Answers and Explanations OE
1)
A main idea question. Predict using topic, scope, and purpose. The author argues that Darwin‘s theory of natural selection didn‘t exist ―in a vacuum,‖ (as unfortunately it is taught in many schools, ¶3) but that the theory experienced ―gradual development‖ that had started before Darwin was born. (C) paraphrases this.
(A): Faulty Use of Detail. Though religious scientists did influence Darwin‘s theory, the author‘s main focus is on the fact that there were earlier (and perhaps false) ideas in general that influenced Darwin‘s theory.
(B): Faulty Use of Detail. This paraphrases the claim in the passage, but it‘s not the main idea of the passage, which again focuses on the idea that evolution wasn‘t a completely new idea when Darwin proposed it.
(C): The correct answer
(D): Faulty Use of Detail. The author makes this claim in ¶2, but it‘s used as a way of introducing a discussion of the ideas that preceded Darwin‘s theory. Since the bulk of the passage is devoted to explaining these theories rather than the argument that new ideas shouldn‘t be dismissed, it‘s safe to assume that the author is more concerned with the specifics of natural selection‘s precursors than with the general idea that old ideas shouldn‘t be dismissed.
(E): Opposite. The author actually lays emphasis on the role of older ideas in explaining newer ones
2)
What does the author focus on specifically in regard to evolution? Predict: the theory‘s scientific precursors. Further, the author specifically complains in ¶3 about high school biology classes that teach Darwin‘s theory in a vacuum. It‘s reasonable to infer, then, that the author would spend a lot of time teaching the background to Darwin‘s theory. (A) paraphrases this.(A): The correct answer
(B): Out of Scope. The author is mainly concerned with the background of the theory. Details are presumably important, but there‘s no evidence from the passage that the author would focus on the details especially.
(C): Distortion. While the author might focus on this as a way of discussing precursor theories, the focus would be on the theories themselves, and not on Biblical creation.
(D): Distortion. Taxonomy is associated regarding Linnaeus (¶1), and so the author would presumably discuss it, but only in the context of how it led up to Darwin‘s theory. (A) states this more comprehensively.
(E): The future doesn‘t really follow from the information in the passage
3)
What is the main idea of ¶3? Predict: The author believes that those studying Darwin‘s theories should study the ideas preceding those theories. (B) paraphrases
this and is essentially a summary of ¶3.
(A): Distortion. Though the author believes that Darwin‘s ideas have to be understood in context, there‘s no suggestion that Darwin doesn‘t deserve credit for his theory.
(B): The correct answer
(C): Out of Scope. The author speaks very positively of Darwin and never suggests that his ideas should be devalued at all. The author discusses religion in order to show that ideas essential to evolution coexisted with creationism, not to show that the theory of evolution is false.
(D): Distortion. Though the author does described Darwin‘s ideas as ―relatively simple,‖ there‘s no suggestion that Darwin required no help in formulating them. If anything, he was helped by the theories that had come before.
(E): Extreme, plus the author never says this
Strategy Point: Correct answers to inference questions are sometimes nothing more than summaries of the given paragraph or lines. A strong map will help you to get these points quickly.
4)
A detail question. Who specifically argued that mountains take a long time to develop? The author states explicitly in the passage that Lyell did, as well as ―uniformitarian geologists‖ like him. (D) fits the bill.
(A): Out of Scope. Catastrophists aren‘t mentioned in the passage and so can be eliminated, but you can guess that they believed the opposite of the uniformitarians: that mountains and other large structures formed due to catastrophic events.(B): Out of Scope. While Darwinists presumably believe this too, the author only mentions uniformitarians as specifically championing this view.
(C): Opposite. Creationists, unless they were in the vein of LeClerc, would likely argue that mountain ranges would have been created rather than developing over a long period of time. The author specifically states that the new geological evidence challenged ―accounts from scripture.‖
(D): The correct answer
(E): Modern scientists outside the scope of the passage
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