The Olmec Empire was an ancient civilization that flourished in Central America from about 1200 to 400 BCE. While the Olmec created striking art and architecture, historians are not certain that they developed a system of writing. Researchers have recently discovered a stone block in Mexico that they claim is engraved with Olmec writing. But is it rally evidence of Olmec writing? Many experts have serious doubts about that, for the following reasons
No similar objects
First, the stone block is the only Olmec object that appears to bear sins of writing. When a culture develops writing, the writing appears repeatedly on many objects. But, while many other stone blocks nave been found at Olmec sites, none of them have similar markings. This .suggests that the markings on the recently found block do not represent a writing system.
Signs may be decorative
Second, the signs on the block may have a different purpose than writing. Many of the signs look similar to designs and shapes found on ancient Olmec artwork such as figurines and masks. The designs on Olmec artwork are decorative or perhaps have religious symbolism but are clearly not written language. The similarities of the signs on the discovered block to decorative or religious designs suggest that the block may simply be an example of Olmec art and not evidence of an Olmec writing system
Origin
Finally, the discovered stone block may not even date from the Olmec times. Archaeologists generally date ancient objects by examining their original position in the ground. However, the block was found and dug up by local road workers who simply put the block in a large pile of other materials before noting its historical value. Since archeologists were unable to observe the block's position in the ground, establishing the block's true date and origin is difficult
According to the reading passage, it is stated that there are some doubts that the stone block found receantly is not an Olmec writing block and, it provides reasons to clarify the idea. However, the professr in the listening states, why the assumptions mentioned in the reading passage were not correct and refutes them by describing three reasons as follows.
First of all, the reading cliams that there are no available blocks from Olmec era with simillar markings to the one recently found. The professor casts doubt on this point by mentioning that although this is the only Olmec object that contains writings, there is a possiblity that other blocks may have been damaged. Since this block was burried under a special type of soil, it was safe of the effect of humidity, rain, and other factors. Accordingly, it can be infered that the markings of other block are erased because of weather conditions despite the newly discovered one.
Secondly, the article posites that the signs on the block may represent some decorative shapes and designs, like other Olmec artworks. In contrast, the professor says that these marking are a typical representative of writing instead of decorations because they are aranged in specific groups. Moreover, some signs are repeated in other lines which demonstrates a writing order.
Finally, the reading states that ancient objects can be dated by the location they are found. On the other hand, since this block was found by some workers, scientists could not be able to specify its position and date correctly. The professor opposes this point by explaining that some pottery have been found next to this block and scientists can date the block by the help of potteries. It is obvious that the discovered potteries endowed with some special shapes that belong to the Olmec era. Consequently, this evidence strengthens the theory that the block belongs to Olmec.
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Grammar and spelling errors:
Line 2, column 225, Rule ID: HE_VERB_AGR[8]
Message: The proper name in singular (Olmec) must be used with a third-person verb: 'objects'.
Suggestion: objects
...ng that although this is the only Olmec object that contains writings, there is a poss...
^^^^^^
Line 4, column 582, Rule ID: WHITESPACE_RULE
Message: Possible typo: you repeated a whitespace
Suggestion:
...theory that the block belongs to Olmec.
^^
Transition Words or Phrases used:
accordingly, consequently, finally, first, however, if, may, moreover, second, secondly, so, then, in contrast, first of all, on the other hand
Attributes: Values AverageValues Percentages(Values/AverageValues)% => Comments
Performance on Part of Speech:
To be verbs : 21.0 10.4613686534 201% => Less to be verbs wanted.
Auxiliary verbs: 6.0 5.04856512141 119% => OK
Conjunction : 6.0 7.30242825607 82% => OK
Relative clauses : 15.0 12.0772626932 124% => OK
Pronoun: 31.0 22.412803532 138% => Less pronouns wanted
Preposition: 38.0 30.3222958057 125% => OK
Nominalization: 3.0 5.01324503311 60% => More nominalizations (nouns with a suffix like: tion ment ence ance) wanted.
Performance on vocabulary words:
No of characters: 1592.0 1373.03311258 116% => OK
No of words: 315.0 270.72406181 116% => OK
Chars per words: 5.05396825397 5.08290768461 99% => OK
Fourth root words length: 4.21286593061 4.04702891845 104% => OK
Word Length SD: 2.52644167425 2.5805825403 98% => OK
Unique words: 164.0 145.348785872 113% => OK
Unique words percentage: 0.520634920635 0.540411800872 96% => OK
syllable_count: 486.0 419.366225166 116% => OK
avg_syllables_per_word: 1.5 1.55342163355 97% => OK
A sentence (or a clause, phrase) starts by:
Pronoun: 6.0 3.25607064018 184% => OK
Article: 7.0 8.23620309051 85% => OK
Subordination: 2.0 1.25165562914 160% => OK
Conjunction: 1.0 1.51434878587 66% => OK
Preposition: 6.0 2.5761589404 233% => Less preposition wanted as sentence beginnings.
Performance on sentences:
How many sentences: 14.0 13.0662251656 107% => OK
Sentence length: 22.0 21.2450331126 104% => OK
Sentence length SD: 33.4326157505 49.2860985944 68% => OK
Chars per sentence: 113.714285714 110.228320801 103% => OK
Words per sentence: 22.5 21.698381199 104% => OK
Discourse Markers: 10.2142857143 7.06452816374 145% => OK
Paragraphs: 4.0 4.09492273731 98% => OK
Language errors: 2.0 4.19205298013 48% => OK
Sentences with positive sentiment : 4.0 4.33554083885 92% => OK
Sentences with negative sentiment : 6.0 4.45695364238 135% => OK
Sentences with neutral sentiment: 4.0 4.27373068433 94% => OK
What are sentences with positive/Negative/neutral sentiment?
Coherence and Cohesion:
Essay topic to essay body coherence: 0.112758350474 0.272083759551 41% => OK
Sentence topic coherence: 0.0463856758519 0.0996497079465 47% => OK
Sentence topic coherence SD: 0.0286298660052 0.0662205650399 43% => Sentences are similar to each other.
Paragraph topic coherence: 0.0727205643143 0.162205337803 45% => OK
Paragraph topic coherence SD: 0.011164622986 0.0443174109184 25% => Paragraphs are similar to each other. Some content may get duplicated or it is not exactly right on the topic.
Essay readability:
automated_readability_index: 13.6 13.3589403974 102% => OK
flesch_reading_ease: 57.61 53.8541721854 107% => OK
smog_index: 3.1 5.55761589404 56% => Smog_index is low.
flesch_kincaid_grade: 10.7 11.0289183223 97% => OK
coleman_liau_index: 12.31 12.2367328918 101% => OK
dale_chall_readability_score: 9.19 8.42419426049 109% => OK
difficult_words: 89.0 63.6247240618 140% => OK
linsear_write_formula: 13.0 10.7273730684 121% => OK
gunning_fog: 10.8 10.498013245 103% => OK
text_standard: 11.0 11.2008830022 98% => OK
What are above readability scores?
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Rates: 80.0 out of 100
Scores by essay e-grader: 24.0 Out of 30
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Note: the e-grader does NOT examine the meaning of words and ideas. VIP users will receive further evaluations by advanced module of e-grader and human graders.