PrepTest 153

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Paradox

Stimulus Summary:
In general, big cats' coat patterns blend in with their habitats. Spotted cats live in forests, plains cats have solid-colored coats. The only cat that doesn't follow the rule is the cheetah, a spotted plains cat.

Answer Anticipation:
So what's different about the cheetah? Maybe it evolved in a forest ecosystem and then moved to the plains. Maybe something about its style of hunting makes a spotted coat advantageous in a way it wouldn't be for other plains cats. Whatever the answer is, it'll be a fact about cheetahs that somehow differentiates them from other big cats.

Answer Explanation:
You don't need to be sneaky if you're fast enough to catch even the prey that see you coming! This fits the anticipation of "why are cheetahs unlike all other cats" perfectly.

Key Takeaway:
When trying to explain why one member of a category doesn't behave the same way as all other known members, look for differences. "Why is this (thing) different from all other (things)?" If you know it's different in one, unexplained way, look for another difference that explains the first.

Incorrect. This is a difference between cheetahs and other cats, but it doesn't explain their coat color. It's hard to imagine standing out more being an advantage when trying to avoid prey-thieves.

Incorrect. Interesting, but not relevant. Other plains cats might have this same trait, and still don't have spots. This doesn't explain why cheetahs are different.

Incorrect. Just differentiating cheetahs from lions doesn't explain why they don't follow a rule that apparently applies to every other cat species. Plus, this doesn't seem relevant to their spots. Solo hunting wouldn't change their need for camouflage (or lack of need).

Incorrect. Roaring would tend to out a camouflaged lion anyway, so it probably doesn't have much relevance to whether or not cheetahs need to blend into their surroundings.