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28 Feb 2026, 01:11
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Question 1
B
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:
58% (02:52) correct
42%
(02:16) wrong
based on 64
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 2
B
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
55%
(hard)
Question Stats:
40% (01:01) correct 60%
(01:05) wrong
based on 67
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 3
D
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
55%
(hard)
Question Stats:
49% (01:16) correct 51%
(01:08) wrong
based on 61
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Question 4
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:
48% (01:01) correct 52%
(01:14) wrong
based on 60
sessions
History
Date
Time
Result
Not Attempted Yet
Monogamy is not natural - hardly any species practice it. Social monogamy wherein two creatures mate and work together is especially uncommon among mammals. Mating with one female at a time lowers a male's chances of producing as many offspring as possible; so why would mammals be monogamous?
According to a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), suggests that males stayed with one female to ensure their young were not killed by another male, but survived to reproduce to carry on their genetic lineage. Based on breeding and parenting behaviors of 230 mammal species, the researchers determined that males balanced the need to spread their gene pool against the need to protect their young from being killed. The attacking males needed to kill the young so they could breed with its mother, who would delay conception of another offspring if she were nursing. So, the father hung around to protect his genetic line and help raise the young so the mother could reproduce again sooner. "Infanticide is the driver of monogamy," trumpeted Opie, a PNAS researcher. "This brings to a close the long-running debate."
Well, not so fast! Another study, published in the journal Science, used a similar analysis, but across a wider sample - about 2,500 mammal species. Those authors, Lukas and Clutton-Brock, found no correlation between infanticide and monogamy. They suggested that monogamy is about location and supply. "Monogamy develops where females live at low density," says Lukas. Males cannot fend off rivals from more than one female at a time because the rival males are too spread out. To ensure their young are the ones the female is carrying, the males stick with one female. "It is a consequence of resource defense." This study notes that in monogamous mammalian species, the females tend to be intolerant of other females. Unlike those of ungulates, who are rarely monogamous, these mammals' nutritional needs are greater, and they, therefore, shoo off competitors for food resources.
As for human monogamy, the PNAS study is a more suitable explanation. Because humans have big brains, their infants take longer to nurture and are vulnerable for longer. Therefore, human males needed to protect their child-rearing females until breeding was done. So how important were kids in man's move towards monogamy? It is a fascinating fight, but ultimately, whether monogamy is natural is less relevant than whether it is desirable. Human monogamy seems to be both an acquired taste and a social necessity.
According to a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), suggests that males stayed with one female to ensure their young were not killed by another male, but survived to reproduce to carry on their genetic lineage. Based on breeding and parenting behaviors of 230 mammal species, the researchers determined that males balanced the need to spread their gene pool against the need to protect their young from being killed. The attacking males needed to kill the young so they could breed with its mother, who would delay conception of another offspring if she were nursing. So, the father hung around to protect his genetic line and help raise the young so the mother could reproduce again sooner. "Infanticide is the driver of monogamy," trumpeted Opie, a PNAS researcher. "This brings to a close the long-running debate."
Well, not so fast! Another study, published in the journal Science, used a similar analysis, but across a wider sample - about 2,500 mammal species. Those authors, Lukas and Clutton-Brock, found no correlation between infanticide and monogamy. They suggested that monogamy is about location and supply. "Monogamy develops where females live at low density," says Lukas. Males cannot fend off rivals from more than one female at a time because the rival males are too spread out. To ensure their young are the ones the female is carrying, the males stick with one female. "It is a consequence of resource defense." This study notes that in monogamous mammalian species, the females tend to be intolerant of other females. Unlike those of ungulates, who are rarely monogamous, these mammals' nutritional needs are greater, and they, therefore, shoo off competitors for food resources.
As for human monogamy, the PNAS study is a more suitable explanation. Because humans have big brains, their infants take longer to nurture and are vulnerable for longer. Therefore, human males needed to protect their child-rearing females until breeding was done. So how important were kids in man's move towards monogamy? It is a fascinating fight, but ultimately, whether monogamy is natural is less relevant than whether it is desirable. Human monogamy seems to be both an acquired taste and a social necessity.
