Through years of excavations and careful analysis of her finds around

Question

Through years of excavations and careful analysis
of her finds around Krasnyi Yar in Kazakhstan,
archaeologist Sandra Olsen has assembled what may
be evidence of the earliest known people to have
  (5)   domesticated and ridden horses, a momentous
development in human history. In remains of pit houses
of the Botai people, who inhabited this area some 
6,000 years ago, are large numbers of bones, 90 percent
of them from horses. It is not immediately evident
  (10)   whether the horses were wild or domesticated,
because unlike other animals such as dogs and sheep,
domestic horses’ bones are not morphologically
different from those of their wild counterparts. So
Olsen relies heavily on statistical tabulations of the
  (15)   Botai horses by sex and age at death, looking for
mortality patterns that might correlate with
expectations regarding domesticated herds or wild
victims of hunting.

Herders of domesticated animals used for meat or
  (20)   milk typically kill offall but a few males before they
are fully mature, but not the females, and archaeologists
have evidence ofa similar pattern for prehistoric goat
herding. At the Botai sites, however, Olsen has found
that most of the male horses were fully grown and
  (25)   slightly outnumber the females. One might suppose,
then, that they were wild rather than domesticated
animals; with many large animal species, hunters
would preferentially target adult males so as to
maximize size and meat yield. However, it is different
  (30)   with horses. Wild horses live in two types of groups:
families consisting of one stallion, six or so adult
females, and their young; and bachelor pods consisting
of a few males. The families stick together when
attacked, but the male groups tend to scatter, so to
  (35)   maximize success in hunting horses, one would target
the families. Thus, if the Botai had merely hunted
horses, Olsen argues, the proportion of adult male
bones should be lower. But if they were in domesticated
herds, why were the young males not culled, as would
  (40)   typically occur with, say, herds of goats? Olsen
reasons that if the Botai had indeed begun riding, they
would likely have kept males alive to ride.

Another clue that at least some of the horses may
have been domesticated and that some may have even
  (45)   been ridden is in the fact that their remains include
full skeletons, entire vertebral columns, and pelvises. It is
unreasonable to suppose that hunters dragged whole
1,000-pound carcasses back to their dwellings. Olsen
reasons that these were probably domesticated horses,
  (50)   together with, perhaps, some wild ones hunted and
transported using the power of domesticated horses.
A number of these nearly whole horse skeletons were
discovered buried in a carefully arranged pattern with
some of the only human remains yet found in the area,
  (55)   which further suggests a relationship to horses beyond
that of merely hunting them as a source of meat.    1 
 1. Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main point of the passage?

(A) Olsen's careful analysis of her finds in Kazakhstan illustrates the kinds of conclusions that archaeologists can draw based on a correlation between statistical information and expectations.
(B) Olsen's excavations and analysis of her finds in Kazakhstan indicate that horses played a critical role in Botai culture.
(C) Olsen's findings regarding bones excavated from ancient Botai dwellings provide evidence that the Botai people domesticated horses and may have ridden them.
(D) Olsen's findings regarding excavations from ancient Botai dwellings provide evidence confirming that the domestication of horses was a momentous development in human history.
(E) Olsen's findings regarding the excavation of horse skeletons and human remains from Botai dwellings suggest that horses were revered by the Botai people.

2 
 2. Which one of the following most accurately describes the author's attitude toward the conclusions that Olsen reaches?

(A) forthright advocacy
(B) implicit endorsement
(C) critical ambivalence
(D) reasoned skepticism
(E) general disagreement

3 
 3. Which one of the following could replace the word "beyond" in line 55 while least altering the meaning of the sentence in which it appears?

(A) basically parallel to
(B) more elusive than
(C) hard to grasp in relation to
(D) less clearly defined than
(E) more complex than

4 
 4. If the horse remains found at the Botai sites had consisted primarily of the bones of fully grown females and young males, the findings would have provided evidence for which one of the following hypotheses?

