Far from being fixed on Earth, scientists now know that Australia has
wandered over the face of the planet for billions of years, sometimes
lying in the northern hemisphere, sometimes in the south. For 40 million
years, after finally cutting the umbilicus with Antarctica, it slowly drifted
northwards, in isolation, at about half the rate at which a human hair
grows.
Now that the sheep has faltered, Australians ride more and more
upon the marsupial‘s back. To a large extent, but more difficult to
quantify, Australia‘s fauna and flora are being used as a unique
resource. In scientific disciplines from reproductive physiology and
evolutionary biology to medicine, Australia‘s native species are hailed as
a unique and priceless heritage. They are providing insights into the
way the world, and humans themselves, work.
Australia‘s rainforests—those ―unimportant appendages—are now
widely acknowledged as being the most ancient of humanity‘s landbased
ecosystems, which gave rise to most others. Botanical discoveries
of worldwide importance are being made in them every year. Australian
botanists have recently completed a catalog of Australian plants, in
which they list 18,000 species. Their taxonomic work over recent years
has resulted in a 50 percent increase in the number of species in the
groups examined. Yet they estimate that about 7,000 undiscovered
plant species still exist in Australia. Many surely inhabit Australian
rainforests and are members of ancient and bizarre families, like the
southern pine (Podocarpus species) recently found growing in a steep
valley in Arnhem Land, thousands of kilometers distant from its nearest
relatives.
Research on newly discovered Australian dinosaur faunas is
challenging previous conceptions of what dinosaurs were like. So
important are these discoveries that an Australian dinosaur recently
made it onto the cover of a major international magazine. It was
discovered in one of only two deposits in the world which was laid down
near the South Pole during the age of dinosaurs. The chicken-sized
species survived three months of darkness each year in a refrigerated
world.
Scientists are finally understanding that evolution in Australia, in
contrast to evolution on some other continents, is not driven solely by
nature ―red in tooth and claw.‖ Here, a more gentle force—that of
co adaptation—is important. This is because harsh conditions force
individuals to cooperate to minimize the loss of nutrients, and to keep
them cycling through the ecosystem as rapidly as possible.


1. Based on information in the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A. Australia has moved from one hemisphere to the other over time.

B. Most Australian plant species remain undiscovered.
C. Important information is being gathered by studying Australian plants.
D. Australian rainforests are different from other rainforests.
E. Dinosaurs had once existed in what is now Australia

2. Suppose that a previously unknown species of plant that is capable of
producing medicine is found in an Australian rainforest. How would this
information affect the author‘s opinion of Australian rainforests?

A. It would support the author‘s opinion.
B. It would contradict the author‘s opinion.
C. It would neither support nor contradict the author‘s opinion.
D. It would contradict the author‘s opinion only if this species of plant
cannot be found anywhere else.
E. It would weaken the argument that Australian ecosystem is unique

3. According to the passage, all of the following are considered benefits of
studying Australian ecosystems EXCEPT:

A. increasing knowledge of reproductive physiology and medicine.
B. gaining information concerning evolutionary trends.
C. furthering the understanding of the uses of hydroelectric power and
solar energy.
D. providing insight into ancient ecosystems
E. providing an insight into the way humans work

4. What is the main purpose of the author in writing the passage?

A. to state that dinosaurs originated in what is now Australia
B. to criticise modern scientists for not understanding the unique importance
of Australia
C. to discuss some unique ecological features of Australia
D. to assert that Australian rainforests are the oldest of them all
E. Australian flora and fauna are not found anywhere else in the world

2. Suppose that a previously unknown species of plant that is capable of
producing medicine is found in an Australian rainforest. How would this
information affect the author‘s opinion of Australian rainforests?

A. It would support the author‘s opinion.
B. It would contradict the author‘s opinion.
C. It would neither support nor contradict the author‘s opinion.
D. It would contradict the author‘s opinion only if this species of plant
cannot be found anywhere else.
E. It would weaken the argument that Australian ecosystem is unique

IMO A.
In the authors opinion the Australian rainforests are the base of many important findings, have in them many different species of plants - amny of them are not yet discovered. In general the author is telling us that the Australian rainforests are important.
In the question it is stated that a new species of plant os found, and from this plant a new medicine could be made from it. This statement will only strengthen the author's opinion.

4. What is the main purpose of the author in writing the passage?

A. to state that dinosaurs originated in what is now Australia
B. to criticise modern scientists for not understanding the unique importance
of Australia
C. to discuss some unique ecological features of Australia
D. to assert that Australian rainforests are the oldest of them all
E. Australian flora and fauna are not found anywhere else in the world

IMO C. In the first paragraph the author states tells us general information about Australia, in the last one the author states that scientists are finally understanding some facts about Australia (this understanding is supported in the middle 3 paragraphs). The point of this passage is the uniqueness of Australia. This point is supported only by answer C.

Here are the OAs

1. B
2. A
3. C
4. C

@Nov79
Good reasoning,but you got the first and the third one wrong.

@gmatgunner :
Can you provide the Explanations for the OAs?

I am not convinced with the OA of 1st and 3rd Question.
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I got the answers as :

B
A
C
C
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