Logical reasoning PrepTest 137 · Section 4 · Question 23

Incorrect. Without explaining why this waste is affecting the plankton and 3 fish species but no others, this answer doesn't explain the findings.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Paradox

Stimulus Summary:
P-plankton population is down, and so are fish species X, Y, and Z, but no other species are affected.

Answer Anticipation:
We've got some species that are seeing a decline in population, and then all other species are fine. We'll need to find an answer that brings up something that would only affect the populations noted.

Note that it's established that the fish species "sometimes" eat the plankton species, so an answer could deal with something that's just affecting the plankton as long as it also establishes that the decline in plankton population is extreme enough for the decline in the fish population to make sense.

Answer Explanation:
This answer brings up something that's specifically targeting the species in question, so it explains the findings.

Key Takeaway:
Be sure to understand the full scope of the paradox. It'd be easy to pick an answer that just addresses the loss of the plankton or the fish, but we needed one that addressed the loss of both.

Incorrect. This explains why the P-plankton population is declining, but it doesn't explain why the fish populations are also declining. They do "sometimes" eat P-plankton, but without a note that the plankton die-off is causing a big enough problem for the fish that they're also dying, we don't have an explanation.

Incorrect. This answer doesn't address why the P-plankton are dying.

Incorrect. This would presumably affect all species living in the area, not just X, Y, Z, and P-plankton.