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Difficulty: HardCentral Ideas

While traditional historical narratives attribute the classic Maya 'collapse' in the ninth century CE to a sudden, catastrophic drought, recent paleoclimatological analyses of lake sediment cores present a more nuanced picture. These studies indicate that precipitation declines were highly regionalized rather than uniform, with some agricultural centers experiencing only moderate drying. Furthermore, archaeological evidence reveals that many Maya cities adapted to localized water scarcity by engineering sophisticated micro-watersheds and shifting trade networks to wetter coastal zones. Rather than depicting a singular, society-wide societal demise, this research suggests that the Maya response to environmental stress was heterogeneous and marked by local adaptation and demographic redistribution.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

  1. A
    Paleoclimatological studies of lake sediment cores are the most reliable method for understanding how historical societies survived periods of environmental stress.
  2. B
    The classic Maya civilization completely avoided agricultural decline during the ninth century CE by moving all its crop production to wet coastal zones.
  3. Recent scientific and archaeological research suggests that the classic Maya response to drought was varied and adaptive, rather than a uniform societal collapse.Answer
  4. D
    Sophisticated water engineering systems allowed classic Maya cities to prevent any long-term demographic shifts when regional trade networks collapsed.

Answer

Recent scientific and archaeological research suggests that the classic Maya response to drought was varied and adaptive, rather than a uniform societal collapse.
The correct answer states that the classic Maya response to drought was varied and adaptive, rather than a uniform collapse, which matches the passage's description of heterogeneous local adaptation and demographic redistribution.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the passage to identify the primary subject and the author's primary assertion.
The text focuses on the classic Maya civilization during the ninth-century CE drought and argues against the traditional view of a single catastrophic collapse, pointing to evidence of local adaptations and demographic changes instead.
Understanding the core argument helps distinguish the central idea from secondary details or overly broad assertions.
2
Evaluate the details that support this primary assertion.
The text mentions localized precipitation declines, engineering of water systems, and shifting trade networks, all supporting the idea that the response was heterogeneous and adaptive.
Ensuring the details align with the main claim confirms that the proposed central idea reflects the entire passage.
3
Compare the choices with the synthesized main idea and eliminate incorrect options.
Eliminate options that are too broad, misread details, or make unsupported speculative claims. Select the choice that captures the diverse and adaptive nature of the Maya response.
This logical elimination ensures the chosen option is the only one that is both accurate and comprehensive.

Key Concept

Central Ideas
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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