The following passage discusses the origins of ancient writing systems. Complete the passage by typing the transition word or phrase that best establishes the logical relationship between the sentences in the blank.
Answer:In ancient Mesopotamia, the development of cuneiform script was primarily driven by the pragmatic need to record agricultural transactions and administrative inventories. 【Similarly】, the proto-Elamite script in neighboring Elam emerged to manage economic surpluses, demonstrating that both writing systems were born of administrative utility rather than literary impulse.
Answer
The transition word 'Similarly' or 'Likewise' best completes the blank because it establishes a relationship of similarity between the administrative origins of cuneiform in Mesopotamia and the proto-Elamite script in Elam.
The passage describes two parallel cases: the development of cuneiform in Mesopotamia for administrative needs and the emergence of proto-Elamite in Elam for managing economic surpluses. Both cases illustrate the broader point that early writing systems arose from administrative utility. Therefore, a transition of similarity such as 'Similarly' or 'Likewise' is correct because it signals that the second sentence presents an analogous case that supports the same conclusion.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Transitions: Addition and Similarity