Question

From Cochin to Shimla, the new culture vultures are tearing down acres of India's architectural treasures. Ancestral owners are often fobbed off with a few hundred rupees for an exquisitely carved door or window, which fetches fifty times that much from foreign dealers, and yet more from the drawing room sophisticates of Europe and the US. The reason for such shameless rape of the Indian architectural wealth can perhaps, not wrongly, be attributed to the unfortunate blend of activist disunity and the local indifference.
It can be inferred from the above passage that

• A. The environment created by the meeting between activist disunity and local indifference is ideal for antique dealers to strive in India.
• B. Only Indians are not proud of their cultural heritage and are hungry for the foreign currency that is easily available in return for artifacts.
• C. Most Indian families have heirlooms which can be sold at high prices to Europeans and Americans.
• D. India provides a rich market for unscrupulous antique dealers.

Hint:

Look for key phrases that describe the cause-and-effect relationship in the passage. Here, the passage highlights the environmental factors contributing to the success of antique dealers.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

The passage discusses how antique dealers are exploiting India's architectural wealth due to the combination of activist disunity and local indifference. This provides the ideal environment for antique dealers to thrive, as they can acquire valuable artifacts at very low prices from unsuspecting locals. Thus, the passage implies that the disunity between activist groups and the lack of concern from local people create a favorable situation for these dealers.
Thus, the correct answer is (A) The environment created by the meeting between activist disunity and local indifference is ideal for antique dealers to strive in India.