When ancient civilizations disappeared, how can archaeologists understand their daily practices? A team of researchers recently found a possible metho...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
When ancient civilizations disappeared, how can archaeologists understand their daily practices? A team of researchers recently found a possible method. While excavating pottery fragments from a vanished culture, the archaeologists discovered distinct firing patterns in the clay. These patterns form during the pottery-making process and vary depending on the specific techniques used by different craftspeople. Since each firing pattern corresponds to particular methods of construction, the researchers concluded they might be able to _____
Which choice most logically completes the text?
reconstruct the pottery-making techniques based on the firing patterns in the clay fragments.
explain why the firing patterns in these fragments were so well preserved over time.
identify the daily practices of civilizations whose artifacts lack distinct firing patterns.
demonstrate how firing patterns can be found in pottery belonging to other ancient cultures.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "When ancient civilizations disappeared, how can archaeologists understand their daily practices?" |
|
| "A team of researchers recently found a possible method." |
|
| "While excavating pottery fragments from a vanished culture, the archaeologists discovered distinct firing patterns in the clay." |
|
| "These patterns form during the pottery-making process and vary depending on the specific techniques used by different craftspeople." |
|
| "Since each firing pattern corresponds to particular methods of construction, the researchers concluded they might be able to ____" |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Visual Structure Map:
RESEARCH PROBLEM: How to understand vanished civilizations daily practices? → POTENTIAL SOLUTION: Team finds possible method → SPECIFIC DISCOVERY: Pottery fragments with distinct firing patterns → KEY INSIGHT: Patterns vary by craftsperson technique, Each pattern = specific construction method → LOGICAL CONCLUSION: Researchers can ______ (missing)
Main Point:
Archaeologists discovered that firing patterns in pottery fragments could potentially help them understand the daily practices of vanished civilizations.
Argument Flow:
The passage opens with a research challenge, then introduces a potential solution through a specific archaeological discovery. The researchers found that pottery firing patterns are linked to specific construction techniques, leading them to conclude they can use this connection for their research purposes.
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 researchers discovered that each firing pattern corresponds to particular construction methods
- They are trying to understand daily practices of vanished civilizations
- If patterns = specific methods, then studying patterns should reveal what methods were used
- This connects back to understanding daily practices (like pottery-making techniques)
- So the right answer should indicate that they can work backwards from the patterns to figure out what pottery-making techniques the ancient civilizations used
reconstruct the pottery-making techniques based on the firing patterns in the clay fragments.
✓ Correct
- This perfectly matches our prethinking - if each pattern corresponds to specific construction methods, then analyzing the patterns should reveal what those methods were
- Directly connects to the researchers goal of understanding daily practices (pottery-making is a daily practice)
- Follows logically from the since each firing pattern corresponds to particular methods reasoning
explain why the firing patterns in these fragments were so well preserved over time.
✗ Incorrect
- This focuses on preservation of patterns rather than using them to learn about techniques
- The passage does not discuss preservation - it is about using the patterns as evidence
- Does not connect to the main goal of understanding daily practices
identify the daily practices of civilizations whose artifacts lack distinct firing patterns.
✗ Incorrect
- This is about civilizations that LACK distinct patterns, but the researchers found civilizations WITH distinct patterns
- Goes in the opposite direction from their actual discovery
- What trap this represents: Students might get confused by the word daily practices and not notice this choice is about different civilizations entirely
demonstrate how firing patterns can be found in pottery belonging to other ancient cultures.
✗ Incorrect
- This is about finding patterns in other cultures, but the researchers already found the patterns - now they want to use them
- Focuses on expanding the search rather than analyzing what they already discovered
- Does not address the logical next step of interpreting their current findings