A
For thousands of years, humans have built cities. Some of our oldest cities have managed to maintain pieces of their original characteristics while others have disappeared completely.
One of these lost cities belonged to the Anasazi people who lived in Chaco Canyon in New Mexico. They built houses along the river that ran through the valley. For nearly 300 years, the Chaco Canyon was the population center of many desert cities. Now nothing is left of this busy city but ruins. Scientists think that drought may have made the Anasazi’s food hard to get or that some kind of disease killed off many of the people. However, no one knows for sure what happened to the people of the Chaco Canyon. Another lost city sits high atop the Andes Mountains in Peru: the city of Machu Picchu. It was once among the most powerful cities in South America. It was home to the Incan emperor. In 1527, its citizens packed up their belongings and moved for unknown reasons. Scientists guess that smallpox, a disease brought by European explorers, was the cause of Machu Picchu’s downfall. Today, tourists from all over the world climb thousands of steep stone steps to view the ruins of this once great city. Yet another
city that is no more was called Pompeii. This was one of the wealthiest cities of ancient Italy. This beautiful seaside city was a lively center of trade. However, a storm of lava, smoke, and ash from Mt. Vesuvius buried the city of Pompeii, putting an end to its prosperity. Scientists have studied the ruins of Pompeii, which led to new discoveries about ancient civilizations of Europe. Humans have always built cities as centers for trade, business, and family life. Cities that have been lost provide information about the past, helping to inform our future. By studying lost
cities, we can learn how to preserve our current cities.
1. Machu Picchu was once among the most powerful cities in South America because .
A. it was the center of the Inca Empire
B. it was located high atop the Andes Mountains
C. it was founded by powerful European explorers
D. it is visited by numerous visitors throughout the world
2. The writer introduces the three lost cities mainly by _ .
A. making a comparison B. stating causes and effects
C. expressing his own opinions D. listing numbers and examples
3. What message does the author want to convey in the last paragraph?
A. We should set up powerful cities for a competitive world.
B. We should pass on certain customs of ancient civilizations.
C. We should figure out how to protect our cities from disease and starvation.
D. We should learn from the past to ensure that we do not lose cities in the future.
