Given such a long history of human map-making, it perhaps surprising that is only within the last few hundred years that north has been consistently considered to be at the top. In fact, for much of human history, north almost never appeared at the top, according to Jerry Brotton, a map historian… “North was rarely put at the top for the simple fact that north is where darkness comes from,” he says. “West is also very unlikely o be put at the top because west is where the sun disappears.”
Confusingly, early Chinese maps seem to buck this trend. But, Brotton, says, even though they did have compasses at the time, that isn’t the reason that they placed north at the top. Early Chinese compasses were actually oriented to point south, which was considered to be more desirable than deepest darkest north. But in Chinese maps, the emperor, who lived in the north of the country was always put at the top of the map, with everyone else, his loyal subjects, looking up towards him. “In Chinese culture the Emperor looks south because it’s where the winds come from, it’s a good direction. North is not very good but you are in a position of the subjection to the emperor, so you look up to him,” says Brotton.
Given that each culture has a very different idea of who, or what, they should look upto it’s perhaps not surprising that there is very little consistency in which way early maps pointed. In ancient Egyptian times the top of the world was east, the position of sunrise. Early Islamic maps favoured south at the top because most of the early Muslim cultures were north of Mecca, so they imagined looking up (south) towards it Christian maps from the same era (called Mappa Mundi) put east at the top, towards the Garden of Eden and with Jerusalem in the centre.
So when did everyone get together and decide that north was the top? It’s tempting to put it down to European explorers like Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Megellan who were navigating by the North Star. But Brotton argues that these early explorers didn’t think of the world like that at all. “When Columbus describes the world it is in accordance with east being at the top,” he says “Columbus says he is going towards paradise, so his mentality is from a medieval mappa mundi.” We’ve got to remember, adds Brotton, that at the time, “no one knows what they are doing and where they are going.”
Which one of the following best describes what the passage is trying to do?
- It questions on explanation about how maps are designed.
- It corrects a misconception about the way maps are designed.
- It critiques a methodology used to create maps
- It explores some myths about maps
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Carefully reading the passage, especially concentrating on the first sentence in the second paragraph about a long period and the second and third sentences in the last paragraph discussing the temptation to believe in Columbus and Magellan's role, suggests that option 2 is correct. The passage corrects the misunderstanding that Columbus and Magellan played a significant role in determining the north as the top.
Early maps did NOT put north at the top for all the following reasons EXCEPT
- North was the source of darkness
- South was favoured by some emperors
- East and south were more important for religious reasons for some civilisations
- East was considered by some civilisations to be a more positive direction
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
The placement of the north at the top was not due to it being associated with darkness, as mentioned in the second paragraph. Likewise, it wasn't chosen as the top because other religions, such as Christianity and Islam, regarded the east and south, respectively, as the top, as explained in the fourth paragraph. Additionally, early Christianity considered the east sacred, as indicated in the third and fourth paragraphs, but this did not lead to placing the north at the top.
According to the passage, early Chinese maps placed north at the top because Options:
- the Chinese invented the compass and were aware of magnetic north
- they wanted to show respect to the emperor
- the Chinese emperor appreciated the winds from the south.
- north was considered the most desirable direction.
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
The conclusive statements in the third paragraph, specifically the expression "look up to him" in the last three sentences, strongly support option 2 as the obvious choice.
It can be inferred from the passage that European explorers like Columbus and Megellan Options:
- set the precedent for north-up maps
- navigated by the compass.
- used an eastward orientation for religious reasons.
- navigated with the help of early maps
The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
The concluding part of the last paragraph, especially certain final sentences like "When Columbus describes the world, it is in accordance with east being at the top. Columbus says he is going towards paradise, so his mentality is from a medieval mappa mundi," clearly indicates that he adopted an eastward orientation for religious reasons. It's worth noting, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, that mappa mundi were Christian maps from that era.
Which one of the following about the northern orientation of modern maps is asserted in the passage?
- The biggest contributory factor was the understanding of magnetic north
- The biggest contributory factor was the role of European explorers
- The biggest contributory factor was the influence of Christian maps
- The biggest contributory factor is not stated in the passage
The Correct Option is D
Solution and Explanation
Referring to the last paragraph, specifically the final sentence "We have got to remember that at the time, no one knows what they are doing and where they are going," it is evident that there is uncertainty about the primary factor influencing the choice of a north-oriented map. This supports the assertion made in choice (4).
The role of natural phenomena in influencing map-making conventions is seen most clearly in
- early Egyptian maps
- early Islamic maps
- early Chinese maps
- early Christian maps
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Carefully reading the passage, especially the initial two paragraphs, makes it clear that option 1 is the right choice. The following paragraphs also confirm that influences such as religion and deference to authority, rather than natural phenomena, were factors in the map-making of others.
