In thearchaeologicalrecordof the Natufian period, from about 12,500 to 10,200 years ago, in the part of the Middle East known as the Levant -roughlyeast of theMediterraneanand north of the ArabianPeninsula- we seeclearevidenceof agricultural origins. The stone tools of the Natufians included many sickle-shaped cutting blades that show apatternofwearcharacteristicofcerealharvesting. Also, querns (hand mills) and other stone tools used for processinggrainoccurinabundanceat Natufian sites, and many such tools show signs of long,intensiveuse. Along with thesickleblades are many grinding stones,primarilymortars and pestles oflimestoneor basalt. There is alsoevidencethat these heavy grinding stones were transported over long distances, more than 30 kilometers in some cases, and this is not something known to have been done by people of preceding periods. Fishhooks and weights for sinking fishing netsattestto the growing importance of fish in thedietin some areas. Stone vesselsindicatean increased need for containers, but there is noevidenceof Natufianclayworking orpottery. Studies of the teeth of Natufians also strongly suggest that these peoplespecializedin collecting cereals and may have been cultivating them and in theprocessof domesticating them, but they were also still hunter-foragers who intensively huntedgazelleand deer in morelushareas and wild goats and equids in morearidzones.

The Natufians had a differentsettlementpatternfrom that of their predecessors. Some of their base camps were far larger (over 1,000squaremeters) than any of those belonging to earlier periods, and they may have lived in some of these camps for half the year or even more. In some of the camps, people made foundations and other architectural elements out oflimestoneblocks. Tradeinshell,obsidian, and other commodities seems to have been on the rise, and anthropologistssuspectthat theexchangeof perishables (such as skins, foodstuffs) and salt was also on the increase. With the growing importance of wild cereals in thediet, salt probably became for the first time a near necessity: people who eat a lot of meat get manyessentialsalts from thisdiet, but diets based on cereals can bedeficientin salts. Salt was probably also important as a food preservative in early villages.

As always, there is more to a major cultural change thansimplyashiftin economics. The Natufians made (andpresumablywore) beads and pendants in many materials, including gemstones andmarineshells that had to be imported, and it is possible that this ornamentation actually reflects a growingsenseofethnicidentityand perhaps some differences inpersonaland groupstatus. Cleverly carved figurines of animals, women, and other subjectsoccurin many sites, and Natufian period cave paintings have been found in Anatolia, Syria, and Iran. More than 400 Natufian burials have been found, most of them simple graves set in house floors. As archaeologist Belfer-Cohen notes, these burials mayreflectanancestorcultand a growingsenseofcommunityemotionalties and attachment to aparticularplace, and toward the end of the Natufian period, people in this area were making astrictseparation between living quarters andburialgrounds. Incontrastwith thePleistocenecultures of the Levant, Natufiancultureappears to have experiencedconsiderablesocial change.

The question of why the Natufians differed from their predecessors in these and other ways and why they made these first steps toward farming as a way of life remains unclear. There wereclimatechanges, ofcourse, and growing aridity and risingpopulationdensities may have forced them tointensifytheexploitationof cereals, which in turn might have stimulated thedevelopmentof sickles and other tools and thepermanentcommunities that makeagricultureefficient. But precisely how these factors interacted with others at play is poorly understood.

Questions:
question_stem: All of the following are mentioned in paragraph 1 as evidence that the Natufians may have engaged in the growing and processing of cereals and grains EXCEPT
choices: tag: A
text: tools with a specific pattern of wear

tag: B
text: the widespread presence of grinding stones

tag: C
text: the presence of clay containers

tag: D
text: results from the analysis of Natufian teeth
answer_key: C
explanation: 【题目翻译】第1段提到了以下所有内容，作为纳图菲亚人可能从事谷物和谷物的种植和加工的证据，但除了哪一个之外？
A：具有特定磨损模式的工具

B：磨石的广泛存在

C：存在粘土容器

D:Natufian 牙齿分析结果

【判定题型】：根据题干中出现的大写“EXCEPT”/"NOT" 等其他明显表示否定的词，可以判定本题为否定事实信息题，需要找出与原文信息不符的那个答案。

【关键词定位】定位于第1段，第1句话：In the archaeological record of the Natufian period, from about 12,500 to 10,200 years ago, in the part of the Middle East known as the Levant - roughly east of the Mediterranean and north of the Arabian Peninsula - we see clear evidence of agricultural origins. 

