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Question 1
A
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
45%
(medium)
Question Stats:
61% (03:17) correct
39%
(03:27) wrong
based on 3464
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 2
C
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Difficulty:
25%
(medium)
Question Stats:
69% (01:05) correct 31%
(01:26) wrong
based on 3802
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 3
B
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Difficulty:
35%
(medium)
Question Stats:
61% (01:13) correct 39%
(01:15) wrong
based on 3826
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 4
E
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Difficulty:
5%
(low)
Question Stats:
88% (00:58) correct 12%
(01:26) wrong
based on 3511
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History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 5
B
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
25%
(medium)
Question Stats:
75% (01:22) correct 25%
(01:40) wrong
based on 3410
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Grassland songbirds often nest in the same grassland-wetland complexes as waterfowl, particularly in a certain part of those complexes, namely, upland habitats surrounding wetlands. Although some wildlife management procedures directed at waterfowl, such as habitat enhancement or restoration, may also benefit songbirds, the impact of others, especially the control of waterfowl predators, remains difficult to predict. For example, most predators of waterfowl nests prey opportunistically on songbird nests, and removing these predators could directly increase songbird nesting success. Alternatively, small mammals such as mice and ground squirrels are important in the diet of many waterfowl-nest predators and can themselves be important predators of songbird nest. Thus, removing waterfowl-nest predators could affect songbird nesting success through subsequent increases in small-mammal populations.
In 1995 and 1996, researchers trapped and removed certain waterfowl-nest predators, primarily raccoons and striped skunks, then observed subsequent survival rates for songbird nests. Surprisingly, they observed no significant effect on songbird nesting success. This may be due to several factors. Neither raccoons nor striped skunks consume ground squirrels, which are important predators of songbird nests. Thus, their removal may not have led to significant increases in populations of smaller predators. Additionally, both raccoons and striped skunks prefer wetlands and spend little time in upland habitats; removing these species may not have increased the nesting success of songbirds in the uplands enough to allow detection.
In 1995 and 1996, researchers trapped and removed certain waterfowl-nest predators, primarily raccoons and striped skunks, then observed subsequent survival rates for songbird nests. Surprisingly, they observed no significant effect on songbird nesting success. This may be due to several factors. Neither raccoons nor striped skunks consume ground squirrels, which are important predators of songbird nests. Thus, their removal may not have led to significant increases in populations of smaller predators. Additionally, both raccoons and striped skunks prefer wetlands and spend little time in upland habitats; removing these species may not have increased the nesting success of songbirds in the uplands enough to allow detection.
1. According to the passage, which of the following is true about the role played by ground squirrels in the ecology of grassland-wetland complexes?
(A) While not important in the diet of raccoons or striped skunks, ground squirrels are a significant source of food for other waterfowl-nest predators.
(B) Whereas ground squirrels are typically important as predators of songbird nests, their opportunistic predation on waterfowl nests also has an observable effect on waterfowl nesting success.
(C) Although most waterfowl-nest predators prey on small mammals such as mice and ground squirrels, populations of ground squirrels tend to increase quickly enough to compensate for this level of predation.
(D) Although ground squirrels have been known to prey on songbird nests, a larger portion of their diets is usually provided by predation on waterfowl nests.
(E) Since larger predators tend to prefer small mammals to songbird eggs as a food source, a large population of ground squirrels plays an important role in controlling opportunistic predation on songbird nests.
(A) While not important in the diet of raccoons or striped skunks, ground squirrels are a significant source of food for other waterfowl-nest predators.
(B) Whereas ground squirrels are typically important as predators of songbird nests, their opportunistic predation on waterfowl nests also has an observable effect on waterfowl nesting success.
(C) Although most waterfowl-nest predators prey on small mammals such as mice and ground squirrels, populations of ground squirrels tend to increase quickly enough to compensate for this level of predation.
(D) Although ground squirrels have been known to prey on songbird nests, a larger portion of their diets is usually provided by predation on waterfowl nests.
(E) Since larger predators tend to prefer small mammals to songbird eggs as a food source, a large population of ground squirrels plays an important role in controlling opportunistic predation on songbird nests.
2. Which of the following best describes the function of the sentence “Neither raccoons…songbird nests” in the context of the passage as a whole?
(A) It raises questions about the validity of a theory described in the first paragraph.
(B) It points out an oversimplification that is inherent in the argument presented in the first paragraph.
(C) It introduces information that may help explain the results of the experiment that are presented earlier in the paragraph.
(D) It provides a specific example of the type of data collected in the experiment described earlier in the paragraph.
(E) It anticipates a potential objection to the conclusions drawn by the researchers involved in the experiment described earlier in the paragraph.
(A) It raises questions about the validity of a theory described in the first paragraph.
(B) It points out an oversimplification that is inherent in the argument presented in the first paragraph.
(C) It introduces information that may help explain the results of the experiment that are presented earlier in the paragraph.
(D) It provides a specific example of the type of data collected in the experiment described earlier in the paragraph.
(E) It anticipates a potential objection to the conclusions drawn by the researchers involved in the experiment described earlier in the paragraph.