(A) The Botai targeted male pods when hunting horses.
(B) The Botai caught, trained, and rode only wild horses.
(C) The Botai had domesticated horses but did not ride them.
(D) The Botai had developed sources of food other than horses.
(E) The Botai incorporated the remains of horses into their cultural rituals.

5 
 5. Based on the discussion in the passage, the author would be most likely to agree with which one of the following statements?

(A) Developing mortality patterns based on an examination of excavated animal remains is always required in order to establish whether a prehistoric culture domesticated animals.
(B) An analysis of evidence at a particular archaeological site is not necessarily conclusive unless it is corroborated by evidence at similar archaeological sites from the same era.
(C) Any prehistoric culture that consciously arranges the bones of animals in complex patterns should be considered to have reached a high level of social organization.
(D) The interpretation of archaeological finds at prehistoric sites often requires a consideration of facts beyond those that can be determined from the excavated remains alone.
(E) The morphological differences between wild and domesticated prehistoric animals help to explain why some modern animals are more easily domesticated than others.

6 
 6. The reference by the author of the passage to the practices of herders of domesticated animals (lines 19-21) serves primarily as

(A) a point of comparison for reaching conclusions about the use of horses by the Botai
(B) an example of an earlier case that, like the Botai case, is inconsistent with accepted hypotheses concerning the domestication of horses
(C) a refutation of traditional beliefs and assumptions about Botai goat herding
(D) a simplification of a hypothesis about the relationship between humans and animals in cultures 6,000 years ago
(E) an analogy meant to clarify the facts known about the domestication of animals by the Botai 6,000 years ago

7 
 7. Which one of the following most accurately describes the organization of the passage?

(A) A set of findings is described and then various explanations of the findings are evaluated.
(B) A set of specific observations is enumerated and then a general conclusion is drawn from those observations.
(C) A general principle is presented and then examples of the application of the principle are given.
(D) A hypothesis is outlined and then a line of reasoning in support of that hypothesis is developed.
(E) A proposition is stated and then arguments both for and against the proposition are summarized.

8 
 8. Data from which one of the following sources would be most relevant to evaluating Olsen's hypothesis?

(A) tabulation of the number of butchered horse bones versus untouched horse bones in a Botai archaeological site
(B) tabulation of the number of sheep and goat bones versus the number of horse bones in a Botai archaeological site
(C) determination of the number of hunting tribes contemporary with the Botai as opposed to the number of modern hunting tribes in the same area
(D) analysis of mortality patterns in the remains of any other species of animal found at Botai sites
(E) analysis of the ratio of human remains to horse remains found in Botai ceremonial sites

RC Butler 2023  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 58 Date: 13-Mar-2023
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2023 .  Click here for Details

Source:   LSAT Official PrepTest 85   
 Difficulty Level: Will be updated after 50+ timer attempts

Putup577 · Answer

Can you please help to clarify questions no. 5 and 8 ?

Thank you in advance.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

5. Based on the discussion in the passage, the author would be most likely to agree with which one of the following statements?

Difficulty Level:   600

Explanation

The correct answer is (D)  The interpretation of archaeological finds at prehistoric sites often requires a consideration of facts beyond those that can be determined from the excavated remains alone.

The passage discusses how archaeologist Sandra Olsen has assembled evidence of the earliest known people to have domesticated and ridden horses. The evidence comes from the remains of the Botai people in Kazakhstan, where large numbers of horse bones were found in pit houses. Olsen uses statistical analysis to determine whether the horses were domesticated or wild, and she also considers other factors such as mortality patterns and the arrangement of horse and human remains.

Option (A)  is incorrect because the passage does not state that developing mortality patterns based on an examination of excavated animal remains is always required to establish whether a prehistoric culture domesticated animals. Rather, Olsen uses mortality patterns to determine whether the horses were wild or domesticated.

Option (B)  is incorrect because the passage does not discuss the need for evidence from similar archaeological sites to corroborate evidence from a particular site.

