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Explanation

5. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following statements best expresses the "strength paradox" (Highlighted)?

Difficulty Level: 700

Explanation

A paradox is a seemingly absurd or contradictory statement and that is what we have to find in the answer choices, Because this is a specific purpose question we can go back and read the related text again. Always read a line or two before and after the highlighted text.

"There followed a classic confrontation, pitting "movement" against "rigidity," which in retrospect need never have occurred. The "strength paradox" had been familiar to generations of geologists from the study of rock deformations in mountain belts, where it had been observed that some quite rigid rocks had in the past been highly ductile, on occasion even viscous."

Now read the answer choices and use POE

(A) Some rocks arc rigid and brittle, whereas others are fluid and ductile depending on their chemical composition.

There is no contradiction in this statement.

(B) Rocks at the base of mountains may be very rigid while rocks higher up the mountain are more fluid.

Same as (A) There is no contradiction in this statement.

(C) The rigidity of the same rock can vary widely depending on the physical stresses acting on it.

The underlined portion in this statement suggest that there is some contradiction in this statement. Keep it.

(D) Rocks in scene locations on the Earth's surface are far more rigid and brittle than are other rocks subjected to comparable stress.

This looks promising in the start but clearly not in line with the related text above.

(E) The strength of rocks in mountain belts varies according to the rate of creep in a particular location.

This is a trap answer but is not in line with the related text above.

Answer: C
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I think answer of Question 6 is not accurate as there is no where in the passage it is said that stress is the reason of dispute. Though it is mention that both the group should have studied about temperature and time scale. Also, it is said that it was the phenomena of creep which both missed to take into consideration.

AndrewN Please suggest.
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I think answer of Question 6 is not accurate as there is no where in the passage it is said that stress is the reason of dispute. Though it is mention that both the group should have studied about temperature and time scale. Also, it is said that it was the phenomena of creep which both missed to take into consideration.

AndrewN Please suggest.
Hello, memayank. I just took a look at the question (again, since I first completed it in late December), and I answered the same way I did the first time. I will outline my thought process below in an effort to assist you and the larger community.

Quote:
6. According to the author of the passage, geologists and geophysicists could have resolved their theoretical argument if they had
The opening line of the passage, which spans the entire first paragraph, touches on the very matter at hand. We can anticipate that the axiom "Everything flows" will relate to the answer, even if we are unsure what that might mean at this point.

Paragraph two is centered on geologists, while three shifts to geophysicists, with no debate or crossover in view.

Paragraph four places the classic confrontation, pitting "movement" against "rigidity," front and center, and we are told that the debate need never have occurred, so we are getting close to our answer. I will reproduce the paragraph below for reference while we break down the answer choices.

Quote:
There followed a classic confrontation, pitting "movement" against "rigidity," which in retrospect need never have occurred. The "strength paradox" had been familiar to generations of geologists from the study of rock deformations in mountain belts, where it had been observed that some quite rigid rocks had in the past been highly ductile, on occasion even viscous. But both geologists and geophysicists failed to connect this evidence with a phenomenon they knew in the context of practical problems of structural engineering "creep”. Creep is observed in materials that are subjected to relatively low stresses for very long periods of time; the materials deform continuously, but very slowly, like fluids with an extremely high viscosity. The process operates most rapidly in materials near their melting point.
The second and third sentences tell us that both geologists and geophysicists failed to connect [evidence pertaining to the familiar "strength paradox"] with a phenomenon [known as] "creep." The rest of the paragraph defines the term "creep."

So, what could have resolved the theoretical argument? If geologists and geophysicists had what?

Quote:
(A) more carefully reviewed the fossa evidence
Although fossils are mentioned in paragraph two, the paragraph on geologists, such evidence is only referred to as a starting point in the formation of their theory that the continents must have moved at some point in the past. The author of the passage does not indicate anything about the fossa evidence holding the potential to have resolved the debate that ensued.

Quote:
(B) closely examined the physical appearance of the Earth's surface rock
The fifth and final paragraph does mention rocks at the Earth's surface, but the author does not go on to say that early twentieth-century scientists should have observed their physical appearance more carefully to have settled their dispute. I will touch on the larger context of the final paragraph in a moment.

