Necessary AssumptionDiff: Medium
Logic Breakdown
Passage Summary: People used to think humans needed fire to survive Europe's winters, but new evidence shows fire use started much later than we thought, implying they might have migrated there without it.
Conclusion: The discovery of fire evidence from only 400,000 years ago suggests that mastery of fire might not have been a requirement for humans to move into Europe's cold climate.
Reasoning: Evidence of controlled fire in Europe only dates back 400,000 years, yet it is commonly believed that fire was necessary for survival in that region's cold winters.
Analysis: The argument hinges on a chronological gap between when humans arrived in Europe and when they started using fire. To cast doubt on the 'fire was necessary' theory, the archaeologist must assume that humans were actually living in Europe before that 400,000-year mark. If humans didn't arrive until after they mastered fire, the evidence doesn't actually challenge the old view. Look for an answer that confirms humans were present in Europe earlier than the earliest fire evidence suggests.
Conclusion: The discovery of fire evidence from only 400,000 years ago suggests that mastery of fire might not have been a requirement for humans to move into Europe's cold climate.
Reasoning: Evidence of controlled fire in Europe only dates back 400,000 years, yet it is commonly believed that fire was necessary for survival in that region's cold winters.
Analysis: The argument hinges on a chronological gap between when humans arrived in Europe and when they started using fire. To cast doubt on the 'fire was necessary' theory, the archaeologist must assume that humans were actually living in Europe before that 400,000-year mark. If humans didn't arrive until after they mastered fire, the evidence doesn't actually challenge the old view. Look for an answer that confirms humans were present in Europe earlier than the earliest fire evidence suggests.
Passage Stimulus
Passage Redacted
Unlock Full Passage5.Which one of the following is an assumption required by the argument?
Correct Answer
E
E is correct. If there were humans in Europe prior to 400,000 years ago, then the fact that the earliest evidence of controlled fire use in Europe dates to 400,000 years ago suggests those early inhabitants may have reached Europe without fire, undermining the claim that fire mastery was necessary for migration. Negation test: If there were no humans in Europe prior to 400,000 years ago, then the timing of fire evidence cannot cast doubt on the “fire was necessary” view; the argument’s force collapses. So E is required.
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