SAT OwlChurch records state that the parish church of St. Aldric was built in 1420. When researchers used tree rings to date its oak roof beams, however, they found that the trees had been cut down between 1338 and 1345. Builders at the time almost always worked oak soon after felling, while the wood was still soft enough to shape easily. Several of the beams also contain peg holes that do not line up with any joint in the church's roof. Together, these findings suggest that ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
the church records give the wrong date for the church's construction.
the oak trees grew unusually slowly in the decades before they were cut.
builders in the 1400s preferred oak that had dried for many decades.
the beams were probably taken from an older building and reused in the church.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D
The beams came from trees cut about 80 years before 1420, builders normally used oak soon after cutting it, and some beams have peg holes that match nothing in this roof. All three facts point to beams that served in an earlier building, choice D.
Choice A is the tempting shortcut. The peg holes that match no joint in the roof point to reuse, which explains the early dates without assuming the records are wrong.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. The unused peg holes point to beams taken from an earlier structure, which explains the early dates while leaving the 1420 record intact.
- B. The tree rings were used to date when the trees were cut. How fast they grew is never discussed.
- C. The text says builders almost always worked oak soon after felling, which contradicts a preference for long-dried oak.
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