Question

by turning the hand crank to the desired time frame, someone could predict the positions of the sun, moon, or planets for any specific day. the mechanism allowed the ancient greeks to predict solar and lunar eclipses. they also used it to track the lunar calendar, the position and phases of the moon, the seasons, and ancient festivals such as the olympics. studying and tracking celestial events helped the ancient greeks better understand earth’s place within the vast universe.

many scientists consider the antikythera mechanism the world’s first analog computer due to the device’s complex intricacies and purpose of tracking and predicting events. by entering a variable, such as a specific day, one could calculate mathematical information with the device, like with a basic computer. modern day computers operate in a similar way — but instead of using gears and dials, they use an internal digital system to produce computations and calculations. the discovery and continued research of this device has altered scientists’ understanding of ancient greek technology. the mechanism’s immense complexities prove how advanced ancient humans were. the discovery challenged previously held preconceptions about the technological capabilities of ancient humans and reiterates the significance of studying ancient artifacts to better understand societal development.

assessment: questions

question 36

how does paragraph 7 contribute to the development of ideas in the text?

a. it explains why scientists possess preconceived beliefs about ancient humans’ technological abilities.

b. it highlights how impressive the mechanism and the humans who developed it were.

c. it suggests that the mechanism can inform future technological advances.

d. it discusses future studies scientists plan to conduct on the mechanism.

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Option A: The paragraph doesn't focus on scientists' preconceived beliefs about ancient humans' tech abilities, but on the mechanism's impact on understanding ancient tech. Eliminate A.
• Option B: The paragraph states the mechanism is the first analog computer, shows its complexity, and how it proved ancient humans were advanced (challenging preconceptions). This highlights the impressiveness of the mechanism and its creators. This fits.
• Option C: The paragraph doesn't discuss the mechanism informing future tech advances, but its impact on understanding ancient tech. Eliminate C.
• Option D: The paragraph doesn't talk about future studies scientists plan to conduct on the mechanism. Eliminate D.

Answer:

B. It highlights how impressive the mechanism and the humans who developed it were.