Question

The author's argument concerning the effect of the official sale of duplicate artifacts on illegal excavation is based on which of the following assumptions?

• A. Computers could be used to trace sold artifacts.
• B. Prospective purchasers would prefer to buy authenticated artifacts.
• C. Illegal excavators would be forced to sell only duplicate artifacts.
• D. Money gained from selling authenticated artifacts could be used to investigate and prosecute illegal excavators.

Answer 1

The correct option is B Prospective purchasers would prefer to buy authenticated artifacts.

B is the best answer. The author's argument concerning the effect of the official sale of duplicate artifacts on illegal excavation appears in lines 74-75, in which the author predicts that such official sale would reduce demand for “the clandestine product.” The rhetorical question that follows (lines 76-80) indicates that the author finds it unlikely that any purchaser would prefer objects of unknown provenance to objects of known origin, or, to rephrase, the author assumes that most people would prefer to purchase objects of authenticated provenance, as this choice states.