Based on the passage describing Namita working in Dubai and Gopal working for a construction contractor in the Emirates, answer this question: Namita and Gopal are said to be in a similar situation mainly because they share what common condition?

Introduction / Context:
This question is drawn from a reading comprehension passage that presents parallel stories of Namita and Gopal. Namita leaves Kerala to work as a governess in Dubai, while Gopal leaves his village to work in the Emirates for a construction contractor. The passage highlights certain similarities and differences between their experiences. The question asks you to identify the main reason why their situations are described as similar.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Namita works abroad in Dubai as a governess for the Nair family.
• She later discovers that her employer is involved in illegal business and wants to go back home.
• Gopal sells his family land to travel abroad for work and then has his passport confiscated by the contractor.
• Gopal lives in cramped conditions with many others and does not know what to do.
• You must choose which shared condition best explains their similar situation.

Concept / Approach:
Reading comprehension often tests your ability to identify main ideas and parallels between characters. While both Namita and Gopal care about their families and come from modest backgrounds, the key similarity highlighted here is their vulnerability in a foreign land. They are both away from their home country and dependent on employers whose actions put them at risk, leaving them feeling trapped or stranded with limited options.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Summarise Namita's situation: she is in Dubai, initially treated well, but later discovers that her employer's business is illegal and she becomes frightened and wants to go home.Step 2: Summarise Gopal's situation: he travels to the Emirates for work, has to sell family land, then loses control of his passport and is forced into poor living conditions.Step 3: Identify what is common: both are away from home, under the control of others, and unsure about how to protect themselves.Step 4: Evaluate each option to see which captures this shared vulnerability most directly.Step 5: Recognise that the option "are stranded in a foreign country" best summarises the critical similarity in both stories.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you ask, "What is the main problem for both Namita and Gopal at this stage of the story?" the answer is that they are stuck in a foreign country in troubling circumstances. Both feel helpless and are unable to easily return home. Other options, like loving their families or being from poor backgrounds, may be partly true but are not emphasised as the key parallel that defines their similar situation.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, "love their families", is likely true but is not the main focus of the narrative at the moment of crisis. Option B, "are happy with their situations", is clearly wrong because both are uncomfortable and disturbed. Option C, "are from impoverished families", is more closely associated with Gopal, whose family sells land to send him abroad, while Namita's economic background is not stressed in the same way. Option D, "are stranded in a foreign country", precisely captures their shared condition of being far from home and feeling trapped or uncertain due to employer behaviour and legal risks.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes answer based on general sympathy, picking "love their families" or "are from impoverished families" because these sound emotional and important. However, comprehension questions usually have one option that directly addresses what the passage presents as the central parallel. Always look for the key problem both characters are facing at the same narrative point, which, in this case, is being stranded and vulnerable in a foreign land.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is are stranded in a foreign country, because both Namita and Gopal are away from home, dependent on employers, and facing worrying circumstances that make them feel trapped and uncertain about their future abroad.