Most of Western music since the Renaissance has been based on a seven-note scale known as the diatonic scale, but when did the scale originate? A fragment of a bone flute excavated at a Neanderthal campsite has four holes, which are spaced in exactly the right way for playing the third through sixth notes of a diatonic scale. The entire flute must surely have had more holes, and the flute was made from a bone that was long enough for these additional holes to have allowed a complete diatonic scale to be played. Therefore, the Neanderthals who made the flute probably used a diatonic musical scale.

In the argument given, the two portions in boldface play which of the following roles?

A. The first is presented as evidence that is confirmed by data presented elsewhere in the argument given; the second states a hypothesis that this evidence is used to undermine.

B. The first is an opinion, for which no supporting evidence is presented in the argument given, that is used to support the main conclusion of the argument; the second is that main conclusion.

C. The first describes a discovery as undermining the position against which the argument is directed; the second states the main conclusion of the argument.

D. The first is a preliminary conclusion drawn on the basis of evidence presented elsewhere in the argument given; the second is the main conclusion that this preliminary conclusion supports.

E. The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion of the argument; the second states a subsidiary conclusion that is drawn in order to support the main conclusion stated earlier in the argument.

OA B

Source: Official Guide