Question

The argument that southwest Britain was a major contributor to Bronze Age tin supplies depends on which of the following assumptions?

• A. The presence of British tin in a few shipwrecks implies regular and large-scale export activity.
• B. Mediterranean civilisations lacked their own local sources of tin during the Bronze Age.
• C. Trade between Britain and the Mediterranean must have been bilateral and continuous over centuries.
• D. The shipwrecks discovered to date are representative of the broader patterns of Bronze Age maritime trade.
• E. All tin used in Bronze Age Europe and the Mediterranean was transported by sea rather than overland routes.

Hint:

In boldface questions, first identify the main conclusion of the argument. Then, determine the relationship of each boldfaced statement to that conclusion. Is it evidence for the conclusion? Is it the conclusion itself? Is it an opposing viewpoint? Is it a consideration that the author must address?

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept
This is an Assumption question. An assumption is an unstated premise that is required for the argument's conclusion to be valid. The argument makes a leap from limited evidence to a broad conclusion. The assumption must bridge that gap.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation


Evidence: British tin found in a few shipwrecks.
Conclusion: Britain was a *major contributor* to Bronze Age tin supplies.
The Gap: How do we get from "a few examples" to "a major contributor"? The author must be assuming that these few discovered examples are not just isolated, rare occurrences, but are instead indicative of a much larger, common practice.
Let's analyze the options:

(A) This is a restatement of the conclusion, not the underlying assumption. The assumption is *why* the presence implies large-scale activity.
(B) This would strengthen the argument, but it's not strictly necessary. Britain could be a major contributor even if other minor local sources existed.
(C) "Bilateral and continuous" is too specific. The trade could have involved intermediaries and might have had interruptions.
(E) The argument is about Britain being a major contributor, regardless of the specific transport method. Proving some was transported by sea doesn't depend on assuming all was.
(D) This is the correct assumption. The author is using the shipwreck discoveries as a sample of evidence. For the conclusion about the entire "Bronze Age maritime trade" to hold, the sample must be "representative" of the whole. If the discovered shipwrecks were somehow unusual or atypical, the conclusion would fall apart. This option perfectly bridges the gap between the limited evidence and the broad conclusion.
Step 3: Final Answer
Option (D) states the necessary assumption that the sample of evidence (the discovered shipwrecks) is representative of the larger phenomenon (all Bronze Age trade).