Quote:
(C) applied their knowledge of the effects of stress to the geological evidence
There is nothing to find fault with here. Paragraph four states that [both geologists and geophysicists] knew of the phenomenon known as "creep" in the context of practical problems of structural engineering. Creep is observed in materials that are subjected to relatively low stresses for very long periods of time (my italics). The only question that remains is whether we, as readers, can connect this oversight with the geological evidence mentioned in the answer choice. Yes, we can. We even get two chances on this one. First, the line I quoted above tells us that both geologists and geophysicists failed to connect this evidence with a phenomenon they knewthis refers to the previous line and the "strength paradox," which sounds decidedly related to geology:

Quote:
The "strength paradox" had been familiar to generations of geologists from the study of rock deformations in mountain belts, where it had been observed that some quite rigid rocks had in the past been highly ductile, on occasion even viscous.
If we had any doubts, though, the final paragraph circles back to the debate and how it could have been avoided:

Quote:
Thus, before talking of the -strength" of rocks, both groups of scientists should have known something of the temperature of the rocks they were studying and should have specified the time scale under consideration.
The rest of the paragraph (and, indeed, the passage) discusses the melting temperatures of rock beneath the surface of the Earth and how creep occurs readily... on time scales of more than a few million years. We can safely say that, according to the author, the scientists could have avoided all their bickering if they had simply connected A and B, the creep phenomenon and the geological evidence.

Quote:
(D) known about the phenomenon of creep
That line in the middle of the fourth paragraph cannot be ignored:

Quote:
But both geologists and geophysicists failed to connect this evidence with a phenomenon they knew in the context of practical problems of structural engineering "creep”.
If the two groups of scientists had known about the phenomenon of creep, even in a different context, then we cannot get behind this answer choice.

Quote:
(E) understood more completely the effects of phenomena such as earthquakes
Earthquakes are mentioned in paragraph three, the one on geophysicists, but fall off the passage map thereafter, and are certainly not mentioned within the context of something that could have resolved the theoretical argument. This should be an easy elimination.

The takeaway here is that, especially in Supporting Idea(s) questions, those framed "According to the passage," we need to be able to point to evidence in the text to support our answer. No real inference should be necessary to connect the dots.

Perhaps the question makes more sense now. Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew
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KarishmaB
5. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following statements best expresses the "strength paradox" (Highlighted)?

(A) Some rocks arc rigid and brittle, whereas others are fluid and ductile depending on their chemical composition.
(B) Rocks at the base of mountains may be very rigid while rocks higher up the mountain are more fluid.
(C) The rigidity of the same rock can vary widely depending on the physical stresses acting on it.
(D) Rocks in scene locations on the Earth's surface are far more rigid and brittle than are other rocks subjected to comparable stress.
(E) The strength of rocks in mountain belts varies according to the rate of creep in a particular location.


The "strength paradox" had been familiar to generations of geologists from the study of rock deformations in mountain belts, where it had been observed that some quite rigid rocks had in the past been highly ductile, on occasion even viscous. But both geologists and geophysicists failed to connect this evidence with a phenomenon they knew in the context of practical problems of structural engineering "creep”.

Strength paradox is explained as some quite rigid rocks had in the past been highly ductile, on occasion even viscous
Creep is a separate but interconnected phenomenon that they knew.
Strength paradox only says that some strong rocks had been ductile in the past. Hence (C) is correct.
Option (E) may be true but it is not what "strength paradox" is and hence it is not the answer for this question.

KarishmaB

Hi,

the strength paradox as described in the text doesn't mention anything about 'physical stress'. Only once we connect it to what is further explained we would be able to do so. That's why I initially ruled out (C).
But since (C) is still better than any other choice, we still use (C)?

Thanks
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KarishmaB
5. It can be inferred from the passage that which of the following statements best expresses the "strength paradox" (Highlighted)?

(A) Some rocks arc rigid and brittle, whereas others are fluid and ductile depending on their chemical composition.
(B) Rocks at the base of mountains may be very rigid while rocks higher up the mountain are more fluid.
(C) The rigidity of the same rock can vary widely depending on the physical stresses acting on it.
(D) Rocks in scene locations on the Earth's surface are far more rigid and brittle than are other rocks subjected to comparable stress.
(E) The strength of rocks in mountain belts varies according to the rate of creep in a particular location.


