Read the passage and answer the question that follows :

Education as commonly understood by people means acquiring certain knowledge and skills in order to earn their living. But that is only one purpose of education. You may ask why ? This is because humans are much more than just wage-earning machines. They are endowed with emotions and feelings which enrich their life. These emotions and feelings need to be developed so that they can develop into social beings, able to interact with fellow beings who are also members of that society of which they are a part.

_____ in order to earn their living. Here living is :

Question

Read the passage and answer the question that follows :

Education as commonly understood by people means acquiring certain knowledge and skills in order to earn their living. But that is only one purpose of education. You may ask why ? This is because humans are much more than just wage-earning machines. They are endowed with emotions and feelings which enrich their life. These emotions and feelings need to be developed so that they can develop into social beings, able to interact with fellow beings who are also members of that society of which they are a part.

_____ in order to earn their living. Here living is :

Accepted Answer

The word "living" in the context of the passage is correctly identified as a noun, which is Option 1. Here is a detailed explanation supporting this choice:

1. **Explanation for Option 1 (Noun):**
   - In the sentence, "living" refers to the means of earning a livelihood or sustenance. It is used as a noun to denote the concept of making a living or earning money to support oneself. In English, nouns are words that represent people, places, things, or ideas. In this context, "living" is an abstract noun because it represents the idea of earning a livelihood, which is a thing or concept.

2. **Why Option 2 (Adverb) is Incorrect:**
   - Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, typically providing information about how, when, where, or to what extent something is done. In the passage, "living" does not modify any verb, adjective, or adverb. Instead, it functions as the object of the verb "earn," which is a typical role for a noun.

3. **Why Option 3 (Adjective) is Incorrect:**
   - Adjectives describe or modify nouns, providing more information about them. In the passage, "living" is not used to describe another noun. Instead, it stands alone as a noun itself, representing the concept of earning a livelihood.

4. **Why Option 4 (Verb) is Incorrect:**
   - Verbs are action words that describe what the subject is doing. Although "living" can be a verb in other contexts (e.g., "She is living in New York"), in this specific sentence, it does not describe an action performed by the subject. Instead, it is the object of the verb "earn," indicating what is being earned, which is characteristic of a noun.

In conclusion, the word "living" in the passage functions as a noun, making Option 1 the correct choice. This explanation aligns with the grammatical role "living" plays in the sentence, supporting the given correct answer.