Barley was the first grain to be cultivated by the ancient Egyptians. There is ample evidence that barley was baked into loaves that were fermented to make beer. There is, however, no indication that Egyptians of that period ever ate loaves of barley or that they cooked barley to make any other food. Since the possibility that they consumed barley raw can be safely dismissed, it seems probable that at one period the ancient Egyptians consumed cultivated grain in the form of beer only.

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

A The first introduces the circumstance, the explanation of which is at issue in the argument; the second is an assumption that is explicitly made in drawing the conclusion of the argument.
B The first introduces the circumstance, the explanation of which is at issue in the argument; the second is evidence that was used to support a position to which the argument is opposed.
C The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion; the second introduces a phenomenon that the argument seeks to explain.
D The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion; the second states a hypothesis that the argument as a whole seeks to refute.
E The first provides evidence to support the main conclusion; the second is a statement that is explicitly rejected in drawing that conclusion.
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