“If you are looking for a history of India, or for an account of the rise and fall of the British Raj, or for the reason of the cleaving the subcontinent into two mutually antagonistic parts and the effects this mutilation will have in the respective sections, and ultimately on Asia, you will to find it in these pages; for though I have spent a lifetime in the country, I lived too near the seat of events, and was too intimately associated with the actors, to get the perspective needed for the impartial recording of these matters.”
Splitting
Cleaving: Understanding its Meaning in the Passage
The question asks for the word closest in meaning to 'cleaving' within the context of the provided passage. Let's carefully examine the relevant sentence:
“If you are looking for a history of India, or for an account of the rise and fall of the British Raj, or for the reason of the cleaving the subcontinent into two mutually antagonistic parts and the effects this mutilation will have in the respective sections, and ultimately on Asia, you will to find it in these pages; for though I have spent a lifetime in the country, I lived too near the seat of events, and was too intimately associated with the actors, to get the perspective needed for the impartial recording of these matters.”
The key phrase we need to focus on is “the cleaving the subcontinent into two mutually antagonistic parts.” This phrase clearly refers to the historical event of the partition of India, where the vast Indian subcontinent was divided into two main countries: India and Pakistan. This division led to the creation of "two mutually antagonistic parts."
Meaning of 'Cleaving' in Context
The verb 'cleave' is interesting because it has two almost opposite meanings. However, its meaning is determined by the context:
- To split or divide: This meaning refers to cutting, separating, or breaking something into parts, often forcefully.
- To stick or adhere: This meaning refers to staying very close to something or someone, or holding fast.
In the given sentence, the phrase "cleaving the subcontinent into two mutually antagonistic parts" and the subsequent reference to "this mutilation" strongly indicate that the first meaning – to split or divide – is intended. The passage discusses the separation of a large landmass into distinct, opposing entities.
Analyzing the Options for 'Cleaving'
Let's evaluate each of the given options to find the one that best matches the meaning of 'cleaving' in this specific context:
- Deteriorating: This word means to become worse in quality or condition. While the political situation might have deteriorated, 'deteriorating' does not describe the physical act of dividing a land.
- Arguing: This means to exchange differing or opposite views, often in a heated manner. Although arguments and disagreements led to the partition, 'arguing' itself is not the act of physically dividing the land.
- Departing: This word means leaving a place, typically to start a journey. While people departed from their homes during partition, the act of 'cleaving' refers to the land being divided, not people leaving it.
- Splitting: This word means to divide or break into parts. This meaning perfectly aligns with the historical event of the partition of the Indian subcontinent, where it was divided, or "split," into two distinct nations. The term "two mutually antagonistic parts" further supports this interpretation of a division.
Conclusion on the Meaning of 'Cleaving'
Given the context of the passage, which describes the division of the subcontinent into "two mutually antagonistic parts" and refers to it as "mutilation," the word 'cleaving' is used to signify the act of forceful division or separation. Among the given options, 'Splitting' is the closest in meaning to 'cleaving' in this historical and geographical context.
Important Questions from Verbal Deduction
Lamenting the gradual sidelining of the arts in school curricula, a goup of prominent artists wrote to the Chief Minister last year, asking him to allocate more funds to support arts education in schools. However, no such increase has been announced in this year`s Budget. The artists expressed their deep anguish at their request not being approved, but many of them remain optimistic about funding in the future.
Which of the statement(s) below is/are logically valid and can be inferred from the above statements?
(i) The artists expected funding for the arts to increase this year.
(ii) The Chief Minister was receptive to the idea of increasing funding for the arts.
(iii) The Chief Minister is a prominent artist.
(iv) Schools are giving less importance to arts education nowadays,Read the following paragraph and choose the correct statement.
Climate change has reduced human security and threatened human wellbeing. An ignored reality of human progress is that human security largely depends upon environmental security. But on the contrary, human progress seems contradictory to environmental security. To keep up both at the required level is a challenge to be addressed by one and all. One of the ways to curb the climate change may be suitable scientific innovations, while the other may be the Gandhian perspective on
Small scale progress with focus on sustainability.Choose the most appropriate phrase from the options given below to complete the following sentence.
The aircraft_______ take off as soon as its flight plan was filed.
Once the team of analysts identifies the problem, we _________ in a better position to comment on the issue.
Which one of the following choices CANNOT fill the given blank?Which of the following is CORRECT with respect to grammar and usage? Mount Everest is ____________
