Last visit was: 03 Sep 2026, 22:06 It is currently 03 Sep 2026, 22:06
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
555-605 (Medium)|   Long Passage|   Science|                     
User avatar
davidbeckham
User avatar
Stanford School Moderator
Joined: 11 Jun 2019
Last visit: 11 Oct 2021
Posts: 109
Own Kudos:
69
 [1]
Given Kudos: 181
Location: India
Products:
Posts: 109
Kudos: 69
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 03 Sep 2026
Posts: 7,399
Own Kudos:
71,563
 [3]
Given Kudos: 2,182
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,399
Kudos: 71,563
 [3]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
2
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
user1937
Joined: 04 Apr 2024
Last visit: 27 Apr 2025
Posts: 61
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 24
Posts: 61
Kudos: 64
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
User avatar
GMATNinja
User avatar
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
Joined: 13 Aug 2009
Last visit: 03 Sep 2026
Posts: 7,399
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 2,182
Status: GMAT/GRE/LSAT tutors
Location: United States (CO)
GMAT 1: 780 Q51 V46
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Products:
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 2: 800 Q51 V51
GRE 1: Q170 V170
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Posts: 7,399
Kudos: 71,563
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
user1937
Hi. Why is (A) wrong for question3? It is mentioned that gravity makes it harder for terrestrial snakes and the lack of neutralizing forces, as is the case in water, makes it harder for terrestrial snakes to maintain vertical positions.

It is true that the snakes are adapted to it, but they have adapted to it because it would have been harder without the adaption.

Option (B) says about the adaptation. It is true that the result of adaptation removes that disadvantage but the question does not explicitly mention IF the adaptation effect needs to be considered.
­The passage specifically tells us that many terrestrial snakes in similar (head-up) spatial orientations do NOT experience this kind of circulatory failure. Why not? Because they have certain adaptations including the waves of muscle contractions and the fact that the heart is close to the head.

That passage describes how these adaptations SOLVE the circulatory problems caused by gravity, so there's no reason to think that those snakes are more likely to be susceptible to circulatory failure in vertical postures than are sea snakes.

As for (B), the passage tells us that the terrestrial snakes do in fact have these adaptations, so we must consider those adaptations when answering the question.

I hope that helps!­
User avatar
gullyboy09
Joined: 13 Oct 2025
Last visit: 02 Sep 2026
Posts: 297
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 71
Products:
Posts: 297
Kudos: 24
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi GMATNinja, shouldn't option A should be - "illustrate what could occur..."

4. The author describes the behavior of the circulatory system of sea snakes when they are removed from the ocean (see highlighted text) primarily in order to

(A) illustrate what would occur in the circulatory system of terrestrial snakes without adaptations that enable them to regulate their blood pressure in vertical orientations
(B) explain why arboreal snakes in vertical orientations must rely on muscle contractions to restore blood pressure to the brain
(C) illustrate the effects of circulatory failure on the behavior of arboreal snakes
(D) illustrate the superiority of the circulatory system of the terrestrial snake to that of the sea snake
(E) explain how changes in spatial orientation can adversely affect the circulatory system of snakes with hearts located in relatively close proximity to their heads
User avatar
guddo
Joined: 25 May 2021
Last visit: 03 Sep 2026
Posts: 1,827
Own Kudos:
14,357
 [1]
Given Kudos: 32
Posts: 1,827
Kudos: 14,357
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
4. The author describes the behavior of the circulatory system of sea snakes when they are removed from the ocean (see highlighted text) primarily in order to

The passage explains that gravity creates a blood-circulation problem for snakes on land, especially when they are in vertical positions. Sea snakes do not face this problem in water, but when taken out of water and tilted head-up, their blood pressure drops sharply. The author uses this contrast to show what terrestrial snakes would face without special adaptations and then explains the adaptations that help them avoid that problem.

(A) illustrate what would occur in the circulatory system of terrestrial snakes without adaptations that enable them to regulate their blood pressure in vertical orientations

This is correct. The sea snake example shows the circulatory failure that would happen in head-up positions if terrestrial snakes did not have special adaptations.

(B) explain why arboreal snakes in vertical orientations must rely on muscle contractions to restore blood pressure to the brain

This is too narrow. The sea snake example comes before the discussion of arboreal snakes’ muscle contractions and is used more generally to set up the problem of gravity.

(C) illustrate the effects of circulatory failure on the behavior of arboreal snakes

This is wrong. The passage does not describe behavioral effects of circulatory failure in arboreal snakes.

