Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
A Gift From Earth [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from on Earth." "But it's mobbed," protested Zotul. "It gave me a headache." "And to us it's almost empty. The pressure of population on Earth has free ... but how much would the freight cost? habitable planets, unfortunately, are populated ones. We take the least was in favor of the coming of the Earthmen to the world of Zur. nor true Earthmen, but a mixture of both." causes more distress than we like to inflict, but it's better—and more these Earthmen to worry about? Remember the clay. It is our strength but you'll be working for us ... until the children of Earth and Zur are equal in knowledge and therefore equal partners. That's why we had to break down your caste system." and our fortune. It is the muscle and bone of our trade. Earthmen may come and Earthmen may go, but clay goes on forever ... and with it, the Zotul's eyes widened. "And that is why my brothers did not beat me when I failed!" shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll have your job back, the same as always, to get their hands on that marvelous ship, which was all of metal, a very scarce commodity on Zur, worth billions of ken. elders, "the Earthmen used all the metal on their planet in building the clay." about the Earthmen. If it was impossible to hope for much in the way of metal from the Earthmen, what could one get from them? If he could The Earthmen were going to do great things for the whole world of tried. The anti-Earthmen Faction—in any culture complex, there is always an "anti" faction to protest any movement of endeavor—crowed happily that the Earthmen were gone for good, and a good thing, too. Immediately, the Earthmen established what they called object of the visit was trade. "A pot. I bought it at the market." "Did you now? Well, take it back. Am I made of money that you spend my substance for some fool's product of precious metal? Take it back, I wonder you hear nothing of news! The pot is very cheap. The Earthmen "The Earthmen don't cook as we do," she explained patiently. "There is buying these pots and there will be a big demand for it. The Earthman "The Earthman took them in trade—one reason why the new ones are so land. In the meantime, however, more things than pots came from Earth. Moreover, the Earthmen brought miles of copper wire—more than enough "As I have always said from the beginning," chortled Director Koltan, "this coming of the Earthmen had been a great thing for us, and especially for the House of Masur." Earth. newfangled paraphernalia ... and very cheap, too, because for everything they sold, the Earthmen always took the old ware in trade. destroyed it, which proved how valueless it really was. The result of the new flood was that in the following year, the sale of Masur ceramic table service dropped to less than a tenth. subsided. "They are replacing our high-quality ceramic ware with inferior terrestrial junk," Koltan went on bitterly. "It is only the glamor that of Earth. Think of the telegraph and the newspaper, how these spread news of every shipment from Earth. The merchandise of the Earthmen is put up for sale by means of these newspapers, which also are the property of the Earthmen. The people are from the House of Masur advertisements of the Earthmen. procured legal authority to prospect the planet for metals, of which was gone. Moreover, the Earthmen sold the Zurians their own natural gas At one edge of the city, an area had been turned over to the Earthmen for a spaceport, and the great terrestrial spaceships came to it and radio parts. This was Earth's first step toward flooding Zur with the all in our power to aid the Earthmen and facilitate their bringing a Earthmen are taking care of that." what better material could be devised for the new bought receiving sets like mad. The automobiles arrived and highways were constructed. The last hope of the brothers was dashed. The Earthmen set up plants "It is an Earthman association that deals with complaints such as yours. In the matter of material progress, we must expect some strain in the fabric of our culture. Machinery has been set up to deal with All the brothers could no longer be spared from the plant, even for the purpose of pressing a complaint. Their days of idle wealth over, they new automobiles. occasion were dissipated in the warmth of the Earthman's manner. Masur—Divinity protect him—departed this life to collect his greater reward. He often told us, my father did, that the clay is the flesh and bones of our culture and our fortune. Now it has been shown how prone is the flesh to corruption and how feeble the bones. We are ruined, and all because of new things coming from Earth." we're going to do right by you. That is the policy of Earth—always to "Divinity witness," Zorin said, "that we ask only compensation for bargain-priced merchandise of Earth must be poor indeed. "To begin with," he said, "I am going to make you a gift of all these with a wave of his hand. "It is the least we can do for you. Pick a car "To receive gifts," said Zotul, "incurs an obligation." "None at all," beamed the Earthman cheerily. "Every item is given to you absolutely free—a gift from the people of Earth. All we ask is He chuckled deeply. "We of Earth have a saying about one of our "It may seem high," said the Earthman, "but remember that Earth is sixty-odd light-years away. After all, we are absorbing the cost of the merchandise. All you pay is the freight, which is cheap, considering the cost of operating an interstellar spaceship." "You don't know us of Earth very well yet, but you will. I offer you credit!" "It is how the poor are enabled to enjoy all the luxuries of the On a world where credit was a totally new concept, it was enchanting. to get credit?" "Here." Broderick handed him a sheaf of chattel mortgages. "Have each of your brothers sign one of these, then bring them back to me. That is all there is to it." you get the merchandise free. The transportation company has to be paid, so another company loans you the money to pay for the freight. "I have a surprise for you," smiled Broderick. "Here is a contract. You "We will equip your plant," beamed Broderick. "It will require only a quarter interest in your plant itself, assigned to our terrestrial Zotul, anxious to possess the treasures promised by the Earthman, interest in the Pottery of Masur. They rolled in the luxuries of Earth. Earthmen took a fourth of them as their share in the industry. terrestrial company, they bought gas and oil that had been drawn from The food they ate was cooked in Earthly pots on Earth-type gas ranges, served up on metal plates that had been stamped out on Earth. In the About this time, the ships from Earth brought steam-powered electric Earthmen, explained Broderick, had built a plant of their own because it was so much more efficient—and to lower prices, which was Earth's The introduction of television provided a further calamity. The sets were delicate and needed frequent repairs, hence were costly to own and had them. Now it was possible not only to hear about things of Earth, pangs of impoverishment. The pottery income dropped to an impossible low, no matter how Zotul were a drug on the market. The Earthmen made them of plastic and sold pottery to us." the Earthman. "I don't understand. The Earthmen...." Zotul paused, coloring. "We are about to lose our plant." "You were about to say that the Earthmen are taking your plant away from you. That is true. Since the House of Masur was the largest and "What do you mean?" "You mean," exclaimed Zotul, aghast, "that you Earthmen own everything

<question>:
what is the 'gift from Earth'?

<options>:
A capitalism
B the printing press
C metal, copper wire, and other goods
D destruction of the caste system

<answer>:

A