Question

The passage given below is followed by four alternate summaries. Choose the option that best captures the essence of the passage. It’s not that modern historians of medieval Africa have been ignorant about contacts between Ethiopia and Europe; they just had the power dynamic reversed. The traditional narrative stressed Ethiopia as weak and in trouble in the face of aggression from external forces, so Ethiopia sought military assistance from their fellow Christians to the north. But the real story, buried in plain sight in medieval diplomatic texts, simply had not yet been put together by modern scholars. Recent research pushes scholars of medieval Europe to imagine a much more richly connected medieval world: at the beginning of the so-called Age of Exploration, there is evidence that the kings of Ethiopia were sponsoring their own missions of diplomacy, faith and commerce.

• A. Medieval historical sources selectively promoted the narrative that powerful European forces were called on to protect weak African civilisations such as Ethiopia, but this is far from reality.
• B. Historians were under the illusion that Ethiopia needed military protection from their neighbours, but in fact the country had close commercial and religious connections with them
• C. Medieval texts have documented how strong connections between the Christian communities of Ethiopia and Europe were invaluable in establishing military and trade links between the two civilisations.
• D. Medieval texts have been ‘cherry-picked’ to promote a view of Ethiopia as weak and in need of Europe’s military help with aggressive neighbours, but recent studies reveal it was a well-connected and outwardlooking culture.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

The provided text analyzes contrasting perspectives on Ethiopia's historical engagement with Europe during the medieval era. The conventional account portrays Ethiopia as subordinate and reliant on European assistance against encroaching adversaries. Conversely, contemporary scholarship refutes this by asserting that Ethiopia maintained extensive global connections, actively pursuing its own diplomatic and trade initiatives. Among the presented choices, the following statement best encapsulates this revised understanding: Medieval texts have been ‘cherry-picked’ to promote a view of Ethiopia as weak and in need of Europe’s military help with aggressive neighbours, but recent studies reveal it was a well-connected and outwardlooking culture. This selection accurately reflects the shift from the traditional narrative by highlighting the selective use of historical records and acknowledging Ethiopia's proactive international engagement.