Last visit was: 12 Jul 2025, 15:08 It is currently 12 Jul 2025, 15:08
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
User avatar
aragonn
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 23 Sep 2015
Last visit: 30 Sep 2019
Posts: 1,232
Own Kudos:
5,842
 [36]
Given Kudos: 416
Products:
Posts: 1,232
Kudos: 5,842
 [36]
6
Kudos
Add Kudos
29
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Most Helpful Reply
User avatar
AdityaHongunti
Joined: 20 Sep 2016
Last visit: 31 Mar 2021
Posts: 552
Own Kudos:
1,027
 [5]
Given Kudos: 632
Location: India
Concentration: Strategy, Operations
GPA: 3.6
WE:Operations (Consumer Packaged Goods)
4
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
General Discussion
User avatar
push12345
Joined: 02 Oct 2017
Last visit: 10 Feb 2019
Posts: 547
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 14
Posts: 547
Kudos: 524
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
avatar
alibagheri7
Joined: 01 Apr 2018
Last visit: 17 Jan 2019
Posts: 1
Given Kudos: 2
GMAT 1: 750 Q51 V40
GMAT 1: 750 Q51 V40
Posts: 1
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
does changing color necessarily make you fitter for an environment? maybe you don't have any predator and the color change is due to chemical reaction, but being bread by human beings certainly is an example of survival of fittest due to having the property of being beneficial for humans.
User avatar
Wonderwoman31
Joined: 21 Apr 2018
Last visit: 22 Apr 2023
Posts: 59
Own Kudos:
44
 [4]
Given Kudos: 82
Location: India
GMAT 1: 710 Q50 V35
GMAT 2: 750 Q49 V42
GMAT 2: 750 Q49 V42
Posts: 59
Kudos: 44
 [4]
4
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Can someone explain the solution to this question. I chose A over D.
avatar
nitzzi
Joined: 09 Jul 2018
Last visit: 28 Jul 2021
Posts: 4
Own Kudos:
5
 [3]
Given Kudos: 40
Location: India
GMAT 1: 660 Q43 V38
GPA: 4
GMAT 1: 660 Q43 V38
Posts: 4
Kudos: 5
 [3]
3
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Any answer?
I too choose A over D.
A is the only one that illustrates a case where 'survival of the fittest' is contested. Mating vs survival.
Correct?
User avatar
aragonn
User avatar
Retired Moderator
Joined: 23 Sep 2015
Last visit: 30 Sep 2019
Posts: 1,232
Own Kudos:
5,842
 [1]
Given Kudos: 416
Products:
Posts: 1,232
Kudos: 5,842
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
nitzzi, Wonderwoman31 - I have tried to explain the situation. Hope it is helpful for you.

Guys, Let me attempt this question. Charles Darwin's theory of evolution and if you know it, do not refer to that info. Only thing we know about it is this
Quote:
Many people interpret this phrase to mean that evolution always favors the organism that is best suited to survive in its environment
Pre-thinking - What I need to do is find an option that is verifying above given definition. on simple lines, I will evaluate that bird (or animal) with it in 100(or more/less) yrs ago. With time what evolution did to them.

Out of A and D, let see which one fits above info and Why?

A. Studies have shown that a type of male flycatcher (a bird) with an extra-long tail is more desirable to females as a mate than flycatchers with shorter tails, even though the longer tail hinders the bird's flying ability and makes it more vulnerable to predation. ---- Lets ask few question to analyze this. so long tail is cause of evolution or cause of genetics or any thing else of that bird. it would have been evolution if 1000 yr back this bird used to have a very small tail and now have a very large one. A female is selecting out of many on the basis of a physical trait. This can not be the example of above given definition.

D. A type of moth near London was observed to change from a population consisting mostly of light-colored moths to a population of mostly dark-colored moths over a period of 50 years as a response to darkening of rocks and trees in the area due to soot and smoke from London factories. ---- Evaluation impacted for sure. Let see it with an example. Let say 5000 yrs ago a chameleon dont need to change colour, but with change in environment, it adopt this thing some how. Hope you see how two situations are similar. and this one is for sure an example of this theory.
User avatar
US09
Joined: 15 Oct 2017
Last visit: 06 Apr 2021
Posts: 248
Own Kudos:
284
 [2]
Given Kudos: 338
GMAT 1: 560 Q42 V25
GMAT 2: 570 Q43 V27
GMAT 3: 710 Q49 V39
Products:
GMAT 3: 710 Q49 V39
Posts: 248
Kudos: 284
 [2]
2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I chose A over D since D explains a situation in which a variant survived because it was best suited to. Dark colored ones were more suited, so they survived and bred more than the other variant and therefore we have more dark colored moths now. It does not explain how "survival of the most fitted one" was challenged or was insufficient.
User avatar
Taulark1
Joined: 06 Jan 2017
Last visit: 15 Mar 2025
Posts: 128
Own Kudos:
43
 [1]
Given Kudos: 750
Posts: 128
Kudos: 43
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
The question asks which option is more appropriate 'if documented in a scientifically valid way'.

