Which one of the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the above passage?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (a) Farmers who modernize their methods and diversify their fields will be in an advantageous position in future.
Croplands will shift and push some farmers to plant new crops, and the passage adds that yields depend not on climate alone but also on 'agricultural practices'. Farmers who adapt both their methods and their crops are therefore better placed.
- ✓ (a) Shifting croplands call for new crops (diversify), and 'agricultural practices will influence how farms fare' (modernise) — the two ideas combine into this option.
- ✗ (b) The passage says some plants may benefit and farmers may take up new crops; it does not predict a loss of crop diversity.
- ✗ (c) Nothing is said about total cultivated area or overall output rising; 'others won't' benefit.
- ✗ (d) 'Climate alone does not dictate yields' — the passage lists other factors and never ranks climate first.
Remember · Prefer the option that joins two lines of the passage; reject options that rank factors ('most important') or predict totals the passage never gives.
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). ·