【选项分析】
A 选项：有特殊磨损痕迹的工具。根据关键词“pattern of wear”，定位至第一段第2句“The stone tools of the Natufians included many sickle-shaped cutting blades that show a pattern of wear characteristic of cereal harvesting.”很明显这是一个纳图夫人加工谷物的证据，故 A 选项排除。 
B 选项：研磨石的大量出现。根据关键词“grinding stones”定位至第一段第4句“Along with the sickle blades are many grinding stones, primarily mortars and pestles of limestone or basalt.”这句话提到了研磨石的出现，它们也能证明纳图夫人用加工谷物，故 B 选项排除。 
C 选项：黏土容器的出现。根据关键词“clay containers”定位到这句话“……but there is no evidence of Natufian clay working or pottery.”说明纳图夫人并没有用黏土或陶土制作器皿。故 C 选项与原文矛盾，为正确答案。 
D 选项：对纳图夫人牙齿的分析结果。根据关键词“teeth”定位到这句话“Studies of the teeth of Natufians also strongly suggest that these people specialized in collecting cereals and may have been cultivating them and in the process of domesticating them……”这句话能充分说明牙齿是纳图夫人种植和加工谷物的证据，故 D 选项排除。

question_stem: Why does the author say that "many such tools show signs of long, intensive use" in connection with Natufian agriculture?
choices: tag: A
text: To argue that the Natufian people consumed grains long before they included fish in their diet

tag: B
text: To suggest that Natufian people could not replace their tools frequently because they had to travel very long distances to find grinding stones

tag: C
text: To illustrate the sophistication of the Natufians in the design of stone tools

tag: D
text: To support the claim that the archaeological record of the Natufian period shows clear evidence of agricultural origins
answer_key: D
explanation: 【题目翻译】为什么作者说“许多这样的工具显示出长期、集约使用的迹象”与纳图非农业有关？
A：认为纳图菲亚人早在将鱼纳入饮食之前就食用了谷物。
B：建议纳图菲亚人不能频繁更换工具，因为他们必须长途跋涉才能找到磨石。
C：为了说明纳图菲亚人在石器设计上的复杂性。
D：支持纳图菲亚时期的考古记录表明农业起源的明确证据的说法。

【判定题型】：根据题干问法“why …… say”，题目询问"many such tools show signs of long, intensive use"(文章引用内容)的修辞目的，可以判断本题为修辞目的题。

【关键词定位】：根据关键词“signs of long, intensive use”,定位到 Passage 1 第3句，原句为“Also, querns (hand mills) and other stone tools used for processing grain occur in abundance at Natufian sites, and many such tools show signs of long, intensive use. Along with the sickle blades are many grinding stones, primarily mortars and pestles of limestone or basalt.”。

【引用内容分析】首先我们来看第一段的结构，第一段作者首先提出了“we see clear evidence of agricultural origins.”的观点，而后文中所提到的镰刀状刀片磨损的痕迹、手推石磨、研磨石等，都是证明纳图夫人种植和加工谷物的证据。所以这里作者提到这些石器显示出了长期、集约利用的痕迹，很明显是为了说明纳图夫时期的考古学记录中，可以清晰地看到农业起源的证据

【选项分析】
A 选项：表明在纳图夫人食用谷物远远早于他们食用鱼类。根据关键词“fish”定位到这句话“Fishhooks and weights for sinking fishing nets attest to the growing importance of fish in the diet in some areas.”但是鱼钩和砝码与并不是题干这句话中“such tools”所指的工具，因此 A 选项与题意无关。
B 选项：说明纳图夫人不经常更换他们的工具，因为他们要走很远的距离去寻找研磨石。定位到这一句“There is also evidence that these heavy grinding stones were transported over long distances, more than 30 kilometers in some cases, and this is not something known to have been done by people of preceding periods.”这句话是为了说明从很远的地方将研磨石运回是早期人类做不到的事情。但这句话并不是纳图夫人不经常更换他们工具，所以“长期、集约利用”这些石器的原因。原文没有显示这两者间存在因果关系。 
C 选项：说明纳图夫人制造的石器非常的精致。错误，因为文中没有提到这一点。 
D 选项：说明了纳图夫人种植和加工谷物的证据。而这些石器显示出了长期、集约利用的痕迹，它们是农业起源的证据。与文章符合，正确。

question_stem: The phrase "attest to" in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: symbolize

tag: B
text: provide evidence of

tag: C
text: are predictive of

tag: D
text: coincide with
answer_key: B
explanation: 【题目翻译】文章中的“attest to”这个短语的意思最接近于以下哪个选项？
A: 象征
B: 提供证据
C: 预测
D: 与……一致

