Why Social Science? — Hard

Q1. Read the statements. (i) Social Science never uses scientific methods. (ii) Its focus, human society, is too diverse for fixed results. Which is/are correct?

• A. Only (i)
• B. Only (ii)
• C. Both (i) and (ii)
• D. Neither (i) nor (ii)

Q2. Which statement best captures the book's justification for its multidisciplinary approach?

• A. Disciplines must always be kept strictly separate
• B. Life constantly mixes numerous elements together, so the book does too
• C. Only history matters in Social Science
• D. Multidisciplinarity makes the book shorter

Q3. 'The past is still with us.' In Theme B, this idea is most directly used to argue that the past

• A. Should be forgotten quickly
• B. Is a major source for our identities, helping us know who we are
• C. Has no link to the present
• D. Is only about kings and wars

Q4. A student lists four 'subdisciplines of Social Science' from the Introduction. Which list is entirely correct?

• A. Sociology, anthropology, archaeology, psychology
• B. Sociology, chemistry, archaeology, zoology
• C. Anthropology, psychology, physics, botany
• D. Archaeology, astronomy, economics, geology

Q5. How do the five themes help maintain a multidisciplinary perspective?

• A. By teaching each discipline in a separate book
• B. By combining inputs from several disciplines — history, geography, political science, economics — in a single theme
• C. By removing geography entirely
• D. By testing only memorised facts

Q6. The Introduction lists three fundamental questions facing humanity. Which is among them?

• A. How can we make faster mobile phones?
• B. How can our societies learn to live in peace and harmony?
• C. How can we win every war?
• D. How can we stop asking questions?

Q7. Which set of questions does Theme E say it will help us answer?

• A. What is money? Where does it come from? How can it be increased?
• B. What is a latitude? What is a parallel? What is a meridian?
• C. Who was the first king? When did he rule? Where?
• D. What is a tapestry? What is a wall hanging?

Q8. The Introduction says humanity's fundamental questions are simple, but the answers are not. Why can the answers not be simple?

• A. Because nobody has tried to answer them
• B. Because human societies are very diverse and complex
• C. Because they are written in difficult languages
• D. Because answers are banned in textbooks

Q9. The Letter lists five aspects on which no evaluation should bear. Which is one of them?

• A. The main text of every chapter
• B. The Introduction
• C. The 'Before we move on' summaries
• D. The 'Big Questions'

Q10. In India's case, Theme A also explores how its natural setting

• A. Prevented any civilisation from forming
• B. Contributed to giving this ancient civilisation a unique identity
• C. Made maps unnecessary
• D. Stopped people from asking questions

Q11. Besides India's own system, Theme D also raises which broader question about governance?

• A. Whether other countries have different systems and how countries should interact
• B. How to draw the world's time zones
• C. How money is printed in factories
• D. Which dynasty ruled ancient India first

Q12. Which conclusion best matches the Introduction's final view of how Social Science uses time?

• A. It studies only the future and ignores the past
• B. It uses the past constantly to make sense of the present and prepare a better future
• C. It is concerned only with the present moment
• D. It treats past, present and future as unrelated

Q13. Theme C raises several questions about India's culture. Which is NOT one of them?

• A. What are its main characteristics and guiding principles?
• B. How has it manifested in India's history?
• C. How can it help us deal with issues of our times?
• D. How are latitude and longitude measured?

Q14. Which pairing of a theme with its main contributing discipline is correct?

• A. Theme E — Economic Life — economics
• B. Theme B — Tapestry of the Past — geography
• C. Theme A — Land and the People — economics
• D. Theme D — Governance — archaeology

Q15. The Introduction mentions protecting the Earth 'not only for ourselves'. For whom else?

• A. Only for future kings
• B. For all the species that live on it
• C. Only for scientists
• D. Only for one country