Insect behavior generally appears to be explicable in terms of unconsc

Question

Insect behavior generally appears to be explicable in terms of unconscious, inflexible stimulus-response mechanisms. For instance, a female sphex wasp leaves her egg sealed in a burrow alongside a paralyzed grasshopper, which her larvae can eat upon hatching. Before she deposits the grasshopper in the burrow, she inspects the burrow; if the inspection reveals no problems, she drags the grasshopper inside by its antennae. As thoughtful as this behavior appears, it reveals its mechanistic character upon interference.

Darwin discovered that prior removal of the grasshopper's antennae prevents the wasp from depositing the grasshopper, even though the legs or ovipositor could also serve as handles. Likewise, Fabre moved the grasshopper a few centimeters away from the burrow's mouth while the wasp was inside inspecting. The wasp returned the grasshopper to the edge of the burrow and then began a new inspection. Fabre performed this disruptive maneuver forty times; the wasp's response never changed.  
 1 
 1. The author mentions the work of Darwin and Fabre in order to

A. provide experimental evidence of the inflexibility of one kind of insect behavior
B. contradict the conventional wisdom about “typical” wasp behavior
C. illustrate the strength of the wasp's maternal affection
D. explore the logical implications of the thesis articulated earlier
E. highlight historical changes in the conduction of scientific research

2 
 2. Which of the following hypothetical variations in the experiments described in the passage would most weaken the primary claim of the passage?

A. Darwin removes the ovipositor, a small appendage, instead of the antennae; the wasp fails to deposit the grasshopper in the burrow.
B. Darwin restrains the grasshopper while the wasp attempts to drag it by its antennae, which subsequently break off; although Darwin then releases the grasshopper, the wasp ignores it.
C. Fabre moves the grasshopper several meters away during the wasp's inspection; the wasp takes significant time to retrieve the grasshopper, then re-inspects the burrow.
D. Fabre repeatedly varies the exact position near the burrow to which he moves the grasshopper, causing the wasp to adjust its retrieval path slightly before re-inspecting the burrow.
E. Fabre replaces the grasshopper with a paralyzed praying mantis, a rather different insect that the wasp inspects and then deposits in the burrow.

3 
 3. The passage supports which of the following statements about insect behavior?

A. Reptiles such as snakes behave more flexibly than do insects.
B. Insects such as honeybees can always be expected to behave inflexibly.
C. Many species of insects leave eggs alongside living but paralyzed food sources.
D. Stimulus-response mechanisms in insects have evolved because, under ordinary circumstances, they help insects to survive.
E. More than one species of insect displays inflexible, routine behaviors.

4 
 4. Based on the passage, which of the following would prove a similar point to that promoted by the author?

I. In a similar experiment, the paralyzed grasshopper was replaced with another, equally nutritive insect, and the wasp did not drag it into the burrow.
II. In a similar experiment with a bird, the bird was shown to act in the exact same manner as the wasp.
III. In a similar experiment with a different wasp, the wasp dragged the grasshopper into the burrow by its ovipositor.

A. I only
B. I and II
C. II only
D. II and III
E. I, II and III

5 
 5. The primary purpose of the passage is to:

(A) prove, based on examples, that insects lack consciousness
(B) argue that insects are unique in their dependence on rigid routines
(C) analyze the maternal behavior of wasps
(D) compare and contrast the work of Darwin and Fabre
(E) argue that insect behavior relies on rigid routines which appear to be
unconscious

6 
 6. The second paragraph performs which of the following functions in the passage?

(A) It provides experimental evidence of the inflexibility of one kind of insect behavior.
(B) It contradicts the conventional wisdom about "typical" wasp behavior.
(C) It illustrates the strength of the wasp's maternal affection.
(D) It explores the logical implications of the thesis articulated in. the first paragraph.
(E) It highlights historical changes in the conduct of scientific research.

7 
 7. The passage mentions the grasshopper's ovipositor in the second paragraph in order to

(A) shed light on an anatomical peculiarity of grasshoppers
(B) illustrate the wasp's inability to avail itself of alternative methods
(C) provide a scientific synonym for the word "leg"
(D) invoke Darwin's theory of functional evolution
(E) concede that a grasshopper becomes more difficult to move when its antennae
are removed

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

3. The passage supports which of the following statements about insect behavior?

Difficulty Level:   600-650

Explanation

This is a difficult SPECIFIC Question. The keywords insect behavior indicate the topic of the passage; they could plausibly refer to almost anything mentioned. Thus, we must change tactics and start with the answer choices. Each answer choice gives us additional keywords; we use these to look up the reference for each answer choice and determine whether the choice is justified.

