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Commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development. For example, though most people today associate nutmeg with simple baked goods, this common spice once altered the course of political history.
For centuries, the nutmeg tree grew only in the Banda Islands, a small chain in the southwest Pacific. Locals harvested the aromatic nuts of the tree and sold them to traders. Eventually these nuts, from which the spice is made, ended up as a luxury item in the European market, via Venetian spice merchants. Eager to establish a monopoly over this valuable spice, the Dutch attacked the Bandas, subjugating the native people in a mostly successful attempt to control the nutmeg trade.
However, one island in the Banda chain remained in the hands of the British and was the object of much conflict between the Netherlands and England. After many battles, the British offered to cede control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost on the east coast of North America. At the time, the Dutch, inveterate traders, were more interested in the spice trade than in the mercantile value of New Amsterdam and so accepted the offer. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch complete control of the Banda Islands, and thus of the nutmeg trade, and gave the British New Amsterdam, which they promptly renamed New York.
Q.
The second paragraph perfo rms which of the following functions in the passage?
 
  • a)
    It offers specific information to complete the logic of the author’s claims.
  • b)
    It summarizes and evaluates the evidence given thus far.
  • c)
    It presents the author’s main point to explain a unique situation.
  • d)
    It cites a particular case to demonstrate the importance of historical change
  • e)
    It discusses the necessary outcome of the author’s assertions.
Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
Commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development...
We are asked to determine the role that the second paragraph plays in the passage as a whole. In the first paragraph, the author introduces his main point -- that commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development -- and begins a discussion about nutmeg. However, this discussion is incomplete at the end of the first paragraph. It is not until the second paragraph that we learn how nutmeg affected world development.
(A) CORRECT. The second paragraph offers specific information -- namely, the role that nutmeg played in the history of New York -- to support the claim that commonplace items play surprising roles in world history.
(B) The second paragraph does not summarize the evidence.
(C) The second paragraph does not present the author's main point - that commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development. Also, the author's main point does not explain the importance of nutmeg as discussed in the second paragraph; rather, the importance of nutmeg is used as an example to illustrate the author's main point.
(D) The second paragraph demonstrates the relative importance of nutmeg in an event of historical significance, but it does not demonstrate the importance of historical change itself.
(E) The second paragraph does not discuss the outcomes, necessary or otherwise, of the author's claims. Instead, it offers evidence to support those claims. 
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Most Upvoted Answer
Commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development...
Explanation:

Function of the Second Paragraph:
- The second paragraph serves the function of providing specific information to complete the logic of the author's claims.
- It elaborates on the historical events that led to the British ceding control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam.
- The paragraph highlights the negotiations and outcomes of the conflicts between the Dutch and the British over the control of the Banda Islands.
Therefore, the correct answer is option 'A' as the paragraph offers detailed information to support and further explain the author's argument regarding the significance of nutmeg in world development.
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Question Description
Commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development. For example, though most people today associate nutmeg with simple baked goods, this common spice once altered the course of political history.For centuries, the nutmeg tree grew only in the Banda Islands, a small chain in the southwest Pacific. Locals harvested the aromatic nuts of the tree and sold them to traders. Eventually these nuts, from which the spice is made, ended up as a luxury item in the European market, via Venetian spice merchants. Eager to establish a monopoly over this valuable spice, the Dutch attacked the Bandas, subjugating the native people in a mostly successful attempt to control the nutmeg trade.However, one island in the Banda chain remained in the hands of the British and was the object of much conflict between the Netherlands and England. After many battles, the British offered to cede control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost on the east coast of North America. At the time, the Dutch, inveterate traders, were more interested in the spice trade than in the mercantile value of New Amsterdam and so accepted the offer. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch complete control of the Banda Islands, and thus of the nutmeg trade, and gave the British New Amsterdam, which they promptly renamed New York.Q.The second paragraph perfo rms which of the following functions in the passage?a)It offers specific information to complete the logic of the author’s claims.b)It summarizes and evaluates the evidence given thus far.c)It presents the author’s main point to explain a unique situation.d)It cites a particular case to demonstrate the importance of historical changee)It discusses the necessary outcome of the author’s assertions.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? for GMAT 2025 is part of GMAT preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the GMAT exam syllabus. Information about Commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development. For example, though most people today associate nutmeg with simple baked goods, this common spice once altered the course of political history.For centuries, the nutmeg tree grew only in the Banda Islands, a small chain in the southwest Pacific. Locals harvested the aromatic nuts of the tree and sold them to traders. Eventually these nuts, from which the spice is made, ended up as a luxury item in the European market, via Venetian spice merchants. Eager to establish a monopoly over this valuable spice, the Dutch attacked the Bandas, subjugating the native people in a mostly successful attempt to control the nutmeg trade.However, one island in the Banda chain remained in the hands of the British and was the object of much conflict between the Netherlands and England. After many battles, the British offered to cede control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost on the east coast of North America. At the time, the Dutch, inveterate traders, were more interested in the spice trade than in the mercantile value of New Amsterdam and so accepted the offer. