Minimalist IAS
CSAT 2019 paper

UPSC CSE CSAT 2019 · Question 4 · Reading comprehension

On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:

Passage—3

Soil, in which nearly all our food grows, is a living resource that takes years to form. Yet it can vanish in minutes. Each year 75 billion tonnes of fertile soil is lost to erosion. That is alarming — and not just for food producers. Soil can trap huge quantities of carbon dioxide in the form of organic carbon and prevent it from escaping into the atmosphere.

CSAT 2019 · Q4

Reading comprehension Easy

On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:

  1. 1.Large scale soil erosion is a major reason for widespread food insecurity in the world.
  2. 2.Soil erosion is mainly anthropogenic.
  3. 3.Sustainable management of soils helps in combating climate change.

Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 3 only

The passage's turn is that soil loss matters 'not just for food producers', because soil locks up carbon that would otherwise reach the atmosphere. Keeping soil healthy therefore helps against climate change. The passage gives no cause of erosion and makes no claim about present food insecurity.

  • ✗ 1. The passage notes that food grows in soil and that 75 billion tonnes is lost each year, but it does not say erosion is already a major cause of world food insecurity.
  • ✗ 2. Who or what causes erosion is never discussed; 'anthropogenic' is imported from outside.
  • ✓ 3. Soil 'can trap huge quantities of carbon dioxide' as organic carbon; soil kept in place keeps that carbon out of the air.

Remember · An assumption must underlie the author's own argument; causes or consequences the passage never names lie outside it.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·

More on Reading comprehension

All Reading comprehension questions →