Logical Reasoning

PT103 · S1 · Q7 The cumbersome spears that were

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The cumbersome spears that were the principal weapons used by certain tribes in the early Bronze Age precluded widespread casualties during intertribal conflicts.

Claim (hence)

By the late Bronze Age, these tribes had developed new methods of warfare designed to inflict many casualties.

Intermediate Conclusion (indicates that)

In late Bronze Age, wars between tribes were frequent / casualty rate was high.

Evidence

In early Bronze Age, the main weapons were cumbersome spears. This prevented widespread casualties. In late Bronze Age, there was a much higher number of warrior tombs.

Evaluate

The author is interpreting the significance of a Curious Comparison: why were there way more warrior tombs in late Bronze Age?

Her explanation: wars were frequent, the casualty rate was high, and tribes had developed new methods of warfare designed to inflict many casualties.

Goal

To strengthen a Curious Fact / Explanation argument, we primarily search for an answer that bolsters the plausibility of the Author's Story.

In this case, the question stem is specifically assigning us to support the plausibility of the claim that their were .

(There's a small chance, though, that the correct answer could rule out an Alternate Explanation for why there is a higher number of warrior tombs.)

Which one of the following, if true, most supports the archaeologists’ claim?

A royal tomb dating to
No Impact
We already knew that early Bronze used spears, so this is compatible with that, but it isn't telling us anything about new methods of warfare in the late Bronze age.
3% picked this
There is evidence that many
Weakens, if anything
This has nothing to do with "new methods of warfare designed to inflict casualties", other than potentially weakening that idea by talking about enemies (prisoners of war) who were captured, not killed.
2% picked this
Scenes of violent warfare, painted
No Impact
All warfare is violent. We're trying to address a more relative idea about "more violent / more casualties / new methods of warfare". Also, this is from the early Bronze Age, whereas we're interested in learning about new methods of war in the late Bronze Age.
4% picked this
Some tombs of warriors dating
No Impact
It's unclear from this answer whether the trophies taken from enemies were taken from captured enemies or killed enemies. It's also not in any way telling us anything about "new methods of warfare".
12% picked this
Correct
The marks on the bones
Why this is right
This answer suggests a "new method of warfare" in late Bronze Age warfare: the bow and arrow. We found arrowheads in late Bronze Age settlements and found arrow marks on the bones of dead soldiers from that same area. Spears have spearheads (in case people were thinking that arrowheads were also found on spears --- I was definitely thinking at first, "well pointy stuff is still spears, right?") This answer isn't great, but the others are absolute terrible, so this definitely lends more support. It is the only answer that comes even close to hinting at a new method of warfare. And a bow-and-arrow is definitely less cumbersome than a spear, so this also helps provide a meaningful difference from the old method of warfare.
Skill tested: Strengthen · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.
81% picked this

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