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch complete control of the Banda Islands, and thus of the nutmeg trade, and gave the British New Amsterdam, which they promptly renamed New York.Q.The second paragraph perfo rms which of the following functions in the passage?a)It offers specific information to complete the logic of the author’s claims.b)It summarizes and evaluates the evidence given thus far.c)It presents the author’s main point to explain a unique situation.d)It cites a particular case to demonstrate the importance of historical changee)It discusses the necessary outcome of the author’s assertions.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for GMAT 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development. For example, though most people today associate nutmeg with simple baked goods, this common spice once altered the course of political history.For centuries, the nutmeg tree grew only in the Banda Islands, a small chain in the southwest Pacific. Locals harvested the aromatic nuts of the tree and sold them to traders. Eventually these nuts, from which the spice is made, ended up as a luxury item in the European market, via Venetian spice merchants. Eager to establish a monopoly over this valuable spice, the Dutch attacked the Bandas, subjugating the native people in a mostly successful attempt to control the nutmeg trade.However, one island in the Banda chain remained in the hands of the British and was the object of much conflict between the Netherlands and England. After many battles, the British offered to cede control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost on the east coast of North America. At the time, the Dutch, inveterate traders, were more interested in the spice trade than in the mercantile value of New Amsterdam and so accepted the offer. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch complete control of the Banda Islands, and thus of the nutmeg trade, and gave the British New Amsterdam, which they promptly renamed New York.Q.The second paragraph perfo rms which of the following functions in the passage?a)It offers specific information to complete the logic of the author’s claims.b)It summarizes and evaluates the evidence given thus far.c)It presents the author’s main point to explain a unique situation.d)It cites a particular case to demonstrate the importance of historical changee)It discusses the necessary outcome of the author’s assertions.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for Commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development. For example, though most people today associate nutmeg with simple baked goods, this common spice once altered the course of political history.For centuries, the nutmeg tree grew only in the Banda Islands, a small chain in the southwest Pacific. Locals harvested the aromatic nuts of the tree and sold them to traders. Eventually these nuts, from which the spice is made, ended up as a luxury item in the European market, via Venetian spice merchants. Eager to establish a monopoly over this valuable spice, the Dutch attacked the Bandas, subjugating the native people in a mostly successful attempt to control the nutmeg trade.However, one island in the Banda chain remained in the hands of the British and was the object of much conflict between the Netherlands and England. After many battles, the British offered to cede control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost on the east coast of North America. At the time, the Dutch, inveterate traders, were more interested in the spice trade than in the mercantile value of New Amsterdam and so accepted the offer. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch complete control of the Banda Islands, and thus of the nutmeg trade, and gave the British New Amsterdam, which they promptly renamed New York.Q.The second paragraph perfo rms which of the following functions in the passage?a)It offers specific information to complete the logic of the author’s claims.b)It summarizes and evaluates the evidence given thus far.c)It presents the author’s main point to explain a unique situation.d)It cites a particular case to demonstrate the importance of historical changee)It discusses the necessary outcome of the author’s assertions.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for GMAT. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for GMAT Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of Commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development. For example, though most people today associate nutmeg with simple baked goods, this common spice once altered the course of political history.For centuries, the nutmeg tree grew only in the Banda Islands, a small chain in the southwest Pacific. Locals harvested the aromatic nuts of the tree and sold them to traders. Eventually these nuts, from which the spice is made, ended up as a luxury item in the European market, via Venetian spice merchants. Eager to establish a monopoly over this valuable spice, the Dutch attacked the Bandas, subjugating the native people in a mostly successful attempt to control the nutmeg trade.However, one island in the Banda chain remained in the hands of the British and was the object of much conflict between the Netherlands and England. After many battles, the British offered to cede control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost on the east coast of North America. At the time, the Dutch, inveterate traders, were more interested in the spice trade than in the mercantile value of New Amsterdam and so accepted the offer. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch complete control of the Banda Islands, and thus of the nutmeg trade, and gave the British New Amsterdam, which they promptly renamed New York.Q.The second paragraph perfo rms which of the following functions in the passage?a)It offers specific information to complete the logic of the author’s claims.b)It summarizes and evaluates the evidence given thus far.c)It presents the author’s main point to explain a unique situation.d)It cites a particular case to demonstrate the importance of historical changee)It discusses the necessary outcome of the author’s assertions.