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Difficulty: MediumIdentifying Conclusions and Main Claims

Although twentieth-century archivists long maintained that the adoption of paper-making technology in medieval Europe immediately displaced parchment due to paper's lower production costs, historical trade manifests from Mediterranean ports reveal a far more nuanced transition. Parchment production actually peaked several decades after paper mills were established in northern Italy, as administrative scribes continued to demand parchment for legal instruments requiring longevity. Consequently, the rapid proliferation of paper mills was driven not by the obsolescence of parchment in official record-keeping, but rather by the surge in merchant correspondence and informal ledger accounting.

Which of the following best expresses the main conclusion of the argument?

  1. The expansion of European paper manufacturing was primarily propelled by increases in commercial and informal writing rather than the immediate replacement of parchment for official records.Answer
  2. B
    Parchment production reached its historical peak several decades after Italian paper mills were established.
  3. C
    Merchant correspondence in medieval Europe was hindered for decades by the prohibitively high cost of parchment.
  4. D
    Twentieth-century archivists correctly identified paper's cost advantages as the primary cause of technological adoption in medieval Europe.
  5. E
    Paper failed to gain widespread acceptance in medieval Europe because administrative scribes refused to use it for legal documents.

Answer

The main conclusion of the argument is that the expansion of European paper manufacturing was primarily propelled by increases in commercial and informal writing rather than the immediate replacement of parchment for official records.
The passage uses evidence about parchment production timeline to challenge the traditional view of archivists, concluding in the final sentence that paper mill growth was propelled by merchant and informal writing needs rather than substituting parchment in formal record-keeping. The correct choice accurately summarizes this main conclusion.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify structural indicator words and separate background context from argument components.
The opening clause presents a traditional view as background, followed by empirical evidence regarding parchment production peaks, leading to a final claim introduced by 'Consequently'.
Transition words like 'Consequently' signal the logical endpoint or conclusion supported by the author's evidence.
2
Differentiate between evidence premises and the overarching conclusion.
The fact that parchment production peaked decades later serves as evidence to support the main claim regarding why paper mills expanded rapidly.
The conclusion is the ultimate thesis the author seeks to establish, whereas premises provide the supporting facts.
3
Match the identified main claim to the corresponding choice.
The option asserting that paper manufacturing expansion was propelled by commercial and informal writing accurately captures the author's final claim.
The correct option must summarize the author's ultimate argument without selecting supporting details or making unsupported leaps.

Key Concept

Identifying Conclusions and Main Claims
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Topics

Identifying Conclusions and Main Claims

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