Archaeologist: The mosaics

Answer choices

1. A

   Correct69% picked this

   The only considerations that bear upon the question of whether the mosaics should have been

   Why this is right

   This supports the conclusion by eliminating reasons to consider whether the mosaics should have been removed other than the kind of reasons that were considered in the argument.

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

   69%
2. B

   No Impact4% picked this

   Archaeologists studying a site can tell whether or not that site had been flooded

   At no point in this conversation are we worried about whether or not future archaeologists will be able to detect flooding. We're worried whether they will be misled into thinking this civilization didn't have mosaic art (if we remove the art from the area).

   4%
3. C

   Weaker Impact23% picked this

   The materials used in the construction of a mosaic are readily apparent when the mosaic is examined

   This sounds like a point in favor of leaving the mosaics in their original location. Were we to remove the mosaics, then future archaeologists wouldn't have the luxury of easily inferring what materials were used to construct the mosaic. But if we compare its impact to that of (A), this isn't as strong. (A) is saying there is nothing else that needs to be considered other than archaeological ones. We have all the archaeological info we could possibly want, so there's nothing to gain by removing the mosaics; there are only potential downsides. This answer sort of reinforces the author's concern that we should leave the mosaics where they are so that future archaeologists can learn from them. But reiterating the logical force of the premise (as this answer does) isn't as impactful as removing all forms of potential objection (as choice A does).

   23%
4. D

   Weakens3% picked this

   Archaeological sites from which artifacts have been removed rarely mislead archaeologists who later

   This supports the removal of the mosaics from Zeugma.

   3%
5. E

   Out of Scope1% picked this

   The removal of artifacts from archaeological sites rarely has any

   Environmental impacts are not relevant to the argument.

   1%