Question

The boldfaced sentence plays which of the following roles in the passage?

• A. It introduces a counterargument that the author later refutes using historical evidence.
• B. It outlines a widely held belief that is later disproven through archaeological evidence.
• C. It presents a long-standing scholarly uncertainty that the author addresses through new scientific findings.
• D. It emphasises the geographic distance between Britain and the eastern Mediterranean.
• E. It contrasts with the claim that copper was more readily available than tin in ancient Europe.

Hint:

In passages that present new evidence about a historical topic, look for a structure that moves from an old problem/question to new data, and then to a new conclusion. A key sentence will often frame the initial problem.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept
This is a "Role of a Statement" question. Based on the context from Q52 and Q53, the passage deals with using new evidence (shipwrecks) to make claims about ancient trade. This setup is common for arguments that resolve old debates with new data. The boldfaced sentence, being the focus, likely sets up this debate.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation
Let's infer the passage's structure. The topic is the source of Bronze Age tin, a major historical question. The recent shipwreck discoveries represent new scientific evidence. Therefore, a plausible structure is: 1. Introduce an old, unresolved question or "scholarly uncertainty" about the tin trade. (This would be the boldfaced sentence). 2. Present new archaeological or scientific findings (the shipwrecks). 3. Use these findings to address or resolve the uncertainty. Let's analyze the options in this light:

(A) & (B) are similar, but "refutes" and "disproven" are very strong. The author might be adding evidence rather than completely disproving an old belief.
(D) & (E) are too specific. They focus on small details (distance, copper availability) rather than the overall argumentative role of a key sentence.
(C) fits the inferred structure perfectly. The "long-standing scholarly uncertainty" is the old question about the origin of tin. The "new scientific findings" are the geochemical analyses of the tin from the shipwrecks, which the author uses to "address" the uncertainty.
Step 3: Final Answer
Given the context of using new archaeological finds to understand ancient trade, the boldfaced sentence most likely serves to introduce the historical problem that the new evidence helps to solve. Option (C) describes this role accurately.