【判定题型】：题目要求选出与高亮单词意思最接近的选项，故判断本题为词汇题。

【关键词定位】：根据关键词“attest to”,定位到原句“Fishhooks and weights for sinking fishing nets attest to the growing importance of fish in the diet in some areas.”

【词汇解析】：词汇“attest to 的意思是证实；证明,带入到原句中，原句的意思是“用于使渔网下沉的鱼钩和砝码证明鱼类在一些地区的饮食结构中变得越来越重要。”

【选项分析】
A 选项：symbolize，意思是“象征”，意思不符，故排除。 
B 选项：provide evidence for，意思是“提供证据”，意思最接近，故为正确答案。 
C 选项：are predictive of，意思是“预测”，意思不符，故排除。 
D 选项：coincide with，意思是“与…一致”，意思不符，故排除。

question_stem: Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
choices: tag: A
text: Studies of the teeth of Natufians suggest the importance of cereals in their culture although they still hunted and foraged.

tag: B
text: The Natufians specialized in collecting cereals and may have been in the process of domesticating certain animals.

tag: C
text: Studies of the teeth of Natufians suggest that these people became hunter-foragers after they began domesticating cereals.

tag: D
text: The Natufians’ diet consisted mostly of cereals and lacked sufficient meat.
answer_key: A
explanation: 【题目翻译】下面哪个句子最能表达文章中突出句子的基本信息？不正确的选择会以重要方式改变含义，或者漏掉必要的信息。
A：对纳图菲亚人的牙齿的研究表明，虽然他们仍然在狩猎和觅食，但谷物在他们的文化中很重要。
B：纳图菲亚人专门收集谷物，可能正在驯养某些动物。
C：对纳图菲亚人的牙齿的研究表明，这些人开始驯化谷物后就成了捕猎者。
D：纳图菲亚人的饮食以谷物为主，缺乏足够的肉。

【判定题型】：根据题目问法，题目要求选择和高亮句意思逻辑都最为接近的句子，故判断本题为句子简化题。

【句子分析】首先我们来看需要简化的这句句子，句子中有转折逻辑词“but”,整句句子的意思是“对纳图夫人牙齿的研究也强有力地表明这些人专门收集谷物并且可能会种植谷物，或正处于驯化作物的过程中，但是纳图夫人也仍然是狩猎者，他们会在一些植被更繁茂的地区集中猎杀羚羊营地要比和鹿，在较为干旱的地区猎杀野山羊和马。”

【选项分析】
A 选项：对纳图夫人牙齿的研究证明谷物在他们的文化中很重要，虽然他们还是会以采集和狩猎为生。”A 选项成分齐全，且逻辑关系符合原文，故 A 选项正确。 
B 选项：纳图夫人专门收集谷物，并有可能驯化某些动物。错误，因为文中只提到纳图夫人驯养作物，故 B 选项与原文不符。其次 B 选项还少了原句的主干成分“纳图夫人依然会采集和狩猎”，且缺少转折逻辑，故 B 选项排除。 
C 选项：对纳图夫人牙齿的研究说明他们在驯养谷物之后，就开始成为采集狩猎者。错误，因为根据文意可知，纳图夫人在驯养谷物之前就一直是采集狩猎者。且 C 选项缺少转折逻辑，故 C 选项排除。 
D 选项：纳图夫人的食物大部分是谷物，缺少足够的肉类。这句话本身不符合文意，因为文中说纳图夫人在种植谷物后“were also still hunter-foragers”，说明他们也会打猎。同样 D 选项也缺少转折逻辑，故排除。

question_stem: Paragraph 2 suggests that compared with their predecessors, the Natufians
choices: tag: A
text: had smaller camps

tag: B
text: had more permanent settlements

tag: C
text: engaged in trade less often

tag: D
text: had more meat in their diets
answer_key: B
explanation: 【题目翻译】第2段建议，与其前任相比，纳图菲亚人有以下哪些行为？
A 有更小的营地
B 有更多的永久定居点
C 少做贸易
D 他们的饮食中有更多的肉

