Last visit was: 19 Nov 2025, 21:50

It is currently 19 Nov 2025, 21:50

Toolkit

Practice Tests

Reading Comprehension (GRE)

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.

Go to My Error Log Learn more

Request Expert Reply

Confirm Cancel

Nov 20
UCR MBA Impact - Live Q&A with UCR AdCom & Student
07:30 AM PST
-
08:30 AM PST
Learn what truly sets the UC Riverside MBA apart and how it helps in your professional growth

Back to Forum

Create Topic

Supernovas in the Milky Way are the likeliest source for most of the c

Donnie84

Joined: 04 Jan 2014

Last visit: 25 Jun 2025

Posts: 496

Own Kudos:

268

Given Kudos: 15

GMAT 1: 660 Q48 V32 Verified score

GMAT 2: 630 Q48 V28 Verified score

GMAT 3: 680 Q48 V35 Verified score

Posts: 496

Kudos: 268

14 Oct 2024, 04:21

Kudos

Bookmarks

Question 1

GMAT Timer

00:00

Start Timer

Pause Timer

Resume Timer

Hide

Show

History

Error Log

A,B,C

Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

Difficulty:

(N/A)

based on 2 sessions

50% (02:06) correct

50% (02:44) wrong

History

Date

Time

Result

Not Attempted Yet

Question 2

GMAT Timer

00:00

Start Timer

Pause Timer

Resume Timer

Hide

Show

History

Error Log

Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!

Difficulty:

(N/A)

based on 3 sessions

67% (01:26) correct

33% (00:42) wrong

History

Date

Time

Result

Not Attempted Yet

Supernovas in the Milky Way are the likeliest source for most of the cosmic rays reaching Earth. However, calculations show that supernovas cannot produce ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs), which have energies exceeding 1018 electron volts. It would seem sensible to seek the source of these in the universe’s most conspicuous energy factories: quasars and gamma-ray bursts billions of light-years away from Earth. But UHECRs tend to collide with photons of the cosmic microwave background—pervasive radiation that is a relic of the early universe. The odds favor a collision every 20 million light-years, each collision costing 20 percent of the cosmic ray’s energy. Consequently, no cosmic ray traveling much beyond 100 million light-years can retain the energy observed in UHECRs.

For the following question, consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply.

1. It can be inferred that the author of the passage would agree with which of the following about the origin of UHECRs that reach Earth?

A. The origin is something other than supernovas in the Milky Way.
B. The origin is most likely something other than very distant quasars or gamma-ray bursts.
C. The origin is most likely no more than a little over 100 million light-years away from Earth.

2. In the context of the author’s argument, the last sentence performs which of the following functions?

A. It explains a criterion that was employed earlier in the argument.
B. It shows that an apparently plausible position is actually self-contradictory.
C. It is a conclusion drawn in the course of refuting a potential explanation.
D. It overturns an assumption on which an opposing position depends.
E. It states the main conclusion that the author is seeking to establish

Show Answer Question #1

Official Answer

A,B,C

Show Answer Question #2

Official Answer

Sajjad1994

GRE Forum Moderator

Joined: 02 Nov 2016

Last visit: 19 Nov 2025

Posts: 17,304

Own Kudos:

49,315

Given Kudos: 6,180

GPA: 3.62

Products:

Posts: 17,304

Kudos: 49,315

12 Feb 2025, 10:19

Kudos

Bookmarks

OE

1. It can be inferred that the author of the passage would agree with which of the following about the origin of UHECRs that reach Earth?

The passage discusses two hypotheses about the origins of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) and presents evidence suggesting that both hypotheses are probably false.

All three choices are correct. Te question asks about claims the author would agree with.

Choice A is correct: Te passage states that supernovas in the Milky Way “cannot produce ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays.”

Choice B is correct: Since very distant quasars and gamma-ray bursts are “billions of light-years away from Earth,” they are too far away for a UHECR to reach Earth.

Choice C is correct: Te last sentence of the passage states that “no cosmic ray traveling much beyond 100 million light-years can retain the energy observed in UHECRs.”

Answer:A,B,C

Sajjad1994

GRE Forum Moderator

Joined: 02 Nov 2016

Last visit: 19 Nov 2025

Posts: 17,304

Own Kudos:

49,315

Given Kudos: 6,180

GPA: 3.62

Products:

Posts: 17,304

Kudos: 49,315

12 Feb 2025, 10:21

Kudos

Bookmarks

OE

2. In the context of the author’s argument, the last sentence performs which of the following functions?

The last sentence is the conclusion of an argument in the last half of the passage; it puts a constraint on the possible origin of UHECRs relative to Earth and thereby rules out the possibility, mentioned earlier in the passage, that distant quasars and gamma-ray bursts could be the origin of UHECRs. Therefore Choice C is correct.

It is important to note that the last sentence does not show any plausible position to be self-contradictory (Choice B), and that it does not state the author’s main conclusion (Choice E), since it is relevant to only one of the two hypotheses considered in the passage.

Answer: C