Question

analyzing the progression of events

... by 1590 the principal actors stay in the city. the burgeoning population of london provides them with large audiences, especially when they become established at their respective theaters: the lord admirals men at the rose and the lord chamberlains men at the globe. only when the theaters are closed by the authorities because of the plague-in 1581-82, 1592-93, and 1603-4 -do the london companies start to tour again, from bath to nottingham. ironically, one place they do not play is stratford-upon-avon.
-the time travelers guide to elizabethan england, ian mortimer

which factor directly influenced the actors decision to resume their travels?

the population of london
the popularity of plays in bath and nottingham
the outbreak of the plague
the theater ban in stratford-upon-avon

Explanation:

Analyze the question and text

The question asks which factor directly influenced the actors' decision to resume their travels. We need to find the cause-and-effect relationship in the provided excerpt from The Time Traveler's Guide to Elizabethan England.

Locate textual evidence

Using Textual Support, we look at the specific sentence in the passage:
"Only when the theaters are closed by the authorities because of the plague—in 1581–82, 1592–93, and 1603–4—do the London companies start to tour again, from Bath to Nottingham."

Evaluate cause and effect

Using Cause and Effect Analysis, we identify the trigger for the actors resuming their travels (touring again):

• Cause: The theaters are closed by the authorities because of the plague.
• Effect: The London companies start to tour (travel) again.

Therefore, the outbreak of the plague is the direct influencing factor.

Evaluate the given options

• "the population of London": This is why they stay in the city, not why they travel.
• "the popularity of plays in Bath and Nottingham": This is where they tour, but not the cause of leaving London.
• "the outbreak of the plague": This matches the textual evidence directly.
• "the theater ban in Stratford-upon-Avon": The text mentions they do not play in Stratford, but this is not the reason they started touring.

Answer:

• the population of London
• the popularity of plays in Bath and Nottingham
• the outbreak of the plague (Correct answer)
• the theater ban in Stratford-upon-Avon