Question

read the passage below and answer the question.

the agricultural revolution certainly enlarged the sum total of food at the disposal of humankind, but the extra food did not translate into a better diet or more leisure. rather, it translated into population explosions and pampered elites. the average farmer worked harder than the average forager, and got a worse diet in return.

from: yuval noah harari, sapiens (new york: harper, 2015), 72.

which of the following best explains why agriculture contributed to stronger social hierarchy?

choose 1 answer:
a) agriculture allowed some people to specialize in tasks other than food production
b) agriculture forced people to spend more time on food production
c) agriculture produced more food than hunting and gathering
d) agriculture was only performed by enslaved laborers

Explanation:

To determine the best answer, we analyze each option:

• Option A: If some people could specialize in non - food - production tasks (like becoming elites), this creates a division of labor and different social roles, leading to a stronger social hierarchy. The passage mentions "pampered elites", which aligns with this idea.
• Option B: Spending more time on food production doesn't directly explain social hierarchy. It just talks about the work of farmers.
• Option C: Producing more food is about the quantity of food, not about how it leads to social hierarchy.
• Option D: The passage doesn't mention that agriculture was only done by enslaved laborers, so this is not supported.

Answer:

A. Agriculture allowed some people to specialize in tasks other than food production