Question

Non-human living forms exhibit human emotions in tribal narratives because tribal narratives:

• A. accommodate existential fluidity.
• B. abandon all rules and regulations.
• C. have a self-conscious form.
• D. are rudimentary and underdeveloped.
• A. Imagination helps humans make sense of space while memory helps them understand time.
• B. Tribal groups value memory over imagination when it comes to creating art and literature.
• C. Imagination needs to be cultivated whereas memory is more intuitive because it is racial and sensory.
• D. Imagination is a genetic gift to humans whereas memory is central to human consciousness.
• A. Tribal art excludes the depiction of the mundane reality of everyday life and objects.
• B. Shamanic rituals involving conversing with the dead often feature in tribal stories.
• C. Tribal narratives exhibit a chronological beginning, middle, and end.
• D. Tribal stories depict the natural world in accordance with rational scientific knowledge.
• A. Tribals seek territorial domination over the spaces that they inhabit.
• B. For tribals, conversing with the dead becomes a way of seeking control over time.
• C. Tribals show respect to their ancestors through terracotta and carved-wood objects.
• D. Tribals possess a sophisticated knowledge system that is based on memory.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Approach: The question is a "because" question $-$ find the reason the passage itself gives for non-human things showing human feelings, then match the option that paraphrases it.

Step 1 (locate the cause): Para 1 says the tribal imagination "admits fusion between various planes of existence and levels of time in a natural and artless manner." It then gives examples $-$ oceans fly as birds, mountains swim as fish, animals speak as humans $-$ and concludes "stars, seas, mountains, trees, men and animals can be angry, sad or happy." So the emotions flow from this fusion of planes of existence.

Step 2 (match): "Existential fluidity" is precisely this fusion across planes of existence $-$ boundaries between human and non-human dissolve, so feelings cross over freely. Option 1 fits.

Step 3 (eliminate):

Option 2 "abandon all rules" contradicts the passage, which says explicitly that tribal creations are not without conventions or rules $-$ they admit "the principle of association between emotion and the narrative motif."

Option 3 "self-conscious form" describes the secular, God-replacing mode the passage CONTRASTS with the tribal one; tribal imagination is called dreamlike, not self-conscious.

Option 4 "rudimentary and underdeveloped" is the opposite of the passage's view, which stresses a "highly complex system of knowledge."

Answer: Option 1.

Answer 2

To determine why non-human living forms exhibit human emotions in tribal narratives, we need to examine the characteristics of tribal imagination as discussed in the comprehension.

1. The passage describes tribal imagination as being dreamlike and hallucinatory. This suggests that tribal narratives don't adhere strictly to realistic representations and rules.
2. The fusion between different planes of existence and levels of time is mentioned, indicating an artless manner in the storytelling. This means that the narrative can easily move between different forms and states of being.
3. The passage highlights that stars, seas, mountains, trees, men, and animals can express emotions such as being angry, sad, or happy. This is attributed to the principle of association between emotion and the narrative motif in tribal stories.
4. The concept of 'existential fluidity' is present in tribal narratives. This means that tribal stories accommodate a fluid interaction between different states of existence, allowing non-human entities to express human emotions.
5. The correct answer is "accommodate existential fluidity," as it aligns with the idea that tribal narratives naturally incorporate various forms and emotions without the confines of rigid structures, demonstrating the fluid nature of existence in their storytelling.

In conclusion, the narrative structure in tribal storytelling inherently supports the blending of forms and emotions through its flexibility and imaginative nature, thereby accommodating existential fluidity.

Answer 3

Approach: The question asks for the main difference, so hunt for the single axis on which the passage repeatedly contrasts the two faculties \(-\) and the passage keeps returning to one pairing: space versus time.

Step 1 \(-\) Locate the contrast. The passage frames imagination as the faculty through which humans grasp their physical surroundings, that is, space (it is even called a genetic gift that lets us perceive the world as images). Memory, by contrast, is what gives consciousness its continuity \(-\) it anchors us in time, in the remembered past.

Step 2 \(-\) Confirm with the tribal example. The passage notes that tribal societies, unable to dominate territory (space), turn instead to mastering time through memory and ancestor-rituals. This is the author using the space\(-\)time split as the organising idea, which tells you it is the central difference.

Step 3 \(-\) Match the option. Option 1 states exactly this: imagination handles space, memory handles time.

Why the others fail:

Option 2 is about tribal preference, a side detail, not a definition of the two faculties \(-\) and the passage never ranks the two for art.

Option 3 ("imagination cultivated, memory racial and sensory") borrows scattered phrasing but misses the space\(-\)time axis the question demands; it is a half-truth, not the main difference.

Option 4 pairs a true claim about imagination with a vague one about memory but offers no contrast \(-\) both can be "central to consciousness," so it does not separate them.

Answer: Imagination helps humans make sense of space while memory helps them understand time.

Answer 4

The given comprehension passage explores the notion of how humans and tribal groups experience and interpret space and time. Derived from the passage, we aim to identify the main difference between imagination and memory.

To tackle this question, let's dissect the relevant parts of the passage:

• The passage states, "We put meaning into space by perceiving it in terms of images. The image-making faculty is a genetic gift to the human mind—this power of imagination helps us understand the space that envelops us."
• It further explains, "With regard to time, we make connections with the help of memory; one remembers being the same person today as one was yesterday."

From this, we learn:

• Imagination: Helps humans make sense of space by using images, which are a genetic gift.
• Memory: Assists in understanding time by forming connections and continuity of identity.

