WeakenDiff: Hard
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: Archaeologists found animal teeth from every season at a Neanderthal camp, so they concluded the Neanderthals stayed there all year instead of moving around like their neighbors.
Conclusion: The Neanderthals at this specific campsite were non-nomadic and lived there throughout the entire year.
Reasoning: The researchers found gazelle teeth at the site that were shed or colored in a way that indicates the animals were hunted during every season of the year.
Analysis: To weaken this argument, we need to find a reason why teeth from all seasons would be present even if the Neanderthals were moving around. The archaeologists assume that because the 'prey' was killed year-round, the 'hunters' must have been there year-round. However, it is possible that different groups of nomadic Neanderthals visited the same site at different times of the year. Look for an answer that suggests the presence of the teeth does not guarantee the continuous presence of the same group of inhabitants.
Conclusion: The Neanderthals at this specific campsite were non-nomadic and lived there throughout the entire year.
Reasoning: The researchers found gazelle teeth at the site that were shed or colored in a way that indicates the animals were hunted during every season of the year.
Analysis: To weaken this argument, we need to find a reason why teeth from all seasons would be present even if the Neanderthals were moving around. The archaeologists assume that because the 'prey' was killed year-round, the 'hunters' must have been there year-round. However, it is possible that different groups of nomadic Neanderthals visited the same site at different times of the year. Look for an answer that suggests the presence of the teeth does not guarantee the continuous presence of the same group of inhabitants.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage17.Which one of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the archaeologists' reasoning?
Correct Answer
C
If Neanderthals saved gazelle teeth for rituals and discarded them later, the teeth at that site could represent kills from various seasons accumulated over time and/or from different places. That severs the link between season-of-kill and continuous occupation, undercutting the inference that the campsite was inhabited year-round.
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