Question Details

Passage:


In 1982, a raging controversy broke out over a forest act drafted by the Government of India. This act sought to strengthen the already extensive powers enjoyed by the forest bureaucracy in controlling the extraction, disposal and sale of forest produce. It also gave forest officials greater powers to strictly regulate the entry of any person into reserved forest areas. While forest officials justified the act on the grounds that it was necessary to stop the continuing deforestation, it was bitterly opposed by representatives of grassroots organisations, who argued that it was a major violation of the rights of peasants and tribals living in and around forest areas. . . .


The debate over the draft forest act fuelled a larger controversy over the orientation of state forest policy. It was pointed out, for example, that the draft act was closely modelled on its predecessor, the Forest Act of 1878. The earlier Act rested on a usurpation of rights of
ownership by the colonial state which had little precedent in precolonial history. It was further argued that the system of forestry introduced by the British—and continued, with little modification, after 1947—emphasised revenue generation and commercial exploitation, while its policing orientation excluded villagers who had the most longstanding claim on forest resources. Critics called for a complete overhaul of forest administration, pressing the government to formulate policy and legislation more appropriate to present needs. . . .


That debate is not over yet. The draft act was shelved, though it has not as yet been formally withdrawn. Meanwhile, the 1878 Act (as modified by an amendment in 1927) continues to be in operation. In response to its critics, the government has made some important changes in forest policy, e.g., no longer treating forests as a source of revenue, and stopping ecologically hazardous practices such as the clearfelling of natural forests. At the same time, it has shown little inclination to meet the major demand of the critics of forest policy—namely, abandoning the principle of state monopoly over forest land by handing over areas of degraded forests to individuals and communities for afforestation.


. . . [The] 1878 Forest Act itself was passed only after a bitter and prolonged debate within the colonial bureaucracy, in which protagonists put forward arguments strikingly similar to those being advanced today. As well known, the Indian Forest Department owes its origin to the requirements of railway companies. The early years of the expansion of the railway network, c. 1853 onwards, led to tremendous deforestation in peninsular India owing to the railway’s requirements of fuelwood and construction timber. Huge quantities of durable timbers were also needed for use as sleepers across the new railway tracks. Inexperienced in forestry, the British called in German experts to commence systematic forest management. The Indian Forest Department was started in 1864, with Dietrich Brandis, formally a Lecturer in Botany, as the first Inspector General of Forests. The early years of the forest department, even as it grew, continued to meet the railway needs for timber and wood. These systems first emerged as part of the needs of the expanding empire


The given sentence is missing in the paragraph below. Decide where it best fits among the options 1, 2, 3, or 4 indicated in the paragraph.


Sentence: In each of the affected males, the genetic defect was located to the X chromosome in the region of p11-12.


Paragraph: The first suggested evidence of a human genetic mutation associated with aggressive behaviour came from a study in 1993.......(1)........ Genetic and metabolic studies were conducted on a large Dutch family in which several of the males has a syndrome of borderline mental retardation and abnormal behaviour.......(2)....... . The undesirable behaviour included impulsive aggression, arson and exhibitionism. ......(3)....... . Apoint
mutation was identified in the eighth exon of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) structural gene which changes glutamine to a termination codon......(4).......

Options

A

Option 1

B

Option 2

C

Option 3

D

Option 4

Show Answer

Correct Answer :

Option C

Option 3

Solution :

The correct answer is Option 3.


Analysis and Step-by-Step Explanation:

To determine the most logical placement for the missing sentence, let us analyze the flow of information in the paragraph:

  1. The paragraph opens by introducing a 1993 study that first suggested a link between a genetic mutation and aggressive behavior. Placing the missing sentence at (1) is premature because the details of the study and the subjects (the Dutch family) have not yet been introduced.
  2. The sentence after (1) introduces the subjects of the study: a large Dutch family with several males exhibiting borderline mental retardation and abnormal behavior. Placing the sentence at (2) is also incorrect because the subsequent sentence ("The undesirable behaviour included...") directly defines and details what this "abnormal behaviour" entails (impulsive aggression, arson, and exhibitionism). Breaking this connection would disrupt the flow.
  3. After describing the symptoms and undesirable behaviors of the affected males in the family, the next logical step in a genetic study is to locate the defect on a chromosome before identifying the exact chemical or molecular mutation. The missing sentence states: "In each of the affected males, the genetic defect was located to the X chromosome in the region of p11-12."
  4. Placing this sentence at (3) provides a perfect transition: it bridges the description of the affected males' behavior to the specific genetic findings. Following this placement, the final sentence naturally narrows down the genetic search from the chromosomal region (Xp11-12) to the exact molecular level: "A point mutation was identified in the eighth exon of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) structural gene..." (which is located on the X chromosome).
  5. Placing it at (4) would be illogical because it would mention the general chromosomal location of the mutation *after* the specific point mutation and structural gene change have already been identified.

Therefore, the missing sentence fits best at position (3), making Option 3 the correct choice.

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