What double loss could livestock loss cause in Maasai society?

Correct answer: Loss of both economic income and social status

The direct answer is A: livestock loss could reduce both economic income and social status. For the Maasai, cattle were not merely animals for sale. They supplied milk, could be exchanged or sold, and represented wealth. The size of a herd also influenced a family’s standing and respect within society. Step by step: fewer animals mean less milk and fewer assets; fewer assets mean lower income and less ability to recover; because cattle also symbolised wealth, the family could lose prestige as well. Option A is correct because it combines the economic and social effects. B is wrong because ships and textile mills were not the basis of Maasai life. C is wrong because capital cities and armies are state institutions, not the normal consequences of losing cattle. D is wrong because books and railway tickets were unrelated. Memory cue: cattle meant both livelihood and status.