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Set 8: Inferences (Advanced)

Explanation

Answer: B

PASSAGE

Archaeologists excavating a site in the Mediterranean found pottery shards containing traces of olive oil. The style of the pottery is characteristic of a period known to have ended around 2000 BCE. However, carbon dating of the organic residue indicates the oil dates to approximately 1500 BCE. The archaeologists warn that the dating provides evidence of reuse rather than a contradiction.

Which choice most logically completes the text?

A. the olive oil was stored in the pots before they were fired.
B. the pots were reused centuries after they were created.✓ Correct
C. the pottery was likely imported from a region with different dating methods.
D. the clay used to make the pots contained ancient organic material.

Detailed Explanation

This question asks you to draw a logical conclusion from the text. **Choice B is the best answer.** The pottery is from 2000 BCE (older), but the oil inside is from 1500 BCE (newer). The most logical inference is that the ancient pots were kept and 'reused' 500 years later to store fresh oil. This fits the archaeologist's warning about 'reuse'. Choice D implies the pot is newer than it looks? No. Choice C explains space, not time. Choice A suggests oil was there before firing (impossible, oil burns). Valid inferences are strongly supported by multiple pieces of evidence in the text. Be cautious of choices that go too far beyond what the passage actually states. The best inference is the one most directly supported by textual evidence.

Key Evidence:

• "style ... 2000 BCE"

• "residue ... 1500 BCE"

• "evidence of reuse"

Why others are wrong: C (Irrelevant), D (Irrelevant), A (Physically impossible).

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