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Question

Difficulty: HardSupport and Cause-Effect Clues

Because the preliminary archaeological findings were consistently reinforced by subsequent radiocarbon analyses, the hypothesis concerning the settlement's early abandonment gained considerable momentum; indeed, ____ by this overwhelming concurrence of empirical data, even the most skeptical scholars were forced to concede the validity of the revised timeline. Which of the following words best completes the blank?

  1. A
    forestalled
  2. buttressedAnswer
  3. C
    undermined
  4. D
    exaggerated
  5. E
    extrapolated

Answer

buttressed
The sentence relies on cause-effect and continuation signals ('Because', 'consistently reinforced', 'indeed'). The phrase 'overwhelming concurrence of empirical data' functions as the agent that reinforces the position, leading skeptics to concede. The term meaning 'supported or strengthened' fits this logical progression seamlessly.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze sentence syntax and structural signals
Identified causal indicator 'Because' at the start and intensifying support clue 'indeed;' leading into the blank.
Structural signals dictate whether the word in the blank should continue the direction of the premise or reverse it.
2
Determine contextual valence and semantic target
The phrase 'consistently reinforced' and 'overwhelming concurrence of empirical data' indicates a positive, supportive relationship where data strengthens the hypothesis.
The blank describes what the concurrence of empirical data did to the scholars/hypothesis to cause even skeptics to concede.
3
Evaluate option definitions against the required meaning
'Buttressed' precisely means reinforced or supported, completing the logical cause-and-effect relationship.
None of the other options provide the positive reinforcement meaning demanded by the support clues.

Key Concept

Support and Cause-Effect Clues in Text Completion
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Topics

Support and Cause-Effect Clues

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