A land bridge is land exposed when the sea recedes, connecting one exp

Question

McGraw-Hill

A land bridge is land exposed when the sea recedes, connecting one expanse of land to another. One of the most famous land bridges was the Bering Land Bridge, often known as Beringia, which connected Alaska to Siberia across what is now the Bering Strait.

The Bering Land Bridge was not terribly long. If it still existed today, you could drive it in your car in about an hour. It appeared during the Ice Age, when enormous sheets of ice covered much of Europe and America. The ice sheets contained huge amounts of water north of the equator, and because of this, the sea level dropped precipitously, perhaps as much as 400 feet, revealing landmasses such as the Bering Land Bridge.

At this time, the ecology of the Northern Hemisphere was that of the mammoth steppe. It was a dry, frigid land filled with grasses, sedges, and tundra vegetation. It supported many large grazing animals including reindeer, bison, and musk oxen, as well as the lions that fed upon them. It also contained large camels, giant short-faced bears, and woolly mammoths. Many of the animals of the mammoth steppe used the bridge to cross from east to west and back again. Eventually, their human hunters tracked them from Asia to North America.

Ethnologists and geologists generally believe that humans used the Bering Land Bridge to populate the Americas, which up until about 24,000 years ago had no sign of human life. Ethnologists use evidence such as shared religions, similar houses and tools, and unique methods of cleaning and preserving food to show the link between the people of coastal Siberia and the people of coastal Alaska.

There are those among the Native American population who dispute the land bridge theory. For one thing, it contradicts most native teachings on the origins of the people. For another, it seems to undermine the notion that they are truly “native” to the North American continent.    1 
 1. According to this passage, the first people in North America lived

(A) in what is now Central America
(B) west of the Bering Strait
(C) below sea level
(D) in what is now Alaska
(E) along the coast of Siberia

2 
 2. Based on information in the passage, about how long was the Bering Land Bridge?

(A) Between 50 and 75 miles long
(B) Between 90 and 120 miles long
(C) Around 150 miles long
(D) Around 200 miles long
(E) Between 225 and 250 miles long

3 
 3. According to the passage, which of these would be considered a land bridge?

(A) The Isthmus of Panama
(B) The Chesapeake Bay
(C) The Strait of Hormuz
(D) The Khyber Pass
(E) The island of Sicily

4 
 4. In the third paragraph, the author includes information about large mammals in order to

(A) explain patterns of growth among animals of the mammoth steppe
(B) indicate how tough animals needed to be to survive the Ice Age
(C) contrast the climate of North America with the climate of Asia
(D) suggest a reason for human migration from Asia to North America
(E) contend that domesticating animals was one cause of human movement

5 
 5. The author’s purpose in the fourth paragraph is to

(A) introduce a theory and show some support for it
(B) compare some processes used by geologists and ethnologists
(C) list some possible reasons for the migrations of early humans
(D) contradict a theory about an early use of the land bridge
(E) show how ethnology has changed its focus over the years

6 
 6. The author suggests that some contemporary Native Americans object to the land bridge theory because it

(A) equates them with Pleistocene man
(B) challenges their history and status
(C) relies on disputed science
(D) belies the importance of southern tribes
(E) fails to explain the connections among peoples

RC Butler 2023  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 186 Date: 09-Jun-2023
 This question is part of RC Butler 2023 .  Click here for Details

stutimishra · Answer

explain the third and fifth ques solution thanks in advance

Vishal_Jain · Answer

Sajjad1994 
For the first question I was down to option D and E, but didnt know how to eliminate further and got it wrong.
Can you explain the answer pls

Thank you.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Option (D)  "in what is now Alaska" is supported by the passage because it explicitly states that the Bering Land Bridge connected Alaska to Siberia. This implies that the first people in North America lived in what is now Alaska, as they would have used the land bridge to migrate from Siberia to Alaska.

On the other hand,  option (E)  "along the coast of Siberia" is not directly supported by the passage. Although the passage mentions the link between the people of coastal Siberia and coastal Alaska, it does not provide specific information about the location of the first people in North America. While it is likely that the people who migrated across the Bering Land Bridge came from coastal areas, the passage does not explicitly state that they lived exclusively along the coast of Siberia. Therefore,  option (E)  cannot be definitively concluded based on the information provided in the passage.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

5. The author’s purpose in the fourth paragraph is to

Explanation

The fourth paragraph of the passage discusses the beliefs of ethnologists and geologists who generally believe that humans used the Bering Land Bridge to populate the Americas. It highlights the evidence used by ethnologists, such as shared religions, similar houses and tools, and unique methods of cleaning and preserving food, to support the theory of a link between the people of coastal Siberia and coastal Alaska. The paragraph presents this information to introduce and provide support for the theory that humans used the land bridge for migration. Therefore,  option (A)  accurately describes the purpose of the fourth paragraph.

Answer: A

adityashikhar4 · Answer

I had a doubt as to where is it mentioned in the passage that the first North American people lived in Alaska as they 'travelled using the Bering Land Bridge' from Siberia to Alaskan area of North America but could have been inhibiting any area in the North America i.e. west to the Bering Strait which makes option (b) my answer. Kindly correct me where did I go wrong.

sherlocked221B · Answer

Sajjad1994   Bunuel   KarishmaB   b_sudharsan

Could you explain the following questions or validate my thoughts?

For Q2  - there is not enough information to answer the question.
 For Q3  - the question would require prior understanding of the geographic locations stated in options, whch is not expected in GMAT.

Thank you!

bronaugust · Answer

Could you explain the following questions or validate my thoughts?

For Q2  - there is not enough information to answer the question. -   YOU ARE CORRECT!   
 For Q3  - the question would require prior understanding of the geographic locations stated in options, whch is not expected in GMAT. - Again,   YOU ARE CORRECT!

Thank you!

mkeshri185 · Answer

I did not know any of this places which are mentioned here. How can i pick the answer in that case?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hi mkeshri185

You have a valid point, the passage didn't defined the places and it lay outside the scope of the passage if we consider outside knowledge to answer the question. This is a debateable question.

shanalshekhar · Answer

Regarding Q.5
Is it 3rd or 4th paragraph in the question. I think it should be 3rd

Bunuel · Answer

Ignore this question. The question is archived.

A land bridge is land exposed when the sea recedes, connecting one exp

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