When the Vinland Map, a map of the world purported to date to the mid-1400s, surfaced in 1957, some scholars...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
When the Vinland Map, a map of the world purported to date to the mid-1400s, surfaced in 1957, some scholars believed it demonstrated that European knowledge of the eastern coast of present-day North America predated Christopher Columbus's 1492 arrival. In 2021, a team including conservators Marie-France Lemay and Paula Zyats and materials scientist Anikó Bezur performed an extensive analysis of the map and the ink used. They found that the ink contains titanium dioxide, a compound that was first introduced in ink manufacturing in the early 1900s. Therefore, the team concluded that ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
mid-1400s Europeans could not have known about the eastern coast of present-day North America.
the Vinland Map could not have been drawn by mid-1400s mapmakers.
mapmakers must have used titanium compounds in their ink in the 1400s.
there isn't enough information to determine when the ink was created.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'When the Vinland Map, a map of the world purported to date to the mid-1400s, surfaced in 1957,' |
|
| 'some scholars believed it demonstrated that European knowledge of the eastern coast of present-day North America predated Christopher Columbus's 1492 arrival.' |
|
| 'In 2021, a team including conservators Marie-France Lemay and Paula Zyats and materials scientist Anikó Bezur performed an extensive analysis of the map and the ink used.' |
|
| 'They found that the ink contains titanium dioxide, a compound that was first introduced in ink manufacturing in the early 1900s.' |
|
| 'Therefore, the team concluded that ______' |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Scientific analysis of the Vinland Map's ink reveals it contains compounds that weren't available until the 1900s, contradicting its supposed 1400s origin.
Argument Flow: The passage presents a historical artifact with significant implications, then introduces modern scientific analysis that reveals evidence contradicting the artifact's claimed age, leading to a logical conclusion about its authenticity.
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 key evidence is that the ink contains titanium dioxide, and this compound wasn't introduced in ink manufacturing until the early 1900s
- If the map truly dated to the mid-1400s, it couldn't contain this compound
- The logical conclusion must address this timeline contradiction
- The right answer should connect the scientific evidence to a conclusion about when the map could have been created, specifically ruling out the claimed mid-1400s date
mid-1400s Europeans could not have known about the eastern coast of present-day North America.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims mid-1400s Europeans couldn't have known about North America
- Goes too far beyond what the evidence supports
- The fake map doesn't prove Europeans lacked geographical knowledge
the Vinland Map could not have been drawn by mid-1400s mapmakers.
✓ Correct
- States the map couldn't have been drawn by mid-1400s mapmakers
- Directly follows from the evidence: titanium dioxide wasn't available until 1900s
- Matches our prethinking perfectly
mapmakers must have used titanium compounds in their ink in the 1400s.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims mapmakers 'must have used' titanium compounds in the 1400s
- Directly contradicts the passage evidence
there isn't enough information to determine when the ink was created.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims insufficient information to determine ink creation date
- Ignores the clear evidence provided about titanium dioxide's introduction