Question

The Beginning of Farming in Africa

Before the people of Africa ever began farming, they gathered wild vegetables and hunted animals for meat. But by 6000 BC, the climate had gradually become very hot and dry. In fact, it was so dry that the Sahara Desert had begun to take over the grasslands. The result was that many African peoples found it harder to find the foods they were used to eating. The only way to survive was to begin growing some of their own crops. This was the start of farming in Africa.
The Sudan is south of the Sahara Desert. A similar climate change occurred in this area of Africa. With the hotter, drier weather, people had to start farming; otherwise there would have been no food to eat. While people grew wheat and barley in other parts of Africa, the climate was more extreme here because it was close to the equator, making it too hot to grow these crops. So instead, these West African peoples started growing other grasses that could stand the heat, such as millet. They used millet to make bread or mush for their meals.
The area just south of the Sudan is mainly rainforest. Here, it was impossible to grow grasses or grains to eat because it was too wet and the vegetation was too dense. People in this region of Africa learned to raise root vegetables instead, especially yams (sweet potato). Yams became the main food they ate.
3
What caused the people who lived south of the Sudan to begin growing yams?
A.
The climate was too wet to grow grasses or grains.
B.
The soil was too dry to grow millet with success.
C.
The temperature was hot and the ground was scorched.
D.
They got tired of only eating wheat and barley.

Answer 1

A. The climate was too wet to grow grasses or grains. The passage says the rainforest region was too wet and dense for grains, so people raised root vegetables like yams.