(D) illustrate the superiority of the circulatory system of the terrestrial snake to that of the sea snake

This is too strong. The passage is about different adaptations to different environments, not about overall superiority.

(E) explain how changes in spatial orientation can adversely affect the circulatory system of snakes with hearts located in relatively close proximity to their heads

This is wrong. The sea snake example involves snakes whose hearts can be near the middle of the body, not close to the head.

Answer: (A)
User avatar
ananya88888888888
Joined: 09 Jan 2026
Last visit: 02 Sep 2026
Posts: 25
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 24
Posts: 25
Kudos: 2
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
why is E wrong for q2, what is the fundamental. difference between the right answer and option E, one says exceeds one say counterparts, but wont they imply the same thing, how do we eliminate E?
User avatar
guddo
Joined: 25 May 2021
Last visit: 03 Sep 2026
Posts: 1,827
Own Kudos:
14,357
 [1]
Given Kudos: 32
Posts: 1,827
Kudos: 14,357
 [1]
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
2. According to the passage, one reason that the distribution of blood in the sea snake changes little while the creature remains in the ocean is that

The passage says sea snakes do not have the same blood-circulation problem in water because the pressure inside their blood vessels is balanced by pressure from the surrounding water. The key point is that water pressure counteracts the vertical pressure gradients inside the snake’s body.

(A) the heart of the sea snake tends to be located near the center of its body

This is true according to the passage, but it explains why the heart position is efficient for sea snakes. It does not explain why blood distribution changes little while the snake remains in the ocean.

(B) pressure gradients in the water surrounding the sea snake counter the effects of vertical pressure gradients within its blood vessels

This is correct. The passage directly says that vertical pressure gradients inside the blood vessels are counteracted by similar pressure gradients in the surrounding water. That is why blood distribution stays about the same in the ocean.

(C) the sea snake assumes a vertical posture less frequently than do the terrestrial and the arboreal snake

This is not stated. The passage says blood distribution remains stable regardless of orientation while the sea snake is in the ocean.

(D) the sea snake often relies on waves of muscle contractions to help move blood from the torso to the head

This describes arboreal snakes, not sea snakes.

(E) the force of pressure gradients in the water surrounding the sea snake exceeds that of vertical pressure gradients within its circulatory system

This is incorrect. The passage says the surrounding water pressure gradients counteract the internal gradients, not that they exceed them.

Answer: (B)
User avatar
egmat
User avatar
e-GMAT Representative
Joined: 02 Nov 2011
Last visit: 03 Sep 2026
Posts: 6,289
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 715
GMAT Date: 08-19-2020
Expert
Expert reply
Active GMAT Club Expert! Tag them with @ followed by their username for a faster response.
Posts: 6,289
Kudos: 33,896
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi ananya88888888888,

Great question, because B and E sound almost identical, and the whole thing turns on one word. Let me point you back to the exact line the passage gives:

"the vertical pressure gradients within the blood vessels are counteracted by similar pressure gradients in the surrounding water"

Two words are doing all the work: counteracted and similar.

What "counteract" (B) says: the outside water pressure balances - cancels out - the inside blood-vessel pressure. And the passage tells you these gradients are similar, i.e. roughly equal. Equal, opposing forces cancel, so nothing shifts - which is exactly why "the distribution of blood... remains about the same." B is a clean restatement.

What "exceeds" (E) says: the water pressure is greater than the blood-vessel pressure. That is a different physical claim. If one force overpowered the other, the balance would break and blood would actually get pushed around - the distribution would change, not stay the same. So E doesn't just say something extra; it would predict the opposite of what the passage reports.

That's the core split: counteract = balance/cancel (equal); exceed = overpower (greater). The passage needs a balance to explain "stays about the same," so "exceeds" breaks it.

A quick everyday test to lock this in:

- "The rope teams were evenly matched, so the flag didn't move" - forces counteract each other (equal). Nothing shifts.
- "One rope team overpowered the other" - one side exceeds the other. The flag moves.

The sea snake's blood is that flag. "Stays about the same" only fits the first sentence - so B, not E.

Answer: B

ananya88888888888
why is E wrong for q2, what is the fundamental. difference between the right answer and option E, one says exceeds one say counterparts, but wont they imply the same thing, how do we eliminate E?
   1   2 
Moderators:
GMAT Club Verbal Expert
7399 posts
Verbal Forum Moderator
46 posts