Critical Reasoning

At the Cosquer Cave in France, deep sea divers discovered charcoal prints in the shape of hand stencils, thought to be at least 10,000 years old, on the walls of the undersea cave. Analysis of the prints, which appear in a number of different sizes, showed that they had been made with high-pressure charcoal no denser than that comprising the dense walls of the cave itself. However, scientists were unable to replicate the charcoal prints on the walls of the Cosquer Cave, because small pieces of charcoal from the cave walls do not maintain their consistency underwater and the prints were immediately washed away.

Which of the following, if true, would, taken together with the information above, provide the best basis for the claim that the prints were in fact charcoal handprints made by people during the Upper Paleolithic era, which ended 10,000 years ago?

(A) Certain kinds of low-density charcoal cannot maintain their consistency when submerged entirely in water.
(B) There is reliable archaeological evidence from other caves confirming that the people of the Neolithic era made charcoal prints using hand stencils as many as 8,500 years ago.
(C) Many of the prints found on the cave wall are larger than the average hands of modern people, while the people of the Upper Paleolithic era are known to have been smaller than people living today.
(D) The inner walls of the Cosquer Cave are covered with charcoal prints, while the outer walls closest to the water's surface are completely unmarked.
(E) Glaciation records show that the Cosquer Cave was above water until the end of the last ice age, 9,600 years ago.


OA E

b) against the argument
C) irrelevant
d) irrelevant
Confused about A.

Can you throw some light on OA. Until the last ice age the caves were above water till 9600 years ago. But we have to prove that its from era which ended 10000 years ago. So what you say for the 400 years in the difference. Those charcoal prints may have been made in that period too which is not Paleolithic era.

CANS it can not be A for sure, it just proves the property of charcoal but nothing about the point that it is from Paleolithic era.

E is best among the rest but not fully convincing.


A - certain kinds ?? and moreover that prints were made by people in an era that ended 10000yrs ago
B - irrelevant
C - weaken
D - irrelevant
E - 9600yrs ago cave was above water and charcoal was able to stick to walls but now it is not. Now the problem is that how to decide whether prints were made 10000yrs ago or not. They can be made 9700yrs ago, charcoal would still be able to stick..this is the problem with this option but it is Best among the rest

E is the correct answer. But took a little time.

If Glaciation records show that the Cosquer Cave was above water until the end of the last ice age, 9,600 years ago, then how come the charcoal prints wernt washed away when they submerged under water.How come they are still visible ?

1. Charcoal hand prints were found in an underwater cave
2. The prints are 10000 years old
3. Scientists cant recreate such prints because they immediately wash away in the water


A. Incorrect. This just restates something in the passage that this charcoal is washing away when under water. It does nothing to solve the problem that there are hand prints in something that washes away in water. It adds no new information

B. Incorrect. The time frame is wrong for this to be correct. We are concerned with 10000 years in the past not 8500.

C. Incorrect. This would seem to weaken the conclusion that the prints were by people

D. Incorrect. Both are underwater regardless and having no prints on the outside adds no information to explain why they remain on the inside

E. Correct. This is the best option. This tells us that the prints had time to set before being subjected to water. The only issue at hand is 9600 years meaning there is a 400 year gap, but this is still the best option of the 5.

fitzgerald23 wrote:1. Charcoal hand prints were found in an underwater cave
2. The prints are 10000 years old
3. Scientists cant recreate such prints because they immediately wash away in the water


A. Incorrect. This just restates something in the passage that this charcoal is washing away when under water. It does nothing to solve the problem that there are hand prints in something that washes away in water. It adds no new information

B. Incorrect. The time frame is wrong for this to be correct. We are concerned with 10000 years in the past not 8500.

C. Incorrect. This would seem to weaken the conclusion that the prints were by people

D. Incorrect. Both are underwater regardless and having no prints on the outside adds no information to explain why they remain on the inside

E. Correct. This is the best option. This tells us that the prints had time to set before being subjected to water. The only issue at hand is 9600 years meaning there is a 400 year gap, but this is still the best option of the 5.

Now U are making assumptions that the prints needed time to set

fitzgerald23 wrote:1. Charcoal hand prints were found in an underwater cave
2. The prints are 10000 years old
3. Scientists cant recreate such prints because they immediately wash away in the water


A. Incorrect. This just restates something in the passage that this charcoal is washing away when under water. It does nothing to solve the problem that there are hand prints in something that washes away in water. It adds no new information

B. Incorrect. The time frame is wrong for this to be correct. We are concerned with 10000 years in the past not 8500.

C. Incorrect. This would seem to weaken the conclusion that the prints were by people

D. Incorrect. Both are underwater regardless and having no prints on the outside adds no information to explain why they remain on the inside

E. Correct. This is the best option. This tells us that the prints had time to set before being subjected to water. The only issue at hand is 9600 years meaning there is a 400 year gap, but this is still the best option of the 5.

Now U are making assumptions that the prints needed time to set

fitzgerald23 wrote:1. Charcoal hand prints were found in an underwater cave
2. The prints are 10000 years old
3. Scientists cant recreate such prints because they immediately wash away in the water


A. Incorrect. This just restates something in the passage that this charcoal is washing away when under water. It does nothing to solve the problem that there are hand prints in something that washes away in water. It adds no new information

B. Incorrect. The time frame is wrong for this to be correct. We are concerned with 10000 years in the past not 8500.

C. Incorrect. This would seem to weaken the conclusion that the prints were by people

D. Incorrect. Both are underwater regardless and having no prints on the outside adds no information to explain why they remain on the inside

E. Correct. This is the best option. This tells us that the prints had time to set before being subjected to water. The only issue at hand is 9600 years meaning there is a 400 year gap, but this is still the best option of the 5.

If you say E is right, then you got to make B right too. Just the time is different. It would be just an assumption in both the cases right. please explain further.

Expert explanations please

sivaelectric wrote:

fitzgerald23 wrote:1. Charcoal hand prints were found in an underwater cave
2. The prints are 10000 years old
3. Scientists cant recreate such prints because they immediately wash away in the water


A. Incorrect. This just restates something in the passage that this charcoal is washing away when under water. It does nothing to solve the problem that there are hand prints in something that washes away in water. It adds no new information

B. Incorrect. The time frame is wrong for this to be correct. We are concerned with 10000 years in the past not 8500.

C. Incorrect. This would seem to weaken the conclusion that the prints were by people

D. Incorrect. Both are underwater regardless and having no prints on the outside adds no information to explain why they remain on the inside

E. Correct. This is the best option. This tells us that the prints had time to set before being subjected to water. The only issue at hand is 9600 years meaning there is a 400 year gap, but this is still the best option of the 5.

If you say E is right, then you got to make B right too. Just the time is different. It would be just an assumption in both the cases right. please explain further.

Expert explanations please

You should analyze the timelines more carefully . u r making a mistake there
-------------------------------Charcoal prints-------------------------10000years--------------Today
----------------------------------------------|--400years----|Ice age---9600years--------------Today

Yeah Mundasingh, I was asking about that time period only. There is a gap of 400 years. and in the case of B there is a bigger gap. so how would you come to a conclusion in cases like this

sivaelectric wrote:Yeah Mundasingh, I was asking about that time period only. There is a gap of 400 years. and in the case of B there is a bigger gap. so how would you come to a conclusion in cases like this

I would appreciate it if you could rectify the spelling mistake in my username , its mundasingh123
ill send u a post by a knewton staffsperson which will explain about such strengthen questions.

I am extremely sorry about the mistake in your name and yeah please send me the link. That would be great