GMAT Paper Set 19

[Samy]

Q14:
Yeasts capable of leavening bread are widespread, and in the many centuries during
which the ancient Egyptians made only unleavened bread, such yeasts must frequently
have been mixed into bread doughs accidentally. The Egyptians, however, did not
discover leavened bread until about 3000 B.C. That discovery roughly coincided with
the introduction of a wheat variety that was preferable to previous varieties because its
edible kernel could be removed from the husk without first toasting the grain.

Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest evidence that the two
developments were causally related?

A. Even after the ancient Egyptians discovered leavened bread and the techniques for
reliably producing it were well known, unleavened bread continued to be widely
consumed.
B. Only when the Egyptians stopped the practice of toasting grain were their stonelined
grain-toasting pits available for baking bread.
C. Heating a wheat kernel destroys its gluten, a protein that must be present in order
for yeast to leaven bread dough.
D. The new variety of wheat, which had a more delicate flavor because it was not
toasted, was reserved for the consumption of high officials when it first began to
be grown.
E. Because the husk of the new variety of wheat was more easily removed, flour
made from it required less effort to produce.

Can u please explain for approach for these category of questions.
Also can you analyze this one for me.
Thanks.

[dbernst]

Samy,

I am happy to offer you my analysis (and I will), but I also want to ensure that you are developing a consistent process to attack these problems. Please reply with some insight into what is your primary area of concern (diagramming? identifying the conclusion? process of elimination? something else?). Additionally, following my analysis of the text, I want you (or another forum reader) to reply with what you believe to be the best answer and explain why you have made this choice.

Analysis of text: In this argument, the author concludes that the discovery of leavened bread in Egypt and the introduction of the preferable wheat variety mentioned in the text were causally related. The only facts we know about this new wheat is that its edible kernel could be removed from the husk WITHOUT first toasting the grain (thus implying that previous strains of wheat WERE TOASTED to remove the edible kernel). Thus, something about not toasting the grain made the process of leavening possible.

Diagram:

P: Yeasts for leavening present BUT only unleavened bread.
P: Year 3000 B.C.
1. Leavened bread "discovered"
2. New Wheat: no toasting for kernel
C: Events 1 & 2 causally related

I know it's a teaser, but that's all you get! Now it's your turn to do some analysis. Remember, your job is to choose the answer that best supports the conclusion that these circumstances were causally related. I look forward to your response!

-dan

Yeasts capable of leavening bread are widespread, and in the many centuries during
which the ancient Egyptians made only unleavened bread, such yeasts must frequently
have been mixed into bread doughs accidentally. The Egyptians, however, did not
discover leavened bread until about 3000 B.C. That discovery roughly coincided with
the introduction of a wheat variety that was preferable to previous varieties because its
edible kernel could be removed from the husk without first toasting the grain.

Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest evidence that the two
developments were causally related?

A. Even after the ancient Egyptians discovered leavened bread and the techniques for
reliably producing it were well known, unleavened bread continued to be widely
consumed.
B. Only when the Egyptians stopped the practice of toasting grain were their stonelined
grain-toasting pits available for baking bread.
C. Heating a wheat kernel destroys its gluten, a protein that must be present in order
for yeast to leaven bread dough.
D. The new variety of wheat, which had a more delicate flavor because it was not
toasted, was reserved for the consumption of high officials when it first began to
be grown.
E. Because the husk of the new variety of wheat was more easily removed, flour
made from it required less effort to produce.

Can u please explain for approach for these category of questions.
Also can you analyze this one for me.
Thanks.

[Samy]

Thanks. I am trying to perfect my approach to attack all the types of questions asked on CR.

My analysis

The earlier varieties added a different type of wheat that did require toasting. The ancient Egyptians did not realize this earlier and therefore even though they used yeast, they did not get leavened bread. Now with the new variety they do not require to toasting and so we get leavened bread.

A: Does not agree with the premise. It is contradicting the introduction of leavened bread.
B: They did not toast the grain earlier and that's the reason they did not get leavened bread. Also this choice introduces a new element towards the end that is not relevant.
C: Bingo!! If that is the case it explains both sides of the argument. First that earlier varieties had yeasts capable of leavening bread but the bread was unleavened because the yeast/wheat was not heated. Now with the discovery of the new wheat that does not require heating we get leavened bread.
D: Irrelevant, because we are not talking about what was reserved for the consumption of whom.
E: Irrelevant, removing the husk was easier does not figure in the discussion at all.

[dbernst]

Samy,

Great job! You correctly eliminated answer choices A, D, and E, all of which have no bearing on the argument. Although choice B appears okay at first glance, it is actually an "attractive distractor" (i.e. trick answer). Answer B does not provide a reason why this new strain of bread made the discovery of leavening possible. As you stated, answer choice C, the best response, directly links these two issues together.

Isn't it amazing how the GMAT is so simple once you cut through all the BS :-)

-dan