With theemergenceof theSumeriancivilizationin about 3100 B.C., a newerain human experience began-one in which theeconomic,political, and social mechanisms created by humans began toaffectthe lives of cities, towns, and villages located hundreds and perhaps thousands of miles apart. In a realsense, a rapidly evolving world system linked hundreds of Southwest Asian societies all the way from modern-day eastern Iran to the easternMediterraneanand the NileValley. Thisnascentworld system developed as a result of insatiable demands for nonlocalrawmaterials in differentecologicalregions where societies were developingalongverysimilarevolutionarytracks toward greatercomplexity. In each area,social developments andtechnologicalinnovations were triggered not only bybasiceconomicneeds but also by thecompetitiveinstincts of newly urbanized elites, who used lavishdisplayandexoticluxuries to reaffirm their socialprestigeandauthority. Sumeriancivilizationis amirrorof this developing regionalinterdependence.

Sumeriancivilizationcame into being as a result of acombinationofenvironmentaland social factors. The Sumerians lived in a treeless,lowlandenvironment withfertilesoils but no metal, littletimber, and no semiprecious stones. They obtained these commodities by trading with areas where such items were inabundance. Sumerianrulers controlled not only largegrainsurpluses that could be moved in rivercraftbut also aflourishingindustryin textiles and other luxuries. Thetrademoved up and down the great rivers,especially theplacidEuphrates. Ancientoverlandtraderoutes linked theTigrisandEuphratesrivers with thedistantcities and ports in the Levant (easternMediterraneanarea). Evenas early asSumeriantimes, caravans ofpackanimals joined Anatolia to theEuphrates, the Levant toMesopotamia, andMesopotamiatoisolatedtowns on thedistantIranian highlands to the east.

Bronzetechnology produced tougher-edged, moredurableartifacts that could be used for morearduousday-to-day tasks. One resultinginnovationwas the metal- and wood- tippedplow, animplementdragged by oxen that wascapableof digging a far deeperfurrowthan the simple hoes and digging sticks of earlier times. Theplowwas developed asirrigationagricultureassumed greater importance in Sumer, and the combined innovations increased agricultural yieldsdramatically. These yields not only supported largerurbanandruralpopulations but also provided a means for the rulers of city-states both in Sumer and fartherafieldtoexercisemore control over food surpluses and over the wealth obtained by long-distanceexchange.

Anintricateand ever-changing system ofpoliticalalliances andindividualobligations of friendship linkedcommunitywithcommunityand city-state with city-state. In time,financialand logistical checks and balances were maintained by an administrative system based in the temples to bring order to what had begun as informal bartering. Specializedmerchants began tohandlesuch commodities ascopperand lapis lazuli, a semiprecious stone. There was wholesaling and contracting, loans were floated, andindividualprofit was aprimemotivation. Increasingly, every city-state, andevenentire civilizations, came todependon the world system,not so much forpoliticalstabilitybut forsurvival.

As thevolumeof long-distancetradeincreaseddramatically, so competition over resources intensified. Eachstateraised an army todefendits water rights,traderoutes, and city walls. The onerous tasks ofdefenseandmilitaryorganizationpassed to despotic kingssupposedlyappointed by the gods. SuchSumeriancity-states as Erech, Kish, and Ur had periods ofpoliticalstrength andprosperitywhen they dominated their neighbors. Then, just as swiftly, thetideof their fortunes would change and they would sink into obscurity.

Inevitably, the ambitions of some proudSumerianleaders led them toentertainbolder visions than merely the control of a few city-states in the lowlands. They were wellawarethat the control oflucrativesources ofrawmaterials andtraderoutes was the secret ofvastpoliticalpower. In about 2400 B.C. , amonarchnamed Lugalzagesi boasted of overseeing the entire area from the PersianGulfto theMediterranean. Thisboastwas probably false. It is likely thatSumeriancities dominated the overland routes that linkedMesopotamia, Anatolia,and the Levant, but their influence was neverpermanent, their control probably illusory.

