Both adult ducks and adult geese protecting their nesting young will

Question

Both adult ducks and adult geese protecting their nesting young will sometimes use a strategy that consists of staying in the nest and using loud vocalizations to frighten predators away. However, in attempting to draw predators away from the nest, ducks use a slightly different strategy than geese use. For ducks, the strategy consists of feigning injury and flying awkwardly away from the area where predators can threaten the nest. This makes the ducks appear to be easy prey, though the predators have very little chance of catching the uninjured ducks. For geese, the strategy consists merely of flying out of the area where predators can threaten the nest. Because the geese do not feign injury, they are less likely than the ducks to induce predators to follow.

Statement: While employing their respective strategies of flying away from the nest, both an adult duck and an adult goose are sacrificing the opportunity to use the strategy of __1__, though the duck, by feigning injury, is more likely to be successful at __2__.

Select for 1 and for 2 the options that complete the statement so that it is most strongly supported by the information provided. Make only two selections, one in each column.

Statement:  While employing their respective strategies of flying away from the nest, both an adult duck and an adult goose are sacrificing the opportunity to use the strategy of  __ 1 __ , though the duck, by feigning injury, is more likely to be successful at  __ 2 __ .

Select for 1 and for 2 the options that complete the statement so that it is most strongly supported by the information provided. Make only two selections, one in each column.

MartyMurray · Accepted Answer

Explanation

Both adult ducks and adult geese protecting their nesting young will sometimes use a strategy that consists of staying in the nest and using loud vocalizations to frighten predators away. However, in attempting to draw predators away from the nest, ducks use a slightly different strategy than geese use. For ducks, the strategy consists of feigning injury and flying awkwardly away from the area where predators can threaten the nest. This makes the ducks appear to be easy prey, though the predators have very little chance of catching the uninjured ducks. For geese, the strategy consists merely of flying out of the area where predators can threaten the nest. Because the geese do not feign injury, they are less likely than the ducks to induce predators to follow.

Statement: While employing their respective strategies of flying away from the nest, both an adult duck and an adult goose are sacrificing the opportunity to use the strategy of __1__, though the duck, by feigning injury, is more likely to be successful at __2__.

Select for 1 and for 2 the options that complete the statement so that it is most strongly supported by the information provided. Make only two selections, one in each column.

We see that the passage presents two main strategies used by adult ducks and adult geese to get predators away from their nests:

- staying in the nest and using loud vocalizations to frighten predators away

- attempting to draw predators away from the nest

The passage also says that, "in attempting to draw predators away from the nest, ducks use a slightly different strategy than geese use."

Ducks' form of the strategy is the following:

feigning injury and flying awkwardly away from the area where predators can threaten the nest

Geese's form of the strategy is the following:

merely ... flying out of the area where predators can threaten the nest

Finally, we see that the passage compares the outcomes of these two different strategies:

Because the geese do not feign injury, they are less likely than the ducks to induce predators to follow.

Now, here's the statement we have to complete:

Statement:  While employing their respective strategies of flying away from the nest, both an adult duck and an adult goose are sacrificing the opportunity to use the strategy of  __ 1 __ , though the duck, by feigning injury, is more likely to be successful at  __ 2 __ .

We see that the choice that fills blank 1 must name a strategy that a duck or goose sacrifices the opportunity to use when "flying away from the nest" and that the choice that fills blank 2 must be something the duck is more likely to be successful at because the duck feigns injury.

preventing predators from threatening the nest

This choice is probably correct for blank 2.

After all, the passage indicates that, because the duck is "feigning injury," the duck is more likely "to induce predators to follow." If the duck is more likely to induce predators to follow, then logically, the duck is going to be more successful at "preventing predators from threatening the nest."

So, unless we find a better choice among the others, we'll go with this choice for blank 2.

Keep for blank 2.

using vocalizations from within the nest to frighten predators

This choice logically fills blank 1 since, if the duck and goose are using strategies of "flying away from the nest," then it's logical that they can't use the other strategy mentioned in the passage, "staying in the nest and using loud vocalizations."

So, in using flying away strategies, the duck and goose are indeed sacrificing the opportunity to use the strategy of "using vocalizations from within the nest to frighten predators."

Keep for blank 1.

hiding from predators

This choice is contrary to what the passage indicates about what a duck and a goose do "while employing their respective strategies of flying away from the nest."

After all, the passage says that the purpose of those strategies is "to draw predators away from the nest." So, rather than hide from predators, the duck and goose want to be seen and followed by predators.

Eliminate.
 
 avoiding being caught by predators

Avoiding being caught by predators is not a strategy that a duck or goose would sacrifice the opportunity to use by flying away from the nest. So, this choice doesn't work for blank 1.

