History · Level 3 · 155 words
Roads of Silk and Trade
Original passage © Team AM, written for Hone Literacy.
The Silk Road was not a single road but a wide network of trading routes that linked China with lands far to the west, including India, Persia, and the cities of the Mediterranean. Merchants did not usually travel the whole distance themselves. Instead, goods were passed from trader to trader, moving a little farther west or east at each stop.
Silk gave the network its name, because Chinese silk was prized in distant markets. Yet many other things traveled along these routes. Spices, glass, paper, and precious stones changed hands, and so did ideas. Religions, inventions, and even diseases moved with the caravans.
The journey was hard. Traders crossed deserts and high mountain passes, often relying on camels that could endure long stretches without water. Towns called oasis cities grew up along the way, offering rest, food, and a place to trade. These cities became wealthy and busy, mixing people and customs from many cultures.
Comprehension questions
1. Which statement best captures the passage?
- A The Silk Road was a single paved highway
- B The Silk Road was a network of routes that moved goods and ideas between distant lands
- C Silk was the only thing traded on the Silk Road
- D Camels were the most important invention of the era
Show answer
B. The Silk Road was a network of routes that moved goods and ideas between distant lands
The passage describes a network of routes carrying many goods and ideas, not just silk.
2. How did goods usually travel the full length of the route?
- A One merchant carried them all the way
- B They were passed from trader to trader along the way
- C They were shipped only by sea
- D They were carried by a single caravan owned by China
Show answer
B. They were passed from trader to trader along the way
The text states goods were passed from trader to trader at each stop.
3. In this passage, an 'oasis city' was a place that mainly offered traders what?
- A A factory to make silk
- B Rest, food, and a place to trade
- C A library of religious texts
- D Protection from foreign armies
Show answer
B. Rest, food, and a place to trade
The passage says oasis cities offered rest, food, and a place to trade.
Source: Written for Hone Literacy. Original passage © Team AM, written for Hone Literacy.