Nokea
According to the essay, how were stories first communicated and passed down?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The essay clearly states that before the invention of the printing press, stories were passed down through oral tradition. The extract mentions, 'For centuries before the invention of the printing press, stories of the world were passed down to generations through oral tradition.' This shows that oral tradition was the primary method of communicating stories before the introduction of printed books. Therefore, the correct answer is 'oral tradition.' Printed books (choice B) were introduced later with the invention of the printing press, as mentioned in the extract. 'Handwriting' (choice D) is not the first way stories were communicated, and 'technology' (choice C) is a broad term that does not specifically refer to the initial method of story communication.