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Question

Difficulty: EasyDetermining Paragraph-Level Main Ideas

The following paragraph is excerpted from an essay about historical printing techniques:

[1] Although the invention of the printing press is widely credited to Johannes Gutenberg in fifteenth-century Europe, movable type technology actually originated in East Asia centuries earlier. Bi Sheng developed ceramic movable type in China around 1040, and by the thirteenth century, Korean artisans had advanced this process by using metal type to print documents. While Gutenberg's press revolutionized European literacy, it built upon technological foundations laid down by Asian inventors who had already recognized the efficiency of reusable, individual character pieces.

Based on Paragraph 1 (lines 1–7), which of the following statements best expresses the paragraph's main idea?

  1. A
    Bi Sheng invented a form of ceramic movable type in China around the year 1040.
  2. B
    European literacy was fundamentally transformed by the technological innovations of Johannes Gutenberg.
  3. Movable type technology originated in East Asia centuries before it was introduced in Europe by Johannes Gutenberg.Answer
  4. D
    Early Asian inventors created all of the major technological advancements in medieval history.

Answer

The statement that movable type technology originated in East Asia centuries before it was introduced in Europe by Johannes Gutenberg.
The correct answer accurately summarizes the main point of the paragraph, which is that movable type technology has its roots in East Asia long before Gutenberg developed his printing press in Europe. This encapsulates the contrast presented in the opening sentence and reinforced throughout the paragraph.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the paragraph to identify its main point of focus.
The text contrasts the popular European credit given to Johannes Gutenberg with the earlier history of movable type in China and Korea.
To separate the central thesis of the paragraph from individual supporting details.
2
Evaluate the answer choices to find the one that best paraphrases this central focus.
The option stating that movable type technology originated in East Asia centuries before Gutenberg's press is identified as the correct choice.
To select the option that accurately represents the local main idea without being too narrow, overly broad, or focused on passage-level themes.

Key Concept

Determining Paragraph-Level Main Ideas
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Topics

Determining Paragraph-Level Main Ideas

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