Read the excerpt from chapter 8 of The Travels of Marco Polo This province produces great quantities of excellent white incense, and also dates in great abundance. No grain is grown here except rise, and not much of that; but it is imported from abroad at a big profit. Fish is plentiful, notably tunnies of large size, which are so abundance that two of them can be bought for a Venetian groat. The staple diet consists of rice, meat, and fish.
What is the author’s reason for writing this text?
A. To persuade the reader to follow a certain diet
B. To convince the reader to travel to Shihr
C. To inform the reader about the products and foods that a region offers
D. To entertain the reader with stories about what the author has bought

Lots of elementary school kids play sports after school. they play soccer, tennis, football, baseball, and even lacrosse. but i think that another great way to spend the afternoon is by playing a non-physical activity: chess. at our school we have a chess club that meets every week to play games and to learn about chess-related issues. chess is a wonderful game for many reasons. chess teaches students to be patient and not rush decisions. chess also teaches students how to strategize their future plans. and finally, chess teaches students the importance and necessity of sacrifice. chess can teach students just as much as any other sport. which sentence could best be added to this paragraph as a supporting detail? a) chess is not as fun as playing a sport outdoors might be. b) my father is very good at chess and plays a game with me every night. c) chess teaches students to think ahead about the consequences of their actions. d) other activities that are as fun as chess are painting, drawing, dancing, and acting.