LSAT 128 | Section 2 | Logical Reasoning: Q17

LR Question 17 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Archaeologists excavating a Neanderthal campsite found …

QUESTION TYPE: Weaken

CONCLUSION: Neanderthals were not nomadic.

REASONING: Gazelle teeth found at the site showed that Neanderthals hunted gazelles throughout the year. Whereas a nearby campsite of a nomadic people contained gazelle teeth from only one season.

ANALYSIS: The archaeologists are assuming that hunting year-round also means living in that place year-round. To weaken this, an answer would need to show that the presence of teeth does not necessarily reflect when and where the gazelles were hunted.

___________

1. Hunting various animals does not challenge the reasoning about gazelle teeth as evidence of year-round habitation.
2. Exchanging tools between the two populations isn’t related to whether Neanderthals were nomadic or help us weaken the argument.
3. CORRECT. If Neanderthals saved gazelle teeth for rituals and discarded them later, this indicates that the teeth found at this campsite could have been hunted anywhere throughout the year, and simply discarded at the campsite. This undermines the claim that the presence of the teeth indicates year-round habitation at this site.
4. We want to undermine the claim on Neanderthals being nomadic. This only tells us Cro-Magnons followed their prey’s migration patterns, which doesn’t help us.
5. This would actually strengthen the argument by saying that they lived in the same area year-round.