong
C. Either I or II is strong
D. Both I and II are strong
Solution: Clearly, pesticides are meant to prevent the crops from harmful pests. But at the same time,
they get washed away with water and contaminate the groundwater. Thus, both the
arguments hold strong.
Q: Statement: Should cutting of trees be banned altogether?
Arguments:
I. Yes. It is very much necessary to do so to restore ecological balance.
II. No. A total ban would harm timber based industries.
A. Only argument I is strong
B. Only argument II is strong
C. Either I or II is strong
D. Both I and II are strong
Solution: Clearly, trees play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance and so must be preserved. So,
argument I holds. Also, trees form the basic source of timber and a complete ban on cutting of
trees would harm timber based industries. So, only a controlled cutting of trees should be
allowed and the loss replenished by planting more trees. So, argument II is also valid.
Q: Statement: Should there be a restriction on the migration of people from one state to another
state in India?
Arguments:
I. No. Any Indian citizen has a basic right to stay at any place of his/her choice and
hence they cannot be stopped.
II. Yes. This is the way to effect an equitable distribution of resources across the states in
India.
A. Only argument I is strong
B. Only argument II is strong
C. Either I or II is strong
D. Neither I nor II is strong
Solution: Clearly, argument I holds strong, while argument II is vague.