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souvik101990
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Layers of the earth’s crust are exposed at several points along Califo Updated on: 08 Apr 2019, 07:43
Originally posted by souvik101990 on 21 Dec 2016, 23:31.
Last edited by Bunuel on 08 Apr 2019, 07:43, edited 1 time in total.
Renamed the topic and edited the question.
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65% (hard)

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60% (02:22) correct 40% (02:21) wrong based on 801 sessions

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Layers of the earth’s crust are exposed at several points along California’s San Andreas Fault. Notably, a team of geologists recently spotted a remote fold of exposed crust along the fault that contained shells of a species of mollusk from 500,000 years ago that can only survive at least 500 feet below the surface of the ocean. The exposed crust is comprised of the same sediment consistent with the known habitat of the mollusk. Surprisingly, however, ocean levels have generally been lower than they are now and were much lower during the great ice ages.
 
The information above most strongly supports which one of the following?
 
Ⓐ The Pacific Ocean today contains fewer living specimens of the mollusks unearthed at the fault.

Ⓑ There are other habitats that these mollusks can survive in other than at 500 feet or more below the ocean’s surface.

Ⓒ The geologists on the team were the first people to see the fold of exposed crust.

Ⓓ The exposed crust was once lower than it is today.

Ⓔ The Pacific Ocean was once much higher at certain points over the last 500,000 years than it is today.
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D
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CrackverbalGMAT
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Layers of the earth’s crust are exposed at several points along Califo 15 Jan 2017, 04:34
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let us take a look at the answer options -

A - this cannot be inferred from the paragraph provided.
We have no idea about the actual numbers of mollusks.

B - Incorrect.
this directly contradicts the assertion made in the paragraph -
"can only survive at least 500 feet below the surface of the ocean."

C - Incorrect.
We do not whether they were the first, second or third people to see the exposed fold of the crust.

D - Correct answer.
the exposed fold of crust had to be at least 500 feet below the sea level. this means that the crust was lower than where it is today. i.e. probably somewhere near the surface.

E - Incorrect.
the paragraph talks about oceans in general, not the pacific ocean. We cannot infer anything about the pacific ocean. The geography of the Earth could have changed so much that earlier the exposed fold of crust was not under the Pacific Ocean at all.
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Layers of the earth’s crust are exposed at several points along Califo 22 Dec 2016, 00:05
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I believe the answer is E. Only if the Pacific Ocean was higher than it is today, it could have facilitated the Mollusks to inhabit the area.
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Layers of the earth’s crust are exposed at several points along Califo 22 Dec 2016, 10:24
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The Pacific Ocean was once much higher at certain points over the last 500,000 years than it is today.
Since the conclusion says that it was even lower , then we need the waters to be higher

E
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Layers of the earth’s crust are exposed at several points along Califo 14 Jul 2017, 11:50
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My initial instinct was answer E. However, D is superior for two reasons.
1) E contradicts the stem. E says the ocean was "once much higher than it is today."
The stem says, ocean levels were "much lower during the ice ages."
Therefore, for the exposed crust to have been 500 feet below the surface, it must have been lower.

2) The question is talking about oceans in general. Option E discusses the Pacific Ocean, out of scope.
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Layers of the earth’s crust are exposed at several points along Califo 14 Jul 2017, 12:16
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Layers of the earth’s crust are exposed at several points along California’s San Andreas Fault. Notably, a team of geologists recently spotted a remote fold of exposed crust along the fault that contained shells of a species of mollusk from 500,000 years ago that can only survive at least 500 feet below the surface of the ocean. The exposed crust is comprised of the same sediment consistent with the known habitat of the mollusk. Surprisingly, however, ocean levels have generally been lower than they are now and were much lower during the great ice ages.
 
The information above most strongly supports which one of the following?
 
Ⓐ The Pacific Ocean today contains fewer living specimens of the mollusks unearthed at the fault.

Ⓑ There are other habitats that these mollusks can survive in other than at 500 feet or more below the ocean’s surface.

Ⓒ The geologists on the team were the first people to see the fold of exposed crust.

Ⓓ The exposed crust was once lower than it is today.

Ⓔ The Pacific Ocean was once much higher at certain points over the last 500,000 years than it is today.
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Argument
Geo's spotted fold of remote crust that contains 500,000 year old mollusk. M's can only survive 500 feet below the ocean.
Exposed crust sediments = M's known habitat
Oceans levels lower than now, and were even lower before.

=> For M's to be found in that exposed crust points to the fact that the crust would have been deeper underground at some point in the past.

A - Out. Nothing in the passage mentions about the number of organisms.
B - Out. The passage states the ONLY known habitat is 500 feet below the ocean. This directly contradicts a fact stated in the argument.
C - Out. This is irrelevant. If the geo's weren't the first to see it, the M's are still there => the crust would have been 500 below the ocean surface at some point.
D - Keep.
E - Trick Option. Out. The passage directly states that the ocean levels are much lower than today, and were even lower before, during the ice age. We'd have to make an assumption i.e. the water levels were higher before the ice age, but that's beyond the scope of this argument.

D is the answer by POE.
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Layers of the earth’s crust are exposed at several points along Califo 14 Jul 2017, 12:42
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Layers of the earth’s crust are exposed at several points along California’s San Andreas Fault. Notably, a team of geologists recently spotted a remote fold of exposed crust along the fault that contained shells of a species of mollusk from 500,000 years ago that can only survive at least 500 feet below the surface of the ocean. The exposed crust is comprised of the same sediment consistent with the known habitat of the mollusk. Surprisingly, however, ocean levels have generally been lower than they are now and were much lower during the great ice ages.


The passage discusses the habitat of the Mollusk that was supposed to be 500 feet below the sea level, and scientists have now found the shells of mollusk at the crust of the earth. How is this possible?

The information above most strongly supports which one of the following?

Ⓐ The Pacific Ocean today contains fewer living specimens of the mollusks unearthed at the fault. No Argument is speaking about the habitat of the Mollusk

Ⓑ There are other habitats that these mollusks can survive in other than at 500 feet or more below the ocean’s surface. Fails the Fact test. Premise tells us Mollusk had only one habitat

Ⓒ The geologists on the team were the first people to see the fold of exposed crust. But will it explain how Mollusk shells were found?

Ⓓ The exposed crust was once lower than it is today. Yes This can be the plausible explanation of the presence of the shells

Ⓔ The Pacific Ocean was once much higher at certain points over the last 500,000 years than it is today.It fails the fact test, levels of Oceans were far lower in past than today
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Layers of the earth’s crust are exposed at several points along Califo 01 Sep 2025, 07:41
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I believe the answer is E. Only if the Pacific Ocean was higher than it is today, it could have facilitated the Mollusks to inhabit the area.
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hey buddy, option A cannot be the answer as premises talks about 'oceans' in general but not pacific ocean specifically
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