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May 0608:30 AM PDT
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In Episode 3 of our GMAT Ninja Critical Reasoning series, we tackle Discrepancy, Paradox, and Explain an Oddity questions. You know the feeling: the passage gives you two facts that seem completely contradictory....- May 08
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13 Sep 2024, 20:53
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Sculpture in ancient Maya culture spanned various media, ranging from the miniature to the monumental, as artists shaped materials sourced from the landscape. Maya art developed from interactions between societies in the Yucatan Peninsula and the Olmec civilization of the Mexican Gulf Coast. By the first millennium B.C., Maya artists began working in stone, stucco, wood, bone, shell, and fired clay.
During the Classic Period (ca. 250–900), rulers of prominent city-states such as Tikal, Calakmul, Palenque, and Copán commissioned artworks to embellish their royal courts and bodies. After the fall of these Classic Period kingdoms, Maya artists in northern cities like Chichén Itzá looked to Central Mexico and southern Central America for inspiration, decorating temples and creating impressive offerings for rulers and gods.
The most common themes in Maya art were mortal rulers and supernatural beings. Royal courts employed full-time painters and sculptors, some of whom signed their creations. In the sculpture Relief with Enthroned Ruler, the patron Shield Jaguar IV is depicted on the right, receiving tribute from Tiloom, one of his subordinate rulers. The sculptor, Chakalte’, signed this lintel along with at least two other works. In this piece, Maya sculptors portrayed the human form naturally, showing royal figures sitting, standing, holding objects, and interacting. Working with limestone or volcanic tuff using primitive stone tools, they produced lifelike portraits of divine rulers, noblewomen, captives, and deities.
Maya sculptors also dedicated substantial effort to crafting portable stone objects. A spouted chocolate vessel made of indurated limestone required meticulous carving and polishing to achieve its detailed reliefs and polished finish. Archaeologists have uncovered the necessary tools—limestone quarries, chisels, blades, and polishing stones. Flint or chert ceremonial blades also served as royal scepters.
A nearly lost medium in Maya sculpture is wood. Few wooden artifacts have survived due to the humid tropical climate. Some temple door lintels were made of wooden beams featuring carved scenes of royal conquests and rituals. Three-dimensional wooden objects are even rarer, mostly preserved in dry tombs, caves, or waterlogged environments.
Which of the following can be most reasonably inferred about the use of wood as a material for sculpture in ancient Maya culture, based on the information provided in the passage?
A. The rarity of surviving wooden sculptures from the Maya period suggests that most Maya artists preferred working with more durable materials, such as stone or clay.
B. Wooden artifacts would have likely been more prominent in Maya art collections today had it not been for the environmental conditions that deteriorated these works over time.
C. The humid tropical climate that contributed to the decay of wooden artifacts would have also made it difficult for Maya artists to create detailed carvings in wood.
D. Wooden sculptures that survived were likely smaller in size than other sculptures because large wooden artifacts would have been more susceptible to environmental degradation.
E. The preference for stone over wood in Maya sculpture likely stemmed from the greater religious significance attributed to stone as a material for representing rulers and gods.
During the Classic Period (ca. 250–900), rulers of prominent city-states such as Tikal, Calakmul, Palenque, and Copán commissioned artworks to embellish their royal courts and bodies. After the fall of these Classic Period kingdoms, Maya artists in northern cities like Chichén Itzá looked to Central Mexico and southern Central America for inspiration, decorating temples and creating impressive offerings for rulers and gods.
The most common themes in Maya art were mortal rulers and supernatural beings. Royal courts employed full-time painters and sculptors, some of whom signed their creations. In the sculpture Relief with Enthroned Ruler, the patron Shield Jaguar IV is depicted on the right, receiving tribute from Tiloom, one of his subordinate rulers. The sculptor, Chakalte’, signed this lintel along with at least two other works. In this piece, Maya sculptors portrayed the human form naturally, showing royal figures sitting, standing, holding objects, and interacting. Working with limestone or volcanic tuff using primitive stone tools, they produced lifelike portraits of divine rulers, noblewomen, captives, and deities.
Maya sculptors also dedicated substantial effort to crafting portable stone objects. A spouted chocolate vessel made of indurated limestone required meticulous carving and polishing to achieve its detailed reliefs and polished finish. Archaeologists have uncovered the necessary tools—limestone quarries, chisels, blades, and polishing stones. Flint or chert ceremonial blades also served as royal scepters.
A nearly lost medium in Maya sculpture is wood. Few wooden artifacts have survived due to the humid tropical climate. Some temple door lintels were made of wooden beams featuring carved scenes of royal conquests and rituals. Three-dimensional wooden objects are even rarer, mostly preserved in dry tombs, caves, or waterlogged environments.
Which of the following can be most reasonably inferred about the use of wood as a material for sculpture in ancient Maya culture, based on the information provided in the passage?
A. The rarity of surviving wooden sculptures from the Maya period suggests that most Maya artists preferred working with more durable materials, such as stone or clay.
B. Wooden artifacts would have likely been more prominent in Maya art collections today had it not been for the environmental conditions that deteriorated these works over time.
C. The humid tropical climate that contributed to the decay of wooden artifacts would have also made it difficult for Maya artists to create detailed carvings in wood.
D. Wooden sculptures that survived were likely smaller in size than other sculptures because large wooden artifacts would have been more susceptible to environmental degradation.
E. The preference for stone over wood in Maya sculpture likely stemmed from the greater religious significance attributed to stone as a material for representing rulers and gods.
13 Sep 2024, 20:53
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Official Solution:
Sculpture in ancient Maya culture spanned various media, ranging from the miniature to the monumental, as artists shaped materials sourced from the landscape. Maya art developed from interactions between societies in the Yucatan Peninsula and the Olmec civilization of the Mexican Gulf Coast. By the first millennium B.C., Maya artists began working in stone, stucco, wood, bone, shell, and fired clay.
During the Classic Period (ca. 250–900), rulers of prominent city-states such as Tikal, Calakmul, Palenque, and Copán commissioned artworks to embellish their royal courts and bodies. After the fall of these Classic Period kingdoms, Maya artists in northern cities like Chichén Itzá looked to Central Mexico and southern Central America for inspiration, decorating temples and creating impressive offerings for rulers and gods.
The most common themes in Maya art were mortal rulers and supernatural beings. Royal courts employed full-time painters and sculptors, some of whom signed their creations. In the sculpture Relief with Enthroned Ruler, the patron Shield Jaguar IV is depicted on the right, receiving tribute from Tiloom, one of his subordinate rulers. The sculptor, Chakalte’, signed this lintel along with at least two other works. In this piece, Maya sculptors portrayed the human form naturally, showing royal figures sitting, standing, holding objects, and interacting. Working with limestone or volcanic tuff using primitive stone tools, they produced lifelike portraits of divine rulers, noblewomen, captives, and deities.
Maya sculptors also dedicated substantial effort to crafting portable stone objects. A spouted chocolate vessel made of indurated limestone required meticulous carving and polishing to achieve its detailed reliefs and polished finish. Archaeologists have uncovered the necessary tools—limestone quarries, chisels, blades, and polishing stones. Flint or chert ceremonial blades also served as royal scepters.
A nearly lost medium in Maya sculpture is wood. Few wooden artifacts have survived due to the humid tropical climate. Some temple door lintels were made of wooden beams featuring carved scenes of royal conquests and rituals. Three-dimensional wooden objects are even rarer, mostly preserved in dry tombs, caves, or waterlogged environments.
Which of the following can be most reasonably inferred about the use of wood as a material for sculpture in ancient Maya culture, based on the information provided in the passage?
A. The rarity of surviving wooden sculptures from the Maya period suggests that most Maya artists preferred working with more durable materials, such as stone or clay.
B. Wooden artifacts would have likely been more prominent in Maya art collections today had it not been for the environmental conditions that deteriorated these works over time.
C. The humid tropical climate that contributed to the decay of wooden artifacts would have also made it difficult for Maya artists to create detailed carvings in wood.
D. Wooden sculptures that survived were likely smaller in size than other sculptures because large wooden artifacts would have been more susceptible to environmental degradation.
E. The preference for stone over wood in Maya sculpture likely stemmed from the greater religious significance attributed to stone as a material for representing rulers and gods.
A. Incorrect. The preference of artists is not discussed, so this is unsupported by the passage.
B. Correct. The passage clearly states that "few wooden artifacts have survived due to the humid tropical climate," implying that without such environmental degradation, more wooden artifacts would likely have been preserved and part of modern collections.
C. Incorrect. While the passage mentions that wood decayed due to environmental conditions, it does not suggest that this made it difficult for artists to carve wood. In fact, the passage mentions that some detailed carvings were made in wood, suggesting that artists were skilled in this medium despite the climate.
D. Incorrect. The passage makes no mention of size being a factor in the survival of wooden artifacts.
E. Incorrect. The passage does not suggest any religious preference for stone over wood.
Answer: B
Sculpture in ancient Maya culture spanned various media, ranging from the miniature to the monumental, as artists shaped materials sourced from the landscape. Maya art developed from interactions between societies in the Yucatan Peninsula and the Olmec civilization of the Mexican Gulf Coast. By the first millennium B.C., Maya artists began working in stone, stucco, wood, bone, shell, and fired clay.
During the Classic Period (ca. 250–900), rulers of prominent city-states such as Tikal, Calakmul, Palenque, and Copán commissioned artworks to embellish their royal courts and bodies. After the fall of these Classic Period kingdoms, Maya artists in northern cities like Chichén Itzá looked to Central Mexico and southern Central America for inspiration, decorating temples and creating impressive offerings for rulers and gods.
The most common themes in Maya art were mortal rulers and supernatural beings. Royal courts employed full-time painters and sculptors, some of whom signed their creations. In the sculpture Relief with Enthroned Ruler, the patron Shield Jaguar IV is depicted on the right, receiving tribute from Tiloom, one of his subordinate rulers. The sculptor, Chakalte’, signed this lintel along with at least two other works. In this piece, Maya sculptors portrayed the human form naturally, showing royal figures sitting, standing, holding objects, and interacting. Working with limestone or volcanic tuff using primitive stone tools, they produced lifelike portraits of divine rulers, noblewomen, captives, and deities.
Maya sculptors also dedicated substantial effort to crafting portable stone objects. A spouted chocolate vessel made of indurated limestone required meticulous carving and polishing to achieve its detailed reliefs and polished finish. Archaeologists have uncovered the necessary tools—limestone quarries, chisels, blades, and polishing stones. Flint or chert ceremonial blades also served as royal scepters.
A nearly lost medium in Maya sculpture is wood. Few wooden artifacts have survived due to the humid tropical climate. Some temple door lintels were made of wooden beams featuring carved scenes of royal conquests and rituals. Three-dimensional wooden objects are even rarer, mostly preserved in dry tombs, caves, or waterlogged environments.
Which of the following can be most reasonably inferred about the use of wood as a material for sculpture in ancient Maya culture, based on the information provided in the passage?
A. The rarity of surviving wooden sculptures from the Maya period suggests that most Maya artists preferred working with more durable materials, such as stone or clay.
B. Wooden artifacts would have likely been more prominent in Maya art collections today had it not been for the environmental conditions that deteriorated these works over time.
C. The humid tropical climate that contributed to the decay of wooden artifacts would have also made it difficult for Maya artists to create detailed carvings in wood.
D. Wooden sculptures that survived were likely smaller in size than other sculptures because large wooden artifacts would have been more susceptible to environmental degradation.
E. The preference for stone over wood in Maya sculpture likely stemmed from the greater religious significance attributed to stone as a material for representing rulers and gods.
A. Incorrect. The preference of artists is not discussed, so this is unsupported by the passage.
B. Correct. The passage clearly states that "few wooden artifacts have survived due to the humid tropical climate," implying that without such environmental degradation, more wooden artifacts would likely have been preserved and part of modern collections.
C. Incorrect. While the passage mentions that wood decayed due to environmental conditions, it does not suggest that this made it difficult for artists to carve wood. In fact, the passage mentions that some detailed carvings were made in wood, suggesting that artists were skilled in this medium despite the climate.
D. Incorrect. The passage makes no mention of size being a factor in the survival of wooden artifacts.
E. Incorrect. The passage does not suggest any religious preference for stone over wood.
Answer: B
31 Dec 2024, 22:05
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With option B, it says that "few wooden artifacts have survived due to the humid tropical climate" - shouldn't this be interpreted as the humid tropical climate helping preserve artifacts (that is, "A survived due to B") rather than causing degredation?
Another example - "few people have survived due to the vaccine" - implying that the vaccine is what's saved lives.
Keen to grab your thoughts - thanks!
Another example - "few people have survived due to the vaccine" - implying that the vaccine is what's saved lives.
Keen to grab your thoughts - thanks!
