Ancient Mesopotamian settlements provide crucial evidence about early urban planning. Archaeological teams have worked to excavate these sites, which ...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Ancient Mesopotamian settlements provide crucial evidence about early urban planning. Archaeological teams have worked to excavate these sites, which are typically located in rural areas far from modern cities. These excavations have proven particularly challenging to conduct because the sites are so ______ contemporary research facilities and universities.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Ancient Mesopotamian settlements provide crucial evidence about early urban planning." |
|
| "Archaeological teams have worked to excavate these sites, which are typically located in rural areas far from modern cities." |
|
| "These excavations have proven particularly challenging to conduct because the sites are so" |
|
| "contemporary research facilities and universities." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Archaeological excavations of important ancient Mesopotamian sites face significant challenges due to their location relative to modern research infrastructure.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at our analysis, we need a word that explains why being in a certain relationship with research facilities and universities would make archaeological work challenging
- The passage has already told us these sites are in rural areas far from modern cities, so the logical connection is about distance or separation
- The right answer should describe a relationship where the sites are separated from or distant from research facilities, which would logically make the excavation work more difficult
- This perfectly captures the distance/separation relationship we identified. If sites are removed from research facilities, that would definitely make excavations challenging.
- This suggests the sites rely on research facilities. If sites were dependent on facilities, that wouldn't make excavations challenging.
- This implies research facilities pose danger to the sites. Nothing in the passage suggests any threat relationship.
- This means connected with research facilities. If sites were integrated with facilities, excavations would be easier, not more challenging.