The correct answer is option C.Lets first understand the passage:- Sociologist:
> Climate, geology determine the location where human industry can be established
> Drastic shifts in climate lead to migrations
> Migrations lead to intermingling of ideas
> Intermingling of ideas is necessary for rapid advances in civilisation
Question: The sociologist’s statements, if true, most strongly support which one of the following?
i.e. find what can be logically inferred from the passage.
Lets look at the answer choices:
(A) Climate is the primary cause of migration
Not necessary. We can be sure that a drastic (extreme) shift in climate leads to migration. But we cannot be sure that this is the primary cause - it could be one of many other reasons, some of which being even stronger reasons.
A leads to B does not imply A is the primary cause of B, there could be some other main cause.
(B) All shifts in climate produce a net gain in human progress
Incorrect. Only a drastic shift in climate leads to migrations leading to intermingling of ideas. And intermingling of ideas are necessary for advances/progress does not imply that intermingling of ideas will definitely lead to progress in all cases.
So 2 reasons to reject this option:
1. All shifts - incorrect. We can only infer about a drastic shift
2. A is necessary for B - does not mean that if A happens, B will definitely happen. Thus, intermingling of ideas is necessary for progress, yes, but that does not mean that intermingling of ideas will necessarily lead to progress.
(C) A population remains settles only where the climate is fairly stable.Correct. Given that
Drastic shift in climate (i.e. unstable climate) leads to migrations i.e. population not settling somewhere, then we can infer that a population can settle only where climate is fairly stable. If climate is unstable, then the population will migrate i.e. not settle.
(D) Populations settle in every place where human industry can be established
Incorrect. All we can infer from the passage is that industry can be established in places where, thanks to migration, intermingling of ideas has happened (as the new population mingles with the old).
Populations can settle anywhere - even at a place with stable climate, and no migration/intermingling of ideas. In such a place, the population will be settled, but they will not make much progress as a civilisation (no setting up of human industry). Hence, option D is incorrect.
(E) Every migration is accompanied by rapid advances in civilization
Not necessarily true.
Migration leads to intermingling of ideas. As discussed above, intermingling of ideas are necessary for advances/progress does not imply that intermingling of ideas will definitely lead to progress in all cases.
A is necessary for B - does not mean that if A happens, B will definitely happen. Thus, Migration, leading to intermingling of ideas is necessary for progress, yes, but that does not mean that it will necessarily lead to progress in every case.
Cheers!
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