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Question

Difficulty: HardStrengthen

Archaeologist: Recent excavations at a Middle Pleistocene hominin campsite recovered over two thousand stone cutting flakes. Microscopic analysis of the strike platforms revealed that approximately 88 percent display asymmetric curvature characteristic of intentional detachment by a right-handed knapper. In modern humans, population-level right-handedness reflects left-hemispheric cerebral lateralization—a neural architecture critical for syntactic language. Therefore, these findings indicate that hominins at this site had already evolved left-hemispheric neural specialization linked to linguistic capability.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the archaeologist's argument?

  1. A
    The mineral crystalline matrix of the campsite stone naturally fractures into asymmetric dorsal curvatures regardless of the physical angle or hand used during knapping.
  2. Spatial mapping and stratigraphic analysis demonstrate that the stone flakes were deposited across multiple occupation layers created by dozens of distinct individuals over several centuries.Answer
  3. C
    All non-human hominid species that demonstrate individual manual dexterity employ tools exclusively for foraging rather than food preparation or social signaling.
  4. D
    Hominin linguistic evolution required anatomical adaptations in the soft tissues of the vocal tract that leave no identifiable impressions in the fossil record.
  5. E
    Stone cutting flakes possessing symmetrical strike platforms are measurably more durable and effective for butchery tasks than flakes with asymmetric curvature.

Answer

The statement demonstrating that the stone flakes were produced by dozens of distinct individuals across multiple centuries most strongly supports the conclusion.
The archaeologist infers species-level or population-level brain lateralization from a sample of 2,000 flakes. The argument is vulnerable to the possibility that these artifacts represent the output of a single prolific right-handed individual. Showing that the flakes were manufactured by dozens of distinct individuals over multiple centuries confirms that right-handedness was a pervasive cultural and biological norm in this population, thereby strongly bolstering the conclusion.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the argument's premises and conclusion
Premise 1: 88% of 2,000 flakes show right-handed knapping curvature. Premise 2: In modern humans, population-level right-handedness corresponds to left-hemisphere lateralization essential for syntax. Conclusion: These hominins possessed left-hemispheric neural specialization linked to language.
Deconstructing the core reasoning reveals the critical gap between observing asymmetric flakes in an archaeological sample and inferring true population-level neurological lateralization.
2
Identify the primary reasoning vulnerability
The 2,000 flakes could have been produced by just one or two idiosyncratic right-handed knappers, which would not demonstrate population-level handedness across the hominin group.
Strengthening a causal or inductive generalization requires confirming that the sample is representative of the population rather than an isolated outlier.
3
Evaluate the answer choices to identify the statement that closes this gap
Establishing that the flakes were deposited across centuries by dozens of separate individuals validates that the 88% frequency represents widespread, population-wide handedness.
Eliminating the sampling objection directly substantiates the premise that population-level lateralization existed.

Key Concept

Validating population-level representativeness to substantiate evolutionary and neurological inferences
Estimated Time:1m 45s
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