Option (C)  is incorrect because the passage does not state that any prehistoric culture that arranges animal bones in complex patterns should be considered to have reached a high level of social organization. Instead, the passage discusses the arrangement of horse and human remains at the Botai sites as evidence that some of the horses may have been domesticated and ridden.

Option (E)  is incorrect because the passage does not discuss the morphological differences between wild and domesticated prehistoric animals and how they relate to the ease of domestication of modern animals.

Answer: D

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

8. Data from which one of the following sources would be most relevant to evaluating Olsen's hypothesis?

Difficulty Level:   600

Explanation

Olsen's hypothesis is based on mortality patterns in the horse remains found at the site, so tabulating the number of butchered horse bones versus untouched horse bones would be most relevant to evaluating her hypothesis. If the mortality patterns suggest that the horses were butchered for meat, this would support the idea that they were not domesticated and ridden. On the other hand, if there are a large number of untouched horse bones, it would suggest that the horses were domesticated and kept for other purposes, such as riding.

Option B  is incorrect because it does not provide information on the mortality patterns in horse remains, which is the focus of Olsen's hypothesis.

Option C  is incorrect because it does not provide any information about the Botai people's relationship with horses.

Option D  is incorrect because Olsen's hypothesis is specific to horses, so analyzing other animal remains would not be relevant.

Option E  is incorrect because it is specific to ceremonial sites, which is not the focus of Olsen's hypothesis.

Answer: A

Danush649 · Answer

Sajjad1994 
can you explain the answer for qn.4
I chose A.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

4. If the horse remains found at the Botai sites had consisted primarily of the bones of fully grown females and young males, the findings would have provided evidence for which one of the following hypotheses?

Explanation

The passage describes the archaeological findings at the Krasnyi Yar in Kazakhstan, where Sandra Olsen has uncovered evidence of the Botai people, who inhabited the area 6,000 years ago, and who may have been the earliest known people to have domesticated and ridden horses. The passage explains that Olsen has analyzed large numbers of horse bones found in pit houses of the Botai people, and that she relies heavily on statistical tabulations of the Botai horses by sex and age at death to determine whether the horses were wild or domesticated. The passage also states that, unlike other domesticated animals such as goats, most of the male horses found at the Botai sites were fully grown and slightly outnumbered the females, which suggests that they were not hunted but were likely domesticated and used for riding.

The passage then poses a hypothetical scenario, asking what evidence the findings would have provided if the horse remains found at the Botai sites had consisted primarily of the bones of fully grown females and young males. Based on the information provided in the passage, the answer would be that this finding would support the hypothesis that the Botai had domesticated horses but did not ride them, as the presence of only young males would suggest that the Botai culled them for meat and did not keep them alive for riding purposes. Therefore, the correct answer is  (C)  The Botai had domesticated horses but did not ride them.

Answer  choice (A)  states that if the horse remains found at the Botai sites consisted primarily of the bones of fully grown females and young males, the findings would provide evidence that the Botai targeted male pods when hunting horses. However, the passage suggests that if the Botai had hunted horses, they would have likely targeted families rather than male groups, as families tend to stick together when attacked. Additionally, the passage states that the proportion of adult male bones at the Botai sites suggests that the horses were not hunted but were likely domesticated and used for riding. Therefore,  (A)  is not supported by the information in the passage, and is not a correct answer to the question posed.

Answer: C

Maniiiiii · Answer

please explain the reason behind, the option c as a answer, in question 1, but not option b

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. Which one of the following most accurately expresses the main point of the passage?

Explanation

A) Olsen's careful analysis of her finds in Kazakhstan illustrates the kinds of conclusions that archaeologists can draw based on a correlation between statistical information and expectations. 
This option is discussing the broader implications of Olsen's work and suggests that it demonstrates a general principle about how archaeologists can draw conclusions based on statistical information and expectations. However, while this idea is relevant to Olsen's work, it is not the main point of the passage. The main focus is on Olsen's specific findings about the domestication of horses by the Botai people.

