How will the right answer fit in terms of support and conclusion?

Only the right answer will add support for the conclusion. Gotta love a prompt that’s obvious about what it’s asking.

Highlight the main conclusion in the passage, if there is one:

this discvoery effectively disproves the widespread belief that the humanlike precursors of Homo sapiens were entirely gatherers and scavengers and did not hunt.

[BACKGROUND]. Since [SUPPORT], [CONCLUSION].

The conclusion brings in a whole group of new words/ideas that aren’t mentioned anywhere else. All of a sudden it’s about “gatherers and scavengers who did not hunt”, so I hope you recognize that the author changed the subject. The right answer has to spell out the connection between “this discovery” and the author concluding that these pre-historic folks were hunters.

Map the wording of the answers to the wording of the passage:

(A) …for self-defense or to cut or transport scavenged carcasses.

How does the author know the “sharpened wooden poles” were for hunting? This answers calls out that assumption pretty nicely, so pump the brakes if you thought this was irrelevant. The use of the poles is absolutely key to the author’s reasoning, so this answer actually maps beautifully. If the poles aren’t for these other uses, it’s more likely that the author is right to suggest they were for hunting.

(B) …known to have used stones and wooden sticks as tools…

First of all, this changes the wording from the passage in a way that leaves us having to assume it’s still talking about the same “sharpened wooden poles”. We’re not allowed to add in our own assumptions. Also, if you think about it this might actually weaken the author’s conclusion.

(C) …evolved from humanlike precursors at least 200,000 years earlier…

Cool story. But the passage doesn’t care about when they “evolved”, only when they arrived to “inhabit Europe”.

(D) …developed widely divergent patterns of behavior…

Who cares? This is so broad and vague, you’d definitely have to add in more of your own reasoning to connect this to the conclusion about whether they were hunters. If you’re picking this kind of answer, I think you’re misunderstanding what this test is expecting from you. Check the wording of the document, don’t just pick the one that “makes the most sense” to you.

(E) …did not abandon scavenging and gathering.

Whether they hunted and gathered or only did one at a time is totally irrelevant. This info doesn’t connect “this discovery” to the conclusion about whether they were hunters.

(A) is the correct answer.

Common pattern/s in this question: They disguised the right answer a little to make this one harder, but you’re still in a better position to map out the answers accurately if you recognize the conclusion brings in new wording and changes the subject.