This region [Armenia, west of Turkey and north of Iraq] contains many cities and castles, and abundance of all things, with beasts and birds for hunting and hawking; but I must tell you the air is not very healthy. The gentry used formerly to be valiant and good at arms; but now they are mean and vile, and remarkable for being only hard drinkers. On the seacoast is a city named Laias, which carries a very great trade; …all the spices, rich cloths, and other precious articles are brought from India across the Euphrates which the merchants of Venice, of Pisa, and of Genoa, come to purchase.”Marco PoloThe Travels of Marco Polo, 1299After reading this passage it is clear thatA) for centuries Italy planned an invasion of the Middle East. B) commercial interests helped to connect people of different ethnicities. EliminateC) people prefer to live simple isolated lives rather than live in urban areas. D) Marco Polo believes that Armenians are not as civilized or advanced as Europeans.