Question

Animals in general are shrewd in proportion as they cultivate society. Elephants and beavers show the greatest signs of this sagacity when they are together in large numbers, but when man invades their communities they lose all their spirit of industry. Among insects, the labours of the bee and the ant have attracted the attention and admiration of naturalists, but all their sagacity seems to be lost upon separation, and a single bee or ant seems destitute of every degree of industry. It becomes the most stupid insect imaginable, and it languishes and soon dies.
Which of the following can be inferred from the above passage?

• A. Humankind is responsible for the destruction of the natural habitat of animals and insects.
• B. Animals, in general, are unable to function effectively outside their normal social environment.
• C. Naturalists have great admiration for bees and ants despite their lack of industry upon separation.
• D. Elephants and beavers are smarter than bees and ants in the presence of human beings.

Hint:

In inference questions, focus on what the passage explicitly discusses about the behavior of animals in different environments.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The Correct Answer is (2). The passage suggests that animals like bees and ants lose their industrious behavior when separated from their communities, implying that they are unable to function effectively outside their social environment.