Professor: One expert on Norse culture argues that since yarn (fiber thread) samples discovered at non-Norse archaeological sites, those related...
GMAT Critical Reasoning : (CR) Questions
Professor: One expert on Norse culture argues that since yarn (fiber thread) samples discovered at non-Norse archaeological sites, those related to the aboriginal Dorset people in the East Arctic, are similar to prehistoric Norse yarn samples, and since spinning was not a part of the technology of northern aboriginal peoples, the Dorset samples constitute proof of contact between these aboriginal people and Norse Vikings. The fact that radiocarbon dating seems to indicate that the Dorset samples predate Norse arrival in the region by centuries is dismissed by the expert as an anomaly attributable to significant problems with the dating of textiles found at Arctic sites. But this position seems questionable, given that _______________
Which of the following would, if true, most logically complete the professor's argument above?
Passage Analysis:
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
| One expert on Norse culture argues that since yarn (fiber thread) samples discovered at non-Norse archaeological sites, those related to the aboriginal Dorset people in the East Arctic, are similar to prehistoric Norse yarn samples, and since spinning was not a part of the technology of northern aboriginal peoples, the Dorset samples constitute proof of contact between these aboriginal people and Norse Vikings. |
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| The fact that radiocarbon dating seems to indicate that the Dorset samples predate Norse arrival in the region by centuries is dismissed by the expert as an anomaly attributable to significant problems with the dating of textiles found at Arctic sites. |
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| But this position seems questionable, given that _____________ |
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Argument Flow:
The professor presents an expert's theory about Norse-Dorset contact based on yarn samples, then shows how that expert dismisses contradictory carbon dating evidence, and finally begins to challenge that dismissal
Main Conclusion:
The professor believes the expert's dismissal of carbon dating evidence is questionable (we need to complete what makes it questionable)
Logical Structure:
The professor uses a pattern of: Expert's claim → Counter-evidence → Expert's dismissal → Professor's criticism. The logical structure suggests we need evidence that supports the reliability of carbon dating or undermines the expert's dismissal of it
Prethinking:
Question type:
Logically Completes - We need to find what would make the professor's criticism of the expert's position most logical and compelling
Precision of Claims
The expert claims Norse-Dorset contact based on yarn similarity, dismisses contradictory carbon dating as Arctic textile dating problems. Professor questions this dismissal.
Strategy
Since the professor is questioning the expert's dismissal of carbon dating evidence, we need to find information that would make the expert's position (that Arctic textile dating is problematic) seem unreasonable or questionable. This could involve evidence that Arctic dating is actually reliable, or that there are other explanations for the yarn similarity that don't require Norse contact.