UPSC Prelims 2013·CSAT·Reading Comprehension·Passage Comprehension

English Passage - 2 It was already late when we set out for the next town, which according to the map was about fifteen kilometres away on the other side of the hills. There we felt that we would find a bed for the night. Darkness fell soon after we left the village, but luckily we met no one as we drove swiftly along the narrow winding road that led to the hills. As we climbed higher, it became colder and rain began to fall, making it difficult at times to see the road. I asked John, my companion, to drive more slowly. After we had travelled for about twenty kilometres, there was still no sign of the town which was marked on the map. We were beginning to get worried. Then without warning, the car stopped and we found we had run out of petrol. The travellers set out for the town although it was getting dark because

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Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. Athey were in a hurry
  2. Bthe next town was a short distance away and was a hill-resort
  3. Cthey were in wilderness
  4. Dthe next town was a short distance away and promised a good rest for the night.Correct

Explanation

The passage states, "It was already late when we set out for the next town, which according to the map was about fifteen kilometres away on the other side of the hills. There we felt that we would find a bed for the night." Option A is incorrect because the passage doesn't explicitly state they were in a hurry; their motivation was to find a place to sleep. Option B is incorrect because while the town was a short distance away, it is not stated to be a "hill-resort." It was on the other side of hills, but the term "resort" is an assumption. Option C is incorrect because being in wilderness describes their environment, not their reason for setting out. Their motivation was to reach the town. Option D is correct because it directly reflects both reasons given in the passage: the town was "about fifteen kilometres away" (a short distance) and they expected to "find a bed for the night" (promised a good rest).
Reading Comprehension: English Passage - 2 It was already late when we set out for the next town, which according to the map was about fifteen
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