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Difficulty: MediumWeaken

Archaeologist: Excavations at the Bronze Age settlement of Tell el-Marwa uncovered numerous ceramic vessels lined with beeswax. Because beeswax was widely used across antiquity as a waterproofing sealant for storing wine and olive oil, and because microscopic residue analysis inside these specific jars lacked lipid signatures characteristic of olive oil, the vessels must have been used almost exclusively for the storage and trade of fermented grape wine.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the archaeologist's argument?

  1. A
    Chemical traces of tartaric acid, a compound abundant in grapes and rare in other regional crops, were detected in soil samples collected near the storage depot.
  2. In the region surrounding Tell el-Marwa, beeswax was routinely applied to seal jars containing dry grains and legumes to protect them from ambient humidity.Answer
  3. C
    Modern laboratory re-examinations confirmed that none of the recovered ceramic vessels possessed an inner coating of beeswax.
  4. D
    Bronze Age settlements that traded in fermented grape wine always established dedicated vineyard cooperatives in neighboring valleys.
  5. E
    Tell el-Marwa's central marketplace was renowned throughout the ancient Mediterranean for producing highly decorated ceremonial pottery.

Answer

The argument is most seriously weakened by evidence that beeswax was routinely applied to seal jars containing dry grains and legumes to protect them from ambient humidity.
The author concludes that the jars were used almost exclusively for fermented grape wine simply because olive oil residues were absent and beeswax was known to be used for wine and olive oil. This reasoning commits a false dilemma by presuming no other goods were stored in beeswax-lined containers. The correct option directly exposes this flaw by showing that beeswax was routinely used to seal dry grains and legumes against humidity, offering an alternative use that fully explains the physical evidence without supporting the wine conclusion.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the premises and conclusion of the argument.
Premises: The jars were lined with beeswax; beeswax was used to waterproof jars for wine and olive oil; the jars lacked olive oil lipid signatures. Main Conclusion: The jars must have been used almost exclusively for storing and trading fermented grape wine.
Deconstructing the argument structure allows identification of the underlying assumptions linking the evidence to the claim.
2
Identify the logical flaw and unstated assumption.
The author assumes a false dichotomy—that because beeswax was used for wine and olive oil, and olive oil is eliminated, wine is the only viable commodity stored in the jars.
To weaken an argument relying on process of elimination, one must show that other unconsidered alternatives exist.
3
Evaluate the answer choices to find new information that exploits this gap.
The finding that beeswax was regularly used to waterproof storage jars for dry grains and legumes provides a direct alternative use that explains the presence of beeswax without implying the presence of wine.
Providing an alternative cause or function severely undermines the exclusivity asserted in the conclusion.

Key Concept

Alternative Explanations in Causal and Eliminative Arguments
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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