Writing And City Life- Source Based Type Questions

1. Read the following extract carefully and answer the following question by choosing the correct option:
The connection between city life, trade and writing is brought out in a long Sumerian Epic poem about Enmerkar, one of the earliest rulers of Uruk. In Mesopotamian tradition, Uruk was the city par excellence, known simply as The City.
Enmerkar is associated with the organisation of the first trade of Sumer: in the early days, the Epic says, 'trade was not known'. Enmerkar wanted lapis lazuli and precious metals for the beautification of a city Temple and sent his messenger out to get them from the chief of a very distant land called Aratta. 'The Messenger heeded the word of the king. By night he went just by the stars. By day, he would go by Heaven's Sun divine. He had to go up into the mountain ranges, and had to come down out of the mountain range. The people of Susa (a city) below the mountains saluted him like tiny mice. Five mountain ranges, six mountain ranges, seven mountain ranges he crossed...'

Q1: "Uruk was the city par excellence", which of the following statements justifies it?
(a) Uruk was a prosperous city
(b) Uruk had many temples
(c) Enmerkar wanted lapis lazuli and precious metals for the beautification of a city Temple
(d) Both (a) and (b)

Ans: (c)

Explanation: The Epic records that Enmerkar sought precious materials such as lapis lazuli and metals specifically for the beautification of a city temple. This detail shows Uruk's special status and the importance placed on its public and sacred buildings, which justifies calling Uruk the city par excellence. The account also emphasises long-distance exchange organised to obtain these luxury items.

Q2: "The people of Susa below the mountains saluted him like tiny mice." What did the poet mean?
(a) The people of Susa were like mice
(b) The people of Susa were very short in height
(c) Once the messenger had climbed to a great height, everything appeared small
(d) All of these

Ans: (c)

Explanation: The simile indicates the messenger's vantage point after climbing high into the mountains. From that height, the town and its people would appear very small, like tiny mice. It is a description of relative size and distance, not a literal comparison of people to animals.

2. Read the following extract carefully and answer the following question by choosing the correct option:
City life began in Mesopotamia, the land between the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers that is now part of the Republic of Iraq. Mesopotamian Civilization is known for its prosperity, city life, its voluminous and rich literature and its mathematics and astronomy. Mesopotamia's writing system and literature spread to the Eastern Mediterranean, Northern Syria and Turkey after 2000 BCE, so that the kingdoms of that entire region were writing to one another and the Pharaoh of Egypt, in the language and script of Mesopotamia. At the beginning of recorded history, the land, mainly the urbanized South, was called Sumer and Akkad. After 2000 BCE when Babylon became an important city, the term Babylonia was used for the southern region. From about 1100 BCE when the Assyrians established their Kingdom in the north, the region became known as Assyria. The first known language of the land was Sumerian. It was gradually replaced by Akkadian around 2400 BCE when Akkadian speakers arrived. This language flourished till about Alexander time 336 - 323 BCE with some regional changes occurring. From 1400 BCE Aramaic also trickled in.

Q3: What does Mesopotamia mean?
(a) The land between two mountains.
(b) The land between two valleys.
(c) The land between two rivers.
(d) The land on plateau.

Ans: (c)

Explanation: The name Mesopotamia literally means the land between two rivers, referring to the Tigris and the Euphrates. This region lies within the Tigris-Euphrates river system and covers much of present-day Iraq and parts of Iran, Turkey, Syria and Kuwait.

Q4: The term Babylonia was used for?
(a) Unurbanized Southern Region.
(b) Urbanized Southern Region.
(c) Urbanized Northern Region.
(d) Southern region

Ans: (d)

Explanation: After about 2000 BCE, when Babylon grew in importance, writers used the term Babylonia to refer to the southern region of Mesopotamia. The label identifies that geographic portion rather than specifying urban or unurban characteristics alone.

Q5: According to the extract Mesopotamian Civilization is known for? 
(a) City Life
(b) Rich Literature
(c) Prosperity
(d) All of these

Ans: (d)

Explanation: Mesopotamian civilisation is noted for its prosperous urban life, extensive and rich literature, and achievements in fields such as mathematics and astronomy. Taken together, these features explain why all three options are correct.

3. Read the following extract carefully and answer the following question by choosing the correct option:
Today Mesopotamian excavators have much higher standards of accuracy and care in recording than in the old days, so that few dig huge areas the way Ur was excavated. Moreover, few archaeologists have the funds to employ large teams of excavators. Thus, the mode of obtaining data has changed.
Take the small town of Abu Salabikh, about 10 hectares in area in 2500 BCE with a population of less than 10000. The outlines of walls were at first traced by scrapping surfaces. This involves scraping off the top few millimetres of the mound with the sharp and wide end of a shovel or other tool. While the soil underneath was still slightly moist, the archaeologist could make out different colours, textures and lines of bricks, walls pits or other features. A few houses that were discovered were excavated. The archaeologist also sieved through tons of earth to recover plant and animal remains, and in the process identified many species of plants and animals and found large quantities of charred fish bones that had been swept out onto the streets. Plant seeds and fibre remained after dung cake had been burned as fuel and thus kitchens were identified. Living rooms were those with fewer traces. Because they found the teeth of very young pigs on the streets, archaeologists concluded that pigs must have roamed freely here as in any other Mesopotamian town. In fact, one house burial contained some pig bones - the dead person must have been given some pork for his nourishment in the Afterlife. The archaeologist also made microscopic studies of room floors to decide which rooms in a house were roofed (with popular logs, Palm leaves, straw etc.) and which were open to the sky.

Q6: Why did Mesopotamian excavators have much higher standards of accuracy and care in recording than in the old days?
(a) The procedure involves scraping off the top few millimetres of the mound with the sharp and wide end of a shovel or other tool. 
(b) A few archaeologists have the funds to employ large teams of excavators. 
(c) The mode of obtaining data has changed. 
(d) All of these.

Ans: (c)

Explanation: "Today Mesopotamian excavators have much higher standards of accuracy and care in recording than in the old days, so that few dig huge areas the way Ur was excavated. Moreover, few archaeologists have the funds to employ large teams of excavators. Thus, the mode of obtaining data has changed."

Q7: How the kitchens were identified by the archaeologist during the excavation of Abu Salabikh?
(a) By the plant and animal remains. 
(b) By new varieties and species of plants and animals.
(c) Large quantities of charred fish bones that had been swept out onto the streets.
(d) Plant seeds and fibre remained after dung cake had been burned as fuel.

Ans: (d)

Explanation: Kitchens were identified by residues such as plant seeds and fibres left after dung cake was burned as fuel. These remains indicate cooking activity and fuel use; while charred fish bones and other animal remains also help, the specific clue mentioned for kitchens in Abu Salabikh was the plant seeds and fibre from burnt dung fuel.

4. Read the following extract carefully and answer the following question by choosing the correct option:

However rich the food resources of Mesopotamia, its mineral resources were few. Most parts of the South lacked stones for tools, seals and jewels; the wood of the Iraqi Date Palm and poplar was not good enough for carts, cartwheels boats; and there was no metal for tools, vessels or ornaments. So, we can summarise that the ancient MeMesopotamiansould have traded their abundant textiles and agricultural produce for wood, copper, tin, silver, gold, shells and various stones from Turkey and Iran, or across the Gulf. These latter regions had mineral resources, but much less scope for agriculture. Regular exchange - possible only when there was a social organisation - to equip foreign expeditions and direct the exchange was initiated by the people of Southern Mesopotamia.

Study the extract and answer the following question:

Q8: Assertion (A): Mesopotamian mineral resources were few
Reasons (R): Mesopotamians could have traded their abundant textile and agricultural produce for wood, copper, tin, silver, gold and shells from Turkey and Iran.
(a) Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is a correct explanation of (A)
(b) Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is not a correct explanation of (A)
(c) (A) is correct and (R) is not a correct explanation of (A)
(d) (A) is not correct and (R) is not a correct explanation of (A)

Ans: (a)

Explanation:

(i) Assertion: Mesopotamia had limited mineral and good timber resources; most of the southern area lacked suitable stones and metals.

(ii) Reason: Because of this shortage, Mesopotamians traded surplus textiles and agricultural produce to obtain wood, copper, tin, silver, gold, shells and various stones from regions such as Turkey, Iran and areas across the Gulf.

