Archaeologists have long debated whether the monumental stone structures at Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, dating to approximately 9600 BCE, represent...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Archaeologists have long debated whether the monumental stone structures at Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, dating to approximately 9600 BCE, represent the world's first temple complex or served primarily as communal gathering spaces for early agricultural communities. Recent excavations have uncovered extensive evidence of ritualistic practices, including carved animal motifs with apparent symbolic significance and carefully arranged offering deposits. Because this ritual evidence substantially outweighs the limited domestic artifacts found at the site, the interpretation of Göbekli Tepe as a religious center has gained considerable scholarly support over alternative theories.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
Although Göbekli Tepe's exact function remains debated among archaeologists, recent discoveries have provided new insights into early agricultural communities.
Because recent excavations have revealed predominantly ritual rather than domestic evidence, the theory that Göbekli Tepe served as a religious center has become more widely accepted.
Although some archaeologists view Göbekli Tepe as a temple complex, others maintain that it functioned primarily as a communal gathering space for agricultural activities.
Because Göbekli Tepe contains both ritual and domestic artifacts, archaeologists have concluded that it served multiple functions for early communities.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Archaeologists have long debated whether the monumental stone structures at Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, dating to approximately 9600 BCE, represent the world's first temple complex or served primarily as communal gathering spaces for early agricultural communities. |
|
| Recent excavations have uncovered extensive evidence of ritualistic practices, including carved animal motifs with apparent symbolic significance and carefully arranged offering deposits. |
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| Because this ritual evidence substantially outweighs the limited domestic artifacts found at the site, the interpretation of Göbekli Tepe as a religious center has gained considerable scholarly support over alternative theories. |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Recent archaeological evidence showing predominantly ritual rather than domestic artifacts has led scholars to increasingly support the theory that Göbekli Tepe functioned as a religious center rather than just a communal gathering space.
Argument Flow: The passage moves from presenting a long-standing archaeological debate to introducing new evidence that tips the scales. The evidence (ritual artifacts vastly outnumbering domestic ones) has caused scholarly opinion to shift toward viewing the site as primarily religious in nature.
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
- The passage isn't just about an ongoing debate - it's specifically about how new evidence has influenced that debate
- The right answer should capture: That there was archaeological debate about Göbekli Tepe's function, that recent excavations provided new evidence (ritual vs domestic artifacts), and that this evidence has shifted scholarly opinion toward the religious center interpretation
Although Göbekli Tepe's exact function remains debated among archaeologists, recent discoveries have provided new insights into early agricultural communities.
- Incorrect - Focuses on the debate remaining ongoing and providing new insights but misses the key point that the evidence has actually shifted scholarly opinion toward one specific interpretation
Because recent excavations have revealed predominantly ritual rather than domestic evidence, the theory that Göbekli Tepe served as a religious center has become more widely accepted.
- Correct - Captures both the evidence (predominantly ritual rather than domestic) and the result (religious center theory became more widely accepted)
- Follows the passage's logical progression from evidence to scholarly impact
Although some archaeologists view Göbekli Tepe as a temple complex, others maintain that it functioned primarily as a communal gathering space for agricultural activities.
- Incorrect - Only describes the existence of different viewpoints without mentioning the recent evidence
- Misses the entire point about how new discoveries have shifted scholarly opinion
Because Göbekli Tepe contains both ritual and domestic artifacts, archaeologists have concluded that it served multiple functions for early communities.
- Incorrect - Claims the site contains both ritual and domestic artifacts equally when the passage clearly states ritual evidence substantially outweighs domestic artifacts
- Contradicts the passage's emphasis on the predominance of ritual evidence