Read the following two passages and answer the items that follow. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Medieval merchants risked the hazards of the Silk Road to reach the markets of China; Portuguese caravels in the 15th century sailed beyond the bounds of the known world, searching less for knowledge than for gold and spices. Historically, the driver for opening frontiers has always been the search for resources. Science and curiosity are weaker drivers. The only way to open up space, whether the space of solar system or interstellar space is to create an economic engine and that engine is resource extraction. Which one of the following statements best sums up the passage given above?

The passage argues that historically, and for future space exploration, the primary driver for "opening frontiers" has been, and will be, the search for resources and economic gain. It explicitly states, "Historically, the driver for opening frontiers has always been the search for resources. Science and curiosity are weaker drivers." It concludes that an "economic engine" of "resource extraction" is the only way to open up space. Let's analyze the options: A) Wealth generation is the primary motive for any human endeavour. This statement is too broad. The passage focuses specifically on "opening frontiers" and "space exploration," not "any human endeavour." B) Space, whether space in solar system or interstellar space, will govern our future economy. The passage states that resource extraction from space will be the "engine" to open it up, implying it will be driven by economic factors. It does not claim that space itself will "govern" our future economy. This is an overstatement. C) Human beings are motivated to explore new frontiers principally by economic considerations. This statement perfectly sums up the passage. The passage provides historical examples (merchants, caravels seeking gold and spices) and future projections (resource extraction as the engine for space exploration) to support the idea that economic motives (search for resources) are the main drivers for exploring new frontiers. D) Wealth generation is based on the risk-taking behaviour of some men. While the passage mentions merchants "risked the hazards" and caravels "sailed beyond the bounds," implying risk-taking, this is a detail about *how* exploration happened, not the central *motive* or *driver* for exploration that the passage emphasizes. The core argument is about *why* they explored (for resources/wealth), not just the risk-taking itself. Therefore, C is the best summary of the passage.