Explanation
- A
Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement- II explains Statement-I
Both correct and II explains I. Synthetic gum base is a plastic; discarded gum is litter.
- B
Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
Both correct but II does not explain I. The plastic base is why gum persists as pollution.
- C
Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
I correct, II incorrect. Many gums do use a synthetic polymer base.
- D
Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct
I incorrect, II correct. Chewing-gum litter is a known urban pollutant.
Summary. Official key is (a). A large share of commercial chewing gum uses a synthetic (plastic) gum base. That polymer does not biodegrade readily, so discarded gum is a street and sewer pollutant. Statement-II explains Statement-I.
Same topic · past papers
UPSC has asked this before
These previous-year questions sit on the same topic. Open one to practise the earlier ask.
-
2025 · Q44 · General Studies · 2 marks
Consider the following: I. Cigarette butts II. Eyeglass lenses III. Car tyres How many of them contain plastic? -
2026 · Q3 · General Studies · 2 marks
Consider the following statements: I. Pali texts contain the first definite references to coins, e.g., kahapana, nikkha, kamsa, and kakanika. II. The literary evidence from Pali texts is corroborated by archaeological evidence of punch- marked coins from many sites, most of them made of silver. The above statements have been associated with which of the following? 1. Emergence of urban life 2. Transition to money economy Select the answer using the code given below: