Consider the following sentences:
[A] This transition enabled the accumulation of surplus foodstuffs and the birth of permanent settlements.
[B] Around twelve thousand years ago, human populations began shifting from foraging to settled agriculture.
[C] Specialised artisanal castes, centralized governance, and written record-keeping soon followed.
[D] In archaeological terms, this pivotal transformation is known as the Neolithic Revolution.

Which sequence constitutes the standard historical narrative?

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: A. B -> D -> A -> C

  1. Step 1: Locate the chronological anchor sentence. Sentence [B] introduces the historical epoch ("Around twelve thousand years ago...") and the basic shift from foraging to settled farming.
  2. Step 2: Sentence [D] names this phenomenon ("In archaeological terms, this key transformation is known as the Neolithic Revolution"). Sentence [A] explains the immediate economic outcome ("This transition enabled the accumulation of surplus foodstuffs..."), and Sentence [C] describes subsequent institutional developments ("Specialised artisanal castes... soon followed"). This establishes the sequence: B -> D -> A -> C.
Answer
B -> D -> A -> C.

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