The Roads Without Wheels
Written by Studio AM.
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The Inca road system crossed deserts, valleys, and high Andes mountains. Travelers moved on foot, and pack llamas carried loads. The routes did not depend on carts, which would have struggled on steep stairs and narrow paths.
Builders fitted stone paving where it helped, cut steps into slopes, and made drainage channels. Rope suspension bridges crossed deep gorges. Rest stations placed along important routes offered supplies and shelter.
Relay runners called chasquis carried messages from one station to the next. Each runner covered part of the journey, allowing information to move far faster than one person traveling the whole distance. Armies and officials also used the network, while communities maintained sections through organized labor.
The roads show that transport is shaped by terrain and purpose. A wheel can be useful, but it is not the only basis for an effective network.
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Questions
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Question 1 of 4
What is the main idea of the passage?
The answer is B: The Inca built a far-reaching road system suited to steep terrain, foot travel, llamas, and relay communication.
The passage links road features and relay stations with the terrain and forms of travel the network served.
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Question 2 of 4
Why were stairs and narrow paths workable in this system?
The answer is C: People and pack llamas could use them without requiring wheeled carts.
The opening contrasts foot and llama travel with carts that would struggle on steep, narrow routes.
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Question 3 of 4
What does “relay” mean in the runner example?
The answer is D: a system in which people take turns carrying something through stages
Each chasqui covers one part and transfers the message onward, defining a staged relay.
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Question 4 of 4
What crossed deep gorges?
The answer is A: rope suspension bridges
The second paragraph directly identifies rope suspension bridges as the gorge crossings.
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