The decline of Crete's ancient Minoan civilization around 1450 BCE presents archaeologists with a complex interpretive challenge. Two primary explanat...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
The decline of Crete's ancient Minoan civilization around 1450 BCE presents archaeologists with a complex interpretive challenge. Two primary explanations have emerged: rapid collapse following a catastrophic event versus prolonged deterioration through social and economic pressures. Elena Vasquez and James Morrison addressed this scholarly division through systematic stratigraphic analysis and artifact distribution studies at multiple excavation sites. Their investigation revealed evidence supporting the theory of gradual deterioration rather than sudden collapse.
Which discovery at the excavation sites, if true, would most directly support Vasquez and Morrison's conclusion?
Evidence of successive layers showing progressively reduced craft specialization and trade goods spanning several generations.
Indications that the sites were abandoned simultaneously following what appears to be a single destructive event.
Artifacts suggesting the settlements maintained consistent population levels until their final abandonment.
Signs that the decline could have resulted from either internal social factors or external military conquest.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The decline of Crete's ancient Minoan civilization around 1450 BCE presents archaeologists with a complex interpretive challenge." |
|
| "Two primary explanations have emerged: rapid collapse following a catastrophic event versus prolonged deterioration through social and economic pressures." |
|
| "Elena Vasquez and James Morrison addressed this scholarly division through systematic stratigraphic analysis and artifact distribution studies at multiple excavation sites." |
|
| "Their investigation revealed evidence supporting the theory of gradual deterioration rather than sudden collapse." |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Vasquez and Morrison's systematic archaeological research found evidence supporting gradual deterioration rather than sudden collapse as the explanation for the Minoan civilization's decline.
Argument Flow: The passage sets up a scholarly debate about what caused the Minoan decline, introduces two researchers who tackled this question with systematic methods, and reveals that their findings support the gradual deterioration theory over the rapid collapse theory.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? Which discovery would most directly support Vasquez and Morrison's conclusion that the decline was gradual rather than sudden.
What type of answer do we need? Archaeological evidence that would demonstrate gradual deterioration over time rather than rapid collapse.
Any limiting keywords? Most directly support - we need the strongest evidence for gradual decline.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The correct answer needs to show evidence of gradual change over time rather than sudden destruction
- We're looking for something that demonstrates a process that happened slowly across multiple time periods
- Evidence should show signs of declining activity or resources that got progressively worse
Evidence of successive layers showing progressively reduced craft specialization and trade goods spanning several generations.
✓ Correct
Shows successive layers across several generations with progressively reduced craft specialization and trade goods.
- This demonstrates decline happening slowly over time
- Matches our prethinking perfectly
Indications that the sites were abandoned simultaneously following what appears to be a single destructive event.
✗ Incorrect
Mentions sites abandoned simultaneously in a single destructive event
- Supports rapid collapse theory, not gradual deterioration
Artifacts suggesting the settlements maintained consistent population levels until their final abandonment.
✗ Incorrect
Describes consistent population levels until final abandonment
- Suggests stability followed by sudden end rather than gradual decline
Signs that the decline could have resulted from either internal social factors or external military conquest.
✗ Incorrect
Lists possible causes without indicating whether decline was gradual or sudden
- Too vague to support either timeline theory