Read the following passage and answer the items that follow the passage. Your answers to these items should be based on the passage only. Passage-2 In only 50 years, the world’s consumption of raw materials has nearly quadrupled, to more than 100 billion tons. Less than 9% of this is reused. Batteries of old vehicles contain materials such as lithium, cobalt, manganese and nickel that are pricey and can be hard to obtain. Supply chains are long and complicated. Buyers’ risks are being aggravated by their suppliers’ poor environmental and labour standards. Reusing materials makes sense. Once batteries reach the ends of their lives, they should go back to a factory where their ingredients can be recovered and put into new batteries.
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
I. Automobile factories are examples of the circular economy.
II. Economic growth is compatible with circular use of mineral resources.
Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
I only
Analyzing Assumptions on Circular Economy and Resource Use
The passage discusses the significant increase in raw material consumption and the low rate of reuse. It highlights the value of materials like lithium, cobalt, manganese, and nickel found in old vehicle batteries and suggests that reusing these materials makes sense. The passage describes a process where old batteries go back to a factory to recover their ingredients for new batteries. We need to evaluate two assumptions based *only* on the information provided in this passage.
Assumption I: Automobile factories are examples of the circular economy.
Let's analyze this assumption based on the passage:
- The passage talks about "Batteries of old vehicles" containing valuable materials.
- It states that "Once batteries reach the ends of their lives, they should go back to a factory where their ingredients can be recovered and put into new batteries."
- This process of taking used products (old batteries from vehicles) back to a factory to recover and reuse materials in new products (new batteries) is a core principle of the circular economy.
- While the passage doesn't explicitly name "automobile factories," the process described involves components from vehicles (batteries) being recycled at a factory to produce new components (new batteries), likely intended for vehicles or related applications. Factories involved in this kind of resource recovery and reuse are indeed operating within a circular economy model. Therefore, the passage implicitly supports the idea that factories involved in this battery recycling loop are examples of the circular economy.
Thus, Assumption I is valid based on the passage.
Assumption II: Economic growth is compatible with circular use of mineral resources.
Let's analyze this assumption based on the passage:
- The passage focuses on the problems of high raw material consumption, supply chain issues, and the benefits of reusing materials from batteries.
- It argues that reusing materials "makes sense" from a resource and supply chain perspective.
- However, the passage does not mention "economic growth" at all. There is no discussion about the relationship, compatibility, or incompatibility between economic growth and the circular use of mineral resources.
- Therefore, based *only* on the information given in the passage, we cannot make any conclusion about the compatibility of economic growth with the circular use of mineral resources.
Thus, Assumption II is not valid based on the passage.
Conclusion on Valid Assumptions
Based on the analysis of the passage:
- Assumption I is implicitly supported by the description of battery recycling at a factory as a way to reuse materials.
- Assumption II is not mentioned or discussed in the passage.
Therefore, only Assumption I is valid.
The correct answer is that only Assumption I is valid.
| Assumption | Analysis based on Passage | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| I. Automobile factories are examples of the circular economy. | Passage describes battery recycling at a factory to reuse materials, fitting the circular economy model. | Valid |
| II. Economic growth is compatible with circular use of mineral resources. | Passage does not discuss economic growth or its compatibility with resource use. | Not Valid |
Revision Table: Key Concepts from Passage
| Concept | Description in Passage | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Raw Material Consumption | Nearly quadrupled in 50 years (over 100 billion tons/year). | Highlights the problem addressed by reuse. |
| Reuse Rate | Less than 9% of raw materials are reused. | Shows the scale of the linear economy challenge. |
| Battery Materials | Lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel - pricey, hard to obtain. | Identifies specific valuable resources targeted for reuse. |
| Supply Chains | Long and complicated, buyers' risks aggravated by suppliers' standards. | Provides context for why reusing materials locally makes sense. |
| Battery Recycling Process | Old batteries go back to a factory; ingredients recovered for new batteries. | Describes the proposed circular economy solution. |
Additional Information: Understanding Circular Economy
The circular economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. In a linear economy, we take raw materials, make products, and then discard them. In contrast, a circular economy keeps resources in use for as long as possible. This involves:
- Reduce: Using fewer resources in the first place.
- Reuse: Using products or components again.
- Repair: Fixing broken products to extend their life.
- Refurbish/Remanufacture: Restoring older products to a like-new condition.
- Recycle: Processing used materials into new products.
The process described in the passage, where materials from old batteries are recovered at a factory and used to make new batteries, is a prime example of recycling and remanufacturing within a circular economy framework. It contrasts sharply with the linear model where materials are extracted, used, and then discarded.
The passage implicitly connects the "factory" undertaking this recycling with the overall system involving vehicles (batteries from old vehicles), suggesting that sectors like the automotive industry (or its related battery ecosystem) are moving towards or should adopt circular practices.
Similar Questions
Which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message conveyed by the author of the passage?
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
I. No country needs to depend on ecosystems to boost national income.
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?
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
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)?
How many possible values of (p + q + r) are there satisfying 1/p + 1/q + 1/r = 1, where p, q and r are natural numbers (not necessarily distinct)?
What comes at X and Y respectively in the following sequence?
January, January, December, October, X, March, October, Y, SeptemberTeam X scored a total of N runs in 20 overs. Team Y tied the score in 10% less overs. Had Team Y’s average run rate (runs per over) been 50% higher, the scores would have been tied in 12 overs. How many runs were scored by Team X?
The price (p) of a commodity is first increased by k%; then decreased by k%; again increased by k%; and again decreased by k%. If the new price is q, then what is the relation between p and q?
Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical, rational and pragmatic message conveyed by the author of the passage?
Important Questions from Miscellaneous Topics
Which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message conveyed by the author of the passage?
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
I. No country needs to depend on ecosystems to boost national income.
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?
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
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)?
