Scent is tightly interwoven with our daily lives, often evoking significant memories and important social events. This connection is of...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Scent is tightly interwoven with our daily lives, often evoking significant memories and important social events. This connection is of growing interest to archaeologists who hope to use it to better understand ancient rituals, trade, social hierarchies, and medicine. Although the speed at which odor molecules dissipate makes identifying ancient scents challenging, advancements in biomolecular technologies show promise in unlocking ancient aromas from preserved artifacts. Archaeological studies making use of these advancements may provide new insights into past societies.
According to the text, what is one reason some archaeologists are interested in recovering scents from ancient artifacts?
They are investigating whether people's sense of smell has declined in recent centuries.
They believe the scents could illuminate important aspects of ancient life.
They think that ancient scents would be enjoyable to people today.
They hope to develop new medicines using ancient scent molecules.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Scent is tightly interwoven with our daily lives, often evoking significant memories and important social events." |
|
| "This connection is of growing interest to archaeologists who hope to use it to better understand ancient rituals, trade, social hierarchies, and medicine." |
|
| "Although the speed at which odor molecules dissipate makes identifying ancient scents challenging, advancements in biomolecular technologies show promise in unlocking ancient aromas from preserved artifacts." |
|
| "Archaeological studies making use of these advancements may provide new insights into past societies." |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Archaeologists are increasingly interested in recovering ancient scents because they could reveal important information about past societies' rituals, trade, social structures, and medicine.
Argument Flow: The passage starts by establishing scent's importance in modern life, then explains how this has sparked archaeological interest in using ancient scents to understand past societies. It acknowledges the challenge of scent preservation but notes that new technology offers hope for success.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? One reason why archaeologists are interested in recovering scents from ancient artifacts
What type of answer do we need? A specific motivation or purpose that drives archaeological interest in ancient scents
Any limiting keywords? "According to the text" means we need textual evidence, and "one reason" means we just need to identify a single valid motivation
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at our analysis, the passage directly states that archaeologists hope to use scent connections "to better understand ancient rituals, trade, social hierarchies, and medicine." This gives us clear insight into their motivation.
- The correct answer should:
- Reflect archaeologists' goal of understanding aspects of ancient life
- Connect to the specific areas mentioned: rituals, trade, social structures, medicine
- Match the idea that scents can reveal information about past societies
They are investigating whether people's sense of smell has declined in recent centuries.
- Claims archaeologists are investigating decline in people's sense of smell over time.
- The passage doesn't mention anything about changes in human smell capabilities.
They believe the scents could illuminate important aspects of ancient life.
- States that archaeologists believe scents could "illuminate important aspects of ancient life".
- Perfectly matches the passage's explanation that they want to "better understand ancient rituals, trade, social hierarchies, and medicine".
They think that ancient scents would be enjoyable to people today.
- Suggests archaeologists think ancient scents would be enjoyable today.
- The passage focuses on research and understanding, not enjoyment.
They hope to develop new medicines using ancient scent molecules.
- Claims archaeologists hope to develop new medicines from ancient scent molecules.
- While the passage mentions medicine as something they want to understand about ancient societies, it doesn't suggest creating new medicines.