Comprehension

Directions ; In this section, there is a passage that has some blank spaces, each with four words or group of words. Select whichever word or group of words you consider the most appropriate for the blank space and indicate your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly. 

Most of our food comes from agriculture, so we tend to believe that it is  ______ (1) of natural biota. This is not true. In nature,  _______ (2) plants and animals ______ (3) to the rigours of natural selection. Only the fittest survive. _______ (4) wild populations have numerous traits for competitiveness, resistance to parasites, ________ (5) to adverse conditions,_______ (6) other aspects of vigour. In contrast, populations grown for many _______ (7) under the pampered conditions of agriculture tend to lose these traits, because they  _______ (8) for production, not resilience. For example, a  high-producing plant _______ (9) lacks resistance to drought is ________ (10) and the resistance to drought is ignored. Also, in the process of breeding plants for maximum production, all genetic variation is eliminated. 

What would come in blank space (5)?

This question was previously asked in
NDA-II 2024 (GAT) Official Paper (Held On: 01 Sept, 2024)
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  1. withdrawal 
  2. tolerance 
  3. adaptable 
  4. compliance 

Answer (Detailed Solution Below)

Option 2 : tolerance 
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Detailed Solution

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The correct answer is 'tolerance'.
 
Key Points
  • The passage is discussing traits that help wild populations survive in various conditions.
  • The word should indicate an ability to endure adverse conditions, which is a positive trait.
  • "Tolerance" fits well here as it means the ability to endure difficult conditions.
  • Other options ("Withdrawal", "Adaptable", "Compliance") do not convey the intended meaning of enduring adverse conditions.
Therefore, the correct answer is 'Option 2'.
 
Complete Passage: Most of our food comes from agriculture, so we tend to believe that it is independent of natural biota. This is not true. In nature, both plants and animals are continuously subjected to the rigours of natural selection. Only the fittest survive. Consequently, wild populations have numerous traits for competitiveness, resistance to parasites, tolerance to adverse conditions,_______ (6) other aspects of vigour. In contrast, populations grown for many _______ (7) under the pampered conditions of agriculture tend to lose these traits, because they  _______ (8) for production, not resilience. For example, a  high-producing plant _______ (9) lacks resistance to drought is ________ (10) and the resistance to drought is ignored. Also, in the process of breeding plants for maximum production, all genetic variation is eliminated. 
 
Additional Information
  • Withdrawal (निकासी): "Withdrawal" means the act of taking away or removing, which does not fit the context of showing a trait for surviving adverse conditions.
  • Adaptable (अनुकूलनीय): While similar in meaning, "adaptable" is an adjective and is not the best fit grammatically in this context.
  • Compliance (अनुपालन): "Compliance" means the act of conforming or yielding, which is not appropriate in this context of enduring adverse conditions.
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