The Two Construction Periods at Aztec, New Mexico as Indicated by the Modern Tree-Ring

Reading Passage Question

The two construction periods at Aztec, New Mexico as indicated by the modern tree-ring dating are corroborated nicely by other evidence found by archaeologist Earl H. Morris in the 1920’s that Aztec actually was built by one group of people, abandoned, and then reoccupied at a later date by a slightly different group of people.Throughout all the rooms he dug during his early 20th century excavations, Morris found sterile layers of windblown sand and ruined debris from falling walls and ceilings.In this debris and under the sand, he found Chaco-like pottery and artifacts.In addition there were surprisingly few burial sites.Even today, archeologists have located few Chaco-type burials in Chaco Canyon itself.Whatever the burial customs of the Chaco people may have been, they have eluded archeologists for many decades.The absence of burials of this period at Aztec is a clue that probably a group of Chaco-like people, bearing the distinctive Chaco culture, may actually have moved into the Aztec area.

Granting that the local sandstone was not quite as easily worked as that at Chaco, the large-size rooms, the high ceilings, the banded-veneer masonry walls, the large doorways, and other techniques used were very similar to the architectural techniques of the Chaco area.Overlying the Chaco debris and sterile sand layers, Morris found pottery, household utensils, and burials characteristic of the classic Mesa Verde Period—a period which occurred later than the great Chaco Period.In addition, there were obvious architectural signs of rebuilding and remodeling within the pueblo.Large Chaco-type rooms had been made smaller by wattle-and-daub partition walls, while doorways had been shortened and narrowed more like the ones at Mesa Verde.Thus there were two definite periods of occupation at Aztec, one by a Chaco-like people and one by a Mesa Verde-type people.

“The two construction periods at Aztec, New Mexico as indicated by the modern tree-ring”- is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.

This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 4 comprehension questions. The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for the purpose of testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analyzing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Solution and Explanation

1. The author of the passage likely mentions both Morris and the tree-ring dates in order to

1. Explain how both natural and man-made evidence contributes to debunking a myth about a particular site.
2. Describe how the later remodeling of Aztec was in the Mesa Verde-style.
3. Challenge the idea that the Mesa Verde people preceded the Chaco people at Aztec.
4. Bolster his/her own argument through both recently discovered and historical evidence.
5. Prove that only the Chaco and Mesa Verde people lived at Aztec.

2. The author is primarily concerned with

1. Refuting a misconception with specific support
2. Describing the findings of an archaeologist with whom the author partially agrees
3. Stating a theory and providing support for it
4. Reframing the timeline for the habitation of a historical site
5. Arguing for the existence of different cultures

3. Which of the following is implied about the Aztec site?

1. It was not extensively excavated until the 1920’s.
2. Its population was a mix of Chaco and Mesa Verde peoples.
3. Aztec was uninhabited by the end of the Mesa Verde period.
4. The Mesa Verde people did not take most of their possessions with them when they abandoned the site.
5. The Aztec site excavated under Morris was expected to have more burial sites than found.

4. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

1. The pottery belonging to the Chaco period was distinctively different from that belonging to the Mesa Verde period.
2. The Chaco people died out before the Mesa Verde people did.
3. The dwellings of the Chaco Canyon were more intimate in size than those of the Mesa Verde people.
4. The burial customs of the Mesa Verde people are also unknown.
5. The Aztec people never actually lived in Aztec, New Mexico.

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