Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate which text tells you the answer to each of the questions from 1 to 5. The same text may be used more than twice.

In which text does the writer
1: describe the Maya engineering achievements?
2: contrast the old and the new?
3: refer to buildings that are still to be seen by modern man?
4: refer to the adaptability of Mayans to change?
5: speculate about Mayan history?

A      With their magnificent architecture and sophisticated knowledge of astronomy and mathematics, the Maya boasted one of the great cultures of the ancient world. Although they had not discovered the wheel and were without metal tools, the Maya constructed massive pyramids, temples and monuments of hewn stone. During its Classic period (250–950 A.D.), Maya civilisation reached a zenith, with a probable population of 13 million. Then, between about 750 and 950 A.D. their society imploded. The Maya abandoned densely populated urban centres, leaving their edifices to fall into ruin. The demise of Maya civilisation has been one of the great anthropological mysteries of modern times. What happened? In recent years, evidence has mounted that unusual shifts in atmospheric patterns took place near the end of the Classic Maya period, lending credence to the notion that climate, and specifically drought, played a hand in the decline of this ancient civilisation.

B     The north of Guatemala, known as El Petén, is an area of lush lowland jungle whose depths conceal countless Mayan ruins, half-buried and entwined by tree-roots and lianas. The most impressive and famous of these lost cities is Tikal; a stunning collection of mighty temples at the heart of a vast national park, which was once home to between 10,000 and 100,000 Mayans (though the rain forest makes it difficult to determine the real physical extent of the city). It is not only fascinating for its historic remains but is also a haven for wildlife. There is little to beat the experience of approaching temples towering above you as they rise from the forest floor through the tree canopy. Five main temples make up Tikal, which the fit and brave can climb for magnificent views, as well as thousands more structures still hidden under mounds of earth, awaiting discovery.

C      The modern Maya live in southeastern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador. Altogether, their homelands cover an area of approximately 125,000 square miles (323,750 square kilometers) with a varied terrain that encompasses both northern lowlands and southern highlands. Volcanic mountains dominate the highlands. The fertile soil of the traditional Mayan homeland of the highland valleys supports the largest segment of the Maya population. While many Maya have settled in cities—particularly Merida and Cancún—and adopted an urban lifestyle, most remain rural dwellers. Estimates of the Maya population range upward from 4 million. The true figure is probably between 8 and 10 million, including about half of Guatemala's total population of 10 million. Among the larger individual groups are about 750,000 Quiché (K'iche') in the midwestern highlands of Guatemala; 445,000 or more Cakchiquel in several Guatemalan departments (provinces); and over 500,000 Mam in southwestern Guatemala and southeastern Chiapas.

D     Jom works about 12 to 14 hours a day, and then brings his material to different suppliers and customers. Meeting his wife opened my mind to other cultures. She had walked to the small market and surprised me with some bottled water and crackers that they couldn’t afford. I wondered why Jom wasn’t wearing any real Mayan clothes. He said that other people were jealous of successful Mayans doing their craft. It left me concerned about their valuable culture, and how it would hold up in the future. We drove through Quetzaltenango, seeing many new buildings mixed with old markets. I saw Mayans selling their wares along with common vendors, and it was a fascinating sight. I hope that the new generation of Guatemalans and their government will help preserve the Mayan race and their culture because we can’t afford to lose more chapters in the history of our planet.