Reading Comprehension: Detail Questions

Which of the following is true according to the theories of 1970s agrarian historians?

Incorrect. [[snippet]] The **third paragraph** provides us with examples of European technologies and farming methods (as we know from the **first paragraph**) that did not work as well as Russian technologies and farming methods. This does not mean that the methods Russian peasants used were the _most_ suitable, only that they were _more_ suitable than the European option.

Incorrect. [[snippet]] The **third paragraph** states that the Russian peasants were motivated by a fear of loss rather than by increasing profits. Thus, this answer choice contradicts what is stated in the text.

Incorrect. [[snippet]] Nowhere in the passage is it stated that Russian peasants lived in poverty. The passage only states that they could not afford machinery.

Great! [[snippet]] The **third paragraph** tells us that Russian peasants were driven by their economic needs (i.e., they wanted to make money). However, their actions still did not conform to the expectations of neoclassical theory, which the **first paragraph** tells us means maximizing profit. Instead, *the risk of loss of precious time or harvest outweighed the possible benefits of new technologies*, meaning that the Russian peasants were motivated by a fear of loss rather than by a desire to increase profits.

Incorrect. [[snippet]] This answer choice incorrectly states that Russian peasants tried to use metal appliances but that these failed. The information in the **third paragraph** shows that they simply did not use this new technology.

Because Russian peasants were concerned with increasing their profits, they avoided new technologies that were not suited to their particular situation.

Russian peasants' poverty prevented them from utilizing the new technology that was available in the market.

Russian peasants used techniques most suited for Russian ecology and soil conditions.

Russian peasants' attempts to use technologically advanced metal appliances failed due to their poor fit with Russian soil.

Russian peasants were utility minded but did not seek to maximize their profits.