TF阅读真题第798篇Transportation and the Roman Empire

An excellent transportation system contributed to the success of the Roman Empire. In the third and fourth centuries, a great age of road building, troops and generals were ceaselessly shuttled between the eastern and northern frontiers to confront trouble. Rapid military deployment, the most important instrument of conquest in the hands of great Roman generals, became a routine of the empire. However, roads were exploited to serve the empire in other ways. Provincial networks underpinned and sustained the urban settlement pattern. They ensured that towns were not isolated from one another, and thus the city-based culture thrived. They also provided access to isolated rural areas, and they were the conduits along which rural products could be moved into towns or collected as a form of taxation and used to support armies. All major Roman roads were furnished with a regular system of way stations where official road users could stay, where mounts could be changed and wagons maintained. Supplying means of transport for official use was one of the most important services that the Roman state expected of its subjects. Cities were required to provide pack and draft animals (animals used to carry and pull loads), wagons, and other support for military and official traffic passing through their territory. This operated on a relay system, which was one of the keys to imperial power. Travelers with authorizing documents, and a good many others without authorization, were able to requisition local horses and draft animals until they reached the boundaries of city territories. At this point the burden and responsibility passed to the next city. In a literal sense, the horse power supplied by the cities ensured that the roads of the empire could be used to their full potential.

The Roman Empire saw a prodigious increase in interregional mobility. This movement of people also contributed to a homogenization of imperial culture. However, the overland transport of products, especially bulky goods, was much more problematic. Local traffic from farms and villages to the nearby town or market center certainly must have been intense, but the costs of long- distance land transport were high and in practical terms simply unfeasible. It has been said that a pair of horses or oxen pulling a wagon loaded with grain would be likely to have eaten the load (or its equivalent) before they traveled a hundred miles. Accordingly, overland interregional trade by private merchants was largely confined to nonbulky, high-value commodities. The Roman state was able to solve this problem through its power to requisition transport from local communities and create the relay system. This was beyond the capacity of even the wealthiest private producers and merchants.

Transport by sea was as important as land communication, and the Roman Empire witnessed an extraordinary explosion of mercantile activity, or trade, in the Mediterranean. The Roman state organized sea transport by making deals with large naval contractors. Seafaring was a dangerous activity, especially during the winter, and this confined the Mediterranean sailing season to the months between March and October. But the advantages of sea transport were overwhelming. Bulky goods could be moved over long distances in cargo vessels at costs that were a fraction of the real price of land transport; the wind may have been dangerous, but it did not have the appetite of draft animals. Marine traffic shaped the appearance of the Roman world. Coastal cities with good harbors were not dependent on a small inland region for their food supply, but could import goods, at least potentially, from the entire Mediterranean and Black Sea region. In consequence, settlements on the coast could grow to be much larger than those of the interior.

Above all, the enormous population of Rome itself had to be supplied with imported food: the harvests of the Nile Valley, brought by transport ships from Alexandria, and the harvests of the grain fields of North Africa, imported from Carthage. Oil came from Libya, Tunisia, and southern Spain. The mercantile infrastructure needed to feed Rome had a tremendous impact on the coastal regions of western ltaly. For example, Ostia, the harbor town at the mouth of the Tiber River that served Rome, was developed into a major trading port with huge harbor works built by the early emperors.

