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605-655 Level|   Long Passage|   Science|                                 
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parthgohel
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 22 Feb 2021, 20:44
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In Q 1, how is the passage Validating a certain view? Unable to get the reasoning.
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 24 Feb 2021, 01:31
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In Q 1, how is the passage Validating a certain view? Unable to get the reasoning.
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Hi Parth

The first paragraph introduces a point of view - that of the environmentalists that "general trend toward extinction" and "general and catastrophic environmental degradation due to human activity". This is clearly stated by the phrases "environmentalists have claimed" and "in their view". Therefore, that the passage deals with a point of view should be clear.

The rest of the passage deals with assessing whether this claim is true or not. The first phrase used in the second paragraph is "To evaluate these claims...". The rest of passage too goes in the same direction - presenting arguments that may support or oppose this point of view. The final paragraph concludes by talking about the lack of data available to make this evaluation. Hence, the rest of the passage is clearly "assessing" the claim made in the first paragraph.

Hope this helps.
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 24 Apr 2021, 02:39
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Quote:
5. Which of the following most accurately describes the organization of the passage?

(A) A question is raised, a distinction regarding it is made, and the question is answered.
(B) An interpretation is presented, its soundness is examined, and a warning is given.
(C) A situation is described, its consequences are analyzed, and a prediction is made.
(D) Two interpretations of a phenomenon are described, and one of them is rejected as invalid.
(E) Two methods for analyzing a phenomenon are compared, and further study of the phenomenon is recommended.
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Dear GMATNinja GMATNinjaTwo Sajjad1994
I have a query on question 5. Why D is wrong?
From my understanding, The passage tells about the phenomenon : (The decrease in population and extinction of amphibian) then It shows 2 views from this phenomenon
1 is from environmentalist
2 is from biologist
The view 1 is rejected by the author in paragraph 2.

Please correct me, am I missing something?
Thank you!
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 06 May 2021, 07:29
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Question 5


ntngocanh19
Quote:
5. Which of the following most accurately describes the organization of the passage?

(A) A question is raised, a distinction regarding it is made, and the question is answered.
(B) An interpretation is presented, its soundness is examined, and a warning is given.
(C) A situation is described, its consequences are analyzed, and a prediction is made.
(D) Two interpretations of a phenomenon are described, and one of them is rejected as invalid.
(E) Two methods for analyzing a phenomenon are compared, and further study of the phenomenon is recommended.
Dear GMATNinja GMATNinjaTwo Sajjad1994
I have a query on question 5. Why D is wrong?
From my understanding, The passage tells about the phenomenon : (The decrease in population and extinction of amphibian) then It shows 2 views from this phenomenon
1 is from environmentalist
2 is from biologist
The view 1 is rejected by the author in paragraph 2.

Please correct me, am I missing something?
Thank you!
Show more
The author never actually rejects a view.

In the first paragraph, the author introduces some claims (from environmentalists).

In the second paragraph, the author says that more information is necessary to evaluate these claims. This isn't the same as rejecting the claims -- the author doesn't say that the environmentalists are wrong. Instead, he/she just says that we need to make some distinctions to see whether they are right or wrong.

In the third paragraph, the author explains why the distinctions above would be important to biologists.

And in the fourth paragraph, the author says that we simply don't have enough information, and if we wait to get that information then it will be too late to save the environment.

So, (D) is out because the author never rejects the environmentalists' interpretation of the population decline. (B) is a much better fit -- the author presents the environmentalists' interpretation, explains why we need more info, and then ends with a warning.

(B) is the correct answer to question 5.

I hope that helps!
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 05 Oct 2021, 01:56
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Question 1

The primary purpose of the passage is to

A. assess the validity of a certain view The author has referred to certain reports and analyzed how valid these reports are

B. distinguish between two phenomena He has pointed out that a declining population is not the same as an endangered population, but this is not the purpose.

C. identify the causes of a problem No problem or solution has been referred to

D. describe a disturbing trend He author has mentioned that population declines are potentially more worrisome than extinctions but describing this trend is not the primary purpose

E. allay concern about a particular phenomenon The author might have pointed out that a certain view is not valid, but he has not attempted to reduce the concern.

Question 2

It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following to be true of the environmentalists mentioned in lines 5-6?

A. They have wrongly chosen to focus on anecdotal reports rather than on the long-term data that are currently available concerning amphibians. This answer is partially correct. Yes, the environmentalists have wrongly chosen to focus on anecdotal reports rather than on the long-term; however, this long-term data is not available.

