The Romans—for centuries the masters of war and politics across Europe

Question

The Romans—for centuries the masters of war and politics across Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia Minor—have often been criticized for producing few original thinkers outside the realm of politics. This criticism, while in many ways true, is not without its problems. It was, after all, the conquest of Greece that provided Rome with its greatest influx of educated subjects. Admittedly,  two of the great disasters in intellectual history —the murder of Archimedes and the burning of Alexandria’s library—both occurred under Rome’s watch. Nevertheless, a city that was able to conquer so much of the known world could not have been devoid of the creativity that characterizes so many other ancient empires.

Engineering is one endeavor in which the Romans showed themselves capable. Their aqueducts carried water hundreds of miles along the tops of vast arcades. Roman roads, built for the rapid deployment of troops, crisscross Europe and still form the basis of numerous modern highways that provide quick access between many major European and African cities. Indeed, a large number of these cities owe their prominence to Rome’s economic and political influence.

Many of those major cities lie far beyond Rome’s original province, and Latin-derived languages are spoken in most Southern European nations. Again a result of military influence, the popularity of Latin and its offspring is difficult to underestimate. During the centuries of ignorance and violence that followed Rome’s decline, the Latin language was the glue that held together the identity of an entire continent. While seldom spoken today, it is still studied widely, if only so that such masters of rhetoric as Cicero can be read in the original.

It is Cicero and his like who are perhaps the most overlooked legacy of Rome. While far from being a democracy, Rome did leave behind useful political tools that serve the American republic today. “Republic” itself is Latin for “the people’s business,” a notion cherished in democracies worldwide. Senators owe their name to Rome’s class of elders; Representatives owe theirs to the Tribunes who seized popular prerogatives from the Senatorial class. The veto was a Roman notion adopted by the historically aware framers of the Constitution, who often assumed pen names from the lexicon of Latin life. These accomplishments, as monumental as any highway or coliseum, remain prominent features of the Western landscape.   1 
 E 
 1. The author describes "two of the great disasters in intellectual history" ( Highlighted ) in order to

A. establish a point directly related to the main argument
B. show that certain historical claims are inaccurate
C. demonstrate the importance of certain historical data 
D. disprove the claims made by others with a different view
E. concede the partial accuracy of an opposing view

2 
 A 
 2. According to the passage, ancient Roman roads

A. connected places of military importance in ancient Europe 
B. are engineering marvels unequaled in modern times
C. are similar in some respects to modern highways
D. were products of democratic political institutions
E. caused the development of modern European cities

3 
 C 
 3. According to the passage, which of the following accurately describes the Latin language?

I. It spread in part due to Rome's military power
II. It is reflected in some modern political concepts.
III. It is spoken today in some parts of Europe.

A. I only
B. II only
C. I and II only 
D. I and III only 
E. II and III only

4 
 A 
 4. It can be inferred from the passage that the framers of the Constitution

A. were familiar with certain aspects of Roman government 
B. were similar to the Roman elders
C. embraced the veto as the hallmark of Roman democracy 
D. overlooked Cicero's contributions to the theory of democracy
E. formed a government based on worldwide democracy

Nikhil · Answer

+1 kudos to the posts containing answer explanations of all questions

tapasgupta · Answer

1. The author describes "two of the great disasters in intellectual history" in order to

A. establish a point directly related to the main argument  - opposite to the main idea
 B. show that certain historical claims are inaccurate  - Inconsistent
 C. demonstrate the importance of certain historical data   out of scope
 D. disprove the claims made by others with a different view  - out of scope
 E. concede the partial accuracy of an opposing view  - author admitted to it

2. According to the passage, ancient Roman roads

A. connected places of military importance in ancient Europe   - given in 2nd para
 B. are engineering marvels unequaled in modern times  - out of scope
 C. are similar in some respects to modern highways  - out of scope
 D. were products of democratic political institutions  - happened at the same time, but can't conclude that political influence led it.
 E. caused the development of modern European cities  - out of scope

3. According to the passage, which of the following accurately describes the Latin language?

I. It spread in part due to Rome's military power  - given in 3rd para 
 II. It is reflected in some modern political concepts. v- given in 3 rd para
 III. It is spoken today in some parts of Europe.  - It is not spoken. Given in the last lines of 3 rd para
 A. I only 
 B. II only 
 C. I and II only  
 D. I and III only  
 E. II and III only

4. It can be inferred from the passage that the framers of the Constitution

A. were familiar with certain aspects of Roman government   - as stated in the last para. 'VETO" is concluded on the basis of this.
 B. were similar to the Roman elders  - Inconsistent
 C. embraced the veto as the hallmark of Roman democracy   - Out of scope
 D. overlooked Cicero's contributions to the theory of democracy  - out of scope
 E. formed a government based on worldwide democracy  - out of scope

Wonderwoman31 · Answer

Hi  tapasgupta ,

Could you please point out the location of the second point in the third question? I got this incorrect.

