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Difficulty: MediumPrimary Purpose of the Whole Text

While the extensive road networks of the Inca Empire have long dominated discussions of pre-Columbian engineering, recent archaeological research highlights the foundational infrastructure of the earlier Wari Empire (600–1000 CE). Excavations and aerial surveys reveal that many routes attributed to the Inca were actually built by the Wari. These early highways did not simply predate the Inca system; they operated under a different logic, connecting administrative hubs to distribute local resources rather than facilitating the military conquests and direct tribute collection characteristic of the Inca. By examining these networks, scholars are uncovering how the Wari maintained territorial integration through decentralized regional partnerships rather than highly centralized imperial control.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

  1. A
    To argue that the Wari road system was less effective at maintaining imperial control than the Inca road system was.
  2. To discuss how Wari road networks differed functionally from those of the Inca and explain what these differences reveal about Wari governance.Answer
  3. C
    To present archaeological evidence proving that the Wari Empire relied on highly centralized bureaucratic control to manage its territory.
  4. D
    To assert that pre-Columbian road networks were primarily constructed to facilitate trade with societies outside the Andean region.

Answer

The main purpose of the text is to discuss how Wari road networks differed functionally from those of the Inca and explain what these differences reveal about Wari governance.
The correct option correctly identifies that the passage is structured around contrasting Wari road networks with those of the Inca in order to illustrate how their functional differences reflect Wari's decentralized style of governance.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the central subject and scope of the passage.
The passage compares Wari road networks with Inca networks, noting that Wari roads served a different administrative role focused on resource distribution.
Understanding what the text is comparing allows the reader to narrow down the core subject.
2
Analyze the conclusion of the passage and its implications.
The author concludes that Wari networks reveal how they maintained cohesion through decentralized regional partnerships rather than highly centralized imperial control.
The final sentence summarizes the significance of the road network differences, pointing directly to the primary purpose of the text.
3
Select the option that captures both the functional comparison and the governance implications.
The correct answer accurately states that the text discusses functional differences between the road networks and what they reveal about Wari governance.
This option summarizes the entire text rather than emphasizing a minor detail or making an unsupported claim.

Key Concept

Primary Purpose of the Whole Text
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Primary Purpose of the Whole Text

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