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of Commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development. For example, though most people today associate nutmeg with simple baked goods, this common spice once altered the course of political history.For centuries, the nutmeg tree grew only in the Banda Islands, a small chain in the southwest Pacific. Locals harvested the aromatic nuts of the tree and sold them to traders. Eventually these nuts, from which the spice is made, ended up as a luxury item in the European market, via Venetian spice merchants. Eager to establish a monopoly over this valuable spice, the Dutch attacked the Bandas, subjugating the native people in a mostly successful attempt to control the nutmeg trade.However, one island in the Banda chain remained in the hands of the British and was the object of much conflict between the Netherlands and England. After many battles, the British offered to cede control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost on the east coast of North America. At the time, the Dutch, inveterate traders, were more interested in the spice trade than in the mercantile value of New Amsterdam and so accepted the offer. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch complete control of the Banda Islands, and thus of the nutmeg trade, and gave the British New Amsterdam, which they promptly renamed New York.Q.The second paragraph perfo rms which of the following functions in the passage?a)It offers specific information to complete the logic of the author’s claims.b)It summarizes and evaluates the evidence given thus far.c)It presents the author’s main point to explain a unique situation.d)It cites a particular case to demonstrate the importance of historical changee)It discusses the necessary outcome of the author’s assertions.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for Commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development. For example, though most people today associate nutmeg with simple baked goods, this common spice once altered the course of political history.For centuries, the nutmeg tree grew only in the Banda Islands, a small chain in the southwest Pacific. Locals harvested the aromatic nuts of the tree and sold them to traders. Eventually these nuts, from which the spice is made, ended up as a luxury item in the European market, via Venetian spice merchants. Eager to establish a monopoly over this valuable spice, the Dutch attacked the Bandas, subjugating the native people in a mostly successful attempt to control the nutmeg trade.However, one island in the Banda chain remained in the hands of the British and was the object of much conflict between the Netherlands and England. After many battles, the British offered to cede control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost on the east coast of North America. At the time, the Dutch, inveterate traders, were more interested in the spice trade than in the mercantile value of New Amsterdam and so accepted the offer. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch complete control of the Banda Islands, and thus of the nutmeg trade, and gave the British New Amsterdam, which they promptly renamed New York.Q.The second paragraph perfo rms which of the following functions in the passage?a)It offers specific information to complete the logic of the author’s claims.b)It summarizes and evaluates the evidence given thus far.c)It presents the author’s main point to explain a unique situation.d)It cites a particular case to demonstrate the importance of historical changee)It discusses the necessary outcome of the author’s assertions.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of Commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development. For example, though most people today associate nutmeg with simple baked goods, this common spice once altered the course of political history.For centuries, the nutmeg tree grew only in the Banda Islands, a small chain in the southwest Pacific. Locals harvested the aromatic nuts of the tree and sold them to traders. Eventually these nuts, from which the spice is made, ended up as a luxury item in the European market, via Venetian spice merchants. Eager to establish a monopoly over this valuable spice, the Dutch attacked the Bandas, subjugating the native people in a mostly successful attempt to control the nutmeg trade.However, one island in the Banda chain remained in the hands of the British and was the object of much conflict between the Netherlands and England. After many battles, the British offered to cede control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost on the east coast of North America. At the time, the Dutch, inveterate traders, were more interested in the spice trade than in the mercantile value of New Amsterdam and so accepted the offer. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch complete control of the Banda Islands, and thus of the nutmeg trade, and gave the British New Amsterdam, which they promptly renamed New York.Q.The second paragraph perfo rms which of the following functions in the passage?a)It offers specific information to complete the logic of the author’s claims.b)It summarizes and evaluates the evidence given thus far.c)It presents the author’s main point to explain a unique situation.d)It cites a particular case to demonstrate the importance of historical changee)It discusses the necessary outcome of the author’s assertions.Correct answer is option 'A'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice Commonplace items sometimes play surprising roles in world development. For example, though most people today associate nutmeg with simple baked goods, this common spice once altered the course of political history.For centuries, the nutmeg tree grew only in the Banda Islands, a small chain in the southwest Pacific. Locals harvested the aromatic nuts of the tree and sold them to traders. Eventually these nuts, from which the spice is made, ended up as a luxury item in the European market, via Venetian spice merchants. Eager to establish a monopoly over this valuable spice, the Dutch attacked the Bandas, subjugating the native people in a mostly successful attempt to control the nutmeg trade.However, one island in the Banda chain remained in the hands of the British and was the object of much conflict between the Netherlands and England. After many battles, the British offered to cede control of the island in exchange for New Amsterdam, a Dutch outpost on the east coast of North America. At the time, the Dutch, inveterate traders, were more interested in the spice trade than in the mercantile value of New Amsterdam and so accepted the offer. In 1667, the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch complete control of the Banda Islands, and thus of the nutmeg trade, and gave the British New Amsterdam, which they promptly renamed New York.Q.The second paragraph perfo rms which of the following functions in the passage?a)It offers specific information to complete the logic of the author’s claims.b)It summarizes and evaluates the evidence given thus far.c)It presents the author’s main point to explain a unique situation.d)It cites a particular case to demonstrate the importance of historical changee)It discusses the necessary outcome of the author’s assertions.Correct answer is option 'A'. 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