Which book chronicles the travels and service of a 13th-century merchant in Asia?

Which book chronicles the travels and service of a 13th-century merchant in Asia?

• A. The Travels of Marco Polo
• B. The Travels of Zheng He
• C. The Silk Road Chronicles
• D. Marco Polo: A Life in Asia

Answer: (C)

Think about a travel narrative written by a medieval merchant who actually traveled across Asia. The Travels of Marco Polo is the classic account of Marco Polo, a Venetian merchant who journeys along the Silk Road to the Mongol Empire and serves at Kublai Khan’s court, then describes what he saw and experienced. This makes it the best match for a 13th-century merchant’s travels and his service in Asia. The other titles don’t fit as well. Zheng He was a 15th-century admiral, not a merchant, and his voyages come from a different historical context. A generic-sounding "Silk Road Chronicles" isn’t a standard historical work associated with Marco Polo. A modern biography like "Marco Polo: A Life in Asia" would be written long after his time and wouldn’t be the original travel account.

Think about a travel narrative written by a medieval merchant who actually traveled across Asia. The Travels of Marco Polo is the classic account of Marco Polo, a Venetian merchant who journeys along the Silk Road to the Mongol Empire and serves at Kublai Khan’s court, then describes what he saw and experienced. This makes it the best match for a 13th-century merchant’s travels and his service in Asia.

The other titles don’t fit as well. Zheng He was a 15th-century admiral, not a merchant, and his voyages come from a different historical context. A generic-sounding "Silk Road Chronicles" isn’t a standard historical work associated with Marco Polo. A modern biography like "Marco Polo: A Life in Asia" would be written long after his time and wouldn’t be the original travel account.