#3 - A group of unusual meteorites was found in Shergotty, India. Their structure indicates that the

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

Method of Reasoning. The correct answer choice is (B).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice.

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E):

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[LeslyLSATinLA]

Could someone please explain why the correct answer is B and not A? I think I got it wrong because the stimulus says "nor could Venus be the source of the meteorites..."which I went ahead and interpreted that as a counterexample.

[Robert Carroll]

LeslyLSATinLA,

There aren't any examples in this stimulus. An example is a specific case that illustrates a general point. The author doesn't have a general point here - they have three possible explanations of a phenomenon. Two of those possible explanations have defects, proving the remaining explanation is the most likely one.

Think about it this way - is the author using Venus as an example? If so, the author should be able to substitute something for it - that's how examples work. If I could find another example to make my point, I could just substitute it. But...there are only three planets that could function as the origin of the meteorites. Removing the "example" of Venus can't be done - Venus wasn't an example but just one of the three possible explanations. The author isn't saying, "Well, for example, it could be Venus." The author is saying "As a matter of fact, Venus is one of exactly three possible origins."

Robert Carroll