Bunuel wrote:
A primate jawbone found in Namibia in southern Africa has been identified by anthropologists as that of an ape that lived between 10 million and 15 million years ago. Researchers generally agree that such ancient primates lived only in dense forests. Consequently, the dry, treeless expanses now dominating the landscape in and around Namibia must have replaced an earlier heavily forested terrain.
The argument assumes which one of the following?
(A) Modern apes also tend to live only in heavily forested terrain.
(B) The ape whose jawbone was found lived in or near the area that is now Namibia.
(C) There were no apes living in the area that is now Namibia prior to 15 million years ago.
(D) The ape whose jawbone was found was adapted to a diet that was significantly different from that of any modem ape.
(E) The ancient primates were numerous enough to have caused severe damage to the ecology of the forests in which they lived.
My breakdown of the passage:
Facts:
- Jawbone found in Nambia is of an ape that lived between 10 million to 15million years ago.
- Ancient primates lived only in dense forests
Conclusion:
The land in and around Nambia, which is now dry and treeless must have been a heavily forested terrain at some point in time in the past since the jaw bone was found in Nambia.
Thought process:
Falsification statement: In what scenario, the dry and treeless land in and around Nambia must have stayed that way all along?
Negation Answer - In a scenario where, as per the given information, the apes didn't stay on this land since they lived
ONLY in dense forests.
Assumption: (B) The ape whose jawbone was found lived in or near the area that is now Namibia.