Ypsychotic · Answer

1)  This criticism, while in many ways true, is not without its problems. It was, after all, the conquest of Greece that provided Rome with its greatest influx of educated subjects. Admittedly, two of the great disasters in intellectual history—the murder of Archimedes and the burning of Alexandria’s library—both occurred under Rome’s watch. Nevertheless
 
The above statement establishes that there is criticism for not producing enough original thinkers and this criticism is not entirely true since the conquest of Greece provided Rome with educated subjects who could become original thinkers. Then, an emphasis is on "Admittedly", the author admits that the certain portion of the criticism is true while citing examples. With an emphasis on "Nevertheless", the author is trying to outweigh the cited examples with more analysis done on his part. And option E states exactly that.

2) B, C & E are not stated in the second bold text above or anywhere else in the passage. Between A and D, A is the better option because the roads developed were the basis of modern highways, not similar to it. A is clearly stated in the bold text. Option A is correct.

3) The first statement is clearly implied in the bold text of the third paragraph. However, the third statement is misleading because the paragraph states that Latin  Derived  Languages are spoken not Latin itself. The second statement is also clear from the bold text in the fourth paragraph. Option D is correct.

4) As per paragraph, Senators are similar to Roman elders, not framers of the constitution. Eliminate B. For option C, no such implication is given. Eliminate C. Cicero and his work are overlooked  legacy of Rome , not overlooked by the framers of the constitution. Eliminate D. Option E is also not implicit from the passage. Eliminate D. Option A seems perfect fit supported by the statement,  "The veto was a Roman notion adopted by the  historically aware  framers of the Constitution, who often assumed pen names from the lexicon of Latin life.  Emphasis on historically aware.

Share some Kudos if you found my explanation useful.

tapasgupta · Answer

While far from being a democracy, Rome did leave behind useful political tools that serve the American republic today. “Republic” itself is Latin for “the people’s business,” a notion cherished in democracies worldwide.

From here we can conclude that Latin language is reflected in some modern political concepts.

dabaobao · Answer

Passage Map: 
1) Criticism: Roman not producing few original thinkers
2) Roman engineering 
3) Latin
4) Influence of Romans/Latin today

Sandeep2212 · Answer

Can anyone explain Question3?

thinkvision · Answer

OA to Q1

The words in order to indicate that this is a purpose question. The subject of the question is two of the great disasters in intellectual history. The task of the question is to determine why the author mentions the two great disasters. According to the first paragraph, The Romans…have often been criticized for producing few original thinkers outside the realm of politics. This criticism, while in many ways true, is not without its problems.... Admittedly, two of the great disasters in intellectual history—the murder of Archimedes and the burning of Alexandria’s library—both occurred under Rome’s watch. Nevertheless, a city that was able to conquer so much of the known world could not have been devoid of the creativity that characterizes so many other ancient empires. Thus, the two great disasters in intellectual history, supports the criticism that the author argues against. The author states that the criticism, while in many ways true, is not without its problems. The use of the word Admittedly at the beginning of the sentence indicates that the author acknowledges that these great disasters support the idea that the criticism is in many ways true. However, the author's use of the word Nevertheless in the following sentence indicates the author's ultimate disagreement with this idea.

Choice A: No. This answer choice is a reversal. The two great disasters contradict the author's point that the Romans were not devoid of the creativity that characterizes so many other ancient empires.

Choice B: No. The word inaccurate is extreme language. The author does not suggest that these two great disasters did not actually happen, just that they are not sufficient to support the criticism that Rome produced few original thinkers outside the realm of politics.

Choice C: No. This choice is a memory trap. The phrase the importance of certain historical data is reminiscent of the great disasters in intellectual history in the passage. While the events the author mentions are certainly important, they are not mentioned simply to point out their importance.

Choice D: No. This answer is a reversal. The two great disasters actually give support to the criticism the author wishes to disprove.

Choice E: Correct. The two great disasters support the criticism that Rome produced few original thinkers outside the realm of politics, which the author then argues against, so it is an opposing view. The use of the word Admittedly indicates that the author concedes this particular point.

The correct answer is choice E.

thinkvision · Answer

OA to Q2

The phrase according to the passage indicates that this is a retrieval question. The subject of the question is ancient Roman roads. The task of this question is to determine what the passage says about ancient Roman roads and evaluate the answer choices, eliminating any that cannot be supported by the text. According to the second paragraph of the passage, Roman roads, built for the rapid deployment of troops, crisscross Europe and still form the basis of numerous modern highways that provide quick access between many major European and African cities.

Choice A: Correct. The passage states that the Roman roads were built for the rapid deployment of troops and that they connect many major European and African cities. If Rome was concerned about the rapid deployment of troops, it must have considered those places to be of military importance.

Choice B: No. The phrase unequaled in modern times is extreme language. The passage says that Engineering is one endeavor in which the Romans showed themselves capable, but there is no such comparison to engineering of modern times.

Choice C: No. This choice might be tempting due to the recycled language modern highways. However, there is no such comparison in the passage of the similarities of ancient Roman roads and modern highways. The passage only mentions that Roman roads still form the basis of numerous modern highways.

Choice D: No. This answer choice is a reversal. The passage states that Rome was far from being a democracy. Since the roads were built by Romans, they could not be the products of democratic political institutions.

