In Peru, ancient disturbances in the dark

Answer choices

1. A

   Very Weak Impact8% picked this

   In areas that were inhabited by ancient native North American peoples, arrangements of stones have been found that mark places where sunlight falls precisely

   This is sort of corroborating the plausibility of the hypothesis that ancient lines in the sand in South America were meant to refer to astronomical phenomena. How? It's saying, "there are other things (arrangements of stones) used in other places (North America) in ancient times that referred to astronomical phenomena." But that's incredibly loosely related, so it's barely doing any support.

   8%
2. B

   Correct64% picked this

   The straight lines are consistent with sight lines to points on the horizon where particular astronomical events could have been observed at certain plausible

   Why this is right

   This answer allows us to argue that all these lines served the same purpose, of referring to astronomical phenomena. The straight lines showed people where to look in order to observe certain astronomical events, and the bird looking thing was a representation of a constellation. "Even though the straight lines and the bird seem like very different and incompatible designs, they are both related to the same purpose (referring to astronomical phenomena)."

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

   64%
3. C

   No Impact14% picked this

   The straight-line pattern is part of a large connected complex of patterns of straight-line rays connecting certain

   This only talks about the straight-lines, so it doesn't accomplish our goal of explaining to this objector how both the straight-lines and the bird figure could both be related to astronomical phenomena.

   14%
4. D

   Very Weak Impact3% picked this

   Native Central American cultures, such as that of the Maya, left behind elaborate astronomical calendars that

   This is like (A). It adds a modicum of plausibility of the hypothesis that ancient lines in the sand in South America were meant to refer to astronomical phenomena. How? By saying, "there are other things (rock engravings) used in other places (Central America) in ancient times that referred to astronomical phenomena." But that's very loosely related, so it's barely doing any support.

   3%
5. E

   Weakens, if anything11% picked this

   There is evidence that the bird figure was made well before

   This answer doesn't help us with our goal of arguing that the bird figure and the straight-line pattern are both meant to refer to astronomical phenomena. If anything, the fact that the bird figure was made well before the straight-line pattern would help our enemy argue that these are two unrelated things that did not serve the same purpose.

   11%