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Difficulty: MediumComprehending Specific Details

The following audio transcript comes from the cultural heritage documentary broadcast 'Territorios y Saberes':

"Every June, four Quechua communities gather along the steep gorge of the Apurímac River in Peru to reconstruct the historic Q'eswachaka hanging bridge. Over three days of cooperative labor, families contribute hand-woven cords crafted from native q'oya grass, an exceptionally durable Andean plant. However, dry q'oya fibers become brittle and prone to fracturing when twisted under high mechanical tension. To prevent the fibers from snapping during the assembly of the primary load-bearing cables, master weavers submerge the raw grass bundles in slow-moving river pools for two full days before braiding begins. Once conditioned, thirty individual cords are twisted together to forge each of the four main floor cables, while twelve-cord braids form the lateral handrails. Finally, the old suspension bridge is cut and drops into the canyon depths, after which the new bridge floor is carpeted with branches of wild retama broom to provide traction for foot traffic."

According to the broadcast, what specific preparatory step is taken to prevent the q'oya grass fibers from breaking during the assembly of the bridge cables?

  1. Submerging the raw grass bundles in river pools for two full daysAnswer
  2. B
    Twisting thirty individual cords together to reinforce each strand
  3. C
    Covering the woven strands with wild retama broom branches
  4. D
    Applying boiled tree resin to seal the braided cords against river moisture

Answer

Submerging the raw grass bundles in river pools for two full days
The narrator explicitly notes that dry q'oya grass is brittle and prone to breaking when twisted under tension, so weavers submerge the raw grass bundles in river pools for two full days to condition them before braiding begins.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the portion of the audio transcript discussing the vulnerability of the q'oya grass fibers.
Identified that dry fibers become brittle and break when twisted under high tension.
The question specifically asks about the preparatory action taken to prevent fiber fracturing during cable assembly.
2
Extract the exact procedural remedy described by the narrator.
The master weavers submerge raw grass bundles in river pools for two full days prior to braiding.
This directly correlates the specific action to the stated problem of fiber breakage.
3
Distinguish this preparatory step from subsequent assembly steps mentioned in the audio.
Confirmed that twisting thirty cords and layering retama broom occur later in the construction process for distinct functional purposes.
Ensures that related contextual details are not mistaken for the specific preventative conditioning step.

Key Concept

Comprehending Specific Factual Details in Audio Reports
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Comprehending Specific Details

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