B. Their recommendations are flawed because their research focuses too narrowly on a single category of animal species. This answer is partially correct. Yes, one could say that the recommendations are flawed; however, it is not flawed because the research focuses on amphibians.

C. Their certainty that population declines in general are caused by environmental degradation is not warranted. We cannot definitely infer if the author feels that this certainty is warranted or not. Towards the end, the author also seems to have pointed out that postponing environmental action may not be a good idea.

D. They have drawn premature conclusions concerning a crisis in amphibian populations from recent reports of declines. The environmentalists have done exactly that.

E. They have overestimated the effects of chance events on trends in amphibian populations. We cannot definitely infer if the author feels that the environmentalists have overestimated the effects of chance events.


Question 3

It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following to be true of the amphibian extinctions that have recently been reported?

A. They have resulted primarily from human activities causing environmental degradation. This is what the researches believe, and the author clearly doesn’t agree with the researchers.

B. They could probably have been prevented if timely action had been taken to protect the habitats of amphibian species. The author does not believe that environmental degradation is the cause of the said extinction. So protecting the habitat or the environment doesn’t even figure.

C. They should not come as a surprise, because amphibian populations generally have been declining for a number of years. The author has said that he extinction should not come as a surprise, but it is not because the populations have been declining for a number of years, but because endangered populations are rare and are anyway under the threat of extinction.

D. They have probably been caused by a combination of chance events. The author states that chance events can lead to extinction but not specifically mention this with regard to amphibians. Also, the author claims that chance events can lead to extinction specifically in the case of endangered species, and it has not been stated that amphibians were previously endangered.

E. They do not clearly constitute evidence of general environmental degradation. The reports state that the amphibian crisis is an indication of general environmental degradation. But the author states that the decline of amphibian population can have various causes but that in the case of amphibians, there is too little data to distinguish between these causes.


Question 4


According to the passage, each of the following is true of endangered amphibian species EXCEPT:

A. They are among the rarest kinds of amphibians. The second paragraph says that an endangered species is “always rare.”

B. They generally have populations that are small in size. The second paragraph says that an endangered species is “almost always small.”

C. They are in constant danger of extinction. The second paragraph says that an endangered species is “under constant threat of extinction.”

D. Those with decreasing populations are the most likely candidates for immediate extinction. This has not been mentioned.

E. They are in danger of extinction due to events that sometimes have nothing to do with human activities. The second paragraph says that “chance events may lead to the extinction” of an endangered species.


Question 5

Which of the following most accurately describes the organization of the passage?

A. A question is raised, a distinction regarding it is made, and the question is answered. No question has been raised.

B. An interpretation is presented, its soundness is examined, and a warning is given. The reports have been interpreted, the validity of the reports have been analyzed and a warning is stated in the last sentence.

C. A situation is described, its consequences are analyzed, and a prediction is made. The environmentalists have spoken about a situation: the amphibian crisis. The consequences of this situation has not been analyzed.

D. Two interpretations of a phenomenon are described, and one of them is rejected as invalid. Even if we consider that two interpretations are described, this option does not refer to the analysis off the reports or the warning at the end.

E. Two methods for analyzing a phenomenon are compared, and further study of the phenomenon is recommended. None of these have been done.


Question 6

Which of the following best describes the function of the sentence in lines 35-38 [Anecdotal reports of population decreases cannot distinguish among these possibilities, and some amphibian populations have shown strong fluctuations in the past.]?

A. To give an example of a particular kind of study The sentence addresses anecdotal reports and not studies.

B. To cast doubt on an assertion made in the previous sentence The previous sentence says that we must make distinctions between the various kinds of declines. This supports the highlighted sentence.

C. To raise an objection to a view presented in the first paragraph This sentence raises objection to the environmentalists’ view.

D. To provide support for a view presented in the first paragraph Through the sentence in focus, the author disagrees with the environmentalists' view by stating that the environmentalists' view is not the only one possible

E. To introduce an idea that will be countered in the rest of the paragraph The rest of the paragraph agrees with what has been said in this sentence

- Nitha Jay
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 05 Nov 2021, 06:30
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GMATNinja, can you please explain why D should be eliminated for Q3?
It is noted in the 2nd par that chance events may lead to extinction.
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 11 Nov 2021, 12:56
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Question 3


tkorzhan1995
GMATNinja, can you please explain why D should be eliminated for Q3?
It is noted in the 2nd par that chance events may lead to extinction.
Show more
Let's start by considering the question:

Quote:
3. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following to be true of the amphibian extinctions that have recently been reported?
Show more
So the right answer should be something the author would believe to be true about "the amphibian extinctions that have recently been reported."

Let's now consider (D):
Quote:
(D) They have probably been caused by a combination of chance events.
Show more

In the second paragraph, the author discusses causes of extinction in general. Among these possible cause of extinctions, the author mentions chance events. But the author does not connect these chance events to the extinctions of amphibians. Nor does the author claim that chance events are the most likely cause of extinctions in general -- chance events are merely one possible cause, which the author cites as an example.

Since we have no reason to believe the author thinks these chance events caused the extinctions of amphibians that have recently been reported, (D) is out.

I hope that helps!
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 04 Dec 2021, 12:30
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GMATNinja VeritasKarishma
Why Q2 C is incorrect?
2. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following to be true of the environmentalists mentioned in lines 5-6?
(C) Their certainty that population declines in general are caused by environmental degradation is not warranted.
3rd and 4th para - The author believes that decline could be due to normal fluctuations. So the claims made by environmentalist that declines are caused by degradation is not certain. The author does not believe this claim. Why C is incorrect then?
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 05 Dec 2021, 22:01
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Why Q2 C is incorrect?
2. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following to be true of the environmentalists mentioned in lines 5-6?
(C) Their certainty that population declines in general are caused by environmental degradation is not warranted.
3rd and 4th para - The author believes that decline could be due to normal fluctuations. So the claims made by environmentalist that declines are caused by degradation is not certain. The author does not believe this claim. Why C is incorrect then?
Show more

The author doesn't say that the environmentalists claim of environmental degradation causing declines in population is not warranted.

In fact, the author himself mentions: "Persistent declines, especially in large populations, indicate a changed ecological context. ", "Unfortunately, long-term data will not soon be forthcoming, and postponing environmental action while we wait for it may doom species and whole ecosystems to extinction."
So he does agree that environmental factors are indeed involved in persistent declines.

Instead the author says that distinction needs to be made between endangered, persistent decline and apparent decline. Long term data gives us this distinction but that data is not available. So the "crisis situation" that the environmentalist's claim from recent reports is premature. The species may not actually be endangered.

Hence (C) is incorrect and (D) is correct.
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 12 Feb 2023, 05:31
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singh8891 - What you have underlined is not the view of author, but it is the view of ' many environmentalists'. Author's view is given in P2. Author is not so sure about it. this is covered in P2. D is on these lines. Let me know if you need more clarity.
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I have not completely understood the reason behind eliminating option C in question 2. Option C and option D look similar to me. It would be of great help if anyone could elaborate along these lines and clarify my doubt.

Thanks
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 14 Feb 2023, 17:06
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Question 2


tanishkamishra
aragonn
singh8891 - What you have underlined is not the view of author, but it is the view of ' many environmentalists'. Author's view is given in P2. Author is not so sure about it. this is covered in P2. D is on these lines. Let me know if you need more clarity.

I have not completely understood the reason behind eliminating option C in question 2. Option C and option D look similar to me. It would be of great help if anyone could elaborate along these lines and clarify my doubt.

Thanks
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Question 2 asks about the author's view on the environmentalists mentioned in lines 5-6. Here's what the author says in those lines:

    "...many environmentalists have claimed that immediate environmental action is necessary to remedy this "amphibian crisis", which, in their view, is an indicator of general and catastrophic environmental degradation due to human activity."

Here's (C):

Quote:
Their certainty that population declines in general are caused by environmental degradation is not warranted.
Show more
There are a couple of issues with (C). For one, the environmentalists haven't made a claim about population declines "in general." Instead, they make a claim about amphibians specifically. So, the author wouldn't necessarily critique the environmentalists exactly like (C) does.

Also, the author's main quibble with the environmentalists isn't about whether environmental degradation is causing the declines -- the author is more concerned about whether there are really declines at all, and if so, how worrisome are those declines. If there ARE actual declines, the author seems pretty on board with the idea that environmental degradation is at least part of the cause -- such declines would "indicate a changed ecological context."

For these reasons, you can eliminate (C) for question 2.

