Logical Reasoning Questions for CLAT | QB Set 57

On Tuesday, a World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) report occupied center stage at the UN Security Council’s first-ever debate on the impact of sea-level rise on global peace. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cited the document to warn of “a mass exodus of population on a biblical scale”. The report — whose release coincided with the landmark UNSC session — adds to the growing corpus of studies that underline the climate vulnerabilities of people living in low-lying areas.

But it projects a crisis that’s frightful, even by the dire standards of climate reports. More than one in 10 people in the world, including those in megacities like Mumbai, New York, London, Dhaka, Shanghai and Buenos Aires, could face severe turmoil even if global warming is miraculously limited to 1.5 degrees — the Paris climate pact’s goal.

The task for policymakers then is to prepare for massive social and economic dislocation. This will require building resilience at several levels. For instance, investing in R&D, infrastructure and warning systems to mitigate the loss of lives and property. Protecting coasts could require engineering, technological and ecological interventions — creating physical barriers, permeable pavements, sopping waters or reviving mangroves.

The jury is out on several innovations. Engineering solutions are often criticized because even the most robust protective structures reflect the energy of the waves to other areas. Armored shorelines can also upset the delicate ecological balance of coastal habitats. In recent times, innovations to overcome such deficiencies by combining engineering and ecological approaches have been tried. But a lot of the state-of-the-art green know-how remains out of reach for a majority of the worst affected countries.

Technology and fund transfer commitments at UN summits have rarely been in proportion to the gravity of the challenge at hand — in any case, follow-up on even the most sincere commitment has been far from being adequate.

As the WMO has warned, the rising seas are a “threat-multiplier”. The rushing salty waters can aggravate disparities by playing havoc with agrarian systems and ruining the livelihoods of fishing communities. International law may well have to engage with the requirements of people dislocated by the sea, many of them rendered stateless. At the same time, dealing with emergencies, mitigating hardship and preparing people to deal with the vagaries of climate will require political will and action at the level of local governments. In India, this could test the resolve of urban municipalities and civic bodies that have struggled to do justice to their mandate, even in normal times.

Questions:

1. Which of the following best represents the main idea of the given passage?
(a) The first-ever debate on the impact of sea-level rise on global peace can’t be ignored as policymakers have a task at hand.
(b) Policymakers would do well to prepare themselves for massive socio-economic relocation.
(c) The WMO’s warning on the rising sea-levels should not go unnoticed as the policymakers are left to fend for themselves.
(d) More needs to be done in order to protect the world against the declining sea-levels.

2. Which of the following has been assumed by the author in order for his arguments to hold?
(a) The WMO’s warning will be warned by the policymakers or the world would be saved.
(b) The document regarding sea-levels cited in the passage is not fabricated by its researchers.
(c) There is no way to save the people of the world’s megacities from relocating themselves.
(d) Engineering solutions cannot play a role in saving the world from the impending sea-level rise.

3. The information in the passage allows which of the following to be inferred, if the information in the passage is correct?
(a) The urban municipalities and civic bodies are expected to deliver in times of crisis.
(b) A mass exodus of population is on the horizon even if efforts are made to counter sea-level rise.
(c) The policymakers would have to deliver on several fronts in order to be prepared for the crisis on the horizon.
(d) Innovations at present and in future would serve well to prepare for the sea-level rise.

4. Which of the following could strengthen the author’s arguments on preparing for the impact of sea-level rise on global peace?
(a) The construction of physical barriers is sufficient to protect coastal habitats.
(b) People living in low-lying areas are not vulnerable to the threat of rising sea levels.
(c) UN commitments to transfer technology and funds have been largely effective in proportion to the gravity of the challenge.
(d) Political will and action at the level of local governments are not sufficient to deal with emergencies and mitigate hardship.

5. Which one of the given choices reflects the role played by the given statement?
“At the same time, dealing with emergencies, mitigating hardship and preparing people to deal with the vagaries of climate will require political will and action at the level of local governments.”
(a) The given statement is a fact.
(b) The given statement is a judgement.
(c) The given statement is an inference.
(d) The given statement is a contradictory statement of the author’s conclusion.

6. Which of the following is the author most likely to disagree with?
(a) Policymakers should invest in R&D and infrastructure to mitigate the loss of lives and property.
(b) Combining engineering and ecological approaches is the best way to protect coasts.
(c) International law may need to address the requirements of people dislocated by the sea.
(d) Climate change is a myth and does not pose a threat to humanity.