1. According to the article, the Taliban began a "lightning
offensive and overran Afghanistan. Which paragraph BEST
supports this idea?
A In mid-August of this year, the Taliban seized power in
Afghanistan, including Kabul, the country's capital and largest city,
This was just two weeks before the U.S. was set to complete its troop
withdrawal from a long and costly war. Meanwhile, Afghan security
forces trained and equipped by the U.S. and its allies gave up fighting
the Taliban forces
B American troops ousted the Taliban in a matter of months when
they invaded to root out al-Qaida, the terrorist group which
orchestrated the 9/11 attacks while being harbored by the Taliban.
However, it proved more difficult to hold territory and rebuild a
nation battered by repeated wars.
C Last year, then-President Donald Trump announced a plan to pull
out of Afghanistan and signed a deal with the Taliban that limited
U.S. military action against them. President Joe Biden then
announced that the last troops would leave by the end of August.
D The Afghan forces' morale was also impacted by the U.S. troops
beginning their exit. As the Taliban rapidly advanced in recent days,
entire units surrendered after brief battles, and Kabul and some
nearby provinces fell without a fight.