After theformationof the RomanRepublicin 509 B.C., the Romans expanded the borders of theirrealmthroughnear-continuouswarfare. At its greatestextent, in the earlysecondcenturyA.D., the RomanEmpirereached from theEuphratesRiver in southwest Asia to Scotland in the West. Thevastterritoryringed theMediterraneanSea-mare nostrum,or “our sea,” the Romans called it. As the Romans absorbed the peoples they conquered,they imposed on them a legal, administrative, and cultural structure that endured for some five centuries—in the easternMediterraneanuntil the fifteenthcenturyA.D.—and left alastingmark on the civilizations that emerged in Europe.

Conquering and maintaining avastempirerequired not only inspired leadership and tactics but also careful planning,massivelogistical support, and great administrative skill. Some of Rome's mostenduringcontributions to Westerncivilization—its system of law, its governmental and administrative structures, and itssophisticatedcivilengineeringand architecture-reflect these qualities.

Tofacilitatethedevelopmentandadministrationof theempire, as well as to make city life comfortable andattractiveto its citizens, the Romangovernmentundertook building programs ofunprecedentedscaleandcomplexity, mandating theconstructionof central administrative and legal centers (forums and basilicas), recreational facilities (racetracks and stadiums),theaters, public baths, roads, bridges, aqueducts (bridge-like structures for carrying fresh water from the mountains), middle-class housing, andevennew towns. Toaccomplishthese tasks without sacrificing beauty,efficiency,and human well-being, Roman builders and architects developedrationalplans using easily worked butdurablematerials and highlysophisticatedengineeringmethods. ThearchitectVitruvius described these accomplishments in his Ten Books ofArchitecture.

To move their armies about efficiently, speed communications between Rome and the farthest reaches of theempire, andpromotecommerce, the Romans built avastandsophisticatednetwork of roads and bridges. Many modern European highways still follow the lines laid down by Roman engineers, and foundations dating from the Romaneraunderlie the streets of many cities. Roman bridges are still in use, and remnants of Roman aqueducts need only repairs and connecting links to enable them tofunctionagain. The Pont du Gard, near Nimes in southern France, for example, is a powerful reminder of Rome's rapidspreadandenduringimpact. Entirelyfunctional,the Romanaqueductconveys thebalance,proportion, andrhythmicharmonyof a great work of art and fits naturally into thelandscape,areflectionof the Romans' attitude toward the land.

Despite their sophistication as city-dwellers,Romans liked toportraythemselves as simple country folk who had never lost their love of nature. The middle classes enjoyed their town-home gardens,wealthy city dwellers maintainedruralestates, and Roman emperors had country villas that were both functioning farms and places ofrecreation. Wealthy Romansevenbrought nature indoors by commissioning artists to paint landscapes on theInteriorwalls of their homes.

The Romans particularly admired Greek art. Historians haveevensuggested that although Rome conquered the Greek world,Greekcultureconquered Rome. The Romans used Greek designs and Greek styles of columns in theirarchitecture, imported Greek art, and employed Greek artists. In 146 B.C, for example, they stripped the Greek city of Corinth of its art treasures and shipped them back to Rome. Ironically, this love of Greek art was not accompanied byadmirationfor its artists. In Rome, as in Greece,professionalartists were generally considered little more than skilled laborers.

Although the Romans had gods of their own, they also adopted many Greek gods and myths and assimilated Greekreligiousbeliefs and practices into a form ofstatereligion. To these gods they added their own deified emperors, in part tomaintaintheallegianceof the culturallydiversepopulations of theempire. Worship ofancientgods mingled with homage to past rulers, and oaths ofallegianceto the living ruler made theofficialreligionapoliticalduty-increasingly ritualized, perfunctory, anddistantfrom the everyday life of theaverageperson. As a result, many Romans adopted the morepersonalreligiousbeliefs of the people they had conquered. These unauthorized religions flourished,despiteoccasionalgovernmentefforts tosuppressthem.

