The study of cetacean intelligence has added to our understanding of d

Question

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Passage # 04, Date: 02-Apr-2020
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The study of cetacean intelligence has added to our understanding of dolphin behavior. Even though cetaceans, which are marine animals including dolphins, whales, and porpoises, are widely considered intelligent species, conclusions about the type and extent of dolphin intelligence have not yet been reached. However, there are several things that we do know about the ways in which dolphins communicate and behave in groups.

Researchers study the level of communication among dolphins because communication systems can offer insight into an animal’s intelligence. Dolphins produce two primary types of vocalizations called clicks and whistles. Dolphins generally use clicks for the purposes of echolocation and whistles for communication. Dolphins emit clicks as rapid broadband bursts that are sent out into their environment and then echo back, giving them information about their surroundings. Whistles differ from clicks by being sent out as narrow-band frequency modulated signals, which are for communications such as contact calls. Strong evidence supports the idea that dolphins use signature whistles to identify and call to each other.

One hypothesis called the “acoustic flashlight” hypothesis maintains that dolphins may be able to learn passively about their surroundings by listening in on the echolocation inspections of other dolphins. Scientists are researching this idea by looking at how dolphins participate in postural pointing, an activity that humans perform when they point a finger to direct another person towards an object or location.

Communication is also an important part of how dolphins behave in groups, which can range in size from a pair of dolphins to a pod of hundreds of individuals. Researchers have noticed that large packs rely on a highly organized method of communication when responding to predators, such as sharks. When a group of dolphins reacts to an unexpected disturbance, it will quickly move in near-unison to avoid the threat. In this way, dolphins rely on visual and auditory cues to communicate their location and to interpret the locations of others in the pod.   1 
 1. It can be inferred from the passage that a dolphin would use clicks instead of whistles to:

A. call to another member of the same pod
B. locate a possible route through an underwater obstacle
C. communicate a perceived threat to other dolphins
D. contact other dolphins when separated from a group
E. identify itself to another calling dolphin

2 
 2. According to the passage, rapid communication enables dolphins to:

A. work in unison to locate food sources
B. move quickly as a group to escape a perceived threat
C. establish relationships quickly with their peers
D. have more highly organized hunting patterns
E. establish their territories when other cetaceans are present

3 
 3. It can be inferred from the passage that if another animal does not have a communication system as highly advanced as that of a dolphin, then:

A. the other animal will be less likely to survive a shark attack
B. the other animal is probably a whale or porpoise
C. the other animal probably does not travel in a group with others of its kind
D. the other animal does not engage in postural pointing
E. the other animal is likely considered less intelligent than the dolphin

4 
 4. Which of the following is the function of the first paragraph?

A. to contrast the communication styles of dolphins with those of other cetaceans
B. to define an abstract idea in order to simplify the discussion that follows
C. to introduce the passage’s focus on how the dolphins communicate and behave in groups
D. to explain the cause of an event that the following paragraphs discuss in detail
E. to show the consequences of a mistake made in earlier research

5 
 5. The author of this passage is primarily concerned with:

A. contrasting dolphin communications with those of other cetaceans
B. defining the term “cetacean intelligence” by offering an example of dolphin communication
C. offering an example of how dolphins used highly-developed communication patterns to escape predators
D. explaining how dolphins communicate and behave in groups
E. providing an in-depth analysis of a disputed claim

6 
 6. The passage suggests that postural pointing provides evidence of a dolphin’s ability to:

A. mimic a similar human action
B. learn by listening to the clicks made by other dolphins
C. comprehend visual cues such as light and shadow
D. respond more intelligently to auditory cues than do other cetaceans
E. rapidly react to perceived threats

Source:   Www.GMATPracticeQuestions.Com  
Difficulty Level:   600

zs2 · Answer

1 b
2 b
3 e
4 d
5 d
6 b

It can be inferred from the passage that a dolphin would use clicks instead of whistles to:

A. call to another member of the same pod
 B. locate a possible route through an underwater obstacle
 
C. communicate a perceived threat to other dolphins
D. contact other dolphins when separated from a group
E. identify itself to another calling dolphin

According to the passage, rapid communication enables dolphins to:

A. work in unison to locate food sources
 B. move quickly as a group to escape a perceived threat
 
C. establish relationships quickly with their peers
D. have more highly organized hunting patterns
E. establish their territories when other cetaceans are present

It can be inferred from the passage that if another animal does not have a communication system as highly advanced as that of a dolphin, then:

A. the other animal will be less likely to survive a shark attack
B. the other animal is probably a whale or porpoise
C. the other animal probably does not travel in a group with others of its kind
D. the other animal does not engage in postural pointing
 E. the other animal is likely considered less intelligent than the dolphin

Which of the following is the function of the first paragraph?

