The mid-thirteenth-century King’s Mirror contains extraordinarily accu

Question

The mid-thirteenth-century King’s Mirror contains extraordinarily accurate descriptions of sea mammals and other natural phenomena. The section dealing with the North Atlantic describes only three phenomena that assume an aspect of the marvelous: the hafgerdingar (sea fences) and the Norse merman, both sighted in the Greenland Sea, and the hafgufa, sighted in Icelandic seas. Scientists have long assumed that the Norse mermen were nothing more than manatees or dugongs; however, that theory ought surely to be reconsidered in light of new research findings indicating that hafgerdingar are a visual effect created by anomalous atmospheric refraction of light rays.

Light is refracted downward during a temperature inversion, a condition in which atmospheric temperature increases with elevation. During an inversion, irregularities in the atmospheric temperature profile, especially thermoclines (layers where the temperature gradient is steeper than in adjacent layers), create irregularities in light refraction. The resulting optical distortion may be so severe as to make ordinary objects unrecognizable, even at short distances. One excellent source for mermen images, for instance, may have been whales projecting their heads vertically out of the water (such activity, called “spy-hopping” is common among cetaceans). Our computer simulations suggest that, with changes in the temperature profile, a whale’s head can appear slender and vertically elongated to a degree three times its actual height above water. Since the horizontal dimension remains unchanged, the distorted image possesses a large height-to width ratio, a form associated with humans. The refractive distortion diminishes if the image can be viewed from above the thermocline, but to sail thirteenth-century vessels, Norse mariners worked from the deck, only a few meters above the sea. Subsequent use of higher-decked ships and of elevated lockouts would explain the infrequent sightings of mermen by Norse mariners in later centuries.

Apparently, the thermoclines that generate mermen images are most likely to be created when a warm air mass moves slowly over significantly cooler surface air, as in the last stages of a warm front, when the warm-cold interface has descended almost to the surface (some experimental verification of this hypothesis has already been provided by Wegener, who correlated mirages in the North Atlantic with the arrival of warm fronts). The typical conditions just before a major storm in the Greenland Sea, dead calm followed by a sudden rise in temperature, are ideally suited to the development of thermoclines. The amount of optical distortion depends directly on the temperature difference between the two air masses, which in turn determines the strength of the front and the severity of subsequent storms. The King’s Mirror quite correctly associated the appearance of Norse mermen with the advent of storms on the open sea. However, Norse mariners thought that the mermen brought on the storms. In fact, the opposite was true.    1 
 Q. 1. Which of the following statements best expresses the central idea of the passage?

(A) Early Norse mariners were incorrect in attributing to mermen the power to bring on storms at sea.
(B) A Norse merman is actually a distorted visual image created by anomalous atmospheric refraction.
(C) The Norse merman is unlikely to be merely a manatee or a dugong.
(D) The thermoclines that generate mermen images are more common in the North Atlantic than elsewhere in the world.
(E) A whale projecting its head vertically out of the water is an excellent source for mermen images.

2 
 Q. 2. The author is impressed by the King’s Mirror because of its:

(A) universality
(B) comprehensiveness
(C) ingenuity
(D) faithfulness to reality
(E) sound reasoning

3 
 Q. 3. According to the passage, the thermoclines that generate mermen images are most likely to be present when two air masses in close proximity differ significantly in:

(A) elevation.
(B) density.
(C) temperature.
(D) rate of movement.
(E) moisture content.

4 
 Q. 4. According to the passage, an object sighted at sea will appear most distorted by a thermocline when the:

(A) distance from the object to the observer is short.
(B) vertical dimension of the object is large.
(C) surface of the water near the observer is smooth.
(D) elevation of the observer above the water level is low.
(E) frontal system that created the thermocline is strong.

