The Uto-Aztecan language family is divided into a northern branch, which includes the Shoshone language of present-day Idaho and Utah,...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
The Uto-Aztecan language family is divided into a northern branch, which includes the Shoshone language of present-day Idaho and Utah, and a southern one, whose best-known representative is Nahuatl, the language of the Aztec Empire in Mexico. Lexical similarities across the family, including of botanical terms, confirm descent from a single language spoken millennia ago, and the family's geographical distribution suggests an origin in what is now the US Southwest. However, vocabulary pertaining to maize isn't shared between northern and southern branches, despite the crop's universal cultivation among Uto-Aztecan tribes. Given archaeological evidence that maize originated in Mexico and diffused northward into what became the US Southwest, some linguists reason that ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
northern Uto-Aztecan tribes likely obtained the crop directly from a southern Uto-Aztecan tribe rather than from a non-Uto-Aztecan tribe.
variation in maize-related vocabulary within each branch of the Uto-Aztecan family likely reflects regionally specific methods for cultivating the crop.
southern Uto-Aztecan tribes likely acquired maize at roughly the same time as northern Uto-Aztecan tribes did, though from different sources.
the family's division into northern and southern branches likely preceded the acquisition of the crop by the Uto-Aztecan tribes.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "The Uto-Aztecan language family is divided into a northern branch, which includes the Shoshone language of present-day Idaho and Utah, and a southern one, whose best-known representative is Nahuatl, the language of the Aztec Empire in Mexico." |
|
| "Lexical similarities across the family, including of botanical terms, confirm descent from a single language spoken millennia ago, and the family's geographical distribution suggests an origin in what is now the US Southwest." |
|
| "However, vocabulary pertaining to maize isn't shared between northern and southern branches, despite the crop's universal cultivation among Uto-Aztecan tribes." |
|
| "Given archaeological evidence that maize originated in Mexico and diffused northward into what became the US Southwest, some linguists reason that..." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The Uto-Aztecan language family shows evidence of common origin through shared vocabulary, but the lack of shared maize terms presents a puzzle that archaeological evidence about maize's spread helps linguists explain.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes that the Uto-Aztecan language family has clear evidence of common descent through shared vocabulary, but then presents a contradiction—maize vocabulary isn't shared despite universal cultivation. The archaeological evidence about maize's origin and spread provides the key to resolving this puzzle through linguistic reasoning.
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 puzzle is: why don't northern and southern branches share maize vocabulary when they share other botanical vocabulary?
- We know: The family descended from a common ancestor, other plant vocabulary IS shared, maize vocabulary is NOT shared, and maize originated in Mexico and spread north
- The logical conclusion should explain this discrepancy
- If the language family split into northern and southern branches BEFORE maize became widespread, then each branch would have encountered and named maize independently
- This would explain why they don't share maize terms while sharing other botanical vocabulary
northern Uto-Aztecan tribes likely obtained the crop directly from a southern Uto-Aztecan tribe rather than from a non-Uto-Aztecan tribe.
✗ Incorrect
- This suggests northern tribes got maize from southern Uto-Aztecan tribes rather than non-Uto-Aztecan tribes
- Doesn't explain why they don't share maize vocabulary—if they got it from southern Uto-Aztecan tribes, they should share the terms
variation in maize-related vocabulary within each branch of the Uto-Aztecan family likely reflects regionally specific methods for cultivating the crop.
✗ Incorrect
- Suggests regional cultivation methods caused vocabulary variation within each branch
- The passage states vocabulary isn't shared BETWEEN branches (north vs south), not within branches
southern Uto-Aztecan tribes likely acquired maize at roughly the same time as northern Uto-Aztecan tribes did, though from different sources.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims both branches got maize at the same time but from different sources
- Still doesn't explain why they don't share vocabulary when they share other botanical terms
the family's division into northern and southern branches likely preceded the acquisition of the crop by the Uto-Aztecan tribes.
✓ Correct
- States that the family's division into branches preceded maize acquisition
- Perfectly explains the puzzle: if the split happened before maize arrived, each branch would develop its own maize vocabulary independently
- Matches our prethinking about timing being the key factor