Paleontologists use the position of fossilized bones to infer the

Question

Paleontologists use the position of fossilized bones to infer the environment in which animals perished. Many animal fossils appear in a head-thrown-back position called opisthotonos, a posture that veterinarians report being common in animals suffering from oxygen deprivation. This suggests that most of the animals whose bones are found in opisthotonos died from suffocation, probably trapped by a sudden mud slide or other deluge.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the reasoning above?

A. Sudden mudslides create conditions that promote fossilization of the remains of animals trapped and suffocated within them.
B. Research has ruled out the possibility that the appearance of opisthotonos could be the result of geological shifts over extended periods of time.
C. According to veterinarians, bacterial infections such as meningitis can put animals into opisthotonos.
D. Many fossils exhibiting opisthotonos are found in geological settings that contain other evidence of having undergone a mud slide or other deluge.
E. Oxygen deprivation is likely to have had the same physical effects on dinosaurs and other fossilized animals as it has on the animals of today.

gmatophobia · Answer

The conclusion of the argument  : Most of the animals whose bones are found in opisthotonos died from suffocation, probably trapped by a sudden mud slide or other deluge.

Evidence provided in support of the conclusion  : Veterinarians report that opisthotonos is common in animals suffering from oxygen deprivation.

Answer Choice Elimination  :

A. Sudden mudslides create conditions that promote fossilization of the remains of animals trapped and suffocated within them.

The option strengthens the conclusion by providing us with a link between mudslides and animal remains found in opisthotonos. Hence, we can eliminate A.

B. Research has ruled out the possibility that the appearance of opisthotonos could be the result of geological shifts over extended periods of time.

This option strengthens the argument by eliminating an alternative explanation for the appearance of opisthotonos. It does not weaken the argument. Eliminate B.

C. According to veterinarians, bacterial infections such as meningitis can put animals into opisthotonos.

This option weakens the reasoning by providing an alternative explanation for the appearance of opisthotonos. If bacterial infections can also put animals into opisthotonos, the information provided by this option undermines the conclusion that most animals found in opisthotonos died from suffocation. The animals could have died of bacterial infections such as meningitis. Keep C.

D. Many fossils exhibiting opisthotonos are found in geological settings that contain other evidence of having undergone a mud slide or other deluge.

This option strengthens the conclusion by providing additional evidence that supports the idea that animals found in opisthotonos died due to suffocation in a mudslide or other deluge. Eliminate D.

E. Oxygen deprivation is likely to have had the same physical effects on dinosaurs and other fossilized animals as it has on the animals of today.

This option is irrelevant / out of scope as it doesn't touch the conclusion. We are looking for evidence that weakens the conclusion of the author in light of the support given for the conclusion. Hence eliminate E.

Option C

LamboWalker · Answer

I can't seem to wrap my head around option (C) being the correct answer. I ruled it out as I thought this is out of scope. Can anyone explain?

The conclusion of this argument is that animals were found to be in opisthotonos position due to dying from suffocation. Could it not be that meningitis itself causes suffocation in animals? Or maybe I have considered the conclusion of the argument incorrectly.

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

Paleontologists use the position of fossilized bones to infer the environment in which animals perished. Many animal fossils appear in a head-thrown-back position called opisthotonos, a posture that veterinarians report being common in animals suffering from oxygen deprivation. This suggests that most of the animals whose bones are found in opisthotonos died from suffocation, probably trapped by a sudden mud slide or other deluge.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the reasoning above?

A. Sudden mudslides create conditions that promote fossilization of the remains of animals trapped and suffocated within them.
B. Research has ruled out the possibility that the appearance of opisthotonos could be the result of geological shifts over extended periods of time.
C. According to veterinarians, bacterial infections such as meningitis can put animals into opisthotonos.
D. Many fossils exhibiting opisthotonos are found in geological settings that contain other evidence of having undergone a mud slide or other deluge.
E. Oxygen deprivation is likely to have had the same physical effects on dinosaurs and other fossilized animals as it has on the animals of today.

