Question

read the passage from sugar changed the world. one of these early hindu writings, the atharva veda, speaks of an archer’s bow made of sugar cane. it tells of growing a circle of sugar cane as a kind of sweet protection for a lover, and it includes specific instructions on how to use sugar cane. to worship and request help from durga, the most important goddess, you lie down and face a three - cornered fire pot. then, as you speak the sacred words, you place your offerings in the fire. sugar cane was now an ingredient in ceremonies involving fire. maybe after many, many offerings a priest noticed that if the juice of the cane was boiled in the right way, it crystallized into sweet, dark brown clumps. perhaps that transformation itself seemed magical—a heated liquid turning into something that looked like dark grains of sand. in the atharva veda, sugar cane is called ikshu, which means something that people want, or what evidence from the passage best supports the inference that sugar cane had special significance in the ancient era? select three options. ☐ you lie down and face a three - cornered fire pot ☐ sugar cane was now an ingredient in ceremonies involving fire ☐ it crystallized into sweet, dark brown clumps ☐ perhaps that transformation itself seemed magical ☐ sugar cane is called ikshu, which means something that people want ☐ they began to use the name shakara, which also meant gravel

Explanation:

1. Analyze each option:

• Option 1: "you lie down and face a three - cornered fire pot" describes a ritual action but doesn't directly show sugar cane's special significance.
• Option 2: "sugar cane was now an ingredient in ceremonies invoking fire" shows sugar cane's role in important ceremonies, indicating special significance.
• Option 3: "It crystallized into sweet, dark brown clumps" is about the physical change of sugar cane juice, not its significance.
• Option 4: "Perhaps that transformation itself seemed magical" is about the perception of the transformation, not sugar cane's significance.
• Option 5: "sugar cane is called ikshu, which means'something that people want'" shows that sugar cane was desired, indicating special significance.
• Option 6: "they began to use the name shakara, which also meant 'gravel'" shows the naming related to sugar cane, and the fact that it had a special name (related to its form after processing) indicates significance.

1. Select the three options that show sugar cane's special significance: Option 2, Option 5, Option 6.

Answer:

B. "sugar cane was now an ingredient in ceremonies invoking fire"
E. "sugar cane is called ikshu, which means'something that people want'"
F. "they began to use the name shakara, which also meant 'gravel'"