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.
Which one of the following statements is true according to the author?
Agriculture has always been part of all civilizations.
Understanding Agriculture's Role in Civilization Development
The passage discusses the crucial link between the development of agriculture and the emergence of civilizations. It highlights that while not all societies practicing agriculture evolve into civilizations, the agricultural stage is a necessary prerequisite for any society to become a civilization. This is primarily because improvements in agricultural productivity free up a significant portion of the population from the direct task of food production, allowing them to specialize in other activities essential for building complex societies.
Analyzing the Passage's Key Argument
The author explicitly states: "Not all agricultural societies become civilizations, but no civilization can become one without passing through the stage of agriculture." This is a fundamental point. The passage then details how increased agricultural productivity leads to labor specialization, enabling activities like:
- Building infrastructure (walls, monuments, irrigation canals)
- Crafting tools, weapons, and jewellery
- Organizing trade
- Creating art and inventions
- Keeping records (accounting)
These specialized roles and organized activities are hallmarks of civilization. The passage also notes that managing this newly available labor often requires new social structures, hierarchies, or ideologies.
Evaluating the Given Statements Based on the Passage
Let's examine each statement in light of the author's points:
Statement 1: Agriculture has always been part of all civilizations.
The passage states that civilizations must "pass through the stage of agriculture." The subsequent description explains how improved agricultural productivity is the foundation that *enables* the development of non-agricultural roles necessary for civilization and how civilization activities (like building irrigation) can further enhance agricultural productivity. This implies agriculture isn't just a past stage but remains integral to the functioning and structure of civilizations as described by the author. It's the engine that sustains the specialized labor force. Therefore, based on the author's argument that it's a necessary stage and continues to support the complex activities, this statement aligns with the author's perspective that agriculture is fundamentally and continuously connected to civilizations throughout their existence, having been the necessary stage they passed through and continuing to provide the surplus needed for their complexity.
Statement 2: Not all civilizations have undergone the processes of agriculture.
This statement is directly contradicted by the author's explicit assertion: "no civilization can become one without passing through the stage of agriculture." The author clearly states that passing through the agricultural stage is a necessary condition for civilization.
Statement 3: Agriculture gave birth to new civilizations.
The passage describes agriculture as a necessary *stage* that societies must pass through. Improved agricultural productivity creates the conditions (freed-up labor and surplus) that *enable* the development of civilization characteristics. While agriculture is the foundational catalyst, the author emphasizes the *process* and the *stage*, and how this stage facilitates the emergence of civilization features through labor specialization and organization. Saying it "gave birth to" might imply a singular event, whereas the passage describes an evolutionary process linked to agricultural development and productivity gains.
Statement 4: Communities discontinued agriculture to become civilizations.
This is incorrect according to the passage. The author explains that it is the *improvement in productivity* within agriculture, not its discontinuation, that frees up people to pursue other activities essential for civilization. The passage suggests agriculture becomes more efficient, not abandoned.
Based on the detailed analysis of the passage, statement 1 is the most accurate reflection of the author's view, interpreting "passing through the stage of agriculture" and the subsequent description of productivity enabling civilization as agriculture being an essential and foundational component integral to the existence and structure of the civilizations discussed.
Revision Table: Key Concepts
| Concept | Explanation Based on Passage |
|---|---|
| Agriculture & Civilization | Agriculture is a necessary stage; no civilization forms without it. |
| Productivity Gains | Improved agricultural productivity frees labor from food production. |
| Labor Specialization | Freed-up labor pursues non-agricultural tasks (building, crafts, trade, etc.). |
| Social Organization | New ideologies/hierarchies organize specialized labor for new tasks. |
| Infrastructure | Building projects (like irrigation) can further boost agricultural productivity. |
Additional Information: The Neolithic Revolution and Civilization
The transition described in the passage is closely related to what historians and archaeologists call the Neolithic Revolution. This period saw the widespread adoption of sedentary agriculture, leading to more reliable food sources and, often, a surplus. This surplus and the stability of settled life allowed for population growth and the development of non-farming specialists (potters, weavers, toolmakers, builders). Over time, these changes led to more complex social structures, the rise of villages and then cities, organized religion, government, and other features associated with early civilizations. The passage focuses on how the economic base provided by productive agriculture is fundamental to supporting the non-agricultural activities and social complexity that define civilizations.
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'?