Questions:
question_stem: According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true of the Roman Empire?
choices: tag: A
text: It included more territory in the early second century A.D. than at any other time.

tag: B
text: It had reached the Euphrates River in southwest Asia by 509 B.C.

tag: C
text: It endured in the eastern Mediterranean for about five centuries.

tag: D
text: It allowed conquered peoples to keep their own government and cultural structures.
answer_key: A
explanation: 题干提问“以下关于 Roman Empire 的描述，哪个是正确的？”
定位原文第2句，At its greatest extent, in the early second century A.D., 根据 greatest 则是前无古人后无来者的，即比任何其他时期的领土都要多，对应 A 选项。
故选 A。

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

tag: B
text: attractive

tag: C
text: low-cost

tag: D
text: long-lasting
answer_key: D
explanation: durable adj.耐用的，持久的。
与 D 选项 long-lasting 同义。
故选 D。

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

tag: B
text: plans

tag: C
text: remains

tag: D
text: surfaces
answer_key: C
explanation: remnants n.残余，残留物。
与 C 选项 remains 同义。
故选 C。

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: Because the Romans believed that works of art fit more naturally into the landscape than practical structures,their aqueducts were always in use.

tag: B
text: The Roman aqueduct is a functional and artistic structure reflecting the idea that architecture should blend naturally with the landscape.

tag: C
text: The Roman aqueduct reflects the qualities of a functional structure rather than those of a great work of art.

tag: D
text: The Roman aqueduct conveys the belief that a great work of art is often inspired by the landscape.
answer_key: B
explanation: 第4段高亮句主干：（1）Entirely functional, the Roman aqueduct conveys the balance, proportion, and rhythmic harmony of a great work of art and （2）fits naturally into the landscape.
A 选项 Because 的因果逻辑及 more naturally into 的比较关系文中未提及，错误；
B 选项体现了主干信息的 functional and artistic 对应（1），blend naturally with the landscape 对应（2），正确；
C 选项 rather than 的否定表达文中未提及，错误；
D 选项 is often inspired by the landscape 文中未提及，错误。
故选 B。

question_stem: According to paragraph 4, all of the following were true of Roman roads EXCEPT:
choices: tag: A
text: They commonly ran alongside Roman aqueducts.

tag: B
text: They extended from Rome to distant parts of the Empire.

tag: C
text: They were built in part to facilitate trade and business.

tag: D
text: They determined the course of some modern roads.
answer_key: A
explanation: 题干提问“除了以下哪个选项之外，剩余描述 Roman roads 的都是正确的”，建议先看完四个选项，再逐一对应文本。
定位第4段第3句，提及 Roman aqueducts，但未提及 ran alongside，A 选项错误；
定位第4段第1句 between Rome and the farthest reaches of the empire，对应 B 选项，正确；
定位第4段第1句 To move their armies about efficiently, speed communications, and promote commerce, the Romans built a vast and sophisticated network of roads and bridges，对应 C 选项，正确；
定位第4段第2句 Many modern European highways still follow the lines laid down by Roman engineers 对应 D 选项，正确。
故选 A。

question_stem: In paragraph 6, why does the author mention that the Romans stripped the Greek city of Corinth of its art treasures and shipped them back to Rome?
choices: tag: A
text: To explain how the Romans first became familiar with Greek designs

tag: B
text: To emphasize that Romans usually removed possessions from countries they conquered

tag: C
text: To illustrate the Roman admiration for Greek art

tag: D
text: To argue that the Romans associated art with military power
answer_key: C
explanation: 题干提问“作者为什么要提及 the Romans stripped the Greek city of Corinth of its art treasures and shipped them back to Rome？”
定位第6段第3句是题干所提及内容，作为修辞句其所论述的观点为前两句 The Romans particularly admired Greek art. Historians have even suggested that although Rome conquered the Greek world, Greek culture conquered Rome. 即体现出罗马对希腊艺术的欣赏，对应 C 选项。
故选 C。

question_stem: According to paragraph 6, which of the following best describes how Romans fell about artists?
choices: tag: A
text: They respected Greek artists more than Roman artists.

tag: B
text: They valued artworks more than they valued artists.

tag: C
text: They considered artists to be far superior to skilled laborers.

tag: D
text: They admired Greek architecture more than Greek art.
answer_key: B
explanation: 题干提问“以下哪个选项可以最好地描绘出罗马人对艺术家的感受？”
定位第6段最后2句，罗马人只爱希腊艺术，认为希腊艺术家只不过是技术工，即不尊重艺术家，对应 B 选项。
故选 B。

question_stem: According to paragraph 7, the Romans made gods of their emperors partly in order to
choices: tag: A
text: encourage loyalty to the Roman state

tag: B
text: imitate the Greek practice of making gods of important rulers

tag: C
text: claim that their emperors were more powerful than ancient gods

tag: D
text: promote the worship of Roman rather than Greek gods
answer_key: A
explanation: 题干提问“罗马人将本国皇帝变成了神灵的部分原因是”。
定位第7段第2句 in part to maintain the allegiance of the culturally diverse populations of the empire，即维护了帝国人群的忠诚，对应 A 选项。
故选 A。