Read the following passage about Cubbon Park in Bengaluru and the statue of Queen Victoria, then answer the question that follows.\n\nThe flora and fauna of Cubbon Park capture our attention more than anything else. But when you take time to look closely at the statue, you will marvel at its sheer grandeur. Sculpted by Sir Thomas Brock, the 11 feet high marble statue is larger than life. It brings out the personality of Queen Victoria, who had been the Monarch of Great Britain from 1837 till 1901, depicting a rather proud, stern person with pronounced features. In 1906, the statue was unveiled in the city by George Frederick Ernest Albert, Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and York, making it stand in all its glory in its 111th year. Even though there is a wealth of history to the statue, and it was made to appear imposing, the busy Bengalureans would probably refer to it as just another landmark. As the workers are busy in discussion on the instructions given to them, life continues as usual in the Park.\n\nBased on this passage, Queen Victoria ruled Great Britain for how many years?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: 64 years

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This reading comprehension question tests your ability to extract and process numerical information from a descriptive passage. The passage describes the Queen Victoria statue in Cubbon Park, Bengaluru, and briefly mentions the period during which Queen Victoria served as the monarch of Great Britain. You must convert that time span into a specific number of years, which is a simple but careful calculation task often seen in English comprehension sections of competitive exams.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The passage clearly states that Queen Victoria was the Monarch of Great Britain from 1837 till 1901.
  • We are asked: For how many years did she rule Great Britain.
  • The starting year of her reign is 1837.
  • The ending year of her reign is 1901.
  • We assume that the question is about the total length of reign, not about months and days.


Concept / Approach:
To find the duration of a period when you know the starting and ending years, you subtract the starting year from the ending year. Thus, duration in years = ending year minus starting year. Here, that is 1901 minus 1837. Since the passage uses till 1901 in the sense of including that year as the end, this standard subtraction gives the correct length of her reign. The question is a straightforward test of basic arithmetic combined with reading accuracy.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the two key years mentioned for Queen Victoria's reign: 1837 and 1901. Step 2: Write down the basic calculation: duration = 1901 - 1837. Step 3: Subtract 1837 from 1901. 1901 - 1800 = 101 and 101 - 37 = 64, so the difference is 64 years. Step 4: Conclude that Queen Victoria ruled for 64 years, which is one of the options given.


Verification / Alternative check:
Queen Victoria is historically known for one of the longest reigns in British history, often stated as 63 years and some months in detailed sources. Examinations, however, usually round this to 64 years when using simple year to year calculation, because 1901 minus 1837 equals 64. The passage is written in this simplified way and expects the numeric difference of the years rather than an exact count of months. Therefore, 64 years is the best match with the given data and the nature of the exam.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B, 34 years, would correspond to a reign from 1867 to 1901, which is not what the passage states. Option C, 54 years, would fit something like 1847 to 1901 and is again inconsistent with the text. Option D, 44 years, would suggest a reign from 1857 to 1901, which is incorrect. None of these alternatives match the specific years 1837 and 1901 that are explicitly mentioned in the passage.


Common Pitfalls:
A common error is misreading one of the years, for example confusing 1837 with 1847 or 1857, or performing the subtraction incorrectly under exam pressure. Some candidates may also overthink the inclusive or exclusive counting of years and guess 63 instead of following the simple school level calculation of ending year minus starting year. For such tests, focus on the method usually expected in competitive exams unless the question explicitly asks for a more exact duration.


Final Answer:
Queen Victoria ruled Great Britain for 64 years according to the information given in the passage.

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