Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumPart-to-Whole Rhetorical Function

In the late fourth millennium BCE, administrative practices in Mesopotamian city-states underwent a critical transformation due to expanding trade networks. Initially, accounting relied on individual clay tokens of various shapes representing specific quantities of goods. As transactions grew more complex, administrators began impressing these tokens directly into clay envelopes, and eventually, drawing representations of the tokens on flat clay tablets instead. This transition marked the birth of proto-cuneiform writing, shifting human communication from three-dimensional object-based recordkeeping to two-dimensional symbolic notation. Consequently, this technological shift laid the foundation for the development of fully abstract writing systems capable of recording spoken language.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?

  1. It identifies the broader historical significance of the administrative change detailed in the preceding sentences.Answer
  2. B
    It states the primary conclusion of the passage, which is that trade expansion caused the rise of spoken language.
  3. C
    It describes the physical properties of the clay envelopes and flat tablets used by administrators.
  4. D
    It suggests that early Mesopotamian traders actively resisted the adoption of two-dimensional symbolic notation.

Answer

The correct option identifies the broader historical significance of the administrative change detailed in the preceding sentences.
The correct option accurately captures the relationship between the underlined sentence and the preceding sentences. The passage first describes how Mesopotamian administrators shifted from using physical, three-dimensional clay tokens to flat clay tablets with drawings. The underlined sentence then explicitly conceptualizes this change, explaining that it represents a shift from object-based to symbolic recordkeeping and marks the origin of proto-cuneiform. This explains the broader significance of the transition.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context surrounding the underlined sentence.
The sentences before the underlined text describe an evolution in accounting tools: from three-dimensional clay tokens to drawings on two-dimensional flat clay tablets.
Understanding the preceding text is necessary to determine what transition is being referred to in the underlined portion.
2
Examine the role of the underlined sentence itself.
The underlined sentence defines this shift as the birth of proto-cuneiform writing and characterizes it as moving from object-based to symbolic communication.
This step reveals the function of the sentence: it frames the transition in terms of its conceptual and historical importance.
3
Assess how this sentence connects to the final sentence.
The final sentence discusses the consequence of this transition: it laid the groundwork for abstract systems that could record spoken language.
Analyzing the follow-up sentence confirms that the underlined sentence functions to conceptualize the historical pivot before its long-term effects are stated.

Key Concept

Identifying the rhetorical function of a specific sentence or part within the context of a short academic passage.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Rate this question

Topics

Part-to-Whole Rhetorical Function

More questions from this topic