(iii) Justification: The reason directly explains the assertion. The lack of local mineral and good timber resources made organised long-distance exchange necessary, and such trade provided the required raw materials.

Q9: Which of the following is true in context with Mesopotamia?
(a) Mesopotamia did not have metals for tools, vessels or ornaments
(b) The wood of the Iraqi Date Palm and poplar was not good enough for cartscartwheelsls or boats
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of these

Ans: (c)

Explanation: Both statements are correct according to the extract: most parts of southern Mesopotamia lacked suitable stones and metals for tools and ornaments, and the wood of the Iraqi date-palm and poplar was not well suited for carts, cartwheels or boats. Therefore both (a) and (b) are true.

Q10: Name the things that were lacking in Mesopotamian cities.
(a) Tools
(b) Seals
(c) Jewels 
d) All of these.

Ans: (d)

Explanation: The extract states that most parts of the south lacked stones needed for tools, seals and jewels. In addition, metals for tools, vessels and ornaments were also absent locally, so all the listed items were lacking.

5. Study this picture of Clay Tablet used by Mesopotamians carefully and answer the following questions by choosing the correct option:

Q11: Mesopotamians wrote on tablets of clays.
(a) The above statement is True.
(b) The statement is partially True.
(c) The above statement is False.
(d) None of these

Ans: True

Explanation: Mesopotamians commonly wrote on clay tablets. Early writing began as counting marks and simple pictorial signs pressed into clay tokens or tablets. Scribes used clay tablets to record transactions, events and exercises, which has left a rich archaeological record.

Q12: Mesopotamia is widely known due to;
(a) Records of Literature and Poetry
(b) Availability of sources including clay tablets in abundance.
(c) Availability of records in English.
(d) All of the above.

Ans: (b)

Explanation: The survival and abundance of primary sources-especially clay tablets-make Mesopotamia widely known to modern scholars. While the region produced literature and poetry, and some records are now available in English translation, it is the availability of original source material that underpins our knowledge.

Q13: The Clay tablet depicts a picture of:
(a) A Poetry written by Mesopotamians.
(b) A mathematical exercise with triangles and lines.
(c) A science experiment.
(d) A secret document with codes.

Ans: (b)

Explanation: The tablet shown is an example of a mathematical exercise, displaying triangles and lines. Mesopotamian scribes recorded numerical and geometrical work on clay tablets, which survive in quantity and illustrate their practical mathematics.

6. Read the following extract carefully and answer the following question by choosing the correct option:

Mesopotamians valued city life in which people of many communities and cultures lived side by side. After cities were destroyed in the war, they recorded them in poetry.
The most ignorant reminder to us of the pride Mesopotamians took in their City came at the end of Gilgamesh Epic, which was written on twelve tablets. Gilgamesh is said to have ruled the city of Uruk sometime after Enmerkar. A great hero who subdued people far and wide, he got a shock when his heroic friend died. He then set out to find the secret of immortality, crossing the water that surrounds the world. After a heroic attempt,t Gilgamesh failed and returned to Uruk. There he consoled himself by walking along the city wall, back and forth. He admired the foundation made of fired bricks that he had put into place. It is on the city wall of Uruk that the long tail of heroism and endeavour fizzles out. Gilgamesh does not say that even though he would die his sons would outlive him, as a tribal hero would have done. He consolidated the city that his people had built.

Q14: How did Mesopotamians recall their cities?
(a) They recall them in their painting.
(b) They recall them in their songs.
(c) They recall them in their poetry.
(d) They recall them in their stories.

Ans: (c)

Explanation: Mesopotamians commemorated and celebrated their cities in poetry. Epic poems such as those about Enmerkar and Gilgamesh describe cities, their walls and foundations, and express the pride people took in urban achievements.

Q15: Consider the following statement:
(i) While moving narratives can be transmitted orally.
(ii) Science requires written text that a generation of scholars can read and build upon.
(a) Both (a) and (b) are correct.
(b) Only (b) is correct.
(c) Only (a) is correct.
(d) Both (a) and (b) are wrong.

Ans: (a)

Explanation: Both statements are correct. Moving narratives and heroic tales can be passed on orally from person to person. Scientific knowledge, by contrast, benefits from written records that allow successive generations of scholars to read, verify and build upon earlier work.