The Roman Empire(31 B.C.E.-A.D. 476)， which conquered much of Europe, the Near East, and northern Africa, enjoyed great prosperity before facing economic decline in its later centuries. The primary cause of this decline seems to have been that the Roman economy was unproductive. The city of Rome had grown rich simply on the spoils of war. Its population consumed the corn that Africa and Sicily were sending to Rome as payment after their defeats, and it did not produce any manufactured goods in return. Its chief trade was money lending. Such an economy could have been maintained only by a policy of perpetual conquest and enlargement of the empire. Once the frontier of the empire was stabilized, the profits of war declined sharply, and emperors even struggled to raise enough money to pay the army its wages. In such circumstances the easiest, and most disastrous, solution was to debase the coinage(produce coins from cheaper metals), and this the emperors did. The denarius, which in the second century had been of silver, was by the end of the third century a mostly bronze coin coated with silver, and in relation to gold, its value had fallen to a fortieth. Indeed, the most permanent feature of the later Roman Empire was that the purchasing power of money was declining steadily, and that the decline continued not just for ten years or twenty but for centuries. As a result, the only prudent course for a rich man was to invest his money in land. For unlike money, land retained its value. The owner of a great estate could live in luxury in his villa, secure from the worst consequences of the decreasing value of money.
This drift of the wealthy from the towns to the country had serious consequences for the civilization of the empire. For Roman policy had always been to persuade the conquered peoples to live in towns, since to them town life was civilization. But now, in the third century, they were unable to make town life attractive. When the wealthy retired to their villas, the tradesmen in the towns lost their customers and were anxious to depart in their turn. Thus, it happened that, in the third century, many Roman towns actually shrank in area(Bordeaux from 175 to 56 acres and Autun from 500 to 25). The parts that were no longer inhabited fell into ruins.
The situation was made worse by the fact that the total population of the empire was declining. The causes for this decline are unknown, but as a fact it is unquestionable. One modern estimate is that the population fell by about one third, from 70 million to 50 million. This might not have had such serious consequences if the empire had contracted its frontiers or reduced its responsibilities to a level suited to the smaller population, but no such reduction was made. In Rome itself, for example, the state continued to distribute bread, wine, oil, and pork, either free or at nominal (insignificant) prices. But with the reduced population, the difficulty was to find sufficient shipowners to transport the goods to Rome and corn traders, oil merchants, bakers, and pork butchers to arrange for its distribution on terms which the state could afford. The imperial authorities, therefore, tried to maintain a sufficient staffing of these essential services by organizing the relevant traders into hereditary guilds called collegia. The bakers, for example, were enrolled in a collegium of their own and had to bake for the rest of their lives; even a baker’s son had no option but to be a baker too and was not allowed to marry anyone but a baker’s daughter. This incredible system was, by the beginning of the fifth century, applied to almost all trades in almost all towns of the empire. The worst fate of all was to be enrolled among the curiales (local officials); for the curiales had to serve as town councillors and were held responsible for the provisioning of the town and for the payment of the full quota of taxes from its dependent territory, no matter whether any lands had fallen out of cultivation or not. The emperors Maxentius(ruled 306-312) and Honorius(ruled 395-423) even used enrollment as curiales as a form of punishment for disfavored religious groups among their subjects.
1
The Roman Empire(31 B.C.E.-A.D. 476)， which conquered much of Europe, the Near East, and northern Africa, enjoyed great prosperity before facing economic decline in its later centuries. The primary cause of this decline seems to have been that the Roman economy was unproductive. The city of Rome had grown rich simply on the spoils of war. Its population consumed the corn that Africa and Sicily were sending to Rome as payment after their defeats, and it did not produce any manufactured goods in return. Its chief trade was money lending. Such an economy could have been maintained only by a policy of perpetual conquest and enlargement of the empire. Once the frontier of the empire was stabilized, the profits of war declined sharply, and emperors even struggled to raise enough money to pay the army its wages. In such circumstances the easiest, and most disastrous, solution was to debase the coinage(produce coins from cheaper metals), and this the emperors did. The denarius, which in the second century had been of silver, was by the end of the third century a mostly bronze coin coated with silver, and in relation to gold, its value had fallen to a fortieth. Indeed, the most permanent feature of the later Roman Empire was that the purchasing power of money was declining steadily, and that the decline continued not just for ten years or twenty but for centuries. As a result, the only prudent course for a rich man was to invest his money in land. For unlike money, land retained its value. The owner of a great estate could live in luxury in his villa, secure from the worst consequences of the decreasing value of money.
