Each question given below consists of a statement, followed by two arguments numbered I and II. You have to decide which of the arguments is a 'strong' argument and which is a 'weak' argument.
Give answer:
Statement: Should all news be controlled by Government in a democracy?
Arguments:
1. Yes. Variety of news only confuses people.
2. No. Controlled news loses credibility.
Answer: B
Clearly, the variety of news helps people to develop their own views. So, argument I is vague. Also, controlled news shall be a partial produce. So, it loses credibility Thus, argument II holds.
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Statement: Should taxes on colour television be further increased?
Arguments:
1. Yes, Colour television is a luxury item and only rich people buy them.
2. No, Televisions are bought by the poor too
Answer: D
Clearly, taxes on an item cannot be increased or decreased on the basis of the financial position of the people who buy it. So, both arguments I and II do not hold strong
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Statement: Should the educated unemployed youth be paid "unemployment allowance" by the Government?
Arguments:
1. Yes. It will provide them some monetary help to either seek employment or to kick-start some 'self-employment' venture.
2. No. It will dampen their urge to do something to earn their livelihood and thus promote idleness among the unemployed youth.
Answer: E
Young people, who do not get employment due to the large number of applicants in all fields, must surely be given allowance so that they can support themselves. So, argument I is valid. However, such allowances would mar the spirit to work, in them and make them idle. So, argument II also holds.
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Statement: Should higher education be restricted to only those who can bear the expenditure?
Arguments:
1. Yes. Higher education is very costly; hence it should not be given free.
2. No. There are a large number of brilliant students who cannot afford to pay and they should be given higher education.
Answer: B
For the all-round progress of the nation, all the students, especially the talented and intelligent ones, must avail of higher education, even if the government has to pay for it. So, only argument II holds.
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Statement: Should girls learn arts like judo and karate?
Arguments:
1. Yes. It will enable them to defend themselves from rogues and ruffians.
2. No. They will lose their feminine grace
Answer: A
Learning martial arts is necessary for girls for self-defence. So, argument I holds. However, argument II is vague since a training in these arts has nothing to do with their feminine grace.
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Statement: Should India develop a national water grid by connecting all the rivers in the country?
Arguments:
1. No. This is not just possible as we do not have the technical knowhow.
2. Yes, this will greatly help the entire country by effectively channelizing the excess water to the areas having shortage.
Answer: B
A single network of all the rivers in the country would surely enable a good distribution of water to all areas, So, argument II holds strong. Also, a policy beneficial to the nation cannot be hindered owing to lack of knowhow. Ways can be devised to build up such a network. So, argument I is vague
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Statement: Should individuals/institutes having treasures of national significance like Nobel Prizes, hand them over to the Central Government for their safe custody?
Arguments:
1. Yes. The individuals or institutions do not have enough resources to protect them.
2. No. These are the property of the individuals/institutions who win them and should be in their custody
Answer: B
Clearly, the awards are given for individual excellence and perfection. So, only argument II holds strong.
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Statement: Should there be reservation of seats and posts on communal basis?
Arguments:
1. Yes. It will check most of the inter-communal biases.
2. No, ours is a secular state.
Answer: B
Clearly, reservations on communal basis will increase inter-communal biases. So, argument I is vague. Also it will be against the secular policy, according to which no communal group is given preference over the others. So, only argument II holds.
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Statement: Should octroi be abolished?
Arguments:
1. Yes. It will eliminate an important source of corruption.
2. No. It will adversely affect government revenues.
Answer: E
'Octroi' is a custom duty. If octroi is abolished, the practice of bringing in things from foreign countries illegally will be abolished. So, argument I holds strong. Also, if octroi is abolished, the income to the government in the way of the duty paid shall be diminished. So, argument II also holds strong.
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Statement: Should public holidays be declared on demise of important national leaders?
Arguments:
1. No. Such unscheduled holidays hamper national progress.
2. Yes. People would like to pay their homage to the departed soul
Answer: A
Clearly, unscheduled and untimely holidays would naturally cause the work to suffer. So, argument I holds strong. Also, a holiday is not necessary to pay homage to someone. So, argument II is vague.
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