Question

Staff employed in a UNESCO office in Paris are represented by four intersecting circles, one each for people who can read and write Russian, English, French and Spanish. The strength of people in some regions is given: \(a = 40, \quad c = 2a, \quad e = \frac{1}{2}a, \quad g = 2E\)

People who cannot read and write Spanish and French but are conversant with English and Russian are represented by

• A. b
• B. j
• C. m
• D. k

Hint:

Find the region inside Russian and English but outside French and Spanish.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Translate the wording into a diagram condition.
"Conversant with English and Russian" means the person knows both English and Russian. "Cannot read and write Spanish and French" means the person knows neither Spanish nor French. So we need the region that lies inside both the Russian and English circles, but completely outside the French and Spanish circles.

Step 2: Locate that region.
The overlap of the Russian and English circles alone, without touching the French or Spanish circles below, is the two-circle pocket at the top of the diagram, labelled b.

Step 3: Check the other options.
Option B, j, is a three-circle overlap of Russian, English and Spanish, so that person knows Spanish too, which the question excludes. Option C, m, is the very centre where all four circles meet, so that person knows French and Spanish as well. Option D, k, is the English-French-Spanish overlap, which does not even include Russian.

Final Answer:
Region b is the Russian-English overlap that excludes both French and Spanish, matching the description. \[ \boxed{\text{b (Option A)}} \]