Logical Reasoning

PT146 · S3 · Q2 An unstable climate was probably

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An unstable climate was probably a major cause of the fall of the Roman empire.

Evidence

Tree-ring analysis shows that Europe’s climate underwent extreme fluctuations between 250 A.D. and 550 A.D., a period that encompasses Rome’s decline and fall.

This highly variable climate surely hurt food production, which made the empire harder to rule and defend.

Conclusion

An unstable climate was probably a major cause of the fall of the Roman empire.

Evaluate

The argument establishes a correlation between extreme climatic fluctuations and the fall of the Roman empire and then asserts that the unstable climate was a major cause of the fall of the Roman empire. An answer that strengthens the correlation between the climate and the stability of the Roman empire would support the argument and so too would an answer that rules out an alternative cause of Rome’s decline.

2.

Which one of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?

  1. Political failures within the Roman

    Weakens

    This suggests that the causal relationship is reversed. It suggests the fall of the Roman empire was responsible for a decline in agricultural production—something the argument attributed to climatic instability.

    4% picked this

  2. The areas of the Roman

    Weakens

    This undermines the correlation between the climate and the stability of the Roman empire.

    9% picked this

  3. Poor farming practices led to

    Weakens

    This undermines the argument by providing an alternative cause of the poor agricultural production experienced during the fall of the Roman empire.

    4% picked this

  4. Correct

    During periods when the Roman

    Why this is right

    This strengthens the correlation between the climate and the stability of the Roman empire.

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

    82% picked this

  5. Total food production in Europe

    Weakens

    The argument correlates a decline in food production caused by climatic instability with the fall of the Roman empire between 250 A.D. and 550 A.D. This would suggest that food production increased during the fall of the Roman empire.

    1% picked this

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