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SSC Stenographer 2024 PYQ — Question 90

SSC Stenographer - 10/12/2024 (4:30 PM to 6:30 PM) • English • Q90

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In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Fill in the blanks with the help of the alternatives given.
A landslip refers to the (1)_________ of rock, soil or other materials as they descend along an inclined surface of terrain. Landslides can be triggered by several factors such as precipitation, seismic activity, volcanic eruptions or other destabilising elements affecting the slope. (2)__________, being scholars specialising in the examination of the Earth's physical structures, occasionally classify landslides as a sort of mass wasting. Mass wasting refers to any process in which there is a downward shift of the Earth's surface resulting in erosion. Additional forms of mass wasting are rockfalls and the movement of coastal sediments known as alluvium. Landslides pose (3)__________ risks to both, human lives and property in close proximity to densely inhabited regions. Landslides result in an approximate annual toll of 25 to 50 fatalities and generate economic losses amounting to $3.5 billion inside the United States. The (4)_________ of landslides can be heightened by human activities, including but not (5)____________ to agriculture and building. Several operations, such as irrigation, deforestation, excavation and water leakage, have the potential to induce slope destabilisation or weakening.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 5.

Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D

Explanation

The correct answer is option 4 i.e. “limited.”

The sentence reads:

“The occurrence of landslides can be heightened by human activities, including but not ___ to agriculture and building.”

The phrase “including but not limited to” is a standard expression used to indicate that the listed examples are not exhaustive.

Human activities that contribute to landslides—such as agriculture and construction—are often specifically mentioned, but the phrase implies there are other activities beyond those listed that can also cause landslides.