Read the following passage and answer the items that follow the passage. Your answers to these items should be based on the passage only. In our country, regrettably, teaching and learning for the examination have been our forte but the new demands of society and the future of work require critical and independent thinking, learning through doing, asking questions from multiple disciplinary perspectives on the same issue, using evidence for building arguments, and reflecting and articulation. Higher education should not “either be a mere servant of the government policy or a passive respondent to public mood.” Higher learning is all about how to think rather than what to think. Teaching has to be re-invented.
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
I. Higher education is a constantly evolving subject that needs to align towards new developments in all spheres of society.
II. In our country, sufficient funds are not allocated for promoting higher education.
Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
Neither I nor II
Understanding the Passage and Assumptions on Higher Education
The passage discusses the current state of teaching and learning in our country, highlighting a focus on examinations. It argues for a shift towards critical thinking, independent learning, multi-disciplinary questioning, evidence-based arguments, reflection, and articulation. The passage emphasizes that higher education's role is about teaching "how to think" rather than "what to think" and should not merely serve government policy or public mood. Consequently, it suggests that teaching needs to be re-invented to meet the new demands of society and the future of work.
Now, let's analyze the assumptions made in the question based only on the information presented in this passage.
Assumption I: Higher education is a constantly evolving subject that needs to align towards new developments in all spheres of society.
Let's carefully read the relevant parts of the passage:
- "...the new demands of society and the future of work require critical and independent thinking..."
- "Higher education should not “either be a mere servant of the government policy or a passive respondent to public mood.”"
- "Teaching has to be re-invented."
The passage clearly states that "new demands of society and the future of work require" a different approach to teaching and learning, implying a need for higher education to adapt and align with these changes. It also suggests that teaching "has to be re-invented," which further supports the idea that evolution and alignment are necessary. However, the assumption states that higher education "is a constantly evolving subject." The passage points out a *need* for change and reform ("has to be re-invented") because the current state is focused on exams. It doesn't explicitly state that higher education is *already* in a state of constant evolution towards these new demands. In fact, by calling for re-invention, it suggests that the current evolution (if any) is insufficient or misdirected. Therefore, while the passage strongly argues for the *need* for higher education to evolve and align, it doesn't provide evidence within the text to support the claim that it *is currently* a "constantly evolving subject" in the desired direction. The passage describes a problem and a solution (re-invention, alignment), not necessarily an ongoing process already happening effectively. Thus, based strictly on the passage, this assumption cannot be definitively validated.
Assumption II: In our country, sufficient funds are not allocated for promoting higher education.
Let's examine the passage again for any mention of funding:
- The passage discusses teaching methods (exam-centric vs. critical thinking).
- It talks about the purpose of higher education (how to think, not what to think).
- It refers to the role of higher education relative to government policy and public mood.
- It mentions the need to re-invent teaching to meet new societal demands.
There is absolutely no information provided in the passage about the allocation of funds for higher education in the country. The passage focuses entirely on pedagogical approaches, objectives, and the required mindset shift in higher learning. Therefore, any assumption about the sufficiency or insufficiency of funding cannot be validated based on this passage.
Conclusion on Valid Assumptions
Based solely on the provided passage:
- Assumption I is not strictly validated because the passage argues for the *need* for re-invention and alignment due to current deficiencies, rather than stating that higher education is *already* constantly evolving towards new demands.
- Assumption II is not mentioned or implied anywhere in the passage.
Therefore, neither of the assumptions can be considered valid based only on the text provided in the passage.
Revision Table: Analyzing Assumptions
| Assumption | Relevant Passage Information | Supported by Passage? | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|
| I. Higher education is a constantly evolving subject that needs to align towards new developments in all spheres of society. | Passage discusses "new demands of society and the future of work" and states teaching "has to be re-invented" and higher education "should not" be passive. | No (strictly based on text) | The passage highlights a *need* for change and re-invention because of current issues (exam focus). It doesn't confirm that higher education *is currently* constantly evolving in the required direction. |
| II. In our country, sufficient funds are not allocated for promoting higher education. | Not mentioned in the passage. | No | The passage focuses on teaching methods, thinking skills, and the role of higher education, with no reference to funding. |
Additional Information: Reading Comprehension Strategy
When tackling reading comprehension questions, especially those asking about assumptions or inferences based on a passage, it is crucial to rely only on the information explicitly stated or strongly implied within the given text. Avoid bringing in outside knowledge or making leaps of logic that are not directly supported by the passage. Analyze each statement or assumption carefully against the passage content to determine if the text provides sufficient evidence to deem it valid.
For assumptions, consider if the passage treats the statement as true or uses it as a basis for its arguments. In this case, Assumption I feels plausible in a real-world context, but the passage's emphasis on the *need* for re-invention due to current issues makes it difficult to conclude that higher education *is currently* "constantly evolving" effectively towards new demands, based strictly on the text. Assumption II is simply outside the scope of the passage's content.
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Important Questions from Miscellaneous Topics
Which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message conveyed by the author of the passage?
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II. Resource-rich countries need to share their resources with those of scant resources so as to prevent the degradation of ecosystems.
Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea of the passage?
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I. Path-dependent green investments will eventually most likely benefit growth as well as public finances in a country like India.
II. If other green technologies follow the same pattern as that of solar energy, there will most likely be an easy green transition.
Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?Three prime numbers p, q and r, each less than 20, are such that p − q = q − r. How many distinct possible values can we get for (p + q + r)?
