Historians have long recognized the traditional Japanese sword, or nihonto, as one of the finest cutting weapons everproduced, but it has even been considered a spiritual entity. The adage “the sword is the soul of the samurai” reflects the sword'spsychic importance, not only to its wielder, but also to its creator, the master smith. Not classically regarded as artists, mastersmiths nevertheless exerted great care in the process of creating swords, no two of which were ever forged exactly the sameway. Over hundreds of hours, two types of steel were repeatedly heated, hammered, and folded together into thousands ofimperceptible layers, yielding both a razor-sharp, durable edge and a flexible, shock-absorbing blade. Commonly, though optionally,the smith physically signed the blade; moreover, each smith's secret forging techniques left an idiosyncratic structural signature.Each unique finished product reflected the smith's personal honor and devotion to craft, and today, the Japanese sword is valuedas much for its artistic merit as for its historical significance.

The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) challenge the observation that the Japanese sword is highly admired by historians
(B) introduce new information about the forging of Japanese swords
(C) identify the Japanese sword as an ephemeral work of art
(D) argue that Japanese sword makers were motivated by honor
(E) explain the value attributed to the Japanese sword

This whole passage is about swords significance and its forging process. So, answer E is correct. B would almost be correct, but it has the word "new". We don't know if the new forging process is being discussed.

Each of the following is mentioned in the passage EXCEPT

(A) every Japanese sword has a unique structure that can be traced back to a special forging process
(B) master smiths kept their forging methodologies secret
(C) the Japanese sword was considered by some to have a spiritual quality
(D) master smiths are now considered artists by major historians
(E) the Japanese sword is considered both a work of art and a historical artifact

Forging technique is unique to each master smith, so A is mentioned. B is also mentioned in the passage. Swords has some spiritual significance. They have also been recognized for their artistic and historical significance.

The author is most likely to agree with which of the following observations?

(A) The Japanese sword is the most important handheld weapon in history.
(B) The skill of the samurai is what made the Japanese sword so special.
(C) If a sword had a physical signature, other swords could be attributed to that sword's creator.
(D) Master smiths were more concerned about the artistic merit of their blades than about theblades’ practical qualities.
(E) The Japanese sword has more historical importance than artistic importance.

If a smith put their signature on the sword, then the signature can be used to trace back to the sword's creator. Hence, C is the answer.

Which of the following can be inferred about the term “structural signature” in this passage?

(A) It indicates the inscription that the smith places on the blade during the forging process.
(B) It implies the particular characteristics of a blade created by a smith's unique forging process.
(C) It suggests that each blade can be traced back to a known master smith.
(D) It reflects the soul of the samurai who wielded the sword.
(E) It refers to the unique curved shape of the blade.

Structural means the physical characteristics of the sword. Since, smiths are the ones who create these swords using forging, then B can be inferred from this.

The author most likely describes the forging process in order to

(A) present an explanation for a change in perception
(B) determine the historical significance of Japanese swords
(C) explain why each Japanese sword is unique
(D) compare Japanese master smiths to classical artists
(E) review the complete process of making a Japanese sword

The author describes the forging process. At the end of the description, the author goes on to say that each forging process is unique to a smith,. Also, the author discuss that swords are signed by smiths commonly. We can infer option C.


Select the sentence in the passage that best indicates that the author believes traditional Japanese swords are works of art.

The author has mentioned art or artistic twice in the passage: Line 5 and last line. The first occurrence was only to signify that traditionally smiths are not considered artists. But, in the last line, it has been clear that the swords are known for their artistic work. "Each unique finished product reflected the smith's personal honor and devotion to craft".

Which of the following statements about Japanese swords is supported by the passage?

Indicate \(all\) that apply.

A. There is a way to determine the creator of a given sword other than his signature on the blade.
B. They have been viewed in terms other than the purely material.
C. They have not always received the artistic recognition that they deserve.

A is correct, because swords can be identified by their physical characteristics.

B is correct, because they carry spiritual significance.

C is correct, because smiths were never considered as artists, so, historically, swords were never recognized for their artistic beauty.