托福阅读常考话题及练习题推荐二：玛雅文明（3）

1托福阅读常考话题：玛雅文明练习题

Paragraph5: Rathje’s hypothesis probably explains part of the complex process of Mayan state formation, but it suffers from the objection that suitable alternative raw materials can be found in the lowlands. It could be, too, that warfare became a competitive response to population growth and to the increasing scarcity of prime agricultural land, and that it played an important role in the emergence of the Mayan states.

9. The word “prime” in the passage is closest in meaning to

A. low-lying

B. easily accessible

C. unused

D. high-quality

10. What is the role of paragraph 5 in relation to paragraph 4?

A. It restates the hypothesis presented in paragraph 4 and reinforces it with further evidence.

B. It presents evidence that the hypothesis discussed in paragraph 4 confuses cause and effect.

C. It presents a critical assessment of the hypothesis presented in paragraph 4.

D. It explains how the hypothesis discussed in paragraph 4 was initially formulated.

Paragraph6: Now that we know much more about ancient exchange and commerce, we know that, because no one aspect of trade was an overriding cause of cultural change or evolution in commercial practices, trade can never be looked on as a unifying factor or as a primary agent of ancient civilization. [■] Many ever-changing variables affected ancient trade, among them the demand for goods. [■] There were also the logistics of transportation, the extent of the trading network, and the social and political environment. [■] Intricate market networks channeled supplies along well-defined routes. [■] Authorities at both ends might regulate the profits fed back to the source, providing the incentive for further transactions. There may or may not have been a market organization. Extensive long-distance trade was a consequence rather than a cause of complex societies.

11. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

A. We now know that ancient trade cannot be considered a main factor in the rise of civilization, because no one aspect of it caused change in culture or commercial practices.

B. We now know that the growth of civilization was an important factor in causing cultural change and in improving commercial practices.

C. We now know much more about how ancient trade and commerce led to cultural changes and the evolution of commercial practices.

D. We now know much more about the main factors and agents that led to ancient civilization, because we know what aspects of trade affected culture and commercial practices.

12. According to paragraph 6, all of the following statements about trade in ancient civilizations are true EXCEPT:

A. The spread of trade was influenced by many variables, none of which was the main cause.

B. Political conditions were more important than demand for goods in the development of trade.

C. Some markets had clearly established trading routes.

D. The regulation of profits provided incentives for future trade.

13. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage. Where would the sentence best fit?

But demand for locally unobtainable resources was clearly only a part of the story.

14. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points. Various attempts have been made to explore the role that trade played in the rise of ancient states.

Answer Choices

A. Barter, a basic trade mechanism that involved the direct exchange of goods or services, depended on a high degree of social complexity.

B. It was only in the 1970s that most archaeologists began to realize that the long-distance trade typical of Minoan communities varied significantly from that of lowland Mayan communities.

C. Renfrew and Rathje are recognized today for having correctly analyzed the basic relationship between trade and the emergence of states, even though they were wrong about many details.

D. Renfrew suggested that an organized state emerged in Minoan Crete because of intensified trade, but current views indicate that trade was probably only one of many variables.

E. Rathje's hypothesis that long-distance trade led to the emergence of a Mayan state has been objected to, and it is argued that other factors such as warfare may have played an important role too.

F. Current views indicate that trade was not the most important agent of ancient civilization and that long-distance trade was a result rather than a cause of complex societies