Classifying Societies IELTS Reading: Vocabulary & Answer Key

In IELTS Reading tests, topics related to sociology and anthropology frequently appear and are often considered quite “tricky” due to the high density of abstract vocabulary. The passage “Classifying Societies” is a classic example, requiring candidates to distinguish between social structures ranging from simple to complex, such as clans, tribes, and early states.

This article from ECE provides you with the full reading passage, a curated list of high-scoring vocabulary, and detailed explanations for every question. Let’s get started and conquer this fascinating academic topic!

Reading Passage & Questions

Reading Passage: Classifying Societies

A. Although humans have established many types of societies throughout history, sociologists and anthropologists tend to classify different societies according to the degree to which different groups within a society have unequal access to advantages such as resources, prestige, or power, and usually refer to four basic types of societies. From least to most socially complex, they are clans, tribes, chiefdoms, and states.

Clan B. These are small-scale societies of hunters and gatherers, generally of fewer than 100 people, who move seasonally to exploit wild (undomesticated) food resources. Most surviving hunter-gatherer groups are of this kind, such as the Hadza of Tanzania or the San of southern Africa. Clan members are generally kinsfolk, related by descent or marriage. Clans lack formal leaders, so there are no marked economic differences or disparities in status among their members.

C. Because clans are composed of mobile groups of hunter-gatherers, their sites consist mainly of seasonally occupied camps and other smaller, more specialized sites. Among the latter are kill or butchery sites—locations where large mammals are killed and sometimes butchered—and work sites, where tools are made or other specific activities are carried out. The base camp of such a group may show evidence of rather insubstantial dwellings or temporary shelters, along with the debris of residential occupation.

Tribe D. These are generally larger than mobile hunter-gatherer groups, but rarely number more than a few thousand, and their diet or subsistence is based largely on cultivated plants and domesticated animals. Typically, they are settled farmers, but they may be nomadic with a very different, mobile economy based on the intensive exploitation of livestock. These are generally multi-community societies, with the individual communities integrated into the larger society through kinship ties. Although some tribes have officials and even a “capital” or seat of government, such officials lack the economic base necessary for the effective use of power.

E. The typical settlement pattern for tribes is one of settled agricultural homesteads or villages. Characteristically, no one settlement dominates any of the others in the region. Instead, the archaeologist finds evidence for isolated, permanently occupied houses or for permanent villages. Such villages may be made up of a collection of free-standing houses, like those of the first farms of the Danube valley in Europe. Or they may be clusters of buildings grouped together, for example, the pueblos of the American Southwest, and the early farming village or the small town of Catalhoyuk in modern Turkey.

Chiefdom F. These operate on the principle of ranking—differences in social status between people. Different lineages (a lineage is a group claiming descent from a common ancestor) are graded on a scale of prestige, and the senior lineage, and hence the society as a whole, is governed by a chief. Prestige and rank are determined by how closely related one is to the chief, and there is no true stratification into classes. The role of the chief is crucial.

G. Often, there is local specialization in craft products, and surpluses of these and of foodstuffs are periodically paid as an obligation to the chief. He uses these to maintain his retainers and may use them for redistribution to his subjects. The chiefdom generally has a center of power, often with temples, residences of the chief and his retainers, and craft specialists. Chiefdoms vary greatly in size, but the range is generally between about 5,000 and 20,000 persons.

Early State H. These preserve many of the features of chiefdoms, but the ruler (perhaps a king or sometimes a queen) has explicit authority to establish laws and also to enforce them by the use of a standing army. Society no longer depends totally upon kin relationships: it is now stratified into different classes. Agricultural workers and the poorer urban dwellers form the lowest classes, with the craft specialists above, and the priests and kinsfolk of the ruler higher still. The functions of the ruler are often separated from those of the priest: the palace is distinguished from the temple. The society is viewed as a territory owned by the ruling lineage and populated by tenants who have an obligation to pay taxes. The central capital houses a bureaucratic administration of officials; one of their principal purposes is to collect revenue (often in the form of taxes and tolls) and distribute it to government, army, and craft specialists. Many early states developed complex redistribution systems to support these essential services.

I. This rather simple social typology… can be criticized, and it should not be used unthinkingly. Nevertheless, if we are seeking to talk about early societies, we must use words and hence concepts to do so. Service’s categories provide a good framework to help organize our thoughts.