I hope that helps!
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 22 Feb 2023, 10:08
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Took me 13 mins 30 sec, 5 correct, 1 wrong.
Is this the optimum time for such a passage?
Any tips?
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 13 Apr 2023, 15:54
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5. Which of the following most accurately describes the organization of the passage?

(A) A question is raised, a distinction regarding it is made, and the question is answered.
(B) An interpretation is presented, its soundness is examined, and a warning is given.
(C) A situation is described, its consequences are analyzed, and a prediction is made.
(D) Two interpretations of a phenomenon are described, and one of them is rejected as invalid.
(E) Two methods for analyzing a phenomenon are compared, and further study of the phenomenon is recommended.

hi GMATNinjaTwo, VeritasKarishma, MartyTargetTestPrep, AndrewN,VeritasPrepBrian,GMATRockstar
KarishmaB

avigutman, AndrewN,MartyTargetTestPrep

from P2&3, the author compares declining population and endanger population. in P4, authors proposes long-time data, so I think E match.

what's the problem with my reasoning ?

thanks in advance.
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 13 Apr 2023, 23:34
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jim441
Took me 13 mins 30 sec, 5 correct, 1 wrong.
Is this the optimum time for such a passage?
Any tips?
Show more
About 4 minutes for the passage and 1 minute for each question, for a total of 10 minutes.

For detail on how much time to spend on each Verbal question, see this post.

GMAT Verbal Timing Strategy
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 14 May 2023, 07:40
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Question 5



zoezhuyan
5. Which of the following most accurately describes the organization of the passage?

(A) A question is raised, a distinction regarding it is made, and the question is answered.

(B) An interpretation is presented, its soundness is examined, and a warning is given.

(C) A situation is described, its consequences are analyzed, and a prediction is made.

(D) Two interpretations of a phenomenon are described, and one of them is rejected as invalid.

(E) Two methods for analyzing a phenomenon are compared, and further study of the phenomenon is recommended.

hi GMATNinjaTwo, VeritasKarishma, MartyTargetTestPrep, AndrewN,VeritasPrepBrian,GMATRockstar

KarishmaB

avigutman, AndrewN,MartyTargetTestPrep

from P2&3, the author compares declining population and endanger population. in P4, authors proposes long-time data, so I think E match.

what's the problem with my reasoning ?

thanks in advance.
Show more
You're right that the author compares "declining populations" with "endangered populations." However, that doesn't line up with what (E) says: "Two methods for analyzing a phenomenon are compared..."

Endangered populations and declining populations aren't methods for analyzing a phenomenon -- they're just useful terms to clarify the situation.

Eliminate (E) for question 5.

I hope that helps!
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 18 May 2024, 07:15
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­Official Explanation451. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following to be true of the environmentalists mentioned in lines 5–6 ?

A. They have wrongly chosen to focus on anecdotal reports rather than on the long-term data that are currently available concerning amphibians.

B. Their recommendations are flawed because their research focuses too narrowly on a single category of animal species.

C. Their certainty that population declines in general are caused by environmental degradation is not warranted.

D. They have drawn premature conclusions concerning a crisis in amphibian populations from recent reports of declines.

E. They have overestimated the effects of chance events on trends in amphibian populations.

Inference

This question asks about the author’s view of the environmentalists mentioned in the first paragraph. These environmentalists have claimed, based on amphibian population declines, that the situation is a crisis and that immediate action must be taken. The author, however,

states that the declines are only apparently drastic and questions whether they are real, thus suggesting that the environmentalists are drawing conclusions in the absence of a complete consideration of the situation.

A. The passage indicates that anecdotal reports are insufficient, but so too are other resources. The fourth paragraph of the passage makes clear that there is not enough long-term data available on which to base conclusions about amphibian populations.

B. The passage does not indicate that the environmentalists under discussion have conducted research on any animal species.

C. The passage does not indicate that the environmentalists in question hold, with certainty, any particular view regarding population declines in general.

D. Correct. The author argues that the recent declines may have several different causes, and that environmentalists have jumped to a conclusion about the cause of the declines as well as their significance.

E. The environmentalists, in attributing population declines to intentional human activity, have more likely underestimated than overestimated the effects of chance events on amphibian populations.

The correct answer is D.

452. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following to be true of the amphibian extinctions that have recently been reported?


