Free Practice Question
CR · Critical Reasoning
555-605
Weaken
Charcoal from a hearth site in Utah, 2,500 miles south of Alaska, is known to be 10,500 years old. Researchers concluded that, since glaciers blocked human migration south from the Alaska-Siberia land bridge between 17,000 and 10,000 years ago, humans must have arrived in the Americas more than 17,000 years ago.
Which of the following pieces of new evidence would cast doubt on the conclusion drawn above?
Answer Choices
Correct answer marked belowA
(A) Using new radiocarbon dating techniques, it was determined that the charcoal from the Utah site was at least 10,700 years old.
B
(B) Another campsite was found in Arizona with remains dated at 15,000 years old.
C
(C) A computer simulation of glacial activity showed that it would already have been impossible for humans to travel south overland from Alaska 18,000 years ago.
(D) Using new radiocarbon dating techniques, it was proved that an ice-free corridor allowed passage south from the Alaska-Siberia land bridge at least 10,700 years ago.
Correct
E
(E) Studies of various other hunting-gathering populations showed convincingly that, once the glaciers allowed passage, humans could have migrated from Alaska to Utah in about 25 years.
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Explanation
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Official Explanation
Official
The original conclusion drawn by researchers is based on the assumption that glaciers prevented human migration south from the Alaska-Siberia land bridge between 17,000 and 10,000 years ago. The key piece of evidence that would cast doubt on this conclusion is option (D), which states that new radiocarbon dating techniques proved that an ice-free corridor allowed…
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3
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A
aditiApr 3, 2025
Good question
U
UmangAug 15, 2024
Thank for sharing!
A
AshishNov 1, 2024
thanks
What this question tests
What it tests
Whether you can identify the option that most undermines an argument's conclusion.
Common trap
Choosing an irrelevant objection or one that attacks the premise rather than the reasoning.
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Details
Difficulty
555-605
Type
CR