Monogamy is not natural - hardly any species practice it. Social

Question

Monogamy is not natural - hardly any species practice it. Social monogamy wherein two creatures mate and work together is especially uncommon among mammals. Mating with one female at a time lowers a male's chances of producing as many offspring as possible; so why would mammals be monogamous?

According to a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), suggests that males stayed with one female to ensure their young were not killed by another male, but survived to reproduce to carry on their genetic lineage. Based on breeding and parenting behaviors of 230 mammal species, the researchers determined that males balanced the need to spread their gene pool against the need to protect their young from being killed. The attacking males needed to kill the young so they could breed with its mother, who would delay conception of another offspring if she were nursing. So, the father hung around to protect his genetic line and help raise the young so the mother could reproduce again sooner. "Infanticide is the driver of monogamy," trumpeted Opie, a PNAS researcher. "This brings to a close the long-running debate."

Well, not so fast! Another study, published in the journal Science, used a similar analysis, but across a wider sample - about 2,500 mammal species. Those authors, Lukas and Clutton-Brock, found no correlation between infanticide and monogamy. They suggested that monogamy is about location and supply. "Monogamy develops where females live at low density," says Lukas. Males cannot fend off rivals from more than one female at a time because the rival males are too spread out. To ensure their young are the ones the female is carrying, the males stick with one female. "It is a consequence of resource defense." This study notes that in monogamous mammalian species, the females tend to be intolerant of other females. Unlike those of ungulates, who are rarely monogamous, these mammals' nutritional needs are greater, and they, therefore, shoo off competitors for food resources.

As for human monogamy, the PNAS study is a more suitable explanation. Because humans have big brains, their infants take longer to nurture and are vulnerable for longer. Therefore, human males needed to protect their child-rearing females until breeding was done. So how important were kids in man's move towards monogamy? It is a fascinating fight, but ultimately, whether monogamy is natural is less relevant than whether it is desirable. Human monogamy seems to be both an acquired taste and a social necessity.   1 
 1. Which one of the following can be supported by the information given in the passage?

A. Species with bigger brains are more likely to be monogamous.
B. Spreading the gene pool and protecting the young can be contradicting priorities.
C. Infanticide is the driver of monogamy in mammals.
D. Ungulate females are intolerant of other females.
E. Reasons behind monogamy in mammals are well understood.

2 
 2. Which one of the following best describes the contents of the passage?

A. A chronology of the development of different theories of the evolution of monogamy in humans
B. An effort to explore the origins of monogamy and to reason why humans adopted the practice 
C. An argument concerning whether monogamy is natural and desirable
D. An attempt to determine which theory best explains the monogamous behavior in mammals
E. A discussion on how monogamy in humans differs from that in other mammals

3 
 3. All of the following are key aspects of the PNAS study EXCEPT:

A. Nursing mothers delay conception of another offspring.
B. The protection of offspring is a necessity for evolution.
C. Male mammals balance between having as many offspring as possible and protecting offspring.
D. Kids are of utmost importance in making men move towards monogamy.
E. Male parental help allows females to reproduce again sooner.

4 
 4. It can be inferred from the passage that further research on which one of the following topics may explain the origin of human monogamy with greater clarity?

A. Formation of social structure and customs
B. Whether monogamy is widely followed in all societies
C. Effect of monogamy on human evolution
D. How human monogamy differs from monogamy in other species
E. Monogamy in areas with low density female population

guddo · Answer

4. It can be inferred from the passage that further research on which one of the following topics may explain the origin of human monogamy with greater clarity?

The passage contrasts two explanations for mammal monogamy (infanticide protection vs female dispersion/resource defense). For humans, it leans toward the PNAS style explanation because human infants need long protection, and it also notes human monogamy functions as a  social necessity .

A. Formation of social structure and customs

This best fits what the passage flags as especially relevant for humans: not just biology, but social forces that make monogamy “desirable” and stable.  Research here would most directly clarify why human monogamy became a lasting system.

B. Whether monogamy is widely followed in all societies

That is about prevalence, not origin. Even if it varies, that alone does not explain how it started.

C. Effect of monogamy on human evolution

That is mostly consequences after it exists, not what caused it to originate.

