Question

read the passage and review the graph.
in march 2011, protests against the syrian government took place.
this led to conflicts between the government and those opposed to it.
by 2012, international efforts to bring about peace failed. fighting led
to widespread destruction and injury, and hundreds of thousands of
people left their homes to escape harm. many fled to nearby jordan,
turkey, and other countries. by 2017, more than five million syrians
were scattered around the world.
which statement describes population trends in damascus, syria, over
time?
the population grew steadily for several
decades, but then declined for several years
before resuming growth.
the population remained stable for many
decades before experiencing several periods
of fluctuation.
the population rose rapidly for most of the
1900s before leveling off in the early 2000s
and then declining.

Explanation:

To determine the correct statement, we analyze the graph and passage. The graph (1950 - 2030) shows steady growth for decades, a decline (likely due to the 2011 - 2017 conflict as per the passage), then resuming growth (UN projections). The first option matches: growth, then decline, then growth. The second option's "stable for many decades" is incorrect (graph shows growth). The third option's "leveling off in early 2000s" and "declining" don't match the graph's later resumption of growth.

Answer:

The population grew steadily for several decades, but then declined for several years before resuming growth.