Hi everyone,
I made this academic reading for you to practice. The answer key is at the bottom.
Historical Games of Chance
Historians have traditionally treated dice and games of probability as Old World innovations. However, a new study found that ancient Native American groups were purposefully making objects designed to produce random outcomes, and using those outcomes in structured games, thousands of years earlier than previously recognized. The earliest examples identified by scientists come from Folsom sites dating to roughly 12,800-12,200 years ago.
Unlike modern cubic dice, these were two-sided dice known as binary lots. They were carefully crafted from pieces of bone that were flat, sized to be held or tossed into groups and onto a playing surface. The two faces of these binary lots were distinguished by applied markings, surface treatments, coloration, or other visible modifications, much like heads or tails on a quarter.
The study also documents the remarkable breadth, as well as the persistence, of Native American dice games. From Paleoindian times through the Archaic and Late Prehistoric periods, dice appear at 57 archaeological sites across a 12-state region associated with a variety of different cultures and subsistence strategies. This breadth of use and endurance reflects their social importance. Games of chance and gambling created neutral, rule-governed spaces for ancient Native American tribes. They allowed people from different groups to interact, exchange goods and information, form alliances, and manage uncertainty. In that sense, they functioned as powerful social technologies.
What is the passage mainly about?
A. How archaeologists make new discoveries about the ancient world
B. Games of chance that were played by Native Americans
C. A new discovery that sheds light on Native American dice games
D. A study that proves Native Americans used games of chance to establish a social hierarchy
What does the author imply about games of chance?
A. They prove that Native Americans were capable of abstract reasoning
B. They are older than previously thought
C. They are similar to modern dice games
D. They were games for strictly two players at a time
Why does the author mention a quarter?
A. To illustrate the appearance of Native American dice using an object most readers are familiar with
B. To contrast Native American dice games with modern games involving a quarter
C. To argue that Native Americans played games that were simpler than modern games
D. To show that games of chance are common across a wide breadth of cultures
Which of the following was NOT a benefit of games of chance for Native Americans?
A. They allowed opportunities for trade
B. They increased social contacts with other tribes
C. They increased the sense of stability
D. They decreased conflicts within tribes
The word “neutral” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to:
A. active
B. partisan
C. impartial
D. protected
Answer Key:
C, B, A, D, C
