Directions: Read the following excerpt and answer questions asked at the end. The answers to the questions should be based on the excerpt. Today birds inhabit every continent. There are nearly 9000 species classified into 27 orders. Some orders have only one species. The order Passeriformes (perching birds) contains the largest number of species. The most evolved birds are found in the Passeriformes order - sparrows, finches, crows, jays etc. It has generally been found that the survival rate of the primitive orders is much poorer compared to the highly evolved ones. The ability to fly - like many other biological properties of living beings - came about as an adaptation to particular conditions. The variety of habitats and the varied responses to them has led to an incredible diversity of flight techniques. Sparrows cannot glide; the larger vultures are champion gliders but cannot take-off without a run into the wind. Penguins and ostriches cannot fly; geese fly over the Himalayas. It would appear as if no two species fly exactly the same manner.
Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the above excerpt?
Ability to fly is a result of adaptation to particular conditions.
Analyzing the Excerpt on Bird Flight and Adaptation
The provided excerpt discusses various aspects of birds, their classification into orders, and importantly, their ability to fly. It highlights the incredible diversity in flight techniques among different species and links this ability to adaptation.
Understanding Bird Flight from the Excerpt
Let's break down the key points the excerpt makes regarding bird flight:
- Birds inhabit every continent and have many species classified into orders.
- The ability to fly is discussed as a biological property of living beings.
- The excerpt explicitly states how the ability to fly came about.
- Different bird species have different flight capabilities (sparrows, vultures, penguins, ostriches, geese).
- This diversity in flight is linked to varied responses to different habitats and conditions.
Evaluating the Inferences
We need to determine which of the given options can be directly inferred or concluded based on the information presented in the excerpt.
Let's look at each option:
- Option 1: Ability to fly depends on the order. The excerpt mentions that different orders exist (like Passeriformes) and gives examples of birds with varying flight abilities, some of which belong to certain orders (e.g., Passeriformes includes sparrows, which cannot glide). However, it doesn't state that the ability to fly *depends* solely or primarily on the order. The primary factor linked to the *origin* of the ability is adaptation.
- Option 2: Ability to fly depends on the continent. The excerpt mentions that birds inhabit every continent but does not discuss any relationship between the continent and the ability of a bird species to fly. This inference is not supported by the text.
- Option 3: Ability to fly is a result of adaptation to particular conditions. The excerpt contains the direct statement: "The ability to fly - like many other biological properties of living beings - came about as an adaptation to particular conditions." This sentence explicitly supports this inference.
- Option 4: Ability to fly depends on the ability to run. The excerpt mentions that large vultures need a run to take off, but this is presented as a characteristic of a specific type of bird's flight technique. It also mentions penguins and ostriches, which can run but cannot fly. This suggests the ability to fly does *not* generally depend on the ability to run for all birds.
Conclusion
Based on the direct statement in the excerpt, the most accurate inference is that the ability to fly is a result of adaptation to particular conditions. The text clearly links the origin and diversity of flight abilities to adaptation and varied responses to habitats.
Therefore, the inference that can be drawn from the excerpt is that the ability to fly is a result of adaptation to particular conditions.
Important Questions from Passage Based Questions
Read the following passage and answer the questions based on it.
As climate change affects seasonal patterns, water management and distribution become important. Rainwater harvesting has become particularly important in urban areas these days. This process involves collecting and storing rainwater for later use. It recovers groundwater levels, prevents water wastage during the monsoon, reduces soil erosion and helps in the availability of drinking water. Above all, it promotes the method of water conservation.
This paragraph supports which of the following statements the most?
A. Climate change has adversely affected humanity.
B. Forests help maintain groundwater levels.
C. Rainwater harvesting is the need of the hour.
D. There are not enough water reserves for urban areas.
Which of the following statement is FALSE?
According to the excerpt what led to the diversity of flight techniques?
Which of the following statements is WRONG in the context of the above excerpt?
Which of the following inferences can be drawn from the above excerpt?
