New evidence suggests that the

Answer choices

1. A

   Weakens2% picked this

   Historically, most civilizations have succumbed to internal strife rather than

   This states that most civilizations collapse due to internal strife rather than external factors, which undermines the argument's conclusion that environmental factors caused the collapse.

   2%
2. B

   Weakens4% picked this

   The social problems in Egypt’s old kingdom at the time of its collapse were serious enough to

   This claims that Egypt's social problems were severe enough to cause the collapse, supporting the idea of internal upheaval rather than environmental causes as the main driver.

   4%
3. C

   Correct78% picked this

   At the time of the collapse of the old kingdom, several isolated but well-established civilizations near

   Why this is right

   This suggests that nearby isolated civilizations underwent sudden declines at the same time as Egypt's collapse, implying a broader regional issue like environmental catastrophe, rather than localized social problems, reinforcing the author's argument about environmental causes.

   Skill tested: Strengthen · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   78%
4. D

   Weakens14% picked this

   Egyptian records recovered from the time of the collapse explicitly refer to the deteriorating conditions

   This mentions that Egyptian records explicitly referred to deteriorating societal conditions, adding weight to the idea that social problems were significant during the collapse.

   14%
5. E

   Weakens2% picked this

   Shortly after the collapse of the old kingdom, Egypt was thrust into a civil war that lasted most

   This tells us that a civil war occurred shortly after the collapse, hinting that social strife was significant, aligning with internal causes rather than the external environmental factors.

   2%