Question

Origami

Origami is more than paper flowers. The ancient Japanese art of paper folding, developed thousands of years ago, has a contemporary twist which its originators could not have imagined.
Origami is the combination of two words: oru, which means “to fold,” and kami, which means “paper.” Back in ancient Japan, however, most people never had the opportunity to put these two words together. Paper was a luxury, so origami was reserved for ceremonial purposes, most of which were religious. During Japan’s Edo period (1603 - 1868), mass production made paper more affordable, and origami became a pastime enjoyed by many Japanese. Although it still retained its ceremonial use, it was now considered an art form as well.

Modern Origami
The “modernization” of origami began well before modern times. In the late 1700s, origami instructions, once passed down orally to succeeding generations, were first written down. In 1845, the first “instruction manual” was published. In some ways, origami had already changed forever.
In the strictest sense, the term “traditional origami” refers to instructions passed down in the oral tradition. “Modern origami,” on the other hand, is often created through predesigned patterns—essentially, instructions that can be followed by anyone with the patience to read them.
In fact, what we think of as modern origami was created in the 1930s. A man named Akira Yoshizawa designed a system that incorporated diagrams, symbols, and arrows, all meant to guide the reader through the intricate folding patterns. Yoshizawa’s patterns were in publication by the 1950s. As a result, origami became more standardized in its patterns and methods; it also became more popular worldwide.
Twenty-first century origami takes the art one step further to include mathematical theories. Origami artists—or anyone who can follow the complex patterns—can take their talent well beyond swans, frogs, and other animals. They can create masks, complicated shapes, and just about anything someone can create a pattern for.
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Which best summarizes the section titled "Modern Origami"?

W. The true modernization of origami began in the 1700s when people began publishing written instructions. However, "modern origami" refers to the practice of using predesigned patterns. This practice came about in the 1930s when Akira Yoshizawa designed symbols to guide people through the folding patterns. Today, mathematical theories have become part of origami, allowing people to make any number of complex creations.

X. In the 1930s, a man named Akira Yoshizawa took origami to the next level. By developing a series of diagrams, symbols, and arrows, Yoshizawa made origami accessible to everyone. His patterns, published in the 1950s, standardized origami's methods and patterns. His designs helped the Japanese art form to take on increased popularity all over the world. As a result, "modern origami" was born.

Y. Although origami originated in ancient Japan, few people were able to take part in it. Paper, not yet mass produced, was quite expensive. Therefore, origami was primarily reserved for religious ceremonies. Once paper was able to be produced quickly and inexpensively, many people decided to take part in what was, at the time, a new art form. Today, "modern origami" is accessible to practically anyone.

Z. "Modern origami" entails mathematical theories and is nothing like the origami of ancient Japan. It is mostly done by origami artists, the only people able to follow the series of instructions and mathematic principles. These people, however, go well beyond the animal shapes of the original origami methods. They can create all manner of complicated shapes, but require a pattern in order to make them.
A.
W
B.
X
C.
Y
D.
Z

Answers

GPT-4o mini
The best summary of the section titled "Modern Origami" is:

**A. W**

Explanation: Option W accurately captures the key points of the section about the evolution of origami from written instructions in the 1700s, the distinction between traditional and modern origami, the role of Akira Yoshizawa in standardizing patterns in the 1930s, and the incorporation of mathematical theories in contemporary origami practices. Option X, while also a good summary, misses mentioning the earlier origins of written instructions. Options Y and Z do not effectively convey the full scope of the content in the section.