History · Level 2 · 145 words

The Knotted Records of the Andes

Original passage © Studio AM, written for Fluency.

Across the Inca Empire, administrators kept records on objects called quipu. A quipu usually had a main cord with many hanging cords. The cords could differ in color, length, and material. Knots tied at different positions represented numbers in a place-value system.

Trained record keepers used quipu to track goods, workers, and other quantities. A cluster of knots near one end might record ones, while knots farther away could record tens or hundreds. This structure allowed officials to organize information without an alphabetic writing system.

Researchers can read much of the numerical pattern today. However, some quipu may hold information beyond numbers, and that possibility remains unsettled. Because only a limited number survived, every cord must be studied with care. A quipu is therefore neither a simple decoration nor a fully translated book. It is a precise record whose complete language is still partly unknown.

Comprehension questions

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4 questions
1. What is the main idea of the passage?

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B. Inca administrators used carefully arranged cords and knots to record quantities, though some meanings remain uncertain.
The passage explains the numerical system and its administrative use while clearly noting the limits of present interpretation.

2. Why does the author say each surviving quipu must be studied carefully?

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C. The surviving sample is limited, and a cord may preserve information researchers do not yet understand.
The final paragraph joins two clues: few quipu survived, and some may contain meanings beyond known numerical patterns.

3. What does “unsettled” mean in this passage?

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D. not yet decided or proven
The possibility of nonnumerical information is still debated, so “unsettled” means not established.

4. Where were knots placed to represent different place values?

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A. at different positions along the hanging cords
The first paragraph states that knot positions on cords represented numbers in a place-value system.

Source: Written for Fluency. Original passage © Studio AM, written for Fluency.