Directions: In this section you have a few short passages. After each passage, you will find some items based on the passage. First, read a passage and answer the items based on it. You are required to select your answers based on the contents of the passage and opinion of the author only. Not all agricultural societies become civilizations, but no civilization can become one without passing through the stage of agriculture. This is because at some stage in the development of agriculture, as productivity improves, not all people would need to be engaged in producing or procuring food. A significant number of people could be freed up to pursue other activities such as building walls or monuments for new cities; making new tools, weapons and jewellery, organizing long-distance trade; creating new artistic masterpieces; coming up with new inventions; keeping accounts; and perhaps constructing new public infrastructure such as irrigation canals that further improve the productivity of agriculture, thus realizing even more people to do new things. This can happen, of course, only if a society that has transitioned to high-productivity agriculture has also, at some stage in its evolution, found a way to channel the bonanza of free time into other work fruitfully. In the ancient world, this often involved creating new ideologies and new hierarchies or power structures to coerce or otherwise convince large groups of people to devote their time to the new tasks for very little reward.
What kind of agriculture based societies would emerge as civilizations?
Societies which achieved high productivity in agriculture had the opportunity to find time for other work.
Understanding Agriculture and the Rise of Civilizations
The passage discusses the crucial role of agriculture in the development of civilizations. It highlights that while not all agricultural societies become civilizations, all civilizations emerge from an agricultural stage. The key transition point discussed is the improvement in agricultural productivity.
Analyzing the Passage's Core Idea
According to the passage, as agriculture becomes more productive, a significant portion of the population is no longer needed to produce food. This surplus labor is then freed up to engage in other activities essential for building complex societies, such as:
- Constructing infrastructure (walls, monuments, canals).
- Manufacturing goods (tools, weapons, jewellery).
- Organizing economic activities (long-distance trade, accounting).
- Creating art and inventions.
- Developing organizational structures (hierarchies, ideologies) to manage these new tasks.
The passage emphasizes that for a society to become a civilization, it must not only achieve high agricultural productivity but also find ways to fruitfully utilize the free time generated by this productivity.
Evaluating the Options Based on the Passage
Let's examine each option in light of the passage:
- Option 1: Societies which achieved high productivity in agriculture had the opportunity to find time for other work.
This statement directly aligns with the passage. The passage explicitly says that as productivity improves, "not all people would need to be engaged in producing or procuring food. A significant number of people could be freed up to pursue other activities." This "finding time for other work" is presented as a direct result of high productivity and a necessary condition for the emergence of civilization.
- Option 2: Societies which depended on agriculture completely moved to other fruitful work so as to move to many places.
The passage states that societies pass through an agricultural stage and transition to high-productivity agriculture. It does not suggest that societies depending *completely* on agriculture abandon it entirely or that the primary motivation for moving to other work is to "move to many places." The focus is on utilizing freed-up time for diverse activities within the society.
- Option 3: Societies which transitioned from one stage of agriculture to another.
While transitioning is mentioned, the passage specifically links the emergence of civilization to the transition to *high-productivity* agriculture. Merely transitioning through different stages without achieving sufficient productivity to free up labor for other complex tasks would not necessarily lead to civilization.
- Option 4: Societies which could not do agriculture for lack of resources moved to other work.
This option contradicts the passage's central premise. The passage states that no civilization can form "without passing through the stage of agriculture." It argues that civilization arises *from* successful, high-productivity agriculture, not from a failure to practice it.
Conclusion: Connecting Productivity, Free Time, and Civilization
Based on the passage, the societies that emerge as civilizations are those that successfully leverage high agricultural productivity. This productivity provides the surplus resources and, crucially, frees up labor time that can be channeled into non-agricultural pursuits. These non-agricultural activities are the building blocks of complex urban societies, specialized crafts, organized trade, governance structures, and infrastructure – the hallmarks of civilization.
Therefore, the option that best describes the kind of agriculture-based societies that would emerge as civilizations, according to the passage, is the one that emphasizes achieving high productivity and utilizing the resulting opportunity for other work.
Revision Table: Key Concepts
| Concept | Role in Civilization |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | Necessary stage for civilization. |
| High Productivity Agriculture | Frees up labor from food production. |
| Freed-up Time/Labor | Can be used for non-agricultural activities (building, crafts, trade, etc.). |
| Fruitful Channeling of Time | Essential for using surplus labor to build complex societies. |
| Other Work/Activities | Forms the basis of specialization and complexity in civilizations. |
Additional Information: From Village to City
The process described in the passage is often linked to the development of complex societies and the rise of cities. In early human history, most people lived in small, self-sufficient agricultural villages. As agricultural techniques improved (like irrigation, better tools, crop rotation), the same amount of land could produce more food, and fewer people were needed to farm it. This surplus food and surplus labor allowed for the growth of larger settlements. Some individuals could now specialize in crafts (pottery, weaving, metalworking), trade, administration, religious leadership, or defense. This specialization and concentration of people and resources led to the formation of towns and eventually cities, which are often considered key features of civilizations. The ability to organize and feed a non-farming population is a fundamental step in this transition.
Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
Why, according to the writer can't people be motivated to use a resource prudently?
1. They feel that others may overuse the resource
2. It is possible to substitute the resource
3. Abundance of the resource availability
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
When do people use resources exhaustively?
The self-interest of people affects the use of renewable resources
People rooted in a locality
Which among the following is closest in meaning with the word 'deplete'?
