Before the 1500's, the western plains of North America were dominated by farmers. One group, the Mandans,【C1】______ in the upper Missouri River country, primarily in present-day North Dakota. They had large villages of houses【C2】______ close together.
The【C3】______ arrangement enabled the Mandans【C4】______ the attacks of others who might seek to【C5】______ some of the food these highly capable farmers stored from one year to the next.
The women had primary responsibility for the fields.They had to exercise【C6】 ______ skill to produce the desired results,【C7】______ their northern location meant fleeting growing seasons. Winter often lingered; autumn could 【C8】______ by severe frost. For good measure, during the spring and summer, drought, heat, hail, grasshoppers, and other【C9】______ might await the wary grower.
Under【C10】______ conditions, Mandan women had to grow maize capable of weathering【C11】______ They began【C12】______ it appeared feasible to do so in the spring.
Harvesting proceeded in【C13】______ stages. In August the Mandans picked a small amount of the crop【C14】______ it had matured fully. This green corn was boiled, dried, and shelled, with some of the maize【C15】______ for immediate consumption and the reststored in【C16】______ bags. Later in the fall, the people picked the rest of the corn. They saved the best of the harvest for seeds or for trade,【C17】______ the remainder eaten right away or stored for later use in underground reserves. With appropriate【C18】______ of the extra food, the Mandans protected themselves【C19】______ the disaster of crop failure and accompanying【C20】______ .
【C1】

A. dwelling
B. inhabited
C. lived
D. existing