【判定题型】：题目问的是文章中的具体细节信息，故根据题目问法可以判断本题为事实信息题。

【关键词定位】：根据关键词“compared with their predecessors”,定位到 Passage 2 第1句，The Natufians had a different settlement pattern from that of their predecessors.意思是：纳图菲亚人与他们的前辈有着不同的定居模式。

【逻辑分析】找到定位句后，发现定位句是总结句，因此答案往后找。

【选项分析】
A：他们的营地更小。错误，根据关键词“camp”定位到第二段第2句“ Some of their base camps were far larger (over 1,000 square meters) than any of those belonging to earlier periods……”这句话说纳图夫人的营地要比以前的任何营地都大得多，故 A 选项排除。 
B 选项：他们的居住的时间更长。正确，同样定位到第二段第2句“……and they may have lived in some of these camps for half the year or even more.”说明他们会在营地住上半年或更久，故 B 选项为正确答案。 
C 选项：他们更少参与贸易。错误，根据关键词“trade”定位到第二段第4句“ Trade in shell, obsidian, and other commodities seems to have been on the rise……”这句说明纳图夫人越来越多地参与到贸易中，故与原文矛盾，C 选项排除。
D 选项：他们吃更多肉。错误，定位到这句话“With the growing importance of wild cereals in the diet, salt probably became for the first time a near necessity.”这里说明纳图夫文化中，野生谷物在日常饮食中的重要性日益增加，食盐可能第一次几乎成为一种必需品。所以纳图夫人吃的肉应该比之前少，而增加了谷物的摄入。所以 D 选项与原文矛盾，排除。

question_stem: The phrase "be deficient in" in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: consist mainly of

tag: B
text: be balanced by

tag: C
text: not have enough

tag: D
text: have adequate
answer_key: C
explanation: 【题目翻译】文章中“preservative”这个短语的意思最接近于
A 选项意思是给食物添加风味的东西 
B 选项意思是给食物增加营养价值的东西
C 选项意思是能使食物保持新鲜的东西
D 选项意思是能够增加食物贸易价值的东西

【判定题型】：题目要求选出与高亮单词意思最接近的选项，故判断本题为词汇题。


【关键词定位】：根据关键词“preservative”,定位到原句“Salt was probably also important as a food preservative in early villages.”

【词汇解析】：“preservative”的意思是“防腐剂”。词汇所在句“Salt was probably also important as a food preservative in early villages.”的意思是“在早期的村庄里，盐可能是一种重要的食品防腐剂。” 

【选项分析】
A 选项意思是给食物添加风味的东西，意思不符，故排除。 
B 选项意思是给食物增加营养价值的东西，意思不符，故排除。 
C 选项意思是能使食物保持新鲜的东西，意思符合故为正确答案。 
D 选项意思是能够增加食物贸易价值的东西，意思不符，故排除。

question_stem: The word "preservative" in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: something that adds flavor to food

tag: B
text: something that adds nutritional value to food

tag: C
text: something that keeps food fresh

tag: D
text: something that increases the trade value of food
answer_key: C
explanation: 【题目翻译】文章中“preservative”这个短语的意思最接近于
A 选项意思是给食物添加风味的东西 
B 选项意思是给食物增加营养价值的东西
C 选项意思是能使食物保持新鲜的东西
D 选项意思是能够增加食物贸易价值的东西

【判定题型】：题目要求选出与高亮单词意思最接近的选项，故判断本题为词汇题。


【关键词定位】：根据关键词“preservative”,定位到原句“Salt was probably also important as a food preservative in early villages.”

