Question

ages or dark ages, they often conjure up images of war, plague, and famine. many imagine people living in squalor—with dirty houses and little personal hygiene—and believe that scientific and intellectual progress came to a standstill during this time. there is a popular tendency to discount the medieval era as an inferior period between the glory of the roman empire and the splendor of the renaissance. this conception of the middle ages is largely inaccurate, however. the medieval period saw the founding of the first universities in europe as well as the construction of impressive cathedrals such as the notre - dame of paris. a number of scientific inventions, such as eyeglasses and mechanical clocks, improved everyday life considerably during this time. the use of heavy ploughs, horse collars, and water mills also increased agricultural productivity. there was no paucity of literary genius, either; many poetic masterpieces, such as chaucer’s canterbury tales and dante’s divine comedy, were written during the middle ages. perhaps we should think twice, then, before using the term “middle ages” pejoratively to describe anything that is perceived as backwards, unsophisticated, or ignorant. what is the meaning of squalor as used in the passage? filthy conditions. risky circumstances. constant fear. crowded cities

Explanation:

The passage says "squalor—with dirty houses and little personal hygiene". "Dirty houses" and lack of hygiene relate to unclean, filthy conditions. Other options (risky, fear, crowded) don't match this context.

Answer:

filthy conditions