The Pharaohs may have believed that it was their links with the Gods that kept Egypt going, but really it was the hard work of the ordinary people. It was they who dug the soil, worked in the mines and quarries, sailed the boats on the river Nile, marched with the army into Syria or Nubia, cooked food and raised children. Slavery was not very important in ancient Egypt, but it did exist. Most of the slaves were prisoners who had been captured during the many wars Egypt fought with their neighbors in the Near East. Slaves were usually treated well and were allowed to own property. Many Egyptian workers were serfs. This meant that their freedom was limited. They could be bought and sold along with the estates where they worked. Farmers had to be registered with the government. They had to sell crops at a fixed price and pay taxes in the form of produce. During the season of the Nile floods, when the fields lay under water, many workers were recruited into public building projects. Punishment for those who ran away was harsh.
What according to the passage was the reason of ancient Egyptian progress and prosperity?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → The labour and hard work of the ordinary men in ancient Egypt
The first sentence says that the Pharaohs may have believed their links with the Gods kept Egypt going, "but really it was the hard work of the ordinary people". The passage then lists their work: digging the soil, working in mines and quarries, sailing boats on the Nile and marching with the army.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: The link the Pharaohs claimed they had with the Gods — Incorrect. Contradicted: this is only what the Pharaohs believed; the words "but really" show that the writer does not accept it as the true reason.
Option 3: The mines and quarries full of gems armed with rockets and missiles and jewels in ancient Egypt. — Incorrect. Wrong link: mines and quarries are mentioned only as places where ordinary people worked; rockets and missiles did not exist in ancient Egypt.
Option 4: The modern smart Egyptian army — Incorrect. Contradicted: the passage is about ancient Egypt; the army is mentioned only as something ordinary people marched with.