Passage: The flower was not invented to please us. It flaunted its petals and spread its perfume to attract an insect. The insect carries the pollen from flower to flower so that pollen is not carried away by wind and thus not wasted. What we call a flower's beauty is merely a by-product and a human invention. The perfume is not there to please us, it pleases us because it is there and we have been conditioned to it. Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. The author of the passage believes that flowers are creations of Nature's luxury. 2. The author of the passage does not believe in the usefulness of flowers except as things of beauty. Which of the assumptions given above is/are valid?
A.1 only
B.2 only
C.Both 1 and 2
D.Neither 1 nor 2✓ Correct
Explanation
The passage states that the flower exists not to please humans but to attract insects for pollination—an evolutionary/functional purpose, not a luxury of Nature. So assumption 1 (flowers are creations of Nature's luxury) is invalid. Assumption 2 claims the author does not believe in the usefulness of flowers except as things of beauty; however, the passage clearly describes a functional use—attracting insects for pollen transfer—so the author clearly recognizes utility beyond beauty. In fact, the author says beauty is merely a by-product, implying utility is primary. Thus assumption 2 is also invalid. Neither assumption holds.
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