Recent excavations at Pompeii have revealed advanced hydraulic engineering techniques used in Roman residential buildings. These systems included lead...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Recent excavations at Pompeii have revealed advanced hydraulic engineering techniques used in Roman residential buildings. These systems included lead pipes, bronze fittings, and pressurized water distribution networks that supplied multiple floors. Archaeologists had previously documented similar water management systems in wealthy Roman villas across the empire. However, Dr. Elena Marchetti's team has now discovered that these sophisticated techniques were also employed in modest middle-class homes in the buried city, suggesting that such engineering knowledge was more widespread than previously believed.
What choice best describes the main purpose of the text?
It reveals a finding indicating that certain engineering practices in ancient Roman middle-class homes resembled practices in wealthy Roman residences.
It demonstrates methods by which archaeologists can determine the social status of ancient building occupants.
It examines the techniques used by researchers to analyze water management systems in buried cities.
It presents evidence showing that ancient Roman middle-class and wealthy families had similar access to urban amenities.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Recent excavations at Pompeii have revealed advanced hydraulic engineering techniques used in Roman residential buildings." |
|
| "These systems included lead pipes, bronze fittings, and pressurized water distribution networks that supplied multiple floors." |
|
| "Archaeologists had previously documented similar water management systems in wealthy Roman villas across the empire." |
|
| "However, Dr. Elena Marchetti's team has now discovered that these sophisticated techniques were also employed in modest middle-class homes in the buried city," |
|
| "suggesting that such engineering knowledge was more widespread than previously believed." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Recent archaeological discoveries at Pompeii show that sophisticated hydraulic engineering techniques, previously known only in wealthy Roman villas, were also used in middle-class homes, indicating this knowledge was more widespread than previously believed.
Argument Flow: The passage opens with a new archaeological finding at Pompeii, provides technical details about the systems discovered, establishes what was previously known, then presents the key new discovery, and concludes with the significance of this finding.
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 is structured around presenting a new archaeological discovery
- The key elements the correct answer must have:
- It should focus on revealing or presenting a finding/discovery
- It should capture that this finding shows middle-class homes had similar engineering practices to wealthy homes
- It should indicate this changes our previous understanding
It reveals a finding indicating that certain engineering practices in ancient Roman middle-class homes resembled practices in wealthy Roman residences.
✓ Correct
- This perfectly captures the main purpose - revealing a finding about engineering practices in middle-class homes
- It correctly identifies that these practices "resembled" those in wealthy residences
- This matches our prethinking about presenting a discovery that changes previous understanding
It demonstrates methods by which archaeologists can determine the social status of ancient building occupants.
✗ Incorrect
- This focuses on archaeological methods for determining social status
- The passage isn't about research methodology - it's about what was discovered
It examines the techniques used by researchers to analyze water management systems in buried cities.
✗ Incorrect
- This claims the passage examines research techniques for analyzing water systems
- The passage doesn't discuss how researchers analyze these systems - it presents what they found
It presents evidence showing that ancient Roman middle-class and wealthy families had similar access to urban amenities.
✗ Incorrect
- This suggests the passage shows middle-class and wealthy families had similar "access" to amenities
- The passage is about similar engineering practices being used, not about equal access