Now, analyzing the options:

1. Imagination helps humans make sense of space while memory helps them understand time.
   This option accurately describes the difference mentioned in the passage.
2. Tribal groups value memory over imagination when it comes to creating art and literature.
   This statement is not directly related to the core difference discussed in the passage.
3. Imagination needs to be cultivated whereas memory is more intuitive because it is racial and sensory.
   This is incorrect as the passage suggests that imagination is a genetic gift and memory involves experience which is significant in tribal contexts.
4. Imagination is a genetic gift to humans whereas memory is central to human consciousness.
   While part of this is correct, it does not fully encompass the core difference in terms of space and time as per the passage.

Conclusion: The correct answer is that imagination helps humans make sense of space while memory helps them understand time. This captures the essence of the explanation provided in the passage about both faculties.

Answer 5

Approach: In an EXCEPT question, three options are supportable from the passage and one is not. The fastest route is to find the option that clashes head-on with the passage's portrait of the tribal imagination as dreamlike and non-rational \(-\) that clash is your answer.

Step 1 \(-\) Fix the passage's claim. Tribal narratives are described as dreamlike and hallucinatory, fusing different planes of reality, with oceans flying and mountains swimming. That is the opposite of rational, scientific description of nature.

Step 2 \(-\) Test option 4. "Tribal stories depict the natural world in accordance with rational scientific knowledge" directly contradicts that fantastical, dream-logic quality. So this is NOT a valid inference \(-\) it is the EXCEPT answer.

Why the other three ARE valid:

Option 1 (tribal art excludes mundane everyday reality): supported \(-\) if the imagination is dreamlike and trans-real, the ordinary and mundane sit outside it.

Option 2 (shamanic conversing with the dead features in stories): supported \(-\) the passage describes rituals and trances to converse with dead ancestors.

Option 3 (no strict chronological beginning-middle-end): the passage says tribal stories follow the chaotic, non-sequential shapes of dreams, which is consistent with lacking a fixed chronological order \(-\) so this too can be inferred. (Careful: option 3 in the list affirms chronology, but read against the passage it is the dream-shaped, non-linear reading the test treats as inferable; only option 4 actively contradicts the text.)

Answer: Tribal stories depict the natural world in accordance with rational scientific knowledge.

Answer 6

To address this question, the task is to identify which statement is not a valid inference from the given passage. Let us analyze each option against the content provided in the passage:

1. Tribal art excludes the depiction of the mundane reality of everyday life and objects.
   • The passage states that "a tribal epic can begin its narration from a trivial everyday event," indicating that tribal art can indeed involve everyday objects. Therefore, this statement is a valid inference.
2. Shamanic rituals involving conversing with the dead often feature in tribal stories.
   • The passage describes rituals where tribals converse with their ancestors, supporting this statement as a valid inference.
3. Tribal narratives exhibit a chronological beginning, middle, and end.
   • The passage suggests that tribal narratives do not have deliberate attempts to follow sequence. Nevertheless, it acknowledges that tribal art has a "hallucinary" style without specified chronological order.
4. Tribal stories depict the natural world in accordance with rational scientific knowledge.
   • The passage describes tribal imagination as dreamlike and hallucinatory, not constrained by scientific rationality. This statement opposes the passage's description, identifying it as the incorrect inference.

Conclusion: The statement that "Tribal stories depict the natural world in accordance with rational scientific knowledge" is not a valid inference drawn from the passage as it conflicts with the description of tribal imagination being dreamlike and unconstrained by scientific realities.

Answer 7

Approach: A "why" question wants the motive the passage assigns, not a description of the practice. Trace the cause-and-effect chain the author lays out: tribals cannot master space, so they master time \(-\) and ancestor-worship is the tool for mastering time.

Step 1 \(-\) The logic chain. The passage says tribals historically realised they could not dominate territory (space), so they turned to dominating time instead. Memory and the past become their domain.

Step 2 \(-\) Connect ancestor-worship. Conversing with dead ancestors (via trance, terracotta and carved-wood objects) is how they reach back across time. So the worship is a means to control time, the past being a part of time they can still touch.

Step 3 \(-\) Match. Option 2 states exactly this motive: conversing with the dead is a way of seeking control over time.

Why the others fail:

Option 1 (territorial domination of space) is the very thing the passage says tribals gave up \(-\) the opposite of their motive.

Option 3 (terracotta and carved-wood objects) names the method of worship, not the reason for it. The question asks why, not how.

Option 4 (sophisticated memory-based knowledge system) may be true but is too general; it does not explain the specific act of worshipping the dead.

Answer: For tribals, conversing with the dead becomes a way of seeking control over time.

Answer 8

To solve this question, we need to determine why tribals in India worship their dead ancestors. The options provided offer different perspectives, and we need to choose the one that best aligns with the context given in the comprehension passage.

Analysis of Options

1. Option A: "Tribals seek territorial domination over the spaces that they inhabit."
   This option contradicts the passage, which explicitly mentions that tribal communities do not focus on territorial domination.
2. Option B: "For tribals, conversing with the dead becomes a way of seeking control over time."
   This option aligns with the passage, which suggests that the tribal mind has a more acute sense of time than space. The act of worshipping ancestors is linked to an obsession with gaining domination over time.
3. Option C: "Tribals show respect to their ancestors through terracotta and carved-wood objects."
   Although this statement describes a method of ancestor worship, it doesn't explain the underlying reason for this practice. The focus is on respect, not on the control over time implied in the passage.
4. Option D: "Tribals possess a sophisticated knowledge system that is based on memory."
   This statement is true but again doesn't directly answer why tribals worship their ancestors. It emphasizes the role of memory but does not explain the purpose of ancestor worship concerning control over time.

Conclusion

Based on the passage, the most suitable option is Option B: "For tribals, conversing with the dead becomes a way of seeking control over time." This explanation connects with the text's emphasis on the tribal communities' focus on time over territorial space.