Historians have long recognized the traditional Japanese sword, or nih

Question

Historians have long recognized the traditional Japanese sword, or nihonto, as one of the finest cutting weapons ever produced, but it has even been considered a spiritual entity. The adage “the sword is the soul of the samurai” reflects the sword’s psychic importance, not only to its wielder, but also to its creator, the master smith. Not classically regarded as artists, master smiths nevertheless exerted great care in the process of creating swords, no two of which were ever forged exactly the same way. Over hundreds of hours, two types of steel were repeatedly heated, hammered, and folded together into thousands of imperceptible layers, yielding both a razor-sharp, durable edge and a flexible, shock-absorbing blade. Commonly, though optionally, the smith physically signed the blade; moreover, each smith’s secret forging techniques left an idiosyncratic  structural signature . Each unique finished product reflected the smith’s personal honor and devotion to the craft, and today, the Japanese sword is valued as much for its artistic merit as for its historical significance.    1  
 1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) challenge the observation that the Japanese sword is highly admired by historians
 (B) introduce new information about the forging of Japanese swords
(C) identify the Japanese sword as an ephemeral work of art
(D) argue that Japanese sword makers were motivated by honor
(E) explain the value attributed to the Japanese sword

2  
 2. Each of the following is mentioned in the passage EXCEPT

(A) every Japanese sword has a unique structure that can be traced back to a special forging process
(B) master smiths kept their forging methodologies secret 
(C) the Japanese sword was considered by some to have a spiritual quality
 (D) master smiths are now considered artists by major historians
 (E) the Japanese sword is considered both a work of art and a historical artifact

3  
 3. The author is most likely to agree with which of the following observations?  
 
(A) The skill of the samurai is what made the Japanese sword so special.
 (B) If a sword had a physical signature, other swords could be attributed to that sword’s creator.
 (C) Master smiths were more concerned about the artistic merit
 (D) of their blades than about the blades’ practical qualities.
 (E) The Japanese sword has more historical importance than artistic importance.

4  
 4. Which of the following can be inferred about the words “structural signature” ( Highlighted ) in this passage?

(A) They indicate the inscription that the smith places on the blade during the forging process.
 (B) They imply the particular characteristics of a blade created by a smith’s unique forging process.
 (C) They suggest that each blade can be traced back to a known master smith.
 (D) They reflect the soul of the samurai who wielded the sword.
(E) They refer to the unique curved shape of the blade.

5  
 5. The author most likely describes the forging process in order to  
 
(A) present an explanation for a change in perception
(B) determine the historical significance of Japanese swords
(C) explain why each Japanese sword is unique
(D) compare Japanese master smiths to classical artists
(E) review the complete process of making a Japanese sword

6  
 6. Select the sentence in the passage that best indicates that the author believes traditional Japanese swords are works of art.

Each unique finished product reflected the smith’s personal honor and devotion to the craft, and today, the Japanese sword is valued as much for its artistic merit as for its historical significance.

7  
 7. Which of the following statements about Japanese swords is supported by the passage?

Indicate all that apply.

A. There is a way to determine the creator of a given sword other than his signature on the blade.
B. They have been viewed in terms other than the purely material.
C. They have not always received the artistic recognition that they deserve.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

To identify the primary purpose of the passage, examine the passage as a whole. Avoid answer choices that address only limited sections of the passage. The Point of the passage (the Japanese sword has been considered not just a fine weapon but a spiritual entity) is clearly established in the first two sentences; the purpose of the passage is to explain and support that Point.

A)  The passage does not call into question the admiration that historians have for the Japanese sword.

B)  The middle of the passage discusses forging techniques, but none of the information is presented as new. Moreover, these forging techniques are not the overall focus of the passage.

C)  The Japanese sword is not identified as an ephemeral (passing) work of art in the passage.

D)  Japanese sword makers were indeed motivated by honor, at least in part, according to the last sentence, but this is not the overall purpose of the passage, much of which describes the Japanese sword’s physical properties and reasons for its importance.

E) CORRECT.  The passage as a whole describes the immense value of the Japanese sword to both the samurai (the sword’s owner) and the smith (its maker). The saying “the sword is the soul of the samurai” is referenced early to indicate this importance. Later portions of the passage detail the tremendous effort that is put into each sword, reflecting the importance of each one.

Answer: E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

2. Each of the following is mentioned in the passage EXCEPT

For an EXCEPT question (almost always a Specific question), use the process of elimination to cross out those details mentioned in the passage. 
 
 A)  In the passage, this unique signature is referred to as a “structural signature” in the fifth sentence.

B)  The fifth sentence mentions the “secret forging techniques” used by each smith.

C)  The first sentence indicates that “the traditional Japanese sword ... has even been considered a spiritual entity.”

D)  CORRECT.   The time and effort master smiths devote to making a sword is discussed, and the passage does indicate that the Japanese sword is valued for its artistic merit. However, the passage does not state that major historians consider master smiths themselves to be artists. Major historians are not referenced in the passage. Moreover, who values the Japanese sword for its artistic merit is not mentioned. 
 
 E)  In the last sentence, the passage indicates that “the Japanese sword is valued as much for its artistic merit as for its historical significance.”

