Reading Comprehension: Inference Questions
According to the passage, what may be inferred about stops along the incense route?
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]The passage says that the traditional account of Meccan trade describes Mecca as a natural stop along the incense route, but that Professor Crone discredits the logic behind this assumption. Therefore we cannot assume that Mecca was actually a natural stop along this route.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]Although the passage tells us that Mecca was located halfway between two major trading hubs, it does not state or imply that Mecca was the most important stop on the incense route.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]Although this answer choice makes logical sense, there is nothing in the passage that suggests that it is true. Be careful of choosing answer choices based on general knowledge; rely only on what is mentioned in the passage.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]According to the traditional account of Meccan trade, merely being located between two major trading hubs made a spot suitable to be a stop on the incense route. However, Professor Crone discredits this account, so we can infer the climate is a more crucial factor.
Great!
[[snippet]]Crone claims that precisely because mecca spots an inhospitable climate, it doesn't make sense to make a stopping point there, especially with green environments around it to make more likely stopping points. Therefore, we can infer that climate was an issue when choosing the location of stopping points, and the rise of Islam in mecca must be explained by reasons other than mecca being a trading stop.
