As in the case of so many words used by the biologist and physiologist

Question

As in the case of so many words used by the biologist and physiologist, the word acclimatization is hard to define. With increases in scientific knowledge and understanding, meanings of words change. Originally the term acclimatization was taken to mean only the ability of human beings, animals, or plants to accustom themselves to new and strange climatic conditions – primarily altered temperature. A person or a wolf moves to a hot climate and is uncomfortable there, but after a time is better able to withstand the heat. But aside from temperature, there are other aspects of climate. A person or an animal may become adjusted to living at higher altitudes than those it was originally accustomed to. At very high altitudes, such as those that aviators may be exposed to, low atmospheric pressure becomes a factor of primary importance. In changing to a new environment, a person may meet new conditions of temperature or pressure, and in addition may have to contend with different chemical surroundings. On high mountains, the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere may be relatively small; in crowded cities, a person may become exposed to relatively high concentrations of carbon dioxide or even carbon monoxide, and in various areas may be exposed to conditions in which the water content of the atmosphere is extremely high or extremely low. Thus, in the case of humans, animals and even plants, the concept of acclimatization includes the phenomena of increased toleration of high or low temperature, of altered pressure, and of changes in the chemical environment.

Let us define acclimatization, therefore, as the process in which an organism or a part of an organism becomes inured to an environment that is normally unsuitable to it or lethal for it. By and large, acclimatization is a relatively slow process. The term should not be taken to include relatively rapid adjustments such as those that our sense organs are constantly making. This type of adjustment is commonly referred to by physiologists as “adaptation.” Thus, our touch sense soon becomes accustomed to the pressure of our clothes and we do not feel them; we soon fail to hear the ticking of a clock; obnoxious odors after a time fail to make much impression on us, and our eyes in strong light rapidly become insensitive.

The fundamental fact about acclimatization is that all animals and plants have some capacity to adjust themselves to changes in their environment. This is one of the most remarkable characteristics of living organisms, a characteristic for which it is extremely difficult to find explanations.    1 
 1. According to the reading selection, all animals and plants

(A) have an ability for acclimatization.
(B) can adjust to only one change in the environment at a time.
(C) are successful in adjusting themselves to changes in their environments.
(D) can adjust to natural changes in the environment but not to artificially induced changes.
(E) that have once acclimatized themselves to an environmental change can acclimatize themselves more rapidly to subsequent changes.

2 
 2. It can be inferred from the reading selection that:

(A) every change in the environment requires acclimatization by living things.
(B) plants and animals are more alike than they are different.
(C) biologists and physiologists study essentially the same things.
(D) the explanation of acclimatization is specific to each plant and animal.
(E) as science develops, the connotation of terms may change.

3 
 3. According to the reading selection, acclimatization:

(A) is similar to adaptation.
(B) is more important today than it was formerly.
(C) involves positive as well as negative adjustment.
(D) may be involved with a part of an organism but not with the whole organism.
(E) is more difficult to explain with the more complex present-day environment than it was formerly.

4 
 4. By inference from the reading selection, which one of the following would NOT require the process of acclimatization?

(A) an ocean fish placed in a lake
(B) a shallow diver making a deep dive
(C) an airplane pilot making a high-altitude flight
(D) a person going from daylight into a darkened room
(E) a businessman moving from Denver, Colorado, to New Orleans, Louisiana

5 
 5. According to the passage, a major distinction between acclimatization and adaptation is that acclimatization:

(A) is more important than adaptation.
(B) is relatively slow and adaptation is relatively rapid.
(C) applies to adjustments while adaptation does not apply to adjustments.
(D) applies to terrestrial animals and adaptation to aquatic animals.
(E) is applicable to all animals and plants and adaptation only to higher animals and man.

6 
 6. The word “inured” in the first sentence of paragraph two most likely means

(A) exposed
(B) accustomed
(C) attracted
(D) associated
(E) in love with

7 
 7. The function of paragraph 2 in the passage as a whole is to:

(A) illuminate the human element of acclimatization.
(B) explain the role of scientists in acclimatization research.
(C) provide a definition corresponding to the examples cited in paragraph 1.
(D) detail the environmental adjustments animals make to their environment.
(E) show the links between important terms used elsewhere in the essay.

8 
 8. The author is most likely:

(A) a researcher in the field of adaptive mechanisms.
(B) a student of biology.
(C) a veterinarian looking to explain an issue of importance.
(D) the editor of a scientific publication.
(E) the founder of a new field of science.

RC Butler 2022  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 41 Date: 27-Jan-2022
 This question is a part of RC Butler 2022 .  Click here for Details

Source: 800Score GMAT Free Course

100mitra · Accepted Answer

Paraphrasing:   
1. Explain old phenomena “acclimatization”, and redefine with additional information quoting certain examples 
2. Same Process: (Acclimatization - Slow) and (Adaptation - Rapid)
3. Acclimatization is a characteristic for which it is extremely difficult to find explanations.