Questions:
question_stem: It can be inferred from paragraph 1 that before the rise of the Sumerian civilization, Southwest Asian societies had been
choices: tag: A
text: more densely populated

tag: B
text: more independent of other societies in the region

tag: C
text: more complex economically

tag: D
text: more dependent on authority
answer_key: B
explanation: 题干提问“在苏美尔文明出现之前，西南亚社会是怎样的？”
定位第1段第1句 With the emergence of the Sumerian civilization，及第2句 Southwest Asian societies，1-2句信息整合，可得出：在苏美尔文明出现之后，新兴的世界体系连接了数百个西南亚社会。即，在苏美尔文明出现之前，西南亚社会没有被连接，即彼此独立。故选 B。

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: As complex societies evolved in more and more regions, demands for a new world order increased.

tag: B
text: The new world system placed increasing demands on regions of Southwest Asia in which more complex societies had developed.

tag: C
text: Less complex societies in the new world system had to demand locally unavailable raw materials from more complex societies in Southwest Asia.

tag: D
text: Demands by developing Southwestern Asian societies for raw materials available outside their territories led to the emergence of a world system.
answer_key: D
explanation: 第1段高亮句主干信息：This nascent world system developed as a result of insatiable demands for nonlocal raw materials.
A 选项 as complex societies evolved in more and more regions 未提及，错误；
B 选项 placed increasing demands 强加了需求，与原文不符，原文是“由于对非本地的原材料的需求导致了新世界体系”，错误；
C 选项 less complex societies 未提及，错误；
D 选项主干信息为 demands led to the emergence of a world system，其中 developing Southwestern Asian societies = in different ecological regions where societies were developing，raw materials available outside their territories = nonlocal raw materials，led to = as a result of， the emergence of a world system = This nascent world system developed，正确。
故选 D。

question_stem: According to paragraph 1, one of the causes of the social and technological developments in Southwest Asia at the time of the Sumerian civilization was
choices: tag: A
text: increased access to information

tag: B
text: improved educational opportunities

tag: C
text: competition for prestige and authority

tag: D
text: stronger governmental control
answer_key: C
explanation: 题干提问“在苏美尔文明时期，西南亚社会和科技发展的原因之一是什么”。
定位第1段第4句，social developments and technological innovations were triggered by 中的 were triggered by 为“由…引起”，by 后为原因，根据 not only … but also …得知其后两个原因：（1）basic economic needs，（2）the competitive instincts of newly urbanized elites, who used lavish display and exotic luxuries to reaffirm their social prestige and authority。（2）可对应 C 选项，competition = competitive instincts，for prestige and authority = to reaffirm their social prestige and authority。
故选 C。

question_stem: According to paragraph 2, Sumerians lacked all of the following EXCEPT
choices: tag: A
text: semiprecious stones

tag: B
text: metals

tag: C
text: grain

tag: D
text: timber
answer_key: C
explanation: 题干提问“除以下哪个选项外，其余是苏美尔人缺少的”，建议先看完四个选项，再逐一对应文本。
定位第2段第2句 The Sumerians lived in a treeless, lowland environment with fertile soils but no metal, little timber, and no semiprecious stones.
其中 no metal 可排除 B，little timber 可排除 D，no 
semiprecious stones 可排除 A。
再结合第4句 Sumerian rulers controlled not only large grain surpluses 可知 C 选项的 grain 不缺少。
故选 C。

question_stem: The word “arduous” in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: frequent

tag: B
text: important

tag: C
text: difficult

tag: D
text: specialized
answer_key: C
explanation: arduous adj.艰苦的，艰难的。
与 C 选项 difficult 同义。
故选 C。

question_stem: According to paragraph 3, in addition to the plow,which of the following was responsible for large increases in agricultural productivity in Sumer?
choices: tag: A
text: Irrigation

tag: B
text: Large populations

tag: C
text: Increased control by rulers

tag: D
text: Increased use of digging sticks
answer_key: A
explanation: 题干提问“除了犁之外，以下哪项可导致苏美尔农业生产力的大幅增加？”
定位第3段第3句 The plow was developed as irrigation agriculture assumed greater importance in Sumer, and the combined innovations increased agricultural yields dramatically.由 combined innovations 得知前半句提及的 plow 和 irrigation 均为 innovation，除去 plow 剩余 irrigation。
故选 A。

question_stem: Paragraph 6 supports which of the following statements about the Sumerian monarch Lugalzagesi?
choices: tag: A
text: He probably ruled over the entire area from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean.

tag: B
text: He probably did not control more than a few Sumerian city-states in the lowlands.

tag: C
text: He probably dominated the overland trade routes that linked Mesopotamia, Anatolia, and the Levant.

tag: D
text: He probably lost control of the trade routes started by previous Sumerian monarchs.
answer_key: C
explanation: 题干提问“根据第6段可得出与苏美尔君主 Lugalzagesi 有关的哪个陈述”。
定位第6段后3句，由倒数第2句 This boast was probably false.可知最后一句的 It is likely 为真实可能的存在，其内容对应 C 选项。
故选 C。

question_stem: The word “lucrative” in the passage is closest in meaning to
choices: tag: A
text: distant

tag: B
text: profitable

tag: C
text: major

tag: D
text: particular
answer_key: B
explanation: lucrative adj.获利多的。
与 B 选项 profitable 同义。
故选 B。