An anthropological survey in the Vashland peninsula unearthed fragment

Question

An anthropological survey in the Vashland peninsula unearthed fragments of fossilized wood and pieces of sharpened flint dating back two million years. Analysis of the findings showed that the flint had been sharpened by striking it with quartzite, the most common type of stone in the Vashland peninsula.

Which of the following, if true, would, taken into consideration with the above information, provide the best basis for the claim that the flint and wood fragments are proof that early hominids used relatively complex stone and wood tools?

A. The quartzite is used as a building material by the present-day inhabitants of Vashland peninsula.
B. Landslides can cause flint to be struck by quartzite.
C. The flint and wood fragments were found in several discrete layers of metamorphic stone that contained fossilized traces of plant resin known to have been used as an adhesive agent by early hominids.
D. Apart from the Vashland discovery, there is reliable evidence that early hominids used relatively complex stone and wood tools as early as one million years ago.
E. The flint fragments were analyzed by anthropologists to determine the exact area of the Vashland peninsula they had been mined from.

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paragw · Answer

Finding sharpened flint + fossilized wood doesn’t automatically prove tool use. It could be natural (e.g., landslides striking flint). To prove  complex tool use , we need evidence of  intentional modification + assembly  (like adhesives, layering, or repeated patterns).

A. Quartzite is used as a building material today. 
 
 Irrelevant. Present-day use doesn’t prove ancient hominid tool use.  
 B. Landslides can cause flint to be struck by quartzite. 
 
 Weakens the claim. Suggests a natural explanation, not intentional tool-making.  
 C. Flint and wood fragments were found in discrete layers of metamorphic stone containing fossilized plant resin known to have been used as adhesive by early hominids. 
 
 Strong support. Adhesive use = deliberate assembly of stone + wood → complex tool-making. This directly bridges the gap.  
 D. Reliable evidence exists elsewhere that hominids used complex tools 1 million years ago. 
 
 Provides background, but doesn’t prove  this  discovery is evidence. It’s supportive context, not direct proof.  
 E. Flint fragments were analyzed to determine their mining origin. 
 
 Interesting, but doesn’t prove complexity. Mining origin ≠ evidence of tool assembly.

Hence,  C

Dereno · Answer

An anthropological survey landed on a region in Vashland peninsula (vp) and unearthed fragments of fossilized wood and pieces of sharpened flint dating back two million years.

so, the pieces got are dating back to 2 mya.

Upon further analysis, the flint stone is found to be sharpened by striking it with Quartzite.

This stone Quartzite is the common stone of vp.

We need to find an information, that acts as a proof - flint and wood fragments are proof that early hominids used relatively complex stone and wood tools.

A. The quartzite is used as a building material by the present-day inhabitants of Vashland peninsula.

We are not concerned with whether present day Vashland peninsula inhabitants use these quartzite stone. We want it to be related to hominids. Hence, Wrong.

B. Landslides can cause flint to be struck by quartzite.

Even though, geological process can lead to this aspect. Is this helpful to relate Quartzite with hominids. No. Thus, irrelevant to the context. Wrong. It’s a weakener.

C. The flint and wood fragments were found in several discrete layers of metamorphic stone that contained fossilized traces of plant resin known to have been used as an adhesive agent by early hominids.
 
Even though, the wood fragments and flint have been found in different layers of metamorphic stone, making us to doubt the timeline. The fossilised traces of plant resin seen on these tools make us believe that hominids have used these tools. As, the option claims the plant resin has been used by hominids.

so, the glue acts like a linking gap between these two pieces. Hence, correct answer.

D. Apart from the Vashland discovery, there is reliable evidence that early hominids used relatively complex stone and wood tools as early as one million years ago.

This option speaks about the Complex tools hominids have been using before 1 million years ago. But, the timeline is specific to 2 million years ago. Which doesn’t address it. Hence, wrong.

E. The flint fragments were analyzed by anthropologists to determine the exact area of the Vashland peninsula they had been mined from.

This is a common aspect of any archeological excavation studies. Hence, out of scope. Wrong.

Option C

CLStudyAbroad · Answer

Please find the response below: 
 
Here’s what’s going on: 
 
Researchers found fossilized wood, some flint that was sharpened a couple of million years ago, and flint shaped with quartzite. They’re trying to prove early hominids didn’t just pick up rocks and sticks—they actually made pretty advanced tools out of stone and wood. To make that case, they need proof that these objects weren’t just broken in random ways. They need signs of real, intentional toolmaking—especially tools made from more than one material. 
 
That’s where (C) comes in. It says they found these fragments in layers with fossilized plant resin, and early hominids used that resin as glue. Glue! So now you’re not just looking at a rock and a stick—you’re looking at someone putting them together on purpose, making a composite tool. That’s way more advanced than just sharpening a rock. It’s deliberate, it’s creative, and it really does show complexity. 
 
The rest of the choices fall flat: 
 
(A) Today’s use of quartzite doesn’t matter for what happened two million years ago. 
 
(B) Landslides? That just makes the toolmaking look like an accident—not what we’re after. 
 
(D) Evidence from somewhere else doesn’t prove these particular fragments were tools. 
 
(E) The source of the wood doesn’t tell you anything about how complex the tools were. 
 
Bottom line: If you want to prove early hominids made complex tools, you need signs of materials being combined on purpose. Only (C) clearly points to that.

egmat · Answer

What the Stimulus Tells Us: 
- Sharpened flint and wood fragments found ( 2  million years old)
- Flint was sharpened by striking with quartzite
- Quartzite is common in that area

The Gap We Need to Fill: 
The stimulus shows flint was sharpened, but  this alone doesn't prove hominids did it intentionally . Nature can sharpen rocks too (landslides, etc.). Also, just because wood and flint were found together doesn't mean they were USED together as a "complex tool."

Why C is Correct: 
Answer C tells us:
-  Plant resin (an adhesive/glue)  was found in the same geological layers
- This resin is  known  to have been used by early hominids

Here's the key insight:  Why would you need glue with sharpened stone and wood?

To ATTACH them together  - like making a spear (stone tip + wooden shaft + adhesive to bind them).

This transforms the evidence from "random artifacts found near each other" into "components of an assembled tool."  That's  what makes it a " relatively complex " tool - multiple materials intentionally joined together.

Why Other Answers Fail:

(A)  What present-day inhabitants do with quartzite is  irrelevant  to what happened  2  million years ago.

(B)  This actually WEAKENS the argument by providing a natural explanation for how flint could be sharpened without hominid involvement.

(D)  Evidence from a different time and place doesn't prove THIS specific finding. We need evidence about THESE artifacts.

(E)  Knowing where the flint was mined tells us nothing about whether it was used as a tool.

Answer: C

In Strengthen questions, you can look for the answer that bridges the gap between evidence and conclusion. Here, the gap was proving that separate artifacts were actually combined into a complex tool - and the adhesive provides exactly that connection.

ExpertsGlobal5 · Answer

Video explanation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYmxp_u7uUQ

An anthropological survey in the Vashland peninsula unearthed fragment

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