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- Wed Jan 21, 2015 12:00 am
#35194
Complete Question Explanation
Method of Reasoning—AP. The correct answer choice is (B)
In this stimulus, the author reaches a conclusion about whether the ancient reptile Thrinaxodon was
warm-blooded or cold-blooded. The Thrinaxodon was not only an ancient reptile, but was also an
ancestor of mammals. Its skull suggests that it may have had whiskers, and the presence of whiskers
would show that it had hair elsewhere on its body. This other hair would have served as insulation,
regulating body temperature, which the author tells us would have been of little use to a coldblooded
animal. From this evidence, the author concludes that the Thrinaxadon was probably warm
blooded.
This is a Method of Reasoning—Argument Part question. Specifically, our task is to select
the answer choice that best describes the role played in the argument by the statement that “if
Thrinaxodon had whiskers, it clearly also had hair on other parts of its body, which would have
served as insulation that regulated body temperature.” Our prephrase is that this statement was a
premise offered in support of the conclusion that the Thrinaxodon was probably warm-blooded.
Answer choice (A): Although the part described in the question stem was a premise, this answer
choice improperly describes the argument’s conclusion.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice, as described in the prephrase above.
Answer choice (C): The portion of the argument at issue was not a conclusion, but rather a premise.
Answer choice (D): The statement identified in the question stem was of a conditional relationship,
but it was not contradictory to the conclusion. Instead, this relationship, if actually triggered by the
facts, would tend to support the conclusion.
Answer choice (E): Here, the answer choice is incorrect because the statement was used to support
the conclusion.
Method of Reasoning—AP. The correct answer choice is (B)
In this stimulus, the author reaches a conclusion about whether the ancient reptile Thrinaxodon was
warm-blooded or cold-blooded. The Thrinaxodon was not only an ancient reptile, but was also an
ancestor of mammals. Its skull suggests that it may have had whiskers, and the presence of whiskers
would show that it had hair elsewhere on its body. This other hair would have served as insulation,
regulating body temperature, which the author tells us would have been of little use to a coldblooded
animal. From this evidence, the author concludes that the Thrinaxadon was probably warm
blooded.
This is a Method of Reasoning—Argument Part question. Specifically, our task is to select
the answer choice that best describes the role played in the argument by the statement that “if
Thrinaxodon had whiskers, it clearly also had hair on other parts of its body, which would have
served as insulation that regulated body temperature.” Our prephrase is that this statement was a
premise offered in support of the conclusion that the Thrinaxodon was probably warm-blooded.
Answer choice (A): Although the part described in the question stem was a premise, this answer
choice improperly describes the argument’s conclusion.
Answer choice (B): This is the correct answer choice, as described in the prephrase above.
Answer choice (C): The portion of the argument at issue was not a conclusion, but rather a premise.
Answer choice (D): The statement identified in the question stem was of a conditional relationship,
but it was not contradictory to the conclusion. Instead, this relationship, if actually triggered by the
facts, would tend to support the conclusion.
Answer choice (E): Here, the answer choice is incorrect because the statement was used to support
the conclusion.