Reading Comprehension: Application Questions

Which of the following statements would provide the most logical continuation of the final paragraph?

Incorrect.

[[snippet]]

This answer choice defends Professor Crone's arguments. Since the author of the passage thinks that Professor Crone's arguments are unconvincing, she or he would not include a sentence that supports her theory.

Incorrect.

[[snippet]]

This answer choice weakens, rather than supports, the author's claim that Professor Crone's argument is unconvincing; it does not fit the gist of the paragraph.

Correct!

[[snippet]]

This answer choice supports the idea that these early mosques were meant to face Mecca, which further weakens Professor Crone's theory.

Incorrect.

[[snippet]]

Although this answer choice weakens Professor Crone's theory, there is an answer choice which constitute a better continuation of the last sentence of the paragraph. Look for it!

Incorrect.

[[snippet]]

The last sentence of the paragraph states that mosques facing northwest Arabia are not sufficient proof of Professor Crone's theory. Finding more of these mosques will not change the author's opinion of Professor Crone's theory, so this is unlikely to be his or her recommendation.

Therefore, only by finding more mosques facing northwest Arabia can Professor Crone prove her theory.

Furthermore, no hoards of trading goods were found in northwest Arabia.

However, some archeologists believe that these early mosques were not altered but built according to plan.

Architectural plans for these early mosques have been discovered which show that their planners intended for them to face towards Mecca and not northwest Arabia.

Still, questioning Professor Crone's logic without hard evidence does not disprove her theory.