[1] At the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza, the pyramid known as El Castillo displays a remarkable acoustic phenomenon. [2] When a visitor claps their hands at the base of the staircase, the echo returning from the temple at the summit sounds uncannily like the chirp of the resplendent quetzal, a bird sacred to the Maya. [3] Some archaeologists argue that this acoustic effect was intentional, engineered by Mayan architects to evoke the voice of their deities during ceremonies. [4] The quetzal was highly valued for its vibrant green tail feathers, which were used to make elaborate headdresses for royalty. [5] Skeptics, however, maintain that the chirp is merely an accidental byproduct of the staircase's stair-step geometry.
The writer is considering deleting Sentence 4 from the preceding paragraph. Should this sentence be kept or deleted?
- AKept, because it explains the cultural significance of the resplendent quetzal to the ancient Maya.
- BKept, because it provides key details about the royal garments worn during Mayan ceremonies.
- Deleted, because it introduces details about the quetzal's feathers that are irrelevant to the paragraph's discussion of the pyramid's acoustic properties.Answer
- DDeleted, because it contradicts the skeptics' argument that the chirp was an accidental acoustic byproduct.