centralized authority came the emergence of the cities. ¢ While some of these urban centers were identified with a particular economic function, such as proximity to gold or iron deposits or a strategic location on a major trade route, others served primarily as administrative centers or the site of temples for the official cult or other ritual observances. ¢ Within these cities, new forms of livelihood appeared to satisfy the growing need for social services and consumer

goods. ¢ Some people became artisans or merchants, while others became warriors, scholars, or priests. In some cases, the physical division within the first cities reflected the strict hierarchical character of the society as a whole, with a royal palace surrounded by an imposing wall and separate from the remainder of the urban population. In other instances, such as the Indus River Valley, the cities lacked a royal precinct and the ostentatious palaces that marked their contemporaries elsewhere.

1. The phrase “culminated in” in the passage is closest in meaning to

A) reached a high point with

B) logically followed from

C) partly contributed to

D) marked

2. According to paragraph 2, which of the following statements is true of early farmers?

A) They used farming to supplement other food sources.

B) They were driven out of small communities.

C) They were victims of flooding.

D) They farmed several plots of land at once.

3. The word “undoubtedly” in the passage is closest in meaning to

A) increasingly

B) certainly

C) in general

D) apparently

4. According to paragraph 2, what are TWO reasons why farmers chose river valleys for cultivation? To receive credit you must select TWO answer choices.

A) The soils in river valleys were rich in nutrients.

B) The crops grown in river valleys were not completely dependent on rainwater.