#19 - Specific Reference, Must Be True, Purpose/Function

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

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!

[avengingangel]

Hello, there -

Could someone please explain why B is the credited answer choice?? I didn't choose it because of the "worthy of consideration" language - I felt like the overall tone of the 2nd paragraph (that describes the "particular explanation" referenced here) was that this explanation was highly improbable/unlikely/not true.. and therefore NOT worthy of consideration. I originally chose B, but changed it at the last minute because of that reason.

I chose A - is it wrong because the author was not trying to indicate "universality" at all ?? That makes sense, if so. When I read it the first time (against the clock!), I took "universality" to mean "commonality," or something like that... as if saying, homing (in general) is legitimate thing, commonly found in other species.

[Adam Tyson]

Hey angel, your analysis of A is correct - there is not any suggest of universality or commonality of the outward displacement method, only that it exists in one other species. The author mentions honeybees to suggest that this system is a real thing in nature, known to exist in at least one other species, so we should at least give it some thought when trying to figure out how homing pigeons find their way home. He later goes on to say that this method seems unlikely, although he leaves open the possibility by saying that a crucial test for it hasn't yet been done. He prefers the alternative explanation, but doesn't go so far as to completely endorse one over the other.

So, while he doesn't prefer the outward displacement theory, he does treat it as being one that is worthy of at least some consideration. It's not total junk, and it might even be right, though we won't know until we do that crucial test.