Read the passage on the growth of universities in Pakistan and answer: (1) What can be inferred from the passage as the main goal of education? (2) What is the benefit of guiding students in their choice of career? (3) Is the only direct question in the paragraph answered affirmatively or negatively? (4) Which sentence do you think to be the topic sentence of the paragraph, capturing its central idea? (5) Which sentence looks redundant and out of place in the context of the paragraph, seeming a later addition rather than part of the original?

The passage

During the past two decades, there has been a mushroom growth of universities and degree-awarding institutions in Pakistan, which our policy makers consider a source of pride and prestige. This increase in the number of universities and the students enrolled therein has been recurrently projected as a major parameter for qualifying national development. No one can deny the pivotal importance of education for the progress and prosperity of a nation. In the contemporary world, human resource has emerged as the greatest asset of unequivocal primacy, and education aims at creating and enhancing that resource. But can it be done through higher education only, or even primarily through higher education? Looking at the developed countries of the world – almost all having progressed by virtue of better human resource-one can easily explore that they don’t encourage massive enrolment in universities. In other words, they don’t want the domain of higher education open to every member of the population. After completing the 12-year school education (which is both compulsory and free for everyone), students are counseled and assessed for choice of further studies according to interest and aptitude. Those with true interest in academics and research, along with requisite scholarly aptitude, are encouraged to undertake long-term courses leading to certificates and diplomas in colleges and training institutes. The admission criteria and free structure of these colleges and institutes vary according to a number of factors. The latter class acquire practical skills in their chosen areas of utilitarian nature without an undue burden of theoretical discourses. Consequently, due to these marketable skills and practical training, they easily get employed, earn for themselves, and contribute to the national economy. On the other hand, we produce an unskilled lot of university graduates without even a basic understanding of other subjects. They consider themselves highly qualified, but have no meaningful knowledge. Hence, instead of becoming an asset, they become a social and economic liability. We need to realize that, unlike the fundamental right of basic education, higher education should be treated as a privilege of the deserving ones. This realization is imperative for enabling our universities to produce scholars, scientists, and researchers as done by the developed world.

Note: both published copies of this passage appear to have lost a few words in the sentence beginning "Those with true interest in academics and research"; the next sentences speak of "the latter class", which implies the passage originally described two groups of students (the academically inclined, sent to universities, and the rest, sent to colleges and training institutes). The answers below follow that evident meaning.

1. What can be inferred from the passage as the main goal of education?

The main goal of education, according to the passage, is to develop human resource: to create and enhance capable, productive people who drive "the progress and prosperity of a nation". Education is not meant to multiply degrees or universities for prestige; it succeeds when its products are employable, contribute to the economy and, at the higher level, become genuine "scholars, scientists, and researchers".

2. What is the benefit of guiding students in their choice of career?

Guidance matches each student to the path that suits his interest and aptitude. Students with real academic and research ability go on to higher education, while the rest acquire "practical skills" in useful fields through colleges and training institutes. As a result, the latter "easily get employed, earn for themselves, and contribute to the national economy", and universities are left free to produce real scholars. Without such guidance, a country produces unskilled graduates who become "a social and economic liability".

3. Is the only direct question in the paragraph answered affirmatively or negatively?

The only direct question is: "But can it be done through higher education only, or even primarily through higher education?" It is answered negatively. The writer points out that developed countries, which have progressed through better human resource, "don't encourage massive enrolment in universities" and instead steer most students towards practical, skill-based training.

4. Which sentence is the topic sentence, capturing the central idea?

The sentence that best captures the central idea is: "We need to realize that, unlike the fundamental right of basic education, higher education should be treated as a privilege of the deserving ones." The opening sentence, about the "mushroom growth of universities", introduces the subject, but the whole passage argues against treating that growth as progress, and the "privilege" sentence states the writer's thesis. (Some keys name the opening sentence; if you choose it, explain that it sets up the issue the passage goes on to criticise.)

5. Which sentence looks redundant and out of place?

The sentence "The admission criteria and fee structure of these colleges and institutes vary according to a number of factors." looks like a later addition. It interrupts the argument between the mention of "colleges and training institutes" and the next sentence, "The latter class acquire practical skills…", and says nothing about the passage's theme of human resource and higher education. Some answers name "No one can deny the pivotal importance of education…" instead, but that sentence, though obvious, leads into the writer's question; the admission-criteria sentence is the one that breaks the flow.

Tips

Questions 4 and 5 test how a paragraph is built. For a topic sentence, ask which sentence the rest of the paragraph proves; for a redundant sentence, find the one whose removal makes the paragraph read more smoothly.