StrengthenDiff: Hardest
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: We have 40,000 old lead seals from the Byzantine era. Since lead was usually recycled after a document was opened, the author thinks there must have been way more documents than the seals we have left.
Conclusion: The total number of documents originally sealed in the early Byzantine Empire was significantly greater than the 40,000 seals that exist today.
Reasoning: Most lead seals were intended for one-time use and, because lead had market value, they were typically melted down and recycled after the documents were opened.
Analysis: The argument relies on the idea that the 40,000 seals we have are just a small fraction of the original total because the rest were recycled. To strengthen this, we need to bolster the claim that recycling was widespread or that the surviving seals aren't representative of the total volume. Look for an answer that confirms that the vast majority of seals were indeed destroyed or that the recycling process was the standard practice for almost all documents.
Conclusion: The total number of documents originally sealed in the early Byzantine Empire was significantly greater than the 40,000 seals that exist today.
Reasoning: Most lead seals were intended for one-time use and, because lead had market value, they were typically melted down and recycled after the documents were opened.
Analysis: The argument relies on the idea that the 40,000 seals we have are just a small fraction of the original total because the rest were recycled. To strengthen this, we need to bolster the claim that recycling was widespread or that the surviving seals aren't representative of the total volume. Look for an answer that confirms that the vast majority of seals were indeed destroyed or that the recycling process was the standard practice for almost all documents.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage24.Which one of the following statements, if true, most strengthens the argument?
Correct Answer
A
If most seals were affixed to documents that were then opened, then, per the argument’s premise that most used seals were recast, most original seals would no longer exist. That strongly supports the conclusion that the original number of sealed documents greatly exceeded the 40,000 surviving seals.
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