1

The word “ceaselessly” in the passage is closest in meaning to

Vocabulary Questions词汇题

Arapidly

Bcontinually

Csafely

Deasily

An excellent transportation system contributed to the success of the Roman Empire. In the third and fourth centuries, a great age of road building, troops and generals were ceaselessly shuttled between the eastern and northern frontiers to confront trouble. Rapid military deployment, the most important instrument of conquest in the hands of great Roman generals, became a routine of the empire. However, roads were exploited to serve the empire in other ways. Provincial networks underpinned and sustained the urban settlement pattern. They ensured that towns were not isolated from one another, and thus the city-based culture thrived. They also provided access to isolated rural areas, and they were the conduits along which rural products could be moved into towns or collected as a form of taxation and used to support armies. All major Roman roads were furnished with a regular system of way stations where official road users could stay, where mounts could be changed and wagons maintained. Supplying means of transport for official use was one of the most important services that the Roman state expected of its subjects. Cities were required to provide pack and draft animals (animals used to carry and pull loads), wagons, and other support for military and official traffic passing through their territory. This operated on a relay system, which was one of the keys to imperial power. Travelers with authorizing documents, and a good many others without authorization, were able to requisition local horses and draft animals until they reached the boundaries of city territories. At this point the burden and responsibility passed to the next city. In a literal sense, the horse power supplied by the cities ensured that the roads of the empire could be used to their full potential.

2

An excellent transportation system contributed to the success of the Roman Empire. In the third and fourth centuries, a great age of road building, troops and generals were ceaselessly shuttled between the eastern and northern frontiers to confront trouble. Rapid military deployment, the most important instrument of conquest in the hands of great Roman generals, became a routine of the empire. However, roads were exploited to serve the empire in other ways. Provincial networks underpinned and sustained the urban settlement pattern. They ensured that towns were not isolated from one another, and thus the city-based culture thrived. They also provided access to isolated rural areas, and they were the conduits along which rural products could be moved into towns or collected as a form of taxation and used to support armies. All major Roman roads were furnished with a regular system of way stations where official road users could stay, where mounts could be changed and wagons maintained. Supplying means of transport for official use was one of the most important services that the Roman state expected of its subjects. Cities were required to provide pack and draft animals (animals used to carry and pull loads), wagons, and other support for military and official traffic passing through their territory. This operated on a relay system, which was one of the keys to imperial power. Travelers with authorizing documents, and a good many others without authorization, were able to requisition local horses and draft animals until they reached the boundaries of city territories. At this point the burden and responsibility passed to the next city. In a literal sense, the horse power supplied by the cities ensured that the roads of the empire could be used to their full potential.

The word “furnished” in the passage is closest in meaning to

Vocabulary Questions词汇题

Aequipped

Bcontrolled

Cprotected

Dconnected

3

An excellent transportation system contributed to the success of the Roman Empire. In the third and fourth centuries, a great age of road building, troops and generals were ceaselessly shuttled between the eastern and northern frontiers to confront trouble. Rapid military deployment, the most important instrument of conquest in the hands of great Roman generals, became a routine of the empire. However, roads were exploited to serve the empire in other ways. Provincial networks underpinned and sustained the urban settlement pattern. They ensured that towns were not isolated from one another, and thus the city-based culture thrived. They also provided access to isolated rural areas, and they were the conduits along which rural products could be moved into towns or collected as a form of taxation and used to support armies. All major Roman roads were furnished with a regular system of way stations where official road users could stay, where mounts could be changed and wagons maintained. Supplying means of transport for official use was one of the most important services that the Roman state expected of its subjects. Cities were required to provide pack and draft animals (animals used to carry and pull loads), wagons, and other support for military and official traffic passing through their territory. This operated on a relay system, which was one of the keys to imperial power. Travelers with authorizing documents, and a good many others without authorization, were able to requisition local horses and draft animals until they reached the boundaries of city territories. At this point the burden and responsibility passed to the next city. In a literal sense, the horse power supplied by the cities ensured that the roads of the empire could be used to their full potential.

