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Difficulty: MediumCommand of Evidence: Textual

Archaeologist Dr. Angela Rossi and her team investigated the spatial distribution of Upper Paleolithic cave paintings in southern France. They hypothesized that prehistoric artists did not select painting sites at random, but rather chose locations within caves that possessed unique acoustic resonance properties, specifically where low-frequency vocalizations produced long, echoing reverberations. To test this hypothesis, Rossi's team measured the reverberation times of low-frequency sounds at various points throughout several caves and compared these measurements to the density of rock art found at each site. Which finding from the team's study, if true, would most directly support their hypothesis?

  1. Sites within the caves containing the highest concentration of animal paintings were found to have reverberation times for low-frequency sounds that were significantly longer than the cave averages.Answer
  2. B
    Bone flutes and other prehistoric musical instruments were predominantly discovered near cave entrances where acoustic resonance was measured to be at its lowest.
  3. C
    The cave artists chanted low-frequency songs to evoke the spirits of the animals they painted, which caused them to prefer these specific resonant chambers.
  4. D
    Cave chambers that exhibited the shortest reverberation times for low-frequency sounds were found to contain the highest density of animal paintings.

Answer

Sites within the caves containing the highest concentration of animal paintings were found to have reverberation times for low-frequency sounds that were significantly longer than the cave averages.
The correct answer is the option indicating that cave sites with the highest density of animal paintings had low-frequency reverberation times that were significantly longer than average. This finding directly connects the spatial distribution of the rock art to the specific acoustic parameters outlined in the researchers' hypothesis.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the researchers' core hypothesis in the passage.
The hypothesis is that prehistoric artists specifically selected cave painting locations that produced long, echoing reverberations for low-frequency sounds.
Understanding the precise claim is necessary to determine what evidence would support it.
2
Determine the type of data or findings needed to support this hypothesis.
We need empirical evidence linking a high density of paintings to locations with long reverberation times for low-frequency sounds.
A direct correlation between the predicted acoustic properties and the actual painting locations is required for textual command of evidence.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the one that establishes this direct correlation.
The option stating that areas with the highest concentration of paintings had significantly longer low-frequency reverberation times provides direct empirical support.
This finding aligns perfectly with the predicted relationship between painting location and acoustic resonance.

Key Concept

Identifying textual evidence that directly supports a specific research hypothesis.
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Topics

Command of Evidence: Textual

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