1. Which one of the following can be supported by the information given in the passage?
A. Species with bigger brains are more likely to be monogamous.
B. Spreading the gene pool and protecting the young can be contradicting priorities.
C. Infanticide is the driver of monogamy in mammals.
D. Ungulate females are intolerant of other females.
E. Reasons behind monogamy in mammals are well understood.
A. Species with bigger brains are more likely to be monogamous.
B. Spreading the gene pool and protecting the young can be contradicting priorities.
C. Infanticide is the driver of monogamy in mammals.
D. Ungulate females are intolerant of other females.
E. Reasons behind monogamy in mammals are well understood.
2. Which one of the following best describes the contents of the passage?
A. A chronology of the development of different theories of the evolution of monogamy in humans
B. An effort to explore the origins of monogamy and to reason why humans adopted the practice
C. An argument concerning whether monogamy is natural and desirable
D. An attempt to determine which theory best explains the monogamous behavior in mammals
E. A discussion on how monogamy in humans differs from that in other mammals
A. A chronology of the development of different theories of the evolution of monogamy in humans
B. An effort to explore the origins of monogamy and to reason why humans adopted the practice
C. An argument concerning whether monogamy is natural and desirable
D. An attempt to determine which theory best explains the monogamous behavior in mammals
E. A discussion on how monogamy in humans differs from that in other mammals
3. All of the following are key aspects of the PNAS study EXCEPT:
A. Nursing mothers delay conception of another offspring.
B. The protection of offspring is a necessity for evolution.
C. Male mammals balance between having as many offspring as possible and protecting offspring.
D. Kids are of utmost importance in making men move towards monogamy.
E. Male parental help allows females to reproduce again sooner.
A. Nursing mothers delay conception of another offspring.
B. The protection of offspring is a necessity for evolution.
C. Male mammals balance between having as many offspring as possible and protecting offspring.
D. Kids are of utmost importance in making men move towards monogamy.
E. Male parental help allows females to reproduce again sooner.
4. It can be inferred from the passage that further research on which one of the following topics may explain the origin of human monogamy with greater clarity?
A. Formation of social structure and customs
B. Whether monogamy is widely followed in all societies
C. Effect of monogamy on human evolution
D. How human monogamy differs from monogamy in other species
E. Monogamy in areas with low density female population
A. Formation of social structure and customs
B. Whether monogamy is widely followed in all societies
C. Effect of monogamy on human evolution
D. How human monogamy differs from monogamy in other species
E. Monogamy in areas with low density female population
28 Feb 2026, 07:15
Kudos
Bookmarks
4. It can be inferred from the passage that further research on which one of the following topics may explain the origin of human monogamy with greater clarity?
The passage contrasts two explanations for mammal monogamy (infanticide protection vs female dispersion/resource defense). For humans, it leans toward the PNAS style explanation because human infants need long protection, and it also notes human monogamy functions as a social necessity.
A. Formation of social structure and customs
This best fits what the passage flags as especially relevant for humans: not just biology, but social forces that make monogamy “desirable” and stable. Research here would most directly clarify why human monogamy became a lasting system.
B. Whether monogamy is widely followed in all societies
That is about prevalence, not origin. Even if it varies, that alone does not explain how it started.
C. Effect of monogamy on human evolution
That is mostly consequences after it exists, not what caused it to originate.
D. How human monogamy differs from monogamy in other species
Too general. Differences might be interesting, but the passage points more specifically to humans’ social organization and long child dependency as the key angle.
E. Monogamy in areas with low density female population
This corresponds to the alternative (Science) explanation for mammals, but the passage suggests that explanation is less suitable for humans than the infant-protection and social framework story.
Answer: (A)
The passage contrasts two explanations for mammal monogamy (infanticide protection vs female dispersion/resource defense). For humans, it leans toward the PNAS style explanation because human infants need long protection, and it also notes human monogamy functions as a social necessity.
A. Formation of social structure and customs
This best fits what the passage flags as especially relevant for humans: not just biology, but social forces that make monogamy “desirable” and stable. Research here would most directly clarify why human monogamy became a lasting system.
B. Whether monogamy is widely followed in all societies
That is about prevalence, not origin. Even if it varies, that alone does not explain how it started.
C. Effect of monogamy on human evolution
That is mostly consequences after it exists, not what caused it to originate.
D. How human monogamy differs from monogamy in other species
Too general. Differences might be interesting, but the passage points more specifically to humans’ social organization and long child dependency as the key angle.
E. Monogamy in areas with low density female population
This corresponds to the alternative (Science) explanation for mammals, but the passage suggests that explanation is less suitable for humans than the infant-protection and social framework story.
Answer: (A)
