The Circus The circus as we know it, as we picture its essential form, turns out to be a fairly recent thing. Popular myth typically traces the modern circus back to the ancient Romans. However, the American version of the circus was something surprisingly new in the world. The most obvious roots of the American circus lie in European displays of horse-riding feats. For example, the rings of the traditional three-ring circus are borrowed from a similar tradition common to horse riding performances. The first European circuses were even run by the teachers of horse-riding schools. These teachers eventually found they could make more money entertaining crowds in the afternoons than they could by charging students in the mornings.

Source: National Endowment for the Humanities

1
Select the correct answer.

The passage states, “Popular myth typically traces the modern circus back to the ancient Romans.” Which idea does this statement best support?

A.
Some people think that the idea for the circus came from ancient times.
B.
The ancient Romans did not have anything called a circus in their time.
C.
People argue that today’s version of the circus is superior to other, more ancient forms.
D.
The ancient Romans were more concerned with fighting than entertainment.