#8 - Specific Reference, Parallel

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (E).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B):

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

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


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

[ltalley]

I now see why E is correct - this answer correctly parallels the history outlined in the first half of the second paragraph. When I was taking the test though, I was looking for an answer that paralleled in some way not just the first half of the second paragraph but also took into account the latter half that discussed the five massive extinction episodes. The question stem was asking for what was most analogous to the "history of global diversity described in the second paragraph," so how was I supposed to know that it was just the history described in the first half? I immediately knocked out E because it had no reference to any sort of setback to parallel the mass extinction that was described, which felt pretty important to the general history of diversity described.

[Rachael Wilkenfeld]

Hi ltalley,

The second paragraph only includes the portion of the passage regarding the increase in biodiversity. The part of the passage starting "furthermore" is the third paragraph. We thus only need to think about the increase in biodiversity, and not the decrease described in the third paragraph with the various extinction events.

Hope that helps!