Scientists studying climate change have found that one of

Question

Scientists studying climate change have found that global warming results not only in higher planetary temperatures but also in earlier springs and later autumns. While some argue that this shift is advantageous due to longer summer growing seasons, others fear that many animal species may be unable to adapt, increasing their risk of extinction.

Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest evidence that longer summer growing seasons caused by global warming will increase the risk of extinction for some animal species?

Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest evidence that longer summer growing seasons caused by global warming will increase the risk of extinction for some animal species?

A. Squirrels and chipmunks store larger quantities of nuts due to longer summers, but these supplies spoil more rapidly in warmer winters, leaving fewer edible reserves.

B. Fungus species that typically produce spores annually now produce them twice in longer summers, disrupting the diets of animals that depend on them.

C. Butterfly caterpillars, responding to earlier springs, now mature into butterflies before certain bird species hatch chicks that rely exclusively on these caterpillars for food.

D. Salmon migrating earlier accumulate lower fat reserves, greatly reducing survival rates during migration and decreasing the number reaching breeding sites each year.

E. Reptiles forced to emerge earlier from hibernation spend more time foraging before mating, reducing their available energy for reproduction.

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Can someone provide a detail explanation and method to deal with such questions?

pqhai · Accepted Answer

ANALYZE THE STIMULUS:

Fact:  Scientists studying climate change have found that one of the overall effects of global warming is not only a higher planetary temperature, but also a universal change in seasons, specifically earlier springs and later autumns. 
 Conclusion:  Though some argue that this is an advantage because it presents a longer summer growing season, others fear that too many  animal  species will be unable to adapt and  will become extinct .

ANALYZE EACH ANSWER:

-Squirrel and chipmunk species are unable either to consume or to store all the nuts and berries produced during a longer growing season.
 Wrong.  A shows the “preferred” condition for Squirrel and chipmunk because they will have more food.

-Fungus species typically produce spores only once a year and are unable to produce enough spores to release spores again before the end of a longer growing season.
 Wrong.   SHELL GAME.  The logic is correct, but  Fungus is not animal.

-Butterfly species that respond quickly to changes in temperature hatch caterpillars and undergo metamorphosis into butterflies earlier, flying away before bird species that feed exclusively on them have hatched their young. 
  Correct  The early growth of butterfly indirectly leads to the extinction of bird.

-Salmon species that rely on changes in temperature to signal the start of annual migrations leave their freshwater birthplaces earlier, before they have fed sufficiently on freshwater insects to reduce their number.
 Wrong.  D indicates that Salmons will not reduce their number.

-Reptile species that hibernate during winter months must emerge from hibernation sooner and spend a longer time searching for food before mating in mid-summer.
 Wrong.  Nothing to indicate that reptile will be extinct. E just tells the fact that Reptiles have to change their searching food habit.

Hope it helps.

ProleFeed13 · Answer

I got to C pretty easily but wanted to address this. From a scientific perspective, this is right but I think the statement is a poor choice even without that logic. Let's assume Fungus is an animal...all this seems to imply is that they "reproduce" once a year and during the long growing season, there is not enough time for the new offspring to mature in time to reproduce again. (But that doesn't mean the offspring won't produce spores later in time or the following growing season)

pqhai · Answer

Yes, You're right. There are many ways to eliminate a wrong answers. According to GMAT standards, a wrong answer always has more than one errors. You only need to attack one point to undermine the incorrect answer. One shot is enough

ProleFeed13 · Answer

Interesting, I didn't know the multiple error aspect; forgive me because I just started my GMAT prep and have focused on math so far. Is it the case that in the verbal section (or CR), you can occasionally rule out choices based on outside knowledge? I thought (or assumed

) that you must evaluate arguments based solely on the logic of the information given without regard for the truth or possibility of statements based on outside knowledge. If so, it makes a huge difference as your error can be spotted in about 1 second whereas my error as described takes much more thought to deduce.

pqhai · Answer

Hi ProleFeed13 I don't think you have just started GMAT

your logical thinking is very GOOD. The rule of GMAT is never use our outside knowledge to apply to questions, only the logic works. However, it does not mean outside knowledge is NOT important. Some "hard" questions require you to have some backgrounds such as economic, business, science, or even quant .... (only at the beginning level, GMAT never asks you to do complex calculations). Although GMAT focuses on the logic, the outside knowledge (as I mention above) actually is the most logical thing itself. If its' not, it can't be accepted. Best!

ProleFeed13 · Answer

Ahh, thanks--makes sense. By the way, I'm a licensed attorney so I should hope so!

kartickdey · Answer

bb   Bunuel   Sajjad1994   KarishmaB 
Please provide official explanation

Bunuel · Answer

Official Solution:

Scientists studying climate change have found that global warming results not only in higher planetary temperatures but also in earlier springs and later autumns. While some argue that this shift is advantageous due to longer summer growing seasons, others fear that many animal species may be unable to adapt, increasing their risk of extinction.
 
Which of the following, if true, provides the strongest evidence that longer summer growing seasons caused by global warming will increase the risk of extinction for some animal species?

A. Squirrels and chipmunks store larger quantities of nuts due to longer summers, but these supplies spoil more rapidly in warmer winters, leaving fewer edible reserves.
B. Fungus species that typically produce spores annually now produce them twice in longer summers, disrupting the diets of animals that depend on them.
C. Butterfly caterpillars, responding to earlier springs, now mature into butterflies before certain bird species hatch chicks that rely exclusively on these caterpillars for food.
D. Salmon migrating earlier accumulate lower fat reserves, greatly reducing survival rates during migration and decreasing the number reaching breeding sites each year.
E. Reptiles forced to emerge earlier from hibernation spend more time foraging before mating, reducing their available energy for reproduction.

Your task in this Critical Reasoning question is to find the strongest evidence supporting the argument. More than one choice may and likely will support the argument. Thus your goal is not only to find an answer choice that supports it, but also to find the best answer choice among multiple. 
 
(A) Incorrect. There are both positive (accumulation) and negative (spoilage) effects. This answer choice suggest a net negative impact but unclear how spoilage leads directly to extinction-level risk. We do not know how soon or late things spoil and perhaps they can even eat spoiled supplies. In general, negative but not severe enough.

(B) Incorrect. This is a minor disruption. It seems a surplus exists since fungal spores are produced twice a year now. It seems a disruption but not an extinction-level support. Too weak and possible even positive effect.

(C) Correct Answer. C) is correct because it describes a scenario in which an exclusive food source disappears entirely at a crucial reproductive stage, leaving no alternative. This creates a clear extinction-level threat.

(D) Incorrect. Trap. D) appears attractive and severe ("greatly reducing survival rates"), yet it implies salmon still reach breeding grounds in reduced numbers. While harmful, it does not remove reproductive opportunities entirely, leaving open a possibility of population stabilization, recovery, or adaptation. Thus, while a threat, this option is still considerably weaker than (C) when supporting an argument that extinction will occur.

(E) Incorrect. Energy reduction negatively affects reproduction but how exactly does it lead to extinction? We are not able to make any inferences without additional assumptions. This answer choice is incomplete.

Answer: C

Scientists studying climate change have found that one of

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GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

Scientists studying climate change have found that one of

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

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