The key to finding the correct answer is to focus on what is explicitly stated in the passage, and to examine whether each answer choice goes beyond what can be supported by the passage. Here, our Headline List and our understanding of the structure of the passage would direct us to the first paragraph. Again, justify every word in the answer choice that you select.

Answer choice (A)  mentions reptiles and snakes. Since the passage never mentions either of these, you should eliminate this answer choice. This is the case even though one could argue that the passage draws an implicit contrast between insect inflexibility and the more flexible behavior of some other creatures. You should discard any answer choice that goes too far beyond the passage.

Answer choice (B)  is a great example of a tempting GMAT answer choice. Honeybees are insects, and the passage does claim that insect behavior tends to be inflexible. However, the passage does not say that every single species of insect behaves inflexibly; perhaps honeybees are an exception. Further, this answer choice states that honeybees always behave inflexibly, whereas the author states that insect behavior often reveals a stereotyped, inflexible quality. The extreme word always cannot be justified in this answer choice.

Answer choice (C)  seems plausible. The sphex wasp is probably not the only species of insect that provides its young with paralyzed prey. However, the word Many is not justified in the passage. We do not know the behavior of any other insect in this regard. Through the use of the word Many, answer choice (C) goes too far beyond the passage.

(D)  The passage never explicitly mentions evolution, nor does it make any statement about why insects have stimulus-response mechanisms. Answer choice (D) also requires drawing inferences from beyond the text of the passage.

The first sentence of the passage tells us that Insect behavior generally appears to be explicable in terms of unconscious stimulus-response mechanisms and often reveals a stereotyped, inflexible quality. The passage goes on to describe the case of sphex wasps as a classic example. Thus, the passage clearly indicates that the case of sphex wasps is not completely unique; that is, there must be more than one species of insect that exhibits inflexible behavior. Note that more than one can be justified by the passage in a way that a more extreme term such as most or all cannot be.  Answer choice (E) is correct.

Answer: E

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

5. The primary purpose of the passage is to:

Explanation

This is a GENERAL question (subtype: Main Idea), so we should be able to answer the question using the understanding of the passage that we gained through creating our Headline List. For questions asking about the main idea of the passage, be sure to refer to the opening paragraph, which either articulates the Point of the passage or sets up the necessary context.

We can eliminate  (A)  based on the topic sentence in the first paragraph. The passage does not claim to prove that insects lack consciousness; it merely suggests, rather tentatively, that insect behavior appears to be explicable in terms of unconscious mechanisms. The word prove is too extreme in  answer choice (A).

Answer choice (B)  reflects the language of the passage in that the passage does indicate that insects depend on rigid routines. However, it does not address the question of whether there are any other animals that depend on such routines, as is stated in  answer choice (B) . The passage makes no claim about whether or not insects are unique in this respect. Remember that every word in an answer choice must be justified from the text.

We can eliminate  answer choice (C)  using our Headline List. It is clear that the sphex wasp's maternal behavior is used as an example to illustrate a more general idea; this behavior is not itself the Point of the passage.

The fact that Fabre and Darwin only appear in the second paragraph is a good indication that they are not the passage's primary concern. Fabre and Darwin are simply mentioned as sources for some of the information on wasps. Moreover, their results are not contrasted; rather, their experiments are both cited as evidence to support the Point.  Answer choice (D)  is incorrect.

(E) CORRECT.  The passage begins with a topic sentence that announces the author's Point. The Point has two parts, as this answer choice correctly indicates:  (1)  insect behavior relies on rigid routines, and  (2)  these routines appear to be unconscious. The topic sentence does not use the term rigid routine, but it conveys the idea of rigidity by describing insect behavior as inflexible. The concept of routine is introduced later in the passage.

Answer: E

Varuag93 · Answer

In Q2, I was confused between options A, D, and E. I was able to eliminate D as the wasp was following the same pattern: bringing the grasshopper back to the burrow, inspecting, and then depositing it in the burrow. In between A and E, I went for option A as I thought that the wasp did not bring it to burrow and broke the pattern. But after analyzing it again, I realized that the wasp fails to deposit the grasshopper in the burrow. It tried to bring grasshopper but failed for some reason so the wasp was following the same pattern.

Option E, when the grasshopper was replaced by a mantis, it was a change in the whole pattern as one aspect has been changed. So the wasp should not have brought that mantis to burrow so this option works as a weakener.

Let me know if my reasoning is not right for this question.

