7 mins 21 secs and got all correct!
The passage is easy to understand. Let me try to attempt writing explanations for some of the tricky questions even though Tommy has written excellent explanations a few years ago.
Easiest of the lot - detail question1. Which of the following statements about the difference between marine and continental sedimentation is supported by information in the passage?
(E) Marine sedimentation is much more continuous than is continental sedimentation.
Straight out of para 1 last sentenceOrganization of the passage is closely linked to the summary and also the tone2. Which of the following statements best describes the organization of the passage as a whole?(A) The author describes a method for determining past climatic conditions and then offers specific examples of situations in which it has been used.
TRAP - author does not describe "A" method but rather talks about what all characteristics are desirable in a method and goes on to talk about various methods(B) The author discusses the method of dating marine and continental sequences and then explains how dating is more difficult with lake levels than with pollen profiles.
BS Option - this is not what the author does(C) The author describes the common requirements of methods for determining past climatic conditions and then discusses examples of such methods.
BINGO - the author first describes requirements and then talks about two instances(D) The author describes various ways of choosing a material for determining past climatic conditions and then discusses how two such methods have yielded contradictory data.
True but too detailed to be the main point/organization of the passage(E) The author describes how methods for determining past climatic conditions were first developed and then describes two of the earliest known methods.
Nah - this is not done, author does not talk about how the methods were first developedDirect detail question and an easy pick3. It can be inferred from the passage that paleoclimatologists have concluded which of the following on the basis of their study of snow-line elevations in the southwestern United States?(A) There is usually more precipitation during an ice age because of increased amounts of evaporation.
Opposite(B) There was less precipitation during the last ice age than there is today.
Not mentioned(C) Lake levels in the semiarid southwestern United States were lower during the last ice age than they are today.
Opposite is true(D) During the last ice age, cooler weather led to lower lake levels than paleoclimatologists had previously assumed.
Again opposite, the options on this question are too easy(E) The high lake levels during the last ice age may have been a result of less evaporation rather than more precipitation.
Correct - Mentioned verbatim in the passageSpeculation question and the hardest of the lot according to me4. Which of the following would be the most likely topic for a paragraph that logically continues the passage?
(A) The kinds of plants normally found in arid regions
Too detailed for the followup passage(B) The effect of variation in lake levels on pollen distribution
Same folly - too detailed(C) The material best suited to preserving signals of climatic changes
Hold Even though this could be an option - based on the organization of the passage, the author introduced requirements of a technique and follwoed it up with examples - so we could expect another example to follow - albeit a more recent one(D) Other criteria invoked by paleoclimatologists when choosing a method to determine past climatic conditions
Not falling into the org of the passage(E) A third method for investigating past climatic conditions
BINGO - this is exactly what the author has been doing for past two paragraphs and is expected to followAnother detail question which is on the easier side5. The author discusses lake levels in the southwestern United States in order to
(A) illustrate the mechanics of the relationship between lake level, evaporation, and precipitation
Too vague - mechanics? what for?(B) provide an example of the uncertainty involved in interpreting lake levels
BINGO - the author mentions since two factors are involved - precipitation and evaporation there is a high level of uncertainty involved(C) prove that there are not enough ancient lakes with which to make accurate correlations
Nope, even though this is mentioned for arid reagions - this is irrelevant here(D) explain the effects of increased rates of evaporation on levels of precipitation
BS option - this is not mentioned(E) suggest that snow-line elevations are invariably more accurate than lake levels in determining rates of precipitation at various points in the past
Nope, such a comparison is never madeStraightforward detail question6. It can be inferred from the passage that an environmental signal found in geological material would not be useful to paleoclimatologists if it
(A) had to be interpreted by modern chemical means
Opposite - this is a necessary condition(B) reflected a change in climate rather than a long-term climatic condition
Could be true but vague(C) was incorporated into a material as the material was forming
So what? It could still be useful if all the other criteria were met(D) also reflected subsequent environmental changes
BINGO - verbatim from the passage(E) was contained in a continental rather than a marine sequence
BS option to confuse using heard of terms from the passageMultiple correct question - finally something other than a detail question7. According to the passage, the material used to determine past climatic conditions must be widespread for which of the following reasons?I. Paleoclimatologists need to make comparisons between periods of geological history.
Mentioned in the second line of the passageII. Paleoclimatologists need to compare materials that have supported a wide variety of vegetation.
Nah - vegetation is never mentioned hereIII. Paleoclimatologists need to make comparisons with data collected in other regions.
Same as I , it is verbatim from second line of passageFinally inference type with a bit of detail involved - arid and semi arid reagions are tough to predict because of the lack of evidence according to the passage8. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about the study of past climates in arid and semiarid regions?(A) It is sometimes more difficult to determine past climatic conditions in arid and semiarid regions than in temperate regions.
BINGO - this is exactly what we are looking for(B) Although in the past more research has been done on temperate regions, paleoclimatologists have recently turned their attention to arid and semiarid regions.
BS option - author never talks about more research done in the past(C) Although more information about past climates can be gathered in arid and semiarid than in temperate regions, dating this information is more difficult.
Again - a irrelevant and incorrect comparison(D) It is difficult to study the climatic history of arid and semiarid regions because their climates have tended to vary more than those of temperate regions.
Climates var more than temperate region? Non-sensical statement as we are talking about long term climatic changes(E) The study of past climates in arid and semiarid regions has been neglected because temperate regions support a greater variety of plant and animal life.
BS option - nothing has been neglectedVerdict - easy passage, the only challenging question was about predicting the possible title of the next paragraph following the passage.
Best,
Gladi