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Question 73. In the early 9th century BC Athenian potters introduced the full Geometric style by abandoning circular for rectilinear ornament, the key meander assuming the leading role. At first decoration was restricted to a small reserved area surrounded by the lustrous dark paint; later, as the style approached maturity, more decorated zones wee added, until the potter achieved a harmonious balance between light and dark. In the 8th century, after nearly 400 years of abstract decoration, living creatures appear once again, although their style is hardly less angular than the geometric ornament that supports them. Geometric pottery reached its fullest development in the gigantic amphorae and craters that served as grave monuments in the Athenian Dipylon cemetery; here a funerary scene, showing the corpse on the bier surrounded by mourners, occupies the main panel, while other friezes contain chariot processions, battles on land and sea, rows of animals, and linear geometric designs. The creators of these monumental vases established a continuous tradition of figured painting that persisted on Greek pottery until the end of the Classical period; the immediate consequence of their innovation was a loss of interest in purely abstract design, which became increasingly perfunctory on the latest Geometric vases.
After several centuries of isolation, the renewal of contact with the Middle East provided a welcome stimulus to the Greek potter. In art, as well as in commerce, it was Corinth that now led the way. Unlike the Athenians, Corinthian potters specialized in small vases and especially in the tiny
aryballos, or scent bottle, which found a ready market throughout the Mediterranean region. There soon arose a style of miniatures that was called Proto-Corinthian; it borrowed much of its repertoire from the fauna and flora of Syrophoenician art. Processions of animals, both real and legendary, are placed in the main friezes, while lotus flowers and palmettes serve as subsidiary ornament. When human beings are depicted, mythical scenes can often be recognized, reflecting the early diffusion of Homeric epic poetry. It was on Proto-Corinthian vases that the technique known as black-figure was first applied: the figures were first drawn in black silhouette and were then marked with incised detail; further touches were added in purple and white.
Other notable Orientalizing styles arose in Attica, the Cyclades, Laconia, and Rhodes, regional differences in pottery becoming more clearly marked as the Hellenic city-states grew into self-conscious political units. The Athenians still did their best work on large funerary vases. At first they cultivated a wild and grandiose manner in which the figure of men and animals were elaborated in outline; later, incised ornament introduced from Corinth imposed a salutary discipline. Cycladic potters also attempted the grand manner; Laconian work, on the other hand, is confined to a small scale and owes comparatively little to Oriental influence. The Rhodians rarely progressed beyond animal friezes drawn in outline; their style is known as "wild goat", after their favorite quadruped.
1. The pottery which owed least to the Oriental influence was from
1. Attica
2. Cyclades
3. Laconia
4. Rhodes
5. Athens
Answer : 3
Explanation :
The last paragraph clearly mentions that Laconian pottery 'owes comparatively little to the Oriental influence'.
2. The tradition of figured painting until the end of the Classical period resulted in
1. the Oriental style.
2. monumental vases.
3. loss of interest in purely abstract design.
4. renewal of contact with the Middle East.
5. Proto-Corinthian style.
Answer : 3
Explanation :
The last sentence of the first paragraph gives the answer to the question - 'the immediate consequence .............. on the latest Geometric vases.'
3. Corinthian potters were different from Athenian potters because
1. they produced smaller vases.
2. they depicted corpses on biers.
3. they showed figures of men and animals.
4. they used linear, geometric designs
5. they frequently used pictures of goats.
Answer : 1
Explanation :
The third sentence of the second paragraph says clearly that the Corinthians specialized in small vases, unlike the Athenians.
Question 2. The adherents of the concept of the
'scala naturae' believed in a steady progression from the most simple to the most perfect organisms. Lamarck's theory of evolution was largely based on this concept. Yet, the more the knowledge of plants and animals advanced, the less did the similarities and differences of organisms conform to this pattern. Instead, organisms usually fell into well-defined and frequently rather isolated groups, like mammals, birds, and reptiles, that could not be arranged into a linear sequence from simple to perfect. On the other hand, nearly all taxa of organisms were clearly more similar to some than to other
taxa. It was on the basis of this principle of degrees of similarity that naturalists from Aristotle on had grouped organisms, resulting, since the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, in the Linnaean hierarchy. As stated by Darwin, "from the first dawn of life, all organic beings are found to resemble each other in descending degrees, so that they can be classed in groups under groups. This classification is evidently not arbitrary like the grouping of stars in constellations." But what was the cause for the apparent pattern, what was the nature of the apparent constraints? To say, as did Louis
Agassiz, that it reflected that plan of the creator explained nothing.
Everything, however, became clear as soon as one made the assumption that the members of a taxon are the descendants of a common ancestor. According to Darwin, this principle of common descent explains "why species descended from a single progenitor are grouped into genera: and the genera included in, or subordinate to, subfamilies, families, and orders, all united into one class. Thus, the grand fact in natural history, of the subordination of group under group - it is in my judgement fully explained". And indeed it was
Two matters, however, need to be stressed. The first is that Darwin, when proposing the theory of common descent, had found the solution of the great problem of the natural system that had exercised systematists for more than one hundred years. The inclusive hierarchy of groups under groups is a necessity if species are descended from common ancestors. Reciprocally, as Darwin continues to emphasize, the fact of the hierarchy of organisms is extremely powerful evidence in favour of his theory. There simply is no other possible explanation for the hierarchy unless one wants to postulate an extremely capricious creator. In the end Darwin reiterates that descent is the hidden bond of connection which naturalists have sought under the term of the ?Natural System'. Indeed, every systematist since has accepted or at least paid lip service to the fact that any system of classification must be consistent with the theory of evolution, that is, that every recognized taxon must consist of descendants of a common ancestor.
1. According to Darwin the theory of common descent explains
1. why taxa of organisms are more proximate to some than to other
taxa.
2. why adherents of the concept of the scala naturae believed in steady progression
3. why the postulate of an extremely capricious creator does not find public
favor
4. why organisms can be arranged in a hierarchy of categories from species, through genera, subfamilies, orders and classes
5. why naturalists from Aristotle on were forced to group organisms such that it resulted in the Linnaean hierarchy
Answer : 4
Explanation :
The quotation by Darwin in paragraph 2 states that his principle of common descent explains "why species descended from a single progenitor are grouped into genera". So option 4 is the correct answer.
2. According to the passage the ordered hierarchy of organisms on the basis of degrees of similarities
1. is both a condition for and evidence of the theory of common descent
2. both partakes of and causes the evolutionary theory
3. is the work of naturalists uncomfortable with the idea of a capricious creator
4. is Darwin's principal contribution to the theory of evolution
5. enables members of a taxon to become descendants of a common ancestors
Answer : 1
Explanation :
In the third paragraph the author talks about the importance of the theory of common descent. He speaks of this inclusive theory as being both a 'necessity' as well as 'extremely powerful evidence' of the truth of Darwin's theory. So option 1 is the correct answer.
3. According to the passage Lamarckian theory was
1. not adequately evolutionary and hence not as satisfactory as Darwinian theory
2. based on the grouping of organisms from Aristotle on, culminating in the Linnaean hierarchy
3. based on the concept of a linear sequence of development of organisms from the simple to the perfect
4. the logical precursor to the theory of common descent
5. based on the assumption that the members of a taxon are the descendants of a common ancestor
Answer : 3
Explanation :
The first two sentences of the passage deal with Lamarck's theory of evolution which posited a steady progression from the most simple to the most perfect organisms. So option 3 is the correct answer.
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