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15 Jul 2024, 07:00
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A
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
95%
(hard)
Question Stats:
45% (02:13) correct
55%
(02:23)
wrong
based on 414
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Climatologists claim: The recent pattern of prolonged droughts followed by intense rainfalls is a clear indicator of climate change. This pattern results from increased global temperatures, which enhance the rate of water evaporation and lead to more stored moisture in the atmosphere. When the moisture is released, it results in heavy rains following drought periods. The discovery that similar weather patterns occurred during the Pliocene Epoch, when the earth experienced higher global temperatures, supports the claim that our current weather patterns are due to climate change.
The argument in the passage relies on which of the following assumptions?
(A) The conditions that caused similar weather patterns during the Pliocene Epoch must be the same as those causing current weather patterns.
(B) Factors related to global temperatures, such as ocean currents or volcanic activity, did not significantly influence weather patterns during the Pliocene Epoch.
(C) Without evidence of increased global temperatures, the claim that current weather patterns are due to climate change would not be credible.
(D) If global temperatures continue to rise, the frequency and severity of these weather patterns will certainly increase.
(E) The mechanisms that caused climate change in the past are fundamentally different from those causing current climate change.
The argument in the passage relies on which of the following assumptions?
(A) The conditions that caused similar weather patterns during the Pliocene Epoch must be the same as those causing current weather patterns.
(B) Factors related to global temperatures, such as ocean currents or volcanic activity, did not significantly influence weather patterns during the Pliocene Epoch.
(C) Without evidence of increased global temperatures, the claim that current weather patterns are due to climate change would not be credible.
(D) If global temperatures continue to rise, the frequency and severity of these weather patterns will certainly increase.
(E) The mechanisms that caused climate change in the past are fundamentally different from those causing current climate change.
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15 Jul 2024, 08:15
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Bunuel
GMAT Club Official Explanation:
Correct Answer: A. The conditions that caused similar weather patterns during the Pliocene Epoch must be the same as those causing current weather patterns.
The argument is a cause and effect argument linking 2 events:
1. Current event: Climate change/temperature rise —(cause) — > weather patterns of intense rainfall followed by prolonged droughts.
2. Pliocene Epoch: high temperatures and similar weather patterns were present at the same time.
Assumption: both results were caused by the same cause. (this is a quick answer in your own words). The actual assumption is: high temperatures caused the weather patterns in both Pliocene Epoch and current time periods. Because correlation does not prove causation. The assumption that the same conditions/causes apply now as in the past is critical for validating the climatologists' claim that similar weather patterns (effect) indicate similar causes—namely, climate change driven by global temperature rises.
_______________________________
B. Factors related to global temperatures, such as ocean currents or volcanic activity, did not significantly influence weather patterns during the Pliocene Epoch.
This is the opposite of what we are looking for. B) tells us that global temperatures did not influence the weather patterns in Pliocene Epoch. Eliminate
C. Without evidence of increased global temperatures, the claim that current weather patterns are due to climate change would not be credible.
First of all, this answer choice is an evaluation of an argument rather than an assumption. Second, there is no evidence provided or requested in the augment. The argument does not doubt or require proof of temperatures thus this cannot be the assumption. Is it possible to turn this answer choice into a valid assumption? Yes, a weak one but valid nevertheless. An example of a secondary and valid assumption would have been something such as “The increased global temperatures have been measured correctly and there is undeniable proof of rising temperatures”. This could be a weak assumption if we modify this answer choice. Other similarly weak assumptions could be that no mistakes were made in recording weather patterns, and that data was collected accurately, etc, but all of them are not at the center of the argument and not what usually be the answer on the GMAT. Eliminate.
D. If global temperatures continue to rise, the frequency and severity of these weather patterns will certainly increase.
This is a predictive statement (inference) about future conditions and does not necessarily underpin the argument that current patterns are due to climate change; it’s stating implications of ongoing changes. Eliminate.
E. The mechanisms that caused climate change in the past are fundamentally different from those causing current climate change.
This answer choice contradicts our argument and information given in the premise. We know that the climatologist is arguing that both past and present climate and weather changes are related. Changing to the opposite, would have made this the correct answer choice. Eliminate.
General Discussion
15 Jul 2024, 07:48
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Bunuel
conclusion :
The discovery that similar weather patterns occurred during the Pliocene Epoch, when the earth experienced higher global temperatures, supports the claim that our current weather patterns are due to climate change.
we need to weaken the arugment using negation
(A) The conditions that caused similar weather patterns during the Pliocene Epoch are not the same as those causing current weather patterns.
weakens the conclusion ; correct option
(B) Other factors besides global temperatures, such as ocean currents or volcanic activity, did significantly influence weather patterns during the Pliocene Epoch.
argument is about impact of weather pattern and similarity to Pliocene Epoch ; incorrect
(C) Without evidence of increased global temperatures, the claim that current weather patterns are due to climate change would be credible. does not weaken the conclusion
(D) If global temperatures continue to rise, the frequency and severity of these weather patterns will not certainly increase.
no impact on conclusion
(E) The mechanisms that caused climate change in the past are fundamentally different from those causing current climate change.
irrelevant to argument
OPTION A is correct
