3-3.

Cave paintings

P1. Much of what is known about the lives of weapons drawn upon them and in some cases
prehistoric humans relies largely on conjecture, they even are drawn on human figures. Another
since little can be thoroughly verified. Until problem with this theory is that none of the
relatively recently it was thought that the early pictures clearly portray hunting scenes, and the
humans were incapable of abstract thought, animal bones found at many of the sites ate not
including artistic representations. So much so the same species as those depicted.
that when some cave paintings were discovered
in France in the nineteenth century, they were
thought to be hoaxes. Modern scientific 1. The word conjecture is closest in meaning to
practices have, however, confirmed the (A) vivacity (B) authentication
authenticity of such paintings and dated some (C) speculation (D) consent
as approximately 20,000 to 30,000 years old.
2. According to paragraph 1, some French cave
P2. A While Paleolithic art has been found in paintings found in the 1800s were initially
much of Europe, Africa, and even Siberia, the considered fakes because early humans
most famous of these sites is the Chauvet caves (A) did not reside in the areas which had caves
in southern France. B Discovered in 1994 and in the vicinity
containing what are believed to be some of the (B) were thought to be more interested in
oldest known specimens perhaps 32,000 years hunting than art
old, the caves are famous for the beauty of its (C) did not develop and possess any painting
hundreds of paintings. C Even though the instrument
techniques such as engraving, sketching with (D) were believed to be unable to make
charcoal, and painting with red ochre, a locally aesthetic expressions
available mineral dye, and the subject matter
are quite similar to other previously discovered 3. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate
cave paintings, the detail and verisimilitude to where the following sentence could be added to
real bison, horse, and deer are much greater. D the passage.
This has called into question the genuineness of
P3. While science has been able to deduce the the original dating since art of this quality
method and material of the paintings’ should not precede the cruder depictions found
production, it has not been able to pierce the elsewhere.
most puzzling aspect of their existence: what
these paintings mean. No hypothesis can be Where would the sentence best fit?
proven, but several theories have tried to
answer this riddle of the caves. 4. The word pierce is closest in meaning to
(A) perforate (B) comprehend
P4. One such attempt proposed that the art was (C) mangle (D) exacerbate
used in ritualistic magic in order to bring about
real harm to the embodied prey. In much the 5. According to the passage, which of the
same way as a voodoo doll or visualization in following is NOT mentioned as a weakness to
self-hypnosis might be used, some believe that the ritualistic magic theory?
prehistoric hunters ceremoniously used these (A) few of the pictures can be interpreted as
pictures prior to a hunt in the belief that the hunt expeditions
rite would enable a successful bounty. In (B) most of the animals are not depicted with
support of this view they point to the existence arrows or spears near them
of broken decorated objects resembling animals (C) marks are found in walls which may have
on cave floors and the sketching of weapons been made by weapons
over the portraits. In addition, sharp gouges in (D) animal remains in the cave differ from the
some locations appear to be the result of species represented
weapons being thrown against the walls as if to
magically will the death of the animals. Yet,
very few of the animals on murals have
3-3. Cave paintings

P5. Another prominent opinion shares the 6. In paragraph 5, why does the author mention
presumption of ceremonial magic, but posits menacing predators?
that the paintings are for increased fertility. (A) To support the claim that most of the
Theses proponents put forth that by creating theories have in common
theses images, primitive humans were hoping to (B) To give evidence that contradicts a major
magically create more of theses animals for opinion expressed in the passage
future use. The theory speculates that the (C) To suggest a similarity between two
limited variety of species present indicates that opinions held by scholars
these early artists were primarily interested in (D) To present a popular opinion that many
reproducing those animals that provided food. scientists concur with
Unfortunately, this theory also leaves room for
doubt because, in addition to likely prey, many 7. The word absence is closest in meaning to
of the illustrations also include menacing (A) lack (B) outbreak
predators that humans probably would not have (C) pretext (D) fortitude
eaten. Furthermore, there is a marked absence
of sexual content, such as demonstration of 8. The word recurring is closest in meaning to
genitalia or copulation that could be related to (A) plain (B) reiterate
fertility. However, because the rendering of the (C) officious (D) dim
animals was often performed over previous
designs of the same creatures, some stipulate 9. Why does the author mention Egyptian
that this may have been part of an annual, hieroglyphics?
cultural ritual. (A) to explain the evolution of cave paintings
into a language
P6. A different perspective holds that the (B) to describe that cave pictures could be used
illustrations are not portraits at all, but are like a language
instead wholly symbolic. Due to the narrow (C) to show how they differ from inanimate
range of animals depicted and inanimate objects objects
sketched, the theory suggests that theses (D) to suggest that they were patterned after
recurring images could represent a simple, cave paintings
symbolic language, similar in principle to
Egyptian hieroglyphics. Additionally, the high 10. The word none in the passage refers to
concentration of horse and bison in the center (A) objects (B) images
of painted walls suggests that theses could (C) walls (D) theories
signify a duality, such as male and female.
While all of these theories present feasible 11. Which of the sentences below best expresses
scenarios, none are without objection. Because the essential information in the highlighted
the artwork in question spans a period of tens sentence in the passage?
of thousands of years, it is difficult to imagine (A) Due to the diversity of the time scale, it is
that any one theory could encompass all the unlikely that any one hypothesis could
different reasons for cave paintings. adequately explain every occurrence
(B) It is impossible that any of the hypotheses
could be used to correctly interpret the reasons
for such varied work
(C) Most likely one theory for each of the
various sites will be required to clarify the
reasons for the artwork in the different time
periods
(D) Many different theories are necessary to
illuminate the various kinds of artwork found in
the locations because of the disparity in the
sites