Question

how does the author organize the section titled \the ancestral puebloans\ (paragraphs 8–13) to develop the thesis? a by describing the events that forced the ancestral puebloans to adapt to changes in their environment b by listing the agricultural skills necessary to master farming the land in the mesa verde area c by explaining how the ancestral puebloans altered the natural landscape in ever more significant ways d by recounting the establishment of increasingly complex and sophisticated structures in the mesa verde area

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, we analyze each option:

• Option A: If the section focuses on events forcing adaptation, but typically the Ancestral Puebloans' organization in such a section (about their development) is more about their own actions on the landscape or structures, not just forced adaptation events.
• Option B: Listing agricultural skills is too narrow; the section likely covers more than just farming skills.
• Option C: The Ancestral Puebloans' alteration of the natural landscape (like building, farming modifications) in increasingly significant ways aligns with how a section about them would develop the thesis, showing their impact on the environment over time.
• Option D: Recounting structure establishment is also possible, but "altering the natural landscape" is a broader and more accurate description of their overall actions (including farming, building, etc.) that develop the thesis about their civilization's development.

Answer:

C. By explaining how the Ancestral Puebloans altered the natural landscape in ever more significant ways