Question

while researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

• the northeast sound archive in cleveland began cataloging wax cylinder recordings from local theater troupes in 2016.
• its first digitization batch contained 1,200 cylinders made between 1898 and 1912.
• technicians used a noncontact optical scanner that mapped each cylinder’s groove surface and converted the data into audio files, avoiding stylus playback.
• condition surveys found that about 18% of the cylinders showed mold growth, and aggressive cleaning could scrape away portions of the grooves.
• the optical method still produced usable audio from several cracked cylinders, but dark, opaque wax required extra calibration to reduce noise.

26 mark for review
the student wants to highlight the methodology used to digitize the recordings. which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
a) the archive focused on preserving wax cylinders created between 1898 and 1912 by theater troupes, beginning its cataloging work in cleveland in 2016.
b) instead of using a stylus, technicians relied on a noncontact optical scanning process that digitally mapped the grooves of each cylinder to generate audio files.
c) surveys showed that many of the cylinders suffered from mold damage, making physical cleaning risky because it could remove parts of the recorded grooves.
d) although the scanning process worked on cracked cylinders, dark wax surfaces required additional calibration to minimize background noise in the final recordings.

Explanation:

To highlight the digitization methodology, we need to focus on the process used. Option A talks about the time period and cataloging start, not methodology. Option C discusses cylinder damage and cleaning risks, not digitization. Option D focuses on limitations of the method, not the methodology itself. Option B clearly describes the non - contact optical scanning process (the methodology) used to digitize the cylinders, including how it mapped grooves and generated audio files.

Answer:

B. Instead of using a stylus, technicians relied on a noncontact optical scanning process that digitally mapped the grooves of each cylinder to generate audio files.