Hi All,

Mgmat 4th (fourth) edition

Chapter 7: Passage and problem set
Passage C: Life on Mars

I think answer to question 1 and 5 are wrong.

Question 1: The author's stance ...... described as:
My answer : (A) Optimistic
Answer given in the book: (B) Disinterested

My argument: The last line of the 2nd paragraph clear states "These findings..... life on mars". Now, this line is author's interpretation. It describes what he thinks. So, he is clearly Optimistic!
I don't agree with books argument of why author is "Disinterested" (please check in the book!)

Question 5: Each of the following ....... EXCEPT
My answer : (B)
Answer given in the book:(E)

My argument: No where in the paragraph has the author stated anything about what happened prior to 17th century. Book explained earlier that don't infer info that's not given. So, clear option be fits the Answer.
Books Answer i.e (E) is clearly stated in the paragraph, there is limited support for water on life.
I clearly have one option that is not mentioned anywhere in the passage (B) compared to books answer (E) that's is talked about in the last paragraph.

Admin and all others please let me what you think it would really help me check my level of understanding of the passage.

thanks a lot

-Kartik Dadwal

No, I haven't contacted mgmat about it.

I will email them today.

thanks for the reply!

-Kartik Dadwal

Here is what MGMAT has to say about it:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/rea ... 12786.html


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I have the 5th edition of this book but I thought I'd put in my $.02 since I stumbled upon this thread anyways in my own study adventures over a year since the original post. Hopefully someone else can find it useful!

I also got the first question wrong on this passage because I too thought the author was more optimistic than disinterested. After all, he or she ended the passage saying how "these findings substantially bolster claims that there was once life on Mars". I did think the author took a neutral/fact-based/unbiased tone overall, but there was no (seemingly) neutral answer choice. I though disinterest meant dislike or distaste for, but that's not necessarily true! I could be disinterested in ballet but not dislike it, and still be able to write a factual piece on the matter. I think the lesson we're supposed to get from this is to not infer or assume the author's personal stance given the amount of information for life on mars/against it (especially if you the reader were swayed into thinking there was life on Mars because of the information presented in the article). Also, in getting this problem wrong, I was reminded to check the passage for any words that would indicate some sort of personal stance and to interpret disinterest as without interest (in one side or the other).

I think question 5 as presented in the book is fair. The answer choice is E ("The claim that there was once water on Mars has only limited and indirect support from recent discoveries") because the passage DID present recent and direct discoveries as to why there was once water on Mars. It talked about geological evidence of past water activity in the second to last sentence. While deciding on this answer, I thought of how many pieces of evidence (to evaluate the word "limited" in the answer choice) were actually in favor of if life once existed on Mars and all evidence supports it. "Wind erosion or carbon dioxide oceans may be responsible for these formations" are all other POSSIBLE but not definite explanations. What if there were no CO oceans etc, then that would mean that there was actually just regular H2O oceans and the debate would be over. My point is- there is more than a limited amount of recent evidence, all of which you can infer from the passage. As for the dispute over answer choice B), it states that "it is LIKELY that there were few significant discoveries...", and the passage itself states "as early as the mid-17th century". The answer choice does not rule out completely by saying that there weren't ANY discoveries, and therefore isn't too extreme of an answer to rule out. If I said that I started playing soccer AS EARLY AS the mid 1990's, I would assume that I didn't play soccer in 1989.

I used POE for a lot of these questions and it really helps me dissect what I can and can't infer from these problems.