B) Olsen's excavations and analysis of her finds in Kazakhstan indicate that horses played a critical role in Botai culture. 
This option is more specific than option A, as it refers to Olsen's specific findings about the role of horses in Botai culture. However, it is still not the most accurate choice. While Olsen's work does suggest that horses were important to the Botai people, the main point of the passage is about the evidence of horse domestication that she found, not just the role of horses in Botai culture more broadly.

C) Olsen's findings regarding bones excavated from ancient Botai dwellings provide evidence that the Botai people domesticated horses and may have ridden them.  
This option is the most accurate choice. It accurately summarizes the main point of the passage, which is about Olsen's evidence of horse domestication among the Botai people. It also notes that Olsen's work suggests that the Botai people may have ridden horses, which is an important detail.

D) Olsen's findings regarding excavations from ancient Botai dwellings provide evidence confirming that the domestication of horses was a momentous development in human history. 
This option is incorrect because it is too broad. While the domestication of horses is certainly a momentous development in human history, the passage is focused specifically on Olsen's evidence of horse domestication among the Botai people, not the broader implications of horse domestication for human history as a whole.

E) Olsen's findings regarding the excavation of horse skeletons and human remains from Botai dwellings suggest that horses were revered by the Botai people. 
This option is also incorrect because it is not the main point of the passage. While Olsen's work may suggest that the Botai people had a certain level of respect for horses, the main focus of the passage is on the evidence of horse domestication that Olsen found, not on the Botai people's attitudes towards horses.

Answer: C

justpd · Answer

Can you explain why D is right in Question 7. I chose A.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

7. Which one of the following most accurately describes the organization of the passage?

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

Option D  is correct because the passage follows a clear pattern of presenting a hypothesis and then developing a line of reasoning to support that hypothesis. Specifically, the hypothesis is that the Botai people were among the earliest known to have domesticated and ridden horses, and the passage presents evidence to support that hypothesis.

The passage describes the findings of Sandra Olsen's excavations around Krasnyi Yar in Kazakhstan and the large numbers of horse bones found there. Then, the passage discusses the difficulty of determining whether the horses were wild or domesticated, and Olsen's use of statistical tabulations of the Botai horses to identify mortality patterns. The passage then evaluates various explanations of the findings, including the possibility that the Botai people hunted wild horses, the possibility that they domesticated horses, and the possibility that they both hunted wild horses and domesticated some of them. Finally, the passage presents evidence to support the hypothesis that the Botai people domesticated and rode horses.

Option A  is incorrect because although the passage presents findings and explanations, it does not present a set of findings followed by various explanations of those findings. Rather, the explanations are presented in the context of developing a hypothesis.

Option B  is incorrect because although the passage presents specific observations, it does not simply enumerate them and then draw a general conclusion from them. Rather, the observations are presented in the context of developing a hypothesis.

Option C  is incorrect because while the passage presents a general principle (herders typically kill off all but a few males before they are fully mature), it does not simply present examples of the application of that principle. Rather, the principle is presented in the context of evaluating various explanations of the findings.

Option E  is incorrect because although the passage presents arguments both for and against the proposition that the Botai people domesticated and rode horses, it does not simply present a proposition followed by arguments for and against it. Rather, the arguments are presented in the context of developing a hypothesis.

Answer: D

MarkDavis12 · Answer

Sandra Olsen’s excavations at Krasnyi Yar, Kazakhstan, suggest the Botai people may have been the first to domesticate and ride horses around 6,000 years ago. Unlike typical hunting patterns, the Botai horse bones show more adult males, which wouldn’t make sense if they were hunting. This supports the idea of domestication—especially since young males were likely kept for riding. Full horse skeletons found near human remains also suggest a deeper bond, possibly even ceremonial, rather than just hunting.

Through years of excavations and careful analysis of her finds around

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

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

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

Through years of excavations and careful analysis of her finds around

Prep Toolkit

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

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards