The ability to analyze genomes — sequences of DNA — has grown more and

Question

The ability to analyze genomes — sequences of DNA — has grown more and more sophisticated. Scientists are able to examine the biological past in finer detail and with greater accuracy. A new analysis of the genetic links between early humans and chimpanzees has led to a hypothesis that the two species diverged more recently than previous estimates indicated. This gives credence to a very startling new theory: the ancestors of humans and chimpanzees might have hybridized to produce the lineage from which modern humans eventually developed.

What can be inferred from the statements above?

(A) Hybridized species combine the best of both lineages.
(B) Political and religious pressures will affect the course of future research.
(C) Future research will enable scientists to determine the exact characteristics of this hybrid ancestor of modern man.
(D) Earlier genome analysis established genetic links between early humans and chimpanzees.
(E) Human DNA is more complex than that of chimpanzees.

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VeritasPrepBrandon · Accepted Answer

Inference questions do not always encompass the entire argument. Sometimes they play on only a portion of the argument. Inference answers must absolutely 100% be TRUE.

This inference question comes from this statement: "A new analysis of the genetic links between early humans and chimpanzees has led to a hypothesis that the two species diverged more recently than previous estimates indicated." If the species are thought to have diverged more recently than previous estimates indicated, then that means there were previous estimates indicating a genetic relationship. This is answer choice D.

I hope this helps!!!

creativeminddu · Answer

The ability to analyze genomes — sequences of DNA — has grown more and more sophisticated. Scientists are able to examine the biological past in finer detail and with greater accuracy. A new analysis of the genetic links between early humans and chimpanzees has led to a hypothesis that the two species diverged more recently than previous estimates indicated. This gives credence to a very startling new theory: the ancestors of humans and chimpanzees might have hybridized to produce the lineage from which modern humans eventually developed.

What can be inferred from the statements above?
• Hybridized species combine the best of both lineages. 
• Political and religious pressures will affect the course of future research.

• Future research will enable scientists to determine the exact characteristics of this hybrid ancestor of modern man.

• Earlier genome analysis established genetic links between early humans and chimpanzees. 
• Human DNA is more complex than that of chimpanzees.

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

The statements indicate that DNA analysis has become more sophisticated and thus produced better results. The passage comments on a "new analysis" and “a very startling new theory” about the origins of modern man and chimpanzees. An appropriate inference would focus on what must follow from those statements.

(A) This choice does not have to follow from the information given, as GMAT inferences must. While the hybridized species must have had positive attributes, it certainly did not have to combine the best of pre-humans and chimpanzees.

(B) This choice does not have to follow. Politics and religion are outside the scope of this argument and thus the existence of such pressures is not a given.

(C) This choice is too extreme to have to follow from the statements. We don’t know any specifics about the capacity or direction of the research.

(D) CORRECT.  The passage states that a "new analysis of the genetic links between early humans and chimpanzees has led to a hypothesis that the two species diverged more recently than previous estimates indicated." The fact that this is a "new" analysis suggests that prior analysis had already established the links; also, since the new theory has altered the time frame for the divergence, it follows that some genetic link and subsequent divergence was already ascertained.

(E) This choice does not have to follow from the information given. Nothing is said about the differences between human and chimpanzee DNA. We do not know if the differences involve complexity or something else, such as the composition of the DNA.

Paris75 · Answer

A) Hybridized species combine the best of both lineages. -  Totally out of scope -  Wrong  
B) Political and religious pressures will affect the course of future research. -  Totally out of scope -  Wrong   
C) Future research will enable scientists to determine the exact characteristics of this hybrid ancestor of modern man. -  Future research might never occur. This is not an inferred type answer -  Wrong  
D) Earlier genome analysis established genetic links between early humans and chimpanzees. -  CORRECT  
E) Human DNA is more complex than that of chimpanzees -  Anything like this is said in the text -  Wrong

urfrndniks · Answer

A new analysis of the genetic links between early humans and chimpanzees has led to a hypothesis that the two species diverged  more recently than previous estimates indicated . This gives credence to a very startling new theory:  the ancestors of humans and chimpanzees might have hybridized to produce the lineage from which modern humans eventually developed .

As inference means every word of correct answer is stated in the argument:
• Hybridized species combine the  best  of both lineages. - best, no where discussed in the passage.
•  Political and religious pressures  will affect the course of future research. - out of scope

• Future research will enable scientists to determine the exact characteristics of this hybrid ancestor of modern man. - it's an assumption, nothing in passage supports or substantiate this statement.

• Earlier genome analysis established genetic links between  early humans and chimpanzees . - look at the bold part in the argument section, it states that the link between humans and chimpanzees is fairly new in comparison to what earlier thought that they diverged long ago.
• Human DNA is  more complex  than that of chimpanzees. - this comparison is discussed nowhere in the passage.

D is the answer

vidushi7 · Answer

what is the level for this question?

Skywalker18 · Answer

vidushi7  - You can estimate the level of a question based on tags and question stats, which calculates the difficulty based on the percentage of correct responses and time taken

jaisonsunny77 · Answer

In more simpler words, the structure of this passage is as follows:

1. The DNA analysis technology has become even more advanced. 
2. Using this technology, we have been able to perform   a new analysis   of the link between early humans and chimpanzees. 
3. This new analysis leads to another hypothesis: that the ancestors of humans and chimpanzees might have hybridized to produce the lineage from which modern humans eventually developed.

Using these three points, we need to find an answer choice that is 100% true in the context of this passage.

So, let us analyze the available answer choices:

(A)  Hybridized species combine the best of both lineages.  - In the context of this passage, Do we really care about the 'quality' of the lineages? Nope. Hence,  eliminate (A).

(B)  Political and religious pressures will affect the course of future research.  - Irrelevant. Hence,  eliminate (B)

(C)  Future research will enable scientists to determine the exact characteristics of this hybrid ancestor of modern man.  - this is a very tempting answer to pick. But upon closer analysis, we get to know that this statement talks about a situation in the future whereas the situation described in the passage is of the present moment. The key takeaway here is that we need to stick to the context of the passage. hence, since we have information regarding the present day scenario, we cannot make a reasonable inference regarding the future. Hence,  eliminate (C)

(D)  Earlier genome analysis established genetic links between early humans and chimpanzees.  - We know from the passage that someone was able to perform  new analysis  of the genetic link. If this recent analysis has to be considered 'new', then this means that some sort of analysis had been performed in the past. (D) hits the bullseye on this perspective. Hence,   (D) is the right answer.

(E)  Human DNA is more complex than that of chimpanzees.  - irrelevant. hence,  eliminate (E).

VerbalBot · Answer

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The ability to analyze genomes — sequences of DNA — has grown more and

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