Option E, when the grasshopper was replaced by a mantis, it was a change in the whole pattern as one aspect has been changed. So the wasp should not have brought that mantis to burrow so this option works as a weakener.

Let me know if my reasoning is not right for this question.

RICHA1189 · Answer

Passage type - P1 Generalization view - P2 specific case explained with the help of example.

Main point of the passage - to explain the Generalized way of behavior among insects. Illustrating with an example of a female sphex wasp
Reference - P1 Line 1
Insect behavior generally appears to be explicable in terms of unconscious, inflexible stimulus-response mechanisms.

Total time taken 9-10 minutes - read passage + solve 5 questions - 5 out of 7 answered correctly

1. The author mentions the work of Darwin and Fabre in order to

A. provide experimental evidence of the inflexibility of one kind of insect behavior

reference - As thoughtful as this behavior appears, it reveals its mechanistic character upon interference.

Darwin discovered that prior removal of the grasshopper's antennae prevents the wasp from depositing the grasshopper, even though the legs or ovipositor could also serve as handles. Likewise, Fabre moved the grasshopper a few centimeters away from the burrow's mouth while the wasp was inside inspecting

2. Which of the following hypothetical variations in the experiments described in the passage would most weaken the primary claim of the passage? -  Any situation in which the experiment subject will change behavior , when provided an alternative

A - is close but E is the answer - I got this answer wrong  
E. Fabre replaces the grasshopper with a paralyzed praying mantis, a rather different insect that the wasp inspects and then deposits in the burrow.

3. The passage supports which of the following statements about insect behavior?

E. More than one species of insect displays inflexible, routine behaviors.

Insect behavior  generally  appears to be explicable in terms of unconscious, inflexible stimulus-response mechanisms

4. Based on the passage, which of the following would prove a similar point to that promoted by the author?

I. In a similar experiment, the paralyzed grasshopper was replaced with another, equally nutritive insect, and the wasp did not drag it into the burrow. -  CORRECT ( Unconscious / inflexible )  
II. In a similar experiment with a bird, the bird was shown to act in the exact same manner as the wasp.  BIRD IS NOT INSECT - OUT OF SCOPE  
III. In a similar experiment with a different wasp, the wasp dragged the grasshopper into the burrow by its ovipositor.  WASP USES ANTENNA

A. I only
B. I and II
C. II only
D. II and III
E. I, II and III

answer - A

5. The primary purpose of the passage is to:

(E) argue that insect behavior relies on rigid routines which appear to be unconscious

I got this answer wrong as could not find any argue kind of tone in the passage.

6. The second paragraph performs which of the following functions in the passage?

(A) It provides experimental evidence of the inflexibility of one kind of insect behavior.  correct 
(B) It contradicts the conventional wisdom about "typical" wasp behavior.  No contradiction 
(C) It illustrates the strength of the wasp's maternal affection.  Out of scope 
(D) It explores the logical implications of the thesis articulated in. the first paragraph.  Out of scope 
(E) It highlights historical changes in the conduct of scientific research.  Out of scope

7. The passage mentions the grasshopper's ovipositor in the second paragraph in order to

(A) shed light on an anatomical peculiarity of grasshoppers  Out of scope 
(B) illustrate the wasp's inability to avail itself of alternative methods  Correct 
(C) provide a scientific synonym for the word "leg"  Out of scope 
(D) invoke Darwin's theory of functional evolution  Out of scope 
(E) concede that a grasshopper becomes more difficult to move when its antennae
are removed  Out of scope

rn1112 · Answer

2. Which of the following hypothetical variations in the experiments described in the passage would most weaken the primary claim of the passage?

The main point of the passage is that the Insect behavior can be explained in terms of unconscious, inflexible stimulus-response mechanisms. For WEAKEN, it has to be shown that the particular insect behavior can be interpreted as a well thought, conscious and flexible mechanism.

A. Darwin removes the ovipositor, a small appendage, instead of the antennae; the wasp fails to deposit the grasshopper in the burrow.
 The physical incapacitation may have led to the behavioral variation. Hence, change in environmental set-up will nullify the deductions, if any. Therefore, irrelevant.

