Read the following passage and fill in the blanks with appropriate words given in the box. (as, by, even, ever, in, on, over, that, unlike, with) For many centuries the Silk Road was the most important land route connecting Europe and Asia. Consisting of many different routes and stretching out (1) ____________ a vast geography, it not only became a source of prosperity and trade relationships, but also promoted exchange of knowledge, experience and beliefs (2) ____________ as well as cultural interaction among different communities. Land routes, (3) _____________ maritime routes, compelled caravans to interact with other communities and different cultures (4) ____________ the way to their final destination. As a result of a trade driven interaction, (5) ____________ the smallest villages were exposed to the products of advanced civilizations. The significance of the historic Silk Road lies (6) ____________ its unique nature -no authority or government could (7) ____________ claim a monopoly on creation and control of the Silk Road. There was not a blueprint of the Silk Road for a very simple reason-the Silk Road was so big and complex (8) ____________ its economic strength and capabilities were unmatched (9) _____________ even its contemporary authorities. The Silk Road emerged as a result of the multifaceted agglomeration of various demands, (10) ____________ supplies and expectations emanating from various sources ranging from the mighty empires to the smallest towns and villages. The Silk Road gradually lost its value and importance in the modern period due to developments in maritime transportation and political circumstances in the region.