Reading Comprehension

Step 1: Author emphasizes understanding others’ history and mentality.

Step 1: Passage links character to social and political conditions.

Step 1: Passage mentions increased global contact and interaction.

Step 1: The passage states mentality results from historical experience.

Step 1: The passage says northern and eastern states are worst-hit, not southern states.
Step 2: It mentions biomass burning, coal, wood, cow dung cakes — not vehicles.
Step 3: Thus option (c) is not true in the passage context.

Step 1: The passage explicitly lists lower respiratory infection, COPD, stroke and ischaemic heart disease as pollution-linked impacts.
Step 2: Hence all given statements are correct.

Step 1: The passage recommends cleaner fuels.
Step 2: It also suggests scientifically designed cookstoves.
Step 3: Landscaping and greening cities are mentioned to reduce dust.

Step 1: The passage states that comprehensive measurement of PM2.5 is not being done.
Step 2: It also mentions that linkages between pollution, disease and deaths need further study.
Step 3: None of the given options correctly captures this reason.

The author emphasizes reducing ignorance of one another and understanding historical experience, mentality, and conditions of other nations. Therefore, people should have a better understanding of other nations.

The passage says that understanding should include social and political conditions which have given each nation its present character. Thus, national character results from socio-political conditions.

The passage begins with the statement: “At this stage of civilisation, when many nations are brought in close and vital contact…” This shows that the need for understanding is greater now than in the past.

The passage clearly states that people should understand one another’s historical experience and resulting mentality. Hence, the mentality of a nation is mainly shaped by its history.