Top Questions on Reading Comprehension
Passage: Toru Dutt is considered the earliest Indian female writer in English. She travelled extensively in Europe from a young age with her family. She and her sister Aru became fascinated with Paris and French literature. In London, they came in contact with such august personages such as Sir Bartle Frere, the Gover- nor of Bombay from 1862 to 1867, and Sir Edward Ryan, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Calcutta, from 1837 to 1843. Toru Dutt was greatly influenced in her writings by French Romantic poets like Victor Hugo and English writers like Elizabeth Browning, John Keats, Charlotte Bronte and Jane Austen. She was also intrigued by the legends and myths of India, and even learned Sanskrit. Her writings were marked by romantic melancholia and an obsession and preoccupation with death. This was partly due to her suffering and pain following the early tragic deaths of her siblings, especially her older sister Aru, with whom she was quite close. Her chosen subjects often portrayed separation, loneliness, captivity, dejec- tion, declining seasons and untimely death. She led an ”Ivory Tower existence” and her own death came quite early, at the age of 21, in the full bloom of her talent and on the eve of the awakening of her genius. Toru Dutt’s most famous work is A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields, an anthology of poems translated from French to English. It also contained a few original poems that showcase her vast insight into French literature. She used to publish poems in the Bengal Magazine, under the pseudonym ”TD”. But most of her powerful work was published posthumously, in- cluding the French novel Le Journal de Mademoiselle D’Arvers and the unfinished English novel Bianca, or, the Young Spanish Maiden. Her work Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan depicts a shrewd knowledge of Hindu mythology and an instinctive empathy with the conditions of life they represent. An assimilation of the Occident and the Orient nourished Toru’s poetic skills; in her, we find a tripartite influence of a French education, lectures at Cambridge and the study of Sanskrit literature.
- NPAT - 2025
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- Reading Comprehension
“Why do they pull down and do away with crooked streets, I wonder, which are my delight, and hurt no man living? Every day the wealthier nations are pulling down one or another in their capitals and their great towns: they do not know why they do it; neither do I. It ought to be enough, surely, to drive the great broad ways which commerce needs and which are the life-channels of a modern city, without destroying all history and all the humanity in between: the islands of the past.”
(From Hilaire Belloc’s “The Crooked Streets”)
Based only on the information provided in the above passage, which one of the following statements is true?- GATE PH - 2025
- General Aptitude
- Reading Comprehension
“Why do they pull down and do away with crooked streets, I wonder, which are my delight, and hurt no man living? Every day the wealthier nations are pulling down one or another in their capitals and their great towns: they do not know why they do it; neither do I. It ought to be enough, surely, to drive the great broad ways which commerce needs and which are the life-channels of a modern city, without destroying all history and all the humanity in between: the islands of the past.” (From Hilaire Belloc’s “The Crooked Streets”)
Based only on the information provided in the above passage, which one of the following statements is true?
- GATE CE - 2025
- General Aptitude
- Reading Comprehension
- “His life was divided between the books, his friends, and long walks. A solitary man, he worked at all hours without much method, and probably courted his fatal illness in this way. To his own name there is not much to show; but such was his liberality that he was continually helping others, and fruits of his erudition are widely scattered, and have gone to increase many a comparative stranger’s reputation.”
(From E.V. Lucas’s “A Funeral”)
Based only on the information provided in the above passage, which one of the following statements is true?- GATE CE - 2025
- General Aptitude
- Reading Comprehension
- Read the excerpt from a Handicrafts Manual: ‘Advanced Knitting Techniques’ and answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate answer.
THE FAIR ISLE METHOD: Fair Isle knitting is a traditional technique that involves using two or more colours of yarn in a single row to create intricate patterns and designs. This method requires careful tension management to ensure even stitches and prevent puckering. To begin, select your colours and cast on the desired number of stitches. As you knit, alternate between colours every few stitches, carrying the unused yarn along the back of the work. Mastering the Fair Isle technique allows you to create stunning visual effects in garments, accessories, and home textiles.
THE CONTINENTAL STYLE: The Continental knitting style, often referred to as “picking,” involves holding the yarn in the left hand while the right hand manipulates the needles. This method allows for greater speed and efficiency, particularly when working with complex patterns or multiple colours. To practice this style, start by casting on your stitches and using your left hand to tension the yarn. With each stitch, simply “pick” the yarn with your right needle, forming a quick and fluid motion. As you become comfortable with this technique, you may find that your overall knitting speed and comfort improve significantly.
THE SHORT-ROW TECHNIQUE: Short-row knitting is an advanced technique that allows for the creation of shaped garments, such as sleeves and shoulders, without the need for complex shaping. To make a sleeve using this technique, begin by casting on the required number of stitches. Work a portion of the row, then turn your work and return without completing the full row to create the “short rows” that shape the curves of the sleeve. To prevent holes at the turn, wrap the stitch before you turn your work. Repeat this process as needed to achieve the desired shaping and dimension of the sleeve. Once you have shaped the sleeve, you can then sew the side seams to connect the pieces of your garment and finally, complete the edges to ensure a clean finish. This method not only helps shape curves but also adds dimension to your piece, allowing you to enhance fit and style.- AILET BALLB (Hons.) - 2025
- English
- Reading Comprehension
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