Archeologist: The discovery of chicken bones in a recently

One more 3 min+ question. I arrived at A by POE. Had to read the choices couple of times. I was bit surprised by the fact that answers revolved around 16th century and thats what made me over think this question.

This appears to be a GMAT Hacks question of the day. It reappeared on May 7, 2013. The Official Explanation from the website is as follows:

Answer: A This is an explanation question. The information in the passage suggests that genetic evidence links ancient chickens from the Americas to Polynesian chickens, and also to chickens in Europe and Asia. We're looking for a choice that explains why the genetic signature for the ancient and Polynesian chickens is the same as that of the European and Asian chickens. (A) This is correct. If explorers took chickens that were related to the ancient chickens from the Americas, then bred them in Europe, it would explain the presence of the same genetic signature. (B) The use of the chickens is completely off-topic. (C) This is a general statement that doesn't explain or contradict the studies in the passage. Usually, such general statements are incorrect. (D) This choice suggests that chickens similar to Polynesian chickens may been in Asia for some time, but the words "may be" make the choice much weaker. (E) The study suggests that chickens first appeared in the Americas because they were introduced by someone other than the Spanish. If that ‘s the case, it doesn't matter when the Spaniards introduced chickens to the Americas.

I got to A by using POE, however I still am not able to understand why A? Anyone with alternative explanation?

I can hardly agree with the OA only because there is not any other option which can be more suitable. The problem with the OA is that it, i.e. A, mentions "16th century". Even if we should try to find better explanation to the last study case we have to take into account the whole text. In this regard, in the text it is written that there is another cause which brings scientists into confusion, namely, the bones may seem older also in result of desease. Without rebutting this part of the text we can hardly proove that the chicken has brought to the Americas from Polynesia and then sent to Europe or Asia. Without disproving the illness as a cause we cannot tell the resemblance of the DNA among Polynesian, American, European and Asian chickens must be explained by what is given in A. On the other hand, it should not be required that one will have a special knowledge in some subject, in our case, in history, e.g.: whether the Europeans have not discovered the Americas before the latter came to contact with Polynesians.

Moreover, the word "returned" in the ans. choice A is not appropriate here. Words such as "brought" or "sent" would be here adequate and unambiguous.

I hope, in the true GMAT one does not face such confusing conditions.

A - European explorers in the 16th century collected live animals from throughout the Americas and returned them to Europe for study and breeding

only explains about European chicken...But it says nothing about asian chicken?

This made me sceptical abt this answer. Where did i go wrong?

They share the same signature as the Europeans and asian chickens, So one should suffice no ?

i think the answer should explain why/how the signature is same in Both Eupoean and asian chickens.

The signature is same for both european and asian chicken, the answer does not need to explain why european and asian chickens are same, but why american samples are same.

Posted from my mobile device

Yes i accept that answer need not explain how european and asian are same.
But i think the answer should explain how the american and asian are same too? The answer explaisn why american and europian chickens are same, but how come the asian also have same signature?. Does the explorers came to asia too?

Which of the following, if true, most helps to explain the findings of the later study?

As later study also have statement that asian chicken have same signature. We know they are same, but I think answer need to explain why BOTH (european and asian) of them are same as american.
Option A doesnot help to explain how the signature is same in American and asian.

Correct me if i am wrong...!!

The discovery of chicken bones in a recently excavated Incan settlement, dating between 1320 and 1410 C.E., suggests that chickens were brought to the Americas by Polynesians before introduction by the Spaniards. ------->the introduction of chickens by the S was after 1410 C.E.; so, if there were chickens in Incan settlement it means that there were introduced by another source than previously thought
genetic signature among ancient chicken bones, P chickens ,and chickens throughout Europe and Asia are the same.
therefore, it is possible that the some of the American chickens took to S or the same chickens from P were taken to S.
A express similar idea.

I too picked A. I too deliberated over the date mentioned (16th century). But then for me the deciding factor was the word ‘study’ in Choice A. This helped me eliminate choice D.

+1. And the official explanation is very vague too...maybe this question is in poor quality?