Logical reasoning PrepTest 103 · Section 1 · Question 19

Question prompt

Sponges attach to the Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: C

The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.

Argument or Facts

Facts

Valid or Flawed

NA

Question Type

Must Be True Questions

Stimulus Summary

Sponges filter food and eject water Tubular and vase-shaped sponges: don’t need currents have adapted to quiet waters are dislodged by strong currents were widespread during the late Jurassic

Answer Anticipation

The stimulus here provides basic information about all sponges, but then it really dives in on the tubular and vase-shaped sponges, so the answer is likely to deal with them. Looking at the four things we know about them, we can see that the first three are all relatively related, and the fourth is different. Is there a way for us to bring in information from the first three into that final point? Sure. If the tubular and vase-shaped sponges were widespread during the late Jurassic, then the ocean floor during that period must have been favorable for them. And since we know they can’t live in strong currents, it must be the case that there were a lot of places on the ocean floor of the late Jurassic period without strong currents. Let’s find an answer reflecting that inference.

Answer choices

  1. A
    Few tubular or vase–shaped Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    There’s no information about the period of time before the late Jurassic, so this answer is out of scope.
  2. B
    Tubular and vase shaped Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    There’s no discussion of how widespread these sponges were in times other than the late Jurassic, so this answer is also out of scope.
  3. C
    During the late Jurassic Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C matches the stem
    Tubular and vase-shaped sponges were widespread during the late Jurassic, and they can’t live where there are strong currents. Therefore, it must be the case that there were many areas of the ocean floor with weak currents during the late Jurassic, as this answer states.
  4. D
    All sponges that are Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    All we learn about these other sponges is that they attach to the ocean floor and filter seawater. The information about tubular and vase-shaped sponges isn’t noted as being exclusive to those varieties, so we can’t draw any inferences about the other sponges and where they can live.
  5. E
    No types of sponge Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E is not credited
    There’s no information about the size of sponge colonies, so this answer is out of scope.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 4%
  2. B 3%
  3. C Credited 88%
  4. D 4%
  5. E 1%

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