Recently discovered fossil evidence casts doubt on the evolutionary theory
that dinosaurs are more closely related to reptiles than to other classes of
animals. Fossils show that some dinosaurs had hollow bones-a feature found
today only in warm blooded creatures, such as birds, that have a high
metabolic rates. Dinosaurs had well-developed senses of sight and hearing,
which is not true of present-day cold blooded creatures like reptiles. The
highly arched mouth roof of some dinosaurs would have permitted them to
breathe while eating, as fast –breathing animals, such as birds, need to do.
Today all fast-breathing animals are warm blooded. Finally, fossils reveal
that many dinosaurs had a pattern of growth typical of warm-blooded animals.

The argument in the passage proceeds by

(A)Attempting to justify one position by demonstrating that an opposition is
based on erroneous information.
(B)Establishing a general principle that it then uses to draw a conclusion
about a particular case
(C)Dismissing a claim made about the present on the basis of historical
evidence
(D)Assuming that if all members of a category have a certain property then
all things with that property belong to the category
(E)Presenting evidence that a past phenomenon is more similar to one than
the other of two present day

The argument in the passage proceeds by

(A)Attempting to justify one position by demonstrating that an opposition is
based on erroneous information.
(B)Establishing a general principle that it then uses to draw a conclusion
about a particular case
(C)Dismissing a claim made about the present on the basis of historical
evidence
(D)Assuming that if all members of a category have a certain property then
all things with that property belong to the category
(E)Presenting evidence that a past phenomenon is more similar to one than
the other of two present day


My Explanation:
------------------------
A.) Even I thought this to be the answer till I read the other options. I think this option is not correct. Though the author doesn't agree with the evolutionary theory about dinosaurs, he doesn't demonstrates this by providing evidences that dinosaurs are not cold-blooded.
He demonstrates this by providing evidences that dinosaurs are actually warm-blooded.

There is difference in the way you're citing evidences. Isn't it?

Analogy:
One way: He's not a good boy. ---> This indirectly indicates that I am good.
Other way: I am a good boy

B.) He's not establishing any general principle. Discard it.

C.) The author is actually doing just opposite. He uses present to dimiss claim about past.

D.) Rubbish. Give me a break. Have a kit-kat! He discusses about some and not all dinosaurs. Still, it's not the main point.

E.) Looks fine to me based on explanation cited in option A.)
------------------------

Option E is my choice.

Hope that helps.
_________________

+++ Believe me, it doesn't take much of an effort to underline SC questions. Just try it out. +++
+++ Please tell me why other options are wrong. +++

~~~ The only way to get smarter is to play a smarter opponent. ~~~

gmatavenue the argument is talking about some dinasaurus not all...so D is not the correct choice...i also fell in trap .......

The text starts with a talk about recent evidence and does not "demonstrating that an opposition is
based on erroneous information." It is actually, providing new information, rather than trying to argue against evidence presented by the side, who think dinosaurs are related with reptiles. If he was refuting the correctness of the evidence on which the judgment of reptile proponents were based, then option A could be an answer,
Hope that helps.
_________________

Never give up,,,