D. How human monogamy differs from monogamy in other species

Too general. Differences might be interesting, but the passage points more specifically to humans’ social organization and long child dependency as the key angle.

E. Monogamy in areas with low density female population

This corresponds to the alternative (Science) explanation for mammals, but the passage suggests that explanation is less suitable for humans than the infant-protection and social framework story.

Answer: (A)

Bunuel · Answer

Experts Global Video Explanations:

Question 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7Cdxnw3-DU

Question 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUBjIEBJBQk

Question 3:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm3EstF4WG4

Question 4:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b_cBQEdUkc

Hope it helps.

sasha13 · Answer

1. Which one of the following can be supported by the information given in the passage?

A. Species with bigger brains are more likely to be monogamous.
B. Spreading the gene pool and protecting the young can be contradicting priorities.
C. Infanticide is the driver of monogamy in mammals.
D. Ungulate females are intolerant of other females.
E. Reasons behind monogamy in mammals are well understood.

HOW TO SOLVE QUESTION 1 AND WHY IS IT OPTION B?

guddo · Answer

1. Which one of the following can be supported by the information given in the passage?

A. Species with bigger brains are more likely to be monogamous.
B. Spreading the gene pool and protecting the young can be contradicting priorities.
C. Infanticide is the driver of monogamy in mammals.
D. Ungulate females are intolerant of other females.
E. Reasons behind monogamy in mammals are well understood.

2. Which one of the following best describes the contents of the passage?

A. A chronology of the development of different theories of the evolution of monogamy in humans
B. An effort to explore the origins of monogamy and to reason why humans adopted the practice
C. An argument concerning whether monogamy is natural and desirable
D. An attempt to determine which theory best explains the monogamous behavior in mammals
E. A discussion on how monogamy in humans differs from that in other mammals

3. All of the following are key aspects of the PNAS study EXCEPT:

A. Nursing mothers delay conception of another offspring.
B. The protection of offspring is a necessity for evolution.
C. Male mammals balance between having as many offspring as possible and protecting offspring.
D. Kids are of utmost importance in making men move towards monogamy.
E. Male parental help allows females to reproduce again sooner.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that further research on which one of the following topics may explain the origin of human monogamy with greater clarity?

A. Formation of social structure and customs
B. Whether monogamy is widely followed in all societies
C. Effect of monogamy on human evolution
D. How human monogamy differs from monogamy in other species
E. Monogamy in areas with low density female population

egmat · Answer

Hi sasha13,

For a "can be supported" question, the trick is to treat it almost like a mini-inference question: the right answer must be something the text  directly backs up , not something that merely sounds reasonable or that only one of the two studies claims. Let me walk you through how B falls right out of the passage.

Where B comes from

Look at this line in the second paragraph (the PNAS study):

"...males  balanced  the need to spread their gene pool against the need to protect their young from being killed."

If two needs have to be  balanced against  each other, that means they can pull in  opposite directions  - you can't always maximize both at once. That is exactly what B says:

-  Spreading the gene pool  = mating with as many females as possible.
-  Protecting the young  = staying with one female.

The passage even sets this up in the first paragraph: "Mating with one female at a time  lowers  a male's chances of producing as many offspring as possible." So the two goals  conflict  - they can be contradicting priorities. That's all B claims, and the text supports it plainly.

Why the others fail

-  A  - Big brains are tied only to  humans  needing longer nurturing. The passage never says bigger-brained species are generally more monogamous. Out of scope.
-  C  - This is Opie's claim from  one  study, and the Science study found  no  correlation. The passage leaves it disputed, so it isn't "supported."
-  D  - Reversed. It's the  monogamous  mammals' females who are intolerant of other females; ungulates are  rarely  monogamous.
-  E  - Contradicted. The whole passage presents an  ongoing debate  ("a fascinating fight"), so the reasons are  not  well understood.

Notice the pattern: the four wrong answers are either  reversed  (D),  too strong / contradicted  (C, E), or  out of scope  (A). B is the only one that just restates what the text says. That's your target on every "supported" question.

Answer: B

Monogamy is not natural - hardly any species practice it. Social

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards

GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

Monogamy is not natural - hardly any species practice it. Social

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards