Question

Difficulty: HardSentence Addition and Deletion Decisions

[1] In 1911, the Italian archaeologist Luigi Pernier discovered the Phaistos Disc in the ruins of a Minoan palace in Crete. [2] The clay disc, covered on both sides with a spiral of stamped symbols, remains one of archaeology’s most famous undeciphered mysteries. [3] Many scholars have tried to decode the 242 signs, which feature representations of human figures, animals, and plants. [4] Some researchers suggest the disc records a sacred hymn, while others argue it is a legal document or a board game. [5] Because the symbols are stamped rather than hand-carved, the disc represents an early precursor to movable type printing, developed thousands of years before Johannes Gutenberg's press.

Given the passage above, the writer is considering adding the following sentence to the end of the paragraph:

"Gutenberg's invention of the printing press in fifteenth-century Germany revolutionized the dissemination of knowledge across Europe."

Should the writer make this addition?

  1. A
    Yes, because it transitions from the paragraph’s discussion of ancient Minoan culture to a broader history of European communication.
  2. B
    Yes, because it provides historical details that support the claim that the clay disc was a precursor to modern movable type.
  3. C
    No, because it contradicts the paragraph's claim that the symbols on the disc were stamped rather than hand-carved.
  4. No, because it introduces a topic—the historical impact of Gutenberg’s press—that deviates from the paragraph's primary focus on the Phaistos Disc.Answer

Answer

The writer should not add the sentence because it introduces a topic (the historical impact of Gutenberg's press) that deviates from the paragraph's primary focus on the Phaistos Disc.
The correct choice correctly identifies that the proposed sentence should not be added because it introduces a new topic—the impact of Gutenberg's press—which is irrelevant to the paragraph's main focus on the Phaistos Disc.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the main topic and focus of the existing paragraph.
The paragraph describes the discovery of the Phaistos Disc, its undeciphered symbols, and its status as an early precursor to movable type printing.
To determine if the proposed sentence is relevant, we must first establish the paragraph's central theme.
2
Evaluate the content of the proposed sentence.
The proposed sentence details how Gutenberg's press revolutionized the dissemination of knowledge in Europe.
This allows us to compare the proposed sentence's content with the paragraph's established theme.
3
Determine whether the proposed sentence contributes to the paragraph's focus or diverges from it.
Although Gutenberg is mentioned in the final sentence of the paragraph, expanding on the societal impact of his press shifts the focus away from the Phaistos Disc.
In ACT English, additions that introduce off-topic information should be rejected, even if they have a loose connection (surface relevance) to a word in the passage.

Key Concept

Evaluating relevance when making sentence addition decisions
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