The traditional understanding of Ancestral Puebloan communities—the ancient cliff-dwelling peoples of the American Southwest—has long portrayed them a...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
The traditional understanding of Ancestral Puebloan communities—the ancient cliff-dwelling peoples of the American Southwest—has long portrayed them as isolated, self-sufficient groups whose interactions were limited to nearby settlements within walking distance. This interpretation seemed consistent with their remote canyon locations and the practical challenges of pre-Columbian transportation. However, recent archaeological analysis has revealed a different picture. Examining exotic materials found in Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon sites, including Pacific coast shells, central Mexican turquoise, and Great Lakes copper, researcher Timothy Kohler documented evidence of acquisition networks spanning over 1,000 miles, suggesting that ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
contrary to the accepted view of their isolation, Ancestral Puebloan communities maintained extensive trade relationships and likely possessed sophisticated transportation and communication systems that enabled long-distance cultural exchange.
despite their remote canyon locations, Ancestral Puebloan communities were primarily dependent on imported materials rather than local resources, indicating a fundamental misunderstanding of their basic subsistence strategies.
although the exotic materials demonstrate some external contact, the limited quantity of these artifacts confirms that Ancestral Puebloan communities remained largely isolated from distant cultural influences.
while evidence of long-distance materials exists, the concentration of these artifacts in ceremonial contexts suggests that trade relationships were exclusively religious rather than economic in nature.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The traditional understanding of Ancestral Puebloan communities—the ancient cliff-dwelling peoples of the American Southwest—has long portrayed them as isolated, self-sufficient groups whose interactions were limited to nearby settlements within walking distance." |
|
| "This interpretation seemed consistent with their remote canyon locations and the practical challenges of pre-Columbian transportation." |
|
| "However, recent archaeological analysis has revealed a different picture." |
|
| "Examining exotic materials found in Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon sites, including Pacific coast shells, central Mexican turquoise, and Great Lakes copper, researcher Timothy Kohler documented evidence of acquisition networks spanning over 1,000 miles, suggesting that ______" |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Recent archaeological evidence of long-distance exotic materials contradicts the traditional view of Ancestral Puebloan communities as isolated and suggests they had extensive networks.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes the traditional understanding of these communities as isolated, explains why this view seemed reasonable, then introduces contradictory archaeological evidence of materials from over 1,000 miles away, leading to an incomplete conclusion about what this evidence suggests.
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 evidence shows materials from over 1,000 miles away in Ancestral Puebloan sites
- This directly contradicts the traditional view that these communities were isolated with only local interactions
- The logical conclusion should acknowledge this contradiction with the traditional isolated view and suggest they had extensive connections/networks instead
contrary to the accepted view of their isolation, Ancestral Puebloan communities maintained extensive trade relationships and likely possessed sophisticated transportation and communication systems that enabled long-distance cultural exchange.
✓ Correct
- Directly addresses the contrast ("contrary to the accepted view of their isolation") and matches the evidence perfectly
- Extensive trade relationships would explain materials from 1,000+ miles away
despite their remote canyon locations, Ancestral Puebloan communities were primarily dependent on imported materials rather than local resources, indicating a fundamental misunderstanding of their basic subsistence strategies.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims they were "primarily dependent" on imported materials, which goes too far
- The passage does not suggest they relied mainly on distant materials, just that they had access to them
although the exotic materials demonstrate some external contact, the limited quantity of these artifacts confirms that Ancestral Puebloan communities remained largely isolated from distant cultural influences.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims "limited quantity" confirms isolation, which directly contradicts the evidence
- Materials from 1,000+ miles away suggests connection, not isolation
while evidence of long-distance materials exists, the concentration of these artifacts in ceremonial contexts suggests that trade relationships were exclusively religious rather than economic in nature.
✗ Incorrect
- Restricts trade to "exclusively religious" purposes, but the passage gives no evidence about the purpose of these materials
- This adds unsupported specificity