  1. They have resulted primarily from human activities causing environmental degradation.
  2. They could probably have been prevented if timely action had been taken to protect the habitats of amphibian species.
  3. They should not come as a surprise, because amphibian populations generally have been declining for a number of years.
  4. They have probably been caused by a combination of chance events.
  5. They do not clearly constitute evidence of general environmental degradation.
Inference

The author suggests throughout the passage that recently reported amphibian extinctions may have several different causes: they may be due to any number of chance events, for example, or may simply be the result of a small population that finds itself unable to continue under difficult conditions, whatever causes those conditions.

A. The author states in the second paragraph that extinctions may occur without a proximate cause in human activities and does not make a commitment to any particular explanation of the amphibian extinctions.

B. That chance events can cause extinctions suggests that even if habitats had been protected, extinctions still might have occurred.

C. In the second paragraph, the author says that extinctions should come as no great surprise, but this option is imprecise. The amphibian populations have not generally been declining for a number of years. The author says in the third paragraph that amphibian populations show strong fluctuations; further, in the fourth paragraph, the author says that there is insufficient long-term data to conclude that amphibian populations have been, or are, in decline.

D. The author suggests that the extinctions may have been caused by chance events, but there is not enough data to know whether or not this is probable.

E. Correct. The reported extinctions could have resulted from several different causes; thus, they are not clear evidence of general environmental degradation.

The correct answer is E.
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 19 May 2024, 22:37
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aragonn
amphibians - live in water and land such as frogs, salamanders.
P1 - decline in population of A. Could be trend toward extinction.
P2 - evaluate P1. may be extinction, may be not.
p3 - biologists view, p decline = changed ecology .why? resolved - past fluctuations
p4 - long term data facts and its effects, if its too late then what - warning.

main idea - decline in A's population is discussed. past explored, facts evaluate for this decline.

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) assess the validity of a certain view -
(B) distinguish between two phenomena
(C) identify the causes of a problem
(D) describe a disturbing trend
(E) allay concern about a particular phenomenon

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2. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following to be true of the environmentalists mentioned in lines 5-6?
Pre-think - E are mentioned in P1. saying that if population decline then may be a trend toward extinction. So immediate environmental action is necessary. We need to look at author's view over this. Author's view is given in P2. Author is not so sure about it.

(D) They have drawn premature conclusions concerning a crisis in amphibian populations from recent reports of declines.

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3. It can be inferred from the passage that the author believes which of the following to be true of the amphibian extinctions that have recently been reported?
Inferrnce question, following one of the option must be true.

(A) They have resulted primarily from human activities causing environmental degradation. --- not sure.
(B) They could probably have been prevented if timely action had been taken to protect the habitats of amphibian species. --- could be could be not.
(C) They should not come as a surprise, because amphibian populations generally have been declining for a number of years. --- but recovered too
(D) They have probably been caused by a combination of chance events. ---- may be a natural thing with them.
(E) They do not clearly constitute evidence of general environmental degradation. --- true, not too extreme.

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4. According to the passage, each of the following is true of endangered amphibian species EXCEPT:
P2 has described a lot about this.
(D) Those with decreasing populations are the most likely candidates for immediate extinction. --- all correct except this .

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5. Which of the following most accurately describes the organization of the passage?
refer to notes. --- a view is presented, evaluated, same view presented with diff angles, facts given and a warning

(A) A question is raised, a distinction regarding it is made, and the question is answered. ---- no question raised.
(B) An interpretation is presented, its soundness is examined, and a warning is given. --- this one is one same lines.
(C) A situation is described, its consequences are analyzed, and a prediction is made. --- 1 and 2 is right but last part is warning not prediction.
(D) Two interpretations of a phenomenon are described, and one of them is rejected as invalid. --- far from reality.
(E) Two methods for analyzing a phenomenon are compared, and further study of the phenomenon is recommended. ---- no.
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6. Which of the following best describes the function of the sentence in lines 35-38 [Anecdotal reports of population decreases cannot distinguish among these possibilities, and some amphibian populations have shown strong fluctuations in the past.]?

Pre-thinking - This is presented to weaken the reports and conclusions drawn from that report presented in P1.

(C) To raise an objection to a view presented in the first paragraph ---- on the same line.

(A) To give an example of a particular kind of study
(B) To cast doubt on an assertion made in the previous sentence
(C) To raise an objection to a view presented in the first paragraph
(D) To provide support for a view presented in the first paragraph
(E) To introduce an idea that will be countered in the following paragraph
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For question number 2 - why isn't "C" the answer? GMATNinja
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 08 Jun 2024, 05:54
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HI GMATNinja

Can you explain the the second question, I am confused between option C and Option D.

