There is a sentence that is missing in the paragraph below. Look at the paragraph and decide where (option 1, 2, 3, or 4) the following sentence would best fit.

Sentence: Understanding central Asia’s role helps developments make more sense not only across Asia but in Europe, the Americas and Africa.

Paragraph: The nations of the Silk Roads are sometimes called ‘developing countries’, but they are actually some of the world’s most highly developed countries, the very crossroads of civilization, in advanced states of disrepair. ___(1)___. These countries lie at the centre of global affairs: they have since the beginning of history. Running across the spine of Asia, they form a web of connections fanning out in every direction, routes along which pilgrims and warriors, nomads and merchants have travelled, goods and produce have been bought and sold, and ideas exchanged, adapted and refined. ___(2)___ .They have carried not only prosperity, but also death and violence, disease and disaster. ___(3)___. The Silk Roads are the world’s central nervous system, connecting otherwise far-flung peoples and places…. ___(4)___. It allows us to see patterns and links, causes and effects that remain invisible if one looks only at Europe, or North America.

We can observe that the only spot where the given sentence would fit is Blank 4. This sentence in question emphasises the broader, global significance of Central Asia's role; it reflects the idea that understanding the Silk Roads provides clarity on historical and global interconnectedness.

Since the given sentence shifts focus from describing the historical and cultural importance of the Silk Roads to their global implications, which is broader than the current discussion, placing it in any of Blanks 1, 2, or 3 interrupts the flow between the statements outlining certain features linked to the Silk Roads. For example, Blank 1 is a poor fit since the succeeding sentence mentions “These countries,” which refers to the “developing countries” mentioned in the sentence preceding the blank. Similarly, “They” in the sentence after Blank 2 refers to routes/Silk Roads described earlier. We can eliminate Blank 3 using a similar logic; the sentence after this blank establishes the metaphor of the Silk Roads as a central nervous system, emphasizing their global connectivity. The given sentence doesn’t align with the focus on the Silk Roads’ tangible impacts or the metaphorical depiction of their connectivity; therefore, placing it in Blank 3 would shift the focus prematurely to understanding their role globally.