Zoologists seeking evidence that the Gigantopithicus (giant ape) once

Question

Zoologists seeking evidence that the Gigantopithicus (giant ape) once inhabited a certain region are digging into the middle and lower layers of a mound of earth. Gigantopithicus is known to have gone extinct before Neanderthal man came into existence. The bottom of the middle layer contains some Neanderthal bones, but the lower layer does not.

Which of the following conclusions is best supported by the evidence above?

(A) The Neanderthals represented by the fossilized bones were not native to this region but wandered to it from another, distant region.

(B) The Gigantopithicus species lived for a long time before it become extinct.

(C) The middle layer does not represent the period in which Gigantopithicus lived.

(D) Zoologists will not find any evidence of Gigantopithicus in this region.

(E) The lower layer represents the period during which Neanderthal man lived.

gloomybison · Answer

(A) The Neanderthals represented by the fossilized bones were not native to this region but wandered to it from another, distant region.
We only know that Neanderthals were found in the middle layer, but this can't tell us whether they were native to the region

(B) The Gigantopithicus species lived for a long time before it become extinct.
We don't know for how long they lived

(C) The middle layer does not represent the period in which Gigantopithicus lived.
 Correct  Since we didn't find any evidence in the middle layer, this is likely to be true

(D) Zoologists will not find any evidence of Gigantopithicus in this region.
This is way to harsh, maybe they will find it in deeper or adjacent zones

(E) The lower layer represents the period during which Neanderthal man lived.
Though we can't know for sure, we only have evidence that middle layer represents the period they lived

Bunuel · Answer

VERITAS PREP OFFICIAL SOLUTION:

Solution: C

This is an Inference question, as evidenced by the phrase “which of the following conclusions is best supported.” The information in the body of the question supports the conclusions below. Since we are looking at an Inference question, our first line of defense is to apply the “no new information” filter to the conclusions. Conclusions with new information not found in the body of the question are not necessarily true.

Answer choice “A” mentions that the Neanderthals were not native to this region, but there is no information in the body of the question that supports this. Neanderthals moving in from another region is clearly new information. We cannot make a conclusion about something we don’t have information on. As a result, we do not know that answer choice “A” is true.

Answer choice “B” also contains new information: the body of the question does not mention how long the Gigantopithicus species lived. Therefore, we cannot make a conclusion about something we don’t have information on. Answer choice “B” is not necessarily true.

Answer choice “C” combines two given premises: if Gigantopithicus is known to have gone extinct before Neanderthal man came into existence and the bottom of the middle layer contains some Neanderthal bones, then the middle layer could not represent the period in which Gigantopithicus lived. (Notice that Gigantopithicus must have lived before the Neanderthal bones could have been deposited.) The evidence strongly supports answer choice “C”.

Answer choice “D” contains a prediction of the future – “Zoologists will not find any evidence…” This is a common trap of the Testmaker. Predictions imply that the same conditions that exist for a small sample will be the same for another sample. This is a type of overgeneralization and is very hard to prove. There is no support either way of what will happen, either way. It is possible that the zoologists will not find any evidence of Gigantopithecus, but it is also possible that they will find some. After all, they are not done digging!

Answer choice “E” contains information not supported in the passage. We know that Neanderthal bones were found in the middle layer, but the problem explicitly states that no Neanderthal bones were found in the lower layer. Thus, we do not know if the lower layer represents a period during which Neanderthal man lived. We cannot make a conclusion about something we don’t have information on. Answer choice “E” is not necessarily true.

AndrewN · Answer

This question looks great until you see it for what it is, namely  an old official question  that has been given a makeover. Compare the highlighted potions below to the passage above:

Sure, answer choice (A) in the original question became (E) in the copycat question, (D) became (B), and  imported  in (E) was cleverly disguised as  not native to  in (A), but (C) is virtually identical. It is a shame that a company as reputable as Veritas Prep would produce a plagiarized question such as this, and it is not the first time I have pointed out this exact issue from the same company. I have confidence that the tutoring/teaching staff is knowledgeable about the GMAT™, so why not put these minds to use crafting   original   questions, those that will not hinder someone who may study this sort of question, come across the official version down the line and get it right immediately, and perhaps develop a false sense of security in their test-readiness in the process?

I know it is challenging to produce questions from scratch. But I think it is more useful for the community to see original questions, even those that may not be as streamlined or as logically tight as official questions, to say nothing of ethical concerns.

AnthonyRitz 
 HaileyCusimano 
 KarishmaB  (I know, no longer of Veritas)
 VeritasPrepBrian

Do you have any comments on the matter? Who writes this tripe, and why is it condoned at Veritas Prep? Finally, is there anyone you can talk to internally (Karishma excepted) to stop this practice?

- Andrew

IanStewart · Answer

I just wanted to add a voice of support for AndrewN's sentiments above. It's unfortunately the practice of many prep companies to make bad copies of official questions and then to pretend they're original creations, so Veritas is far from the only offender, nor is it the worst offender (I know of one company that seems to almost only plagiarize official questions, and they barely change anything). But anyone copying official questions is doing something that is clearly wrong, and is doing something that hurts test takers rather than helps them.

I've had only good experiences talking to Veritas teachers on this forum, and I think highly of all of them -- they all seem genuinely invested in teaching, unlike so many prep companies posting on this forum, who only seem to care about marketing and making money. So I am curious to hear their thoughts about this, because I wouldn't expect any of them to support this practice.

AndrewN · Answer

Perhaps more diplomatically stated than I had put the matter, Ian, so thank you. I also respect the Veritas tutors/teachers I have encountered on this forum, even if my experience with them has been limited. I had hoped to convey as much, but my overarching message may have come across as incendiary. I am attacking the practice of plagiarizing questions, an illegal action, even if done unwittingly. I am not attacking anyone on this forum, or I would be breaking forum rules, and I would expect a moderator to warn me. Veritas is a company that has built a reputation on its ultra-high-scoring 99th percentile tutors, and I feel as though these sorts of minds ought to know better than to copy something, as well as be able to add high-quality content that others (who might not possess as nuanced an understanding of the material) might not be capable of writing.

My apologies to anyone I may have offended. I am genuinely curious to see whether any response from the Veritas end is forthcoming.

- Andrew

WeakToComprehend · Answer

Argument is not saying we didnt get any evidence in middle layer, of G, they are still looking for evidence...argument is just stating they got bones of N

https://gmatclub.com/forum/posting.php?mode=delete&f=139&p=3581306  https://gmatclub.com/forum/report.php?f=139&p=3581306  https://gmatclub.com/forum/posting.php?mode=edit&f=139&p=3581306

Zoologists seeking evidence that the Gigantopithicus (giant ape) once

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