Dear Friends,
Here is a detailed explanation to this question-
sondenso wrote:
Paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould has argued that many biological traits are not the products of natural selection, favored due to their enhancement of reproduction or survival, but that they are simply random by-products of other evolutionary developments.
(A) due to their enhancement of reproduction or survival, but that they are
(B) due to the reproduction or survival they enhance, but they are
(C) because they enhance reproduction or survival, but
(D) because they enhance reproduction or survival, but are
(E) because of enhancing reproduction or survival, but are
Meaning is crucial to solving this problem:Understanding the intended meaning is key to solving this question; the intended meaning of the crucial part of this sentence is that many biological traits are not the products of natural selection that are favored because they enhance reproduction or survival, rather they are simply random by-products of other evolutionary developments.
Concepts tested here: Meaning + Parallelism + Redundancy/Awkwardness• Any elements liked by conjunction (“but” in this case) must be parallel.
A: This answer choice fails to maintain parallelism between “are not the products of natural selection” and “that they are simply random by-products of other evolutionary developments”; please remember, any elements liked by conjunction (“but” in this case) must be parallel. Further, Option A uses the needlessly wordy phrase “due to their enhancement of reproduction or survival”, leading to awkwardness and redundancy.
B: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “due to the reproduction or survival they enhance”; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the reason why many biological traits are favored is not the
specific abilities of reproduction or survival that they enhance; the intended meaning is that the reason why many biological traits are favored is not
their capacity for enhancing reproduction or survival. Further, Option B fails to maintain parallelism between “are not the products of natural selection” and “they are simply random by-products of other evolutionary developments”; please remember, any elements liked by conjunction (“but” in this case) must be parallel.
C: The sentence formed by this answer choice alters the intended meaning through the phrase "but simply random by-products of other evolutionary developments"; the construction of this phrase leads to an unclear and incoherent meaning; the intended meaning is that many biological traits are not the products of natural selection that are favored because they enhance reproduction or survival, rather they are simply random by-products of other evolutionary developments.
D: Correct. The sentence formed by this answer choice uses the phrases “because they enhance reproduction or survival” and "but are simply random by-products of other evolutionary developments", conveying the intended meaning – that many biological traits are not the products of natural selection that are favored due to
their capacity to enhance reproduction or survival, rather they are simply random by-products of other evolutionary developments. Further, Option D maintains parallelism between “are not the products of natural selection” and “are simply random by-products of other evolutionary developments”. Additionally, Option D is free of any awkwardness or redundancy.
E: This answer choice alters the meaning of the sentence through the phrase “because of enhancing”; the construction of this phrase incorrectly implies that the reason why many biological traits are favored is not the reproduction or survival
that they are currently enhancing; the intended meaning is that the reason why many biological traits are favored is not
their capacity for enhancing reproduction or survival.
Hence, D is the best answer choice.All the best!
Experts' Global Team
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