Archaeologists use technology to analyze ancient sites. It is likely t

Passage Analysis
Archaeologists use technology to analyze ancient sites. It is likely that this technology will advance considerably in the near future,
Technology is used by archaeologists to examine ancient sites. There are chances that this technology will develop considerably in the near future.

allowing archaeologists to gather more information than is currently possible.
Once this technology develops to its expected level, it will allow archaeologist to obtain more information from the sites than they can currently do.

If they study certain sites now, they risk contaminating or compromising them for future studies.
If they analyze certain sites now, they might contaminate these sites or somehow tamper with them, jeopardizing their future study of these sites.

Therefore, in order to maximize the potential for gathering knowledge in the long run, a team of archaeologists plans to delay the examination of a newly excavated site.
Conclusion: A team of archaeologists has planned to defer/postpone the examination of a newly excavated site because it wants to maximize the potential for amassing knowledge in the long run with the help of a soon-to-be-available-technology.


Question Stem Analysis
Which of the following would be most useful to investigate for the purpose of evaluating the plan’s prospects for achieving its goal?

The answer to which of the options will be most useful in determining the chances of the archaeologists’ plan achieving its goal.

Prethinking

Falsification question

In what scenario will the archaeologists not be able to maximize their potential for gathering knowledge in the long run?
Given that
Technology is used by archaeologists to examine ancient sites
Chances are this technology will develop considerably in the near future.
Once it does, archaeologist will be able to obtain more information from the sites than they can
currently do
If they analyze certain sites now, they might contaminate these sites or somehow tamper with
them, jeopardizing their future study of these sites.


Thought Process

The reasoning of the author is based on a certain expectancy that a certain type of technology will develop considerably in the near future. And the application of this technology will allow archaeologists to gather more knowledge from the site. Therefore, the archeologists have decided to forgo examining the site now.

Falsification condition:

What if the excavated site even if left untouched undergoes some kind of irreversible change/damage before the advent of the new technology?

Let us say that excavation has now exposed the site to open air. Maybe some sort of pollutant, etc may cause changes to the site to an extent that future technology, by the time it becomes available, will not be able to extract much of information/knowledge.

Assumption

If the site is left untouched now, it will not undergo any damage or change till the time the new technology becomes available in the future.

Answer Choices

Option A

This evaluation question asks if any of the contents/items on the site will be significantly harmed/damaged before the the expected-to-be-developed technology comes into action.

Now this evaluation question is in line with our pre-thinking assumption which says the site will not undergo any change/damage till the time the new technology becomes available.

Let us put the answer to this evaluation question through the variance analysis.

No: The contents of the site will NOT significantly deteriorate before the anticipated technology is available
In that case our belief in the archaeologists’ decision to forgo the analysis now will be strengthened.

Yes: The contents of the site WILL significantly deteriorate before the anticipated technology is available
In that case our belief in the archaeologists’ decision to forgo the analysis now will be weakened.

This option passes the variance test and is the correct answer.

Option B

The question is a simple one.

The answer is also provided for in the passage. Refer to “It is likely that this technology will advance considerably in the near future”

The conclusion that we need to evaluate it – whether delaying the evaluation to the near future will maximize the potential for extracting information when it’s given (or taken as fact) that the technology will improve considerably in near future. Whether the technology improves beyond the that is not in the scope if this argument Hence, it is not the answer.

Option C

Let us say the team does decide to study another site in the meantime. Does that impact their plans for the newly excavated site? No. It still remains the same.

Hence, not the correct answer.

Option D

This is out of the scope of the argument. Anyways it is given that these archaeologists analyse ancient sites. Even if this site was not inhabited by any ancient culture, it will not impact my argument.

Hence, it is not the correct choice.

Option E
It is given that the anticipated technology will allow the archaeologists to gather more information. Hence, we cannot falsify this.

Hence, this is not the correct choice.