According to paragraph 1, the transportation system contributed to the success of the Roman Empire by making possible all of the following EXCEPT

Negative Factual Information Questions否定事实信息题

Athe movement of troops

Bthe collection of taxes

Cincreased settlement in rural areas

Dthe maintenance of links between towns

4

An excellent transportation system contributed to the success of the Roman Empire. In the third and fourth centuries, a great age of road building, troops and generals were ceaselessly shuttled between the eastern and northern frontiers to confront trouble. Rapid military deployment, the most important instrument of conquest in the hands of great Roman generals, became a routine of the empire. However, roads were exploited to serve the empire in other ways. Provincial networks underpinned and sustained the urban settlement pattern. They ensured that towns were not isolated from one another, and thus the city-based culture thrived. They also provided access to isolated rural areas, and they were the conduits along which rural products could be moved into towns or collected as a form of taxation and used to support armies. All major Roman roads were furnished with a regular system of way stations where official road users could stay, where mounts could be changed and wagons maintained. Supplying means of transport for official use was one of the most important services that the Roman state expected of its subjects. Cities were required to provide pack and draft animals (animals used to carry and pull loads), wagons, and other support for military and official traffic passing through their territory. This operated on a relay system, which was one of the keys to imperial power. Travelers with authorizing documents, and a good many others without authorization, were able to requisition local horses and draft animals until they reached the boundaries of city territories. At this point the burden and responsibility passed to the next city. In a literal sense, the horse power supplied by the cities ensured that the roads of the empire could be used to their full potential.

According to paragraph 1, how did the transportation system of the Roman Empire affect rural areas?

Factual Information Questions事实信息题

AIt provided a way for Roman armies to recruit in rural areas.

BIt supported a major migration of rural people into urban areas.

CIt allowed goods from rural areas to be transported into towns.

DIt made rural areas good stopping points for travelers.

5

The Roman Empire saw a prodigious increase in interregional mobility. This movement of people also contributed to a homogenization of imperial culture. However, the overland transport of products, especially bulky goods, was much more problematic. Local traffic from farms and villages to the nearby town or market center certainly must have been intense, but the costs of long- distance land transport were high and in practical terms simply unfeasible. It has been said that a pair of horses or oxen pulling a wagon loaded with grain would be likely to have eaten the load (or its equivalent) before they traveled a hundred miles. Accordingly, overland interregional trade by private merchants was largely confined to nonbulky, high-value commodities. The Roman state was able to solve this problem through its power to requisition transport from local communities and create the relay system. This was beyond the capacity of even the wealthiest private producers and merchants.

In paragraph 2, why does the author state that animals pulling wagons of grain would be likely to eat the load before they traveled a hundred miles?

Factual Information Questions事实信息题

ATo emphasize the costs associated with transporting bulky goods overland

BTo demonstrate that horses and oxen were unsuitable for use as draft animals

CTo explain why the Roman state required cities to provide food for draft animals

DTo suggest that loads of grain were only transported by wealthy private merchants

6

The Roman Empire saw a prodigious increase in interregional mobility. This movement of people also contributed to a homogenization of imperial culture. However, the overland transport of products, especially bulky goods, was much more problematic. Local traffic from farms and villages to the nearby town or market center certainly must have been intense, but the costs of long- distance land transport were high and in practical terms simply unfeasible. It has been said that a pair of horses or oxen pulling a wagon loaded with grain would be likely to have eaten the load (or its equivalent) before they traveled a hundred miles. Accordingly, overland interregional trade by private merchants was largely confined to nonbulky, high-value commodities. The Roman state was able to solve this problem through its power to requisition transport from local communities and create the relay system. This was beyond the capacity of even the wealthiest private producers and merchants.

Paragraph 2 suggests which of the following about the limitations of overland transport?

Inference Questions推理题

ALocal markets lost their attraction as traffic on roads increased.

BThe Roman state had to pay large sums for horses and wagons to transport bulky goods.

COnly very wealthy private merchants were able to set up a transport relay system.

DPrivate merchants could not afford to transport large goods between regions.

7

Transport by sea was as important as land communication, and the Roman Empire witnessed an extraordinary explosion of mercantile activity, or trade, in the Mediterranean. The Roman state organized sea transport by making deals with large naval contractors. Seafaring was a dangerous activity, especially during the winter, and this confined the Mediterranean sailing season to the months between March and October. But the advantages of sea transport were overwhelming. Bulky goods could be moved over long distances in cargo vessels at costs that were a fraction of the real price of land transport; the wind may have been dangerous, but it did not have the appetite of draft animals. Marine traffic shaped the appearance of the Roman world. Coastal cities with good harbors were not dependent on a small inland region for their food supply, but could import goods, at least potentially, from the entire Mediterranean and Black Sea region. In consequence, settlements on the coast could grow to be much larger than those of the interior.

According to paragraph 3, which of the following was a benefit of transportation by sea?

Factual Information Questions事实信息题

AGoods could be transported throughout the entire year.

BGoods could be transported safely and securely.

CHeavy cargo could be cheaply transported over long distances.

DGoods could reach distant regions more quickly.

8

Above all, the enormous population of Rome itself had to be supplied with imported food: the harvests of the Nile Valley, brought by transport ships from Alexandria, and the harvests of the grain fields of North Africa, imported from Carthage. Oil came from Libya, Tunisia, and southern Spain. The mercantile infrastructure needed to feed Rome had a tremendous impact on the coastal regions of western ltaly. For example, Ostia, the harbor town at the mouth of the Tiber River that served Rome, was developed into a major trading port with huge harbor works built by the early emperors.

According to paragraph 4, all of the following were true about Rome EXCEPT:

Negative Factual Information Questions否定事实信息题

AIt had a very large population.

BIt supported agricultural development in coastal cities in western Italy

CIt depended on other cities in the Mediterranean region for its food supply.

DIt contributed to the significant development of coastal cities.

9

An excellent transportation system contributed to the success of the Roman Empire. In the third and fourth centuries, a great age of road building, troops and generals were ceaselessly shuttled between the eastern and northern frontiers to confront trouble. Rapid military deployment, the most important instrument of conquest in the hands of great Roman generals, became a routine of the empire. However, roads were exploited to serve the empire in other ways. Provincial networks underpinned and sustained the urban settlement pattern. [■] They ensured that towns were not isolated from one another, and thus the city-based culture thrived. [■] They also provided access to isolated rural areas, and they were the conduits along which rural products could be moved into towns or collected as a form of taxation and used to support armies. [■] All major Roman roads were furnished with a regular system of way stations where official road users could stay, where mounts could be changed and wagons maintained. [■] Supplying means of transport for official use was one of the most important services that the Roman state expected of its subjects. Cities were required to provide pack and draft animals (animals used to carry and pull loads), wagons, and other support for military and official traffic passing through their territory. This operated on a relay system, which was one of the keys to imperial power. Travelers with authorizing documents, and a good many others without authorization, were able to requisition local horses and draft animals until they reached the boundaries of city territories. At this point the burden and responsibility passed to the next city. In a literal sense, the horse power supplied by the cities ensured that the roads of the empire could be used to their full potential.

Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage

To serve the many needs of the empire, however, roads had to provide the services that travelers required.Insert Text Questions句子插入题

Where would the sentence best fit？Click on a square  sentence to the passage.

10

An extensive transportation system played an important role in the success of the Roman Empire.

Prose Summary Questions概要小结题

Select 3 answers

AIn the third and fourth centuries, the Roman Empire built roads in the newly conquered eastern and western frontiers in order to ensure the rapid settlement of these areas.

BRome was located in the interior, but was able to feed its huge population by importing food from the coastal towns of western Italy.

CThe Roman state instituted a road relay system that required towns to assume responsibility for transporting official goods, but long distance land transport was too expensive for private merchants.

DA network of roads supported military campaigns, connected towns provided access to rural areas, and supported the movement of people and goods.

EHorses cost more to feed than the value of the goods they transported over roads, so most merchants walked between towns carrying light-weight, high-value goods.

FSea transport allowed economical importing of Mediterranean goods and therefore Roman ports and the cities they supplied, including Rome, were able to grow and prosper.