Practice passage

[reop6780]

On the page 151, question number 5, the answer is C.

I do not have problem with the correct answer, but was a little puzzled at the explanation on the page of 162.

It describes that the author is supportive of the idea that "the artists" played a distinct role, based on the level of excellence of the art (162).

The only passage directing to such inference is delineated in the first paragraph illustrating the view of "some anthropologists," whom the author disagrees with: "the high level of quality suggests that Aurignacian art was created by a distinct group of artists, who would likely have spent most of their time practicing...supported by other members of their community" (17-22).

The problem that I have underlies on author's attitude towards this passage suggested by "some anthropologists." The author DISAGREES with the previous view. More importantly, the question asks, "...the author would be most likely to agree with..." (#5).

I was wondering

1) if I may have missed part directing to the answer suggesting the ARTISTS established social roles.

2) Or, whether it is okay to find the right answer from the passage the author disagrees.

Personally, I chose C based upon the very last lines of "shamans, or religious leaders.." to explain the existence of some highly specialized social roles in Aurignacians' society. Hence, I didn't expect the group to whom the social roles are given are artists.

Thank you

Hyun Kim

[David Boyle]

On the page 151, question number 5, the answer is C.

I do not have problem with the correct answer, but was a little puzzled at the explanation on the page of 162.

It describes that the author is supportive of the idea that "the artists" played a distinct role, based on the level of excellence of the art (162).

The only passage directing to such inference is delineated in the first paragraph illustrating the view of "some anthropologists," whom the author disagrees with: "the high level of quality suggests that Aurignacian art was created by a distinct group of artists, who would likely have spent most of their time practicing...supported by other members of their community" (17-22).

The problem that I have underlies on author's attitude towards this passage suggested by "some anthropologists." The author DISAGREES with the previous view. More importantly, the question asks, "...the author would be most likely to agree with..." (#5).

I was wondering

1) if I may have missed part directing to the answer suggesting the ARTISTS established social roles.

2) Or, whether it is okay to find the right answer from the passage the author disagrees.

Personally, I chose C based upon the very last lines of "shamans, or religious leaders.." to explain the existence of some highly specialized social roles in Aurignacians' society. Hence, I didn't expect the group to whom the social roles are given are artists.

Thank you

Hyun Kim

Dear Hyun:

Lines 17-22 discuss "a distinct group of artists" etc. That seems like a specialized social role. Maybe shamans too, but the artists themselves occupy a special social niche.
Also, where does the author disagree with the anthropologists referenced in line 8? The author goes on to say that the fact that artists were making art while other people were feeding them and doing other supportive functions, which fits with the anthropologists' ideas that the Aurignacians had excess wealth (especially compared to Neanderthals): the kind of excess wealth that could support artists' working on art, instead of having the artists busy growing crops or killing wooly mammoths for food or something.
Hope that helps,

David