Understanding the Crisis in the Story

The passage describes a fictional country where a drastic decision was made by the young people to eliminate all older individuals, specifically those aged fifty and above. This action was driven by the belief that the old had lived their lives and were no longer useful. Unfortunately, this led to the loss of much wisdom that the elderly possessed.

Following this event, the country faced severe hardship. A terrible drought struck, causing crops to fail and water sources to dry up. This resulted in a widespread famine, sickness, and premature aging among the young people. The situation worsened when the snow melted, leaving them without seeds to plant for the upcoming season.

Analyzing Who Can Solve the Famine

The question asks us to identify who is most likely to find a solution to the severe problems the country is facing. Let's consider the options based on the information given in the passage:

Evaluating the King

The king is described as young and the one who gave the order to kill the old. The passage implies that the wisdom of the old was lost. A young king, lacking the experience and knowledge that comes with age and which was specifically eliminated from the population, is unlikely to possess the solutions needed for a complex crisis like famine and agricultural failure.

Evaluating the Advisors

The passage mentions that "lots of wise old men were killed and lots of wisdom passed away with them." If the country relied on advisors, it's highly probable that these advisors were among the old people who were eliminated. Therefore, the remaining advisors, if any, might lack the crucial wisdom needed, or there might be no advisors left who possess the necessary expertise.

Evaluating the Young Man

The young man is portrayed as kind-hearted, as he saved his father. However, the story does not suggest he has any specific knowledge related to agriculture, surviving droughts, or managing resources during a famine. His actions are driven by filial piety, not by possessing the lost wisdom.

Evaluating the Old Man

The passage emphasizes the loss of wisdom associated with killing the old. The kind-hearted young man saved his father, who is an old man. It is this very generation – the old – that possessed the wisdom the country now desperately needs. Old individuals often have accumulated knowledge and experience from past generations, including how to cope with natural challenges like droughts and famines, and understanding agricultural practices, perhaps passed down through generations.

Given the severe drought, famine, and lack of seeds, the solution would likely come from practical knowledge and experience about farming, resource management, and survival techniques during harsh times. This type of knowledge is traditionally held by older, more experienced members of a society. Since the old men were killed, the surviving old man (the young man's father) represents the repository of this lost wisdom.

Conclusion for the Story's Solution

Considering the narrative, the author strongly implies that wisdom was lost when the old people were killed. The current crisis requires the kind of knowledge and experience that only the older generation possessed. Therefore, the old man, who was saved by the young man, is the most likely person to hold the solutions to the famine and agricultural problems.