The paleontologists' view would be
LEAST supported by the truth of which one of the following?
Conclusion: Despite the fact that fossilized centipedes were discovered in rock that also contained remains of animals known to be water-dwelling, paleontologists are sure that centipedes lived on land.We must find a choice that
least support our argument, so the right answer choice could be
a weak strengthener ,
an irrelevant option or
a weakener.(A) The legs of the fossilized centipedes were particularly suited to being a means of locomotion on land.
This one strengthen the theory that centipedes lived on land -
Incorrect(B) All of the centipedes that had previously been discovered were land dwellers.
This one is an irrelevant option. The fact that previously discovered centipedes were land dwellers does not prove anything about the new discovered fossils. -
Incorrect(C) The rock in which the fossilized centipedes were found was formed from mud flats that were occasionally covered by river water.
You can make several assumptions about this one, but the most relevant word in this sentence is
"ocassionally", so you can say that this option actually strengthens the argument by saying that MOST of the time the land sorrounded by the mud flats was not covered by water. -
Incorrect(D) Fossils of the earliest land-dwelling animals that had previously been identified were found in rock that did not contain fossilized remains of water-dwelling animals.
Now we have something. Previous discoveries of the
earliest land-dwelling animals did
not contain fossilized remains of water-dwelling animals, so this options makes us doubt by stating that this discovery has a
new trait (rock that also contained remains of animals known to be water-dwelling). If we have new information, why are we concluding that these fossilized centipedes were also land-dwellers? -
Correct(E) Fossils of spiders with respiratory systems adapted only to breathing air were found in the same rock as the centipede fossils.
Fossils of animals with respiratory systems found along the centipede fossils strengthen our conclusion.
Incorrect _________________
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