#19 - Concept Reference, Must Be True

[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!

[baxleyce]

Why is A wrong? The test specifically states, "There are indications that plumage probably does signal broad age-related differences in status among Harris sparrows" which satisfies the part of A that says "his data proved to be more relevant to other issues".

[Jeremy Press]

Hi bax,

The problem with reading that portion of the passage the way you have is that it's not actually raising an "other issue," i.e. an issue outside of social status signaling. Rather, it's an instance in which the Harris sparrows plumage does actually signal social status differences (in birds of different ages). So the author of the passage is admitting there that Rohwer's data do support some instances of social status signaling (in birds of different ages), which is the same basic issue as that raised by the social status signaling hypothesis. What Rohwer's data don't back up, according to the author, is a more specific form of social status signaling, signaling "among birds of the same age and sex." With respect to this specific form of social status signaling, the author concludes that "the Harris sparrows’ age-related plumage differences do not signal the status of individual birds within an age class."

Other than the reference you mentioned, I can't find any other issues that Rohwer's data would be relevant to, so that makes A an incorrect answer.

I hope this helps!