NTA UGC NET/JRF Exam, February 2023 (Anthropology)

Total Questions: 100

91. Read the given paragraph and answer the five questions that follow:

If one dimension of the cockfight's structure, its lack of temporal directionality, makes it seem a typical segment of the general social life, however, the other, its flat-out, head-to-head (or spur-to-spur) aggressiveness, makes it seem a contradiction, a reversal, even a subversion of it. In the normal course of things, the Balinese are shy to the point of obsessiveness of open conflict, oblique, cautious, subdued, controlled, masters of indirection and dissimulation-what they call as, "polished", "smooth" - they rarely face what they can turn away from, rarely resist what they can evade.

But here they portray themselves as wild and murderous, with manic explosions of instinctual cruelty. A powerful rendering of life as the Balinese most deeply do not want it (to adapt a phrase Frye has used of Gloucester's blinding) is set in the context of a sample of it as they do in fact have. And, because the context suggests that the rendering, if less than a straight forward description, is nonetheless more than an idle fancy; it is here that the disquietfulness-the disquietfulness of the fight, not (or, anyway, not necessarily) is patrons, who seem in fact rather thoroughly to enjoy it emerges.

The slaughter in the cock ring is not a depiction of how things literally are among men, but, what is almost worse, of how, from a particular angle, they imaginatively are. The angle, of course, is stratificatory. What, as we have already seen, the cockfight talks most forcibly about is status relationships, and what it says about them is that they are matters of life and death.

That prestige is a profoundly serious business is apparent everywhere one looks in Bali-in the village, the family, the economy, the state. A peculiar fusion of Polynesian title ranks and Hindu castes, the hierarchy of pride is the moral backbone of the society. But only in the cockfight are the sentiments upon which that hierarchy rests revealed in their natural colours.

Enveloped elsewhere in a haze of etiquette, a thick cloud of euphemism and ceremony gesture and allusion, they are here expressed in only the thinnest disguise of an animal mask, a mask which in fact demonstrates them far more effectively than it conceals them. Jealousy is as much a part of Bali as poise, envy as grace, brutality as charm; but without the cockfight the Balinese would have a much less certain understanding of them, which is, presumably, why they value it so highly.

 According to the aforesaid text the most common feature of Balinese Social organisation is: 

Correct Answer: C. Hierarchy
Solution:The most common feature of Balinese social organization, as described in the text, is hierarchy. The text paints a picture of the Balinese society where the hierarchy of pride is considered the moral backbone, and prestige is taken seriously in various aspects of life, such as the village, family, economy, and state.

This hierarchical system is deeply entrenched in the social fabric and blends Polynesian title ranks with Hindu castes. It's not merely a structural element but also influences behaviour and attitudes, thereby shaping the social life of the community. The cockfight, as described, reveals the underlying sentiments of this hierarchy.

92. The cockfight among Balinese can be best described as:

Correct Answer: B. Status competition
Solution:According to the passage, the cockfight among the Balinese can be best described as a status competition. The cockfight is not just a mere game or entertainment; it symbolizes and reflects the underlying status relationships within Balinese society.

The passage states that what the cockfight talks most forcefully about is status relationships, and it expresses the seriousness of prestige and hierarchy. It reveals the natural colours of sentiments upon which the hierarchy rests, and it emphasizes the life-and-death importance of status within the Balinese culture.

93. According to the text, in every day life. Balinese are not characterized as:

Correct Answer: C. Aggressive
Solution:The text does not characterize the Balinese as aggressive in everyday life. In contrast, it describes them as shy, oblique, cautious, subdued, controlled, and masters of indirection and dissimulation. They tend to avoid open conflict and are described as "polished" and "smooth."

The cockfight provides an arena where they can express their wild and murderous side, portraying instinctual cruelty, but this is not a characteristic that defines their everyday behaviour. Therefore, the assertion that they are not characterized as aggressive is accurate.

94. The approach used by the author in the text to understand the event can be best described as:

Correct Answer: A. Interpretive
Solution:The approach used by the author in the text to understand the event can be best described as interpretive. The author delves into the symbolic meaning of the cockfight, interpreting it as more than just a physical competition.

By analyzing the event's various dimensions, the author extracts underlying themes related to hierarchy, prestige, status relationships, and social norms within Balinese society. The interpretive approach emphasizes understanding and meaningmaking rather than merely describing or categorizing, and this is evident in the nuanced analysis provided in the text.

