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- Wed Jun 29, 2016 9:02 am
#26704
Complete Question Explanation
Must Be True. The correct answer choice is (D)
This question is a little unusual in that it presents an argument to support the claim that specially bred aquarium fish are inferior to ordinary fish, and yet it is followed by a Must Be True question. Typically, Must Be True questions are coupled with fact sets that contain no argumentation. Nevertheless, the approach to prephrasing and answering the question is the same: identify the facts and combine them to draw an inference.
The facts, according to the argument, are that these fish are popular with connoisseurs, they have brilliant coloration and unusual body shapes, that these features make it hard for them to get food quickly, making them underfed, that their special features aren't reproduced in their offspring, and that all of these makes them inferior to ordinary fish.
We should notice that the stimulus never makes any explicit statements about the characteristics of ordinary fish, only that the specially bred fish are inferior to them for the reasons given. That comparative statement allows us to infer that ordinary fish have a number of characteristics that distinguish them from these fish: that they don't have the special coloration and odd body features, that they are better at getting food quickly, that they are less likely to be underfed, and they are more likely to breed true, meaning that their offspring look like them. They must have these differences; otherwise, these characteristics of specially bred aquarium fish would not make them inferior to ordinary fish. These inferences are our prephrases.
Answer choice (A): While the special fish may have difficulty getting to food quickly, this answer exaggerates the situation and brings in new information. We have no way of knowing if these fish need any special help to survive. They may be able to get food, albeit slower, and they are apparently able to reproduce, so perhaps they need no help at all.
Answer choice (B): This answer requires unwarranted speculation on our part. We know that connoisseurs like the specially bred fish, but that doesn't allow us to infer that they have no interest in other fish that lack the special coloration and body features.
Answer choice (C): We know that these fish are popular with connoisseurs, but we don't know that most of them are purchased by connoisseurs, In fact, the stimulus never tells us anything about purchasing patterns, so this answer is just speculation, a guess. It has no support in the stimulus, and so is incorrect.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. It matches one of the things we prephrased, and the stimulus supports this inference. This is because the elaborate tails and strangely shaped fins are features of specially bred aquarium fish that make them inferior to ordinary fish. Ordinary fish therefore could not have these features. It even seems to be somewhat self-proving: if they were elaborate and strange, they wouldn't be ordinary!
Answer choice (E): We know that these fish are able to reproduce, but that they produce offspring that don't share their unusual features. There is no reason to assume that their features interfere with reproduction. Because this answer relies on speculation and misstates the facts, it is a wrong answer.
Must Be True. The correct answer choice is (D)
This question is a little unusual in that it presents an argument to support the claim that specially bred aquarium fish are inferior to ordinary fish, and yet it is followed by a Must Be True question. Typically, Must Be True questions are coupled with fact sets that contain no argumentation. Nevertheless, the approach to prephrasing and answering the question is the same: identify the facts and combine them to draw an inference.
The facts, according to the argument, are that these fish are popular with connoisseurs, they have brilliant coloration and unusual body shapes, that these features make it hard for them to get food quickly, making them underfed, that their special features aren't reproduced in their offspring, and that all of these makes them inferior to ordinary fish.
We should notice that the stimulus never makes any explicit statements about the characteristics of ordinary fish, only that the specially bred fish are inferior to them for the reasons given. That comparative statement allows us to infer that ordinary fish have a number of characteristics that distinguish them from these fish: that they don't have the special coloration and odd body features, that they are better at getting food quickly, that they are less likely to be underfed, and they are more likely to breed true, meaning that their offspring look like them. They must have these differences; otherwise, these characteristics of specially bred aquarium fish would not make them inferior to ordinary fish. These inferences are our prephrases.
Answer choice (A): While the special fish may have difficulty getting to food quickly, this answer exaggerates the situation and brings in new information. We have no way of knowing if these fish need any special help to survive. They may be able to get food, albeit slower, and they are apparently able to reproduce, so perhaps they need no help at all.
Answer choice (B): This answer requires unwarranted speculation on our part. We know that connoisseurs like the specially bred fish, but that doesn't allow us to infer that they have no interest in other fish that lack the special coloration and body features.
Answer choice (C): We know that these fish are popular with connoisseurs, but we don't know that most of them are purchased by connoisseurs, In fact, the stimulus never tells us anything about purchasing patterns, so this answer is just speculation, a guess. It has no support in the stimulus, and so is incorrect.
Answer choice (D): This is the correct answer choice. It matches one of the things we prephrased, and the stimulus supports this inference. This is because the elaborate tails and strangely shaped fins are features of specially bred aquarium fish that make them inferior to ordinary fish. Ordinary fish therefore could not have these features. It even seems to be somewhat self-proving: if they were elaborate and strange, they wouldn't be ordinary!
Answer choice (E): We know that these fish are able to reproduce, but that they produce offspring that don't share their unusual features. There is no reason to assume that their features interfere with reproduction. Because this answer relies on speculation and misstates the facts, it is a wrong answer.