There were throughout most of the history of life on Earth between 10

Question

There were throughout most of the history of life on Earth between 10 and 100 times as many kinds of land-dwelling animals as marine-dwelling animals. Nevertheless, 95 percent of the extinct animal species now preserved in fossils are marine-dwelling animals.

Which one of the following, if true, would help to resolve the apparent discrepancy described above?

(A) The exposure of bones to the sun can lead to their disintegration, but so can their exposure to water.

(B) Land-dwelling animals tend, on average, to have longer life spans than marine-dwelling animals.

(C) On average, land-dwelling animals are larger than marine-dwelling animals.

(D) The movement of silt in marine environments enables sediment to build up quickly, thus preserving fossils.

(E) It is generally easier to discover and retrieve fossils of land-dwelling animals than of marine- dwelling animals.

Abhishek009 · Answer

Land dwellers are 10 - 100 x Marine animals  YET  95% fossils are marine-dwelling animals.

PRETHINK : Fossils of land dwellers are difficult to retrieve , consider archeological finding, found deep under the soil , that can not be preserved as it decomposes in soil.

Now move to options -

(A) Underlined part looks good but "so can their exposure to water." breaks it, if same happens with marine , the flaw is not bridged.

(B) longer life spans - Irrelevant, we are talking about marine fossil , longivity has no role.

(C) land-dwelling animals are larger than marine-dwelling animals. - Compares land-dwelling animals to marine-dwelling animals, as such is irrelevant.

(E) if it is "easier to discover and retrieve fossils of land-dwelling animals than of marine- dwelling animals." then why is "95 percent of the extinct animal species now preserved in fossils are marine-dwelling animals" doesnt resolve the flaw, hence incorrect.

(E) is in tune with our prethinking, hence correct Answer.

AbhishekDhanraJ72 · Answer

The apparent discrepancy described above is that despite there being more kinds of land-dwelling animals throughout most of Earth's history, 95 percent of the extinct animal species preserved in fossils are marine-dwelling animals. To resolve this discrepancy, we would need to find a statement that explains why there is a higher proportion of marine-dwelling animal fossils.

Option (D) provides a possible explanation for the higher proportion of marine-dwelling animal fossils by stating that the movement of silt in marine environments enables sediment to build up quickly, thus preserving fossils. This suggests that the preservation conditions for marine fossils are more favorable compared to land fossils.

There were throughout most of the history of life on Earth between 10

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There were throughout most of the history of life on Earth between 10

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