Dr. Elena Rodriguez and her research team have discovered comprehensive ceramic shards, culinary tools, and dwelling structures dating to the...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Dr. Elena Rodriguez and her research team have discovered comprehensive ceramic shards, culinary tools, and dwelling structures dating to the 12th century at an excavation site in Scotland's northern regions. The investigators have concluded that this location formerly supported a flourishing Norse community. This discovery holds exceptional importance because earlier archaeological findings indicated that Norse populations were primarily established in Scotland's southern areas, causing numerous scholars to conclude that Norse colonists deliberately avoided establishing permanent communities in the unforgiving northern landscapes.
What does the passage most clearly indicate regarding the community uncovered by Rodriguez and her research team?
It is situated further north than any previously recorded Norse communities in Scotland.
It necessitated sophisticated building methods because of severe weather conditions.
It potentially accommodated additional Scandinavian populations beyond Norse colonists.
It constitutes the best-preserved Norse community discovered in Scotland.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Dr. Elena Rodriguez and her research team have discovered comprehensive ceramic shards, culinary tools, and dwelling structures dating to the 12th century at an excavation site in Scotland's northern regions." |
|
| "The investigators have concluded that this location formerly supported a flourishing Norse community." |
|
| "This discovery holds exceptional importance because earlier archaeological findings indicated that Norse populations were primarily established in Scotland's southern areas, causing numerous scholars to conclude that Norse colonists deliberately avoided establishing permanent communities in the unforgiving northern landscapes." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Rodriguez's team discovered a Norse community in northern Scotland, which is significant because previous evidence suggested Norse populations avoided northern regions.
Argument Flow: The passage first announces Rodriguez's discovery of 12th-century Norse artifacts in northern Scotland, then states the team's conclusion that this was a flourishing community, and finally explains why this matters by contrasting it with previous archaeological evidence that suggested Norse populations stayed in southern Scotland.
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 key insight from our passage analysis is the contrast between this discovery and previous knowledge
- We learned that this community was found in Scotland's northern regions while previous archaeological findings showed Norse populations were "primarily established in Scotland's southern areas" and scholars concluded Norse colonists "deliberately avoided" northern landscapes
- So the right answer should capture what makes this community noteworthy - that it's located further north than what previous evidence had shown for Norse communities in Scotland
It is situated further north than any previously recorded Norse communities in Scotland.
- This directly matches our passage analysis - the community is in "northern regions" while previous findings showed Norse were "primarily established in Scotland's southern areas"
- The passage explicitly states scholars thought Norse "avoided establishing permanent communities in the unforgiving northern landscapes"
- This community's northern location is what makes the discovery "exceptionally important"
It necessitated sophisticated building methods because of severe weather conditions.
- The passage mentions "unforgiving northern landscapes" but says nothing about the building methods used by this specific community
- While harsh conditions are implied, there's no discussion of sophisticated building techniques
It potentially accommodated additional Scandinavian populations beyond Norse colonists.
- The passage only discusses Norse colonists and makes no mention of other Scandinavian populations
- The focus is specifically on Norse communities, not broader Scandinavian settlement
It constitutes the best-preserved Norse community discovered in Scotland.
- The passage describes the artifacts as "comprehensive" but makes no comparison to other Norse communities in terms of preservation quality
- There's no ranking of this site against others in terms of how well-preserved it is