Question

From 1200 to 1600 CE, both India and China suffered from _____.

plagues which devastated more than half of their population

conquest by armies of Mongols

rigid meritocracies with biased civil service exams

the collapse of trade and the rise of a primitive feudal economy

Answer 1

It has to be B or possibly D.

The plagues during this time span were some of the worst these civilizations ever saw (especially the 1325 famine in China), but they never reached the point of wiping 50% of the population, Id say 20% at most.

The concept of meritocracy, did in fact start in China and British ruled India before spreading to the rest of the world, however this started shortly after 1600.

Although the answer could be D, I wouldn't say that either of there trades collapsed, especially in India, since at the time mostly Muslim ruled northern India saw some of its most booming trade success.