GmatGreen wrote:Excavation of the ancient city of Kourion on the island of Cyprus revealed a pattern of debris and collapsed buildings typical of towns devastated by earthquakes. Archaeologists have hypothesized that the destruction was due to a major earthquake known to have occurred near the island in AD 365.
Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the archaeologists' hypothesis?
(A) Bronze ceremonial drinking vessels that are often found in graves dating from years preceding and following AD 365 were also found in several graves near Kourion.
(B) No coins minted after AD 365 were found in Kourion, but coins minted before that year were found in abundance.
(C) Most modern histories of Cyprus mention that an earthquake occurred near the island in AD 365.
(D) Several small statues carved in styles current in Cyprus in the century between AD 300 and 400 were found in Kourion.
(E) Stone inscriptions in a form of the Greek alphabet that was definitely used in Cyprus after AD 365 were found in Kourion.
Situation:
After excavation of the city, there have been got a pattern of debris and collapsed buildings, which are devastated by the earthquake. Archaeologists have hypothesized that the destruction
was due to a
major (NOT minor) earthquake known to have occurred
near the island in A.D. 365.
There are two situations I've to consider here:
1. Before A.D. 365 and
2. After A.D. 365
And also I must proof two things here simultaneously:
Part 1:
The destruction was due to
an earthquake, which was major (our job is NOT to prove that the destruction was ONLY due to an earthquake because in first sentence of the argument it is already said that the destruction was due to an earthquake but we have to prove that the earthquake was a MAJOR earthquake rather than only earthquake
Part 2:
The destruction was happened in A.D. 365.
According to GMAC, option B is the 100% correct answer.
Part 1:
(B) No coins minted after A.D. 365 were found in Kourion, but coins minted before that year were found in abundance.
The fragment 1: No coins minted after A.D. 365 were found in Kourion,
The fragment 2: but coins minted before that year were found in abundance.
That means:
(B) The coins, which minted after A.D. 365, were NOT found in Kourion, but the coins, which minted
before that year (exactly in A.D. 364), were found in abundance.
What does the
bold part infer?
The bold part infers that
if someone gets the coin, which was made after 365 (i.e., 366,367,368 to till date), will proof that the destruction was NOT happen in A.D.365. If you got any coin in which there is written A.D. 366 on the site of the coin, it'll
definitely proof that the destruction was happened in
any day of A.D. 366 (NOT 365 as it is considered after 365 by
The fragment 1), if you got any coin in which there is written 2015 on the site of the coin, it
must proof that the destruction was happen in
any day of 2015 (NOT 2014 or before as it is considered by me
The coins, which minted after 2014, were...) to till date today but not tomorrow
!
So, the fragment 1 ensures that the city had been destroyed by earthquake as ONLY earthquake is discussed in the argument.
Again, problem in option B:
The option B is totally unable to proof that the earthquake was
major (NOT minor!). Suppose, someone has got some coins after earthquake, the guy may have these coins for a MINOR earthquake, isn't it?
The argument did not give any indication that
if the earthquake is in 8 Richter scale then the earthquake will be major earthquake. And there also should have
at least [/i]one indication in answer option, which must imply that the earthquake was, of course, major earthquake. But option B hasn't indicated that sort of things.
Analogy: [......statement.....].
[Conclusion]Finally, scientists have hypothesized that the reward was given by the white American. If answer option proves that it is ONLY by 'American' or it is by 'black American', it'll definitely be wrong! The correct answer option must prove that it is ONLY by "White American".
Here, I just want to say that ''adjective'' plays a vital role in this regard.
Part 2:
(B) The coins, which minted after A.D. 365, were NOT found in Kourion, but the coins, which minted before that year (this doesn't mean EXACTLY in A.D. 364, it may be FIRST month of A.D. 364 and also LAST month of A.D. 364), were found in abundance.
Analogy: Suppose, the coins were made on January, 2015 (but ONLY year 2015 will be written NOT January 1st , 10th, 31st , 2015 will be written fully/completely on the site of the coin!) and the earthquake occurred on May 1st , 2015. Suppose, GMAC has got some coins on this earthquake today (February 7, 2017). So, the GMAC MUST NOT say that the earthquake was happened in 2018 (The year 2018 has not come yet!). So, the correct answer option B can???t prove that the destruction was happened in A.D. 365; it, basically, will happen in any day of A.D. 364.
So, if my logic is correct, then GMAC's right option is wrong! What's your suggestion my honorable expert. Did I miss anything?
Thank you...