Both options A and E relate to selection rather than 'survival of the fittest' in a scientific way.
Option A states females select the ones with the longer tail - (The flycatcher birds haven't evolved or in some sort of way changed their tails )
Option E states that the fight which the lions go through 'CAN' end in a death or injury (not that it will always) - this doesn't show any way of evolution (this is just their selectivity criteria)
Option D backs it up with the fact that the population of the 'light colored moths' have actually reduced and hence the population consists more of the 'Dark colored moths' because it is the environment due to which they have to adapt and change their respective characteristics (in this is case the color)
avatar
Naingain
Joined: 21 Mar 2022
Last visit: 19 Sep 2023
Posts: 1
Own Kudos:
2
 [2]
Given Kudos: 19
Posts: 1
Kudos: 2
 [2]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
1
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Wonderwoman31
Can someone explain the solution to this question. I chose A over D.

It specifically talks about the environment that a creature adapts to, mating is an instinct and A emphasises on the instinct. From "A" we can also derive that there is no survival threat to birds with shorter tails, they just don't get mates. Whereas, if the cause of moths becoming darker (as suggested in option D), is well documented and it's survival is attributed to darkening of trees and rocks then that becomes the perfect example for "survival of the fittest" or "adapting to your environment" because the environment itself has changed.
User avatar
Mavisdu1017
Joined: 10 Aug 2021
Last visit: 04 Jan 2023
Posts: 361
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 226
Posts: 361
Kudos: 43
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hello expert,
I think D indeed proves “survival of the fittest” because the moth changes its color to well fit its environment and camouflage to protect itself from the predators. So why D is correct?
Also, I went with C and could you help to explain C? Thanks.
User avatar
Starfruit
Joined: 27 Oct 2018
Last visit: 23 Jan 2024
Posts: 15
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 327
Location: Viet Nam
Concentration: Finance, Strategy
Posts: 15
Kudos: 69
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
I have narrowed the answer to A and D.

"Many people interpret this sentence to mean that evolution always favours the organism best adapted to survive in its environment, but this narrow interpretation is actually insufficient to explain many phenomena observed in nature."

For (A), this seems to me to fit the part some phenomena are not the best adapted to survive in the environment, however, it doesn't really say anything about evolution, we don't know if the long-tailed trait is growing or dying.

Hence, in my opinion (D) is the better option to say that evolution is influenced by the environment.
User avatar
Dev23
Joined: 28 Oct 2020
Last visit: 02 May 2025
Posts: 21
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 30
Posts: 21
Kudos: 21
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
A. Studies have shown that a type of male flycatcher (a bird) with an extra-long tail is more desirable to females as a mate than flycatchers with shorter tails, even though the longer tail hinders the bird's flying ability and makes it more vulnerable to predation - No correlation between adaptive ability and evolution instead it is the opposite

B. It has been documented among whales, birds, and terrestrial mammals that colder temperatures encourage the development of larger animals, because larger animals have a lower surface-to-volume ratio and are therefore better able to conserve heat.- Very similar to A

C. Farm animals bred by humans are generally larger, slower, and less intelligent than their wild ancestors.(wrong)

D. A type of moth near London was observed to change from a population consisting mostly of light-colored moths to a population of mostly dark-colored moths over a period of 50 years as a response to darkening of rocks and trees in the area due to soot and smoke from London factories- Talks about adaptive ability and evolution (correct)

E. Male lions fight for control of prides, and thereby the capacity to reproduce, even though these fights can end in the death or maiming of the loser. - Not related
User avatar
pavzagor
Joined: 30 Oct 2024
Last visit: 12 Jul 2025
Posts: 3
Given Kudos: 2
Posts: 3
Kudos: 0
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
This is broken.
The moths changed their color because due to more surfaces being dark the predators were eating most of light colored ones -> the mutated dark colored ones reproduced.

It's all external environment effects.

Also it depends on what we mean by "survival" — all of the other options except A are talking about the survival of a particular animal.
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7349 posts
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
235 posts