Last visit was: 18 Nov 2025, 20:14 It is currently 18 Nov 2025, 20:14
Home
GMAT
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Rewards
Chat
My Profile
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
Back to Forum
Create Topic
555-605 Level|   Must be True|         
User avatar
akela
User avatar
Joined: 30 Jan 2016
Last visit: 23 May 2023
Posts: 1,227
Own Kudos:
5,927
 [6]
Given Kudos: 128
Products:
My Reviews
Posts: 1,227
Kudos: 5,927
 [6]
The Levant—the area that borders the eastern Mediterranean-was heavily 28 Jul 2017, 09:17
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
5
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
00:00
Start Timer
Pause Timer
Resume Timer
Show Answer
Hide
Show
History
D
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

Difficulty:

25% (medium)

Question Stats:

79% (02:14) correct 21% (02:21) wrong based on 598 sessions

History

Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
The Levant—the area that borders the eastern Mediterranean-was heavily populated in prehistoric times. The southern Levant was abandoned about 6,000 years ago, although the northern Levant, which shared the same climate, remained heavily populated. Recently archaeologists have hypothesized that the sudden depopulation in the southern Levant was due to an economic collapse resulting from deforestation.

If the statements above are true and the archaeologists’ hypothesis is correct, which one of the following CANNOT be true?

(A) The sheep and goats herded by the peoples of the southern Levant until 6,000 years ago grazed extensively on the seedlings and saplings of indigenous tree species.

(B) Trees were used in the production of lime plaster, a building material used extensively throughout the southern Levant until 6,000 year ago.

(C) Organic remains from the northern Levant reliably indicate that tree species flourished there without interruption during the period when the southern Levant was being abandoned.

(D) Carbon dating of organic remains from the southern Levant reliably demonstrates that there were no forests present in that area prior to 6,000 years ago.

(E) Since there are few traces of either quarried stone or of mud brick in buildings excavated in the southern Levant, it is likely that the buildings built there prior to 6,000 years ago were made almost entirely of timber.

Source:LSAT
ShowHide Answer
Official Answer
D
User avatar
kumarparitosh123
User avatar
Joined: 02 Nov 2015
Last visit: 19 Dec 2018
Posts: 130
Own Kudos:
65
Given Kudos: 121
GMAT 1: 640 Q49 V29
GMAT 1: 640 Q49 V29
Posts: 130
Kudos: 65
The Levant—the area that borders the eastern Mediterranean-was heavily 28 Jul 2017, 09:54
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Imo D the strongest contender.
Rest all can be true due to one reason or another.


Sent from my Lenovo TAB S8-50LC using GMAT Club Forum mobile app
avatar
suryaaparna
avatar
Joined: 19 Jan 2014
Last visit: 25 Nov 2017
Posts: 30
Own Kudos:
4
Given Kudos: 42
Schools: Melbourne '20
GMAT 1: 670 Q45 V37
Schools: Melbourne '20
GMAT 1: 670 Q45 V37
Posts: 30
Kudos: 4
The Levant—the area that borders the eastern Mediterranean-was heavily 28 Jul 2017, 11:14
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Option D. It's confirmed through carbon dating that there were no forests present prior to 6000 years ago, and the confirmation cannot be true if South levant was abandoned only 6000 years ago.

Option E is the next contender, but the problem with E is the uncertainty projected by the answer choice. "It is likey" is never a strong option.

Posted from my mobile device
User avatar
nurba92
User avatar
Joined: 17 Jan 2016
Last visit: 06 Oct 2022
Posts: 67
Own Kudos:
21
Given Kudos: 144
Status:As cheeks from my insta feed say: soon...
Products:
My Reviews
Posts: 67
Kudos: 21
The Levant—the area that borders the eastern Mediterranean-was heavily 06 Aug 2019, 21:32
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
suryaaparna
Option D. It's confirmed through carbon dating that there were no forests present prior to 6000 years ago, and the confirmation cannot be true if South levant was abandoned only 6000 years ago.

