1. PART A: Which statement best expresses a central idea in the text?

a. Pompeii was a thriving cultural center of the Roman Empire and its destruction was the greatest loss in human history.

b. While Pompeii is an important resource for archaeologists, the site does not provide any understanding into the emotional impact of the city's tragic end.

c. The preservation of Pompeii has allowed the site to become a major source of income for Italy through tourism, but this has hindered many archaeological digs.

d. Pompeii’s preservation contains a great deal of information about daily life in the ancient Roman world and how its citizens reacted to the eruption.