3. The primary purpose of the passage is to
(A) describe some procedures used for wildlife management and consider some problems associated with the execution of those procedures
(B) outline a problem related to a wildlife management procedure and offer potential explanations for the results of an experiment bearing on that problem
(C) present experimental results that illustrate the need for certain wildlife management procedures and point out some inconsistencies in those results
(D) argue that a certain procedure used for wildlife management should be modified because of its unintended consequences
(E) propose that further experiments be performed to assess the long-term effects of certain wildlife management procedures
(A) describe some procedures used for wildlife management and consider some problems associated with the execution of those procedures
(B) outline a problem related to a wildlife management procedure and offer potential explanations for the results of an experiment bearing on that problem
(C) present experimental results that illustrate the need for certain wildlife management procedures and point out some inconsistencies in those results
(D) argue that a certain procedure used for wildlife management should be modified because of its unintended consequences
(E) propose that further experiments be performed to assess the long-term effects of certain wildlife management procedures
4. The passage suggests that removing waterfowl-nest predators could possibly have a negative effect on songbird populations because
(A) songbird populations could then grow to unsustainable numbers
(B) small-mammal population could then move out of the uplands into wetland areas
(C) competition among remaining waterfowl-nest predators could decrease significantly
(D) a resulting increase in waterfowl populations could crowd out songbird populations
(E) a resulting increase in small-mammal populations could increase small-mammal predation on songbirds
(A) songbird populations could then grow to unsustainable numbers
(B) small-mammal population could then move out of the uplands into wetland areas
(C) competition among remaining waterfowl-nest predators could decrease significantly
(D) a resulting increase in waterfowl populations could crowd out songbird populations
(E) a resulting increase in small-mammal populations could increase small-mammal predation on songbirds
5. It can be inferred that the habitat preferences of raccoons and striped skunks affected the results of the experiment described in the passage for which of the following reasons?
(A) Songbird nests in the wetlands are usually located in places that most waterfowl-nest predators cannot reach.
(B) Raccoons and striped skunks are not usually found in areas where songbird nests tend to be located.
(C) Mice and ground squirrels tend to avoid predation by raccoons and striped skunks by remaining exclusively in the uplands.
(D) The populations of small mammals in the wetlands are usually controlled by larger waterfowl-nest predators such as raccoons and striped skunks.
(E) The waterfowl on which raccoons and striped skunks prey in the wetlands compete with songbirds for food.
(A) Songbird nests in the wetlands are usually located in places that most waterfowl-nest predators cannot reach.
(B) Raccoons and striped skunks are not usually found in areas where songbird nests tend to be located.
(C) Mice and ground squirrels tend to avoid predation by raccoons and striped skunks by remaining exclusively in the uplands.
(D) The populations of small mammals in the wetlands are usually controlled by larger waterfowl-nest predators such as raccoons and striped skunks.
(E) The waterfowl on which raccoons and striped skunks prey in the wetlands compete with songbirds for food.
16 Sep 2020, 12:45
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi Will2020
You asked
So - full disclosure - I had to circle back on Question 1 as I initially eliminated all the answer choices. Here was my process:
Upon reading the question, but before reading any answer choices, I said to myself, "what do I know about ground squirrels? I know they eat songbird eggs. And I know that the skunks and raccoons do NOT eat the squirrels." It's helpful in this type of question to bring to mind what you've gleaned from the passage that may help form the basis of your answer BEFORE you go get ambushed/confused by the GMAT word salad of the answer choices.
Initially I did not like A because I was not sure that I could prove the second half of the answer choice using the passage.
B was out because we aren't focused on waterfowl nesting success, we're focused on songbird nesting success. So the second half of B is out of scope and wrong.
C was out because of this phrase: "populations of ground squirrels tend to increase quickly enough to compensate for this level of predation." What? There was no discussion about how fast ground squirrels reproduce/increase their populations.
D was out because I have no evidence about "a larger portion of their diets" ... I only know they eat songbird eggs, no idea about anything else they eat or the overall makeup of their diets
E was out because I didn't know anything about the preferences of larger predators. (Envision the larger predator looking at a menu ... hmm, I'll have the ground squirrel grilled, please.)
So then I needed to circle back to A and see if I was sure about my elimination there. I then went back into the passage to see if I could find anything about someone else eating the ground squirrels, and I found it in the second-to-last sentence of P1: "Alternatively, small mammals such as mice and ground squirrels are important in the diet of many waterfowl-nest predators and can themselves be important predators of songbird nest."
Aha. So that's what we needed, now we can justify both parts of answer choice A.
In retrospect, the reason I had to circle back on A comes down to the summary I gave myself after I read the question but before I started on the answer choices. If we go back to what I said:
"what do I know about ground squirrels? I know they eat songbird eggs. And I know that the skunks and raccoons do NOT eat the squirrels."
... this was a little bit incomplete. A fuller statement would have said that "some nest predators do eat the squirrels, but skunks and raccoons do NOT eat the squirrels." I had run past that sentence when reading and I didn't initially find it important.