Questions

Questions 1-7: True / False / Not Given

1. There’s little economic difference between members of a clan.

2. The farmers of a tribe grow a wide range of plants.

3. One settlement is more important than any other settlements in a tribe.

4. A member’s status in a chiefdom is determined by how much land he owns.

5. There are people who craft goods in chiefdoms.

6. The king keeps the order of a state by keeping a military.

7. Bureaucratic officers receive higher salaries than other members.

Questions 8-13: Short Answer Questions (NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS)

8. What is made at the clan work sites?

9. What is the other way of life for tribes besides settled farming?

10. How are Catalhoyuk’s housing units arranged?

11. What does a chief give to his subjects as rewards besides crafted goods?

12. What is the largest possible population of a chiefdom?

13. Which group of people is at the bottom of an early state but higher than the farmers?

Summary of the Reading Passage

The passage classifies human society into 4 levels of increasing complexity:

– Clan: Small scale (<100 people), hunter-gatherers, moving seasonally. Relationships based on kinship, no formal leadership, economic and status equality.

– Tribe: Larger scale (a few thousand people), subsistence based on farming or nomadic herding. Settled in independent villages, with no single village dominating others.

– Chiefdom: Society with ranking based on prestige and kinship with the Chief. Features a center of power and temples. The chief collects surplus goods and redistributes them. Population ranges from 5,000 to 20,000.

– Early State: The most complex. Features a king/queen, laws, and a standing army. Clearly stratified into social classes (farmers -> craft specialists -> priests/royalty). Includes a tax system and a bureaucratic administrative apparatus.

Key Vocabulary & Structures

Useful Structures:

• Unequal access to advantages: Having unfair access to benefits.

• Operate on the principle of…: Function based on the rule of…

• Explicit authority to establish laws: Clear power to create laws.

Answers & Detailed Explanations

1. TRUE

• Question: There is little economic difference between members of a clan.

• Explanation: Paragraph B states: “Clans lack formal leaders, so there are no marked economic differences… among their members.”

• Conclusion: Information matches.

2. NOT GIVEN

• Question: The farmers of a tribe grow a wide range of plants.

• Explanation: Paragraph D only mentions “subsistence is based largely on cultivated plants”, but does not mention the quantity or variety of these plants.

• Conclusion: No information provided.

3. FALSE

• Question: One settlement is more important than any other settlements in a tribe.

• Explanation: Paragraph E states: “Characteristically, no one settlement dominates any of the others in the region.”

• Conclusion: Contradicts the text.

4. FALSE

• Question: A member’s status in a chiefdom is determined by how much land he owns.

• Explanation: Paragraph F states: “Prestige and rank are determined by how closely related one is to the chief”, not by land ownership.

• Conclusion: Contradicts the text.

5. TRUE

• Question: There are people who craft goods in chiefdoms.

• Explanation: Paragraph G mentions “local specialization in craft products” and “craft specialists”.

• Conclusion: Information matches.

6. TRUE

• Question: The king keeps the order of a state by keeping a military.

• Explanation: Paragraph H states: “enforce them [laws] by the use of a standing army”.

• Conclusion: Information matches.

7. NOT GIVEN

• Question: Bureaucratic officers receive higher salaries than other members.

• Explanation: Paragraph H mentions “distribute it to government, army…”, but does not compare the salaries of officials with others.

• Conclusion: No information provided.

8. Tools

• Question: What is made at the clan work sites?

• Location: Paragraph C: “…and work sites, where tools are made…”

9. Nomadic

• Question: What is the other way of life for tribes besides settled farming?

• Location: Paragraph D: “…but they may be nomadic with a very different, mobile economy…”

10. Grouped (together)

• Question: How are Catalhoyuk’s housing units arranged?

• Location: Paragraph E: “…clusters of buildings grouped together, for example… Catalhoyuk…”

11. Foodstuffs

• Question: What does a chief give to his subjects as rewards besides crafted goods?

• Location: Paragraph G: “…surpluses of these [craft products] and of foodstuffs… use them for redistribution to his subjects.”

12. 20,000

• Question: What is the largest possible population of a chiefdom?

• Location: Paragraph G: “…range is generally between about 5000 and 20,000 persons.”

13. Craft specialists

• Question: Which group of people is at the bottom of an early state but higher than the farmers?

• Location: Paragraph H: “Agricultural workers… form the lowest classes, with the craft specialists above…”

The passage “Classifying Societies” is an excellent study resource to help you reinforce vocabulary related to social structures and practice scanning skills. Clearly distinguishing the characteristics of Clans, Tribes, Chiefdoms, and States will not only help you answer these questions correctly but will also be useful for similar reading passages on historical topics.

We hope this article, with its translation and detailed explanations from ECE English, has helped you clear up any confusion. Practice regularly and keep a vocabulary journal to boost your IELTS band score. Good luck!