The word”perpetual”in the passage is closest in meaning to
Aforceful
Bsuccessful
Clarge-scale
Dcontinuous
2
The Roman Empire(31 B.C.E.-A.D. 476)， which conquered much of Europe, the Near East, and northern Africa, enjoyed great prosperity before facing economic decline in its later centuries. The primary cause of this decline seems to have been that the Roman economy was unproductive. The city of Rome had grown rich simply on the spoils of war. Its population consumed the corn that Africa and Sicily were sending to Rome as payment after their defeats, and it did not produce any manufactured goods in return. Its chief trade was money lending. Such an economy could have been maintained only by a policy of perpetual conquest and enlargement of the empire. Once the frontier of the empire was stabilized, the profits of war declined sharply, and emperors even struggled to raise enough money to pay the army its wages. In such circumstances the easiest, and most disastrous, solution was to debase the coinage(produce coins from cheaper metals), and this the emperors did. The denarius, which in the second century had been of silver, was by the end of the third century a mostly bronze coin coated with silver, and in relation to gold, its value had fallen to a fortieth. Indeed, the most permanent feature of the later Roman Empire was that the purchasing power of money was declining steadily, and that the decline continued not just for ten years or twenty but for centuries. As a result, the only prudent course for a rich man was to invest his money in land. For unlike money, land retained its value. The owner of a great estate could live in luxury in his villa, secure from the worst consequences of the decreasing value of money.
Why does the author provide the information that”The denarius, which in the second century had been of silver, was by the end of the third century a mostly bronze coin coated with silver, and in relation to gold, its value had fallen to a fortieth”?
ATo illustrate how Roman coinage was debased in an attempt to address the economic failures of the empire
BTo provide evidence that gold coins held their value better than coins made of silver
CTo argue that the later Roman Empire was able to retain its traditional coinage, despite its economic decline
DTo support the claim that the emperors had to struggle to pay the army its wages
3
The Roman Empire(31 B.C.E.-A.D. 476)， which conquered much of Europe, the Near East, and northern Africa, enjoyed great prosperity before facing economic decline in its later centuries. The primary cause of this decline seems to have been that the Roman economy was unproductive. The city of Rome had grown rich simply on the spoils of war. Its population consumed the corn that Africa and Sicily were sending to Rome as payment after their defeats, and it did not produce any manufactured goods in return. Its chief trade was money lending. Such an economy could have been maintained only by a policy of perpetual conquest and enlargement of the empire. Once the frontier of the empire was stabilized, the profits of war declined sharply, and emperors even struggled to raise enough money to pay the army its wages. In such circumstances the easiest, and most disastrous, solution was to debase the coinage(produce coins from cheaper metals), and this the emperors did. The denarius, which in the second century had been of silver, was by the end of the third century a mostly bronze coin coated with silver, and in relation to gold, its value had fallen to a fortieth. Indeed, the most permanent feature of the later Roman Empire was that the purchasing power of money was declining steadily, and that the decline continued not just for ten years or twenty but for centuries. As a result, the only prudent course for a rich man was to invest his money in land. For unlike money, land retained its value. The owner of a great estate could live in luxury in his villa, secure from the worst consequences of the decreasing value of money.
According to paragraph 1， the primary economic activity in the city of Rome in the later centuries of the Roman Empire was
Atrade with Africa and Sicily
Blending money
Cthe manufacturing of goods
Dequipping the army
4
The Roman Empire(31 B.C.E.-A.D. 476)， which conquered much of Europe, the Near East, and northern Africa, enjoyed great prosperity before facing economic decline in its later centuries. The primary cause of this decline seems to have been that the Roman economy was unproductive. The city of Rome had grown rich simply on the spoils of war. Its population consumed the corn that Africa and Sicily were sending to Rome as payment after their defeats, and it did not produce any manufactured goods in return. Its chief trade was money lending. Such an economy could have been maintained only by a policy of perpetual conquest and enlargement of the empire. Once the frontier of the empire was stabilized, the profits of war declined sharply, and emperors even struggled to raise enough money to pay the army its wages. In such circumstances the easiest, and most disastrous, solution was to debase the coinage(produce coins from cheaper metals), and this the emperors did. The denarius, which in the second century had been of silver, was by the end of the third century a mostly bronze coin coated with silver, and in relation to gold, its value had fallen to a fortieth. Indeed, the most permanent feature of the later Roman Empire was that the purchasing power of money was declining steadily, and that the decline continued not just for ten years or twenty but for centuries. As a result, the only prudent course for a rich man was to invest his money in land. For unlike money, land retained its value. The owner of a great estate could live in luxury in his villa, secure from the worst consequences of the decreasing value of money.