This choice also doesn't work for blank 2 since the passage doesn't indicate that a duck is "more likely to be successful at" avoiding being caught by predators.

Eliminate.

causing injury to predators threatening the nest

This is an easy-out choice since the passage neither says nor implies anything about "causing injury to predators."

Eliminate.

So, we see that the two choices "using vocalizations from within the nest to frighten predators" and "preventing predators from threatening the nest" logically complete the statement:

Statement:  While employing their respective strategies of flying away from the nest, both an adult duck and an adult goose are sacrificing the opportunity to use the strategy of  using vocalizations from within the nest to frighten predators , though the duck, by feigning injury, is more likely to be successful at  preventing predators from threatening the nest .

Correct answer:  using vocalizations from within the nest to frighten predators, preventing predators from threatening the nest

GMATCoachBen · Answer

Video solution here (3:38):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvBjR5_1rRY

KarishmaB · Answer

Responding to a pm:

Note that there are 3 strategies being discussed here:
 Strategy 1  used by ducks and geese both - Stay in the nest and scream to scare away predators.
 Strategy 2  used by ducks - Feign injury and fly away from nest. So ducks appear easy prey and the predator follows them away from the nest.
 Strategy 3  used by geese - Fly away from nest (no feigning injury). Less likely that predator will follow them away from the nest.

Statement: While employing their respective strategies of flying away from the nest, both an adult duck and an adult goose are sacrificing the opportunity to use the strategy of __ 1 __, though the duck, by feigning injury, is more likely to be successful at __ 2 __.

Forget the options for a bit.
Think - By flying away, which strategy are they sacrificing? The opportunity to stay in the nest and scream.
By feigning injury, the duck is more likely to be successful at what? At luring the predators to follow it away from the nest.

ANSWER: 1 - using vocalizations from within the nest to frighten predators
2 - preventing predators from threatening the nest

Gemmie · Answer

Given Information:

1. Similarity: Both sometimes staying in the nest and using loud vocalizations to frighten predators away

2. Difference

+ Ducks:
Feign injury and fly awkwardly away.
This strategy makes them appear to be easy prey, though they are not actually injured.

+ Geese:
Simply fly away from the nest.
They do not feign injury, making them less likely to induce predators to follow.

"While employing their respective strategies of flying away from the nest, both an adult duck and an adult goose are sacrificing the opportunity to use the strategy of _1_, though the duck, by feigning injury, is more likely to be successful at _2_."

1: Sacrificed Strategy 
Both ducks and geese are not using  "using vocalizations from within the nest to frighten predators"  when they are flying away from the nest. They are sacrificing this method of defense by choosing to fly away instead.

2: Duck’s Success 
Ducks that feign injury and fly away are likely to be more successful at  "preventing predators from threatening the nest"  because their feigned injury can lure predators away from the actual nest, thus protecting the nest from being threatened.
Since the geese do not feign injury, this makes them less likely to induce predators to follow.

rmahe11 · Answer

But Ducks have a better chance to avoid being caught by predator . so shouldnt the second option be "D" as it is directly stated in the passage

SatvikVedala · Answer

Hi  rmahe11

The second part states that "though the duck,  by feigninng injury , is  more likely  to be successful, at ______

The second part is a relative comparison between Geese & Duck

As the final line in the passage says " they are less likely than the ducks to induce predators to follow ". So, we can understand that likelihood of predator attacking the nest of Geese here is more compared to the former case.

Hence, we can say that ducks are more successful  preventing predators from threatening the nest than Geese

The option D probably suits when the question talks about only duck. something like " duck sitting in the nest is an easy prey than duck feigning injury & flywing away". But we dont have such information here

The Question is a relative comparison

I Hope this clears your doubt

-it's Satvik-
I was here, I was solving & I was learning

MalachiKeti · Answer

AjiteshArun 
For Blank 1 why cant we say 'Hiding from predators'
I got a bit confused in my interpretation
I thought 'frighten away predators' and 'draw the predators' away were too different objectives hence for the latter around which the Q is centered we should not talk about the first strategy

And so, if they are using strategy of attracting attention of predator they are sacrificing the oppty of hiding from predators

cheshire · Answer

Because:
 
 Nowhere in the passage does it say that any bird uses hiding as a strategy. 
 In fact, all the strategies mentioned are active deterrents:
 
 Vocalizing loudly (staying in place and scaring), 
 Feigning injury and flying away (duck), 
 Just flying away (goose).  
  
So "hiding" is not discussed in the passage at all. It's not a strategy any of the birds use or are implied to use.

bumpbot · Answer

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Both adult ducks and adult geese protecting their nesting young will

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