"I put the brown paper in my pocket along with the chalks, and possibly other things. I suppose every one must have reflected how primeval and how poetical are the things that one carries in one's pocket: the pocket-knife, for instance the type of all human tools, the infant of the sword. Once I planned to write a book of poems entirely about the things in my pocket. But I found it would be too long: and the age of the great epics is past."
(From G.K. Chesterton's "A Piece of Chalk")
Based only on the information provided in the above passage, which one of the following statements is true?
A. The author of the passage carries a mirror in his pocket to reflect upon things.
B. The author of the passage had decided to write a poem on epics.
C. The pocket-knife is described as the infant of the sword.
D. Epics are described as too inconvenient to write.
GATE 2025 · General Aptitude · Passage Reading · medium
Answer: Option C is the only statement that is directly and explicitly supported by the passage text.
Evaluate Option A: Option A claims the author carries a mirror to reflect upon things. The word 'reflected' in the passage is used figuratively ('I suppose every one must have reflected how primeval...'). No mirror is mentioned. Option A is false.
Evaluate Option B: Option B says the author decided to write a poem on epics. The passage says he planned to write a book of poems about things in his pocket, not about epics. Epics are only mentioned to note their era has passed. Option B is false.
Evaluate Option C: Option C states: 'The pocket-knife is described as the infant of the sword.' The passage reads: 'the pocket-knife, for instance the type of all human tools, the infant of the sword.' This is a direct, verbatim match. Option C is true.
Evaluate Option D: Option D says epics are described as too inconvenient to write. The passage says 'the age of the great epics is past' — meaning the era for epics has ended, not that they are inconvenient. Option D is false.