Option E is the next contender, but the problem with E is the uncertainty projected by the answer choice. "It is likey" is never a strong option.

Posted from my mobile device
Show more

Doesn't E indicate that deforestation occured as buildings, likely, were made of timber?
if we are to infer that they used timber prior to the period of 6000 ago, and that usage led to deforestation, can't B also be a contender?
User avatar
Skywalker18
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 08 Dec 2013
Last visit: 15 Nov 2023
Posts: 2,039
Own Kudos:
9,960
Given Kudos: 171
Status:Greatness begins beyond your comfort zone
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Strategy
GPA: 3.2
WE:Information Technology (Consulting)
Products:
My Reviews
Posts: 2,039
Kudos: 9,960
The Levant—the area that borders the eastern Mediterranean-was heavily 06 Aug 2019, 22:18
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
nurba92
suryaaparna
Option D. It's confirmed through carbon dating that there were no forests present prior to 6000 years ago, and the confirmation cannot be true if South levant was abandoned only 6000 years ago.

Option E is the next contender, but the problem with E is the uncertainty projected by the answer choice. "It is likey" is never a strong option.

Posted from my mobile device

Doesn't E indicate that deforestation occured as buildings, likely, were made of timber?
if we are to infer that they used timber prior to the period of 6000 ago, and that usage led to deforestation, can't B also be a contender?
Show more

Hi nurba92,
We need a statement that CANNOT be true.
(D) Carbon dating of organic remains from the southern Levant reliably demonstrates that there were no forests present in that area prior to 6,000 years ago.-- If there were no forests present in the southern Levant, then how can an economic collapse be caused by deforestation? Statement D contradicts the last statement of the prompt.

Recently archaeologists have hypothesized that the sudden depopulation in the southern Levant was due to an economic collapse resulting from deforestation.

Hope this helps! :)
User avatar
nurba92
User avatar
Joined: 17 Jan 2016
Last visit: 06 Oct 2022
Posts: 67
Own Kudos:
21
Given Kudos: 144
Status:As cheeks from my insta feed say: soon...
Products:
My Reviews
Posts: 67
Kudos: 21
The Levant—the area that borders the eastern Mediterranean-was heavily 06 Aug 2019, 22:22
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Skywalker18
nurba92
suryaaparna
Option D. It's confirmed through carbon dating that there were no forests present prior to 6000 years ago, and the confirmation cannot be true if South levant was abandoned only 6000 years ago.

Option E is the next contender, but the problem with E is the uncertainty projected by the answer choice. "It is likey" is never a strong option.

Posted from my mobile device

Doesn't E indicate that deforestation occured as buildings, likely, were made of timber?
if we are to infer that they used timber prior to the period of 6000 ago, and that usage led to deforestation, can't B also be a contender?

Hi nurba92,
We need a statement that CANNOT be true.
(D) Carbon dating of organic remains from the southern Levant reliably demonstrates that there were no forests present in that area prior to 6,000 years ago.-- If there were no forests present in the southern Levant, then how can an economic collapse be caused by deforestation? Statement D contradicts the last statement of the prompt.

Recently archaeologists have hypothesized that the sudden depopulation in the southern Levant was due to an economic collapse resulting from deforestation.

Hope this helps! :)
Show more

thank you, skywalker, and thank you for your CR post
I just wanted to know how E is a contender
User avatar
robu1
User avatar
Joined: 08 Jul 2017
Last visit: 19 Apr 2021
Posts: 91
Own Kudos:
66
Given Kudos: 214
GMAT 1: 620 Q48 V29
GMAT 1: 620 Q48 V29
Posts: 91
Kudos: 66
The Levant—the area that borders the eastern Mediterranean-was heavily 04 Dec 2019, 01:16
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Skywalker18
nurba92
suryaaparna
Option D. It's confirmed through carbon dating that there were no forests present prior to 6000 years ago, and the confirmation cannot be true if South levant was abandoned only 6000 years ago.

