Explore topic-wise InterviewSolutions in .

1. cautious × reckless (incautious)

2. dogmatic × open-minded

3. contrary × same

4. savage × mild

5. reasonable × unreasonable

6. hypothetical × real

7. beneficial × harmful

8. cruelty × kindness/compassion

9. immune × vulnerable

Aristotle had the erroneous notion that women had fewer teeth than men, when in fact he didn’t verily it. His example conveys to us that we must be cautious. We must not think that we know something for sure till we make the observation ourselves.

1. The writer lived in many countries in his youth – True

2. It was a Chinese custom for the women to have small feet – True

3. The Manchus followed the Chinese custom – True

4. Travelling increases the intensity of insular prejudice – False

Two evils that fear leads us to are superstition and cruelty. One can overcome fear by firstly admitting one’s own fears to oneself and then guarding oneself against their myth making power.

Yes, I do. The universe is so huge. There is probably a whole lot of life elsewhere that is superior to us. There may also be a lot of life inferior to us, too. We should not make the mistake of thinking that ; we are the greatest.

Fear leads us to error by making us do things like inventing rumours of disaster in wartime, imagining objects of terror, such as ghosts, or by creating belief in something comforting, like the elixir of life, or heaven for ourselves and hell for our enemies.

I try to overcome my fears by telling my parents and friends about them and getting their advice and support. I also pray to God and this helps me the most.

I am generally afraid of things regarding my education. I am afraid that I will not do well in my j exams and not get a seat in the college of my choice. I am also afraid that I will be separated from my friends and will not be able to make new friends at a new place. I will be lost without friends.

1. It is of great importance to understand the rules of the land.

2. Fear has many forms-fear of death, fear of the dark, etc.

3. hypothetical – poetic, poetical (topic, topical).

4. admit-admitted, admitting

5. deplored, device, dogmatism, dominion.

Poltroons are not only more prone to cruelty than brave men, but also more prone to superstition.

I try to overcome my fears by telling my parents and friends about them and getting their advice and support. I also pray to God and this helps me the most.

1. flatter – flattery

2. abundant – abundance

3. rational – rationality

4. argue – argument

1. The question is inherently insoluble, isn’t it? 

2. Self esteem conceals this from most people, doesn’t it?

1. Imagining an argument with a person having a different bias is a good plan.

2. You may never meet anyone with/having this opinion.

The writer says that if a man points out that most poets and men of science are male, a woman can say that most criminals are also male. The second example he gives is that of general human conceit. For this, we need to remind ourselves that other parts of the cosmos may contain beings as superior to ourselves as we are to Jelly fish.

The only way to tackle such self-pride is to remind ourselves that man is a brief episode in the life of a small planet In a little corner of the universe, and that other parts of the cosmos may contain beings as superior to our selves as we are to Jelly fish.

One should be wary of opinions that flatter one’s self esteem because there may be opinions with abundant evidence lo prove the exact opposite to what one believes.

The way of avoiding error mentioned in the passage is to try to conquer fear.

The two ways of avoiding fear are :

1. by persuading ourselves that we are immune from disaster and 

2. by the practice of sheer courage.

The aim of primitive magic is to secure safety, either by injuring enemies or by protecting oneself by talismans, spells or incantations.

(a) One should avoid getting angry about a ; difference of opinion because if one gets angry, it will show that one’s belief is going beyond what the evidence indicates or states.

(b) The writer found his stay abroad very profitable because it helped him to become aware of foreign ideas and customs and diminish the intensity of his insular prejudice.

(c) When the writer was young, he lived for some time outside his country. He became aware of foreign ideas and customs. This made him grow less dogmatic and more open-minded.

(d) The writer is a renowned person. The men who declare themselves as saints want the writer to mention them in his lectures so that they get some free publicity. Hence they write letters to the writer.

(d) The writer claims that all false beliefs need not be replaced by cold science because if this is done, the world would lose some of its interest and variety.

If an opinion contrary to my own makes me angry, it indicates that I am subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as I do.

Travelling helps you to become aware of foreign ideas and customs. You begin to accept them and get rid of your own narrow outlook.

One should be wary of opinions that flatter one’s self esteem because there may be opinions with abundant evidence to prove the exact opposite to what one believes.

No, not always. Very often, the influence of foreign customs can be harmful and we must be cautious while following them.

The advantage of an imaginary argument with a person having a different bias is that it is not subject to the limitations of time and space. One can have this argument at any time and at any place.

Yes. I often have an imaginary argument with my mother. In my imagination, she asks me why have got peor marks in some particular subject and I reply. Then she says something else and I counter that one as well. We argue. I Imagine what she well say and provide the answers.

You can prevent yourself from developing a dogmatic attitude by becoming aware of opinions held in social circles different from your own.

1. I did not enroll myself among his worshippers but his letter gave me pleasure. 

2. I received once a communication from the god Osiris and he gave me his telephone number.

1. She announced to her numerous followers, “I possess the power of walking on water.”

2. The rational man will have admitted that there is no right answer.

3. The belief in magic has now been lessened by science.

4. his letter gave me pleasure – main clause

Although I did not enroll myself among his

worshippers – subordinate clause. Complex sentence

Yes, it certainly does. It shows us the way different people live, their ideas and customs, the difficulties they face and the way they solve these difficulties. It gives us a much broader view of life.

1. It is a good way to rid yourself of certain kinds of dogmatism.

2. What should generate a certain caution?

To think that you know when in fact you don’t is a fatal mistake.