Question

from the 8th to 11th centuries c.e., the vikings were arguably europes most feared seafarers, causing incalculable harm as they conquered and raided coastal cities along the continents length. yet they were also brilliant shipbuilders and explorers, greatly advancing the field of marine engineering and discovering new means of navigation.
what made viking ships so impressive? the most famous viking ship, the drakkar, featured several important innovations that contributed to the vikings success on the seas: overlapping planks in the hull that made the ship flexible; a long, narrow shape that sat high in the water, allowing travel in waters only three feet deep; and symmetry in the bow and stern that enabled the ship to turn quickly.
however, advanced ships serve little purpose without advanced navigational tools to direct them. the most famous viking navigational tool was the sun stone, a mineral found in iceland. the sun stone allowed the vikings to analyze the suns location even on cloudy days. this made possible long sea voyages that were out of the question for other european cultures of the time.
which quotation from the text best supports the inference that the vikings natural resources played a role in their success as seafarers?
choose 1 answer:
a from the 8th to 11th centuries c.e., the vikings were arguably europes most feared seafarers, causing incalculable harm as they conquered and raided coastal cities along the continents length. (paragraph 1)
b the most famous viking ship, the drakkar, featured a number of important innovations that contributed to the vikings success as seafarers. (paragraph 2)
c ...a long, narrow shape that sat high in the water, allowing travel in waters only three feet deep; and symmetry in the bow and stern that enabled them to turn quickly. (paragraph 2)
d the most famous viking navigational tool was the sun stone, a mineral found in iceland. the sun stone allowed the vikings to analyze the suns location even on cloudy days. (paragraph 3)

Explanation:

The question asks for a quotation that supports the inference that natural resources (the sun - stone, a mineral) played a role in Viking success. Option D mentions the sun - stone (a natural resource) and its role in navigation (contributing to their success as seafarers). Option A just states they were feared seafarers. Option B and C talk about ship innovations (not natural resources).

Answer:

D. The most famous Viking navigational tool was the sun stone, a mineral found in Iceland. The sun stone allowed the Vikings to analyze the sun's location even on cloudy days. (paragraph 3)