Directions: Read the following text. Choose the best word ( s) for each numbered blank and mark A, B , C or D on th ANSWER SHEET. ( 10 points)
Caravanserais were roadside inns that were built along the Silk Road in areas including China, North Africa and the Middle East. They were typically ___1___ outside the walls of a city or village and were usually funded by governments or ___2___ This word " Caravanserais" is a ___3___ of the Persian word " karv:an" , which means a group of travellers or a caravan, and " seray" , a palace or enclosed building. The term caravan was used to ___4___ groups of people who travelled together across the ancient network for safety reasons , ___5___ merchants, travellers or pilgrims. From the 10th century onwards, as merchant and travel routes became more developed, the ___6___ of the caravanserais increased and they served as a safe place for people to rest at night. Travellers on the Silk Road ___7___ possibility of being attacked by thieves or being ___8___ to extreme weather conditions. For this reason, caravanserais were strategically placed ___9___ they could be reached in a day's travel time. Caravanserais served as an informal ___10___ point for the various people who travelled the Silk Road. ___11___ , these structures became important centers for cultural ___12___ and interaction, with travellers sharing their cultures, ideas and beliefs, ___13___ taking knowledge with them, greatly ___14___ the development of several civilisations. Caravanserais were also an important marketplace for commodities and ___15___ in the trade of goods along the Silk Road. ___16___ , it was frequently the first stop for merchants looking to sell their wares and ___17___ supplies for their own journeys. It is ___18___ that around 12,000 to 15,000 caravanserais were built along the Silk Road, ___19___ only about 3,000 are known to remain today, many of which are in ___20___ .