|
Author |
Message |
|
TAGS:
|
|
|
Director
Joined: 19 Nov 2004
Posts: 589
Location: SF Bay Area, USA
Followers: 2
Kudos [?]:
7
[0], given: 0
|
One of the more reliable methods of determining regional [#permalink]
 01 Mar 2005, 23:21
Question Stats:
0% (00:00) correct
 0% (00:00) wrong based on 0 sessions
One of the more reliable methods of determining regional climatic conditions in prehistoric periods is to examine plant pollen trapped in glacial ice during ancient times. By comparing such pollen samples with spores taken from modern vegetation, scientists can figure out approximately what the weather was like at the time of pollen deposition. Furthermore, by submitting the prehistoric samples to radiocarbon dating techniques, we can also determine when certain climatic conditions were prevalent in that portion of the globe.
Which one of the following may be inferred from the information in the passage?
(A) The earth has undergone several glacial periods.
(B) Radiocarbon dating can be corroborated by glacial evidence.
(C) Similarities between prehistoric and contemporary climates do not exist.
(D) Pollen deposition is a fairly continuous process.
(E) Certain flora are reliably associated with particular climatic conditions
Please explain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Posts: 5134
Location: Singapore
Followers: 9
Kudos [?]:
87
[0], given: 0
|
(A) The earth has undergone several glacial periods.
- Cannot be inferred. We do not know if there is several glacial periods, we only know there MIGHT be climatic differences.
(B) Radiocarbon dating can be corroborated by glacial evidence.
- Out. Too narrow as it considers only the second argument.
(C) Similarities between prehistoric and contemporary climates do not exist.
- Out. By performing a comparison, there is suggestion climates are smiliar.
(D) Pollen deposition is a fairly continuous process.
- This is the answer. It assumes there are pollen deposition today and in the prehistoric times.
(E) Certain flora are reliably associated with particular climatic conditions
- Concerned with pollen, not flora
(D) for me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
VP
Joined: 26 Apr 2004
Posts: 1255
Location: Taiwan
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
7
[0], given: 0
|
Re: CR - Glacial Ice [#permalink]
02 Mar 2005, 00:30
nocilis wrote: One of the more reliable methods of determining regional climatic conditions in prehistoric periods is to examine plant pollen trapped in glacial ice during ancient times. By comparing such pollen samples with spores taken from modern vegetation, scientists can figure out approximately what the weather was like at the time of pollen deposition. Furthermore, by submitting the prehistoric samples to radiocarbon dating techniques, we can also determine when certain climatic conditions were prevalent in that portion of the globe.
Which one of the following may be inferred from the information in the passage?
(A) The earth has undergone several glacial periods.
(B) Radiocarbon dating can be corroborated by glacial evidence.
(C) Similarities between prehistoric and contemporary climates do not exist.
(D) Pollen deposition is a fairly continuous process.
(E) Certain flora are reliably associated with particular climatic conditions
Please explain
(E) for me.
(A) out , several glacial periods, who knows?
(B) out, radiocarbon dating techniques can determine certain climatic conditions, but doesn't necessarily need glacial evidene to corroborate.
(C) out, we don't know the whether similarity exists or not.
(D) out, we don't know whether continuity exists or not.
From the passage, "One of the more reliable methods of determining regional climatic conditions in prehistoric periods is to examine plant pollen......," i.e., flora are reliably associated with particular climatic conditions. Or we cannot determine the certain climatic condition.
OA, please
|
|
|
|
|
|
SVP
Joined: 25 Nov 2004
Posts: 1581
Followers: 4
Kudos [?]:
13
[0], given: 0
|
the passage is about the associatation b/w plant pollen.flora and climatic conditions. E.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director
Joined: 05 Jan 2005
Posts: 648
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
6
[0], given: 0
|
(D)
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Posts: 5134
Location: Singapore
Followers: 9
Kudos [?]:
87
[0], given: 0
|
Re: CR - Glacial Ice [#permalink]
02 Mar 2005, 06:56
chunjuwu wrote: nocilis wrote: One of the more reliable methods of determining regional climatic conditions in prehistoric periods is to examine plant pollen trapped in glacial ice during ancient times. By comparing such pollen samples with spores taken from modern vegetation, scientists can figure out approximately what the weather was like at the time of pollen deposition. Furthermore, by submitting the prehistoric samples to radiocarbon dating techniques, we can also determine when certain climatic conditions were prevalent in that portion of the globe.
Which one of the following may be inferred from the information in the passage?
(A) The earth has undergone several glacial periods.
(B) Radiocarbon dating can be corroborated by glacial evidence.
(C) Similarities between prehistoric and contemporary climates do not exist.
(D) Pollen deposition is a fairly continuous process.
(E) Certain flora are reliably associated with particular climatic conditions
Please explain But we're also told that pollen deposition continues today, and we determine the climatic conditions by comparing pollen depositied in the ice age and pollen depositied today. I'm not comfortable with the word 'flora'. Pollen hardly qualifies as flora. (I expect flora to be a plant, but pollen isn't a plant) (E) for me. (A) out , several glacial periods, who knows? (B) out, radiocarbon dating techniques can determine certain climatic conditions, but doesn't necessarily need glacial evidene to corroborate. (C) out, we don't know the whether similarity exists or not. (D) out, we don't know whether continuity exists or not. From the passage, "One of the more reliable methods of determining regional climatic conditions in prehistoric periods is to examine plant pollen......," i.e., flora are reliably associated with particular climatic conditions. Or we cannot determine the certain climatic condition. OA, please
|
|
|
|
|
|
SVP
Joined: 30 Oct 2003
Posts: 1963
Location: NewJersey USA
Followers: 3
Kudos [?]:
25
[0], given: 0
|
I will say (E).
