The very first lesson that should be taught to us when we are of enough to understand it, is that complete freedom from the obligation to work is unnatural, and ought to be illegal, as we can escape our share of the burden of work only by throwing it on someone else's shoulders. Nature ordains that the human race shall perish of famine if it stops working. We cannot escape from this tyranny. The question we have to settle is how much leisure we can afford to allow ourselves.

Correct Option (A)

The passage explicitly states that complete freedom from the obligation to work is unnatural and should be considered illegal, as it merely shifts the burden onto others. It further asserts that nature mandates work for human survival, warning against perishing from famine if work ceases. While acknowledging the need to determine appropriate leisure, the central theme is the fundamental and inescapable necessity of work for humanity.

Incorrect Options:

Option (B) is incorrect because while the passage mentions the need to settle "how much leisure we can afford to allow ourselves," implying a balance, this is a secondary point. The primary emphasis remains on the inherent necessity of work, rather than solely on achieving a work-leisure equilibrium.

Option (C) is incorrect because the passage uses the term "tyranny" to describe the inescapable natural law that humans must work to survive, not to portray work itself as an oppressive or undesirable force. It frames work as an essential condition for existence.

Option (D) is incorrect because the passage focuses on the imperative of performing work and its natural obligation. It does not delve into the philosophical understanding or nature of work, but rather on its practical necessity for survival and societal function.