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Difficulty: MediumEvaluate the Argument

Recent excavations at the ancient city of Veridia have uncovered massive quantities of elaborate bronze weaponry. This cache was found concentrated entirely within a single ceremonial structure dating to the late period of the city's occupation. Because surviving historical texts indicate that Veridia underwent a significant cultural shift toward militarism during this era, archaeologists have concluded that the discovery of this weaponry proves Veridia must have maintained a massive, active standing army during its late period.

Which one of the following would be most useful to determine in order to evaluate the archaeologists' argument?

  1. A
    Whether the proportion of bronze allocated for weapons in Veridia was higher than the proportion used for agricultural tools
  2. B
    Whether the construction of the ceremonial structure coincided exactly with a period of regional economic prosperity
  3. Whether the bronze weaponry exhibits damage and wear patterns characteristic of use in actual combatAnswer
  4. D
    Whether neighboring ancient cities in the same region also maintained large standing armies during their corresponding late periods
  5. E
    Whether the surviving historical texts detailing Veridia's cultural shift were authored during the late period or several centuries later

Answer

The statement assessing whether the bronze weaponry exhibits damage and wear patterns characteristic of use in actual combat.
The correct answer isolates the central assumption of the argument. Applying the Variance Test: If the weapons do show combat wear (Yes), this supports the conclusion that they were actively used by a standing army. If the weapons do not show any wear (No), this heavily undermines the conclusion, suggesting the cache in the ceremonial structure was purely decorative or ritualistic.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the core conclusion of the argument.
The archaeologists conclude that Veridia maintained a massive, active standing army during its late period.
Understanding the exact claim being made is necessary to evaluate its validity.
2
Identify the primary premise supporting the conclusion.
The premise is the discovery of massive quantities of elaborate bronze weaponry concentrated in a ceremonial structure.
Identifying the evidence helps pinpoint the logical gap between the premise and the conclusion.
3
Pinpoint the logical gap (flaw) in the argument.
The argument assumes that the mere presence of weaponry, especially in a ceremonial context, equates to active military use rather than purely symbolic or ritualistic purposes.
Finding the assumption allows us to determine what information is needed to test it.
4
Apply the Variance Test to the answer choices.
The correct answer must yield different outcomes that respectively strengthen and weaken the conclusion when answered with opposite extremes (e.g., Yes vs. No).
The Variance Test is the definitive method for verifying the correct answer in 'Evaluate the Argument' questions.

Key Concept

Applying the Variance Test to evaluate a core assumption.
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Topics

Evaluate the Argument

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