Crops & genetic diversity - central idea
Question
Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea conveyed by the passage?
Options
Global climate change adversely affects the productivity of crops.
Our total dependence on genetically honed crops entails possible food insecurity.
Our food security should not depend on agricultural productivity alone.
Genetically honed crops should be replaced with their wild varieties in our present cultivation practices.
Explanation
The passage builds a direct cause-and-effect argument: climate change increases the risk of diseases, and because high-value crops have had their genetic variations "bred out," they are highly vulnerable to these diseases. The author warns that an unknown disease could "suddenly rampage" through these crops. The central focus is the acute vulnerability (insecurity) created by relying solely on genetically refined, uniform crops. Option (b) captures this exact risk profile, whereas (d) offers an extreme, unstated policy solution.
Answer: (b).
Question details
Year
2025
Paper
CSAT
Question
Q41
Section
Reading Comprehension
Sub-topic
Agriculture / Science passage
Type
RC - Central idea
Difficulty
Medium
Source hint
Passage-based comprehension
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