VeritasKarishma wrote:
Harsh2111s wrote:
Quote:
1. According to the passage, all of the following are true EXCEPT:
Option A Humans are at least partially responsible for changing weather patterns
(A) True. The third sentence of the second paragraph characterizes changing
weather patterns due to global warming as a subtle effect of human activities.
Option C Human activity is not necessarily responsible for the global decline of amphibious populations.
(C) True. The third sentence of the second paragraph states explicitly that scientists
“hypothesize” that human activity is responsible for the global decline of amphibious
populations. Since a hypothesis is an educated guess rather than a fact, it is true
that human activity may not be responsible for the decline.
carcass -The above explanation for Q1 is most absurd way to present.
How can you assume two opposite things from single statement ?
MentorTutoring AjiteshArun VeritasKarishmaDear experts,
Can you explain how A and C can be true at same time or the question itself is wrong ?
Yes, (A) and (C) both can be true at the same time. Read that one critical sentence carefully.
"Scientists hypothesize that the more subtle effects of human activities on the world’s ecosystems, such as the build-up of pollutants, the decrease in atmospheric ozone, and changing weather patterns due to global warming, are beginning to take their toll."
Scientists hypothesise - so this is a hypothesis, NOT an established fact.
What is the hypothesis? That the more subtle effects of human activities are beginning to take their toll.
Hence, (C) is true: Human activity is not necessarily responsible for the global decline of amphibious populations.
What are the human activities that we are talking about? the build-up of pollutants, the decrease in atmospheric ozone, and changing weather patterns due to global warming
The passage tells us that these are human activities - that weather patterns are changing due to global warming (due to human activity) - this is not a hypothesis
Hence (A) is correct: Humans are at least partially responsible for changing weather patterns.
(A) and (C) are different implications from the same sentence and both hold.
I see the point you are making,
VeritasKarishma, and I hold your views in high regard. At the same time, I believe a dual interpretation of the sentence in question still holds, namely the following:
1) The hypothesis resolves, exactly as you have outlined above:
the more subtle effects of human activities are beginning to take their toll. The examples following
such as are
established effects of human activities.
2) The hypothesis never resolves, but encompasses the entire sentence, examples and all. That is, scientists are
hypothesizing that human activities,
such as... A, B, and C,
are beginning to take their toll.
The structure of the sentence does not direct me to one interpretation or the other. I still advocate choice (E) as the clearcut exception, but I have read and considered the sentence from the passage quite carefully, and, as I have outlined above, I feel as though the evidence justifying choice (A) is ambiguous.
Thank you for your response. You are an asset to the community, I think everyone would agree.
- Andrew
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