Free Practice Question
CR · Critical Reasoning
555-605
Complete the Passage
Which of the following most logically completes the reasoning?
When species are extensively hunted, individuals that reach reproductive maturity early make up a larger proportion of the population, because they have a better chance of reproducing. When species face diminished food resources, on the other hand, individuals tend to take longer to reach reproductive maturity. These considerations may help settle whether the primary cause of the gradual disappearance of North America's mastodons, prehistoric animals related to elephants, was diminished food resources or human hunting, since __________.
When species are extensively hunted, individuals that reach reproductive maturity early make up a larger proportion of the population, because they have a better chance of reproducing. When species face diminished food resources, on the other hand, individuals tend to take longer to reach reproductive maturity. These considerations may help settle whether the primary cause of the gradual disappearance of North America's mastodons, prehistoric animals related to elephants, was diminished food resources or human hunting, since __________.
Answer Choices
Sign in to reveal the correct answerA
from the location of certain hunting weapons in juxtaposition with mastodon remains, it is possible to determine whether those weapons were used to hunt mastodons.
B
the average age at which mastodons reached reproductive maturity can be established from mastodon tusks, of which there are many fossils dating from different periods
C
from the remains of mastodons already discovered, it can be accurately estimated when mastodons became extinct
D
from tusks and other bones, it is possible to determine whether male and female mastodons reached reproductive maturity at about same age
E
it is possible to determine whether earliest human dwellings constructed from mastodon tusks and bones come from an earlier period than the earliest hunting weapons unambiguously associated with mastodon remains.
Reveal the correct answer
Sign in for free to check your answer and unlock the full explanation.
Track your performance and improve
Get detailed analytics, unlock full explanations, and move up difficulty tiers as you practice.
Explanation
Unlock the full explanation
Create a free account to reveal the correct answer, see the step-by-step explanation, and start tracking your GMAT progress.
Comments
Sign in to join the discussion
No comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts and help others understand it better.
Sign in to commentDetails
Difficulty
555-605
Type
CR