Text 1Archaeological evidence from Maya sites shows extensive urban development, sophisticated agricultural systems, and complex trade networks that f...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Archaeological evidence from Maya sites shows extensive urban development, sophisticated agricultural systems, and complex trade networks that flourished for centuries. However, researchers have struggled to understand how Maya societies maintained such organizational complexity across diverse geographic regions without centralized political control. The mechanisms that enabled this coordination remain largely mysterious.
Text 2
Dr. James Richardson and colleagues have identified a key factor that may explain Maya organizational success: the role of shared astronomical knowledge. Their research reveals that Maya communities across different regions used identical calendar systems and celestial observations to coordinate agricultural activities, religious ceremonies, and trade relationships. This astronomical framework, Richardson argues, provided the standardization necessary for complex inter-regional cooperation.
Based on the texts, how would Richardson and colleagues (Text 2) most likely respond to the research puzzle described in Text 1?
By arguing that astronomical knowledge was less important than previously thought in Maya civilization
By suggesting that Maya trade networks were more limited than current archaeological evidence indicates
By providing a potential explanation for how Maya societies achieved coordination across diverse regions
By recommending that archaeologists focus more research on Maya agricultural techniques and urban planning
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Archaeological evidence from Maya sites shows extensive urban development, sophisticated agricultural systems, and complex trade networks that flourished for centuries.' |
|
| 'However, researchers have struggled to understand how Maya societies maintained such organizational complexity across diverse geographic regions without centralized political control.' |
|
| 'The mechanisms that enabled this coordination remain largely mysterious.' |
|
| 'Dr. James Richardson and colleagues have identified a key factor that may explain Maya organizational success: the role of shared astronomical knowledge.' |
|
| 'Their research reveals that Maya communities across different regions used identical calendar systems and celestial observations to coordinate agricultural activities, religious ceremonies, and trade relationships.' |
|
| 'This astronomical framework, Richardson argues, provided the standardization necessary for complex inter-regional cooperation.' |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Richardson's research offers a potential solution to the puzzle of Maya coordination by identifying shared astronomical knowledge as the standardizing mechanism that enabled complex inter-regional cooperation without centralized political control.
Argument Flow: Text 1 establishes a research puzzle about how Maya societies achieved organizational complexity across diverse regions without centralized control. Text 2 then presents Richardson's research as a direct response, proposing that shared astronomical knowledge provided the standardization framework necessary for this coordination.
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
- Richardson's research directly addresses the mystery presented in Text 1
- Text 1 says researchers don't understand how Maya societies coordinated across regions without central control - the mechanisms remain mysterious
- Richardson's work identifies shared astronomical knowledge as the potential mechanism that provided standardization for this coordination
- Richardson would most likely respond by offering an explanation for the puzzle
- His research doesn't dismiss the complexity or argue against the evidence, but rather provides a potential answer to the 'how' question that Text 1 says remains mysterious
By arguing that astronomical knowledge was less important than previously thought in Maya civilization
- This suggests Richardson downplays astronomical knowledge's importance, which contradicts his actual position that astronomical knowledge was crucial for coordination
By suggesting that Maya trade networks were more limited than current archaeological evidence indicates
- Richardson doesn't challenge the extent of Maya trade networks
- His research accepts the complexity described in Text 1 and explains how it was possible
By providing a potential explanation for how Maya societies achieved coordination across diverse regions
- Richardson's research directly addresses Text 1's central puzzle about coordination mechanisms
- He identifies shared astronomical knowledge as the potential explanation for inter-regional cooperation
By recommending that archaeologists focus more research on Maya agricultural techniques and urban planning
- Richardson doesn't recommend different research directions
- His work focuses on astronomical knowledge as the solution, not suggesting archaeologists change their focus