【词汇解析】：“preservative”的意思是“防腐剂”。词汇所在句“Salt was probably also important as a food preservative in early villages.”的意思是“在早期的村庄里，盐可能是一种重要的食品防腐剂。” 

【选项分析】
A 选项意思是给食物添加风味的东西，意思不符，故排除。 
B 选项意思是给食物增加营养价值的东西，意思不符，故排除。 
C 选项意思是能使食物保持新鲜的东西，意思符合故为正确答案。 
D 选项意思是能够增加食物贸易价值的东西，意思不符，故排除。

question_stem: According to paragraph 2, the abundance of wild cereals in the Natufian diet probably meant that the Natufians
choices: tag: A
text: had to move their settlements more often

tag: B
text: needed to supplement their diets with salt

tag: C
text: found it easy to store their food supplies

tag: D
text: no longer needed meat to provide essential minerals
answer_key: B
explanation: 【题目翻译】根据第2段，纳图菲亚人饮食中丰富的野生谷物可能意味着纳图菲亚人
A：不得不经常搬迁他们的定居点。

B：需要用盐来补充他们的饮食。

C：发现储存食物很容易。

D：不再需要肉类来提供必需的矿物质。

【判定题型】：题目问的是文章中的具体细节信息，故根据题目问法可以判断本题为事实信息题。

【关键词定位】根据关键词“wide cereal”定位到第二段倒数第2句话“With the growing importance of wild cereals in the diet, salt probably became for the first time a near necessity……can be deficient in salts.”

【选项分析】
A 选项：他们需要更经常地移动他们的定居点。错误，因为原文并未提到该信息。
B 选项：野生物类在饮食中重要性的增加，说明盐会成为生活的必需品，B 选项正确。 
C 选项：他们发现储存食物很方便。错误，因为原文中说的是“Salt was probably also important as a food preservative in early villages.”盐能够帮助储存食物，而野生谷类在饮食中的重要性增加和存储食物没有什么关系，故 C 选项排除。 
D 选项：他们不再需要肉类来提供必要的矿物质。错误，因为野生谷类在饮食中的重要性增加并不能说明纳图夫人不需要肉类，其次在第一段中原文有提到纳图夫人“were also still hunter-foragers”，故 D 选项排除。

question_stem: The word “reflects" in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: indicates

tag: B
text: causes

tag: C
text: hides

tag: D
text: prevents
answer_key: A
explanation: 【题目翻译】文章中“reflects”这个短语的意思最接近于
A 选项：indicates，意思是“指示；表明” 
B 选项：causes，意思是“导致”
C 选项：hides，意思是“隐藏”。 
D 选项：prevents，意思是“防止”

【判定题型】：题目要求选出与高亮单词意思最接近的选项，故判断本题为词汇题。

【关键词定位】：根据关键词“reflects”,词汇所在句“……and it is possible that this ornamentation actually reflects a growing sense of ethnic identity and perhaps some differences in personal and group status.”的意思是“这些材料都需要进口才能获得，可能这些装饰品事实上反映了民族认同感的增强，或者反映了身份和族群地位上的一些不同。”

【词汇解析】：词汇“reflects”的意思是“反映；说明”,带入到原句中，原句的意思是这些材料都需要进口才能获得，可能这些装饰品事实上反映了民族认同感的增强，或者反映了身份和族群地位上的一些不同。”

【选项分析】
A 选项：indicates，意思是“指示；表明”,意思最接近，故为正确答案。 
B 选项：causes，意思是“导致”，意思不符，故排除。 
C 选项：hides，意思是“隐藏”，意思不符，故排除。 
D 选项：prevents，意思是“防止”，意思不符，故排除。

question_stem: The word "ties" in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: values

tag: B
text: experiences

tag: C
text: influences

tag: D
text: connections
answer_key: D
explanation: 【题目翻译】文章中“ties”这个短语的意思最接近于以下哪个选项？

A 选项：values，意思是“价值” 
B 选项：experience，意思是“经历”
C 选项：influences，意思是“影响”
D 选项：connections，意思是“联系，连接”

【判定题型】：题目要求选出与所选单词意思最接近的选项，故判断本题为词汇题。

【关键词定位】词汇所在句“As archaeologist Belfer-Cohen notes, these burials may reflect an ancestor cult and a growing sense of community emotional ties and attachment to a particular place……”的意思是“据考古学家 Belfer-Cohen 记载，这些墓葬可能反映出了一种祖先崇拜，团队意识情感纽带的增强以及对特殊地区的一种依赖性……”

