Question 95·Medium·Inferences
At an archaeological dig in the inland hill town of Varu, researchers uncovered cooking pots bearing a distinctive "ladder" pattern—two parallel lines linked by short crossbars. In layers dated before the mid-third century, no ceramics at Varu display this pattern; after that point, several such pots appear. Elsewhere in the region, the motif is known only from the coastal city of Nema, where it is found consistently in earlier centuries. Trade records from the mid-third century document frequent visits by Neman caravans to Varu, but there is no evidence that Varu potters traveled to Nema. Thus, the archaeologists have concluded that _____
Which choice most logically completes the text?
For SAT Reading & Writing inference questions that ask which statement "most logically completes" a text, anchor yourself in the specific facts given (dates, locations, directions of travel, cause-and-effect words like "Thus"). First, summarize in your own words what the evidence shows (for example, where something appears first, when it appears elsewhere, and who is traveling where). Then quickly test each answer against those facts, crossing out any option that contradicts the timeline, the stated geography, or the movement described. Avoid choices that introduce new claims (like ideas being "widespread" or existing "long before") that are not clearly supported by the passage. The correct answer will be a straightforward, conservative conclusion that lines up with every detail given and,
Hints
Pay attention to time words and dating
Underline or note phrases that tell you when the ladder motif appears in Varu and when it is already present in Nema. How does the timing compare between the two towns?
Focus on the travel evidence
Look carefully at who is traveling where: which group is recorded as making visits, and which group is not? How does that affect the likely direction ideas or designs would move?
Use "Thus" as a clue
The word "Thus" signals that the conclusion must be directly based on all the earlier details (dates, locations, caravan records). Eliminate any answer that contradicts one of those specific facts.
Check for overgeneralizations
Be skeptical of choices that claim the motif was common "across many towns" or present "long before" contact if the passage only mentions specific places and dates. The correct answer will not go beyond what the passage supports.
Step-by-step Explanation
Track the timeline and locations
First, note where and when the ladder pattern appears.
- In Varu: No pots with the ladder pattern before the mid-third century; several pots with it after that point.
- In Nema: The motif is found consistently in earlier centuries.
- Elsewhere: The passage says the motif is known only from Nema (before it appears in Varu).
So the motif clearly appears in Nema first, then in Varu later.
Use the movement and travel information
Next, connect the motif’s spread to the travel evidence.
- Trade records from the mid-third century show frequent visits by Neman caravans to Varu.
- There is no evidence that Varu potters traveled to Nema.
This means objects and people from Nema are coming into Varu, but not the other way around, making it much more likely that any artistic idea would move from Nema to Varu, not from Varu to Nema.
Match the logical conclusion and eliminate mismatches
Ask: What general conclusion would archaeologists draw from (1) the motif existing earlier in Nema, (2) appearing in Varu only after contact begins, and (3) traffic flowing from Nema to Varu?
Now see which choices contradict this evidence:
- Any answer that says the motif started in Varu conflicts with the fact that it is seen in Nema earlier and not in early Varu layers.
- Any answer that says Varu had the motif long before contact conflicts with the detail that no early Varu ceramics show the pattern.
- Any answer that says the motif was widely used in many towns conflicts with the statement that, elsewhere in the region, it is known only from Nema.
The remaining choice should describe the motif appearing in Varu after and because of contact with Nema.
State the supported conclusion
The only answer that fits all the evidence is that potters at Varu adopted the ladder motif after exposure to Neman ceramics brought by visiting caravans. Nema used the pattern earlier, Neman caravans visited Varu starting in the mid-third century, Varu potters did not travel to Nema, and the motif appears in Varu only after those visits begin, which together support this direction of influence.