China's Han Dynasty Rises and Falls

Which paragraph in the section "The rise of the Han" supports the idea that technology improved during the Han dynasty?

• Paragraph 1

• Paragraph 2

• Paragraph 3

Which sentence from the section "Stories of capture" BEST describes a major accomplishment of the Han dynasty?

• In 138 B.C., the emperor sent the explorer Chang Ch'ien with a party of 100 men westward.

• He did not succeed in reaching the lands of Persia, Arabia or the Roman Empire, but Chang Ch'ien did learn about them.

• Chang Ch'ien's journeys began the trade route later called the Silk Road.

• By the first century A.D., silk clothing became an obsession for Roman citizens.

Read the section "Another brick in the Great Wall."

Arguably the greatest achievement in all of Chinese history continued during the Han dynasty. That was the building of the Great Wall of China. Originally begun during the Ch'in dynasty, Wu Ti restored the wall. He continued it another 300 miles into the Gobi Desert. The Great Wall is now regarded as one of the wonders of the world, but it came at a high price. At the height of its construction, 1 mile of the wall was created each day, at an average cost of 10 lives per mile.

What purpose does the following sentence in the section serve?

The Great Wall is now regarded as one of the wonders of the world, but it came at a high price.

• It indicates a transition in contrast to the previous sentences.

• It offers a solution to the problems presented in the previous sentences.

• It explains the consequences of the decisions mentioned in the previous sentences.

• It provides a summary of the previous sentences.

Read the paragraph from the section "Before the Han."

However, during these dynasties, there was also a lack of unity. Feudalism became popular during the Zhou dynasty. This was a system in which the king shared his power with the area's lords. In return, the lords paid the king for their lands and titles. As the Zhou dynasty weakened, lords fought among themselves. This Warring States period (403-221 B.C.) only ended when all of northern China was united under the Qin.

HOW does the paragraph MOST contribute to the article?

• It explains how feudalism worked during the Zhou dynasty.

• It shows that China was divided before the Han dynasty.

• It describes the accomplishments of the Zhou and Qin dynasties.

• It illustrates how the Warring States period began.