A. to contrast the communication styles of dolphins with those of other cetaceans
B. to define an abstract idea in order to simplify the discussion that follows
C. to introduce the passage’s focus on how the dolphins communicate and behave in groups
 D. to explain the cause of an event that the following paragraphs discuss in detail
 
E. to show the consequences of a mistake made in earlier research

The author of this passage is primarily concerned with:

A. contrasting dolphin communications with those of other cetaceans
B. defining the term “cetacean intelligence” by offering an example of dolphin communication
C. offering an example of how dolphins used highly-developed communication patterns to escape predators
 D. explaining how dolphins communicate and behave in groups
 
E. providing an in-depth analysis of a disputed claim

The passage suggests that postural pointing provides evidence of a dolphin’s ability to:

A. mimic a similar human action
 B. learn by listening to the clicks made by other dolphins
 
C. comprehend visual cues such as light and shadow
D. respond more intelligently to auditory cues than do other cetaceans
E. rapidly react to perceived threats

tanto64 · Answer

1. B --> "Dolphins emit clicks as rapid broadband bursts that are sent out into their environment and then echo back, giving them information about their surroundings."

2. B --> "Researchers have noticed that large packs rely on a highly organized method of communication when responding to predators, such as sharks. When a group of dolphins reacts to an unexpected disturbance, it will quickly move in near-unison to avoid the threat."

3. E --> "conclusions about the type and extent of dolphin intelligence have not yet been reached. However, there are several things that we do know about the ways in which dolphins communicate and behave in groups. Researchers study the level of communication among dolphins because communication systems can offer insight into an animal’s intelligence."

4. C --> The author is introducing the idea, "even though this and that, there are several things we know..."

5. D

6. B --> "One hypothesis called the “acoustic flashlight” hypothesis maintains that dolphins may be able to learn passively about their surroundings by listening in on the echolocation inspections of other dolphins. Scientists are researching  this idea  by looking at how dolphins participate in postural pointing"

shameekv1989 · Answer

Summary :- 
 1|=|Intro to study of catacean intelligence, study on dolphins comm not yet estab. 
2|=|types of comm by dolphins - clicks and whistles
3|=|acoustic flashlight - listen to others and signal others as humans do
4|=|comm. in large grps when resp to threats; visual & aud. comm.

Answers - B, B, A, C, D, B

rabbit123 · Answer

1.It can be inferred from the passage that a dolphin would use clicks instead of whistles to:
D. contact other dolphins when separated from a group

2.According to the passage, rapid communication enables dolphins to:
C. establish relationships quickly with their peers

3.It can be inferred from the passage that if another animal does not have a communication system as highly advanced as that of a dolphin, then:
ers of its kind
D. the other animal does not engage in postural pointing

4.Which of the following is the function of the first paragraph?
D. to explain the cause of an event that the following paragraphs discuss in detail

5.The author of this passage is primarily concerned with:
E. providing an in-depth analysis of a disputed claim

6. The passage suggests that postural pointing provides evidence of a dolphin’s ability to:
B. learn by listening to the clicks made by other dolphins

Gowtham91 · Answer

Q1 . Option  B . This can be readily inferred from para2. 
 Q2 . Option  B . Only this option is mentioned in the passage. rest are all out of scope. 
 Q3 . Option  D . As per para3, Postural pointing is a specific feature of dolphins. It can't be available in other animals unless the animal belongs to cetaceans (same intelligence for all)
 Q4 . Option  C . If we notice the structure of the passage, the first para talks about the cetaceans and dolphins in particular to set the context, and the rest of the 3 para's talk about Dolphin's only. 
 Q5 . Option  D . Can be inferred from the structure of the passage. (Same as Q4)
 Q6 . Option  B . This can be inferred from 1st sentence of para3 ("One hypothesis called the “acoustic flashlight” hypothesis maintains that dolphins may be able to learn passively about their surroundings by listening in on the echolocation inspections of other dolphins.")