1. According to the reading selection, all animals and plants  
As mentioned in the passage, Para 1 and Para 3
 Sentence 1:  “ Originally the term acclimatization was taken to mean only the ability of human beings, animals, or plants to accustom themselves to new and strange climatic conditions ”
 Sentence 2:  “ The fundamental fact about acclimatization is that all animals and plants have some capacity to adjust themselves to changes in their environment ”

(A) have an ability for acclimatization - Correct  
(B) can adjust to only ( one change ) in the environment ( at a time )   - Wrong  
(C) ( are successful ) in adjusting themselves to changes in their environments    - Wrong   
(D) can adjust to natural changes in the environment ( but not to artificially induced changes )    - Wrong  
(E) that have ( once acclimatized ) themselves to an environmental change 
 ( can acclimatize ) themselves ( more rapidly to subsequent changes )    - Wrong

2. It can be inferred from the reading selection that:  
(A) every change in the environment requires acclimatization by living things
(D) the explanation of acclimatization is specific to each plant and animal.
 Wrong: Out of scope, compulsorily acceptance, is not mentioned in the passage

(B) plants and animals are more alike than they are different.
   - Wrong   Irrelevant

(C) biologists and physiologists study essentially the same things.
   - Wrong   biology is the study of all life or living matter 
 physiology is a branch of biology that deals with the functions and activities of life or of living matte

(E) as science develops, the connotation of terms may change
Correct: as mentioned in the passage, Para 1, second line, 
“With increases in scientific knowledge and understanding, meanings of words change”

3. According to the reading selection, acclimatization:  
  (A) is similar to adaptation.
Correct: Process is similar, but acceptance ratio is different, 
acclimatization is a relatively slow process and adaptation is relatively rapid adjustments

Eliminate, B, C, D and E – Wrong comparison  
(B) is more important today than it was formerly ( today vs earlier )
(C) involves positive as well as negative adjustment ( positive vs negative )
(D) may be involved with a part of an organism but not with the whole organism ( internal vs total organism )
(E) is more difficult to explain with the more complex present-day environment than it was formerly ( complex to explain, earlier vs now )

4. By inference from the reading selection, 
which one of the following would  NOT require  the process of acclimatization?  
 Simple we need to find: acclimatization vs adaptation

(A) an ocean fish placed in a lake   – Required   – Environment change 
(B) a shallow diver making a deep dive   – Required   – Environment change
(C) an airplane pilot making a high-altitude flight   – Required   – Environment change
  (D) a person going from daylight into a darkened room – Not Required – Sensory change  
(E) a businessman moving from Denver, Colorado, to New Orleans, Louisiana   – Required   – Environment change

5. According to the passage, a major distinction between acclimatization and adaptation is that acclimatization:  
  (B) is relatively slow and adaptation is relatively rapid – Correct 
“By and large, acclimatization is a relatively slow process” – acclimatization
“The term should not be taken to include relatively rapid adjustments referred to by physiologists as “adaptation.”

Eliminate A, C, D and E – Wrong comparison   
(A) is more important than adaptation ( important vs non important )
(C) applies to adjustments while adaptation does not apply to adjustments ( adjustment vs non-adjustment )
(D) applies to terrestrial animals and adaptation to aquatic animals ( terrestrial vs adaptation )
(E) is applicable to all animals and plants and adaptation only to higher animals and man ( Animals + plant vs Man )

6. The word “inured” in the first sentence of paragraph two most likely means  
 Inured meaning:  accustom to something, especially something unpleasant
  Correct option B: accustomed

7. The function of paragraph 2 in the passage as a whole is to:  
As mentioned in the passage, 
“ Let us define acclimatization, therefore, as the process in which an organism or a part of an organism 
becomes inured to an environment that is normally unsuitable to it or lethal for it ”

(C) provide a definition corresponding to the examples cited in paragraph 1
Correct, as mentioned above

Eliminate A, B and E – Irrelevant, not mentioned in the paragraph 2  
(A) illuminate the human element of acclimatization 
(B) explain the role of scientists in acclimatization research
(E) show the links between important terms used elsewhere in the essay
(D) detail the environmental adjustments animals make to their environment   – Wrong

8. The author is most likely:  
  Eliminate B, C and E – Easy elimination  
(B) a student of biology
(C) a veterinarian looking to explain an issue of importance
(E) the founder of a new field of science

Between A, and D  – 
 Option D  deal with scientific publication, which is a vast subject, it can highlight from vast subject one about adaption mechanism, which is related to the passage, 
but  Option A , is bulls eye deals with adaptive mechanism,  which make A correct and D wrong  
  Wrong (D)   the editor of a scientific publication
a person who is in charge of and determines the final content of a scientific book

Correct (A)   a researcher in the field of adaptive mechanisms.
  a person who carries out academic or scientific research in “adaptation mechanism”, which is the biological mechanism by which organisms adjust to new environments or to changes in their current environment

bellbell · Answer

9 min, 7/8 correct.
Question 3 was hard, but now I get why I got it wrong.
3. According to the reading selection, acclimatization:
 (A) is similar to adaptation.

(B) is more important today than it was formerly => no mention in the paragraph
(C) involves positive as well as negative adjustment => acclimatization helps living things to be able to live in a strange/weird environment => no negativity detected
(D) may be involved with a part of an organism  but not with the whole organism  => "Let us define acclimatization, therefore, as the process  in which an organism  or a part of an organism", so it includes a whole organism
(E) is more difficult to explain with the more complex present-day environment than it was formerly => in the 1st paragraph, they stated that the reason the meaning of the word changes was not because of the environment but because of the increases in scientific knowledge and understanding

As in the case of so many words used by the biologist and physiologist

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As in the case of so many words used by the biologist and physiologist

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