High-Q | סימולציה 13

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סימולציה מס' 13

פרק ראשון

– אנגלית

Reading Comprehension This part consists of two passages, each followed by several related questions. For each question, choose the most appropriate answer based on the text .

Text I (Questions 13-17)

Greek mythology expresses neither unity nor consistency. The lack of coherence is due to the several factors that went into the formation of Greek myths and mythological personages. First, the existing fragments of Greek myths cover a period from the 2nd millennium BC to the beginnings of the Christian era. These myths and fragments of myths are in many cases parts of total mythological cycles in local communities, but in 5 many cases the entire cycle is not known today. Second, the corpus of Greek mythology contains mythological elements from different cultures and histories. For example, the Indo-European cultural element is represented in deities such as Zeus, whereas Mediterranean Minoan-Mycenaean structures are symbolized by figures such as Demeter, Aphrodite, Rhea, and others. 10 Complicating the problem even more is the fact that Greek poets, tragedians, and philosophers present their own literary and philosophical interpretations and dramas of the deities, making use of the many strands and varied traditions of the mythological cycles. The gods are portrayed in Homer's Odyssey and Iliad, then again in Hesiod's Theogony and Works and Days. Each of the great Greek tragedians, Sophocles, 15 Aeschylus, and Euripides, gives expression to the myths in his dramas. Philosophical interpretations in the pre-Socratics and in Plato and Aristotle continue this tradition of interpretation and reinterpretation. According to Herodotus, Homer and Hesiod defined the gods. They drew from a rich and complex historical and mythological past, indicating themes and trends that 20 have become decisive for the understanding of Greek mythology. Hesiod presupposes the reality of the gods, whereas Homer's characterization of them is symbolic. In neither case, however, do the gods possess a universal meaning; in making use of the mythological historical tradition both poets tend to constantly merge various traditions into the unity of their forms of narration. 25

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Questions

13. Which of the following is not mentioned as a possible reason for the inconsistency of Greek mythology?

(1) The eclectic nature of Greek mythology (2) The fact that several parts of the original myths were lost

(3) The deliberate decision of the authors to neglect time-line consistency (4) The variety of personal attitudes of Greek poets and philosophers towards the gods

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