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Reading Comprehension · UPSC CDS/OTA · Question 8 of 60

Reading Comprehension : Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the following question. Crude mineral oil comes out of the earth as a thick brown or black liquid with a strong smell. It is a complex mixture of many different substances, each with its own individual qualities. Most of them are combinations of hydrogen and carbon in varying proportions. Such hydrocarbons are also found in other forms such as bitumen, asphalt and natural gas. Mineral oil originates from the carcasses of tiny animals and from plants that live in the sea. Over millions of years, these dead creatures form large deposits under sea-bed and ocean currents cover them with a blanket of sand and silt. As this material hardens, it becomes sedimentary rock and effectively shuts out the oxygen, thus preventing the complete decomposition of the marine deposits underneath. The layers of sedimentary rocks become thicker, and heavier. Their pressure produces heat, which transforms the tiny carcasses into crude oil in a process that is still going on today. From where does mineral oil originate?

Step-by-step solution. Reading Comprehension for UPSC CDS/OTA.

Topic
Reading Comprehension
Subject
General English
Difficulty
Medium
Solve Time
45-60 sec

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Q · Reading Comprehension Medium · 45s

Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the following question. Crude mineral oil comes out of the earth as a thick brown or black liquid with a strong smell. It is a complex mixture of many different substances, each with its own individual qualities. Most of them are combinations of hydrogen and carbon in varying proportions. Such hydrocarbons are also found in other forms such as bitumen, asphalt and natural gas. Mineral oil originates from the carcasses of tiny animals and from plants that live in the sea. Over millions of years, these dead creatures form large deposits under sea-bed and ocean currents cover them with a blanket of sand and silt. As this material hardens, it becomes sedimentary rock and effectively shuts out the oxygen, thus preventing the complete decomposition of the marine deposits underneath. The layers of sedimentary rocks become thicker, and heavier. Their pressure produces heat, which transforms the tiny carcasses into crude oil in a process that is still going on today. From where does mineral oil originate?

TopicReading Comprehension
Question Typemultiple choice
DifficultyMedium
Marking+1 / −0.33
Test Duration30 min

Step-by-Step Solution

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Dead sea creatures form oil.

Final Answer: Option B - Carcasses of tiny animals and plants that live in the sea
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Directions: Read the passage carefully and answer the… - Reading Comprehension (General English) Solved Question