501 Critical Reading Questions

Critical Reading Questions
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2 5 7
The objects cannot be bought or sold. They have no value other
than their ceremonial importance, and the voyages that the traders
make to neighboring islands are hazardous, time-consuming, and
expensive. Yet, a man’s standing in the kula ring is his primary concern.
This ceremonial exchange has numerous tangible benefits. It estab-
lishes friendly relations through a far-flung chain of islands; it provides
a means for the utilitarian exchange of necessary goods; and it rein-
forces the power of those individuals who win and maintain the most
valuable kula items. Although the kula ring might mystify Western
traders, this system, which has been in operation for hundreds of
years, is a highly effective means of unifying these distant islanders and
creating a common bond among peoples who might otherwise view
one another as hostile outsiders.
484.
According to Passage 1, potlatch is best defined as a
a. ceremony with rigid protocol to which all Pacific Northwest
tribes adhere.
b. generic term for a gift-giving ceremony celebrated in the
Pacific Northwest.
c. socialist ritual of the Pacific Northwest.
d. lavish feast celebrated in the Pacific Northwest.
e. wasteful ritual that was banned in the 1880s.
485.
According to Passage 1, the gift-giving central to the potlatch can
best be characterized as
a. reciprocal.
b. wasteful.
c. selfless.
d. spendthrift.
e. commercialized.
486.
In Passage 1, the author’s attitude toward the potlatch can best be
described as