Chaco Canyon, a settlement of the ancient Anasazi culture

Question

Chaco Canyon, a settlement of the ancient Anasazi culture in North America, had massive buildings.  It must have been a major Anasazi center . Analysis of wood samples shows that some of the timber for the buildings came from Chuska and San Mateo Mountains, 50 miles from Chaco Canyon.  Only a major cultural center would have the organizational power to import timber from 50 miles away.

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

(A) The first is premise used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is the argument's main conclusion.

(B) The first is the argument's main conclusion; the second is a premise used to support that conclusion.

(C) The first is one of the two premises used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is the other of those two premises.

(D) The first is premise used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is a premise used to support another conclusion drawn in the argument.

(E) The first is inferred from another statement in the argument; the second is inferred from the first.

ID - CR08471

Skywalker18 · Accepted Answer

Hi rohitkabra1987 ,
We can find the therefore test to find out which is the conclusion.
1 - CC must have been a major Anasazi center
2 - Only a major cultural center would have the organizational power to import timber from 50 miles away
Consider 2 scenarios -
- Is statement 2 because of statement 1 ? -- No
- Is statement 1 because of statement 2 ? -- Yes --> Thus 1 is conclusion

Hope this helps!!

Skywalker18 · Answer

Chaco Canyon, a settlement of the ancient Anasazi culture in North America, had massive buildings. It must have been a major Anasazi center. 
Analysis of wood samples shows that some of the timber for the buildings came from Chuska and San Mateo Mountains, 50 miles from Chaco Canyon.
 Only a major cultural center would have the organizational power to import timber from 50 miles away.

1st BF - Main conclusion
2nd BF- premise that supports 1st BF
Type - Boldface

(A) The first is premise used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is the argument's main conclusion. - Incorrect -1st BF itself is the main conclusion

(B) The first is the argument's main conclusion; the second is a premise used to support that conclusion. - Correct

(C) The first is one of the two premises used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is the other of those two premises.- Incorrect - 1st BF itself is the main conclusion

(D) The first is premise used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is a premise used to support another conclusion drawn in the argument. - Incorrect - 1st BF itself is the main conclusion

(E) The first is inferred from another statement in the argument; the second is inferred from the first. - Description of first is okay but second BF is not inferred from 1st BF

Answer B

rohitkabra1987 · Answer

Can anybody please explain why option A is incorrect . Thank you !

guptalavi24 · Answer

b for me

ask why to 1st BF- you get a reason- its a conclusion
ask why to 2nd BF- you do not get a reason- its not a conclusion

only b says this thing

arvind910619 · Answer

Imo B 
The first is the author's conclusion .The second statement substantiate the conclusion.

Anantz · Answer

Hi, is this a sound theory? Sorry have not seen this approach before.

KB04 · Answer

Chaco Canyon, a settlement of the ancient Anasazi culture in North America, had massive buildings.It must have been a major Anasazi center. Analysis of wood samples shows that some of the timber for the buildings came from Chuska and San Mateo Mountains, 50 miles from Chaco Canyon. Only a major cultural center would have the organizational power to import timber from 50 miles away.

Conclusion: It must have been a major Anasazi center.
Rest of the sentences provide reason for this conclusion that why it was a major Anasazi center. Because
1. Chaco Canyon, a settlement of the ancient Anasazi culture in North America, had massive buildings
2. Analysis of wood samples shows that some of the timber for the buildings came from Chuska and San Mateo Mountains, 50 miles from Chaco Canyon. 
3. Only a major cultural center would have the organizational power to import timber from 50 miles away.

A,C,D and E are out becuase BF1 is nither a premise nor an inferred from another statement.

B is correct.

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

(A) The first is premise used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is the argument's main conclusion.

(B) The first is the argument's main conclusion; the second is a premise used to support that conclusion.

(C) The first is one of the two premises used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is the other of those two premises.

(D) The first is premise used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is a premise used to support another conclusion drawn in the argument.

(E) The first is inferred from another statement in the argument; the second is inferred from the first.

AkshdeepS · Answer

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

BF 1 - Main conclusion

BF 2 - Supports BF 1

(A) The first is premise used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is the argument's main conclusion.
 
BF 1 is not a premise.

(B) The first is the argument's main conclusion; the second is a premise used to support that conclusion.

Correct

(C) The first is one of the two premises used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is the other of those two premises.
 
BF 1 is not a premise

(D) The first is premise used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is a premise used to support another conclusion drawn in the argument.

BF 1 is not an inference

(E) The first is inferred from another statement in the argument; the second is inferred from the first.

BF 1 and BF2 both are not an inference.

CAMANISHPARMAR · Answer

Conclusion:-
It must have been a major Anasazi center
Premise:-
Only a major cultural center would have the organizational power to import timber from 50 miles away.

So the first must say a conclusion and 2nd must say the premise
Analyze and eliminate wrong answer choices.
Answer choice B is the correct answer.

HimanshuW11 · Answer

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

(A) The first is premise used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is the argument's main conclusion.

