"India is a country of rich heritage and cultural diversity." Which one of the following facts best supports the claim made in the above sentence?
A. India is a union of 28 states and 7 union territories.
B. India has a population of over 1.1 billion.
C. India is home to 22 official languages and thousands of dialects.
D. The Indian cricket team draws players from over ten states.
GATE 2014 · General Aptitude · Verbal Reasoning · medium
Answer: Option C: India is home to 22 official languages and thousands of dialects, directly supporting rich heritage and cultural diversity.
Identify the key attributes in the claim: The claim has two attributes: (1) rich heritage, (2) cultural diversity. A good supporting fact should relate directly to at least one of these.
Evaluate each option: A: 28 states / 7 UTs - political structure, not cultural evidence. B: 1.1 billion population - size, not culture. C: 22 official languages + thousands of dialects - direct evidence of linguistic and cultural diversity. D: Cricket players from 10+ states - reflects geographic spread, not cultural/heritage richness.
Select the best supporting fact: Option C (22 official languages and thousands of dialects) directly demonstrates cultural diversity through the variety of languages, which are a primary vehicle of cultural identity and heritage.