A community of people smaller than a village.

Appeared in: DSSSB - 29 August 2019 (Shift-2)

Explanation

A hamlet is a recognized term in geography and sociology for a human settlement that is smaller than a village.
The key characteristic distinguishing a hamlet is its small size and often the absence of central services like a church or a market, which are typically found in a village.
The question asks for a 'community of people smaller than a village', which is the precise definition of a hamlet.

Option A: A 'Posse' is a group of people assembled for a specific purpose, historically for law enforcement. It is not a type of permanent settlement.
Option B: A 'Shoal' is a collective noun for a large group of fish swimming together. It is not used to describe a human community.
Option D: A 'Horde' refers to a large, often nomadic or disorderly crowd of people. This contradicts the question's description of a small, settled community.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Definitions of Collective Nouns and Settlement Types as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
While this is a general knowledge question, understanding different types of communities (rural, urban, tribal) is fundamental in Community Health Nursing.
Nurses use this knowledge to assess community needs, plan public health interventions, and understand the social determinants of health that vary between a small hamlet and a large city.
For example, healthcare access and delivery strategies would be vastly different for a remote hamlet compared to a well-serviced village or town.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key phrase in the question: 'community of people smaller than a village'. This is a definition-based question.
Second, analyze each option and determine its meaning.
Option A, 'Posse', refers to a functional group, not a settlement.
Option B, 'Shoal', refers to fish, not people.
Option D, 'Horde', refers to a large group, which contradicts 'smaller than a village'.
Option C, 'Hamlet', is the specific term for a settlement smaller than a village. By elimination and direct definition, this is the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Definitions of Collective Nouns and Settlement Types
Stem keywords: community, people, smaller than a village
Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE
Clinical cues: The care setting changes urgency, monitoring level, and the expected nursing action.

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E6 Applied Sociology for Nurses TK Indrani pp. 116-118, 72-74

Practise the full DSSSB - 29 August 2019 (Shift-2)

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