For the first time, an earth-like planet has been discovered.

Question

For the first time, an earth-like planet has been discovered. This planet is orbiting another star. Since we can now say with confidence that at least some of the 100 billion other stars like our sun may have planets like earth, the greatest chance for extraterrestrial life to exist is outside our solar system.

The argument above assumes which of the following?

A. Extraterrestrial organisms are likely to appear in forms similar to terrestrial ones.

B. Life cannot exist on the other planets of our solar system.

C. Life will always occur wherever earth-like planets exist.

D. Life is most likely to arise under earth-like conditions.

E. Life from other kinds of planets is too difficult to detect.

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Shwarma · Answer

But let me use the techniques I know - please lmk if I am wrong.- assumption qs type is my weak suite

Answer- option D

Justification:
Conclusion- Great chance of ET outside our solar system
Why?- coz we don't know how many more suns with earth-like planets are there (also in our solar system- we don't have any more)
and new earth-like planet found orbiting a star.
Assumption: should validate the conclusion very strongly

Options B,E is ruled out.

Between A,C,D.
C- will always -> but passage is saying - greatest chance... so ruled out

A- Negating it makes no impact on the conclusion.. or so I feel...
ET don't look like us ... so they might not be in similar envo like us .... so they can be in any envo... so... how will it affect our chance.. idk

so I eliminated it and chose Option D

Bunuel · Answer

KAPLAN OFFICIAL SOLUTION:

Correct Choice: (D)

The conclusion is that “the greatest chance for life to exist is outside our solar system” because we know that there are earth-like planets in other solar systems. To link evidence and conclusion, we must assume that there is a connection between the presence of earth-like conditions and an increased chance for the existence of life. So choice (D) is correct.

Choice (A) is out of scope, since we’re concerned only with whether life exists, not what form it takes.

Choices (B) and (C) are too extreme (note the strong wording: “cannot exist” and “will always”).

Choice (E) is out of scope, since we’re not concerned with detecting life, but with whether it exists.

vasu1104 · Answer

conclusion= greatest chance for extraterrestrial life to exist is outside our solar system. 
 reason- earth like planet has been discovered and its orbiting another star. 
 at least some of the 100 billion other stars like our may have planets like earth.

A wrong comparison 
 B conclusion is about out side our solar system. so its not gonna make much difference 
 C. it uses the word always. even if it happens rarely, it still hold the conclusion. 
 D. perfect. if life doesnt happen wherever earth like planets exist then conclusion cant be true.  
 E out of context

For the first time, an earth-like planet has been discovered.

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For the first time, an earth-like planet has been discovered.

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