Thanks.
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 15 Jul 2024, 20:23
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Question 2


Ishita2000

For question number 2 - why isn't "C" the answer? GMATNinja
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Ram_2001
HI GMATNinja

Can you explain the the second question, I am confused between option C and Option D.

Thanks.
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­I feel your pain on this one. (And felt your pain when evaluating (C) myself!) The key is subtlety in the language.

Let's take another look at (C):
Quote:
Their certainty that population declines in general are caused by environmental degradation is not warranted
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On the surface, it certainly seems to make sense. The environmentalists have apparently concluded that the amphibian crisis has been caused by environmental degradation and so want to take action. The author is arguing that we need more data. So what's the problem?

Read it one more time. Notice the phrase "population declines IN GENERAL." Hm. The environmentalists are responding to the amphibian crisis. We don't know that they believe population declines are generally caused by environmental issues. So that's an issue.

Then there's the word "certainty." Are they certain? As opposed to maybe 95% confident, which would be enough to take action?

So pretty subtle stuff here, but those are the issues that make (C) inferior to (D), which specifically references the amphibian crisis, rather than general declines.

I hope that helps!­
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There are recent reports of apparently drastic declines in amphibian 05 Aug 2025, 10:18
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In First Paragraph, there are two views one if of author's : These declines, if real, may be signs of a general trend toward extinction, and another is that of environmentalist's: many environmentalists have claimed that immediate environmental action is necessary to remedy this "amphibian crisis", which, in their view, is an indicator of general and catastrophic environmental degradation due to human activity.

I had doubt in option C and D because of this. If I consider the view mentioned in this option to be that of author's then we are supporting it. If we consider it to be that of environmentalist's then we are raising an objection.

Am I wrong? what am I missing here?
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Harsh2111s
Q6- Why option B "To cast doubt on an assertion made in the previous sentence" is wrong ?
You're not alone in asking about question #6...
coinsy

Struggling between choices C and E on this question. Looking for a clear explanation.

My thought process:
- Lines 35-38 argues that anecdotal reports of declines are unreliable, and not necessarily an indicator of nearing extinction.
- I initially chose C, but then I read back in the first paragraph and they say "if real", which to me seems to acknowledge the lack of reliability of the anecdotal reports and makes an argument of "if they are true, then this is how we should respond". This lack of clarity led me to shelf answer choice C.
- I ended up choosing E because, while I can see that the first part of the concluding paragraph agrees that the data isn't enough, he introduces an idea which is counter to the notion of the data being insufficient to act on --the author seems to infer that anecdotal reports and limited data are all we have to go off of and we have no choice but to act.

Question 6


Question 6 asks about the function of the following sentence:


"Anecdotal reports of population decreases cannot distinguish among these possibilities, and some amphibian populations have shown strong fluctuations in the past."

(B) states that the purpose of this sentence is:
Quote:
to cast doubt on an assertion made in the previous sentence.
The previous sentence is:


"Even here, distinctions must again be made among declines that are only apparent (in the sense that they are part of habitual cycles or of normal fluctuations), declines that take a population to some lower but still acceptable level, and those that threaten extinction (e.g., by taking the number of individuals below the minimum viable population)."

The assertion made in this sentence is that "distinctions must again be made" among different kinds of declining species. The sentence discussed in question 6 says that we cannot make these distinctions using anecdotal reports.

So, the sentence in question doesn't cast doubt on the assertion made in the previous sentence -- the author still believes that we should make these distinctions. He/she just says that we can't do that with certain kinds of reports.

Compare that to (C):
Quote:
(C) To raise an objection to a view presented in the first paragraph
In the first paragraph, the environmentalists claim that reports of amphibian population decline indicate "general and catastrophic environmental degradation due to human activity." By stating that certain reports can't give us all of the information we need to evaluate that claim, the author is raising an objection to the environmentalists' view.

To answer @coinsy's question -- yes, the first paragraph specifies that the environmentalists will only hold their claim if the reported population declines are real. However, being "real" doesn't help to determine which kind of population decline is occurring -- is it part of a normal fluctuation? Or one that will take the population to a low but acceptable level? Or will it truly threaten extinction?

In saying that this determination cannot be made, the author raises an objection even if amphibian populations are declining, as reported.

(C) is the correct answer to question 6.

I hope that helps!
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