Question

fresh water flows beneath the ground. people had to dig down to reach the water. they made a channel. it was a long hole dug into the earth. the underground water collected in the channel. then people needed a way to get to this water so they could use it.
a stepwell in india
what does “channel” mean in this passage?

• a type of boat
• a deep cut in a surface
• a plan for building something
• a small container

Explanation:

The passage describes people digging a long hole (implies depth) into the earth and making a channel to collect water. The context clues like "dug into the earth" and the purpose of water collection align with the idea of a "deep cut in a surface" as the meaning of "channel" here.

Answer:

a deep cut in a surface