【选项分析】
A 选项：values，意思是“价值”，意思不符，故排除。 
B 选项：experience，意思是“经历”，意思不符，故排除。 
C 选项：influences，意思是“影响”，意思不符，故排除。 
D 选项：connections，意思是“联系，连接”，意思最接近，故为正确答案。

question_stem: All of the following are mentioned in paragraph 3 as part of the cultural change experienced by the Natufians EXCEPT
choices: tag: A
text: Technological advances

tag: B
text: Personal ornamentation

tag: C
text: Cave painting

tag: D
text: Community burial sites
answer_key: A
explanation: 【题目翻译】第3段中提到了下列所有内容除了哪一项不是作为纳图菲亚人经历的文化变革的一部分？
A：技术进步
B：个人装饰品
C：洞穴画
D：社区墓地

【判定题型】：根据题干中出现的大写“EXCEPT”/"NOT" 等其他明显表示否定的词，可以判定本题为否定事实信息题，需要找出与原文信息不符的那个答案。

【关键词定位】：根据题干关键词“the cultural change experienced”,可以将出题范围锁定在 Passage 3 第一句：As always, there is more to a major cultural change than simply a shift in economics.再看后面原文。

【选项分析】
A 选项：技术的进步。文中没有提到技术的进步，故 A 选项为正确答案。 
B 选项：个人装饰物。根据关键词“ornamentation”定位到第三段第2句“……and it is possible that this ornamentation actually reflects a growing sense of ethnic identity and perhaps some differences in personal and group status.”故 B 选项不符合原文，排除。 
C 选项：洞穴壁画。定位到第三段中这一句“……and Natufian period cave paintings have been found in Anatolia, Syria, and Iran.”这里提到洞穴壁画在多处被发现，故 C 选项不符合原文，排除。 
D 选项：墓穴遗址。第三段后半段都在讲洞穴遗址，一开始纳图夫人把墓穴建在楼层里，而后来才将生活区和墓葬区分隔来，故 D 选项不符合原文，排除。

question_stem: According to paragraph 4, which of the following may have helped push the Natufians toward farming as a way of life?
choices: tag: A
text: At the same time as the Natufian population was increasing, the climate was becoming less hospitable.

tag: B
text: The development of sickles and other tools made it possible for Natufians to exploit new kinds of cereals.

tag: C
text: The climate changed during the Natufian period and produced conditions favorable to growing cereals.

tag: D
text: Increasing competition from neighboring populations may have forced Natufians to grow cereals more intensively.
answer_key: A
explanation: 【题目翻译】根据第4段，下列哪一项可能有助于推动纳图菲亚人将农业作为一种生活方式？
A：随着纳图菲亚人口的增加，气候变得不那么好客了。

B：镰刀和其他工具的发展使纳图菲人开发新型谷物成为可能。

C：纳图法时期气候发生了变化，产生了有利于种植谷物的条件。

D：来自邻近人口的日益激烈的竞争可能迫使纳图菲亚人更加密集地种植谷物。

【判定题型】：题目问的是文章中的具体细节信息，故根据题目问法可以判断本题为事实信息题。

【关键词定位】根据题干关键信息“toward farming as a way of life”定位到第四段第1句“The question of why the Natufians differed from their predecessors in these and other ways and why they made these first steps toward farming as a way of life remains unclear.”意思是：“为什么纳图菲亚人与他们的前辈在这些方面和其他方面有所不同，以及为什么他们把农业作为一种生活方式迈出了第一步，这个问题仍然不清楚。”

【逻辑分析】后文的内容就开始阐述可能的原因，“There were climate changes, of course, and growing aridity and rising population densities may have forced them to intensify the exploitation of cereals”这句话中提到了天气原因（干旱）和增长的人口密度，是迫使纳图夫人加强对谷物的开发利用的原因。

【选项分析】
A 选项涵盖了天气和人口密度这2个原因，故 A 选项正确。 
B 选项：镰刀和其他工具的发展使纳图夫人能够开发利用新的农作物。首先，镰刀和其他工具的发展归根结底是由于恶劣的天气和增长的人口密度所导致的，其次这些工具也没有使纳图夫人开发利用“新的作物”故 B 选项排除。 
C 选项：纳图夫时期的天气，为种植农作物提供了有利的条件。错误，因为原文中提到了“growing aridity”意思是“越来越严重的干旱”，故 C 选项与原文矛盾，排除。 
D 选项：纳图夫与邻国竞争，促使纳图夫人种植更多的谷物。错误，因为文章没有提及这一点。