Option E is the next contender, but the problem with E is the uncertainty projected by the answer choice. "It is likey" is never a strong option.

Posted from my mobile device

Doesn't E indicate that deforestation occured as buildings, likely, were made of timber?
if we are to infer that they used timber prior to the period of 6000 ago, and that usage led to deforestation, can't B also be a contender?

Hi nurba92,
We need a statement that CANNOT be true.
(D) Carbon dating of organic remains from the southern Levant reliably demonstrates that there were no forests present in that area prior to 6,000 years ago.-- If there were no forests present in the southern Levant, then how can an economic collapse be caused by deforestation? Statement D contradicts the last statement of the prompt.

Recently archaeologists have hypothesized that the sudden depopulation in the southern Levant was due to an economic collapse resulting from deforestation.

Hope this helps! :)
Show more

How C can be true?
User avatar
sharathnair14
User avatar
Joined: 05 May 2019
Last visit: 27 May 2020
Posts: 162
Own Kudos:
357
 [1]
Given Kudos: 221
Schools: LBS '25 ISB '25 Manchester'26 Stern '26 Tuck '26 INSEAD Aug'24 intake Yale '26 Kellogg '26 Wharton '26
GPA: 3
Schools: LBS '25 ISB '25 Manchester'26 Stern '26 Tuck '26 INSEAD Aug'24 intake Yale '26 Kellogg '26 Wharton '26
Posts: 162
Kudos: 357
 [1]
The Levant—the area that borders the eastern Mediterranean-was heavily 04 Dec 2019, 04:53
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
RastogiSarthak99 robu1
robu1


How C can be true?
Show more

(C) Organic remains from the northern Levant reliably indicate that tree species flourished there without interruption during the period when the southern Levant was being abandoned.
It talks about the Northern Part of Levant, which was unaffected, according to the passage.
Being a little extra careful while reading answer choices will help you eliminate the wrong choices. If the option said The Southern Levant instead, it would have been a choice as good as D. Perfect example of a trap set by the test makers. Be wary of such options.
User avatar
adarsh1508
User avatar
Joined: 25 Dec 2022
Last visit: 21 Jul 2025
Posts: 10
Own Kudos:
1
 [1]
Given Kudos: 12
Posts: 10
Kudos: 1
 [1]
The Levant—the area that borders the eastern Mediterranean-was heavily 09 Feb 2025, 07:00
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Premise 1: southern Levant was abandoned about 6,000 years ago
Premise 2: Northern Levant which has same climate, remained populated

Conclusion: Southern Levant was abandoned due to economic collapse from deforestation

The sheep and goats herded by the peoples of the southern Levant until 6,000 years ago grazed extensively on the seedlings and saplings of indigenous tree species. - This could be a possible TRUE scenario which could have led to deforestation due to grazing.

(B) Trees were used in the production of lime plaster, a building material used extensively throughout the southern Levant until 6,000 year ago. - This could be a possible TRUE scenario which could have led to deforestation due to extensive usage for production of lime plaster.

(C) Organic remains from the northern Levant reliably indicate that tree species flourished there without interruption during the period when the southern Levant was being abandoned. - This just supports the claim above where Southern Levant faced depopulation due to deforestation and Northern Levant didn’t

(D) Carbon dating of organic remains from the southern Levant reliably demonstrates that there were no forests present in that area prior to 6,000 years ago. - This makes sense. If there was no forest present in the first place then how would deforestation occur. This statement has to be NOT TRUE for the stimulus to be TRUE.

(E) Since there are few traces of either quarried stone or of mud brick in buildings excavated in the southern Levant, it is likely that the buildings built there prior to 6,000 years ago were made almost entirely of timber. - Shell Game, test makers want you to choose this option even though there is no support for it as it brings another scenario which could have been the cause to deforestation.
Moderators:
GMATNinja
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7445 posts
GMATNinjaTwo
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
234 posts
miag
188 posts