Question

The ______ was a mineral used to qualify precious metals such as gold. Having this metal qualifying technique allowed ______ buying and ______ trade.

(A) touchstone, both fairer and more accurate, both more efficient and more profitable

(B) lodestone, fairer, more efficient

(C) pyrite, more accurate, more profitable

(D) none of the above

Answer 1

Option (A) is the correct answer, where 'touchstone' is used to qualify precious metals and facilitate fairer and more accurate buying and trading, making commerce more efficient and profitable.

Step-by-step explanation:

The touchstone was a mineral used to qualify precious metals such as gold. Having this metal qualifying technique allowed both fairer and more accurate buying and both more efficient and more profitable trade.

The correct answer is option (A) touchstone, both fairer and more accurate, both more efficient and more profitable.

A touchstone is a black stone such as slate or lydite, which is used to test the purity of gold and silver by the streak the metal leaves on the stone.

This ancient technique allowed traders and merchants to verify the purity of precious metals, ensuring that the exchange was equitable and that their wealth was protected.

Its practicality in commerce made trade both more efficient and more profitable, as it reduced the occurrence of fraud and instilled trust in commercial transactions.