The earliest imprints of human activities in India go back to the

Question

The earliest imprints of human activities in India go back to the Paleolithic Age, roughly between 400,000 and 200,000 BC. Stone implements and cave paintings from this period have been discovered in many parts of South Asia. One of the first great civilizations – with a writing system, urban centers, and a diversified social and economic system – appeared around 3,000 BC along the Indus River valley. The remnants of two major cities – Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa – reveal remarkable engineering feats of uniform urban planning and carefully executed layout, water supply, and drainage. Excavations at these sites and later archaeological digs at about seventy other locations provide a composite picture of what is now generally known as Harappan culture (2500-1600 BC).

The major cities contained a few large buildings including a citadel, a large bath, differentiated living quarters, flat-roofed brick houses, and fortified administrative or religious centers enclosing meeting halls and granaries. Essentially a city culture, Harappan life was supported by extensive agricultural production and commerce, which included trade with the Sumers in southern Mesopotamia. Harappan people made tools and weapons from copper and bronze but not from iron. Cotton was woven and dyed for clothing; wheat, rice, and a variety of vegetables and fruits were cultivated; and a number of animals, including the humped bull, were domesticated. Harappan culture remained relatively unchanged for centuries; whenever cities were rebuilt after periodic flooding, the new level of construction closely followed the previous pattern. Although stability, regularity, and conservatism seem to have been the hallmarks of Harappan people, it is unclear who wielded social authority, whether an aristocratic, priestly, or commercial minority.

By far the most exquisite but most obscure Harappan artifacts unearthed to date are steatite seals found in abundance at Mohenjo-Daro. These small, flat, and mostly square objects with human or animal motifs provide the most accurate picture there is of Harappan life. They also have inscriptions generally thought to be in the Harappan script, which has eluded scholarly attempts at deciphering it. Debate abounds as to whether the script represents numbers or an alphabet. The possible reasons for the decline of Harappan civilization have long troubled scholars. Invaders from central and western Asia are believed by some historians to have been the "destroyers" of Harappan cities, but this view is open to reinterpretation. More plausible explanations are soil salinity, desertification, or recurrent floods caused by tectonic earth movement.   1 
 1. The author of the passage provides which of the following as an example of the Harappan culture remaining largely the same over centuries?

A. There were buildings with differentiated living quarters.
B. There is uncertainty over which minority held social power in the Harappan cities
C. There was a lack of variety in constructions patterns over the long period of the culture's existence
D. Steatite seals found at Mohenjo-Daro do not suggest any change over a millennium.
E. The Sumers in southern Mesopotamia, a contemporary civilization, remained unchanged for centuries.

2 
 2. Which of the following information would weaken the author's opinion about the decline of the Harappan civilization?

A. The Indus River, a mighty river during the times of the Harappan civilization, was regularly flooded.
B. The tectonic plate covering the Indian subcontinent was dormant between 3000 BC and 1000 BC.
C. The current locations of the cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa are deserts.
D. Invaders from central and western Asia had more rudimentary weapons than those with the Harappan people.
E. Withdrawal of the ancient ocean surrounding India gradually increased soluble salts in the Harappan soil.

3 
 3. In relation to the first paragraph, the second paragraph serves to

A. elaborate on specific references the first paragraph makes in regard to an ancient civilization
B. raise questions about the greatness of the two cities alluded to in the first paragraph
C. introduce information that may help explain the Paleolithic discoveries presented in the first paragraph
D. provide clarity on who held influence in the diversified social system stated in the first paragraph
E. offer a specific example of a communication technique mentioned in the first paragraph

4 
 4. All of the following can be inferred from the passage about the Harappan culture EXCEPT

A. Social hierarchy of the Harappan culture is not known.
B. The Harappan civilization was largely an agricultural society.
C. The Harappan people had developed construction techniques sophisticated for an ancient civilization.
D. There is uncertainty about what the Harappan script represents.
E. The Harappan cities were the epicenter of economic activity in South Asia.

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Dereno · Answer

1. The author of the passage provides which of the following as an example of the Harappan culture remaining largely the same over centuries?

The following lines from the second paragraph - “   Harappan culture remained relatively unchanged for centuries; whenever cities were rebuilt after periodic flooding, the new level of construction closely followed the previous pattern    “ . This shows that the construction pattern remained the same even after flooding, and followed the previous pattern.

A. There were buildings with differentiated living quarters.
B. There is uncertainty over which minority held social power in the Harappan cities
 C. There was a lack of variety in constructions patterns over the long period of the culture's existence. 
D. Steatite seals found at Mohenjo-Daro do not suggest any change over a millennium.
E. The Sumers in southern Mesopotamia, a contemporary civilization, remained unchanged for centuries.

Option C resonates the same theme and concept as mentioned in the lines.

2. Which of the following information would weaken the author's opinion about the decline of the Harappan civilization?

The third paragraph lines - “   The possible reasons for the decline of Harappan civilization have long troubled scholars. Invaders from central and western Asia are believed by some historians to have been the "destroyers" of Harappan cities, but this view is open to reinterpretation. More plausible explanations are soil salinity, desertification, or recurrent floods caused by tectonic earth movement ”. Speak in depth and volume about the reasons for decline of Harappan Civilisation. 
 
A. The Indus River, a mighty river during the times of the Harappan civilization, was regularly flooded.
 B. The tectonic plate covering the Indian subcontinent was dormant between 3000 BC and 1000 BC. 
C. The current locations of the cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa are deserts.
D. Invaders from central and western Asia had more rudimentary weapons than those with the Harappan people.
E. Withdrawal of the ancient ocean surrounding India gradually increased soluble salts in the Harappan soil.