5 
 Q. 5. According to the author, Norse mariners made which of the following errors?

(A) They worked their ships only from the deck.
(B) They converted to higher-decked ships in later centuries.
(C) They did not record their sightings of mermen in later centuries.
(D) They mistook one sea mammal for another.
(E) They mistook an effect of storm conditions for a cause of storms.

6 
 Q. 6. Which of the following phrases could best be substituted for the word “reconsidered” in the last sentence of the first paragraph, without changing the meaning of the passage as a whole?

(A) evaluated objectively
(B) verified experimentally
(C) questioned seriously
(D) compared with other theories
(E) reasserted more emphatically

7 
 Q. 7. According to the passage, the likelihood of optical distortion is increased in the presence of which of the following atmospheric conditions?

I. a temperature inversion
II. a warm front
III. dead calm followed by a sudden rise in temperature

(A) I only
(B) II only
(C) I and III only
(D) II and III only
(E) I, II, and III

8 
 Q. 8. Which of the following would most strengthen the author’s assertions concerning the cause of mermen images?

(A) accurate measurement of the average temperature gradient in a thermocline
(B) empirical verification of computer simulations made by the author
(C) explanation by historians of the reasons behind the design changes made in Norse ships after the thirteenth century
(D) discovery of records showing frequent sightings of mermen by Norse mariners after the thirteenth century
(E) discovery of errors in the correlations developed by Wegener

9 
 Q. 9. The passage implies that the hafgerdingar are most likely to be seen as a result of which of the following?

(A) irregularities in the atmospheric temperature profile
(B) movement of a cool air mass over significantly warmer surface air
(C) upward refraction of light rays through the atmosphere
(D) a period of several consecutive warm days on the Greenland Sea
(E) a change in atmospheric temperature profile after a storm at sea

RC Butler 2022  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 40 Date: 26-Jan-2022
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2022 .  Click here for Details

Source: 800Score GMAT Free Course

gloomybison · Answer

Q. 1. Which of the following statements best expresses the central idea of the passage?

(A) Early Norse mariners were incorrect in attributing to mermen the power to bring on storms at sea.
This is true, but what passage really wants to emphasize is that these "creatures" were nothing but the result of an atmospheric event

(B) A Norse merman is actually a distorted visual image created by anomalous atmospheric refraction.
 Correct

(C) The Norse merman is unlikely to be merely a manatee or a dugong.
True, but too narrow this is merely stated as a little side note in the paragraph

(D) The thermoclines that generate mermen images are more common in the North Atlantic than elsewhere in the world.
Irrelevant, We literally don't care about other parts of world

(E) A whale projecting its head vertically out of the water is an excellent source for mermen images.
True, but too narrow whales are just one possible source

Q. 2. The author is impressed by the King’s Mirror because of its:
 
(A) universality
It is not universal, but rather confined to experiences of old Nordic seafarers. Yes similar occurences can be experienced in other parts of the world maybe but it is not the case of the book

(B) comprehensiveness
We are not given any slightest hint whether it is comprehensive

(C) ingenuity
it means original and clever and author doesn't care about originality

(D) faithfulness to reality
 Correct  the book is faithful to reality; author is impressed that Nordic seamen successfully knew that this atmospheric event of "Norse mermen" is seen before the storm

(E) sound reasoning
It doesn't sound reasoning, it just successfully spotted an atmospheric event and they were mistaken to think that the mermen was the harbinger of a storm

Q. 3. According to the passage, the thermoclines that generate mermen images are most likely to be present when two air masses in close proximity differ significantly in:

(A) elevation.

(B) density.

(C) temperature.
 Correct 
"hafgerdingar are a visual effect created by anomalous atmospheric refraction of light rays."
"Light is refracted downward during a temperature inversion, a condition in which atmospheric temperature increases with elevation. During an inversion, irregularities in the atmospheric temperature profile, especially thermoclines, create irregularities in light refraction"

(D) rate of movement.

(E) moisture content.

Q. 4. According to the passage, an object sighted at sea will appear most distorted by a thermocline when the :

(A) distance from the object to the observer is short.
Not really "The resulting optical distortion may be so severe as to make ordinary objects unrecognizable, even at short distances" one can assume that when the distance is short it is less likely to be as distorted as when the distance is long
 
(B) vertical dimension of the object is large.
Not really we are not given whether vertical dimension shows any correlation with the distortion

(C) surface of the water near the observer is smooth.
No info given in this

(D) elevation of the observer above the water level is low.
 Correct  "The refractive distortion diminishes if the image can be viewed from above the thermocline, but to sail thirteenth-century vessels, Norse mariners worked from the deck, only a few meters above the sea."

(E) frontal system that created the thermocline is strong.
No info given in this

Q. 5. According to the author, Norse mariners made which of the following errors?

(A) They worked their ships only from the deck.
This is not an errorxLoL this is just a circumstance

(B) They converted to higher-decked ships in later centuries.
No info given on this

(C) They did not record their sightings of mermen in later centuries.
No info given on this

(D) They mistook one sea mammal for another.
No they mistook a whale for a supernatural creature

(E) They mistook an effect of storm conditions for a cause of storms.
 Correct  "Norse mariners thought that the mermen brought on the storms. In fact, the opposite was true."

Q. 6.  - I answered it wrong so ı will keep my silence on this one

Q. 7. According to the passage, the likelihood of optical distortion is increased in the presence of which of the following atmospheric conditions?

I. a temperature inversion - "During an inversion, irregularities in the atmospheric temperature profile, especially thermoclines, create irregularities in light refraction." 
II. a warm front - "the thermoclines that generate mermen images are most likely to be created when a warm air mass moves slowly over significantly cooler surface air, as in the last stages of a warm front"
III. dead calm followed by a sudden rise in temperature - "The typical conditions just before a major storm in the Greenland Sea, dead calm followed by a sudden rise in temperature, are ideally suited to the development of thermoclines"

(A) I only

(B) II only

(C) I and III only

(D) II and III only

(E) I, II, and III
 Correct

Q. 8. Which of the following would most strengthen the author’s assertions concerning the cause of mermen images?

(A) accurate measurement of the average temperature gradient in a thermocline
Irrelevant

(B) empirical verification of computer simulations made by the author
 Correct  If the simulations were verified with solid experiments than it would definitely strengthen the assertion. 
"when the warm-cold interface has descended almost to the surface (some experimental verification of this hypothesis has already been provided by Wegener, who correlated mirages in the North Atlantic with the arrival of warm fronts)." As you can see these correlation are here to support the explanation that sea mermens are in fact an atmospheric event

(C) explanation by historians of the reasons behind the design changes made in Norse ships after the thirteenth century
Irrelevant

(D) discovery of records showing frequent sightings of mermen by Norse mariners after the thirteenth century
Irrelevant,

(E) discovery of errors in the correlations developed by Wegener
If anything this would probably weaken as correlations were offered as a possible supporter for the explanation

Q. 9. The passage implies that the hafgerdingar are most likely to be seen as a result of which of the following?

(A) irregularities in the atmospheric temperature profile
 Correct  "During an inversion, irregularities in the atmospheric temperature profile, especially thermoclines, create irregularities in light refraction"

(B) movement of a cool air mass over significantly warmer surface air
It is the contrary, "when a warm air mass moves slowly over significantly cooler surface air,"

(C) upward refraction of light rays through the atmosphere
It is downward reflection not upward "Light is refracted downward during a temperature inversion, a condition in which atmospheric temperature increases with elevation."

(D) a period of several consecutive warm days on the Greenland Sea
No info given on this

(E) a change in atmospheric temperature profile after a storm at sea
Before a storm not after "The typical conditions just before a major storm in the Greenland Sea, dead calm followed by a sudden rise in temperature, are ideally suited to the development of thermoclines."