pabpinor · Answer

It can be inferred from the passage that a dolphin would use clicks instead of whistles to:

A. call to another member of the same pod  This says just the opposite from the passage.   False. 
B. locate a possible route through an underwater obstacle  We have that clicks are for "seeing" and whistles to "calling". This is accurate, right. 
C. communicate a perceived threat to other dolphins  That is still under research, so cannot be inferred as strongly as the previous one.   False. 
D. contact other dolphins when separated from a group  That is still under research, so cannot be inferred as strongly as the previous one.   False. 
E. identify itself to another calling dolphin  That is with the whistles.   False.

According to the passage, rapid communication enables dolphins to:

A. work in unison to locate food sources  This is no stated, could be inferred though.   Wrong. 
B. move quickly as a group to escape a perceived threat  That is specifically stated in the last paragraph. Right. 
C. establish relationships quickly with their peers  This is totally made up, there is nothing about it in the text.   Wrong. 
D. have more highly organized hunting patterns  Speed is not mentioned, just the communication.   Wrong. 
E. establish their territories when other cetaceans are present  No mention at all of interactions with other cetaceans.   Wrong.

It can be inferred from the passage that if another animal does not have a communication system as highly advanced as that of a dolphin, then:

A. the other animal will be less likely to survive a shark attack  This could be somehow inferred, but not really, a whale would survive because of it size, etc.   Wrong. 
B. the other animal is probably a whale or porpoise  There is no mention on comparison between their communication systems.   Wrong. 
C. the other animal probably does not travel in a group with others of its kind  There is no point about the level of the communications and the social life of dolphins.   Wrong. 
D. the other animal does not engage in postural pointing  There is no comparison of postural positioning with other animals, just humans but without any depth on its level.   Wrong. 
E. the other animal is likely considered less intelligent than the dolphin  The intelligence is the main point of the passage to bring the comunication, so this is correctly inferred from the passage. Right.

Which of the following is the function of the first paragraph?

A. to contrast the communication styles of dolphins with those of other cetaceans  There is mention of other cetaceans but not of their communication styles.   Wrong. 
B. to define an abstract idea in order to simplify the discussion that follows  The idea is not abstract, is quite precise but nothing is defined.   Wrong. 
C. to introduce the passage’s focus on how the dolphins communicate and behave in groups  This is precisely what the last sentence does. Right. 
D. to explain the cause of an event that the following paragraphs discuss in detail  There is no cause of an event, could be the cause of the discussion, too vague.   Wrong. 
E. to show the consequences of a mistake made in earlier research  There is no mention of any mistake made, just more developments to better understand.   Wrong.

The author of this passage is primarily concerned with:

A. contrasting dolphin communications with those of other cetaceans  This already appeared, there is no comparison.   Wrong. 
B. defining the term “cetacean intelligence” by offering an example of dolphin communication  The term is nowhere defined.   Wrong. 
C. offering an example of how dolphins used highly-developed communication patterns to escape predators  This is what paragraphs 2-4 do. Right. 
D. explaining how dolphins communicate and behave in groups  This is explained but is not the main concern, is a consecuence of it.   Wrong. 
E. providing an in-depth analysis of a disputed claim  There is no disputed claim mentioned in the passage, there is no in-depth review neither.   Wrong.

The passage suggests that postural pointing provides evidence of a dolphin’s ability to:

A. mimic a similar human action  Not really, that is not an action neither is mimed.   Wrong. 
B. learn by listening to the clicks made by other dolphins  Learn may not be the best word but means "notice", "get information" here. This is just what the research is trying to prove. Right. 
C. comprehend visual cues such as light and shadow  No mention of ligh or shadows here, we are talking of waves and sounds!.   Wrong. 
D. respond more intelligently to auditory cues than do other cetaceans  There is no mention about the response or intelligence of this "feature".   Wrong. 
E. rapidly react to perceived threats  This would be rapid communication, it is a trap.   Wrong.