(B) The first is the argument's main conclusion; the second is a premise used to support that conclusion.  Correct

(C) The first is one of the two premises used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is the other of those two premises.

(D) The first is premise used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is a premise used to support another conclusion drawn in the argument.

(E) The first is inferred from another statement in the argument; the second is inferred from the first.

iamvarunag · Answer

Hi,  Skywalker18  
Since a premise is a fact and not a claim, how is the second part of B correct (since it is a claim)?

hohaddict · Answer

I also got B, but out of process of elimination.
I was hung up on the second part of the answer.
I know BF2 is a claim.

By definition, a claim is a conclusion or opinion. 
And a premise is a fact/evidence.

How can BF2 be both a claim and a premise?

Sarjaria84 · Answer

Hi  hohaddict

I will try to answer your question.

Yes, the 2nd BF is a claim and can, therefore, be termed as a conclusion. However, here it is an IC (intermediate conclusion) as it helps us to reach/ leads us to the main conclusion, which is BF1.

If any sentence/s or part of the argument, even if a claim/ opinion, leads us to the main conclusion then that sentence/s is a premise.

Hope the above helped.

Thanks
Saurabh

unraveled · Answer

iamvarunag

The second Boldface becomes a premise for the first Boldface. Note that its a causal relationship here between BF2 ---> BF1 in that direction. BF1 is the main conclusion, BF2 intermediate conclusion that supports BF1.

I am assuming that you understood the argument fully. Premise is not necessarily a fact.

Hope this is helpful...!!

egmat · Answer

Understand the passage

Chaco Canyon, a settlement of the ancient Anasazi culture in North America, had massive buildings.

The author gives us information about Chaco Canyon which is a settlement of an ancient culture in North America. There were massive buildings in the settlement.

It must have been a major Anasazi center.

The author here speculates/opines that Chaco canyon must have been a prominent Anasazi center.

Analysis of wood samples shows that some of the timber for the buildings came from the Chuska and San Mateo mountains, 50 miles from Chaco Canyon.

The author gives another piece of information about Chaco Canyon’s buildings
He says that the wood samples when analyzed. Show that the timber for these buildings had come from the Chuska and San Mateo Mountains, 50 miles from Chaco Canyon.

Only a major cultural center would have the organizational power to import timber from 50 miles away.

The author reasons that only a prominent cultural settlement would have had the kind of infrastructure that must have been necessary to be able to import timber from such a distance away as 50 miles.

Conclusion:  Chaco Canyon, a settlement of the ancient Anasazi culture in North America, must have been a major Anasazi centre as is evident from the use of timber, imported from 50 miles away, for its buildings

Pre-thinking

1st Bold Face 
Role = the main conclusion of the argument

2nd Bold Face 
Role = intermediate conclusion
Relationship = acts as the premise/given as the reasoning behind the main conclusion

Overall 
BF2 supports BF1

(A) The first is premise used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is the argument's main conclusion.

The first is premise
No. It is the main conclusion of the argument
used to support the argument's main conclusion;
No. It itself is that conclusion
the second is the argument's main conclusion.
No. It is the intermediate conclusion
Thus, this choice is incorrect.

(B) The first is the argument's main conclusion; the second is a premise used to support that conclusion.

The first is the argument's main conclusion;
Yes
the second is a premise
Yes. An intermediate conclusion can be used as a premise.
used to support that conclusion.
Yes. It supports BF1
 Thus, this is the correct choice.

(C) The first is one of the two premises used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is the other of those two premises.

The first is one of the two premises
No. It is the conclusion
used to support the argument's main conclusion;
No. it itself is the main conclusion
the second is the other of those two premises
Yes. It is an intermediate conclusion acting as a premise that is used to support the main conclusion
Thus, this is not the correct choice.

(D) The first is premise used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is a premise used to support another conclusion drawn in the argument.
(D) The first is premise used to support the argument's main conclusion; the second is a premise used to support another conclusion drawn in the argument.

The first is premise
No. it is the main conclusion
used to support the argument's main conclusion;
No.
 the second is a premise
Yes. It can be called a premise
used to support another conclusion drawn in the argument
Yes. It supports the main conclusion in BF1
Thus, this is not the correct choice.

(E) The first is inferred from another statement in the argument; the second is inferred from the first.

The first is inferred
Yes. We can call a conclusion an inference
from another statement in the argument;
Yes. This conclusion can be inferred from BF2
 the second is inferred from the first.
No. The second statement is an inference but not inferred from BF1
Thus, this is not the correct choice.

aishu0091 · Answer

Please find the screenshot. Let me know if there is any gap.

dreamknight · Answer

Literal meaning of the word 'Premise' - an idea or theory on which a statement or action is based. So a 'Premise' can be a claim.

ADisHere · Answer

the reason why option E is wrong is because

the first part is absolutely flawless, it is indeed inferred from other statements
but saying that  the second is inferred from the first indicates that second is the main conclusion and first is IC. 
 hence it is incorrect!

Chaco Canyon, a settlement of the ancient Anasazi culture

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GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

Chaco Canyon, a settlement of the ancient Anasazi culture

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

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From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards