- Wed May 10, 2017 2:40 pm
#34689
Complete Question Explanation
Main Point. The correct answer choice is (A)
The author begins the stimulus by clarifying the view that biodiversity is indispensable to the
survival of life on Earth. Although this statement is true, the author says, the term biodiversity has to
be understood in the proper context, and it is not the case that every currently existing species has to
survive in order for there to be biodiversity. In support of this claim, the author points out that life on
Earth requires “various ecological niches” to be filled, but that there is not just one species that can
fill each niche.
The question stem identifies this as a Main Point question. Our prephrase is that the correct answer
choice will restate the argument’s conclusion, located in the second clause of the first sentence, that
“biodiversity does not require the survival of every currently existing species.” We know this is the
conclusion because the evidence in the second sentence is offered in support of it.
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice because it contains a virtually identical
restatement of the author’s main point, identified in our prephrase above.
Answer choice (B): This answer choice restates one of the argument’s premises, not its conclusion.
Answer choice (C): Here, the answer choice restates the dependent clause of the first sentence,
which introduced the necessity of biodiversity, but did not reflect the author’s main point.
Answer choice (D): This answer choice also restates one of the argument’s premises.
Answer choice (E): In this case, the answer choice contains information that was not present in the
stimulus, which does not support a claim about the “species most indispensable for biodiversity.”
Main Point. The correct answer choice is (A)
The author begins the stimulus by clarifying the view that biodiversity is indispensable to the
survival of life on Earth. Although this statement is true, the author says, the term biodiversity has to
be understood in the proper context, and it is not the case that every currently existing species has to
survive in order for there to be biodiversity. In support of this claim, the author points out that life on
Earth requires “various ecological niches” to be filled, but that there is not just one species that can
fill each niche.
The question stem identifies this as a Main Point question. Our prephrase is that the correct answer
choice will restate the argument’s conclusion, located in the second clause of the first sentence, that
“biodiversity does not require the survival of every currently existing species.” We know this is the
conclusion because the evidence in the second sentence is offered in support of it.
Answer choice (A): This is the correct answer choice because it contains a virtually identical
restatement of the author’s main point, identified in our prephrase above.
Answer choice (B): This answer choice restates one of the argument’s premises, not its conclusion.
Answer choice (C): Here, the answer choice restates the dependent clause of the first sentence,
which introduced the necessity of biodiversity, but did not reflect the author’s main point.
Answer choice (D): This answer choice also restates one of the argument’s premises.
Answer choice (E): In this case, the answer choice contains information that was not present in the
stimulus, which does not support a claim about the “species most indispensable for biodiversity.”