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Question

Difficulty: EasyPart-to-Whole Rhetorical Function

Historians have long believed that the ancient city of Teotihuacán was governed by a single powerful ruler, pointing to large monuments dedicated to leadership. However, archaeologist Linda Manzanilla proposed that the city was actually governed by a co-ruling council of representatives from different neighborhoods. She excavated multi-family apartment compounds and found evidence of shared resources rather than elite palaces. This discovery supports the idea that collective governance was central to the city's political structure.

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

  1. A
    It summarizes the overall conclusion of the passage regarding the nature of collective governance.
  2. B
    It describes the specific artifacts found in the excavated multi-family apartment compounds.
  3. It introduces a hypothesis that challenges a traditional historical assumption.Answer
  4. D
    It argues that ancient cities were generally more democratic than modern ones.

Answer

The correct answer is the option stating that the sentence introduces a hypothesis that challenges a traditional historical assumption.
The correct answer states that the underlined sentence introduces a hypothesis that challenges a traditional historical assumption. The passage begins by stating a long-held belief among historians (that Teotihuacán was governed by a single powerful ruler). The underlined sentence then introduces Linda Manzanilla's alternative proposal (that the city was governed by a co-ruling council). Thus, the function of this sentence is to present a counterpoint or a new hypothesis that directly challenges the traditional view described in the first sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the structure of the passage and identify what the first sentence establishes.
The first sentence describes a traditional belief held by historians about Teotihuacán's governance.
Understanding the context of the sentence preceding the underlined portion is essential for identifying the relationship between them.
2
Examine the underlined sentence to determine its relationship to the first sentence.
The underlined sentence begins with the contrast word 'However' and introduces a different proposal by archaeologist Linda Manzanilla.
The transition word and the content signal a shift to a competing hypothesis or viewpoint.
3
Evaluate how the underlined sentence relates to the sentences that follow it.
The following sentences provide archaeological evidence (excavation of compounds) that supports Manzanilla's proposal.
Confirming the relationship to the rest of the passage ensures the rhetorical function is correctly identified as introducing the central hypothesis being tested.

Key Concept

Identifying how a specific sentence or section of a text functions in relation to the passage as a whole.
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Topics

Part-to-Whole Rhetorical Function

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