Big picture: A question like this one is testing your overall reading comprehension of the passage, and how well you retained the most important details and relationships. If you had to go hunting for evidence to disprove all 4 wrong answer choices, your grasp of the passage was not sufficiently strong and detailed. You should be able to eliminate at least 2 answer choices without re-reading anything, and then have a good idea of where in the passage you could look for evidence relating to the other 3.
Does this help? Let us know.
You asked
Quote:
So - full disclosure - I had to circle back on Question 1 as I initially eliminated all the answer choices. Here was my process:
Upon reading the question, but before reading any answer choices, I said to myself, "what do I know about ground squirrels? I know they eat songbird eggs. And I know that the skunks and raccoons do NOT eat the squirrels." It's helpful in this type of question to bring to mind what you've gleaned from the passage that may help form the basis of your answer BEFORE you go get ambushed/confused by the GMAT word salad of the answer choices.
Initially I did not like A because I was not sure that I could prove the second half of the answer choice using the passage.
B was out because we aren't focused on waterfowl nesting success, we're focused on songbird nesting success. So the second half of B is out of scope and wrong.
C was out because of this phrase: "populations of ground squirrels tend to increase quickly enough to compensate for this level of predation." What? There was no discussion about how fast ground squirrels reproduce/increase their populations.
D was out because I have no evidence about "a larger portion of their diets" ... I only know they eat songbird eggs, no idea about anything else they eat or the overall makeup of their diets
E was out because I didn't know anything about the preferences of larger predators. (Envision the larger predator looking at a menu ... hmm, I'll have the ground squirrel grilled, please.)
So then I needed to circle back to A and see if I was sure about my elimination there. I then went back into the passage to see if I could find anything about someone else eating the ground squirrels, and I found it in the second-to-last sentence of P1: "Alternatively, small mammals such as mice and ground squirrels are important in the diet of many waterfowl-nest predators and can themselves be important predators of songbird nest."
Aha. So that's what we needed, now we can justify both parts of answer choice A.
In retrospect, the reason I had to circle back on A comes down to the summary I gave myself after I read the question but before I started on the answer choices. If we go back to what I said:
"what do I know about ground squirrels? I know they eat songbird eggs. And I know that the skunks and raccoons do NOT eat the squirrels."
... this was a little bit incomplete. A fuller statement would have said that "some nest predators do eat the squirrels, but skunks and raccoons do NOT eat the squirrels." I had run past that sentence when reading and I didn't initially find it important.
Big picture: A question like this one is testing your overall reading comprehension of the passage, and how well you retained the most important details and relationships. If you had to go hunting for evidence to disprove all 4 wrong answer choices, your grasp of the passage was not sufficiently strong and detailed. You should be able to eliminate at least 2 answer choices without re-reading anything, and then have a good idea of where in the passage you could look for evidence relating to the other 3.
Does this help? Let us know.
03 Jul 2017, 17:20
Kudos
Bookmarks
1)"small mammals such as mice and ground squirrels are important in the diet of many waterfowl-nest predators and can themselves be important predators of songbird nests". "Neither raccoons nor striped skunks consume ground squirrels, which are important predators of songbird nests."
It means the ground squirrles are not eaten by racoons or skunks but they play a very important role in the diet of many waterfowl-nest predators.So, if you combine above two statements you can see that only option that matches is A.
"While not important in the diet of raccoons or striped skunks, ground squirrels are a significant source of food for other waterfowl-nest predators."
2)Researchers conducted some random experiment but it doesn't lead to a conclusion or their prediction which they were looking for and several factors are considered before this highlighted bold part and this flow of pattern exactly matches with option C.
"It introduces information that may help explain the results of the experiment that are presented earlier in the paragraph".
3)The author predicts the following chain of events
removal of waterfowl predators ---> proliferation of small animals ---> negative impact on songbird nesting
But the removal of the waterfowl predators doesn't have the predicted impact. Lines 34-37 help explain why the predicted impact didn't happen. There's no potential objection to a conclusion. In other words, no one is refuting an idea in the abstract. There's just an experiment with an unexpected result that requires an explanation. Hence B.
"outline a problem related to a wildlife management procedure and offer potential explanations for the results of an experiment bearing on that problem".
It means the ground squirrles are not eaten by racoons or skunks but they play a very important role in the diet of many waterfowl-nest predators.So, if you combine above two statements you can see that only option that matches is A.
"While not important in the diet of raccoons or striped skunks, ground squirrels are a significant source of food for other waterfowl-nest predators."
2)Researchers conducted some random experiment but it doesn't lead to a conclusion or their prediction which they were looking for and several factors are considered before this highlighted bold part and this flow of pattern exactly matches with option C.
"It introduces information that may help explain the results of the experiment that are presented earlier in the paragraph".
3)The author predicts the following chain of events
removal of waterfowl predators ---> proliferation of small animals ---> negative impact on songbird nesting
But the removal of the waterfowl predators doesn't have the predicted impact. Lines 34-37 help explain why the predicted impact didn't happen. There's no potential objection to a conclusion. In other words, no one is refuting an idea in the abstract. There's just an experiment with an unexpected result that requires an explanation. Hence B.
"outline a problem related to a wildlife management procedure and offer potential explanations for the results of an experiment bearing on that problem".
((( 
