June 2016 LSAT Section 4 Question 16
With which one of the following statements about the society in which the clay tokens were used would Schmandt-Besser...

1 Reply

Victoria on July 6, 2019
Hi @samxinghaoli,A is incorrect because it is too far of a leap to make. There are three main issues with answer choice A:
1) The passage solely tells us that villagers contributed to "temple-based grain and livestock pools." While it does mention that there was a rise in industry in 4000 BC, this is not sufficient to conclude that there were multiple economic activities that were managed by a governmental authority.
2) Contributions to "grain and livestock pools" sound more like a social safety net than a trade system.
3) We know that the pools were "temple-based." This sounds more like a temple-by-temple regional religious authority than a centralized governmental authority.
In comparison, D is supported by lines 38 to 40 which state that "the token system...was replaced...by a system of clay tablets." The use of the word 'replaced' implies that the token system was outdated or redundant and was replaced by a superior model. In addition to this, lines 46 to 53 outline how the tokens evolved to the tablets. As opposed to using two ovoid tokens, the tablet system allowed the society to convey the same message using two, eventually three, markings. This reduces redundancies as the communication now requires one tablet as opposed to two identical tablets.
When going through reading passages, make sure that you are not filling in your own assumptions and interpretations. We can only draw conclusions based on the information that is provided to us in the passage.
Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any further questions.