16Hit1600
Information and IdeasVery hardEvidence for a claim about a manuscript's copyist

Information and Ideas practice question

A scholar argues that a medieval manuscript was copied by a scribe who could not read the language he was copying.

Which finding, if true, would most directly support the claim?

  1. A. The manuscript reproduces the shapes of the letters faithfully but breaks words in impossible places and copies a marginal note into the main text as if it were part of the sentence.Correct
  2. B. The manuscript is written on parchment.
  3. C. The scribe signed his name at the end.
  4. D. The manuscript contains several spelling errors.

Answer: A. The manuscript reproduces the shapes of the letters faithfully but breaks words in impossible places and copies a marginal note into the main text as if it were part of the sentence.

Shapes right, sense wrong.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. The manuscript is written on parchment.
Material says nothing about reading.
C. The scribe signed his name at the end.
A signature does not show comprehension.
D. The manuscript contains several spelling errors.
Spelling errors are common in literate scribes too.

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