If the floods recurring are caused by movement of tectonic plates. Then option B mentioning it as dormant tectonic plates contradict the fact. Hence, Wrong. All other options are explained in these lines.

Hence,  Option B

3. In relation to the first paragraph, the second paragraph serves to

A. elaborate on specific references the first paragraph makes in regard to an ancient civilization.

The first paragraph mentions in general about the paleolithic age, and slowly traverses to the two predominant urban centres during the later years of 2500 BC - the Harrapan and Mohenjadaro. The second paragraph explains in detail about the references cited in the first paragraph, providing a brief link between the two. Hence, correct answer.

B. raise questions about the greatness of the two cities alluded to in the first paragraph
C. introduce information that may help explain the Paleolithic discoveries presented in the first paragraph
D. provide clarity on who held influence in the diversified social system stated in the first paragraph
E. offer a specific example of a communication technique mentioned in the first paragraphs.

Options B,C,D, and E are not explained or it’s irrelevant to the question. Hence, wrong.

option A

4. All of the following can be inferred from the passage about the Harappan culture EXCEPT

A. Social hierarchy of the Harappan culture is not known.

Last few lines of Para 2 mentions -   Although stability, regularity, and conservatism seem to have been the hallmarks of Harappan people, it is unclear who wielded social authority, whether an aristocratic, priestly, or commercial minority . So, the social hierarchy is not known. Thus, can be inferred. 
 
B. The Harappan civilization was largely an agricultural society.

This is evident from the lines - “   Essentially a city culture, Harappan life was supported by  extensive agricultural production  and commerce, which included trade with the Sumers in southern Mesopotamia ”. This shows Harappan civilisation is agricultural society. Hence, can be inferred. 
 
C. The Harappan people had developed construction techniques sophisticated for an ancient civilization.

The lines from the first passage- “   The remnants of two major cities – Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa – reveal remarkable engineering feats of uniform urban planning and carefully executed layout, water supply, and drainage “. Can be inferred about the sophisticated construction techniques.

D. There is uncertainty about what the Harappan script represents.

The lines from third paragraph- “   They also have inscriptions generally thought to be in the Harappan script, which has eluded scholarly attempts at  deciphering  it.  Debate  abounds as to  whether the script  represents numbers or an alphabet ”. We can infer the script is debatable and attempts to decipher it is a tedious task. 
 
 E. The Harappan cities were the epicenter of economic activity in South Asia.

Harrapan had trade relations with Sumers of Mesopotomia, and the artifacts of Harappan civilisation is found in South Asia. Findings of artificers doesn’t mean trade was there. Hence, cannot be inferred. Correct answer.

Option E

ExpertsGlobal5 · Answer

Mind-map   
     
  To introduce the Harappan culture, one of the first great civilizations (Paragraph 1)  
  To describe the Harappan cities, people, and culture (Paragraph 2)  
  To suggest that there is lack of clarity about the Harappan script and the decline of the civilization (Paragraph 3)  
   
  = = = = = = = = = =  
 
   1.   The author of the passage provides which of the following as an example of the Harappan culture remaining largely the same over centuries?   
   
 a.   There were buildings with differentiated living quarters. 
 b.   There is uncertainty over which minority held social power in the Harappan cities 
  c.     There was a lack of variety in constructions patterns over the long period of the culture's existence  
 d.   Steatite seals found at Mohenjo-Daro do not suggest any change over a millennium. 
 e.   The Sumers in southern Mesopotamia, a contemporary civilization, remained unchanged for centuries. 
 
 Question Type: Fact 
     
   C is the best choice.   
   
   Video explanation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1zkeX9KrUg

2.   Which of the following information would weaken the author's opinion about the decline of the Harappan civilization?   
   
 a.   The Indus River, a mighty river during the times of the Harappan civilization, was regularly flooded. 
  b.     The tectonic plate covering the Indian subcontinent was dormant between 3000 BC and 1000 BC.  
 c.   The current locations of the cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa are deserts. 
 d.   Invaders from central and western Asia had more rudimentary weapons than those with the Harappan people. 
 e.   Withdrawal of the ancient ocean surrounding India gradually increased soluble salts in the Harappan soil. 
 
 Question Type: Inference  
 
   B is the best choice.   
   
   Video explanation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAZ0rJ8tsP4

3.   In relation to the first paragraph, the second paragraph serves to   
   
  a.     elaborate on specific references the first paragraph makes in regard to an ancient civilization  
 b.   raise questions about the greatness of the two cities alluded to in the first paragraph 
 c.   introduce information that may help explain the   Paleolithic   discoveries presented in the first paragraph 
 d.   provide clarity on who held influence in the diversified social system stated in the first paragraph 
 e.   offer a specific example of a communication technique mentioned in the first paragraph 
 
 Question Type: Structure 
 
   A is the best choice.   
   
   Video explanation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGiDt0uowEI

4.   All of the following can be inferred from the passage about the Harappan culture EXCEPT   
   
 a.   Social hierarchy of the Harappan culture is not known. 
 b.   The Harappan civilization was largely an agricultural society. 
 c.   The Harappan people had developed construction techniques sophisticated for an ancient civilization. 
 d.   There is uncertainty about what the Harappan script represents. 
  e.     The Harappan cities were the epicenter of economic activity in South Asia.  
 
 Question Type: Inference 
 
   E is the best choice.   
     
    Video explanation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4l6Vm4p9-0

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The earliest imprints of human activities in India go back to the

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