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Question

Difficulty: Very hardSentence Reordering and Placement

Paragraph 1

[1] In the mid-twentieth century, Russian linguist Yuri Knorozov proposed that the ancient Maya writing system was logo-syllabic, meaning it combined symbols representing whole words with symbols representing phonetic syllables. [2] He demonstrated that the glyphs could be read by matching the sounds of spoken Mayan words to specific signs. [3] This skepticism delayed widespread acceptance of his breakthrough for nearly thirty years, during which Mayan epigraphy remained largely stagnant. [4] Decades later, however, researchers built upon his insights to systematically crack the remainder of the writing system. [5] Today, Knorozov is widely celebrated for having revolutionized our understanding of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica.

The writer wants to add the following sentence to the paragraph:

*However, this phonetic approach was initially dismissed by Western scholars who believed the glyphs were strictly logographic.*

To make the paragraph most logical, this sentence should be placed:

  1. A
    before Sentence 1
  2. B
    after Sentence 1
  3. after Sentence 2Answer
  4. D
    after Sentence 3

Answer

after Sentence 2
Placing the sentence after Sentence 2 is correct because the new sentence refers to 'this phonetic approach,' which has its logical antecedent in Sentence 2 (where Knorozov demonstrates matching spoken sounds to signs). Additionally, the new sentence mentions that the approach 'was initially dismissed,' which provides the necessary referent for the phrase 'This skepticism' at the beginning of Sentence 3. Placing the sentence here creates a cohesive logical bridge between Knorozov's demonstration and the subsequent delay in acceptance.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the target sentence for logical and grammatical clues.
The target sentence contains the transition 'However' and the demonstrative phrase 'this phonetic approach,' indicating it must follow a sentence that describes or defines a phonetic method.
Identifying cohesive markers helps narrow down the placement based on antecedent information.
2
Evaluate the existing sentences in the paragraph to find the antecedent for 'this phonetic approach'.
Sentence 2 describes Knorozov demonstrating that glyphs could be read by 'matching the sounds of spoken Mayan words to specific signs,' which is the phonetic approach.
This establishes that the target sentence must be placed somewhere after Sentence 2.
3
Examine the paragraph for other missing logical connections or unresolved pronouns.
Sentence 3 begins with 'This skepticism,' but there is no mention of skepticism, doubt, or dismissal in Sentences 1 or 2.
This indicates that a sentence introducing skepticism must be inserted immediately before Sentence 3.
4
Verify the logical flow of the entire paragraph with the new sentence inserted.
Inserting the target sentence after Sentence 2 resolves both connections: Sentence 2 defines the phonetic approach, the target sentence describes its dismissal (skepticism), and Sentence 3 explains the consequences of that skepticism.
Ensuring the placement maintains a smooth, coherent narrative flow.

Key Concept

Sentence Reordering and Placement
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Sentence Reordering and Placement

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