95. What is the meaning of the term 'stratificatory angle' in the passage?

Correct Answer: D. It is a feature of their social organization
Solution:The term 'stratificatory angle' in the passage refers to a feature of Balinese social organization. It indicates a viewpoint or perspective that focuses on the stratified nature of society, particularly the hierarchical relationships and distinctions between different social levels or classes.

Within the context of the cockfight, this angle helps to reveal the deeply ingrained beliefs and values related to status and prestige. It's not about the fight itself or the Balinese personality or religion, but rather an aspect that shines a light on how hierarchy and status relationships are conceptualized and played out in Balinese social life. The cockfight serves as a metaphorical stage to display these intricate social dynamics.

96. Read the given paragraph and answer the five questions that follow:

Some areas of Harappa and Mohenjodaro served as bazaars. complete with shops. Archaeologists have inventoried the finds from artisans' quarters where bead makers, coppersmiths, cotton weavers, and other specialists manufactured and sold their wares. The potters' workshops were filled with painted pots decorated with animal figures and plain, ordinary wheel-made vessel manufactured not only in the cities but also in villages for hundreds of miles around.

There were water jars and cooking bowls, storage pots and drinking vessels. Metal workers cast simple axes in open molds and manufactured chisels, knives, razors, spears and fishhooks. Only a few expert artisans made more elaborate objects like 'dancing girl' evidenced at Mohenjodaro. They would make a wax model of the cart and encast it in clay, which was fired to melt the wax.

The molten copper or bronze was poured into the mould. This 'lost-wax' method is still used by Indian artists. The technologies used in Harappan cities had been developed centuries earlier in small villages and transferred to the cities without change.

Which one of the following is not fabricated by the 'lost-wax' mold method?

Correct Answer: C. Bulls
Solution:According to the paragraph, the 'lostwax' mold method was used for crafting specific objects by first creating a wax model, then encasing it in clay, and finally melting the wax to pour molten copper or bronze into the mold. Among the options provided, there is no mention of "bulls" being fabricated using this method.

This technique was mentioned in the context of making more elaborate objects like the 'dancing girl evidenced at Mohenjodaro. Other tools and objects were made using different methods, but the text does not associate bulls with the 'lost-wax' technique. This highlights the complexity and variety of craftsmanship in the Harappan civilization.

97. Which of the following artisanal group was not part of Harappa and Mohenjodaro sites?

Correct Answer: B. Blacksmiths
Solution:The artisanal group that was not part of Harappa and Mohenjodaro sites, according to the text, is Blacksmiths. The paragraph details various artisans such as bead makers, coppersmiths, cotton weavers, and potters, but it does not mention blacksmiths.

These descriptions shed light on the diverse array of specialized skills and crafts that were prevalent in the Harappan civilization, demonstrating an advanced level of social organization and trade practices.

98. The Harappan pots were produced at:

Correct Answer: B. Workshops in both villages and cities
Solution:The Harappan pots were produced at workshops in both villages and cities. The paragraph emphasizes that these pots were not only manufactured in the cities but also in villages for hundreds of miles around.

This underlines the wide distribution and production capabilities of the Harappan civilization, which includes various types of pots such as water jars, cooking bowls, storage pots, and drinking vessels. The integrated production system across villages and cities reflects a well-coordinated economic network.

99. The Harappan products were:

Correct Answer: B. Sold in the local bazaars
Solution:According to the text, the Harappan products were sold in the local bazaars. The paragraph provides insights into the commercial aspects of Harappan civilization, describing bazaars and shops where artisans sold their manufactured goods like beads, metal objects, and pottery.

There is no mention in the text about the products being exported to neighbouring cities, overseas, or being sold in weekly markets. The local bazaars served as the central hubs for trade and commerce within the cities.

100. The artistic crafts of Harappa were :

Correct Answer: C. Developed centuries earlier in villages and transferred to cities
Solution:The artistic crafts of Harappa were developed centuries earlier in villages and then transferred to the cities without change. The paragraph illustrates how the technologies and crafts were not new inventions within the cities of Harappa and Mohenjodaro but were adaptations of techniques that had already been in use in small villages.

This insight provides a fascinating glimpse into the continuity and evolution of artistic and technological practices within the Indus Valley civilization, showcasing a rich heritage and advanced understanding of craftsmanship that flowed from rural to urban centers.