LSAT 147 | Section 2 | Reading Comprehension: Q20

RC Question 20 Explanation

DISCUSSION: In lines 8-9, the author mentions the lack of archaeological evidence for the resource procurement theory. So, presumably archaeological evidence would help persuade the author.

___________

1. CORRECT. Lines 14-16 specifically mention this as important evidence which we lack. Having evidence of it would be strong support for the resource procurement theory.
2. This isn’t that convincing. Recent premodern population = a tribe from the 1850s. In lines 8-17 the author focusses on the lack of direct evidence from Mesolithic societies themselves. Those societies existed 7000-12000 years ago. 
3. Lines 8-17 make clear the author’s misgivings. They want ancient evidence. Doing a modern experiment would just be more circumstantial evidence. Obviously animals do graze in clearings, but that doesn’t mean that’s why humans made clearings or that humans used clearings to hunt.
4. This is a tempting trap. This would be evidence against the author’s theory, but it wouldn’t necessarily be evidence for the resource procurement theory. Wildfires aren’t necessarily started by humans. These could have been started by lightning, for example, which was and remains a major cause of forest fires. So the clearings may not have been created by or used by humans.
5. This is useless. This supports the author’s theory as well! The author hypothesized that Mesolithic humans increased the number of clearings because they made woodland paths.