Question

All the great religious teachers of mankind have insisted on this that men ought not to live for themselves alone.We ought not, they have said,to spend all our time and energy in getting just what we want for ourselves, power and money and importance in the world;we ought to serve something greater than ourselves,whether a god or a cause or our fellowmen.It is by serving this something greater that men will forget themselves and so achieve happiness.This or something like it is what the great religions have taught,and it is one of the most important of the things that civilization means.It is also the hardest to learn and practise;in fact,most people have found it much too hard.
What does the passage suggest overall?
(A) It suggests humanism as a religious practice.
(B) It holds nationalism as the most cherished sentiment in society.
(C) It holds altruism as a universal value.
(D) It holds humanism as the most important thing in human life.
(E) It puts altruism in the binary of selfishness.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. A and B only
• B. A and D only
• C. B and D only
• D. C and E only

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

The passage presented is a philosophical reflection highlighting a core tenet of many great religions and moral teachings: the idea that individuals should not live solely for their own gain and satisfaction but should aim to serve causes larger than themselves. This central theme is emphasized with the point that true happiness and fulfillment are often found through service to others or devotion to a greater purpose.

Let's evaluate the given options based on the passage:

• Option (A): It suggests humanism as a religious practice.
• Option (B): It holds nationalism as the most cherished sentiment in society.
• Option (C): It holds altruism as a universal value.
• Option (D): It holds humanism as the most important thing in human life.
• Option (E): It puts altruism in the binary of selfishness.

Explanation:

• The passage does not directly address humanism as a religious practice, which rules out Option (A) in its pure form.
• There is no mention of nationalism in the passage, which rules out Option (B).
• The passage strongly promotes the value of altruism, indicating that the concept of serving something larger than oneself (whether God, cause, or fellow humans) is a universal value. This supports Option (C).
• Option (D), focusing on humanism, is not explicitly what the passage points out as the most critical, as it leans more towards the concept of selflessness and service to a higher cause.
• The teaching around altruism centers on contrasting with selfishness, making Option (E) align with the passage's message.

Conclusion:

Given the examination above, the options that match the meaning conveyed in the passage are Option (C) and Option (E), which both emphasize altruism as a central theme and its juxtaposition against selfishness.