100mitra · Answer

Passage Structure:  
1. Introducing a vintage phenomenon
2. Corelating the natural phenomenon with scientific fact, with an example
3. Conclusion of the phenomena with scientific fact

Paraphrasing:  
  Para 1:  
The mid-13-century King’s Mirror contains accurate descriptions of sea mammals and other natural phenomena.
1. The Hafgerdingar, 2. The Norse merman, 3. The hafgufa 
 Scientists:  same theory assumed that the Norse mermen are manatees or dugongs, does not agree with hafgerdingar are a visual effect created by anomalous atmospheric refraction of light rays.

Para 2:   
1. Explanation of optical distortion (visual effect) created by anomalous atmospheric refraction of light rays 
Example: mermen images: whales projecting their heads vertically out of the water (computer simulation)
2. This optical distortion diminishes if the image can be viewed from above the thermocline range, which failed by 13-century vessels

Para 3:  
Thermoclines when a warm air mass moves slowly over significantly cooler surface air, sudden ride in temperature, creates temperature difference between the two air masses, which in turn determines the strength of the front and the severity of subsequent storms, author corelates this information with Kings mirror

Q. 1. Which of the following statements best expresses the central idea of the passage?  
(A) Early Norse mariners were incorrect in attributing to mermen the power to bring on storms at sea.
  Wrong:   as mentioned in the passage,
 Earlier:  “The King’s Mirror quite correctly associated the appearance of Norse mermen with the advent of storms on the open sea. However, Norse mariners thought that the mermen brought on the storms”
 Now:  “In fact, the opposite was true”

(B) A Norse merman is actually a distorted visual image created by anomalous atmospheric refraction.
Correct: as mentioned in the passage,
“The resulting optical distortion may be so severe as to make ordinary objects unrecognizable, even at short distances. One excellent source for mermen images, for instance, may have been whales projecting their heads vertically out of the water”

(C) The Norse merman is unlikely to be merely a manatee or a dugong.
  Wrong:   as mentioned in the passage, 
“Scientists have long assumed that the Norse mermen were nothing more than manatees or dugongs”

(D) The thermoclines that generate mermen images are more common in the North Atlantic than elsewhere in the world.
  Wrong:   The effects are not only common in the north Atlantic.

(E) A whale projecting its head vertically out of the water is an excellent source for mermen images.
  Wrong:   Optical distortion can be created, but as mentioned in the passage, 
“The amount of optical distortion depends directly on the temperature difference between the two air masses”

100mitra · Answer

Q. 2. The author is impressed by the King’s Mirror because of its:  
(A) universality   – Wrong   
(B) comprehensiveness   – Wrong   
(C) ingenuity   – Wrong   
  (D) faithfulness to reality
Correct as mentioned in the passage, 
“The section dealing with the North Atlantic describes only three phenomena that assume an aspect of the marvellous”  
(E) sound reasoning –   – Wrong   
Trap! But wrong, Passage tone is not reasoning, it is highlighting phenomenon with scientific facts.

Q. 3. According to the passage, the thermoclines that generate mermen images are most likely to be present when two air masses in close proximity differ significantly in:  
As mentioned in the passage, 
“The amount of optical distortion depends directly on the  temperature  difference between the two air masses”

(A) elevation   – Wrong   
(B) density   – Wrong   
  (C) temperature - Correct  
(D) rate of movement   – Wrong   
(E) moisture content   – Wrong

Q. 4. According to the passage, an object sighted at sea will appear most distorted by a thermocline when the:  
As mentioned in the passage, 
“Since the horizontal dimension remains unchanged, 
the distorted image possesses a large height-to width ratio, 
a form associated with humans”
  Eliminate, A, C and E – deals with horizontal distance  
Between B, and D
Option B, says object image must be large, that is   – Wrong    and 
  Option D says height of water level and observer, makes it correct

