In 2008 a complete set of ancient pessoi (glass game pieces) was uncovered from beneath a paving stone in modern-day...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
In 2008 a complete set of ancient pessoi (glass game pieces) was uncovered from beneath a paving stone in modern-day Israel. Due to their small size, pessoi were easily misplaced, making a whole set a rare find. This has led some experts to suggest that the set may have been buried intentionally; however, without clear evidence, archaeologists are left to ______ what happened.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
speculate about
dismiss
expand on
catalog
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'In 2008 a complete set of ancient pessoi (glass game pieces) was uncovered from beneath a paving stone in modern-day Israel.' |
|
| 'Due to their small size, pessoi were easily misplaced, making a whole set a rare find.' |
|
| 'This has led some experts to suggest that the set may have been buried intentionally;' |
|
| 'however, without clear evidence, archaeologists are left to _______ what happened.' |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: A rare complete set of ancient game pieces was discovered, leading to theories about intentional burial, but without clear evidence, archaeologists can only make educated guesses about what actually happened.
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 sentence sets up a contrast with 'however' - experts have a theory, BUT there is no clear evidence
- So what do archaeologists do when they lack definitive proof but are trying to understand what happened?
- They make educated guesses based on available information
- The word we need should capture this process of forming theories without concrete evidence
speculate about
✓ Correct
- 'Speculate about' perfectly captures what archaeologists do when they lack clear evidence - they form theories and make educated guesses based on available information
- This matches our prethinking about needing a word that describes informed reasoning without definitive proof
dismiss
✗ Incorrect
- 'Dismiss' means to reject or disregard something
- This does not make logical sense - archaeologists would not dismiss what happened; they are trying to understand it
expand on
✗ Incorrect
- 'Expand on' means to provide more details about something already established
- You cannot expand on something when you do not have clear evidence to begin with
catalog
✗ Incorrect
- 'Catalog' means to systematically list or record items
- This does not fit the context of trying to understand what happened in the past