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- Thu May 05, 2016 11:45 am
#23933
Complete Question Explanation
Main Point—CE. The correct answer choice is (C)
Whenever the stimulus begins by describing a traditional or prevailing hypothesis (Antarctica has generally been thought to have been covered by ice for at least the past 14 million years), you can be sure that her conclusion will eventually try to counter it. Indeed, the author brings up new evidence that seems to suggest that about three million years ago, the Antarctic ice sheet must have temporarily melted. The conclusion of the argument can be found in the third sentence of the stimulus (notice the conclusion indicator “therefore”). This idea is paraphrased in answer choice (C).
Answer choice (A): While new evidence suggests otherwise, we have no indication as to whether the general view has changed accordingly. Judging from the first sentence of the stimulus, the author’s viewpoint is in conflict with the prevailing view about Antarctica.
Answer choice (B): Hopefully you were able to quickly eliminate this answer choice. If ancient fossils of the kind found in Antarctica can also be found in places other than ocean-floor sediments, the author’s conclusion would be weakened as we would have less of a reason to believe that the Antarctica was temporarily submerged under the sea 3 million years ago. Furthermore, the fossils represent a side issue: the main issue is whether Antarctica has been continuously covered by ice. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. See discussion above.
Answer choice (D): What caused Antarctica to be submerged under the sea is not the main point of the argument. At issue is whether it was submerged, not why. While this answer choice can be inferred from the last sentence of the stimulus, it is not the conclusion of the argument. The phrase “after all” indicates a premise, not a conclusion!
Answer choice (E): This answer choice would be tempting if you assumed that the conclusion is bound to appear at the end of the argument. In fact, this is rarely true with Main Point questions. Test makers often hide the ball, so to speak, by describing the conclusion somewhere in the middle of the stimulus. Here, the last sentence is merely a premise explaining why the author believes Antarctica was not continuously covered by ice. The phrase “after all” indicates a premise, not a conclusion!
Main Point—CE. The correct answer choice is (C)
Whenever the stimulus begins by describing a traditional or prevailing hypothesis (Antarctica has generally been thought to have been covered by ice for at least the past 14 million years), you can be sure that her conclusion will eventually try to counter it. Indeed, the author brings up new evidence that seems to suggest that about three million years ago, the Antarctic ice sheet must have temporarily melted. The conclusion of the argument can be found in the third sentence of the stimulus (notice the conclusion indicator “therefore”). This idea is paraphrased in answer choice (C).
Answer choice (A): While new evidence suggests otherwise, we have no indication as to whether the general view has changed accordingly. Judging from the first sentence of the stimulus, the author’s viewpoint is in conflict with the prevailing view about Antarctica.
Answer choice (B): Hopefully you were able to quickly eliminate this answer choice. If ancient fossils of the kind found in Antarctica can also be found in places other than ocean-floor sediments, the author’s conclusion would be weakened as we would have less of a reason to believe that the Antarctica was temporarily submerged under the sea 3 million years ago. Furthermore, the fossils represent a side issue: the main issue is whether Antarctica has been continuously covered by ice. This answer choice is incorrect.
Answer choice (C): This is the correct answer choice. See discussion above.
Answer choice (D): What caused Antarctica to be submerged under the sea is not the main point of the argument. At issue is whether it was submerged, not why. While this answer choice can be inferred from the last sentence of the stimulus, it is not the conclusion of the argument. The phrase “after all” indicates a premise, not a conclusion!
Answer choice (E): This answer choice would be tempting if you assumed that the conclusion is bound to appear at the end of the argument. In fact, this is rarely true with Main Point questions. Test makers often hide the ball, so to speak, by describing the conclusion somewhere in the middle of the stimulus. Here, the last sentence is merely a premise explaining why the author believes Antarctica was not continuously covered by ice. The phrase “after all” indicates a premise, not a conclusion!