Question

Among the following options, which one represents the most important concern raised in the passage?

• A. Extraterrestrial life and its impact on human beings.
• B. Lack of interest in developing proper fitness.
• C. Short-term pleasure seeking behaviour.
• D. Technological advancement and extinction of intelligence.
• E. Tendency of brain to develop shortcuts.
• A. Overestimation of the technological capability of aliens.
• B. Genetic variation in aliens’ personality is not yet achieved.
• C. Thermonuclear bombs might have destroyed all aliens.
• D. Colonisation of space is impossible to achieve.
• J. Aliens have become self-centred and pleasure seeking.
• A. Violent crime, including gang warfare for turf protection and expansion, co-exists in all technologically advanced societies in spite of proliferation of fitness-faking technologies.
• B. The technology to produce fitness-faking gadgets is guided by the government’s desire to control the minds of citizens and keep citizens away from engaging in trouble-making activities.
• C. Countries that have the most advanced technology often are the ones that are at the forefront of colonial expansion through wars.
• D. Wars and colonial conquest engaged in by the European nations after the renaissance would not have occurred had fitness-faking gadgets and consumerism existed in those countries during those times.
• O. The search for colonies is undertaken by all countries, irrespective of their technological expansion. This colonial expansion is guided more by need for adventure than for resources.
• A. I & III
• B. II & III
• C. III & IV
• D. I, II & V
• T. I, III & V

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Identify the passage’s core concern.
The passage focuses on how technological advancement leads humans (and possibly aliens) into a phase of \emph{fitness-faking narcissism}, where they chase short-term pleasures instead of genuine development.

Step 2: Eliminate other options.
- (A) Extraterrestrial life is mentioned but only as context; not the main concern. ✗
- (B) Lack of fitness is secondary; the real issue is why fitness is being ignored. ✗
- (C) Pleasure-seeking behaviour is directly emphasized as the main danger. ✓
- (D) Extinction of intelligence is implied, but as a consequence, not the central issue. ✗
- (E) Brain shortcuts are explained scientifically, but they support, not replace, the main concern. ✗


Step 3: Conclude.
The author stresses that short-term pleasure seeking is the most important concern for both humans and hypothetical aliens. \[ \boxed{\text{Short-term pleasure seeking behaviour (C)}} \]

Answer 2

Step 1: Link the author’s hypothesis.
The author suggests that aliens, like humans, may have fallen victim to “fitness-faking narcissism.” They became obsessed with pleasure, self-centredness, and consumerism, neglecting cosmic exploration.

Step 2: Eliminate weaker explanations.
- (A) Overestimation of capability → Not discussed in passage. ✗
- (B) Genetic variation → Irrelevant here. ✗
- (C) Thermonuclear destruction → Mentioned briefly, but not emphasized. ✗
- (D) Colonisation impossible → Counter to the argument; the passage assumes it’s possible. ✗
- (E) Self-centred, pleasure seeking → Matches author’s main argument directly. ✓


Step 3: Conclude.
The best explanation for alien silence is that they too became indulgent in narcissistic pleasure-seeking, just like humans. \[ \boxed{\text{Aliens have become self-centred and pleasure seeking (E)}} \]

Answer 3

Step 1: Recall the passage’s theme.
The author emphasized that humans in the past were adventurous, scientific, and exploratory. Today’s humans, however, are distracted by fitness-faking consumerism.

Step 2: Apply historical comparison.
If fitness-faking gadgets had existed during Renaissance Europe, people might have been too distracted by entertainment and consumerism to pursue exploration and colonisation.

Step 3: Evaluate options.
- (A) Mentions crime, but unrelated to author’s concern. ✗
- (B) Suggests government conspiracy, not discussed. ✗
- (C) True historically, but the author emphasizes contrast with today, not just a fact about wars. ✗
- (D) Perfectly matches the author’s line of thought about how consumerism prevents exploration. ✓
- (E) Too general and unrelated to the focus of the passage. ✗


Step 4: Conclude.
The author would agree most with the idea that wars and colonial conquests would have been absent if consumerism and fitness-faking distractions existed then. \[ \boxed{\text{Wars and colonial conquest prevented by consumerism (D)}} \]

Answer 4

Step 1: Recall the central argument of the passage.
The author’s main idea is that technological advancement has made humans (and possibly aliens) \emph{pleasure-seeking and fake-fitness inclined}, distracting them from exploration, wars, or adventurous expansion. In other words, consumerism replaces adventurousness.

Step 2: Test each statement against this core.
-

I. Violent crime still exists in advanced societies: This contradicts the author’s claim that technological advancement makes people inward-focused and distracted by fake pleasures. If violent expansion still occurs despite fitness-faking gadgets, it challenges the passage. ✓
-

II. Government control through gadgets: This is a different explanation, but it does not directly oppose the claim that technology distracts individuals into pleasure-seeking. ✗
-

III. Advanced nations prepare more for wars: This also contradicts the passage because the author argues that technology weakens adventurous/exploratory tendencies, but this statement says it strengthens them. ✓
-

IV. Colonial expansion would not have occurred with gadgets: This actually supports the author’s argument, not challenges it. ✗
-

V. Teenagers socialize more away from parents with technology: This reflects behavioural changes, but it doesn’t counter the claim of pleasure-seeking narcissism. ✗


Step 3: Conclude.
Only statements (I) and (III) directly contradict the author’s thesis by claiming that violence, war, and adventurous expansion continue despite technology. Hence, they challenge the passage most strongly. \[ \boxed{\text{I & III (A)}} \]