(A) distance from the object to the observer is short   – Wrong   
(B) vertical dimension of the object is large   – Wrong   
(C) surface of the water near the observer is smooth   – Wrong   
  (D) elevation of the observer above the water level is low - Correct  
(E) frontal system that created the thermocline is strong   – Wrong

100mitra · Answer

Q. 5. According to the author, Norse mariners made which of the following errors?  
  Eliminate B, C and D – Irrelevant and out of scope

Between A, and E  
Option (A) They worked their ships only from the deck
Sentence 1: “The refractive distortion diminishes if the image can be viewed from above the thermocline, 
but to sail thirteenth-century vessels, Norse mariners worked from the deck, only a few meters above the sea”
  Wrong: Trap!   This information is present in the passage, but deals about finding distortion images, does not prove or conclude any point related to intended meaning of passage, about myth earlier was carried.

Option (E) They mistook an effect of storm conditions for a cause of storms
Sentence 2: “The King’s Mirror quite correctly associated the appearance of Norse mermen with the advent of storms on the open sea. However, Norse mariners thought that the mermen brought on the storms. In fact, the opposite was true”
Correct: This was the earlier assumption, which broke the phenomena about predication of storm.

Q. 6. Which of the following phrases could best be substituted for the word “reconsidered” in the last sentence of the first paragraph, without changing the meaning of the passage as a whole?  
As mentioned in the passage, 
“ However, that theory ought surely to be “reconsidered” in light of new research findings 
indicating that hafgerdingar are a visual effect created by anomalous atmospheric refraction of light rays ”

Between B, and C  
(B) verified experimentally 
  Wrong: It’s a Trap!   Very close to be correct answer, as throughout passage, passage tone provides information scientifically explaining a phenomenon, but if we ignore and concentrate only on the sentence “reconsidered” is mentioned, it does not demand justification, but ask doubt, if same theory accepts the phenomena 1, why the same theory has not accepted the phenomena 2, hence this same accepted theory has to be reconsidered to have another view of research finding.

(C) questioned seriously
Correct: as mentioned above

(A) evaluated objectively
  Wrong:   Passage tone does not ask for evaluation in a way 
that is not influenced by personal feelings or opinions or statically

Eliminate D, and E   – It is irrelevant, 
because there are no other theories involved or state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully
 (D) compared with other theories 
(E) reasserted more emphatically

100mitra · Answer

Q. 7. According to the passage, the likelihood of optical distortion is increased in the presence of which of the following atmospheric conditions?  
  Correct option E:

I. a temperature inversion: 
“ Light is refracted downward during a temperature inversion, 
a condition in which atmospheric temperature increases with elevation ”

II. a warm front:
“ The thermoclines that generate mermen images are most likely to be created 
when a warm air mass moves slowly over significantly cooler surface air, 
as in the last stages of a warm front ”

III. dead calm followed by a sudden rise in temperature:
“ The typical conditions just before a major storm in the Greenland Sea, 
dead calm followed by a sudden rise in temperature, 
are ideally suited to the development of thermocline s”

Q. 9. The passage implies that the hafgerdingar are most likely to be seen as a result of which of the following?  
  (A) irregularities in the atmospheric temperature profile
Correct: as mentioned in the passage, 
” During an inversion, irregularities in the atmospheric temperature profile, 
especially thermoclines (layers where the temperature gradient is steeper than in adjacent layers), 
create irregularities in light refraction”

Eliminate C:   It’s the opposite what is shared in the passage
(C) upward refraction of light rays through the atmosphere

Eliminate B, D, and E   – Irrelevant or Out of scope 
(B) movement of a cool air mass over significantly warmer surface air
(D) a period of several consecutive warm days on the Greenland Sea
(E) a change in atmospheric temperature profile after a storm at sea

theironyman · Answer

Could someone help me out with question 2?

The mid-thirteenth-century King’s Mirror contains extraordinarily accu

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

The mid-thirteenth-century King’s Mirror contains extraordinarily accu

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards