GeminiHeat wrote:
Whales originated in the freshwater lakes and rivers of ancient Asia about sixty million years ago. Not until about ten million years later did species of whales develop specialized kidneys enabling them to drink salt water. Although fossil evidence shows that some early whale species that lacked such kidneys sometimes swam in the Earth’s saltwater oceans, these species must have had to return frequently to freshwater rivers to drink.
Which of the following is most strongly supported by the information given?
(A) Fossils of whale species dating from between sixty million and fifty million years ago will not be found on continents that were at the time separated from ancient Asia by wide expanses of ocean.
(B) Among whale fossils that date from later than about fifty million years ago, none are fossils of whale species that drank only fresh water.
(C) Fossils of whale species that drank fresh water will not be found in close proximity to fossils of whale species that drank salt water.
(D) The earliest whales that drank salt water differed from fresh-water-drinking whales only in their possession of specialized kidneys.
(E) Between sixty million and fifty million years ago, the freshwater lakes and rivers in which whales originated were gradually invaded by salt water.
Explanation
A. Fossils of whale species dating from between sixty million and fifty million years ago will not be found on continents that were at the time separated from ancient Asia by wide expanses of ocean.
Clearly supports the statement from the prompt that although some whales did swim in salt water oceans, they had to return to freshwater rivers to drink. Hence it is implied that whales could not have travelled vast expanses of oceans. Consequently fossils of whales cannot be found in such continents that were very far from Asia
B. Among whale fossils that date from later than about fifty million years ago, none are fossils of whale species that drank only fresh water.
Contradicts the information in the prompt that only around 10 million years ago saltwater whales started emerging. Also, the emergence of saltwater whales does not mean that freshwater whales ceased to exist
C. Fossils of whale species that drank fresh water will not be found in close proximity to fossils of whale species that drank salt water.
Irrelevant. Nothing in the prompt supports or contradicts this.
D. The earliest whales that drank salt water differed from fresh-water-drinking whales only in their possession of specialized kidneys.
Nothing in the prompt supports this. Specialized kidneys have been mentioned as an attribute of saltwater whales, but not the ONLY attribute.
E. Between sixty million and fifty million years ago, the freshwater lakes and rivers in which whales originated were gradually invaded by salt water.
Irrelevant. Nothing in the prompt supports or contradicts this.
Answer: A
16 Apr 2022, 06:38
44% (01:37) correct