Regards,
Pablo

ayushgarg32 · Answer

Here are my Answers:
1.B
2.B
3. E
4. C
5. D
6. B

Good RC, Enjoyed while solving it..

Just a small suggestion, Kindly Put question numbers. Helps us to Keep track of it.

AnirudhaS · Answer

1. It can be inferred from the passage that a dolphin would use clicks instead of whistles to:

A. call to another member of the same pod
 B. locate a possible route through an underwater obstacle 
C. communicate a perceived threat to other dolphins
D. contact other dolphins when separated from a group
E. identify itself to another calling dolphin

2. According to the passage, rapid communication enables dolphins to:

A. work in unison to locate food sources
 B. move quickly as a group to escape a perceived threat 
C. establish relationships quickly with their peers
D. have more highly organized hunting patterns
E. establish their territories when other cetaceans are present

3. It can be inferred from the passage that if another animal does not have a communication system as highly advanced as that of a dolphin, then:

A. the other animal will be less likely to survive a shark attack
B. the other animal is probably a whale or porpoise
C. the other animal probably does not travel in a group with others of its kind
D. the other animal does not engage in postural pointing
 E. the other animal is likely considered less intelligent than the dolphin.   From the passage - "Researchers study the level of communication among dolphins because communication systems can offer insight into an animal’s intelligence."

4. Which of the following is the function of the first paragraph?

A. to contrast the communication styles of dolphins with those of other cetaceans
 B. to define an abstract idea in order to simplify the discussion that follows 
C. to introduce the passage’s focus on how the dolphins communicate and behave in groups
D. to explain the cause of an event that the following paragraphs discuss in detail
E. to show the consequences of a mistake made in earlier research

5. The author of this passage is primarily concerned with:

A. contrasting dolphin communications with those of other cetaceans
 B. defining the term “cetacean intelligence” by offering an example of dolphin communication 
C. offering an example of how dolphins used highly-developed communication patterns to escape predators
D. explaining how dolphins communicate and behave in groups
E. providing an in-depth analysis of a disputed claim

6. The passage suggests that postural pointing provides evidence of a dolphin’s ability to:

A. mimic a similar human action
 B. learn by listening to the clicks made by other dolphins   From the passage - "One hypothesis called the “acoustic flashlight” hypothesis maintains that dolphins may be able to learn passively about their surroundings by listening in on the echolocation inspections of other dolphins. Scientists are researching this idea by looking at how dolphins participate in postural pointing" 
C. comprehend visual cues such as light and shadow
D. respond more intelligently to auditory cues than do other cetaceans
E. rapidly react to perceived threats

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hello to all who posted for this question. OAs are posted. If anyone of you required official explanations kindly let me know.

1. B
2. B
3. E
4. C
5. D
6. B

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Hello  shameekv1989  and  pabpinor  your explanations are better than other you both got 1 incorrect. I will read your explanation thoroughly once i post today's RCs. Will let you know in meantime. Good work keep it up.

A tough decision here but i think Explanation by  pabpinor  are slightly better than  shameekv1989  so are on the top here. Good Luck to both of you doing very good job.

Thanks

BlueBook · Answer

1) The answer can be found from line 3 of the 2nd paragraph.
A) Clicks would allow dolphins to find out information about their underwater surroundings through echolocation thus allowing them to navigate underwater obstacles.  Correct.

A dolphin would use whistles to perform all the other activities outlined in the choices instead of clicks. So all the other choices are  Incorrect.
2 ) 
A) We have not been told about how dolphins go about locating their food.  Incorrect. 
B) In the last paragraph, the passage talks about how dolphins respond to predators such as sharks. This is a situation which would require dolphins to communicate rapidly.  Correct. 
C) This is party correct but when compared to choice B, choice B is more precise because it explains why dolphins would need to quickly establish relationships with fellow dolphins.  Incorrect 
D) How dolphins hunt has not been discussed in the passage.  Incorrect. 
E) We are not told how dolphins behave when other cetaceans, whales and porpoises, are around.  Incorrect.

3) The answer can be gotten from paragraph 3, line 1: The level of sophistication of an animal’s communication system provides insight into its level of intelligence. Therefore, if the another animal does not have a communication system as advanced as that of a dolphin then it can be considered less intelligent than a dolphin. E) comes to the same conclusion.