According to paragraph 1， one effect of the Roman army’s securing the empire’s frontier was that
Athe army’s incentive to wage further war declined sharply
Bmore Roman citizens began to settle close to the frontier
Cthe Roman economy was no longer stimulated by military activity
Dprofits from economic activity along the border were used to pay the army
5
This drift of the wealthy from the towns to the country had serious consequences for the civilization of the empire. For Roman policy had always been to persuade the conquered peoples to live in towns, since to them town life was civilization. But now, in the third century, they were unable to make town life attractive. When the wealthy retired to their villas, the tradesmen in the towns lost their customers and were anxious to depart in their turn. Thus, it happened that, in the third century, many Roman towns actually shrank in area(Bordeaux from 175 to 56 acres and Autun from 500 to 25). The parts that were no longer inhabited fell into ruins.
Why does the author provide the information that “in the third century, many Roman towns actually shrank in area(Bordeaux from 175 to 56 acres and Autun from 500 to 25)”？
ATo illustrate an effect of the movement of city residents to the country
BTo explain why it became Roman policy to persuade conquered peoples to live in towns
CTo offer evidence that smaller, less civilized towns were in greater danger of ruin than larger towns were
DTo provide a reason for the retirement of wealthy Romans to their villas
6
The situation was made worse by the fact that the total population of the empire was declining. The causes for this decline are unknown, but as a fact it is unquestionable. One modern estimate is that the population fell by about one third, from 70 million to 50 million. This might not have had such serious consequences if the empire had contracted its frontiers or reduced its responsibilities to a level suited to the smaller population, but no such reduction was made. In Rome itself, for example, the state continued to distribute bread, wine, oil, and pork, either free or at nominal (insignificant) prices. But with the reduced population, the difficulty was to find sufficient shipowners to transport the goods to Rome and corn traders, oil merchants, bakers, and pork butchers to arrange for its distribution on terms which the state could afford. The imperial authorities, therefore, tried to maintain a sufficient staffing of these essential services by organizing the relevant traders into hereditary guilds called collegia. The bakers, for example, were enrolled in a collegium of their own and had to bake for the rest of their lives; even a baker’s son had no option but to be a baker too and was not allowed to marry anyone but a baker’s daughter. This incredible system was, by the beginning of the fifth century, applied to almost all trades in almost all towns of the empire. The worst fate of all was to be enrolled among the curiales (local officials); for the curiales had to serve as town councillors and were held responsible for the provisioning of the town and for the payment of the full quota of taxes from its dependent territory, no matter whether any lands had fallen out of cultivation or not. The emperors Maxentius(ruled 306-312) and Honorius(ruled 395-423) even used enrollment as curiales as a form of punishment for disfavored religious groups among their subjects.
Paragraph 3 suggests which of the following about the traders who distributed food in the days before the state established its collegia ？
AThere were more of them than were required to meet the needs of the falling population.
BThey preferred working in the empire’s frontiers to working in Rome itself.
CThey charged more money for their services than the state was able to pay.
DThey owned ships that were no longer able to transport goods to Rome.
7
The situation was made worse by the fact that the total population of the empire was declining. The causes for this decline are unknown, but as a fact it is unquestionable. One modern estimate is that the population fell by about one third, from 70 million to 50 million. This might not have had such serious consequences if the empire had contracted its frontiers or reduced its responsibilities to a level suited to the smaller population, but no such reduction was made. In Rome itself, for example, the state continued to distribute bread, wine, oil, and pork, either free or at nominal (insignificant) prices. But with the reduced population, the difficulty was to find sufficient shipowners to transport the goods to Rome and corn traders, oil merchants, bakers, and pork butchers to arrange for its distribution on terms which the state could afford. The imperial authorities, therefore, tried to maintain a sufficient staffing of these essential services by organizing the relevant traders into hereditary guilds called collegia. The bakers, for example, were enrolled in a collegium of their own and had to bake for the rest of their lives; even a baker’s son had no option but to be a baker too and was not allowed to marry anyone but a baker’s daughter. This incredible system was, by the beginning of the fifth century, applied to almost all trades in almost all towns of the empire. The worst fate of all was to be enrolled among the curiales (local officials); for the curiales had to serve as town councillors and were held responsible for the provisioning of the town and for the payment of the full quota of taxes from its dependent territory, no matter whether any lands had fallen out of cultivation or not. The emperors Maxentius(ruled 306-312) and Honorius(ruled 395-423) even used enrollment as curiales as a form of punishment for disfavored religious groups among their subjects.