We're told how dinosaurs that "appear in a head-thrown-back position called opisthotonos" are likely to have died due to oxygen deprivation based on what veterinarians have commonly noticed in animals. And how this means these dinosaurs were probably trapped in a mud slide or other type of deluge.

We're asked to look for a weakener.

C. According to veterinarians, bacterial infections such as meningitis can put animals into opisthotonos.

Answer choice (C) provides an ALTERNATE EXPLANATION for the opisthotonos. By doing so, it indirectly weakens the explanation put forth in the passage. If someone, for example, says you bought a bicycle because it was cheaper than using public transport, that could be weakened by someone else saying you did it because of the health benefits of regularly cycling. Imagine there were a thousand possible reasons for opisthotonos occuring.

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Zakmaster · Answer

You have the conclusion of the argument correct. The author is stating that most of the animals found in opisthotonos die of suffocation due to mud slide or some other deluge. Choice (C) is stating that a bacterial infections such as, but not limited to, menegitis can put animals in opisthotonos. This directly weakens the argument that author is trying to make.

Additionally, the author specifically lists ways an animal can die of suffocation (mud slides or other deluges). Bacterial infections was not listed so it can be inferred that bacterial infections do not cause suffocation.

Vissamsetty · Answer

I am torn between answer B and C,

Answer B: Due to geological shifts the fossils might appear in head-thrown-back position and these guys concluded it as scenario of mud slide. What am i missing here

Answer C: External evidence can be right or wrong. I don't know

Can someone explain this how to resolve these

Zakmaster · Answer

The author is stating that there is only one way animals can end up in a head-thrown-back position. So you want to find an answer choice that weakens that argument. If there was another way an animal can end up in that position, that would seriously weaken the arguement.

Geological shifts does not equal mud slides. So, that means (B) is ruling out another way a fossil might appear in a head-thrown-back position. That strengthens the authors conclusion. (C) introduces a new way an animal can end up in that position, which like I mentioned earlier weakens the argument. (C) is the correct choice.

Yennefer · Answer

In B, the author says that the possibility is "ruled out", which means "Rejecting" the possibility of another explanation. So, instead of weakening, this choice is strengthening the conclusion

Elite097 · Answer

The argument concludes that most animals found in the opisthotonos posture likely died from suffocation caused by a sudden mudslide or deluge. This conclusion is based on the observation that opisthotonos is commonly associated with oxygen deprivation in modern animals.

To weaken the argument, we need to challenge:

The connection between opisthotonos and suffocation.
The assumption that mudslides or deluges were the cause of death.
Option D Analysis
"Many fossils exhibiting opisthotonos are found in geological settings that contain other evidence of having undergone a mudslide or other deluge."

What it says:
This supports the idea that mudslides or deluges occurred in areas where fossils in opisthotonos are found.

Impact on the Argument:
This strengthens the reasoning by providing additional evidence that mudslides or deluges were involved. It aligns with the conclusion that suffocation in mudslides caused opisthotonos.

Why it doesn’t weaken the argument:
Instead of challenging the reasoning, D reinforces it by linking the fossils to the environmental cause (mudslides) suggested in the argument.

Correct Answer: C
"According to veterinarians, bacterial infections such as meningitis can put animals into opisthotonos."

What it says:
This introduces an alternative explanation for opisthotonos that is unrelated to suffocation or mudslides.

Impact on the Argument:
If opisthotonos can result from bacterial infections, the connection between this posture and oxygen deprivation becomes weaker. This undermines the argument’s conclusion that suffocation caused by mudslides is the primary reason for opisthotonos.

Why Not D?
D supports the reasoning by providing evidence of mudslides, while the task is to weaken the argument. The correct answer must introduce doubt about the connection between opisthotonos and suffocation or the assumption that mudslides were the cause.

VerbalBot · Answer

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Paleontologists use the position of fossilized bones to infer the

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