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Difficulty: HardTranslating Literal Statements to Paraphrases

For decades, Mayan hieroglyphs were widely believed by scholars to represent abstract astronomical calculations and mystical religious allegories, rather than records of historical events. This consensus began to crumble in 1960 when archaeologist Tatiana Proskouriakoff published a pioneering analysis of the stelae—carved stone slabs—at the site of Piedras Negras. Proskouriakoff observed that the stelae were erected in distinct chronological clusters, with the earliest monument in each group depicting a young figure accompanied by a glyph indicating an initial accession. By calculating the spans of time recorded on these monuments, which never exceeded a typical human lifespan, she deduced that the inscriptions did not track celestial cycles. Instead, she demonstrated that they documented the actual lifetimes, accessions, and military achievements of historical Maya rulers.

According to the passage, what did the earliest monument in each chronological cluster of stelae at Piedras Negras depict or signify?

  1. A
    The military triumphs achieved during a leader's youth
  2. A youthful subject and the beginning of a leader's reignAnswer
  3. C
    Celestial calculations aligned with a ruler's birth date
  4. D
    Religious allegories explaining the divine origin of a leader's power

Answer

A youthful subject and the beginning of a leader's reign
The correct answer accurately translates the passage's literal detail that the earliest monument in each group depicted a 'young figure' and was accompanied by a glyph indicating an 'initial accession.' This directly corresponds to representing a youthful subject and the beginning of a leader's reign.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the part of the passage that describes the earliest monument in each group.
The third sentence states: 'with the earliest monument in each group depicting a young figure accompanied by a glyph indicating an initial accession.'
This establishes the literal facts that must be translated into a paraphrase.
2
Find the option that accurately paraphrases these literal terms without changing their meaning.
'Young figure' corresponds to 'youthful subject,' and 'initial accession' corresponds to the 'beginning of a leader's reign.'
Accession is the formal acquisition of a position of power, which aligns with beginning a reign.

Key Concept

Translating Literal Statements to Paraphrases
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Translating Literal Statements to Paraphrases

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