Which of the following most logically completes the argument?
Utrania was formerly a major petroleum exporter, but in recent decades economic stagnation and restrictive regulations inhibited investment in new oil fields. In consequence, Utranian oil exports dropped steadily as old fields became depleted. Utrania's currently improving economic situation, together with less-restrictive regulations, will undoubtedly result in the rapid development of new fields. However, it would be premature to conclude that the rapid development of new fields will result in higher oil exports, because __________.
Which of the following most logically completes the argument?
Utrania was formerly a major petroleum exporter, but in recent decades economic stagnation and restrictive regulations inhibited investment in new oil fields. In consequence, Utranian oil exports dropped steadily as old fields became depleted. Utrania's currently improving economic situation, together with less-restrictive regulations, will undoubtedly result in the rapid development of new fields. However, it would be premature to conclude that the rapid development of new fields will result in higher oil exports, because __________.
Archaeologists using a remote-controlled submarine to excavate an ancient shipwreck deep in the Mediterranean have been able to recover several objects from the site of the wreck. By chemically dating the ship's timbers and examining other objects, such as coins, the archaeologists estimated that the ship was wrecked in the fifth century A.D. However, the submarine has also recovered from the site some large olive oil jars that cannot be from before the eighth century A.D.
Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest basis for explaining the apparent discrepancy in the dates cited?