Biologist: Researchers believe that dogs are the descendants

Question

Biologist: Researchers believe that dogs are the descendants of domesticated wolves that were bred to be better companions for humans. It has recently been found that some breeds of dog are much more closely related genetically to wolves than to most other breeds of dog. This shows that some dogs are descended from wolves that were domesticated much more recently than others.

Which one of the following principles underlies the biologist’s argument?

(A) If one breed of dog is descended from wolves that were domesticated more recently than were the wolves from which most other breeds of dog are descended, the former breed may be more closely related to wolves than those other breeds are.

(B) If one breed of dog is more closely related to wolves than to another breed of dog, then the former breed of dog has more recent undomesticated wolf ancestors than the latter breed has.

(C) Any breed of dog descended from wolves that were domesticated is more closely related genetically to at least some other breeds of dog than to wolves.

(D) If one breed of dog is more closely related to wolves than another breed of dog is, then the former breed of dog is more closely related to wolves than to the latter breed of dog.

(E) Any two breeds of dog that are more closely related to each other than to wolves are both descended from wolves that were domesticated long ago.

yashikaaggarwal · Answer

The author Intends to state that the dogs having more similarity in genetic traits with that of wolves are recently domesticated than the dogs breed having less similar genetics of a wolf.

The option stating the intended meaning is;

(A) If one breed of dog is descended from wolves that were domesticated more recently than were the wolves from which most other breeds of dog are descended, the former breed may be more closely related to wolves than those other breeds are.(the author intends to state the breed of dogs having more genetic similarity with that of wolf irrespective of its kind is recently domesticated, which is generalized not bifurcated into one) (incorrect)

(B) If one breed of dog is more closely related to wolves than to another breed of dog, then the former breed of dog has more recent undomesticated wolf ancestors than the latter breed has.(yes, if a dog breed is closely related to a wolf, there are chances that it's ancestors were recently domesticated than rest) (correct)

(C) Any breed of dog descended from wolves that were domesticated is more closely related genetically to at least some other breeds of dog than to wolves.(dogs are descendants of wolf, they both must be sharing some similarities even if they were domesticated at any point of time) (incorrect)

(D) If one breed of dog is more closely related to wolves than another breed of dog is, then the former breed of dog is more closely related to wolves than to the latter breed of dog.(all breeds of dogs are related to that of wolf, we can't specify one) (incorrect)

(E) Any two breeds of dog that are more closely related to each other than to wolves are both descended from wolves that were domesticated long ago.(all of the breeds who are similar to each other or not, share traits with their wolf ancestors, irrespective of the time of their domestication) (Incorrect)

IMO B

Posted from my mobile device

CEdward · Answer

The word  undomesticated  in B confused me.

The argument states that some dogs are more closely related genetically to wolves than most so they descended from wolves that were DOMESTICATED much more recently.

Why does it follow that dogs which are more closely related to wolves than another breed of dogs has more recent UNDOMESTICATED wolf ancestors?

Riya1475828 · Answer

Hey  CEdward , here's my attempt to explain why exactly B is correct.

Let's first break down the argument stated piece by piece.

Biologist: Researchers believe that dogs are the descendants of domesticated wolves that were bred to be better companions for humans.

So researchers believe that dogs in general are descended from wolves that were domesticated a long time ago by earlier humans.

It has recently been found that some breeds of dog are much more closely related genetically to wolves than to most other breeds of dog.

Let's say there are 10 diff types of breeds of dogs. 2 breeds are found to be closely related to wolves than they are related to the other 8 breeds of dogs.

This shows that some dogs are descended from wolves that were domesticated much more recently than others.

The argument concludes by stating that because the 2 breeds are related MORE to the wolves than the 2 breeds are related to the 8 breeds of dogs, these 2 breeds have descended from wolves that were domesticated recently (say 1800s) while the other 8 breeds were descended from wolves that were domesticated a long time ago (say 1500s).

Keeping this in mind lets look at option B.

(B) If one breed of dog is more closely related to wolves than to another breed of dog, then the former breed of dog has more recent undomesticated wolf ancestors than the latter breed has.

What does "has more recent undomesticated wolf ancestors" mean here? If we take the 2 breeds of dogs discussed earlier, since they were descended from wolves that were domesticated in the 1800s, means that the same wolf family before 1800 were not domesticated. The wolves were all undomesticated during the period between 1500s to 1800s while if we look at the 8 breeds of dogs that WERE descended from the wolves domesticated since 1500s, means the period between 1500-1800s consisted of domesticated wolves/dogs only. Hence this follows logically.

Let me know if this was helpful!

Anshika.g · Answer

Hi  Riya1475828  and @bunnel, can you please explain why option A is wrong?

arushi118 · Answer

Can someone please explain that why not A or C?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hi arushi118

Evidence given:  Some breeds of dog are much more closely related genetically to wolves than to most other breeds of dog.
 Conclusion:  Some dogs are descended from wolves that were domesticated much more recently than others.
 Logical link needed:  The argument assumes that  “more closely related to wolves than to other dogs”  implies  “more recent domestication from wolves.”

(A)  is the  opposite  of what’s needed. The argument goes from  “more closely related”  to  “more recent domestication,”  not the other way around. Also  “may”  is too weak for the necessary link.

(C)  contradicts the evidence given  "some breeds are more closely related to wolves than to other breeds" , so it can’t be the principle and hence is incorrect.

Biologist: Researchers believe that dogs are the descendants

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Biologist: Researchers believe that dogs are the descendants

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