According to paragraph 3， membership in a collegium determined all of the following aspects of a trader’s life EXCEPT
Awhat type of work he could do
Bwhere in the empire he could live
Cwhat occupation his children would have
Dwhom he could marry
8
The situation was made worse by the fact that the total population of the empire was declining. The causes for this decline are unknown, but as a fact it is unquestionable. One modern estimate is that the population fell by about one third, from 70 million to 50 million. This might not have had such serious consequences if the empire had contracted its frontiers or reduced its responsibilities to a level suited to the smaller population, but no such reduction was made. In Rome itself, for example, the state continued to distribute bread, wine, oil, and pork, either free or at nominal (insignificant) prices. But with the reduced population, the difficulty was to find sufficient shipowners to transport the goods to Rome and corn traders, oil merchants, bakers, and pork butchers to arrange for its distribution on terms which the state could afford. The imperial authorities, therefore, tried to maintain a sufficient staffing of these essential services by organizing the relevant traders into hereditary guilds called collegia. The bakers, for example, were enrolled in a collegium of their own and had to bake for the rest of their lives; even a baker’s son had no option but to be a baker too and was not allowed to marry anyone but a baker’s daughter. This incredible system was, by the beginning of the fifth century, applied to almost all trades in almost all towns of the empire. The worst fate of all was to be enrolled among the curiales (local officials); for the curiales had to serve as town councillors and were held responsible for the provisioning of the town and for the payment of the full quota of taxes from its dependent territory, no matter whether any lands had fallen out of cultivation or not. The emperors Maxentius(ruled 306-312) and Honorius(ruled 395-423) even used enrollment as curiales as a form of punishment for disfavored religious groups among their subjects.
According to paragraph 3， which of the following categories of people were at certain times more likely to be enrolled among the curiales?
APeople who were dissatisfied with their collegium, or guild
BPeople who had left dependent territory when lands fell out of cultivation
CPeople who were unable to pay their full quota of taxes
DPeople who did not practice the same religion as the emperor
9
The situation was made worse by the fact that the total population of the empire was declining. The causes for this decline are unknown, but as a fact it is unquestionable.[■] One modern estimate is that the population fell by about one third, from 70 million to 50 million.[■] This might not have had such serious consequences if the empire had contracted its frontiers or reduced its responsibilities to a level suited to the smaller population, but no such reduction was made. [■] In Rome itself, for example, the state continued to distribute bread, wine, oil, and pork, either free or at nominal (insignificant) prices. [■] But with the reduced population, the difficulty was to find sufficient shipowners to transport the goods to Rome and corn traders, oil merchants, bakers, and pork butchers to arrange for its distribution on terms which the state could afford. The imperial authorities, therefore, tried to maintain a sufficient staffing of these essential services by organizing the relevant traders into hereditary guilds called collegia. The bakers, for example, were enrolled in a collegium of their own and had to bake for the rest of their lives; even a baker’s son had no option but to be a baker too and was not allowed to marry anyone but a baker’s daughter. This incredible system was, by the beginning of the fifth century, applied to almost all trades in almost all towns of the empire. The worst fate of all was to be enrolled among the curiales (local officials); for the curiales had to serve as town councillors and were held responsible for the provisioning of the town and for the payment of the full quota of taxes from its dependent territory, no matter whether any lands had fallen out of cultivation or not. The emperors Maxentius(ruled 306-312) and Honorius(ruled 395-423) even used enrollment as curiales as a form of punishment for disfavored religious groups among their subjects.
Look at the four squaresthat indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage
Instead, the government, with its limited resources, persisted in providing services.
Where would the sentence best fit？Click on a square sentence to the passage.
10
The Roman Empire suffered economic decline in its later centuries.
AAs Roman conquests increased, the empire began receiving manufactured goods from Europe and the Near East to supplement agricultural goods brought from Africa and Sicily.
BWhen the government began producing cheaper coins and the value of money declined, the wealthy, who invested in land, left the towns for their estates and the traders followed.
CAs the empire’s population fell, the state created hereditary guilds to provide essential services and make curiales responsible for providing for the needs of each town and for the payment of its taxes.
DThe empire had gotten rich on the spoils of war, but once the Romans stopped conquering new territory, their lack of domestic production became a problem.
EAs the appeal of town life fell, conquered people from the frontiers moved into the city of Rome to provide needed services and replace the shrinking native population.
FThe decline of the ancient collegia, which had long ensured that the trades and distribution networks were adequately started, signaled the collapse of the imperial economy.
