In this verbal reasoning question on crops, choose the word which is least like the other words in the group: Wheat, Rice, Mustard, Gram.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Mustard

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to the verbal reasoning and general knowledge section where you are asked to identify the odd word out in a group of related terms. The words given are Wheat, Rice, Mustard and Gram. All four are familiar agricultural products, but one of them belongs to a different category when we classify crops by their primary use.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Options: Wheat, Rice, Mustard, Gram.
  • All are cultivated plants commonly grown in many regions.
  • We classify them based on their primary use as food grains, pulses or oilseeds.
  • Exactly one item should differ from the others in its main agricultural category.


Concept / Approach:
In agricultural classification, crops are often grouped as cereals, pulses, oilseeds and so on. Wheat and Rice are widely known cereals or food grains. Gram is a pulse, which is usually grown for its protein-rich seeds and is widely used as a staple or food ingredient. Mustard, however, is primarily grown as an oilseed crop and also used as a spice. By grouping each item according to its main use, we can identify which word is least like the others.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Classify Wheat.Wheat is a cereal grain and a staple food crop, used mainly for making flour and bread-like products.Step 2: Classify Rice.Rice is also a cereal grain and a staple food crop, especially in Asian diets.Step 3: Classify Gram.Gram (chickpea or related pulses) is primarily a pulse crop, grown for its edible seeds which are rich in protein and used as food.Step 4: Classify Mustard.Mustard is mainly grown for its seeds, which are crushed to extract mustard oil and are also used as a spice. It is classified primarily as an oilseed crop.Step 5: Compare categories.Wheat, Rice and Gram are largely grown as food grains or pulses eaten directly as staple foods, whereas Mustard is mainly cultivated for oil and seasoning.


Verification / Alternative check:
Another way to see this is to think about how each item commonly appears on a plate. Wheat and Rice typically appear as the main carbohydrate component of a meal. Gram appears as dal or in chana preparations as a direct food item. Mustard, on the other hand, is usually present as mustard oil for cooking or as seeds in tempering and pickles, rather than being eaten in bulk as a staple. This confirms that Mustard has a different primary role compared to the others.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Wheat: A cereal staple food crop and therefore similar to Rice and comparable to Gram as a food grain or seed.
Rice: Another cereal staple, clearly in the same broad food category as Wheat.
Gram: A pulse crop eaten as a significant protein source, closer in role to food grains than to oilseeds.


Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes focus only on the fact that all four items come from farms and overlook their different end uses. Another mistake is to think that Gram is the odd one because the word may sound less common than Wheat and Rice, but in reasoning questions the decision must be based on conceptual category, not familiarity. Remember to think in terms of agricultural classification and primary use when answering such questions.


Final Answer:
The word which is least like the others is Mustard, because it is primarily an oilseed and spice crop, while Wheat, Rice and Gram are mainly grown as staple food grains or pulses.

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