Traces of cultivated emmer wheat have been found among the earliest agricultural remains at many archaeological sites in Europe and Asia. The only place where the wild form of emmer wheat has been found growing is a relatively narrow strip of southwest Asia. Since the oldest remains of cultivated emmer wheat yet found are from village sites in the same narrow strip, it is clear that emmer wheat was first domesticated somewhere in that strip.
Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?
(A) The present-day distribution of another wild wheat, einkorn, which was also domesticated early in the development of agriculture, covers a much larger area of southwest Asia.
(B) Wild emmer wheat can easily be made to yield nearly as much as modern domestic strains.
(C) At the time when emmer wheat was first cultivated, it was the most nutritious of all the varieties of grain that were then cultivated.
(D) In the strip where wild emmer wheat has been found, climatic conditions have changed very little since before the development of agriculture.
(E) It is very difficult, without genetic testing, to differentiate the wild form of emmer wheat from a closely related wild wheat that also grows in southwest Asia.
5-Day Free Trial
5-day free, full-access trial TTP
Available with Beat the GMAT members only code
MORE DETAILS
Emmer wheat
This topic has expert replies
-
BlueDragon2010
- Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
- Posts: 91
- Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:19 am
- Followed by:1 members
-
Patrick_GMATFix
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 1052
- Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 1:30 am
- Thanked: 335 times
- Followed by:98 members
This solution is taken from the GMATFix App. My signature below has more info.
-Patrick
-Patrick
- Check out my site: GMATFix.com
- To prep my students I use this tool >> (screenshots, video)
- Ask me about tutoring.
I think answer C provides the strongest incentive to domesticate the crop. Answer D just talks about climate that has changed very little since before the development of agriculture. The climate may have been good for that crop. But it does not place the crop from wilderness to domestic farms. Answer D does not explain the movement and we don't have enough information about climate in wilderness Vs climate in domestic farms.
-
GMATGuruNY
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 15539
- Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
- Location: New York, NY
- Thanked: 13060 times
- Followed by:1906 members
- GMAT Score:790
The premise is about the PRESENT:BlueDragon2010 wrote:Traces of cultivated emmer wheat have been found among the earliest agricultural remains at many archaeological sites in Europe and Asia. The only place where the wild form of emmer wheat has been found growing is a relatively narrow strip of southwest Asia. Since the oldest remains of cultivated emmer wheat yet found are from village sites in the same narrow strip, it is clear that emmer wheat was first domesticated somewhere in that strip.
Which of the following, if true, most strengthens the argument?
(A) The present-day distribution of another wild wheat, einkorn, which was also domesticated early in the development of agriculture, covers a much larger area of southwest Asia.
(B) Wild emmer wheat can easily be made to yield nearly as much as modern domestic strains.
(C) At the time when emmer wheat was first cultivated, it was the most nutritious of all the varieties of grain that were then cultivated.
(D) In the strip where wild emmer wheat has been found, climatic conditions have changed very little since before the development of agriculture.
(E) It is very difficult, without genetic testing, to differentiate the wild form of emmer wheat from a closely related wild wheat that also grows in southwest Asia.
The only place where the wild form of emmer wheat HAS BEEN FOUND growing is a relatively narrow strip of southwest Asia.
The conclusion is about the PAST:
Emmer wheat WAS FIRST DOMESTICATED somewhere in that strip.
To strengthen the conclusion, the correct answer choice must LINK the present to the past.
Answer choice D:
In the strip where wild emmer wheat has been found, climatic conditions have changed very little since before the development of agriculture.
Here, climatic conditions in the PRESENT are the same as those in the PAST, supporting the conclusion that emmer wheat was domesticated IN THE PAST where the wild form has been found IN THE PRESENT.
The correct answer is D.
The conclusion is about WHERE emmer wheat was domesticated.kutlee wrote:I think answer C provides the strongest incentive to domesticate the crop.
C: At the time when emmer wheat was first cultivated, it was the most nutritious of all the varieties of grain that were then cultivated.
This information tells us nothing about where emmer wheat was domesticated.
Eliminate C.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
thanks Mitch for the explanation. Still have a question here. The premise clearly states that wild form of the wheat has been found on a narrow strip. So the wild form should have been in that area in the older times. Even if there is no change in climate, for example the seeds remained dormant and grows whenever climate turns favourable, the wild form for some reason was available in older times. I thought the argument wanted us to establish the link between wild wheat and domesticated wheat.
Answer D LINKs present day wild wheat to olden times (wild or domestic?). But does it establish domestication? I thought D just links the present time wild wheat to old time wild wheat.
Answer D LINKs present day wild wheat to olden times (wild or domestic?). But does it establish domestication? I thought D just links the present time wild wheat to old time wild wheat.
-
GMATGuruNY
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 15539
- Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 12:04 pm
- Location: New York, NY
- Thanked: 13060 times
- Followed by:1906 members
- GMAT Score:790
The sentence in red is an ASSUMPTION -- the same assumption that the argument is making.kutlee wrote:thanks Mitch for the explanation. Still have a question here. The premise clearly states that wild form of the wheat has been found on a narrow strip. So the wild form should have been in that area in the older times.
That wild emmer wheat can be found on the strip TODAY does not mean that it grew on the strip THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO.
According to the OA, climactic conditions in the strip were conducive for the growth of wild emmer wheat BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE -- strengthening the conclusion that ancient residents of the strip were able (with the development of agriculture) to DOMESTICATE emmer wheat.I thought the argument wanted us to establish the link between wild wheat and domesticated wheat.
Private tutor exclusively for the GMAT and GRE, with over 20 years of experience.
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
Followed here and elsewhere by over 1900 test-takers.
I have worked with students based in the US, Australia, Taiwan, China, Tajikistan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia -- a long list of countries.
My students have been admitted to HBS, CBS, Tuck, Yale, Stern, Fuqua -- a long list of top programs.
As a tutor, I don't simply teach you how I would approach problems.
I unlock the best way for YOU to solve problems.
For more information, please email me (Mitch Hunt) at [email protected].
Student Review #1
Student Review #2
Student Review #3
