Civilisation and Urbanisation - Unit 8

C2 Proficiency · Open Cloze · Objective Proficiency 2nd Edition Workbook, Cambridge University Press

For questions 1–8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap.

Early civilisations, as (1) ___ to merely primitive early societies, seem to have a common positive characteristic in (2) ___ they change the human scale of things. They bring together the cooperative efforts of large numbers of people, usually bringing them together physically in large agglomerations. Civilisation is usually marked by urbanisation. It (3) ___ be a bold individual who was willing to draw a precise line at the moment when the balance tipped towards a dense pattern of agricultural villages clustered (4) ___ a religious centre or a market to reveal the first true city. However, it is perfectly reasonable to say that more than (5) ___ other institution the city has provided the critical mass which produces civilisation. Inside the city, the surpluses of wealth produced by agriculture (6) ___ possible other things characteristic (7) ___ civilised life. They provided for the upkeep of a priestly class which elaborated a complex religious structure, leading to the construction of great buildings serving more than merely economic functions, and in due (8) ___ to the writing down of literature.

Civilisation and Urbanisation

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