While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:For decades, historians debated whether the ancient city of Akkad...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- For decades, historians debated whether the ancient city of Akkad was real or purely mythological
- Dr. Sarah Chen, an archaeologist, believed physical evidence could resolve this scholarly dispute
- Ancient Mesopotamian tablets contained frequent references to this 'lost city,' but no artifacts had been found
- Chen's 2019 excavations in northern Iraq targeted a site that showed promising geological markers
- The dig yielded cuneiform tablets and architectural fragments matching Akkadian period descriptions
- These discoveries marked the first tangible proof that Akkad existed as a historical settlement
The student wants to emphasize the purpose of the archaeological investigation. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
Archaeologist Dr. Sarah Chen aimed to discover whether the legendary city of Akkad had any basis in historical reality.
In 2019, Dr. Sarah Chen's excavations in northern Iraq uncovered cuneiform tablets and architectural remains from the Akkadian period.
Before conducting her 2019 excavations, Dr. Sarah Chen hypothesized that the mythological city of Akkad might have been real.
Dr. Sarah Chen's archaeological investigation confirmed that Akkad was a genuine historical settlement, not merely a myth.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'For decades, historians debated whether the ancient city of Akkad was real or purely mythological' |
|
| 'Dr. Sarah Chen, an archaeologist, believed physical evidence could resolve this scholarly dispute' |
|
| 'Ancient Mesopotamian tablets contained frequent references to this 'lost city,' but no artifacts had been found' |
|
| 'Chen's 2019 excavations in northern Iraq targeted a site that showed promising geological markers' |
|
| 'The dig yielded cuneiform tablets and architectural fragments matching Akkadian period descriptions' |
|
| 'These discoveries marked the first tangible proof that Akkad existed as a historical settlement' |
|
Main Point: Dr. Chen's archaeological investigation successfully resolved a decades-long scholarly debate by providing the first physical evidence that the ancient city of Akkad actually existed.
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
- Chen's purpose was to resolve the scholarly debate about whether Akkad was real or mythological by finding physical evidence
- The right answer should focus on Chen's investigative goal - to determine whether Akkad had any basis in historical reality
Archaeologist Dr. Sarah Chen aimed to discover whether the legendary city of Akkad had any basis in historical reality.
- Directly states Chen's aim: 'to discover whether the legendary city of Akkad had any basis in historical reality'
- Perfectly matches the investigation's purpose
In 2019, Dr. Sarah Chen's excavations in northern Iraq uncovered cuneiform tablets and architectural remains from the Akkadian period.
- Focuses on the RESULTS of the excavation rather than the PURPOSE
Before conducting her 2019 excavations, Dr. Sarah Chen hypothesized that the mythological city of Akkad might have been real.
- Focuses on Chen's hypothesis before the excavation rather than the investigation's purpose
Dr. Sarah Chen's archaeological investigation confirmed that Akkad was a genuine historical settlement, not merely a myth.
- Focuses on what the investigation CONFIRMED rather than what it was meant to accomplish