4) 
A) A comparison of communication has not been done in this paragraph.  Incorrect. 
B) No abstract idea that needs simplification has been defined in this paragraph.  Incorrect. 
C) This is the main function of the first paragraph. It is the introductory paragraph of the passage. It does this by starting from a general view of all cetaceans then focusing on dolphins.  Correct. 
D) No explanations of any event have been done in this paragraph.  Incorrect.  
E) No mistakes or consequences of any kind have been discussed in this paragraph.  Incorrect.

5) 
A) No clear characteristic comparisons have been outlined in the passage between dolphins and other cetaceans.  Incorrect. 
B) The term ‘cetacean intelligence’ has not been explicitly defined. In addition, the passage is concerned with only dolphins and not cetaceans as a whole.  Incorrect. 
C) Partial out of scope. This has only been covered in the last paragraph.  Incorrect.  
D) This answer covers the general scope of the passage. Each paragraph after the introductory first paragraph explains how dolphins use clicks and whistles to move and communicate and specific applicable scenarios that dolphins use these clicks and whistles e.g. escaping a predator, echolocation, acoustic flashlight.  Correct. 
E) No disputed claim has been outlined in the passage. Incorrect.

6) The answer can be gotten from the 3rd paragraph since this is where postural pointing has been mentioned. The bone of contention is between choice A and B. Choice B is more specific because it goes into detail of how do dolphins actually mimic similar human actions hence choice B is the answer.

zs2 · Answer

Please explain below one --

4. Which of the following is the function of the first paragraph?

A. to contrast the communication styles of dolphins with those of other cetaceans
B. to define an abstract idea in order to simplify the discussion that follows
C. to introduce the passage’s focus on how the dolphins communicate and behave in groups
D. to explain the cause of an event that the following paragraphs discuss in detail
E. to show the consequences of a mistake made in earlier research

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

4. Which of the following is the function of the first paragraph?

Difficulty Level:   600

Explanation

This question is testing your ability to determine how one part of the passage relates to the whole. In general, the  first paragraph  of most essays will introduce the main idea. The  first paragraph  introduces the topic of the passage, namely that  "there are several things that we do know about the ways in which dolphins communicate and behave in groups."  The remainder of the passage discusses dolphin communication and behavior.

The correct answer is (C).

tejaswym95 · Answer

Hello experts !
Could you please post an elaborate explanation for QNo.5

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

5. The author of this passage is primarily concerned with:

Difficulty Level:   Medium

Explanation

Notice that each of the passage's paragraphs discuss some aspect of dolphin communication and behavior. The  final paragraph  explains how dolphins communicate in groups.  The final sentence of the first paragraph  establishes this focus, saying:  "...there are several things that we do know about the ways in which dolphins communicate and behave in groups."

The correct answer is (D).

eka9045 · Answer

It will be great if you can provide official explanation for Q3. Thanks

Hoozan · Answer

SajjadAhmad please could you help me in Q.3 I selected option (E) because of the overall tone of the passage.

The para starts of with "The study of cetacean intelligence has added to our understanding of dolphin behavior. Even though cetaceans, which are marine animals including dolphins, whales, and porpoises, are widely considered intelligent species, conclusions about the type and extent of dolphin intelligence have not yet been reached." and goes on to talk further about the dolphin intelligence.

Furthermore, by doing a quick POE the rest of the options could be eliminated.

Please could you provide the OA so that I could get a better understanding to this question.

Thanks

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

3. It can be inferred from the passage that if another animal does not have a communication system as highly advanced as that of a dolphin, then:

Difficulty Level:   700

Explanation

This question is testing our ability to make a general inference about dolphin communication and dolphin intelligence. Notice that the first sentence in  paragraph 2  states that  "researchers study the level of communication among dolphins because communication systems can offer insight into an animal’s intelligence."  It can be inferred from this statement that dolphins are considered highly intelligent because they have a highly organized communication system. Therefore, if an animal does not have a communication system as highly advanced as a dolphin's, then the other animal is likely considered less intelligent than the dolphin.

The correct answer is (E).

VerbalBot · Answer

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