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Question

Difficulty: HardPart-to-Whole Rhetorical Function

For decades, the prevailing consensus among Mayanists was that the civilization's hieroglyphs were purely logographic or ideographic, representing concepts rather than sounds. In the 1950s, Soviet linguist Yuri Knorozov challenged this view by demonstrating that many glyphs actually possessed phonetic values, representing consonant-vowel syllables. Although his work was initially dismissed by prominent Western scholars like J. Eric S. Thompson, who favored a non-phonetic interpretation, Knorozov’s methodology eventually revolutionized the field. By combining phonetic syllables with logograms, scholars were finally able to decipher the vast majority of surviving Mayan inscriptions, revealing a rich historical record of dynastic succession and political alliances.

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

  1. A
    It outlines the specific linguistic procedures that Western scholars used to analyze dynastic records.
  2. B
    It details the primary reason why early Mayanists believed the writing system was purely logographic.
  3. It introduces a theoretical breakthrough that directly disputes the established consensus mentioned in the first sentence.Answer
  4. D
    It presents a speculative claim about phonetic values that was later refuted by Western archaeological evidence.

Answer

The correct answer is the option stating that the underlined sentence introduces a theoretical breakthrough that directly disputes the established consensus mentioned in the first sentence.
The correct answer accurately identifies the role of the underlined sentence. The first sentence states that scholars long believed Mayan glyphs were purely logographic. The underlined sentence then describes how Yuri Knorozov challenged this view with a phonetic breakthrough. Therefore, the sentence introduces a theoretical breakthrough that directly disputes the established consensus.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the context before the underlined sentence.
The first sentence establishes a long-held consensus: Mayan hieroglyphs were believed to represent only concepts (logographic/ideographic), not sounds.
Understanding the starting point of the text helps identify what the underlined sentence is responding to.
2
Analyze the content and function of the underlined sentence itself.
The underlined sentence describes Yuri Knorozov challenging the old consensus by proving that glyphs had phonetic values (representing sounds).
This determines the direct rhetorical purpose of the sentence as introducing a challenge or alternative view.
3
Analyze the context after the underlined sentence.
The subsequent sentences detail the initial resistance to Knorozov's breakthrough, its eventual acceptance, and how it revolutionized Mayan decipherment.
This confirms that the underlined sentence serves as the turning point of the passage's narrative.
4
Evaluate the choices to find the one matching this relationship.
The option identifying Knorozov's work as a theoretical breakthrough challenging the established consensus matches this logical transition.
Evaluating all options ensures that the selected choice accurately reflects the rhetorical role without introducing unsupported claims.

Key Concept

Identifying the rhetorical function of a specific sentence within a passage, particularly how it transitions from or challenges a previously stated idea.
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Topics

Part-to-Whole Rhetorical Function

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