In Peru, ancient disturbances in the dark surface material of a desert show up as light-colored lines that are the width of a footpath and stretch for long distances. βββ βββββ ββ βββββ βββββββββ βββ ββββ ββββ ββββ β ββββββ βββββ βββββββ ββββ ββββββ βββββ ββββ ββββ β ββββ βββββ ββββ βββββββ ββββββββββββ βββ βββββ ββ βββ ββββββ ββ βββββββ ββββββ βββ βββββββββββββββββββ βββββββ ββ ββββββββββββ ββββββ ββββ ββββ βββββ ββββββ ββββ ββββ ββββ ββββββ βββββββ βββββββ βββ ββ βββ ββββ βββββ ββββ ββββ βββββββ ββββββ βββββ ββββ βββ βββββββββ ββββ βββββββββββ ββ β ββββββββ ββββββββ ββββ ββββ ββββββββ ββ ββ βββ ββ βββ ββββββ ββ ββ βββββββββββ ββββββ βββ
Although the stimulus contains an argument offered by an investigator, the question stem doesn't direct us to attack the argument found in the stimulus. Instead, the question stem asks us to weaken a different argument (the "objection") relating to the same facts. So let's start by understanding those facts.
The stimulus tells us about two groups of very long, footpath-like lines found in the Peruvian desert. The first group of lines is shaped like a sunburst, with many straight lines branching out from the same point. The second group of lines is curved and forms a large bird shape. The two groups cross over each other. Finally, an investigator claims that these lines are related to aliens because they wouldn't have been useful as roads.
As mentioned, the question stem asks us specifically to weaken an objection that's not actually found in the stimulus. This objection is in response to the possible interpretation of the lines as related to astronomy. The objection is that because the sunburst lines and the bird lines cross over each other, they must be unrelated.
Because of how the question stem is constructed, this is a double-edged question: to weaken the objection, we have to correspondingly strengthen the astronomy theory. We're looking for an answer choice that supports the theory that the two groups of lines are related to astronomy, and therefore to each other.
Analysis by AlexandraNash
For someone who interprets the βββββ ββ βββββββββ ββ ββββββββββββ ββββββββββ βββββ βββ ββ βββ ββββββββββ ββ βββββ ββββ βββββββββββ ββββββββ ββ βββββββββ ββββ βββ ββββββββ ββ βββ βββββββββββββ βββββββ ββββ βββ ββββ ββββββ βββββ ββββ βββ βββ βββββ ββ ββββ βββββββ ββββββ βββββββββ βββββββββ
In areas that ββββ βββββββββ ββ βββββββ ββββββ βββββ ββββββββ ββββββββ ββββββββββββ ββ ββββββ ββββ ββββ βββββ ββββ ββββ ββββββ βββββ ββββββββ βββββ βββββββββ ββ βββ ββββββ βββββββββ ββ ββββββββββββββ ββββββββββ βββββ
The straight lines βββ ββββββββββ ββββ βββββ βββββ ββ ββββββ ββ βββ βββββββ βββββ ββββββββββ ββββββββββββ ββββββ βββββ ββββ ββββ ββββββββ ββ βββββββ βββββββββ ββββββ βββ βββ ββββββ βββββ βββββββββ β ββββββββββββββ
The straight-line pattern ββ ββββ ββ β βββββ βββββββββ βββββββ ββ ββββββββ ββ βββββββββββββ ββββ ββββββββββ βββββββ ββββββ ββββ βββ ββββββββ
Native Central American βββββββββ ββββ ββ ββββ ββ βββ βββββ ββββ ββββββ βββββββββ ββββββββββββ βββββββββ ββββ ββββ ββββββββ ββ ββββββ
There is evidence ββββ βββ ββββ ββββββ βββ ββββ ββββ ββββββ βββ βββββββββββββ ββββββββ