Jennifer Walsh, Maria Santos, and David Kim studied bone tools and carved ornaments from early human settlements to determine whether...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Jennifer Walsh, Maria Santos, and David Kim studied bone tools and carved ornaments from early human settlements to determine whether these communities possessed advanced cognitive abilities for symbolic thinking. The researchers argue that symbolic thinking would have enabled these early humans to develop complex trade networks across vast geographic distances.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support Walsh, Santos, and Kim's argument?
Identical carved symbols and sophisticated bone tools have been discovered at settlement sites separated by thousands of kilometers, while simpler tool-making communities show no evidence of long-distance material exchange.
Advanced bone tools are more difficult to analyze for cognitive complexity than the simpler stone tools used by earlier human populations.
Artifacts from both symbolically advanced and simpler tool-making communities have been found in roughly similar quantities at sites known to be along ancient trade routes, though fewer artifacts appear at more remote locations.
During the period when these settlements existed, travel conditions were likely easier across the regions where symbolic artifacts were found than travel conditions in those same areas are today.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Jennifer Walsh, Maria Santos, and David Kim studied bone tools and carved ornaments from early human settlements" |
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| "to determine whether these communities possessed advanced cognitive abilities for symbolic thinking." |
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| "The researchers argue that symbolic thinking would have enabled these early humans to develop complex trade networks across vast geographic distances." |
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Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Walsh, Santos, and Kim argue that early human communities with symbolic thinking capabilities were able to develop complex trade networks spanning vast geographic distances.
Argument Flow: The researchers studied physical artifacts from early settlements to assess cognitive abilities, specifically symbolic thinking. Their central claim links this symbolic thinking capacity directly to the development of extensive trade networks across large geographical areas.
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 researchers claim that symbolic thinking enabled complex trade networks across vast distances
- The strongest evidence would show communities with symbolic thinking artifacts actually had long-distance trade connections
- Communities without symbolic thinking should lack such extensive trade networks
Identical carved symbols and sophisticated bone tools have been discovered at settlement sites separated by thousands of kilometers, while simpler tool-making communities show no evidence of long-distance material exchange.
✓ Correct
- Shows identical carved symbols and sophisticated bone tools found thousands of kilometers apart - direct evidence of long-distance connections among symbolic communities
- Also shows simpler tool-making communities had no long-distance material exchange - creates the crucial contrast
- This perfectly matches their argument
Advanced bone tools are more difficult to analyze for cognitive complexity than the simpler stone tools used by earlier human populations.
✗ Incorrect
- This is about research methodology and analysis difficulty
- Doesn't provide any evidence about trade networks or connections between communities
Artifacts from both symbolically advanced and simpler tool-making communities have been found in roughly similar quantities at sites known to be along ancient trade routes, though fewer artifacts appear at more remote locations.
✗ Incorrect
- Shows both symbolic and simpler communities used trade routes in roughly similar quantities
- This actually weakens their argument by suggesting symbolic thinking didn't give communities an advantage in developing trade networks
During the period when these settlements existed, travel conditions were likely easier across the regions where symbolic artifacts were found than travel conditions in those same areas are today.
✗ Incorrect
- Discusses travel conditions during that historical period
- Doesn't connect symbolic thinking to trade networks - just explains why travel might have been easier