Complex societies flourished on the central plateau of southern Africa

1. Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main point of the passage?

(A) Understanding the basis for the prosperity and social organization of Great Zimbabwe requires an understanding of the dynamics of its cattle economy. - Correctly maps the key aspect of the passage
(B) The diversity and abundance of natural resources on the central plateau of southern Africa was responsible for the rise and fall of Great Zimbabwe's civilization. - Passage doesnt mention the fall of it.
(C) The power of the royal class in Great Zimbabwe originally arose from their ownership of the croplands that yielded the food supply. - Did it really? Lets not waste time anyways, too specific
(D) Great Zimbabwe's economic system rested upon the twin pillars of gold mining and the import-export trade. - opposite of what the author says
(E) The communal nature of cattle ownership in Great Zimbabwe was largely responsible for the relative prosperity of both labourers and royalty in the region. - communal means "something which is common to use" but the what cited is that "with cattle becoming the property of a ruling class." So nope.

2. According to the passage, one important reason for the use of lands at different elevations for cattle grazing in Great Zimbabwe was

Refer line " in winter, the cattle were moved to lower regions unsuitable for grazing in summer because of the risk to the cattle of disease carried by the tsetse fly. This economy demanded large-scale coordinated efforts to control distant pastures and to move and protect the cattle as large herds."

(A) the allocation of different grazing lands to different members of the royalty - Irrelevant
(B) the paucity of grain for feeding cattle - We dont know. Eliminate
(C) the importance of protecting the health of the cattle - Correct.
(D) the peculiar and difficult topography of the Great Zimbabwe region - Irrelevant.
(E) the need to allow grazing land to restore itself during a fallow period - Irrelevant.

3. Based on the passage, the relationship of Great Zimbabwe's cattle economy to the size of Great Zimbabwe's population is most analogous to the relationship between

Okay, What we know
GZ Cattle economy <-- Ruled by some guys, cattles are important, royal, and used to drive economy powering agriculture.
GZ Population <-- Exceeding 10k, too much people and food is sufficient only for some part of population before cattle economy.

(A) hunting and gathering - Thats way too far.
(B) irrigation and a farm in a desert - Right. Only choice which is closest. Irrigation for certain farm <-- Used to gain food, Farm in a desert <-- Can be powered via irrigation. This is vague but close.
(C) accounting and marketing - Irrelevant.
(D) sports stadiums and athletic contests - Two different things not relevant.
(E) individual stones and a stone wall - Irrelevant.


4. Which one of the following most accurately describes the author's attitude regarding Great Zimbabwe's cattle economy?

Overall attitude - POSITIVE

(A) condemnation of its role in perpetuating powerful centralized control over the society - negative
(B) surprise at its lack of diversification - surprise? lack of diversification? Irrelevant and no.
(C) skepticism about its effectiveness in sustaining the cohesiveness of the society - Negative. doubtful
(D) respect for the intricacy of its workings, but criticism of its inefficiency - Not criticizing anywhere
(E) appreciation of its complexity and extensive integration into various facets of social life - Correct. Overall agrees for its role in prosperity


5. According to the passage, Great Zimbabwe had trade relationships

Refer to the line "the inhabitants of Great Zimbabwe enjoyed notable prosperity, obtaining luxury goods such as Chinese glazed pottery and Near Eastern glass from distant trading emporia on Africa's east coast"

All choices except C are incorrect.
(A) only with smaller zimbabwes on the plateau -
(B) mainly with states that exported gold -
(C) with other African regions - Correct
(D) only with other cattle-herding peoples -
(E) with neighboring states that could supply grain

6. According to the passage, which one of the following was true of Great Zimbabwe's agricultural system?

Refer last line " It was through its use of cattle as a powerful incentive to laborers that royalty was able to muster the human resources necessary for large-scale gold mining"
and also "it is instead the agricultural basis for the zimbabwe economic system that is actually the most crucial element in understanding Great Zimbabwe's achievements."

(A) The system was inadequate for the extraordinary size of Great Zimbabwe's population in the fourteenth century. - Cattle economy made it adequate right?
(B) The system was practiced chiefly on land located at lower elevations. - "cattle grazed at higher elevations"
(C) The system exemplified effective large-scale food production without extensive political controls. - Oh no there were political controls
(D) The system was a crucial factor in enabling the region's gold mining activity to reach its large scale. - Correct. So it was crucial for gold mining.
(E) The system promoted the establishment of small areas of intensive seasonal crop cultivation. - We dont know that.