If climatic conditions are not associated with certain types of flora then the whole methodology does not make sense.
(A) The earth has undergone several glacial periods.
Who knows may be just one glacial period.
(B) Radiocarbon dating can be corroborated by glacial evidence.
This cannot be infered from the argument because it is neither stated not any clues are given which makes us believe it is so. Only thing we can know is carbon dating probably yields reliable results.
(C) Similarities between prehistoric and contemporary climates do not exist.
They may exist or may not exist. Both the conditions can help scientists conclude something.
(D) Pollen deposition is a fairly continuous process.
We dont know this for sure.
(E) Certain flora are reliably associated with particular climatic conditions
This has to be true. This is almost like an assumption.
|
|
|
|
|
|
SVP
Joined: 03 Jan 2005
Posts: 2322
Followers: 9
Kudos [?]:
157
[0], given: 0
|
I also struggle between D and E. E says certain plants are reliably associated with particular climatic conditions. The passage says by examining pollens of plants we can know weather conditions. Is it because different pollens of different plants would be found for different weather conditions? Or is it because something else about the pollens? I feel that the passage didn't tell us enough information for us to determine it is the former. On the other hand, D says Pollen deposition is a fairly continuous process. The passage says scientists study climate conditions using pollens. It seems to me that pollen deposition has to be fairly continuous for it to be useful to exam climate conditions overtime. If there was no pollen deposition at some of the times, and there was pollen deposition at some other times, then you can't really talk about the change or non change in climate conditions, for you don't have complete information from pollens.
Therefore I would choose D.
|
|
|
|
|
|
SVP
Joined: 30 Oct 2003
Posts: 1963
Location: NewJersey USA
Followers: 3
Kudos [?]:
25
[0], given: 0
|
Now I dont see much difference between (C) and (E).
(E) is just another version of (C).
May the answer is (D)
|
|
|
|
|
|
VP
Joined: 03 Nov 2004
Posts: 1026
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
4
[0], given: 0
|
I will go with 'E'
Pollen deposition need not be a continuous process - As Honghu wrote if there is pollen deposition during some period and none during some other period then the quality of the pollen already deposited would differ which would in turn suggest when the pollen was deposited.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director
Joined: 07 Jun 2004
Posts: 638
Location: PA
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
60
[0], given: 22
|
i wud go with E
as i got it down to D/ E D feels more like an assumption wht is the OA
|
|
|
|
|
|
SVP
Joined: 18 Nov 2004
Posts: 1544
Followers: 2
Kudos [?]:
9
[0], given: 0
|
I like "D"....."E" talks abt "flora", emphasis of the passage is on pollen. If pollen deposition was not happening in ancient time vs modern times or vice versa, one couldn't do a valid comparison, therefore, D is best I think. Inference ques r not like a conclusion ques, here we r supposed to infer from one or more evidence given in the stem. I think "D" fits the bill.
|
|
|
|
|
|
SVP
Joined: 30 Oct 2003
Posts: 1963
Location: NewJersey USA
Followers: 3
Kudos [?]:
25
[0], given: 0
|
I will stick with my decision (E)
|
|
|
|
|
|
GMAT Club Legend
Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Posts: 5134
Location: Singapore
Followers: 9
Kudos [?]:
87
[0], given: 0
|
True, we may not be sure if it's a continuos process. But between D and E, it is a better choice because we know for sure, pollen is not classified as flora (no doubts about it). The continuity could be referring to a it happening in ice age, and still happening now. It doesn't have to be all year round, every minute and every second.
I'll stick with D
|
|
|
|
|
|
SVP
Joined: 03 Jan 2005
Posts: 2322
Followers: 9
Kudos [?]:
157
[0], given: 0
|
ywilfred wrote: It doesn't have to be all year round, every minute and every second.
I agree. That's why it says "fairly" continous in the question.
|
|
|
|
|
|
SVP
Joined: 30 Sep 2004
Posts: 1547
Location: Germany
Followers: 4
Kudos [?]:
15
[0], given: 0
|
b/w D) and E) i choose D), because of the word "reliably" in E) and the sentence "One of the more reliable..." at the beginning of the argument.
IMO "reliably" is just too strong !
|
|
|
|
|
|
SVP
Joined: 03 Jan 2005
Posts: 2322
Followers: 9
Kudos [?]:
157
[0], given: 0
|
Actually, the connection between "reliable" and "reliably" may just be a trap thrown in to lure you into wrong choices. Just my own opinion. In RC questins I've seen this a lot. When people read similar words they would think that they've seen it somewhere and "it sounds right", but it is often deliberately put into the wrong answer. Whether they do it in CR questions, I don't know.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manager
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 98
Location: Irvine, CA
Followers: 1
Kudos [?]:
0
[0], given: 0
|
I will go with E
as in the test sais: plant pollen trapped in glacial ice
Plant pollen, is indicating Flora.
what is the OA?
_________________
discipline is what I need.
|
|
|
|
|
|
SVP
Joined: 18 Nov 2004
Posts: 1544
Followers: 2
Kudos [?]:
9
[0], given: 0
|
One more point, CR ques r supposed to be self sufficient i.e. no extra knowledge is reqd, r we supposed to know that pollen belongs to flora category or not ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Director
Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 894
Followers: 2
Kudos [?]:
20
[0], given: 0
|
I would go with (D)
OA please?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moderators:
metallicafan, rajeevrks27, souvik101990, PTK, MacFauz, noboru, kissthegmat, carcass, willigetmylifeback, mikemcgarry, doe007, Vercules, Legendaddy, tuanquang269, RaviChandra, Marcab, Narenn
|
close