Choice E: No. The phrase caused the development is extreme language. While the passage states that a large number of these cities owe their prominence to Rome’s economic and political influence, it does not indicate that the ancient Roman roads caused the initial development of these cities.

The correct answer is choice A.

thinkvision · Answer

OA to Q3

The phrase according to the passage indicates this is a retrieval question. The subject of the question is the Latin language. The task is to determine what the passage says about the Latin language. Because there are Roman Numerals, evaluate each statement individually to determine whether it is supported by text and then use POE with the answer choices. The third paragraph indicates that Latin-derived languages are spoken in most Southern European nations. Again a result of military influence, the popularity of Latin and its offspring is difficult to underestimate. During the centuries of ignorance and violence that followed Rome’s decline, the Latin language was the glue that held together the identity of an entire continent. While seldom spoken today, it is still studied widely, if only so that such masters of rhetoric as Cicero can be read in the original.

Statement I is supported by the passage which states that Again a result of military influence, the popularity of Latin and its offspring is difficult to underestimate. Therefore, Statement I is correct that the Latin language spread in part due to Rome's military power. Since Statement I is true, eliminate answer choices B and E.

Statement II is supported by the passage which states in the fourth paragraph that Rome did leave behind useful political tools that serve the American republic today. “Republic” itself is Latin for “the people’s business,” a notion cherished in democracies worldwide. Senators owe their name to Rome’s class of elders; Representatives owe theirs to the Tribunes who seized popular prerogatives from the Senatorial class. The veto was a Roman notion adopted by the historically aware framers of the Constitution, who often assumed pen names from the lexicon of Latin life. Therefore, Statement II is correct that the Latin language is reflected in some modern political concepts. Since Statement II is true, eliminate choices A and D.

Statement III is a memory trap and is not supported by the text. The passage states that Latin-derived languages are spoken in most Southern European nations. This does not support the idea that Latin is still spoken today in some parts of Europe. Since Statement III is not true, eliminate answer choices D and E.

Choice A: No. Statement I is true, but it is not the only statement that is true.

Choice B: No. Statement II is true, but it is not the only statement that is true.

Choice C: Correct. In the third paragraph, the author states that Latin spread as a result of military influence, and in the fourth paragraph, the author points out the Latin origins of the words republic, Senator, and veto. Statements I and II are true.

Choice D: No. Statement I is true, but Statement III is not true.

Choice E: No. Statement II is true, but Statement III is not true.

The correct answer is choice C.

thinkvision · Answer

OA to Q4

The phrase It can be inferred from the passage indicates this is an inference question. The subject of the question is the framers of the Constitution. In order to answer this question, determine what the passage says about the subject and evaluate the answer choices, eliminating any choice that cannot be supported by the text. The passage mentions the framers of the Constitution in the last paragraph. It states that The veto was a Roman notion adopted by the historically aware framers of the Constitution, who often assumed pen names from the lexicon of Latin life.

Choice A: Correct. The passage says the framers were historically aware and adopted the Roman notion of the veto, and assumed pen names from the lexicon of Latin life. Therefore, they must have been familiar with certain aspects of Roman government.

Choice B: No. This choice may appear tempting due to the recycled language elders from earlier in the paragraph. However, there is no such comparison of the similarities of the framers of the Constitution and the Roman elders. While the passage says that Senators owe their name to Rome's class of elders, it does not draw a connection between Roman elders and framers of the Constitution.

Choice C: No. The word veto is recycled language and the word hallmark is extreme language that is not supported by the text. While the passage states that the veto was a Roman notion adopted by the...framers, it does not go so far as to suggest that the veto was considered important enough to be a hallmark of democracy. This answer choice is also a reversal since the passage states that Rome was far from being a democracy.

Choice D: No. The recycled language Cicero and overlooked from the beginning of the fourth paragraph may make this choice appear tempting, but it is a reversal. The passage says about Latin, While seldom spoken today, it is still studied widely, if only so that such masters of rhetoric as Cicero can be read in the original…It is Cicero and his like who are perhaps the most overlooked legacy of Rome. Thus, it is people today who overlook Cicero, not the framers of the Constitution.

Choice E: No. This choice is a reversal. The recycled words worldwide and democracy appear next to each other in the sentence “Republic” itself is Latin for “the people’s business,” a notion cherished in democracies worldwide. However, the passage is not referencing the framers of the Constitution at this point and is referring to many democracies spread across the globe, not one worldwide democracy.

The correct answer is choice A.

Frdgb · Answer

kntombat · Answer

Frdgb , what is the issue ?

Frdgb · Answer

Why is statement III wrong?

suhanisinghal · Answer

in question 1 why is e the answer??

bM22 · Answer

Hi  suhanisinghal ,

Author mentions that Rome has been criticized for producing few original thinkers outside the realm of politics. Through the highlighted lines, author basically agrees with the view that Rome was not completely void of great thinkers, even though it was mostly after the conquest of Greece that Rome had its greatest influx of educated subjects.

Thus E is the correct answer.

Hope This Helps.
Thanks.

VerbalBot · Answer

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The Romans—for centuries the masters of war and politics across Europe

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