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GMAT Focus 1: 685 Q81 V90 DI81 
Posts: 42
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
95%
(hard)
Question Stats:
25% (02:11) correct
75%
(02:40)
wrong
based on 216
sessions
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The size of an animal usually correlates with its lifespan. Some birds may live only for seven years, whereas an elephant may live up to fifty. Yet, research on the average lifespan of animals has revealed that bats can live up to forty years, despite their body mass being less than one-thousandth that of an elephant's. Some scientists have found that bats’ cells are unusually resistant to developing tumours, though it’s noteworthy that bat cells require less genetic damage to become cancerous compared to human cells. Further research has revealed the presence of a tumour-suppressing gene within animal cells—P53. Since P53 appears to play a role in bats’ resistance to cancer, and humans—who are more prone to tumours—do not exhibit similar longevity or resistance, it must be that this gene does not function in the same way within human cells.
Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
A. Bats and humans are exposed to roughly similar levels of environmental factors that could contribute to the development of cancer.
B. The gene P53 functions in a way that can significantly influence an organism’s susceptibility to cancer.
C. Tumour development is the primary factor limiting the lifespan of small-bodied animals such as bats.
D. No other genetic or physiological mechanisms beyond P53 account for the bats' resistance to tumours.
E. All animals that possess the P53 gene exhibit resistance to cancer.
Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
A. Bats and humans are exposed to roughly similar levels of environmental factors that could contribute to the development of cancer.
B. The gene P53 functions in a way that can significantly influence an organism’s susceptibility to cancer.
C. Tumour development is the primary factor limiting the lifespan of small-bodied animals such as bats.
D. No other genetic or physiological mechanisms beyond P53 account for the bats' resistance to tumours.
E. All animals that possess the P53 gene exhibit resistance to cancer.
MyGMATbuddy
Expert
Joined: 27 Jun 2025
Last visit: 11 Aug 2025
Posts: 46
Location: India
Schools: IIMB EPGP'23 (A$)
GMAT 1: 730 Q50 V39
GPA: 9.82
Expert reply
Answer: B
P53 must significantly impact cancer risk, or the argument about its different functioning in humans falls apart.
A. Not needed—different environments don't weaken the gene-based argument.
C. Argument doesn’t depend on lifespan causes, only cancer resistance.
D. Too extreme—the argument doesn’t rule out other factors.
E. Irrelevant—focus is only on bats vs. humans, not all animals.
Pankaj Jindal | myGMATbuddy| GMAT Classic 730 | IIM Bangalore
Success story: https://gmatclub.com/forum/how-i-scored ... l#p3588949
P53 must significantly impact cancer risk, or the argument about its different functioning in humans falls apart.
A. Not needed—different environments don't weaken the gene-based argument.
C. Argument doesn’t depend on lifespan causes, only cancer resistance.
D. Too extreme—the argument doesn’t rule out other factors.
E. Irrelevant—focus is only on bats vs. humans, not all animals.
Pankaj Jindal | myGMATbuddy| GMAT Classic 730 | IIM Bangalore
Success story: https://gmatclub.com/forum/how-i-scored ... l#p3588949
Priya93harry
Joined: 05 Nov 2024
Last visit: 27 Jan 2026
Posts: 6
Location: India
Concentration: Operations, Marketing
GMAT Focus 1: 605 Q82 V81 DI77
GMAT Focus 2: 625 Q81 V82 DI80 
Products:
can someone please explain this?
what i've understood is:-
Conclusion - the gene P53 functions differently in various animals thereby causing a difference in resistance to cancer between humans and bats.
Assumption - there is no other cause for cancer resistance in bats
Negation - "There are other causes for cancer resistance in bats" This faults the conclusion because then gene P53 would be functioning similarly in all animals.
Therefore, shouldnt the correct choice be 'D' instead of 'B'. Because choice 'B' is already given in the paragraph, it isnt an assumption.
what i've understood is:-
Conclusion - the gene P53 functions differently in various animals thereby causing a difference in resistance to cancer between humans and bats.
Assumption - there is no other cause for cancer resistance in bats
Negation - "There are other causes for cancer resistance in bats" This faults the conclusion because then gene P53 would be functioning similarly in all animals.
Therefore, shouldnt the correct choice be 'D' instead of 'B'. Because choice 'B' is already given in the paragraph, it isnt an assumption.
GMAT Focus 1: 685 Q81 V90 DI81
Posts: 42
Official Answer: B
Explanation -
Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
The crux of the argument lies in the conclusion of the differences in functionality of the P53 gene.
A. Bats and humans are exposed to roughly similar levels of environmental factors that could contribute to the development of cancer. - Even if some cancer-causing factors affect humans and bats differently, this may not be enough to account for the significantly higher level of difference in cancer susceptibility between bats and humans. Without this assumption - the argument can still stand.
B. The gene P53 functions in a way that can significantly influence an organism’s susceptibility to cancer. - Correct. Without assuming the SIGNIFICANT influence of the P53 gene, we cannot blame humans' susceptibility to cancer solely on its different functionality. Negating this assumption leads us down a slippery slope of other possibilities that are being overlooked (the P53 gene may be working the same, yet there may be other factors that the author overlooks).
C. Tumour development is the primary factor limiting the lifespan of small-bodied animals such as bats. - Extreme. We do not need tumour development to be the PRIMARY factor.
D. No other genetic or physiological mechanisms beyond P53 account for the bats' resistance to tumours. - Too extreme. Nowhere does the author indicate that P53 is the ONLY reason behind bats' resistance to tumours. Even if it is not the ONLY reason behind our observations, it may be one of the major factors and the author chooses to focus on it.
E. All animals that possess the P53 gene exhibit resistance to cancer. - Extreme. Even if not all P53 animals display such resistance, humans may be a part of the subset that do.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Aakkash Singh
90V | CentPrep | Affordable Verbal Tutor
Visit www.calendly.com/aakkashgmat for a free verbal session!
Explanation -
Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?
The crux of the argument lies in the conclusion of the differences in functionality of the P53 gene.
A. Bats and humans are exposed to roughly similar levels of environmental factors that could contribute to the development of cancer. - Even if some cancer-causing factors affect humans and bats differently, this may not be enough to account for the significantly higher level of difference in cancer susceptibility between bats and humans. Without this assumption - the argument can still stand.
B. The gene P53 functions in a way that can significantly influence an organism’s susceptibility to cancer. - Correct. Without assuming the SIGNIFICANT influence of the P53 gene, we cannot blame humans' susceptibility to cancer solely on its different functionality. Negating this assumption leads us down a slippery slope of other possibilities that are being overlooked (the P53 gene may be working the same, yet there may be other factors that the author overlooks).
C. Tumour development is the primary factor limiting the lifespan of small-bodied animals such as bats. - Extreme. We do not need tumour development to be the PRIMARY factor.
D. No other genetic or physiological mechanisms beyond P53 account for the bats' resistance to tumours. - Too extreme. Nowhere does the author indicate that P53 is the ONLY reason behind bats' resistance to tumours. Even if it is not the ONLY reason behind our observations, it may be one of the major factors and the author chooses to focus on it.
E. All animals that possess the P53 gene exhibit resistance to cancer. - Extreme. Even if not all P53 animals display such resistance, humans may be a part of the subset that do.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Aakkash Singh
90V | CentPrep | Affordable Verbal Tutor
Visit www.calendly.com/aakkashgmat for a free verbal session!
Posts: 40
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