Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumPrimary Purpose of the Whole Text

For decades, Mesoamerican scholars believed that Mayan hieroglyphic writing was purely ideographic—representing abstract concepts rather than specific spoken language. This view, championed by prominent archaeologist J. Eric S. Thompson, led researchers to focus almost exclusively on the calendar glyphs, treating the rest of the script as mystical symbols. However, in the 1950s, Soviet linguist Yuri Knorozov proposed that Mayan writing was actually logographic and phonetic, with glyphs representing syllables. Although initially dismissed by mainstream Western scholars, Knorozov's phonetic approach was eventually vindicated, initiating a rapid decipherment of the glyphs that transformed our understanding of Mayan history from a timeless, peaceful aristocracy to a dynamic chronicle of historical rulers, warfare, and alliances.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

  1. A
    To argue that phonetic writing systems are inherently superior to ideographic systems for documenting historical events.
  2. B
    To explain why early Mayanists focused almost exclusively on interpreting calendar glyphs rather than phonetic symbols.
  3. To describe a major shift in how researchers interpreted the Mayan writing system and the historical impact of this change.Answer
  4. D
    To contrast Yuri Knorozov's background in Soviet linguistics with J. Eric S. Thompson's traditional archaeological training.

Answer

To describe a major shift in how researchers interpreted the Mayan writing system and the historical impact of this change.
The correct option describes the overall development of the passage, which details the transition from the early ideographic view of Mayan script to Yuri Knorozov's phonetic approach, and highlights how this shift ultimately transformed our understanding of Mayan history.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the first half of the passage to identify the initial consensus.
The passage establishes that early scholars, led by Thompson, believed Mayan writing was purely ideographic and focused mainly on calendar glyphs.
Understanding the starting perspective helps trace the development of the text's central narrative.
2
Identify the turning point or transition in the passage.
The word 'However' introduces Yuri Knorozov's phonetic proposal in the 1950s, which challenged the previous consensus.
Transitions highlight shifts in perspective, which are key to determining the overall purpose.
3
Evaluate the conclusion of the passage to find the final outcome of the debate.
Knorozov's phonetic decipherment succeeded, leading to a new understanding of Mayan history as a dynamic chronicle of rulers and warfare rather than a peaceful aristocracy.
The end of the text shows the resolution and the impact of the shift, showing that the overall text describes both the transition in decipherment and its historical consequences.

Key Concept

Primary Purpose of the Whole Text
Rate this question

Topics

Primary Purpose of the Whole Text

More questions from this topic