GATE CS 2017 Set 2 — Question 61

MCQ+2 / -0.67EasyReading ComprehensionVerbal AptitudeGeneral Aptitude

General Aptitude → Verbal Aptitude → Reading Comprehension

Last updated 5 September 2026

Question

“We lived in a culture that denied any merit to literary works, considering them important only when they were handmaidens to something seemingly more urgent - namely ideology. This was a country where all gestures, even the most private, were interpreted in political terms.” The author’s belief that ideology is not as important as literature is revealed by the word:

Correct answer (B) 'seemingly' Solution The word "seemingly" is used to qualify the "urgency" of ideology, suggesting that this urgency was a matter of perception or appearance rather than an objective truth. This implies that the author does not necessarily agree with the culture's dismissal of literature in favor of ideology, thereby revealing the belief that literature is not less important than ideology. Turn this into a strength. Explore AI-powered practice and doubt support with Success Tracker.

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Correct answer (B) 'seemingly' Solution The word "seemingly" is used to qualify the "urgency" of ideology, suggesting that this urgency was a matter of perception or appearance rather than an objective truth. This implies that the author does not necessarily agree with the culture's dismissal of literature in favor of ideology, thereby revealing the belief that literature is not less important than ideology.

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