Question

Mattancherry is Indian Jewry’s most famous settlement. Its pretty streets of pastel coloured houses, connected by first-floor passages and home to the last twelve saree-and-sarongwearing, white-skinned Indian Jews are visited by thousands of tourists each year. Its synagogue, built in 1568, with a floor of blue-and-white Chinese tiles, a carpet given by Haile Selassie and the frosty Yaheh selling tickets at the door, stands as an image of religious tolerance.

• A. Mattancherry represents, therefore, the perfect picture of peaceful co-existence.
• B. India’s Jews have almost never suffered discrimination, except for European colonizers and each other.
• C. Jews in India were always tolerant.
• D. Religious tolerance has always been only a facade and nothing more.
• E. The pretty pastel streets are, thus, very popular with the tourists.

Answer 1

The correct option is D Religious tolerance has always been only a facade and nothing more.

The paragraph is a description of the Jewry settlement. (D) can be eliminated as it brings in a hint of skepticism. (C) is a mere repetition of an idea already discussed in the para (that of Jews being tolerant). (E) can also be eliminated as it is brings an alien concept – that of Mattancherry’s popularity with the tourists . Between (A) and (B), we will eliminate (A) as it has a more conclusive tone, which is not in sync with the descriptive nature of the paragraph. Hence option(D) is the answer.