Answer: D

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

3. The author is most likely to agree with which of the following observations?

When looking for statements with which the author could agree, be sure to avoid extreme words and positions that go beyond the author’s statements in the passage. This question requires attention to both the general Point of the passage and specific details throughout.

A)  The opening sentence says:  “Historians have long recognized the traditional Japanese sword ... as one of the finest cutting weapons ever produced” ; however, there is no indication that the Japanese sword is the most important handheld weapon in history.

B)  This passage does not discuss the skill of the samurai warrior.

C)  CORRECT.   According to the passage, every master smith had a  “structural signature”  due to his own secret forging process. Therefore, if a physical signature is present on a blade, that blade’s structural signature could then be associated with a master smith, whose master status implies the creation of numerous swords.

D)  The passage mentions that each sword “reflected the smith’s personal honor and devotion to craft”; however, there is no claim that master smiths emphasized their swords’ artistic merit at the expense of practical qualities.

E)  The final sentence indicates that the sword  “is valued as much for it artistic merit as for its historical significance.”  According to the passage, the two attributes are essentially equally valued; the Japanese sword is not more valued for the historical aspect. 
 
  Answer: C

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

4. Which of the following can be inferred about the words “structural signature” (     Highlighted     ) in this passage?

The author states that  “each smith’s secret forging techniques left an idiosyncratic structural signature.”  The words idiosyncratic and signature imply the uniqueness of the smith’s process. Be careful not to infer any additional information, particularly when the question refers to a specific sentence or phrase.
 
  A)    They reflect the soul of the samurai who wielded the swords. They refer to the unique curved shape of the blade. In the passage, such an inscription is referred to as a  “physical signature,”  not a  “structural signature.”

B)   CORRECT.    Note that the proof sentence indicates that each smith had his own process, and so the  “structural signature”  was unique to each smith (not necessarily to each individual blade).

C)    This statement seems reasonable. However, the passage does not say whether all master smiths are currently  “known.”  Certain swords with a  “structural signature”  may be of unknown origin.

D)    The second sentence mentions the saying  “the sword is the soul of the samurai,”  but you are not told that the  “structural signature”  was the aspect of the sword reflecting the soul of the samurai who wielded it. The second paragraph explains that the sword  “reflected the smith’s personal honor and devotion to craft.”  This statement, however, does not justify the claim that the structural signature itself reflects the soul of the samurai who wielded it.

E)  The passage does not discuss the shape of any Japanese   blade.  
 
  Answer: B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

5. The author most likely describes the forging process in order to

To determine the function(s) of any part of a passage, pay attention to the emphasized content of that part, in particular any reiterated points, and to the relationship that part has to other portions of the passage. In this case, the description of the forging process extends the idea introduced earlier that the Japanese sword is revered.
 
 The author most likely describes the forging process in order to present an explanation for a change in perception determine the historical significance of Japanese swords explain why each Japanese sword is unique compare Japanese master smiths to classical artists review the complete process of making a Japanese sword
 
  A)    The final sentence mentions that Japanese swords are now appreciated more for their artistic merit, but no explanation as to why is provided.

B)    The words  “historical significance”  close the passage, but the description of the forging process fails to explain or outline that significance.

C)   CORRECT.    The description of the forging process underscores the uniqueness of individual Japanese swords. One sentence mentions that  “no two   were ever forged in exactly the same way.”  Later,  “structural signature”  and  “unique finished product”  reinforce this point.

D)  The passage explains that master smiths were not considered artists in the classical sense, and then goes on to point out the painstaking creation of each sword. This implicitly draws a parallel between the creation of the sword and classical artistry. However, the passage does not actually describe or discuss classical artists, nor does it set forth criteria for classical artists. There is no actual comparison to classical artists, despite the mention of “artistic merit.” This answer choice goes too far beyond the passage.
 
  E)  Elements of the forging process are discussed, but the  “complete”  process of making a Japanese sword, such as making the handle, polishing the blade, etc., is not discussed in the paragraph. 
  
  Answer: C

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

6. Select the sentence in the passage that best indicates that the author believes traditional Japanese swords are works of art.

The passage first mentions the idea of art in the third sentence, but indicates that master smiths were not regarded as artists. After describing the meticulous forging process, the last sentence indicates that each sword is “unique” and is valued for its “artistic merit.” The last sentence, then, best indicates that the author would consider these swords works of art.

Answer:  Each unique finished product reflected the smith’s personal honor and devotion to the craft, and today, the Japanese sword is valued as much for its artistic merit as for its historical significance.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

7. Which of the following statements about Japanese swords is supported by the passage?

A. CORRECT.    The second-to-last sentence says that “each smith’s secret forging techniques left an idiosyncratic structural signature.” This structural signature, then, could possibly be used to determine the creator of a given sword, even in the absence of a physical signature.

B. CORRECT.    The first sentence tells you that the Japanese sword “has even been considered a spiritual entity.” In other words, it has been viewed in terms other than the strictly material.

C. CORRECT.    The last sentence tells you that “today, the Japanese sword is valued as much for its artistic merit as for its historical significance.” Earlier in the passage, however, you were told that master smiths were “not classically regarded as artists.” This means that those smiths viewed as artists today did not always receive the same recognition and neither did the swords they made.

Vissamsetty · Answer

The options in the question are not written accurately

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hi

What do you mean by not written accurately can you please explain?

Historians have long recognized the traditional Japanese sword, or nih

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