Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?

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Accepted Answer

Choice C is the best answer because it most logically completes the text’s discussion of Minoan bull-leaping rituals. In this context, “defend” means support in the face of argument. The overall focus of the text is on the difficulty of determining what bull-leaping rituals meant to the Minoans, about whom, the text indicates, we know very little. The text states that because of this scarcity of information, assertions about the meaning of the rituals, which took place a very long time ago (in the second millennium BCE), are highly likely to be based on speculation and guesswork. This context suggests that claims about the meaning of the rituals are difficult to successfully support, or defend. Choice A is incorrect because “imagine” in this context would mean form a mental image of something. Although it’s possible to imagine what Minoan bull-leaping rituals might have looked like, the focus of the text isn’t on how the rituals looked but rather on claims about them, which the text suggests are difficult to support because very little is known about the Minoans. Choice B is incorrect because “summarize” in this context would mean recap or outline, neither of which makes sense. The text indicates that claims about the significance of Minoan bull-leaping rituals will inevitably rely on speculation and guesswork because very little is known about the Minoans. This suggests that claims about the Minoan rituals are difficult to support in the face of argument, not that they’re difficult to recap or outline. Choice D is incorrect because “adjust” in this context would mean modify or correct. Although a claim about a ritual’s meaning could be modified or corrected based on newly discovered evidence, the text doesn’t focus on any specific claims made about the significance of Minoan bull-leaping rituals. Rather, the text focuses on the feasibility of making valid claims about the rituals in general, suggesting that the scarcity of information about the Minoans makes it difficult to support any claims about the rituals.

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