GATE CE 2016 Set 2 — Question 7

MCQ+2 / -0.67EasyReading ComprehensionVerbal AptitudeGeneral Aptitude

General Aptitude → Verbal Aptitude → Reading Comprehension

Last updated 5 September 2026

Question

Today, we consider Ashoka as a great ruler because of the copious evidence he left behind in the form of stone carved edicts. Historians tend to correlate greatness of a king at his time with the availability of evidence today. Which of the following can be logically inferred from the above sentences?

Correct answer (D) A king's greatness, as we know him today, is interpreted by historians. Solution The passage states that Ashoka is considered a great ruler "because of the copious evidence he left behind in the form of stone carved edicts" and that "Historians tend to correlate greatness of a king at his time with the availability of evidence today." This directly implies that the current perception of a king's greatness is shaped by how historians interpret the available evidence. Option (A) is too strong; the passage does not say emperors are completely forgotten if they don't leave evidence, only that their greatness might not be recognized. Option (B) attributes an intention to Ashoka that is not stated or implied. Option (C) is a general statement about statues, which is not the main inference from the given sentences about Ashoka and historians. Therefore, option (D) is the most logical inference. Turn this into a strength. Explore AI-powered practice and doubt support with Success Tracker.

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Correct answer (D) A king's greatness, as we know him today, is interpreted by historians. Solution The passage states that Ashoka is considered a great ruler "because of the copious evidence he left behind in the form of stone carved edicts" and that "Historians tend to correlate greatness of a king at his time with the availability of evidence today." This directly implies that the current perception of a king's greatness is shaped by how historians interpret the available evidence. Option (A) is too strong; the passage does not say emperors are completely forgotten if they don't leave evidence, only that their greatness might not be recognized. Option (B) attributes an intention to Ashoka that is not stated or implied. Option (C) is a general statement about statues, which is not the main inference from the given sentences about Ashoka and historians. Therefore, option (D) is the most logical inference.

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