B. Darwin restrains the grasshopper while the wasp attempts to drag it by its antennae, which subsequently break off; although Darwin then releases the grasshopper, the wasp ignores it.
 Non-deposition of grasshopper (without antennae) clearly highlights an unconscious, inflexible stimulus-response mechanism

C. Fabre moves the grasshopper several meters away during the wasp's inspection; the wasp takes significant time to retrieve the grasshopper, then re-inspects the burrow.
 Retrieval of grasshopper prior to inspection again depicts an unconscious, inflexible stimulus-response mechanism

D. Fabre repeatedly varies the exact position near the burrow to which he moves the grasshopper, causing the wasp to adjust its retrieval path slightly before re-inspecting the burrow.
 same as option (C) with minor variation -- Retrieval of grasshopper prior to inspection again depicts an unconscious, inflexible stimulus-response mechanism

E. Fabre replaces the grasshopper with a paralyzed praying mantis, a rather different insect that the wasp inspects and then deposits in the burrow
  Since a careful inspection of paralyzed praying mantis prior to deposition in the burrow depicts a a well thought, conscious and flexible mechanism (a variation to the earlier behaviour), it is the CORRECT option

The correct option is (E)

rn1112 · Answer

1. The author mentions the work of Darwin and Fabre in order to

A. provide experimental evidence of the inflexibility of one kind of insect behavior
  post highlighting the major facets of the unconscious, inflexible insect behaviour, the author wishes to support his argument through experimental evidence; therefore, he mentions the work of Darwin and Fabre 
 
B. contradict the conventional wisdom about “typical” wasp behavior
 no conventional explanation regarding the wasp behaviour has been mentioned in the passage

C. illustrate the strength of the wasp's maternal affection
 out of scope prompt. totally out of sync with the main idea of the passage

D. explore the logical implications of the thesis articulated earlier
 logical implications can't be derived through examples

E. highlight historical changes in the conduction of scientific research
 scientific experiments highlight similar argument as described in the 1st paragraph. No changes evident though the works of Darwin and Fabre.

The correct option is (A)

rn1112 · Answer

3. The passage supports which of the following statements about insect behavior?

A. Reptiles such as snakes behave more flexibly than do insects.
 No mention / comparison highlighted regarding behavior of insects vis-a-vis that of the reptile. Hence, Irrelevant.

B. Insects such as honeybees can always be expected to behave inflexibly.
 Again, can't be commented upon with conviction. Also, 'always' -- an extreme view

C. Many species of insects leave eggs alongside living but paralyzed food sources.
 No such facts presented in the passage

D. Stimulus-response mechanisms in insects have evolved because, under ordinary circumstances, they help insects to survive.
 Cause & Effect (as highlighted in this prompt) not supported in the passage

E. More than one species of insect displays inflexible, routine behaviors.
  Paragraph 1 highlights that 'Insect behavior generally appears to be explicable in terms of unconscious, inflexible stimulus-response mechanisms' --Use of the word generally lends credence to the thought that 'More than one species of insect displays inflexible, routine behaviors' .

The correct option is (E)

rn1112 · Answer

4. Based on the passage, which of the following would prove a similar point to that promoted by the author?

The essence of the author's point revolves around the idea that insects, in general, depict an unconscious, inflexible behaviour. He drives this idea through the example of wasp dragging a paralyzed grasshopper in a characteristic manner. Any deviation / difference in stimulus -- action is not performed by the insect. ie, the wasp.

I. In a similar experiment, the paralyzed grasshopper was replaced with another, equally nutritive insect, and the wasp did not drag it into the burrow.
  change in stimulus ie, the the paralyzed grasshopper was replaced with another, equally nutritive insect ; hence, the wasp didn't perform the action --in line with the author's message

II. In a similar experiment with a bird, the bird was shown to act in the exact same manner as the wasp.
 the author's argument pertains to the insects, not applicable for the birds !!

III. In a similar experiment with a different wasp, the wasp dragged the grasshopper into the burrow by its ovipositor.
 use of ovipositor to drag the paralyzed grasshopper -- different action vis-a-vis the original action. Hence, it goes against the author's point.

A. I only  
 B. I and II
C. II only
D. II and III
E. I, II and III

The correct option is (A)

rn1112 · Answer

5. The primary purpose of the passage is to:

(A) prove, based on examples, that insects lack consciousness
 examples highlight that insects, in general. display an inflexible behavior unconsciously 
 
(B) argue that insects are unique in their dependence on rigid routines
 'uniqueness' is not the the main point presented by the author

(C) analyze the maternal behavior of wasps
 Out of scope stimulus

(D) compare and contrast the work of Darwin and Fabre
 works of 'Darwin' and 'Fabre' show similar deductions !!

(E) argue that insect behavior relies on rigid routines which appear to be unconscious
  as highlighted above, the examples highlight that insects, in general. display an inflexible behavior unconsciously; hence, the correct answer

The correct answer is (E)

VerbalBot · Answer

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Insect behavior generally appears to be explicable in terms of unconsc

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

Insect behavior generally appears to be explicable in terms of unconsc

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