The "strength paradox" had been familiar to generations of geologists from the study of rock deformations in mountain belts, where it had been observed that some quite rigid rocks had in the past been highly ductile, on occasion even viscous. But both geologists and geophysicists failed to connect this evidence with a phenomenon they knew in the context of practical problems of structural engineering "creep”.

Strength paradox is explained as some quite rigid rocks had in the past been highly ductile, on occasion even viscous
Creep is a separate but interconnected phenomenon that they knew.
Strength paradox only says that some strong rocks had been ductile in the past. Hence (C) is correct.
Option (E) may be true but it is not what "strength paradox" is and hence it is not the answer for this question.

KarishmaB

Hi,

the strength paradox as described in the text doesn't mention anything about 'physical stress'. Only once we connect it to what is further explained we would be able to do so. That's why I initially ruled out (C).
But since (C) is still better than any other choice, we still use (C)?

Thanks

The passage explains that it is linked to physical stress, even if it is not given at the same place. These are the dots you will need to connect especially in higher level "infer" questions.

Main question - Had continents moved?

Some geologists said they did (looking at the shape etc).

Some geophysicist said that Earth is hard and rigid outside. You can see that rocks at the base of mountains like ten-kilometer-high Everest had to be able to withstand enormous stress or they would crack and the mountains collapse. So the Earth was simply too strong for the continents to move.
...
But this issue needn't have arisen. Geologists knew the strength paradox.
The "strength paradox" had been familiar to generations of geologists from the study of rock deformations in mountain belts, where it had been observed that some quite rigid rocks had in the past been highly ductile, on occasion even viscous.
The failed to link it to creep observed in materials that are subjected to relatively low stresses for very long periods of time; the materials deform continuously...

So it seems that stress can lead to rock deformations in mountain belts and that is what strength paradox is.
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Can someone please explain why option B in Q1 is incorrect?

I rejected option C because - he doesn't analyze the reason for the dispute but provides resolutions of the dispute wherein he says this dispute can be resolved by

But both geologists and geophysicists failed to connect this evidence with a phenomenon they knew in the context of practical problems of structural engineering "creep”.
Thus, before talking of the -strength" of rocks, both groups of scientists should have known something of the temperature of the rocks they were studying and should have specified the time scale under consideration.


Why can't the above be inferred as resolution of dispute

I rejected C by the above logic, B seemed to be the only option I was unable to eliminate, and the rationale for B can be inferred from But both geologists and geophysicists failed to connect this evidence with a phenomenon they knew in the context of practical problems of structural engineering "creep???.

This can be interpreted as since both evaluated the theory in a limited context / evidence, there is simplification of the theory presented by them


Also to understand how is resolution of dispute different from providing reasons for dispute - Q8
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Rickooreo
Can someone please explain why option B in Q1 is incorrect?

The only "oversimplification" in this passage is the notion that solid materials, such as rock, are completely rigid. The passage does correct this oversimplification by introducing the notion of 'creep'—but that can't be the MAIN IDEA or PRIMARY PURPOSE, because it takes up so little room in the passage (just the last half of the 4th paragraph out of 5).

The bulk of the passage is about a disagreement between geologists and geophysicists over whether continents moved on the prehistoric earth: first setting out the two sides of the issue, and then (after correcting the oversimplification of 'rigidity') reconciling the two sides and showing that they wouldn't even have disagreed if they had taken some additional ideas into account.


Quote:
I rejected option C because - he doesn't analyze the reason for the dispute

Hm? The author spends the first 3.5 paragraphs doing exactly this.


Quote:
but provides resolutions of the dispute

Only in the 5th and final paragraph.
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Rickooreo
Also to understand how is resolution of dispute different from providing reasons for dispute - Q8

"Reasons FOR a dispute" are causes of the dispute: the conflicting views themselves, and the circumstances that brought them into direct conflict.

"Resolution of a dispute" refers to how the dispute is SETTLED / SOLVED.



These are completely distinct things, so, sorry, but I don't really know how to answer "How are they different?"—a question that only makes sense if it's asked about things that are mostly similar.
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