Bunuel wrote:
Saguaro kangaroo rats generally leave watering holes, where food and water are abundant, during the day, while Sonoran kangaroo rats remain near these same watering holes and continue foraging throughout the day Although Sonoran kailgaroo rats have larger and more frequent litters, they are generally outnumbered by the Saguaro kangaroo rat.
Which of the following, if true, would best resolve the apparent paradox described above?
A. Several species of successful rodents also leave the streams and watering holes during the day
B. The Saguaro kangaroo rat matures much more slowly than the Sonoran kangaroo rat because of its relatively limited food supply.
C. Many of the predators of kangaroo rats, such as falcons and rattlesnakes, are only active around streams during the day.
D. Saguaro kangaroo rats are more sensitive to sunlight than are Sonoran kangaroo rats.
E. Sonoran kangaroo rats are reproductive to a greater age than are Saguaro kangaroo rats.
KAPLAN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION:
C
The "apparent paradox" refers to the fact that although Saguaro kangaroo rats have smaller, less frequent litters and spend less time foraging where resources are abundant, they nevertheless outnumber the Sonoran kangaroo rats. We must find an answer choice that explains how this is possible.
(B) and (E) make the paradox even harder to explain. They both discuss further inherent weaknesses of the Saguaro species, which if anything, would lead us to believe that there should be more Sonoran rats, rather tharrthe other way around. (A) isn't relevant to the comparison between the Sonoran and Saguaro species. (D) addresses the wrong question; it may explain why the Saguaro rats leave watering holes during daylight hours, but that doesn't explain why they have greater population numbers. Only (C) provides a plausible explanation. The fact that Sonoran rats spend more time in areas where predators are active could explain why they are outnumbered by the Saguaro rats.